Serendipity (2001)

I am not sure how much I believe in serendipity good fortune discovered by accident also known as fate, but this movie could make a believer out of me. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale are wonderful together as soul mates that overcome every obstacle to be together! They are successful because it was meant to be. If you can't suspend reality, and just go with the flow, then this movie probably isn't for you. It is meant for those that can have faith.

Do you believe in love? Fate? That everything happens for a reason? Astrology? Premonitions? Near misses of should-of-beens? Well, neither do I. However, this film is full of ALL of these things and come to find out the story is delightful!

John Cusack is a way-cool actor. He always plays the type of guy you want to root for to prevail in some off-the-wall struggle. Kate Beckinsale is nothing short of gorgeous and her British accent is a charming ingredient of this comical look at a love-story-gone-awry.

Cuscack & Beckinsale play a couple of New Yorkers who "accidently" meet up one night. Turns out, they REALLY hit it off. Due to a sequence of unlikely events, they are separated and go their separate ways.

A few years later both are supposed to be married almost on the same day. Only problem is (you guessed it) by now they're supposed to marry different people. At the eleventh hour both start having second thoughts and begin having reveries about their one enchanting evening together.

The balance of the story traces their attempts to get back in touch with each other while their friends believe they've gone looney. The result is what is quite possibly the funnest & sweetest Romantic Comedy since WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.

If you have a date tonight, I would SERIOUSLY recommend this film. If you don't have a date tonight, find one & then watch it together. As a last resort, watch it by yourself. Remember: everything happens for a reason! OK, OK, maybe it doesn't but that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy this DVD!

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I watched this film again after seeing it in theaters several years ago, and I had forgotten how cool it was. I remember overhearing a lady in the row in front of me groaning and complaining at every seemingly contrived moment of serendipity that befalls the "soul mates" played wonderfully by John Cusack and the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale, whom I could stare at forever as well as listen to her speak without ever growing tired of it. Anyhow, I guess I understood the lady's skepticism...this movie does appear to be so outlandishly contrived that it strains credibility. Yet, what appealed to me about this movie is that I had similar moments of serendipity/coincidences with a girl I dated in 2000. Seeing this film brings back my own memories...so trust me when I say that the things in this movie can happen to people. I'm one of those people.

Romantic comedies have the poor habit of following the standard, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl reconcile, and all is happily ever after. This doesn't wander too far from that formula, but its so downright clever, watchable, and enjoyable that you can't help but fall in love with the story and characters. Romantic comedies also tend to feature interesting selections of music, and this one is no different. I actually enjoyed the song selections in this film and not one of them was familiar to me (using oldies that have appeared in countless other films). I especially got a kick out of Lars, the Yanni-esque boyfriend of Sara (Beckinsale). His new age music is poked fun at by Sara and her sidekick friend (played to comedic effect by an SNL-alum), but I actually thought that was cool about him. Eugene Levy also has a couple scene-stealing moments with his usual brand of comedic seriousness and Jeremy Piven plays the sidekick role he often plays in films.

This film throws every obstacle to keep the two apart and its an amusing development to watch. Overall though, you know the two are destined to be together and its just as well. So, for all the skeptics out there who find this film outlandishly contrived, please suspend your disbelief and realize that such romantic possibilities and coincidences are possible. I experienced it myself a few years ago, so that's why I find this film to be quite credible, not to mention funny and entertaining in its own right.

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In my opinion John Cusak's best movie.

He & Kate Beckinsale are magic together.

The storyline is fantastic, the music

alluring, and the acting first class.

I have watched it at least 20 times.

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Oh Kate, of the enormous white teeth and John of raven hair, black as night! Who couldn't watch these two for a few hours, even though they rarely appear on screen together? But the pair with the greatest chemistry in this movie are real-life best friends John Cusack and Jeremy Piven. Piven gets to use his acting chops a bit more here than he did in a similar best-buddy role in Family Man, and to good advantage. He is the emotional underpinning of this movie, and the only one who seems to really learn anything. Piven deserves to be moved up from supporting actor to lead roles, and soon. Another secondary character worth watching is Northern Exposure vet John Corbett, showing good sportsmanship as a godawful new-age musician/entertainer. Corbett's character is the only truly new addition to a plot cobbled from many others mentioned by other reviewers. The scene where he is watching his own music video for the first time is the funniest in the movie.

The director spares us from bothersome breakups with the cruelly tossed aside fiances, who must do all their wailing and gnashing off camera. How un-flattering that would be to the glossy leads! And as a book collecter I had to laugh at Cusack's obsessive legwork in search of a certain copy of Love in the Time of Cholera, which he could have probably found in a few phone calls after a half-hour internet search.

Enjoy this movie for charming characters and a light romance--just don't think about it too much!

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Basket Case (1982)

'The tenant in room 7 is small, twisted, and very mad.' One of my favorite tag lines from a movie. This is a great, low bugdet shlock horror/comedy from the early 80's. It involves two brothers and their plot to get revenge. I hate to give anymore away, but this is a cult classic that has spawned a couple of sequels. I haven't seen them, but I have seen this one, and it's lots of fun. The story is definately interesting with its flashbacks and the actors will never win any Oscars, but they really help to make this movie. And then there's the seedy locations. Basically this type of film making is called "using what you got and making the most of it". And then there's the special effects....not over the top, but effective enough to fit nicely with the story. The stop motion animation was a little cheesy, but then that added to the fun of the movie for me. All in all, I had a great time watching this movie.

Something Weird Video (SWV) did a really great job with this DVD. I was a little disappointed that the movie was only available in full screen format, but the amount of extras included was truly amazing. I really enjoyed the piece where the director goes back and tries to locate certain locations from the movie. Great stuff, and pretty complete.

So, in closing, if you want to see a low budget, gory, horror/comedy schlockfest that was done really well, get this movie, if you've got the guts. And as an added bonus, get a glimpse of what times square used to look like before it got all cleaned up and 'disneyfied'. Not a lot of footage on this, but a chance to see how seedy and raw it used to be, with it's hookers, grindhouses, triple-X theaters, etc., compared to what it is now.

I'm giving the movie itself 5-stars (how could someone grow up in the 80s/90s and not rent it is beyond me!) but it's a great one. Henenlotter started strong and kept it going.

But the info I want to make known is that the transfer for BC is a brand new one coming from the previously-thought lost negative. Henenlotter himself has stated online at places like Facebook that he thought he'd lost it but came across it a couple years back buried in his storage. He is excited about this as BC has never truly been seen the way he intended it to look -transfer always came from beat up prints instead of the negative and never got the true attention he'd hoped for. This blu-ray will be a milestone for fans of Henenlotter, BASKET CASE, Belial and Something Weird Video. Here's hoping the BLOOD TRILOGY turns out as well!

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If you're looking for a bit of a change-up for your Friday Night Horror Movie Parties, try this one.

It's gory. It's got really cheesy 80's special effects. The actors ALL have bad hair.

However, it is an interesting idea. The two brothers are clearly deeply connected to each other (or, at least they were...). The emotional conflict between the two (particularly the more "able" brother's desire to date) is intense and understandable.

There were moments in this movie that were so funny (that I don't think were meant to be) that my husband and I just laughed and laughed. Some of the characters are over the top. There were some scenes (particularly the really bad stop-animation scenes) that made me wince in their low quality. I'm sure it was superb film quality at the time; but, now it's really bad.

Overall, it's one of those films that you probably should watch. Get a friend who won't hate you when it's over, come to an agreement that this is intentionally quite trashy, and have fun watching a truly original, truly bizarre flick.

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Basket Case is WAY out there and so sick that the mouths of those watching it fall open in disbelief. This movie was made outside of Hollywood; the sets consists of a seedy flophouse (not a Hollywood soundstage designed to look like a flophouse), a 42nd street grindhouse movie theater, and what looks like an abandoned building that is supposed to be a doctor's office. The actors and extras look like they were not saleried but worked for a chance to be on film and/or a bottle of wine. There was not much money to be spent on this movie. Instead, this horror masterpiece relied on imagination and a twisted sense of humor to make it work. The story concerns a pair of separated Simease twins. Duane, the normal (normal as in being able to walk on his own and not scare people with his looks) carries his brother around in a wicker basket. The bother looks like a big glob of putty with claws and teeth. Their goal is to exact revenge on the doctor's who separated them. There is lots of blood shed, horrendous acting by non pros, and a femme fatale with the most ridiculous hairstyle ever put on celluloid.

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"Basket Case," directed by Frank Henenlotter, is one of my favorite horror films of all time. It tells the story of Duane, an ordinary young man with a bizarre secret: he carries his deformed, undersized former conjoined twin around in a basket (hence the film's title).

"Basket Case" has an appealing low-budget feel to it, and Kevin Van Hentenryck is very likeable as Duane. Belial, the deformed twin, is an oddly sympathetic character. Yes, the film contains some scenes that many will find sick and depraved, but it also contains some truly haunting images. Disturbing, sometimes funny, and curiously moving, "Basket Case" is a truly unique piece of cinematic art.

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Michael Jackson: Moonwalker Blu-Ray (1998)

Michael didn't write a story he wrote an outline of what he wanted his movie to be like and someone just cashed in by saying he "wrote" a book.

Also it isn't worth more than $20. I bought this book on this site a month before he died for $8.00(s/h included) and it's a shame to see that the sellers up their price to make money off a dead man.

This is a great transfer to BD not available in the US. I've played it on my US PS3 as well as a different stand alone BD player with no issues whatsoever. The sound is excellent and the picture is good overall. Some of the sequences are better than others, but that's to be expected with the age of the source material.

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Finally able to update from VHS. I would have loved some of the extra out-takes from the original release

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Growing up this was my favorite movie ever and this movie will make anyone who is a fan of music a Michael Jackson fan.

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excellent movie. now that i've watched since long time, it seems better and i realized that it wasnt a movie it was just a copilation of music videos.

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Shrek: The Whole Story (Shrek / Shrek 2 / Shrek the Third / Shrek Forever After) (2010)

For $10.00 per film you need to get this set. I find Blu-ray pricing to be a bit of a pain (on my budget that is!) But this set is priced as all Blu-rays should be. Ten bucks each! And for a great product.

The image quality is exceptional on my TV(Samsung LED). The detail and color in the films are just what you would expect from Dreamworks. Shrek never looked better. I watched the 1st Shrek movie again and was impressed. The other Shrek movies look better of course by default.

I don't need to review the films here since everyone knows you are getting three great films with one so-so film. For the price it is a must buy.

Again, I just want to vent here Studios: reduce the price of Blu-rays and we will buy more of them. The retail price on this set is $76.99 which is outrageous. Come on.

Ordered this for $31 for all 4 blurays . Cannot complain . Love the movie and great price. Packaging was great! Thanks Amazon!

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The Shrek series is overall a fine and entertaining parody of the fairytale genre that cemented Dreamworks' status as the only serious contender to Pixar's reign as the kings of computer animation. I for one think that Dreamworks features for the most part are funnier. The first two features never before released on Blu-ray are a defininate upgrade over DVD. The third entry was a little weak as far as story goes but Forever After was a fine and fitting finale to the series to end on a high note.

However this otherwise great value priced box set is missing one near essential part of the story. Where is the 2008 Christmas special Shrek the Halls? The feature was only 22 minutes long. Why couldn't it have been included as a special feature?Paramount deducted it from the whole story therefore I am deducting one star.

Read Best Reviews of Shrek: The Whole Story (Shrek / Shrek 2 / Shrek the Third / Shrek Forever After) (2010) Here

great movies for family to watch even for all ages the things donky does are so funny you got to get this set

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It's a great complete set. My kid and family members love it. Great family entertainment to be enjoyed at home

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Meatballs (1979)

Update: Just received mine last week (6/14/07) and it is ONE disc, not two. Picture quality is BEAUTIFUL! The night scenes are actually not one big black blob!

Just an update on the 2007 2-disc Special Edition of Meatballs, since Amazon is not providing any information and all the reviews on this page deal with the less than stellar previous dvd release. The 2007 Special Edition is digitally remastered in Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic). It is in 5.1 Dolby Digital Stereo [CC] and it features subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

DVD Features:

Commentary with Director Ivan Reitman

"Summer Camp: The Making of Meatballs" Featurette

Amazingly, no theatrical trailer is included. Also available in Blu-Ray.

Technical Specs:

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Digitally Re-mastered

Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1

This is one of my favorite movies from childhood, and I still love it (I'm now 27).

Bill Murray is terrific as head counselor Tripper Harrison in this warm and funny feel-great movie. All of the players in the ensemble cast are good, and the music is also really effective. If you like summer, good times, goofy humor, if you were born in the seventies (or even if you weren't) check out "Meatballs". It's a great way to spend a Friday evening--make something strange for a midnight snack and put on "Meatballs".

As for the DVD transfer, here are a couple of comments:

1. It does include the trailer. 2. It's a "matted" widescreen version, which means you actually see less than you do on the full-screen VHS version, because they simply lay black bars across the top and bottom of the full-screen image (I compared the two versions scene-to-scene). 3. For some reason, some of the music has been changed in the DVD version. I found this unfortunate, because the music is one of my favorite parts of the movie. Whenever the song "Meatballs" plays, for instance, an alternate version is played. Also, the "Makin' It" song at the "big social" scene is cut differently.

Aside from these few complaints, I'll still give the disc five stars, because I love the movie so much.

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As a person who spent many of my summers at camp I found this movie to be excellent. It also doesn't hurt that this movie stars Bill Murray...one of my favorites. I've owned this movie on VHS for many years now and have watched it numerous times. I just bought the DVD and noticed that the actual song titled "Meatballs" (originally written and performed by Rick Dees) is different than it is on the VHS version. The DVD version is actually sung (or more like halfway spoken/rapped) by Bill Murray himself. There is also about ten seconds of footage added at the end of the cafeteria scene that isn't on the VHS. Not much, but to a fan of the movie it's kind of cool. I wish the DVD had more features on it (like deleted scenes), but none the less this is still probably the best camp movie you could ask for.

Read Best Reviews of Meatballs (1979) Here

Ivan Reitman's 1979 comedy hit stars Bill Murray, who effortlessly parades around campgrounds and cliches found in many a kids' outdoor comedy, in this warm and satisfying summer-camp classic, packed with all the genre hallmarks one would anticipate.

You may have seen other movies like it, but "Meatballs" is still the seminal camp movie, with its semi-raunchy humor (you'd never see a PG rated kids comedy now with as much adult material as this), fun mix of Elmer Bernstein score and songs (many written by Elmer and Norman Gimbel), and steady stream of laughs making for a good time for one and all.

Surprisingly, "Meatballs" had something of a turbulent post-production process. Reitman's original version of the film focused mostly on the adventures of the various camp counselors, but when the director went to cut the film down, taking out nearly an hour of footage, he found himself with a 70 minute feature that needed "more." The director then decided to develop more material around the relationship between Murray's counselor and young Chris Makepeace, resulting in an enhanced emotional center at the heart of the picture (those scenes also stand out since Makepeace looks noticeably older).

An independent production that's bounced around various video labels over the years, "Meatballs" was last issued by Sony in a Special Edition DVD that included a decent retrospective documentary. That edition was supposed to be released on Blu-Ray but never happened, leaving fans to wait until this excellent new Lionsgate HD package materialized. While the BD lacks the Sony documentary and other extras (it does retain a fascinating commentary track with Reitman and co-writer Dan Goldberg), the 1080p transfer is spectacular: crisp, colorful, and freed of DNR. The DTS MA stereo audio is likewise fine, and the original Paramount logo is retained (Paramount beat Fox and Universal for the rights to distribute the film theatrically in 1979). For Murray fanatics and comedy fans, this is a terrific catalog release that comes highly recommended.

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Murray's interactions with the boy are so good that I used excerpts from the film for a final exam on basic counseling I taught at a graduate school the students had to identify the techniques used by Tripper and suggest alternatives. This may be a far more educational portrayal of counseling than any of the wierd therapist-involved movies Hollywood has produced over the past decade.

Beyond all that, this is a film of good-natured humor that has sympathy for its characters. Among the very best things that Bill Murray ever did.

And where is Tripper today when we need him?

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Saw II (Unrated Edition) (2005)

The film has shock value, suspense, gore and realism. I didn't have very high expectations for this film thinking it would be a typical slasher flick, but it really surprised me. I haven't been watching many horror films lately. Maybe there are quite a few good ones being made. Saw II definately delivers.

The film's plot has nothing to do with saws and I have not seen Saw I. Any horror film that gets me thinking is a good film and well worth the price of rental or maybe even purchasing for horror film enthusiasts. The main thing I got out of the film is that we all tend to conjure up our own realities and this can make or break us.

The diabolic Jigsaw is back in the follow up to the smash "Saw" which came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest grossing horror films of all time. Not content to rest on the mayhem he created in the first film, Jigsaw is back kidnapping those he deems unworthy of life, and forcing them to earn their lives back in a series of brutal and bizarre games, where death is all to often the result.

The sequel picks up shortly after the events of the first film where Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is investigating yet another victim. The fact that the victim is missing a puzzle shaped piece of skin leaves no doubt as to who is behind this killing, and Matthews and his task force set up their efforts to stop the killer before he can strike again.

A sudden inspiration leads Matthews and his team to a factory where they soon discover Jigsaw amongst all of his toys and traps. The frail Jigsaw is dying from a terminal illness, and he reveals to Matthews that he has a game underway, one where a group of people are trapped in a remote house filled with traps that are also filling up with a deadly gas. Only those who can survive the traps and decipher the clues will be able to locate the antidotes and survive the mayhem.

Matthews is even more determined to find the locale of the house as his son is one of the individuals trapped inside slowly dying from the poison. Matthews and his team can see what is happening in the house via a video monitor and while the team attempts to determine the location and save the individuals, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), plays a dangerous game with Matthews as he attempts to interrogate him for information.

The film moves back and forth from the interrogation to the individuals trapped in the house and keeps the tension going. While not as claustrophobic or as gory as the original, "Saw 2"

benefits from an interesting premise and a rousing finale that sets the stages for the pending "Saw 3". Some may find a bit of issue with the pacing as it does not contain as the tension and scares are scarcer than they are in the first release.

Solid performances throughout makes "Saw 2" a cut above most horror films and is not to be missed by fans of the original.

Bonus Materials Include

Commentary with director Darren Lynn Bousman, Donnie Wahlberg and Beverley Mitchell

Jigsaw's Game Making-of Featurette

Bits and Pieces: The Props of Saw II

Bits and Pieces: The Traps of Saw II

Featurettes

Storyboards

4 stars out of 5

Gareth Von Kallenbach

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After watching the incredible SAW that graced our screens last year it was a given that I would see the MUCH ANTICIPATED sequel.

This film seems to have more of a story-line than the original... JIG-SAW is at it again and this time locks up 8 people inside an abandoned, creepy old house. They are trapped in the building and a lethal gas has been pumped into the house for a while. They have exactly 2 hours to each, find a room marked for their attention, crack the game needed to be played and won and inject the antidote into their systems. They also have the option to play each game a little "further and harder" in order to find a 2nd Antidote : perhaps for a friend they have made amongst the 8 strangers. Inevitably, going for the 2nd one may end in death.

To add an incredible dimension to the story, DONNIE WAHLBERG, who plays a cop in the film : catches JIG-SAW at the start of the film and then finds out that JIG-SAW has his son in he house. The race against time plays out awesomely in the film, as does the films running time and the fact that each and every character in the house is running closer to death from the lethal gas.

DONNIE WALHBERG is awesome, as is the cast of basic unknows. TOBIN BELL (JIGSAW) is incredibly creepy.

And finally : if you thought the original ending came at BREAK-NECK-SPEED... this one is going to hit you LIKE A SACK OF BRICKS TRAVELLING AT MACH 1...

As is the basic rule for sequels : THE BODY COUNT IS ALWAYS MUCH HIGHER... THE DEATH SCENES ARE ALWAYS MORE ELABORATE AND OH YES... THERE WILL BE BLOOD!!!

Read Best Reviews of Saw II (Unrated Edition) (2005) Here

I went to go see this movie in theaters the night it came out because I thought that the first Saw was really good. I was just hoping that the directors, writers, and producers were not just putting out some crap sequal so that people would see it. (You know, one with no plot, bad acting, and that is very predictible) However I was very, very, very pleased with this sequal. I enjoyed this movie just as much (if not more) than the origional. (And with all of the sequals that I've seen I have never been able to say that before) I felt as if the plot was pretty average (parents get divorced, the kid turns into a punk because of it, and he and his dad fight over it) However, as the story goes along, I realised something. In all of the movies that I have seen with that sort of storyline, this one was VERY different. So the plot gets an A+ in my book even though it is not that origional. Now what is origional is all of the twists and turns that the storyline actually go through. The ending totally blew my mind. I had no idea that was going to happen. (Don't worry I wont spoil it) Now some people are saying on here that this movie did not live up to the first one. I could not disagree more. If you were to take all of the acting, twists, gore, and even the death traps, then multiply them by 100 this is exactally what you would get. Plus, I mean how many horror movies have you seen that were this thought out? I say that because about 99.9% of horror movies that have been released recentaly have been just crap. Most of which I went to go see in theaters, and felt as if I had got screwed out of the money that I used to pay for the ticket. Mostly due to the fact that either the commercial was very diceiving, bad acting, or it was just some stupid college movie slasher. Either that or I felt like I could have crapped out a better idea for a movie. (Officially known as that turd of a movie titled "Hostle") Anyway, what I am trying to say is that for a horror movie (or for any type of movie out there) this movie has it all. Great acting, great storyline, great gore special effects, awesome villian, and one of the best endings I have ever seen in my life and in any movie. So, go out on February 14 (unless they change the date that has been anounced) and buy this DVD!!! I greatly recommend it and you will not be disappointed!

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Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is back! this time he traps a helpless group of several people people (Shawnee Smith, Erik Knudsen, Tim Burd, Franky G, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Glenn Plummer, Tony Nappo) in a booby-trapped filled house conducted by Jigsaw and his sick twisted ideas. Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) discovers Jigsaw himself for he must play the game if his son and the other victims can survive.

Enjoyable and fairly grisly sequel to the suprise instant new horror classic "Saw" has writer-and-director James Wan as executive producer. The acting is good in some places but there is some more memorable moments of torture and gore such as the now infamous cringe-inducing "Pit of Syringes" and the gunblast to the eyeball boobie trap, though nowhere as great as the original this is still a fairly watchable and violent sequel.

This unrated uncut 2-Disc DVD set contains the alternate unrated cut not shown in theaters with excellent extras like two audio commentaries, theatrical trailer, a fun "Play Me" set top navigation game much like the one on the "Nightmare on Elm Street" boxset, The making of "Saw II" multi-featurette, "Zombie" a short student film from the director of this movie, and "The story behind the story" multi-featurette.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read Best Reviews of Sex Drive (Unrated and Cream-filled) (2008) Here

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

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

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The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) (2006)

You've got a pretty tight group of girlfriends. You're a pretty tough girl yourself. You do a lot of adventurous stuff that usually includes mostly just your girlfriends.

After a year's hiatus due to a terrible family tragedy, you decide it's time to hook up with your girls and shake the bad memories on a spelunking outing.

You head to a remote area of the Appalachian Mountains to some charted caves recommended by a spelunking guide, according to one of your group members. You embark with 6 friends into the caves from the highpoint in the mountain...down...down...down through the bowels of the mountain in search of an exit at a lower point.

Then two of a plethora of bad things happen. A tunnel that you came through is sealed off leaving you only one way to go...down. And your partner reveals the reality that a guide didn't recommend the caves at all; she thought it would make the excursion more adventurous in unexplored caves. There is no charted way out.

Think that's a problem? How about shining your light down the next tunnel where you see an eerie human-ish looking figure crouched in the dark peering back at you?

The Descent has chills. There's high suspense. It goes without saying that there are good old fashioned jump-out-of-the-dark scares (they are in a cave!). No special effects needed here to generate excitement. The creatures are well designed and scary.

The story flows very well. The acting is better than the average Horror flick. And Director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) keeps a better than average flow of twists and turns coming.

Do indeed see it if you're into the genre. The Descent is one of the movies on my Amazon Listmania List, "15 Flicks Guaranteed To Leave A Permanent Impression".

Note: The US theatrical version had a lame ending compared to the original UK version. The US DVD release gives you the option of which ending you'd prefer to view. Go with the original.

I'm not typically accustomed to going "gaga" over horror films. It's not that I don't like them, I love them--but truth be told, it's hard to find genuinely good ones. I'm entertained by lots of the gory, splatter films that have recently dominated the box office. Usually, however, it's a matter of accepting the limitations within these films and getting whatever enjoyment you can out of the scenarios. It's been a very long time since I thought of a current horror movie as a 5 star event, so nothing could have surprised me more than "The Descent."

The preliminary setup is a good one. Our heroines begin to explore some unknown, uncharted cave systems and quickly become trapped. Now our ladies must use their resourcefulness and intelligence to try to get out. The dynamics start to play out between the women--good and bad--and a real fear for survival starts to set in. We are squarely in a man versus nature psychological thriller atmosphere. It recalls for me "Open Water"--a film whose horror is about helplessness and being stranded, not about sharks.

But just as soon as I was sure where I was headed, the rug was pulled out. The last third becomes a monstrously bloody battle for survival. It is so well choreographed, I was sucked in wholeheartedly. And far from being victims--our heroines exhibit intelligence, brutality, resilience, loyalty and a real survival instinct. We've got some real female empowerment going on! For pure horror, this film goes out with a real bang.

I was completely blindsided by this one. There's a good screenplay, a credible backstory, appealing actresses, great cinematography and nice effects.

"The Descent" may not be the "best" movie I see this year--but as a pure adrenaline rush, I promise you it will be one of my favorites. KGHarris, 12/06.

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Neil Marshall's "The Descent" completely lives up to the hype! It is one of the bloodiest horror films to ever play on the big screen for sure. It is the definition of claustrophobic & it is truly one of the most jump out of your seat scariest big screen horror flicks since Ridley Scott's "ALIEN". Just more proof that the great horror films & the great horror film Directors are comeing from the world of independent films. Even though the concept isn't so fresh it seems that everything else about it is. The cave creatures are brilliantly gruesome & realistic(great make up/efx). Even with all the mostly dry & un-original remakes out there,the last 8-9 years has still produced some of the best horror films ever & "The Descent" is truly the final seal of approval that we horror movie fans will look back at the turn of the century as a great era in horror movie history let alone movie history in general. If I'm Alive 20 years from now I will be so glad to say I saw this one in the theatre. A masterpiece!

***UPDATE*** Coming from someone who saw the American theatre ending,IMO the original UK ending that comes with the widescreen unrated original cut is excellent & just as good if not better than the shortened American theatre version.

Read Best Reviews of The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) (2006) Here

This is probably the most effective horror movie I have ever seen. The all female cast does a phenomenal job of keeping the audiences attention (and no there is no nudity). Shows what a talented director and cast can do with little money and a good story. Has more scares and is more entertaining than the majority of horror that is released in theatres.

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So this was a rather interesting film. I'd say that it was probably one of the most enjoyable films that I've seen in recent weeks. It provided an interesting location, mind-bending ending, and a unique cast of all females that react reasonably in the face of danger. What else really made the grade for this film?

Plot: Ok, so it's not the most original plot I've ever heard of. A bunch of girls go caving, and lurking in the darkness is an evolved human, evolved to live perfectly in the dark. Cavemen gone crazy more-or-less. Still, the plot might lack some ingenuity, but they brought it out in a way that seems to master this form of the story. I've seen other cave movies before, but they weren't put together like this one was. In fact, they did a good job of explaining almost every aspect of the adventure in a true, realistic manner. You felt like the character had no choice and made responsible efforts in their quest to survive. The ending is somewhat of a give and take piece, it lets your imagination run for a bit, as it's more symbolic rather than direct, so you'll have to take away your own thoughts of the film, but I think that this makes it leave a lasting impression.

Atmosphere: So this was another thing that I enjoyed. This movie boasts some excellent camera work. If you're at all claustrophobic, this movie will probably scare the h"ll out of you. They did a great job using the darkness and lighting the scenes effectively and mysteriously. They also used red flares, and green glow sticks in specific sequences, which gave a nice stylized look to the overall film.

Effects: There was quite a bit of gore in the film...some of it better than others. I noticed a few scenes where the gore was just amateurish, and yet there were many scenes where it was really well done. A production schedule glitch? I don't know, but I would've loved to see the whole thing with a mastering of these effects. I think though that what they do provide over-rides the less-than incredible gore, and I think most gore fans will be pleased with the quality of the effects.

Acting: There's a lot of new faces, at least new as in the sense of the American market. I've not heard of these British actresses before. They did a most excellent job, and really lost control on this production. It seems like they knew exactly how to react and the director did a great job of bringing out the emotion of the scene. It was a most realistic and reasonable ride throughout the film. I think that the females were "friends" off-set, because it really shows through in the film.

This is a definite recommendation, and a film that I will add to my collection in the near future. I think that it was interesting, fun, creative, and it really keeps you going from beginning to end. It's got a good amount of suspense, tension and gore. In my opinion, it should make any horror film fan happy.

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The Rocker (Born to Rock Edition) (2008)

Rainn Wilson plays Robert Fishman---"Fish"---the left-behind drummer for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame big hair band Vesuvius, who was dumped just as the band got its first real break.

Fish spends the next twenty years working 9 to 5 and brooding over his bandmates' betrayal. He never touches a drum kit again until his teenaged nephew, in a band called Attention Deficit Disorder, begs him to fill in for the band's absent drummer.

Fish agrees. He gives the lead singer, Timothy Geiger, a few new arrangements and some lyrics, and within months, A.D.D. is the biggest act around with a hit record and a national tour. Although Fish quickly readopts his hardcore rocker lifestyle, his young bandmates act as a sea anchor, calming him somewhat.

All is well until the band's manager convinces Geiger to dump "the dinosaur," and Fish finds himself once again relegated to the bargain bin. But A.D.D. is not Vesuvius, and they quickly lose momentum without their sparkplug. Although begged to return, at first Fish is embittered, especially when he discovers that A.D.D. is to be the opening act for Vesuvius's world tour. But in the end, his love for his young bandmates overcomes all.

This is a fine, fun, and goodnatured film in the vein of SCHOOL OF ROCK, and is well worth a bowl of popcorn and a Sunday evening.

"Dwight" from The Office fans should find enough Dwight in this film to satisfy. Those of you who can't stand "Dwight" well, you may not find The Rocker experience a great one. The story is amusing enough. Twenty years previously, Fish (Wilson) is the drummer for the band Vesuvius. Good news for the band, a big label wants to sign them. Bad news for Fish, the president of the label has a drummer nephew who will be the band drummer. Fish never gets over this slight. As the band Vesuvius grows in popularity, Fish grows in bitterness. After losing his job, girlfriend and apartment he moves into his sister's attic. His nephew has a garage band with a gig at the prom. They lose their drummer and, well, you can figure it out from here.

Surprisingly clean, there are no sex scenes, the language is tolerable and low-key. However, there is a scene with an angry mother who shares the fact that her son drew a male body part on a female teacher's face....which is a very funny scene, but contains the anatomically correct word several times. There is also a band manager who is very free with come-on's and has a sexually oriented potty mouth. A scene of Fish drumming naked becomes the YouTube hit -The Naked Drummer -and propels the band to popularity. Viewers are treated to a whole lot of naked man rear shots.

The humor level is moderate. Like I said, you probably need to be amused by Dwight to fully appreciate Fish's humor. He has a very unique delivery, sweet blended with doofusy sarcasm/nastiness. There are several amusing one-liners and situations that are laugh out loud including quite a bit of physical humor. Christina Applegate delivers some great sarcastic lines. The writing is good. The songs are easy to listen to and I really liked their sound. Solid friendship, do-the-right thing and forgiveness themes run through the film. Fish is a classic 80's rocker who likes the party scene, including the trashing of hotel rooms. The three younger band members are annoyed with his boorish behavior and that's a nice refreshing change from the usual teen movie.

Buy The Rocker (Born to Rock Edition) (2008) Now

This is such a fun movie that will keep you laughing. I'm glad I decided to give it a try.

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Yesterday, I had stayed up for 24 hours, and I watched this movie along the way! I thought it was extremely funny and perfect for any teenager who likes Rock 'N Roll. Robert Fishman is kicked out of the band Vesuvius, and for 20 years, he tries to be normal. When is nephew and their band A.D.D. need a drummer, Fish reluctantly agrees. The band is finally given the chance to tour around America. Fish actually becomes friends with his new band members, until they have to play with his old band, Vesuvius. Will they make it to the big time? I highly recommend THE ROCKER!!!

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THE ROCKER has been berated by a number of reviewers, one of whom stated something to the effect that Rainn Wilson lacks the substance to carry off his lead role. As a 40+-year rock veteran, I respectfully disagree.

OK. So I disagree, and I'm NOT really respectful. What do you want? This is a fun film, meant to entertain, not to ride the red line on the raunch scale. If you want a "rocker education," read the book I'm writing on real rock road travel in the '70s and '80s. Jack Kerouac couldn't cut it, folks. By 1974, he'd have bailed out the side door of our red, unairconditioned Dodge Maxi-Van halfway between Memphis and Tunica, Mississippi, heading down Highway 61. No Beat Generation road novel can capture what it was really like to wear the changes of the 1960s and gypsy your way through the '70s into position as "Top Band at The Varsity Club, just off Cherry Street in Helena, Arkansas."

But Fish gets it. Wilson's performance in THE ROCKER embodies a sort of "blood knowledge," if you'll pardon my quoting D. H. Lawrence, of a musician's paying dues with back-breaking work, too little sleep, way too much beer, and still loving it. Trust me. In the rock business, you never "work at nothing all day."

Spending years as a rock musician doesn't lead one to grow up, either. My former band mates? We Facebook. We're all still "Fish" in one way or another.

As THE ROCKER, Wilson captures the essence of Fish--of all of us--and brings him to life. Let's not forget: THE ROCKER is a comedy. Never growing up? That's more in the tragedy line, but THE ROCKER addresses this magical Peter Pan stance, which few of us rock vets ever lose. We're all crazy, and Rainn Wilson renders that mostly harmless insanity into something that even I can laugh at. As one of my former mates always said of us rockers, "There's one good thing about being crazy. You never have to worry about losing your mind!" Fish is THERE.

My only complaint about the "Born to Rock" edition is its exclusion of the complete bit with Pete Best. Those few seconds mean a great deal to rockers of my generation. I've seen the out-take, and I wish it were at least set up as an a bonus feature on this DVD. Even without that option, THE ROCKER: "Born to Rock Edition" still earns its full five stars.

No, you won't find authentic rock word choice in this film. You won't find the outrageous practical jokes bands play on each other just because they can. THE ROCKER is not an X-rated venture into that world. It's a comedy. Remember the theatrical mask with the smile?

If you're so slick that you're too hip to sit back and have a laugh with THE ROCKER, you might benefit from knowing that not all the musical "big fish" (pun intended) are decent players, singers, or songwriters. Thousands of bar bands blast some of these acts off the stage. Sure, the business is a "not what you do, but whom you know" operation. Then again, sometimes you're too good not to be noticed. These issues, too, are addressed in THE ROCKER. Me? I was ahead of my time. Doesn't matter. I'm still rocking. I'm still kicking butt. I'll never grow up, and I'll never have to worry about losing my mind.

Yes, the real world, for real rockers, is "soul-crushing." THE ROCKER lifts that weight, even if only for a little while. Every performer in THE ROCKER does his/her share of that lifting. Let go and laugh. You'll feel better. And if you're not a rocker, Rainn Wilson offers you a thoroughly entertaining armchair roadtrip--no dues required.

A. Long

(Check Amazon's book section for IMAGES OF AMERICA: HOLLY SPRINGS)

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Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge

You know by the time you reach a Part 3 of a series, you'd better do something interesting with your concept to keep the movies from going down the tubes. Thankfully Puppet Master 3 does that. It's a prequel more or less and takes place in Germany during WWII. When the Nazis catch wind of Andre Toulon's anti-Hitler puppet show, they come-a knockin', but soon take a bigger interest in his puppets. Ya see, the Nazis are hard at work at trying to reanimate dead soldiers to give them the winning edge on the battlefield. Those wacky Nazi doctors are working on a way to do this and rejoice when they see Toulon's puppets. Toulon's wife is killed by the Nazis during the attempt to arrest him. Now Toulon is in full Bronson mode, so he gathers his puppets and wages war on the Nazis!! Fun stuff.

In this movie, the character of Andre Toulon is quite a bit different from the evil mad scientist we saw in Part 2. He's a more sympathetic and likable character. He's not interested in using his puppets for violence, but rather only to entertain children. The puppets themselves are more like good guys now(we find out they are all possessed by the souls of Toulon's friends who had been killed by Nazis), and seem to be creatures with a conscience rather than total killing machines. The familiar group of puppets are here including a new one in the form of a six armed gunslinger names Six-Shooter. The trademark Blade puppet is constructed in this film and is based on the appearance of Krauss, the evil Nazi who's pursuing Toulon. Toulon turns his dead wife, Ilsa, into the famous Leech Woman puppet.

Being set in 1941 Germany(even though Toulon commits suicide in 1939 in the first film) really helps give this movie an edge. It's easy to see the puppets and Toulon more as heroes now when their up against people like the Nazis. Though part of me really likes the evil Toulon and puppets from the first and second movies. Plus it now offers more of an explanation for the first scene in the original Puppet Master when some shady looking Germans track Toulon to his hotel.

Lots of cool cult actors are cast here as well. Toulon is played by Guy Rolfe, who we all remember from the William Castle classic as Mr. Sardonicus. His wife is played by Sarah Douglas, who is in a buttload of B movies, but will always be remembered as the evil Ursa from Superman 2. The evil Nazi Krauss is played by all purpose bad guy, Richard Lynch. Rolfe does make a good Toulon and Lynch is always reliable as a slimy, mean looking SOB.

Another good entry in this series. Unfortunately it wouldn't get this good again coz the series started to slip a bit after this.

Charles Band's "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" takes the series in an exciting new direction. Although there seem to be story contradictions, the third entry gives viewers the chance to see the events spoken of in parts one and two unfold before their very eyes. The puppets we've come to fear suddenly take a turn towards good as they become tools for taking out Nazi soldiers and officers. For a B-movie, the sets and locations used look and feel authentic.

In 1941, a doctor named Hess is attempting to produce a serum that will re-animate dead soldiers to march on the frontline and give cover for the live ones in battle. He hears about a puppeteer named Toulon who uses stringless puppets in his performances. Upon investigating, Hess discovers Toulon has generated a potion that brings inanimate objects to life. Toulon's wife is killed by the Nazis and the puppeteer uses his wooden creations to exact revenge on those responsible for her death.

You can see the care and love executive producer / creator Charles Band put into transferring this film for Blu-ray. He makes sure the B-movie tone isn't lost while cleaning up the picture and correcting coloring issues. It's safe to say you've never viewed "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" the way you will in its high-definition version.

The 5.1 surround mix is a definite improvement over the movie's original VHS and standard DVD editions. The musical score, dialogue, and sound effects burst out at the audience from all over a home theater setting. It really helps bring the movie to life and creates a new experience for those who grew up seeing the movie.

As usual for Full Moon Blu-rays, "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" is loaded with entertaining extras. The same special introduction from "Puppet Master II" is included with audio commentary by Director David DeCoteau and Writer C. Courtney Joyner. An original full length Videozone featuring the making of "Puppet Master III" is paired with a montage of killing scenes from the film and a rare 1997 "Puppet Master" action figure commercial. There's also Full Moon trailers contained within.

Any fan of the Full Moon films will want to pick up the remastered "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" Blu-ray. The movie looks better than it ever has before and is a fine example of classic visual and practical effects at their best. Although it holds some of the same bonus material as the "Puppet Master II" Blu-ray, the audio commentary and Videozone coupled with a great high-definition feature presentation make this a recommended purchase for genre fans.

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going back in time to the origin of the puppet master in the heart of world war 2..the sets are incredible adding a bigger budget look ,the puppets are in rare form with there stop motion mayhem ,classically trained actors adding a sense of taut drama with the likes of guy rolfe and richard lynch as a sadistic nazi...sadly this was the pinnacle of the series ..with slight mention to curse of the puppet master number 6 which is criminally underrated in this viewers opinion ..nice bonus features and picture quality that brought a tear to my eye after having to suffer through repeated viewings over the years in a poor dvd or vhs format that you could barely see..now its pristine from every sweat and stressed pore of the puppet master and his beloved wife to the fine detail in all the puppets..puppet master fans this is a must buy..kudos to charles band and full moon please keep cranking out this level of quality for dollman and demonic toys and other classics from your back catalogue !

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This movie is fantastic in every way. From the pretty well done acting and characters, to the plot, and the special effects with the awesome stop motion. If your a fan of the Puppet Master series then you probably have already seen this but if you haven't this is some of the best horror around about little crazy puppets running around killing people. The blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic so if you only have this on DVD then it's time to upgrade finally because it's well worth the money.

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The Puppet Master series has been one of my all time favorite movie series since I was introduced to it back in the early 90's. Puppet Master 3 Toulons Revenge is my #1 favorite of the series. When I saw they made it on Blu-ray I just had to have it!

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Big Fish (2003)

Big Fish is the best movie I have ever seen and I have sent many, many people to see it and none have been disappointed. The easiest way to describe the movie would be "Terms of Endearment" for Sons and Fathers. The son knows that his father is dying, but is unable to let go without at least trying to distinguish between his Father's "Fish" stories and his father's real life. The viewer never knows until the very end of the movie where the truth lies in this senerio. I assume many viewers will find themselves in this "non-chick" flick and so you may need some tissue, I did. Also this is a Tim Burton masterpiece in production, visual effects, plot, music, and character interplay.

The sexiest scene I have ever viewed in a film takes place in Big Fish and yet there is no nudity in the scene. Jessica Lang provides the viewer with her usual superb performance and the young version of her character looks so much like her the viewer forgets they are two different actors and both their performances are outstanding. McGregor, although has lots of scenes in the movie, plays his part of the confused and somewhat angry son flawlessly. The father and his younger version keep the viewer so entertained that you never want this film to end. I would recommend this film to everyone over the age of 12. It is not a good choice for real young children because Tim Burton has done such an outstanding job of producing this film and most of the scenes are bigger than life and would easily scare younger audiances, although this is not a scary movie. It is brilliant and I do not understand why Hollywood has not given this picture more oscar attention and it is rare that I ever want to view a film more than once I intend to buy this DVD and watch it 100 more times.

I went into Big Fish with high hopes. I love Tim Burton movies. He has an amazing imagination, which is lacking in many directors today. Directors like Roland Emmerich, Renny Harlin, and of course the big one, Michael Bay. These directors only use special effects and big explosions, while the story gets lost. Meanwhile Burton's genius is that his beautiful visuals compliment his stories. So as the curtains rose, and the theater went dark I was overcome by a childish glee. Then to my disdain, the lights came back on, then went on, and off about 15 more times before the movie finally started. But what a movie it ended up being.

Big Fish tells the story of a young man trying to sort out the facts and lies that his father has been telling him for his whole life. As the story opens Will Bloom (Crudup) hasn't spoken to his father in almost three years. He got tired of listening to his tall tales, but when he gets a call from his mother (Lange) telling him that his father doesn't have much time he rushes down as a latch ditch effort to learn the facts about his father. Albert Finney plays Edward Bloom, a man nearly confined to his bed, trying to get his son to accept who he is. The majority of the film is told through flashbacks, showing the amazing life that young Edward Bloom (Mcgregor) has lived. From giants to circus, from war to salesman, the film gives you the glimpse of a life as Bloom sees it. Is it true? Is he lying? Or is he embellishing the facts? Who knows and who cares.

The actors in this movie shine. Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney are absolutely charming in this movie. You want to believe his stories, and you can see why others do. The convincing shed their accents and pick up a southern accent without you really noticing. Other notable performances include Jessica Lange and Helena Bohnam Carter. But another surprise would have had to be Lohman. This was the first movie I had seen her in, and I was amazed. She is extremely talented and even with the limited screen time she was given manage to catch my attention.

Now on to the inevitable visuals. Everyone knows of Tim Burtons visuals. Heck he has made it a trade mark., now known as Burtonism. This movie surprised me in the aspect that although very visual, it was the least of all his movies. What stood out to me? Well the town of Spectre along with the path to get there. It was a beautiful town, which represented Heaven on earth. Another notable section was the circus, where time froze while Ed Bloom saw the women of his life. The screenplay by John August captures the beauty of Daniel Wallace's book while expanding on it. The screenplay looked tailor made to be directed by Tim Burton. Which brings us to the score which was beautifully written by Danny Elfman. I have gotten so used to his dark and moody scores that I forgot how brilliant and light some of his scores can be. This is one of the best, compliments the movie perfectly.

So when the lights came back on after the movie was over I was smiling. My imagination was just blown away again by Tim Burton. I was talking about the movie with a few friends after we got out of the theater and they noticed the same reaction from the audience as with me. I remembered being afraid when I sat down originally because it was the late showing and the audience consisted of teens. I was expecting a lot of dumb comments but they were as blown away as I was. Even now a few months later as I watch it on dvd I still can't stop smiling at how much I like this movie. This is a movie for everyone.

Buy Big Fish (2003) Now

One of Tim Burton's absolute best. To answer the previous question, it's the same DVD as the initial release. It comes in big box (that's the cover shown) and this one includes the 24 page hardcover book "Fairy Tale for a Grown Up."

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This is one of my family's favorite movies and I was thrilled to see that it was available on blu-ray. I eagerly popped it into my PS3 last night expecting a visual treat, but was sorely disappointed by the "less than blu-ray" quality of the image. I'm convinced that this is an upsampling of the DVD. There's a lack of clarity in the details throughout the film. If you played the blu-ray and DVD versions side by side, I doubt you would see any difference between them.

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This is, indeed, a magical, mystical movie about fathers and sons, which is based upon the book "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" by Daniel Wallace. The book is a perfect vehicle for Director Tim Burton's signature melange of reality and fantasy. The story is that of a father and his son, their estrangement, and their eventual reconciliation. It is a beautifully realized film that will bring tears to one's eyes.

The father in question is Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) who loves to tell, at least it seems so to his son, Will (Billy Crudup), tall tales about his past. The son becomes estranged from his father on his wedding day, when his father tells one tall tale too many for Will's tastes. For the next several years, Will communicates only with his mother, Sandra (Jessica Lange).

When his father becomes seriously ill, however, Will and his wife rush to his side. Father and son take final stock of each other, and the seemingly tall tales continue. As his father gets progressively worse, Will, feeling that he really does not know his father, embarks on a journey to discover for himself, once and for all, the man his father really is. What he discovers is that his father was not so off the mark with his stories, and he finally begins to appreciate who his father really is and the impact that he has had on others. It allows Will to be able to say goodbye to his father in a way that his father understands and to be at peace with the man whom he discovered his father to be .

The film takes the viewer on a ride through some of Ed Bloom's tall tales, in a series of vignettes, where the viewer sees a young Ed Bloom (Ewan McGregor) living an almost fantastical life. We see him meet the love of his life, Sandra, as a young girl (Alison Lohman). We see him as a circus worker, a soldier, a traveling salesman, and even a bank robber. We see some of the people that cross section his life: a giant, a diminutive ringmaster, a witch, singing Siamese twins, and a bank robber. Ed even comes across a perfectly heavenly town full of wonderful, happy people.

This is simply a marvelous film with fantastical elements reminiscent of "Forrest Gump" and "The Princess Bride". Wonderful performances are given by veteran actors Albert Finney and Jessica Lange. Look for the very touching bath tub scene, where, fully clothed, the love between Ed and Sandra is palpable. Albert Finney, in the role of the senior Ed Bloom, is exceptional as a raconteur of the first order. Ewan McGregor is remarkable as the charismatic, younger Ed Bloom, infusing the role with a joie de vivre that is as infectious as it is engaging.

Jessica Lange is terrific as the senior Sandra Bloom, grounding her relationship with her husband with a steadfastedness born of years of mutual love and respect. Alison Lohman is simply lovely as the younger Sandra, imbuing her character with a beautiful sense of innocence and longing. It is interesting that both Alison Lohman and Ewan McGregor strongly resemble their more senior co-stars.

Billy Crudup is excellent as the angry Will Bloom, the son who needs to reconcile his image of his father with the man his father actually is. Robert Guillaume is masterful in the small role of the senior Dr. Bennett. The rest of the stellar cast is superlative, though Danny DeVito's southern accent needed a bit more work. The direction, however, is deft, and the cinematography is brilliant. This is an absolutely exceptional film. I really enjoyed it immensely, even though I initially viewed this film most reluctantly, and only after much persuasion by my son. I am certainly glad that I did. This film has made me a fan of Tim Burton. It is filmmaking at its best. Bravo!

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Rocky IV (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1985)

I disagree with most of the crtical reviews of this movie 150%! Not only was this movie my favorite Rocky film (YES, even more than the original Rocky), it is one of my all time favorite movies which I have seen dozens of times and NEVER grow old of it. So much so it became the inspiration of the main graphic on my business web site.

Why? For many reasons.

To me the Rocky theme never grows old. It is the classic "Hero's Journey." The underdog in life that is challenged to pull deep within, fight the inner "demons," connect with one's true strength and inner potential and triumph in the end.

What makes Rocky IV different and more potent in my mind is the contrast in themes. In this movie, Rocky is at the top of his game (in fact retire with all the trappings of success) and is forced to look deep within again but for a much deeper and more soul provoking reason. His best friend and original boxing contender -Apollo Creed -has lost his life in the boxing ring to the testerone-driven, freakish, goliath-like Russian boxing challenger. This castrophe forces Rocky to do some deep soul-searching about how "he sold his passion for glory." (from "The Eye of the Tiger" song).

How many people in the business world and life in general, sacrifice their passion for glory?! Probably 95+%. Being a business coach, I constantly look for movies, books, stories that coach people in their businesses. To me this movie has that compelling message. "We must fight to keep our passions alive."

The other aspect that I like about this movie is the strong contrast between nature and technology. Rocky flies off to the desolated mountains of Siberia using nature as his training ground, connecting with his true inner strength. The Russian on the other hand uses all the latest high tech gear and non-stop steroids to build his massive robotic body that looks more like a machine. Another valuable lesson.

While technology has tremendous value to our society, how often do we allow technology to rule our lives, stripping us of our of our connection with ourselves and other people, making us feel more like machines?

If you look at this movie as just a boxing movie, you miss the deeper lessons it can have for your life. Go watch this movie with new eyes and see its brilliant message unfold in front of your eyes.

In this 3rd sequel to the Oscar winning "Rocky", Rocky(Sylvester Stallone) goes to Russia to fight. Not to defend his title but to defend the honor of his friend and the American people. The opponent is the bigger than life Ivan Drago(Dolph Lundgren), who looks like he was chisled out of stone. In an exhibition fight Drago delivered a fatal blow to the Rock's old pal Apollo Creed.

Rocky leaves for Russia with Pauly(Burt Young) and Apollo's trainer, against the wishes of Adrienne(Talia Shire) who thinks Rocky will also meet his demise by the hands of this powerful giant they call "Death from above". He trains in remote part of Siberia, using the most primitive equipment, while Drago on the other hand has the use of the most technically advanced methods of training (and with the little help of some steroids.)

As always the faithful Adrianne has come around and has joined him there. The fight takes place with all of Russia in Drago's corner. The fight scenes are great, the crowd starts to warm to Rocky, and in the end (no matter who wins) we find that, people can change, and a fight between 2 men in a ring for sport is better than 2 countries fighting.

What really impressed me was the soundtrack of this film. It propelled the movie right along. We are even treated to a ringside performance by James Brown. The sound quality of this VHS (MGM/UA) is terrific in Dolby Surround and Hi Fi.

Added to the cast is Brigitte Nielsen who plays Drago's wife and for comic relief(besides Paulie) there is a talking robot. It was written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. If you're a die hard Rocky fan this would be a good addition to your collection.

enjoy.......Laurie

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THis is one of my favorite films ever I have been watching it ever since I was a kid. I liked this movie more than all the other sequels made to the Rocky films. Please do buy this DVD and do yourself a favor.

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The Rocky films are such inspiring movies. I don't think anybody that has seen any of them other than five has felt motivated to do something with there lives. In the first three Rocky films we see the Italian Stallion come from a nobody to a somebody. He's the heavy weight champion of the world and has overcome a lot. Rocky IV shows they were running out of ideas and naturally Sylvester went to the easy way out, he'd have Rocky fight communism.

Rocky IV is simple enough to follow. Ivan Drago(Dolph Lundgren) is the next big thing in the boxing world. He's the enourmus Russian that looks unbeatable. He's won the gold medal and has cleaned Europe out. He comes to America looking to become the champion and put Soviet boxing back on the map. Apollo Creed(Carl Weathers) wants Ivan. The Soviet agress to the match to show that he's unbeatable. He kills Apollo in the match and then looks at Rocky like he's next. Rocky(Stallone) feels responsible for the death of Apollo. He's unsure if he can beat the Soviet. Even his own wife Adrian doubts him. It's now up to Rocky to rediscover himself and restore honor to himself, Apollo Creed, and the United States.

Rocky IV is such a hoaky movie it's beautiful. The East vs West set up is great. It's not just Rocky vs Drago, it's the United States vs the Soviet Union. This 1985 movie did take place during the arms race and it's a great patriotic tale. Very few movies have me made want to shout USA out while I'm watching them and Rocky IV does that.

I have to tip my hat to Syvelster Stallone and Dolph Lundgren. Both are in amazing shape for the movie. Everybody that has seen the movie loves the scenes in Russia where Rocky and Drago are training. It's so barbaric, tender, and motivating all at the same time. The two in there boxing scenes also look good. Drago is the most impossing force ever scene in any of the Rocky films. Dolph broke most of Stallones ribs during the filming and did a number on bones in his face. You have to love that kind of dedication from Stallone who also wrote and directed.

Rocky IV is an excellent film. A lot of people said they should have stoped after III and they are wrong. Rocky IV is a great motivational and patriotic tale. In a liberal dominated hollywood and media it's great to watch a feel good movie like Rocky IV.

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The whole Rocky series of movies is about the American dream.

In the first two, Rocky works hard and works his way to the

top of the boxing world through his own hard work, GOD, and

belief in family. In Rocky III, he was on top of the world

but had to learn to defend himself from those who would attack

him and take away what he *owned* and *earned* through his

efforts.

But in Rocky IV, he takes it to the next level. He is drawn

into the struggle against communism in the 1980s. The communists

hating Rocky, have created a drugged up monster named DRAGO

with the specific purpose of sending him to America to steal

the world title and more importantly prove to the world that

communism can produce a better boxer than capitalism and

individual effort produced in Rocky.

As in many cases in the history of America, Rocky and his friends

underestimate the threat of communism. Apollo steps in to

take out the Russian and is killed by him as Rocky looks on.

The communists retreat back behind the iron curtain. Rocky

puts everything at stake and follows determined to defeat

DRAGO on his home ground. Rocky's wife gives the usual liberal

objections, but Rocky is firm in his purpose to fight for

America against the communist monster.

They go to russia and are treated about as would be expected.

They are sent out to a hut in the gulag where they can train

for the fight. They are constantly watched by communists.

Finally there is the fight. Rocky puts everything on the line

and uses his hard head to face down DRAGO and communism. The

communist bosses turn out to have made a mistake in going after

Rocky. Their slaves in the boxing area turn on Drago and then

on the entire evil system of communism. They learn to respect

America and the kind of individual effort that rocky represents.

In the end, we get a 1980 Olympics style moment where Rocky

covers himself in the American flag and creates one of the

great scenes in film history. And unlike 1980, the location

is not the USA, but the heart of the communist empire. The

communist slaves have seen the power of american freedom and

have rejected the anti-god collectivist slavery system of their

bosses.

This movie also introduces a robot into the rocky family of

characters. While the robot is strictly played for comedy,

it adds some good clean fun to the film. I wish there was

more of the robot and that the next Rocky movie had followed

up on what happened to the little fellow.

Stallone knew that communism was rotten and that it would

fall. And I think this movie played a role (a small one)

in bringing about its end.

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Africa's Elephant Kingdom (2002)

The documentary isn't the only great thing on this DVD... you should see the "Making off"... Great images (I don't think someone will ever get on film an elephant charging as the one on this documentary I saw this film in a theatre in Cape Town and I'm still holding my breath). The story is Ok...

If you love elephants or Africa... this is a must have !!!!!

This wonderful documentary follows a small herd of elephants through a dry season. The series is narrated in first-person "by" an elephant (Avery Brooks)

The blu-ray quality is first rate with crystal clear images. Easily some of the best blues and greens I have seen on DVD. There are some great shots, including footage of a matriarch charging the camera. There were also several sad scenes in which the herd attempted to literally prop up a dead or dying elephant, showing the strength of emotional bonds between elephants.

My only complaint is that the documentary is pretty short (40 minutes), especially for the price. I would recommend renting it, unless you are a true elephant fanatic.

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Beautiful photography. A charming look into the lives of these African leviathans. A disc the whole family will enjoy.

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i've watched this dvd 4 or 5 times already and am convinced that this beautiful animal is the wisest animal in creation, there ability to remember so many trails to better grazing areas astounds me,there friendliness to each is wonderful to see, why cant people be likewise. i particularly loved watching the baby ones, what fun and joy they show you. we are very fortunate having these amazing cameramen creating these fabulous series for us all. make sure you purchase a copy , you won't be sorry

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I saw this in the theater and, being a lover of African elephants, enjoyed. ALL made-for-IMAX flicks follow pretty much the same formula: do not exceed 35-45 minutes, keep the family with young children in mind and therefore keep learning level light, include conservation message when applicable as well as visually engaging images. . . When a baby elephant collapses from exhaustion, for example from thirst, the mama takes her leg and tries to push and encourage her baby to get up. Be advised that there is an intensely tear-jerking scene in which the mama tries but the baby is dead. It's a really tough scene and I can't take it although an adult; I would not want a young child to see it.

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Sleepwalk With Me (2012)

I've seen Mike Birbiglia in a few stand up broadcasts, but really knew nothing about him, except that I liked his laconic, stutter-step approach to delivering his material. He seemed like a funny guy who also happened to be sorta nice too. I knew nothing about his book, Ira Glass appearances or one-man off-Broadway show. That's probably a good thing, because I was able to enjoy SLEEPWALK WITH ME pretty much on its own terms.

Apparently this movie is quite autobiographical, even though Mike has changed his character's name to Matt. But Mike/Matt frequently talks directly to the camera, and we're assured the story is true...so it's almost impossible not to assume that we're basically seeing a (perhaps exaggerated) take on Birbiglia's life. But it doesn't really matter either...the story is compelling and says some interesting things about relationships and about how a stand-up comic builds their career literally from the ground up.

Matt is in an 8-year relationship with Abby (Lauren Ambrose, who is wonderful). Abby is a great girl, and everyone (both viewer and the characters on screen) have to wonder why Matt is having a hard time settling down and committing to a marriage with her. But as Matt says, he's unhappy that everyone says the best thing about him is his girlfriend. It's true. He's a bartender who wants to do stand-up. Or at least, he thinks he does...he gets almost no opportunities to try. His life and his relationship is on hold. Abby is faithful and patient, but also growing frustrated. Surely she is wondering what more she can give of herself to this man who trembles at the thought of marrying her.

One day, with Abby's help, Matt actually gets an agent. And the agent begins to give Matt tiny gigs. Gigs that barely cover the cost of gas and food to get there. But Matt wades in, ready to try out his meager material. He's actually a pretty terrible comedian, but he's willing to do just about any lousy gig he can get. He is excited at his new life on the road (there's a great scene when he checks into his first flea-bag motel and is clearly THRILLED).

Abby remains in NYC, but is supportive. Matt continues to limp along until he gets the advice of a more successful peer to use his personal conflicts as fodder for his material. Suddenly, his material connects with the audience, and his success grows. He loves life on the road. And thus, his distance from Abby grows.

Meanwhile, he also suffers from severe sleepwalking, where he gets out of bed and runs from the creatures that are chasing him in his dreams. His dreams of running seem to coincide with this waking fear of commitment. Of a "normal" life chasing him down.

Matt frequently behaves poorly, but Birbiglia is so specific in showing us details of his life, that we tend to sympathize with him, even as we wish he would pull himself together. At one point, before showing us some really poor behavior, Matt turns to the camera and says "before I show you this next part...remember, you're on my side." And he's right, we are.

We're also on Abby's side and that's what gives this movie such a rich, bittersweet quality. We yearn for them to find happiness...yet we see how elusive that is going to be. Birbiglia directs the film, and he shows an adept touch for little details and telling dialogue. I'm not ready to say he's a great director, because so far, he's only used his own life as material...but I'd be prepared to see more of his work.

SLEEPWALK WITH ME is very funny at times. It's very raw at times. It can frequently be surprising (the details of his sleep disorder are fascinating). It's a very adult film (the language is relatively mild though). It is VERY well acted (including great support from James Rebhorn and Carol Kane as Matt's parents). The dialogue is sharp, and few words are wasted. Almost every line is significant.

It's not a perfect film. Sometimes the pace drags...it felt longer than its 90 minutes. It occasionally struggles to reconcile its varying tones. I like movies that shift tone, but I like to feel the director MEANT for the tone to shift...sometimes I think it does despite Birbiglia's efforts. But these are fairly minor complaints and I'd give the film 4.5 stars.

"Sleepwalk With Me" (2012 US release; 90 min.) brings the story of Matt (played by Mike Birbiglia) as he struggles with a sleep disorder and tries to salvage his long-time relationship with Abby (played by Lauren Ambrose). Abby wants to get married, badly. Matt, not so much. Abby is looking for any sign from Matt that he will propose, which he eventually does, after an emotional side trip that makes him feel guilty and ashamed. Parallel to all of this, we see Matt getting his start on the stand-up comedy circuit, and barely hnaging on. Then, one day, he makes a funny quip about his failing relationship with Abby, and wouldn't you know, the audience eats it up! I don't want to give more away, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: first and foremost, even though he plays a character called "Matt", this story is based on Mike Birbiglia's own life experiences (in fact, before this became a movie, this was an unexpected off-Broadway hit play). Birbiglia not only stars but also co-wrote and co-directed the movie. Second, the movie makes the most of the shoestring budget on which this obviously was made, and I was pleasantly surprised how well it all flowed. Last but not least, the overall tione of the movie is very much bitter-sweet (to me at least). When I saw this in the theatre a few days ago (at the Landmark E Street Cinema in Washington, DC), there were a number of people who were laughing out loud in many parts of the movie. I never felt quite that way. Yes, there are funny moments in it, but when all is said and done, this movie documents a failing relationship and a serious disorder, so how truly laugh-out-loud funny is that?

Besides Bribiglia, who obviously carries the movie (and quite well at that), the support cast is nothing short of terrific, including the already mentioned Lauren Ambrose as his girlfriend, but equally if not even more so James Reborn and Carol Kane as his parents. They make the most of the limited screen time they have. This movie is MILES away from your standard Hollywood fare, but if you are in the mood for something quirky and slightly left of center, "Sleepwalk WIth Me" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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A funny comedy about a man with a serious medical problem while we get observe his life. It's something to watch before considering marriage.

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This was a very strange and interesting movie. I liked it. 4 stars for me.

Not a typical format, not a typical story. Funny, not a gut buster, but definitely amusing and worth the time to watch it.

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A really good short movie. I had heard the story on "This american life". But, it's a little different watching it. I highly recommend it.

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