Chinatown (1974)

A remarkable film noir classic, "Chinatown" finally gets the deluxe treatment it deserves on Blu-ray.

Blu-Ray: The Blu-ray looks quite nice. There is grain evident throughout but it isn't obstrusive staying true to the "look" of the original film and films of the time. Detail is quite nice throughout with my only complaint a bit heavy handed DNR on occasion in some scenes but that, again, could be justified if the grain was wildy inconsistent from shot to shot. The transfer walks the fine line of providing us with a sharp looking transfer that doesn't fall into the DNR pit of plastic skin and textures so smooth they rob the film of detail.

It appears that the print used for the previous DVD (and quite possibly the same transfer although I haven't been able to confirm this)was also the source for this edition of the film on Blu-ray. It's also possible this is an older HD transfer (again, I haven't been able to confirm when it was done) which might explain the look of the film for BD. either way, "Chinatown" looks quite good although purists might quibble with the amount of visibile grain and texture at times.

The audio is spectacular for the film.

As near as I can tell all of the extras from the previous special edition have largely been ported over which is good and bad--it would be nice to have some nice extras perhaps something looking at the film within the context of the original proposed trilogy a bit more or with hindsight in relation to the under rated sequelThe Two Jakes (Special Collector's Edition) which seemed to inherent the production trouble that was largely avoided on "Chinatown".

We get the audio commentary with writer Robert Towne being interviewed by film director David Fincher; the feature length documentary "Water and Power" about the inspiration for the film; a half hour documentary "Chinatown: An Appreciation"; "Chinatown: The Beginning", "Chinatown: The Filming" and "Chinatown: The Legacy all addressing the issues surrounding shooting, reception and where it stands in film history and as entertainment. We also get the original theatrical trailer and, although my edition is missing it, reportedly there is a booklet with stills and info on the film.

Bottom Line: Is this worth buying again? It depends on your TV and how good it displays high def and, more importantly, how important THIS film is to you. "Chinatown" has always been one of my Top 10 Films of all time so for me it was a no brainer.

DVD: The latest edition of "Chinatown" has much better contrast, a cleaner, richer looking transfer that more accurately captures a pristine theatrical presentation of the film. The anamorphic transfer has a bit more information on the sides than in the previous edition suggesting that it was cropped slightly differently (and I can't say which is truer to the original this edition or the previous one). Audio features the same 5.1 Dolby Digital mix that was a highlight of the first edition. We also get a cleaned up original mono soundtrack for purists. Both sound very good with the 5.1 featuring a nice dynamic mix.

This new edition is a marked improvement over the previous DVD version(s) and highly recommended.

"Water is the life blood of every community." With this statement, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's website begins its biography of William Mulholland, the real life model of two of this movie's characters, water department chief Hollis Mulwray (an obvious play on words) and water tycoon Noah Cross. And indeed water, the access to it and the wealth it provides, is what drives everything and everybody in this movie set in the ever-thirsty Los Angeles of the first decades of this century, a budding boom town on the brink of victory or decay ... and whether it will be one or th other depends on the city's ongoing access to drinking water.

"Chinatown"'s story is based on William Mulholland's greatest coup; the construction of the Owen Valley aqueduct which provided Los Angeles with a steady source of drinking water but also entailed a lot of controversy. Splitting Mulholland's complex real-life persona into two fictional characters (the noble Mulwray who thinks that water should belong to the people and who refuses to authorize an unsavory new dam construction project and the greedy, unscrupulous Cross who will use *any* means to advance his personal fortune) creates the movie's one necessary black and white conflict ... other than this, the predominant shades are those of gray.

Into the wars raging around L.A.'s water supply, private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is unwittingly thrown when a woman introducing herself as Hollis Mulwray's wife asks him to investigate her husband's alleged infidelity. Before he realizes what is going on he is drawn into a web of treachery and treason, and fatally attracted to the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), Noah Cross (John Huston)'s daughter. Soon reaching the conclusion that he has been used, he refuses to drop the investigation, and instead decides to dig his way to the source of the scheming he has witnessed the classical film noir setup.

To say that this movie is one of the best examples of the genre ever made is stating the obvious ... actually, it borders on being superfluous. Few other films are as tightly acted, scripted and directed, from Jack Nicholson's dapper-dressed, dogged Jake Gittes, who like any good noir detective is not half as hard boiled as he would have us believe, to Faye Dunaway's seductive and sad Evelyn Mulray, John Huston's cold-blooded and corrupt Noah Cross, Roman Polanski's brooding direction and Robert Towne's award-winning screen play, so full of memorable lines and the classical noir gumshoe dialogue, yet far more than just a well-done copy. And throughout it all, there that idea of Chinatown that place where you do as little as possible, and where if you try to help someone, you're likely going to make double sure they're getting hurt.

"Chinatown" was Roman Polanski's return to Hollywood, five years after his wife (Sharon Tate) had been one of the victims of the Manson gang. Polanski and Towne fought hard whether the movie should have a happy ending or not. Polanski won, studio politics were favorable at the time, and the version we all know was produced. Towne later admitted that Polanski had been right; and in fact, it is hard to imagine what kind of happy ending would have worked with the movie at all too deep-rooted are the conflicts presented, none of which lends itself to an easy solution. Unfortunately, being released the same year as "The Godfather II" robbed "Chinatown" much of the Academy Award attention it would have deserved; of 11 nominations (best movie, best actor Jack Nicholson -, best actress Faye Dunaway -, best director Roman Polanski , best screenplay Robert Towne -, best original score Jerry Goldsmith -, best cinematography, and others), the movie only won the Oscar for Towne's screenplay. Generations of fans, however, have long since recognized that "Chinatown" is a milestone in the history of the film noir and in the professional history of its participants, and one of Hollywood's finest hours.

Also recommended:

William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles

Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)

Complete Novels: Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, and The Thin Man (Library of America #110)

Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s: The Postman Always Rings Twice / They Shoot Horses, Don't They? / Thieves Like Us / The Big Clock / Nightmare ... / I Married a Dead Man (Library of America)

The Bogart Collection (Casablanca/The Maltese Falcon/To Have and Have Not/The Big Sleep/The Treasure of the Sierra Madre)

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)

The Postman Always Rings Twice

L.A. Confidential (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Buy Chinatown (1974) Now

About an hour into "Chinatown", Noah Cross (John Huston) says to Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson), "You may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't." Gittes, whose heard this rap before, just smiles. "Why is that funny?" asks Cross. "It's what the D.A. used to tell me about Chinatown." If any exchange defines "Chinatown" the movie then this is it. It's a film where the cliched metaphor of the onion is quite apt: the more layers you peel away, the more layers you find. And the less you're likely to understand. It begins life as a simple detective story, but eventually spins out of control into a web of intrigue (another cliched metaphor) that not only includes the murder of water commissioner Hollis Mulwray, but the entirety of 1930's Los Angeles.

Into this web is sprung Jake Gittes, a man who seems to be a typical film noir detective, but upon closer inspection is much more. Or, as we shall see, much less. I'd argue that Jake is an existential anti-hero, seemingly in control of every situation he enters in to, but ultimately just a pawn on an unfathomable chessboard. Minor notes in the movie confirm this hypothesis. A former client calls Jake on the phone, looking for his discretion. "Are you alone, Mr. Gittes?" she asks. "Isn't everybody?" Jake replies, clowning for his operatives, but saying more than he really intends to. It's not the last time he inadvertently comments on the futility of his existence. "That must really smart," says Yelburton, the deputy water commissioner, regarding Jake's newly bandaged nose. "Only when I breathe," he replies, pointing out the paradox. The bandaged nose also acts like a mask. Whereas Jake starts the movie as a handsome man in a slick suit (this is primetime Nicholson), he is slowly physically destroyed. The bandage is just the icing on the cake; it serves as a mask during the movie's middle third, hiding Jake's face and, at the same time, suppressing his identity. Identity, as an issue, is clouded by the fact that no one he meets can seem to get his name right. Cross, in what may be intentional, keeps calling him "Mr. Gitz" (correctly pronounced, 'Gittes' rhymes with 'kitties'). So not only is he a man with no face, he is a man with no name. Jake Gittes, as he gets deeper and deeper into the mysteries surrounding him, is ceasing to exist.

But that's not to say that he is a cipher of a character. How could he be when played by such a vibrant actor? Nicholson is subdued and cool here, in just the right amounts. He captures Jake's slow decent into near madness perfectly, while always allowing the man some sense of control. Nicholson is always watchable in whatever he does, but this may be his best performance because it asks him to tone down his manic energy, allowing it to bubble over in moments, while alluding to it as subtext in others.

Behind him, the acting is mostly superb. John Huston, in his few brief scenes, makes an indelible mark as the pure face of evil. Huston's deep, gravelly voice and imposing -even at age 68 -frame do a lot at conveying the man's power, while his twinkling eyes draw you to him, even though you know better. Although best known as a legendary director, Huston nearly steals the show here. Not faring as well is Faye Dunaway. She plays her femme fatale role with a bit too much iciness, and, in moments, melodrama. Although she holds her own, and portrays great anguish, in the film's climactic confessional scene, for the most part Dunaway isn't up to snuff.

Roman Polanski, who takes a brief but memorable role as the Man With Knife (that's how he's quite functionally billed), directs with his usual visual flare. Shots are composed as reflections in camera lenses or in a car's side mirror. The opening scene begins with a series of photographs detailing one wife's infidelity. Without saying anything, and without showing the audience the room around them, the scene is set perfectly. It's archetypal of how he shoots the rest of the film: with style and subtlety.

Maybe I put too much stock in what William Goldman has to say, but "Chinatown" has to be a frontrunner when tallying up the best screenplays of all time. A good screenplay will have two things going for it: a strong structure (of vital importance always), and interesting dialogue (useful in supporting the structure and in adding colour to the proceedings). Towne gets full marks on both counts. Structurally, it's a dream, a marvelous example of the micro turning into the macro as the web of intrigue broadens exponentially, while maintaining its power on the smaller scale all along. Add to this the crisp, precise dialogue, and you've got a screenplay that's as much fun to listen to as it is to follow. Jake is full of wisecracks and homespun wisdom. When asked about Mulwray's character, Yelburton denies ever hearing him talk about infidelity: "He never even kids about it." "Maybe he takes it very seriously," says Jake. When Cross asks if Lou Escobar, the investigating officer who's handling the Mulwray murder case, is an honest man, Jakes replies, "Far as it goes... of course he has to swim in the same water we all do." On its own this would be a great line, but in "Chinatown", where the water of L.A. plays a major role in the plot, its damn well genius.

"Chinatown" is much more than your average detective story. It's a narrative dripping in character, intrigue, and history. I'd sure like to see just what it was that happened in Chinatown, back in Jake's days on the police force, which made him the cynical sleuth he's become. It'd make a great prequel. As it stands, the movie we've got is a crackerjack yarn, rich enough to demand multiple viewings.

Read Best Reviews of Chinatown (1974) Here

The Chinatown Blu-ray will be released April 3, 2012 and presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, English Restored Mono Dolby TrueHD, French Mono Dolby Digital, Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

Special features are set to include:

*Commentary with Robert Towne and David Fincher-Towne and Fincher offer unique insights into this classic film.

*Water and Power (HD)-In this three-part documentary, Robert Towne visits sites along the original Los Angeles Aqueduct for the first time. He is informed of the social and environmental impacts and given insight into the major issues around the creation and ongoing operation of the aqueduct.

*The Aqueduct (HD)-The City of Los Angeles completed the 233-mile gravity-fed aqueduct from the Owens Valley in 1913, under the leadership of a self-taught engineer named William Mulholland. L.A. Department of Water and Power representatives along with Catherine Mulholland, granddaughter of the engineer, discuss the development of the aqueduct and its contribution to the growth of the nation's second-largest city.

*The Aftermath (HD)-For decades a large rural community was desiccated under the management of water rights by the City of Los Angeles over a vast area of the Owens Valley. Legal victories beginning in the 1970's lead to successful reductions in environmental damages and the restoration of some natural habitats. Historians, local ranchers and activists discuss the up-to-date impacts of the aqueduct and struggle to maintain a stable environment and community.

*The River & Beyond (HD)-Prior to the building of the first aqueduct a century ago Los Angeles relied solely on its own local water supply: the Los Angeles River and its aquifer. Today the river as a water resource is largely forgotten. Currently there are plans to re-develop the river to reduce L.A.'s dependence on imported water, reducing the environmental impact on distant communities, while creating parks and open spaces for the city.

*Chinatown: An Appreciation-In this featurette, prominent filmmakers express their personal admiration for the film: Steven Soderbergh Director ( Traffic), James Newton Howard Composer ( The Dark Knight), Kimberly Peirce Writer/Director ( Boys Don't Cry), and Roger Deakins Cinematographer ( No Country For Old Men).

*Chinatown: The Beginning and the End

*Chinatown: Filming

*Chinatown: The Legacy

*Theatrical Trailer (HD)

*Cover artwork using the original theatrical poster

*Collectible booklet.

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So, if you own the previous edition is it worth the double dip? Yes and no. If you're a casual fan, then no. If you're devotee of this masterpiece then I would say yes if only for the new transfer and extras.

The original DVD had a decent transfer and a featurette that included interviews with Robert Evans, Roman Polanski, and Robert Towne. While only running 12 minutes, it was a pretty good trip down memory lane. These new extras bring back all three men and Jack Nicholson for brand new interviews. This new disc also has an improved transfer that is a noticeable improvement over the previous edition.

"Chinatown: The Beginning and The End" is a 20-minute retrospective look at the genesis of the film with Evans, Nicholson, Polanski and Towne talking about how they got involved with the project. Towne talks about several things that inspired his script and how his friendship with Nicholson informed the character of Gittes.

"Chinatown: Filming" is a 25-minute examination of the principal photography. Polanski says that Evans gave him complete creative freedom. However, they clashed over the look of the film. Evans wanted it to look like The Godfather films while Polanski wanted it to resemble a Raymond Chandler detective novel. All four men recount some fascinating filming anecdotes.

"Chinatown: Legacy" is a ten-minute look at how the film was initially received by test audiences. Polanski realized that the film's music had to be changed and Jerry Goldsmith was brought in to compose a score in only nine days! The studio felt that the film was "too intellectual" and the critics loved it. Chinatown went on to be nominated for 11 Academy Awards but only won one for Towne's screenplay.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

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Tiger & Bunny, Set 2 (2013)

"may contain spoilers"

the mysterious Lunatic rears his head again, we learn more of his past and what made him the way he is. tiger has developments with his life and powers, Barnaby has run into new leads with regards to his parents, their work and deaths. blue rose begins to have confliction within her heart.

in this set of the hit anime "tiger & bunny" we will see new nexts, and many plot twists that we thought solved in the set 1. In my opinion its just has good as the set 1, and i hope for set 3 soon. the overall happenings of this set are a series of plot twists revolving around our heros, that seem to slap the view in the face, who thought they had figured out and solved the plot. all i can say is pay attention to detail, many of the people save in set 1 appear in the background and dont show up in the plot(just thought you should know), be watchful and aware and dont disappear, stay tuned for the next in the series set 3

info on set

Hailed as the heroes who saved Stern Bild, Kotetsu and Barnaby face a volley of media attention that includes their learning how to dance! Then, Kotetsu deals with his conflicted feelings about continuing as Wild Tiger and visits his hometown to spend time with his family. He tries to discuss his feelings with Barnaby, but when a possible new lead comes up, Kotetsu gives his full attention to helping Barnaby find the murderer of his parents.

Special Features: Additional Scenes, Production Sketches, Storyboards.

Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.

Age Rating 13+ (More Information)

Genre Action/Adventure

300 Minutes

Media bluray

Publisher VIZ

number of disks 2

Great animation and thrilling action as the mystery behind Bunny's parents finally gets wrapped up. The conspiracy around Tiger also was thrilling, even if his attempts to escape it were lame but funny.

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may fav.cartoon in a long time!I just love anime and this ranks up there with naruto and bleach,and it has adult comedy and situations like you could only find in some station anime!

Read Best Reviews of Tiger & Bunny, Set 2 (2013) Here

Tiger and bunny is awesome! I brought the first set and fell in love with this show viz did a great job on the English dub cast it gets really good when the show talks about barnaby past cant wait to get this set !

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Road House (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1989)

Forget "Dirty Dancing": Patrick Swayze's career peaked in this and the similarly underrated "Point Break." It doesn't quite reach the stratospheric heights (or is it depths?) of Arnold Schwarzenegger's deservedly legendary "Commando," but "Road House" is still the stuff of which B-movie legend is made. Starring Swayze as the head bouncer at a rowdy Southern bar called the Double Deuce, "Road House" derives its appeal largely from the ingenious idea of having a bunch of rednecks for villains. You get to see Swayze's Dalton, perhaps the only Mercedes-driving, philosophy-majoring bouncer in history, take on a seemingly endless succession of slack-jawed inbred troglodytes as he tames the Double Deuce and ensures victory for truth, justice, and the American way.

The Double Deuce is one of the those bars where it seems half the patrons are on parole, but that doesn't stop them from throwing fists at the proverbial drop of a hat. I've always believed that bar fights held vast, untapped potential for the action genre, and this movie more than delivers the goods in that department. There are about five solid bar brawls in "Road House," with glass flying around, Dalton employing his martial-arts expertise against dimwitted thugs in tight jeans, and blind guitar whiz Jeff Healey providing some rock-solid background music. Suffice to say, if you're looking for a fair and dignified look at life in the South, you won't find it here. A trip to the Double Deuce promises to be as nasty and brutish as Hobbes's state of nature, and a lot more fun to watch.

And even for those who can think of nothing that beats Patrick Swayze as an action hero, it gets better: they got Sam Elliott, one of America's most underrated actors ever, to play Dalton's long-haired, hard-living friend Wade! With an unkempt white mane and that unmistakable Southern drawl, Wade dispenses plenty of rapier wit along with some ...-whippings before outliving his usefulness. You also get to see Ben Gazzara, slumming it as the snake-like villain Brad Wesley, somehow manage to maintain a semblance of dignity in a movie that seems committed to insulting your intelligence every chance it gets. And as Dalton's love interest, Kelly Lynch adds little in the way of plot advancement or dialogue, but she does provide some nice scenery... buying it.

To avoid any confusion, by rating this movie 5 stars I am NOT suggesting that it is in the same league as GLADIATOR, THE LORD OF THE RINGS (trilogy), GONE WITH THE WIND or any other top-calibre flick. However, this film doesn't try to compete with the likes of top-rated movies, and that's the beauty of it.

The story is based on a top-notch bar bouncer (Patrick Swayze) who is compelled to call in his old mentor (Sam Elliot) for an especially tough project. Instead of just busting heads and throwing hoodlums out of the bar, these guys end up having to save the whole town!

This is a B-movie all the way. In my opinion, it COULD be the greatest B-movie of all time. In short, despite being stupid it is also immensely entertaining. The plot is contrived. There are aspects of it that are way, way beyond being remotely believable. It seems the whole movie was inspired by pushing the envelope on the concept of the bar brawl.

Despite its limited plot, the DVD is surprisingly watchable. I've seen it at least 4 times and it's always fun to re-watch. Patrick Swazye's considerable acting talents are wasted in this farce, but that's OK. The film contains a nice sampling of gratuitous nudity, and Kelly Lynch is not exactly hard on the eyes.

So, if you want to watch a movie with minimum seriousness and maximum action, hang a left into the Roadhouse tonight. You won't be disappointed.

Buy Road House (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1989) Now

Road House mania has finally hit in 2006! Not only has this movie, which has been to late night TBS what Whoopi Goldberg is to Hollywood Squares, finally been reissued in a special edition, but now Mike Nelson from MST3K has released a RiffTrax for it! Road House was long acknowledged as a target that Nelson and the 'bots wished they could skewer on MST3K and he finally got his wish.

Listen, Road House is great. Tinker, Sam Elliot (voice of the beef council) and the oh so creepy owner of the Double Deuce are some of the best characters to ever populate small town Missouri. But watching it with Nelson's RiffTrax playing in the background took the unintentional (i think?) comedy of Road House to an entirely new level. Nelson is both knowledgable and funny, the kind of guy you wish your friends were as clever as. If we are ever blessed with a 20th anniversary edition of Road House, I would hope that Nelson's riffing can be included, because I can't imagine watching this movie again without it.

Check it out:

Read Best Reviews of Road House (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1989) Here

At this point, I'm sure pretty much everyone has seen the movie so I won't go into the details about why this movie is so fun and rewatchable. Overall, this is a good blu-ray release as far as content. The blu-ray is bare bones, however this release includes the DVD that has all of the extras from the last DVD release(yes, it has Kevin Smith's and Scott Mosier's commentary track).

Now for the bad. The packaging is awful. The case looks like a normal blu-ray blue plastic case until you remove one of the discs and reveal the spaces or holes in the plastic. And the best part? The holes are right where the disc is resting in the case, which means if any blunt or sharp object hits the case, it will go through the thin plasic sleeve cover and the paper cover and damage the disc. I imagine amazon will have a lot of damage returns with this one since they are sending it in a bubble lined envelope (it really needs to be shipped in a box). My blu-ray cover was punctured in the front and the DVD was slightly damaged by a very visible scratch. Fortunately the disc still played just fine, but now the Road House front cover has a small hole right on Patrick Swayze's neck line. Lovely. I won't be returning it since the same thing will probably happen again (possibly worse) and both of the discs play anyway.

The eco-friendly packaging was a HORRIBLE idea. Since I like my discs to have some kind of protection, I'll be putting the discs in a different case and tossing this eco-friendly junk. They might as well send these in a thin paper sleeve. It's ridiculous.

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I love the movie. It's bad, but a good kind of bad. Especially if you watch the movie with the Rifftrax commentary. But they made some odd choices with this release. First is the packaging that is designed with holes. Tolerable if you're careful, but I can see some mishaps. The other is the way they decided to do the extras. See, it comes with the Blu-Ray version and the DVD version. Not sure why. Perhaps they want you to lend it to a friend who doesn't have Blu-Ray. I dunno. Or perhaps they were just too lazy to put the extras onto the Blu-Ray disc and had a whole bunch of DVDs left over from last release. That's right. There are no extras on the Blu-Ray disc but the DVD has all the extras from the DVD release. Hmmmmmmmmmmm....

Let's see...

Blu-Ray Disc:

-Full-Length Film in 1080P

-Lossless Audio

-Smart Menus

-Theatrical Trailer

-Other Trailers

DVD "Bonus" Disc:

-Full-Length Film in SD

-Director Commentary

-Commentary with Kevin Smith and Scott Masier

-Documentary

-Featurette

-Trivia

-Multiple Language Tracks

Yep, that's right. If you want commentary (commentary aside), you have to watch the movie in standard definition because for some reason, they could not be bothered to move such features to the Blu-Ray disc itself.

Big Miracle (Blu-ray & DVD Combo Disc + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012)

My wife and I were living in Barrow back in 1988 when the three California Gray Whales got stuck in the ice near Point Barrow. It was an exciting time and we were eagerly waiting to see the movie --how Hollywood would tell the story. When the whales were first discovered, I had just started working as the newsperson for local radio station KBRW. Got busy very quickly!

It was great to see some places there again, like the Mexican Restaurant ---really named Pepes.

And young Ahmaogak Sweeney in the role of Nathan, who learns about the Inupiat Eskimos and their relationships with whales from his Appa, or Grandfather. Nathan also figures out a way to supplement his allowance when some 200 outside Media folks arrived in Barrow and wanted to get out to the Arctic Ocean ice where the whales were trapped.

He gathers up some cardboard and sells it to the reporters so their feet won't get cold standing on the ice.

I was out there on the ice and don't remember such a thing, but it might have been a good idea.

The movie is listed as "Inspired by a True Story." So we were prepared for Hollywood to stretch and substitute.

Two major ones: It was an Inupiat Eskimo hunter, Roy Ahmaogak, who first discovered the stranded whales, not a newsman.

And second ---the Barrow whalers do not hunt the California Gray Whales. They hunt the larger Bowhead whales.

The movie includes arguments that a quick rescue was needed so the Native crews would not hunt them.

The Whaling captains held their meeting early on, before most media arrived, and said they would do all they could to rescue the whales.

One of the movie's strong points is recreating the whales, barnacles and all. And correctly showing how local people and visitors wanted to touch the whales, and sometimes encourage them to hang on.

As two of my friends who were wildlife biologists said, it provided a rare opportunity to see such whales close up.

The movie also shows how the key to the apparent rescue was low-tech ----the Natives cutting out a series of breathing holes with chain saws and then the water circulators from two caring men from Minnesota which kept the beathing holes open. And finally the Russian Icebreaker which breaks through a pressure ridge standing between the whales and open water in leads.

Did the whales actually make it out and all the way down to their feeding areas off of California and Mexico?

The Federal official in charge declared that the survivors did. But they were not fitted with little transmitters. I'd like to think that they did. See the movie for yourself and see what you think

Earl

this is an awesome movie. this movie is based on a true story where three whales two adults and thier baby gets traped in the ice and fights for thier lives. when a news caster descovers that the whales are in trouble he broadcast it all over the news. when people descover how much the whales need help they help them. this was a really good movie and was heartwarming. if you have not seen this movie then i recommend you do

Buy Big Miracle (Blu-ray & DVD Combo Disc + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012) Now

This movie had a lot of potential, but...just wasn't a home run.

The story line was endearing based loosely on real events. I have to say that as much as we hoped to enjoy this film we were surprised at the general lack of quality acting from a number of the characters.

I think that my favorite characters were the guys from MN who flew to AK to try to help out. At the same time I was generally disappointed by Danson and Barrymore's efforts, and the young woman newscaster was appropriately annoying. I hesitate to be too critical, but my family and I agreed that we were happy that we waited to watch this film on DVD rather than paying to see it in a theater. And, having seen the movie, we all agreed that once was enough. That's from my wife and I and our 13 and 21 yr old daughters.

The special effects used to show the whales were adequate and did not distract.

All in all, 3 stars is all I can manage for this film.

Read Best Reviews of Big Miracle (Blu-ray & DVD Combo Disc + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012) Here

"In Alaska there are no simple rescues." While filming a story about a kid who can do sno-mobile tricks, reporter Adam (Krasinski) spots a strange sight. When he sends his report of three whales trapped in the ice with only days left to live it becomes national news. Now with the help of his Greenpeace girlfriend Rachel (Barrymore) and a few others the race is on to save the whales. After being totally surprised with how much I liked "Dolphin Tale" my expectations for this one were pretty high. Once again I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this movie. Almost immediately it sucks you in and holds you through all the highs and lows. This is also another movie that is based on events that happened when I was old enough to remember but I knew nothing about this. Not knowing what happened made the movie seem more tense to me and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Much like "Dolphin Tale" this is a great family movie that everyone, not just the kids will love. It is rated PG for language but other then a character saying Hell and bastard I don't remember anything other that that so you won't have to worry about what your kids are hearing. I highly recommend this as a great movie for family night. Overall, one of the best family movies in the last few years. A must see. I give it an A.

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Sometimes it takes a film about the environmental crises to bring to the attention of the entire populace that not only MUST we do something about our bruising of our natural environment, but that when certain people take action it does indeed make a difference. This is a gently made film that gets its point across in a warmly entertaining way and it is a true story!

Thomas Rose' book FREEING THE WHALES forms the basis for this story, adapted for the screen by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. Ken Kwapis directs. In brief summery (everyone knows this story by now), an animal-loving volunteer and a small-town news reporter are joined by a native Alaskan boy to rally an entire community and eventually rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.'

The cast is a large one with some actors only appearing briefly but in roles that show their professional an also their emotional support for placing this subject before the public. In the lead roles are John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson and Tim Blake Nelson, but the remainder of the cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Kathy Baker, Kristin Bell, James LeGros and a fine supporting cast of Inuit actors and others.

The special effects are credible and deeply moving as the whales are released form their frozen captivity. The film adds much to the understanding of environmental problems and how multinational efforts are necessary to tame the destructive threats to the future of our globe. Grady Harp, January 13

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Labyrinth (1986)

In the early 80's Jim Henson created one of the most ambitious fantasy films ever: The Dark Crystal. It was a movie that had a completely realized world with its own creatures and flora... and it was performed entirely by puppets. Not the Muppet kind that Henson is famous for, mind you. These were serious creations that involved serious innovations in animatronics. While many loved the movie and it was critically acclaimed many others didn't "get it". There was no human interaction in the movie whatsoever and that put off people. Also the movie was serious with none of that Muppet mayhem Henson fans are so used to. That put off a few more people.

The next evolutionary step in Jim's grand scheme of fantasy puppetry was Labyrinth, and they filled in the gaps that The Dark Crystal left for those who couldn't (or wouldn't) "get" the concept of a fully realized fantasy setting that is outside of our own. How does he do it? Let me tell you...

Step One Human actors. Labyrinth included the young, yet already talented Jennifer Connelly as their heroine and well-established musician and actor David Bowie as her nemesis. Now you get the fun of a complete puppet world while at the same time you have human characters that interact in that same environment. Thus giving the viewer a better connection to the puppet characters.

Step Two Better puppets. The Dark Crystal is a masterpiece in of itself, however the technology used to animate the puppets was in its infancy and if you had to be picky about it you can pick away at the limitations of the puppets in that movie. With Labyrinth you get updated technology, which gives you puppets who can show emotions better. Case in point is the goblin Hoggle, who is the starring puppet. So much attention to detail went into his facial expressions that you can actually see the fear, disgust, anger, and joy in his eyes. Add to that other puppetry innovations and you have a world of cool puppets.

Step Three Keep it fun. The Dark Crystal was a grandiose and serious film that included some funny moments now and then. Labyrinth is the opposite. Is a fun film where the characters meet up with unexpected and often times crazy situations. Makes this fantasy adventure feel more comical in the same way it would reading a fun bedtime story.

Step Four Keep the original concept. Jim Henson did The Dark Crystal with the thought that he wanted to create a whole different world inhabited by beings and creatures portrayed entirely by puppets. Labyrinth is essentially the same thing, but done in a different way. Walking through the movie's namesake (the maze that leads to the goblin city) is definitely like being in another world that's both fascinating and fun. Much of what you see is visually impressive and essentially relish in the fact your eyes can play tricks on you. Brian Froud is again signed on as the conceptual designer and his work shines just as well in this iteration as it did with Dark Crystal.

Labyrinth also has the destinction of having songs specially written for the movie by David Bowie. Keep in mind this movie was in the 80's so what you get is 80's Bowie, and there are a couple scenes that flow more like music videos (or musical numbers) than standard scenes.

You might get the impression I am dogging on Dark Crystal in order to lift up Labyrinth. Can't be farther from the truth. However I do know the differences between the two films and how the other was made in response to the first. Labyrinth is the folk tale while Dark Crystal is the fantasy book. I believe both are fantastic movies.

The original DVD for Labyrinth was a good compilation right from the start, and was superseded with the Anniversary Edition having remastered visuals and a couple new featurettes. Now we have the movie on Blu-Ray, and boy I thought the Anniversay Edition looked good. I was worried when this movie went high definition that a lot of the original film grain was going to be lost in the digital cleaning that's popular with some companies with older films. Luckily what you end up with is the best looking picture to date. I'm not going to say this movie is presented in supersharp crystal clarity, but then again that would ruin it. The movie look as true to the original theatrical release as you can get. Details really pop out without looking antiseptic. Visually the Blu-Ray does breath new life into this classic. The extras are pretty much identical to what was offered on the Anniversary Edition with one exception. Here's what you get:

Documentary Making of the Labyrinth Has interviews with actors, puppet performers and production staff including Jim Henson, Brian Henson, David Bowie (who gives us some insight on his character) and Jennifer Connelly as well as lots of details on design and production of the movie. This documentary is a gem for those of you want solid behind-the-scenes details and was in the original DVD and is included on the Anniversary Edition.

Journey Through the Labyrinth: Kingdom of Characters and The Quest for Golden City These two featurettes from the Anniversary Edition include updated interviews with the cast and crew and never before seen footage from the Jim Henson archives. Kingdom of Characters focuses on... you guessed it... the main characters in the movie including conceptual design for the puppets (although Hoggle seems to be mostly left out, likely because there is so much of him in the original documentary) and background info on the actors. The Quest for the Golden City is mostly design details on the labyrinth, Goblin City and castle itself. These featurettes do well to fill in the gaps left by the original documentary. The extra footage is test footage of the puppets and such, with some production footage as well. I noticed some of the production footage was a rehash of what's on Making of the Labyrinth, but the crosstalk is few and far between.

The Storytellers Picture-in-Picture: This is the Blu-Ray exclusive featurette. When you turn it on while watching the movie occasionally a window pops up with an interview with one of the crew members speaking some interesting anecdote about the film. There isn't a whole lot of these that pop up in the movie, but when they do you get some rather interesting and entertaining production and behind the scenes information. Hearing about the casting call for the Helping Hands scene and the interview with Warwick Davis are alone worth checking out the feature.

Commentary by Brian Froud

You also get Dolby True HD Surround in English, French, Portugese with a Dolby Digigal Spanish track (how many movies have a Portugese dub?) with subtitles in all. Kind of strange they left out the Japanese audio that the Anniversary Edition had. I recall hearing improvements from the previous release's Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, but nothing groundbreaking.

Every release of Labyrinth has been impressive from the very first DVD, and with each new release it gets even better. So is it worth the double/triple dip? Well just like how the Anniversary Edition gave you a better picture with more extras the Blu-Ray ups the ante. I say if you want to enjoy this movie in the best way visually then yes. The new extras are nice, but to be honest as long as they original making of documentary is in there everything else will always come in second.

Labyrinth is a wonderful movie for all ages. The visuals will impress and the hijinks will entertain. If you are a Muppet fan this movie will be much more accessable than the Dark Crystal, and if you like The Storyteller then you have abolustely no choice but to get this (it's like a full length Storyteller movie sans John Hurt).

This is one of my favourite movies, because it truly understands the hearts of grown up girls, their love of fantasy and lure the dark & dangerous lad that leads us down the garden path. It's a wonderful tale, with marvellous tunes that linger on and on. From "It's Only Forever", "Underground" and "Chilly Down" but most especially "As the World Falls Down". Sigh, such a beautiful and deftly filmed Cinderella Ball for Adults. I don't know a woman that loves this film who does not say "I want that dress!".

Sarah is an easy to relate to teen. She is part child part woman, one foot in each world and truly not belonging to either. Added to this, her father has remarried and has little time to spend on his growing daughter. We are not told, but it's clear her mother is dead. Mom was an actress and lover of the magic and she passed this on to her lovely daughter. It's very hard to believe Jennifer Connelly is only 12 years old here!!! She is the perfect Sarah, the beautiful woman-child that has no sense of her place in the world. Too grown for childish things, too young for boys and dating. Her cherished childhood toys are giving carelessly to her new baby stepbrother, again emphasizing her feelings of alienation. Her new mother has little patience, and even when she tries, she meets with a hostile resentful woman-child. Sarah pain at feeling as if she is not wanted anywhere is so heartbreaking.

Left with the crying baby, and feeling that her world is slowly crumbling around her (reflected in Bowie's "As the World Falls Down"), the child side takes control and spitefully wishes the baby to be taken away from the Goblins. In true Muppet fashion, they promptly and cheerful comply. Sarah faces the Goblin King Jareth perfectly brought to life by Bowie and demands he return her brother. When Jareth says he will only return her brother if she finds her way to the Goblin City, Sarah sucks in her courage and goes after him.

Along the way she meets wonderful friends such as Hoggle and Sir Didymous, and finds out her own inner value and worth. Something we all have to do in growing up.

A true faerytale for the little girl in us, wonderfully realized through the magic of the Muppets, Connelly and Bowie. This set is laced with all the wonderful goodies that will thrill all the many lovers of the film.

Kudos for the super repackage.

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I first saw Labyrinth when I was about ten years old and it has been my dream fairytale ever since.

The story was simple -big sister has to grow up, learn her responsibilities and rescue little brother from becoming a goblin.

But what was magical about the whole show was the brilliant M.C Escher sets, marvelously entertaining puppets created by the father of all puppets, Jim Henson, and the beautifully romantic interludes between Jennifer Connelly (Sarah) and David Bowie (Goblin King).

Present-day computer animation can make dinosaurs almost real but I preferred the cute and adorable puppets that created my own make-believe of a world of magic, fantasy and adventure. I could almost see myself running around in that maze, dodging the boobie traps and having great companions like Hoggle, Ludo and Ambrocious with me.

I admit I was pretty charmed by David Bowie's portrayal of the Goblin King but who wouldn't be? Powerful, mysterious and not bad-looking, he seemed to be in the classic Prince Charming genre, except that he was also a little diabolical compared to those in Cinderella and Snow White etc.

Labyrinth is a classic and will always be my dream fairytale, and I am still watching it over and over every now and then. Most of all, like Dark Crystal, it is one of the signature performances by the late Jim Henson and his wonderful family of puppets.

Read Best Reviews of Labyrinth (1986) Here

"Labyrinth", directed by Jim Henson, is one of my all-time favorite children's fantasies. It's about teenage aspiring actress, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), who's sick and tired of being mistreated by her parents (Shelley Thompson and Christopher Malcolm) because she thinks her baby brother gets all the attention. Sarah soon begins to hate her baby brother and wishes that he would be taken away by evil goblins. Miraculously, Sarah's wish comes true...but now she's afraid of what might happen to her brother and wants him back. So to get him back, she must embark on a journey through an enchanted labyrinth maze to get her brother back from the evil king goblin (David Bowie). Along the way, she meets many magical creatures and defeats dangerous tasks as she learns what's really important about family.

The film's special effects were done by the Lucasfilm company (yes, George Lucas's effects company). The acting is superb from the entire cast, especially a very young Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie. The storyline is wonderful, but the DVD is lacking, with only trailers, production notes, and one documentary on the making of the film. "Labyrinth" might actually not be for all ages, since it can be a little scary...esepcially the goblins might creep some young children out. But it is still a must.

I highly recommend "Labyrinth".

Score:

100/100

A+

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It's hard to believe that when Labyrinth was released in June of '86 it didn't do well. People weren't impressed. Some people say that things get better with age. Maybe this is also true with films.

Labyrinth is the ultimate fantasy adventure story. Sarah, the heroine, has to find her way through the magical labyrinth to get her baby brother back from the evil Goblin King. Along the way she makes friends and enemies as she fights temptation and reminds us what is truly important.

The release of this DVD was a long-time coming. It was worth the wait. Presented in wide-screen, that means we can see all of the goblins in hidden in the drawers and not just the one speaking, and Dolby Surround. The picture quality is good and the hauting soundtrack has been captured excellently.

Also included on the disc is the original cinema trailer and the original production featurette "Inside the Labyrinth". Probably as valuable, if not more, as the film itself. It's a facinating glimpse into the making of a masterpiece. Including interviews from the cast and crew and, more importantly, the Muppet master himself, Jim Henson.

This movie is probably more popular now than it has ever been and for good reason. And for just over ... bucks it's a movie must for anyone who is young or just young at heart.

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Spider-Man 1-3 (2007)

Anyone looking to purchase this trilogy is already a fan of the SPIDERMAN movies and wants to know how they stand up in the magic of blu ray. We all know that the original SPIDERMAN was an amzing film a rare treat of exemplary action with superb acting for a change. Tobey Maguire and cast finally brought to the comic action movie acting ability that made the film believable. With Tobey Maguire was born Peter Parker/Spdiderman. We also know that with SPIDERMAN 2 the same cast and crew came together with a film that far surpassed the hugely succesful and critically acclaimed original to be the best in the trilogy. All that was good in the first was raised many notches. SPIDERMAN 3 was still a good film but certainly not a match for 1 and 2. Very enjoyable but a little lackluster in comparison.

Now for the blu ray test. All I can say is AMAZING. The source they are working from on the original is not as superb as the other two which makes the picture quality slightly grainy in its 1080p hd presentation. But this in no means is a bad thing. It is still a very vivid picture with blacks and colors strongly presented. You quickly get used to the slight grain and the film becomes the best presentation you will ever see of it. With SPIDERMAN 2 the caliber raises. All grain is gone and the picture remains crystal clear and vibrant throughout. All fight/action scenes are awesome and the entire film will leave you breathless. SPIDERMAN 3 has a picture of the great quality the same as the second film and it helps immensely to raise the quality of the film itself much higher for you will be in awe watching the richness and awe striking special effects.

With all three films the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio is of the highest quality. Dialogue is strong and crisp with all speakers in strong, heavy use for action sequences and it seems even the smallest scenes manage to work the rear speakers which is rare. These three films are at their best here and perfectly made for the high standards of blu ray. You cannot imagine how great these films appear in blu ray till you actually see them for yourself. You will never be able to view them another way again.

I do agree that the only flaw with this set is the absence of substantial special features. They do provide the 2nd disc with SPIDERMAN 3 that is all features but do not have it for SPIDERMAN 1 or 2. Having all this would have made the set perfect. So it is not perfect but it still cannot make me lower my 5 star rating for the blu ray presentation of these films is exemplary.

If you are developing a blu ray library and love these films this SPIDERMAN HIGH DEF BLU RAY TRILOGY is a definite must. Highly recommended.

...since the movies in the trilogy deserve their own reviews and have been done to death already. The low cost (even lower by $10 since I bought it) is what motivated me to buy this blu-ray disc set. I already have the special editions of all three Spiderman movies on DVD, so I wanted to see what blu-ray would bring to the home theater table, having recently bought a PS3. True, the picture quality is awesome and the audio certainly will blow you away. However, there are hardly any special features only the third disc has any to speak of. This is an underwhelming effort, considering the massive amount of space availalble on blu-ray discs. Compare, for example, the featurettes and even mini-movies on "I Am Legend".

One thing I discovered about audio selection: if you choose PCM and your receiver is not capable of processing uncompressed signals (my Onkyo only does HDMI pass-through), all you'll get is simulated surround (e.g. Dolby ProLogic). So I ended up with 5.1 and although it may not be true HD, it's good enough for my 7.1 setup. But if you're an audiophile you would have known about this already.

My summary HD picture quality: a strong 4 stars, audio quality and options: 4 stars, special features: a dismal 1 star hence the overall 3 star rating. I guess for the price, this set is not too bad, but considering the wealth of possibilities for the Spiderman franchise, it fell short of my expectations.

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Spider-Man 1 & 2 Does not include any of the amazing behind the scenes content originally released on the DVDs. Why would a studio release two extraordinary FX films of this magnitude and incredible production values on a format that can hold so much information, and fail to include the extras? If you're a fan of behind the scenes content, hold onto your DVDs.

Movie A+. Blu-Ray value for Spider-Man 1&2 FAIL.

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This review is for the Spider-Man: Ultimate High Definition trilogy Box Set.

It contains the following films: "Spider-Man" (2002), "Spider-Man 2" (2004), "Spider-Man 2.1" (an extended cut of Spider-Man 2 featuring some new sequences, and some entirely different alternate scenes) and "Spider-Man 3" (2007).

As for the films, I'd rate them as such:

"Spider-Man" ... 8 out of 10

"Spider-Man 2/2.1" ... 10 out of 10

"Spider-Man 3" ... 7 out of 10 (I didn't hate it, it had a charm and a lot of good factors, despite it's obvious large faults.)

The Blu-Ray image is pretty incredible. I already owned all three on DVD, but I wanted to upgrade, as these films deserve the High-Def treatment. All three look significantly better, compared to their standard-def DVD counterparts. The first "Spider-Man" is the least dramatic upgrade, but the image is still clearer, sharper and more detailed... I was able to see a lot of things I missed on DVD (I didn't realize how much of the image was lost on DVD from compression and whatnot, because every shot I was seeing things I hadn't seen since the movie theater in 2002)so even though it wasn't the greatest Blu-Ray picture quality, it was still definitely worth the upgrade.

The second and third films are where the High-Def image pays off, though! I had just watched the second and third films days before this set arrived on DVD, and it is like night and day. "Spider-Man 2" was astounding in terms of how much more I could see in the image. You felt like you could reach into the movie. Textures looked real (DVD won't give you that), colors were brighter, small things (sparks, bits of glass, sweat, water) had astonishingly more detail. It was a huge upgrade. And "Spider-Man 3" was just as incrediblewhat really got me is that you could literally see things that are invisible on the DVD (Ex. You can see every single speck of sand during the Sandman scenes, and when we see the news broadcast towards the end of the film, I couldn't see the "horizontal TV lines" on DVD at all, whereas here, they're clearly visible.).

I can't comment much for sound, as I just play my sound through the TV speakers, but judging from that, everything is mixed well.

The special features are where this review almost slipsthe only special features are those from "Spider-Man 3", which felt a bit odd. They are cool features, but it seemed like a missed opprotunity.

But all in all, the price (which has come down a lot) makes it worth it. You can find really good quality used or even new copies in the $25-$35 range, so I can't complain much about the featuresthe price is right, the quality is amazing, and what features there are, are very solid.

I'd highly recommend this set! Great films.

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Following the cult classic status of Blade and the surprising box office success of X-Men, Marvel decided to lend out the rights of another one of their most cherished characters. Based on the success of the cartoons, this was sure to pull in a very specific demographic, but I doubt they expected it to be as popular as it became. It surpassed the success of X-Men, and ushered in a decade that would have many more comic book, cartoon, and toy movies set records. For too many years, these types of properties did not get the respect they deserved as real dramatic and action movies, and not just dumb superhero fun. Spider-Man finally got that due respect. The weekend it came out, my focus was on Star Wars Episode II, but after I saw Spider-Man I was blown away. Like many others of my generation, my fandome really started with the first Spidey film, and then blossomed into collecting stacks upon stacks of comics. The visual effects were not the standard for the time, especially with the aforementioned Star Wars film coming out, but they were still pretty damn good. The music was fantastic, thanks to Danny Elfman (the man behind The Simpsons music, and so many other great film scores). Director Sam Raimi created a truly stylistic and visual masterpiece. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the Evil Dead series. I doubted a director best known for horror movies would do the material justice, but he did not disappoint.

Neither did the cast. All of the actors were fairly new to me. I had no idea who most of them were, except Kirsten Dunst I knew from Small Soldiers (I was a child). But I always applaud and appreciate big blockbusters that turn lesser names into household names. Tobey maguire and Dunst had a chemistry that really dold the complex relationship of the two iconic characters they were portraying. To this day, my favorite character, besides Spider-Man, is definitely JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. If ever there were an actor born to play a specific supporting role, it was him. Willem Dafoe was great as Norman Osborn. As the serum changed him from a desperate businessman to a conflicted monster, the not so subtle nuances of Dafoe's performance really began to shine through. If only Green Goblin's costume had less of a silly looking design, then his character would be one of the premier villains in Marvel film history. As it stands, Goblin's costume only hurts the film by making it seem more campy than it really is. It serves as a constant reminder that you're watching a cartoon with real people acting it out. Nevertheless, Spider-Man should definitely be creditted as the film that sparked the hype and interest that comic book adaptations get today. If it were not for Spider-Man (as well as Blade and X-Men), I doubt that movies like Watchmen, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic 4, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Dare Devil, or any of the other countless comic book and superhero flicks would have been taken seriously enough to be converted from script into film.

And the Blu-ray presentation of this old favorite of mine was night and day upon my discovery of the disc. I had seen the DVDs countless times, but it wasn't until my eyes were laid upon the BD that I appreciated every inch of every frame as they were shot. Detail is remarkable. Color is rich. It truly is like watching the movie for the very first time.

Spider-Man 2 is what fans dream about when the sequal to a movie as fantastic as Spider-Man is announced. Topping a film as great as that one is a definite challenge, but it seems to happen more and more each passing year. Sequals like this one, X2: X-Men United, T2: Judgement Day, The Dark Knight, and others all have one thing in common. Beyond just being a "sequal", they managed to outdo their predecessors in almost every way. Spider-Man 2 is not only a great sequal, it is one of the best comic book movies ever made. It doesn't go for the mature adult feel that The Dark Knight has. On the contrary, Spider-Man 2 maintains that corny camp and tongue-in-cheek humor that made the first one so good. Sure some of the dialogue is cheesy at times, and the action is never tries to be realistic, but isn't that why we go to these movies? To be virtually thrilled to the point of exhaustion? Okay, maybe that's taking it a bit far, but my point remains that these films don't need to strive for realism. Their fantasy elements and use of childlike imagination and wonder are what make them so great.

Its about a man with spider-like abilities fighting a man with mechanical tentacles attached to his back. The only thing I felt was lacking in TDK, is very abundant in Spidey 2. There is great humor, and the movie has the overall feel of an actual comic book. I also got a sense of the director and writers respect for their source material, but not being afraid to have fun with it. The ending of this film gave me chills the first few times I saw it. It wasn't until Spider-Man 3 actually came out, that the end of Spidey 2 lost some of its magic. Spider-Man 2 is in a solid second place on the list of my favorite comic book movies of all time. Right above films like The Avengers, Sin City, Iron Man, etc. There is really only one thing I didn't like about the movie. There were too many close-ups of random women screaming. It was okay once or twice, but not four or five times. That's minor though. This movie was a fine achievement. As for the Blu-ray transfer. Is it as great as the first one's? An emphatic yes! Even better, in fact. The adundance of detail and clarity are remarkable. This disc is a reference disc to show how amazing catalogue blockbusters can look.

As far as Spider-Man 3 goes, I want start off by saying that I like this movie. Probally more than you do. With that said, I'll also add that it does serve its purpose, which is to prove that any Spider-Man movie will have great special effects, fine character development, okay acting, and make a shitload of money. Spider-Man 3 is a good film in its own right, but only a decent one when put in the tall dark shadow of its amazing, and incredibly revolutionary predecessors. It does not add much of value to the franchise, aside from introducing some of the most popular characters in Spidey's publication history. That said, those characters aren't given the attention and respect they deserve. They feel more like late additions that were shoehorned in. Overall the movie was not terrible though. It was definitely better than both of the Fantastic 4 movies, Ghost Rider, Elektra, and Daredevil, as well as some other less than savory comic book adaptations. The only thing that really held this movie down were the, not one, but two unnecessary dance scenes, and underdeveloped characters. The worst of the two dance scenes was Peter walking down the street like he was in a music video. The second dance scene reminded me of the jazz flute scene in Anchorman. That should never be. Those scenes made me feel like Sam Raimi was too comfortable with the fact that the movie would make alot of money, and there was no major competition in the superhero/comic book movie department, besides a few hits and a couple of upcoming challengers.

That may have been passable in the summer of 2007, but now we have The Avengers saga and The Dark Knight trilogy that have set the bar so high that movies like them should be treated with the utmost respect and care. The addition of Gwen Stacy seemed rather pointless to me, unless they planned on ellaborating on the love triangle between her, Peter, and Mary Jane from the comics in later installments that never came to fruition. The running time was noticably longer than the previous two films, and it felt like a bloated Thanksgiving turkey. There's no reason the two dance scenes should have made the final cut. Some editors and directors don't understand what truly qualifies as a "Deleted Scene". Aside from the dance scenes, perhaps the biggest issue I have with this film is the treatment of my all-time favorite Spidey villain, Venom. Venom was so obviously a late addition to the script that it made me mad. And in addition to that, he was not the towering, manacing presence that we know him as. I must admit though, I loved the wonderful, yet very predictable team-ups of Spider-Man and the New Goblin versus Sandman and Venom. That really brought something to the movie when it was in desperate need of a kick-start. Spidey 3 was not the disaster it has so often been called by geeks and armchair critics alike, but it wasn't an achievement either.

Now for the Blu-ray treatment of this rather mid-level, if slightly above average comic book film. Simply put, it's reference quality. The audio and video transfers are pretty much flawless. The extras are incredibly thorough and comprehensive as well. This trilogy is one of the best looking and sounding sets on the market. The only flaw with the set, aside from the decrease in quality entering the third installment, is the lack of extras on the first two discs. Overall though, this set is Highly Recommended, but the re-releases of the first two films are better than the first two discs in this set.

Assault on Precinct 13 (Restored Collectors Edition) (1976)

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Stuck (2007)

STUCK is one of those films that creeps up on you, teases you into thinking a comedy is in the making, then slowly reveals itself as what seems to be an exposé of our current manner of getting through life, of competing in the workplace, and of self absorption to the point of endangering those around us. The fact that the film is based on a true story as adapted by director Stuart Gordon and transformed into a bitingly satirical screenplay by John Strysik increases the impact of this well-crafted little low budget film. Watch it once for the gritty content of the story, then watch it again to appreciate all of the very dark (and very pointed!) humor in what at first appears to be a grisly tale.

Brandi Boski (Mena Suvari) works as a Nurse's Aid in a nursing home of senile elderly patients, giving some of the finest care for those entrusted to her talents. Brandi's compassionate work is noted by the supervisor Peterson (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon) who manages to trick Brandi into an even heavier work schedule by suggesting a raise in position. Excited about her possible promotion Brandi and her working partner Tanya (Rukiya Bernard) celebrate that evening with Brandi's boyfriend/drug supplier Rashid (Russell Hornsby) who gives Brandi a pill of Ecstasy and the mixture of the drug with the alcohol creates a mess of Brandi's mind.

The parallel story involves one jobless Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea) who lives in a tenement, is evicted because of past due rent, and becomes a street person, treated with cold (but satirical) mechanical responses at the Department of Unemployment. Left to sleep in the park he is befriended by another homeless person, given a shopping cart, and makes his way toward a midnight mission.

Brandi cum altered thought processes drives home, hits Thomas who comes sailing through her windshield badly injured, and out of fear and distress Brandi merely takes the 'stuck' Thomas home to park him in her garage, knowing that her boyfriend Rashid will help her. Thomas is conscious, unable to climb out of the glass of the crushed windshield and begs for help. How the stranded and injured Thomas is treated by the desperate but self-centered Brandi, by the frightened but macho Rashid, and by neighbors who fear intervention because of reporting an incident that would encourage police intervention and threaten their deportation as illegal immigrants results in an ending that shows how 'justice' can prevail!

The cast is first rate especially Rea, Suvari, Hornsby and Bernard. The direction is tight and maintains credible characters in incredible situations and holds the audience attention every moment. This is a fine example of how a low budget film, in the hands of pros, can be more successful that the big budget, less thoughtful movies that crowd our marquis. Grady Harp, November 08

If you'd like to be disgusted, search for the name Chante Mallard. What you'll find is the story of a drug/alcohol intoxicated woman, who hit a man named Gregory Biggs with her car while she was driving home. After the collision she completed her trip, parked in the garage, and proceeded to callously let Biggs bleed-out (officials believe he would have lived if given medical help) while she had sex with her boyfriend and no doubt did whatever else her morally decayed black heart desired.

Since no audience would appreciate simply seeing a man slowly bleed to death while stuck in a car windshield, the makers of this movie took some liberties with the truth. I'm ecstatic they did.

Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea) is down on his luck. Evicted, jobless, possession-less, he doesn't even have a place to sleep. When police wake him from slumber on a park bench, he's forced to make his way toward a mission.

Meanwhile, Brandi Boski (Mena Suvari miscast because Mallard is an obese black woman) is a soulless, selfish drug-abuser who is getting trashed and partying the night way. (Suvari really manages to pick out character roles that make me despise her) Many other reviewers may view her as "balanced", but since she's a drug-using drunk driver, and is a white girl with corn-rows which never looks good I'm going to go ahead and say that she's incredibly unbalanced and vile.

As if it were a surprise, she's blitzed out of her mind (thanks to X and alcohol), effing with her cell phone, swerving all over, and she blasts Bardo, mangling his legs and lodging him in the windshield. Drunk or not, people with a shred of humanity stop there and help the man. But not this intellectually, morally, and spiritually defective sociopath. Instead, she goes home and has the least appealing non-rape full-frontal nudity, sex scene in cinema history.

Ahh...the resolution. In real life, as I said before, it's boring. This movie, however, provides the resolution that Ted Kennedy sees in his nightmares. Brilliant. I won't ruin it, but the tight directing and believable acting accentuates Bardo's rage against the dying of the light.

Overall, I recommend this for people with mild tempers and no heart conditions.

COMMENTARY

Knowing the case beforehand, I watched the majority with a snarled lip. Such social apathy really brings out my misanthropy. This single instance serves as a harsh critical analysis representative of the insidious cultural decay that has wreaked havoc on the community, family, and morals of our society. It's an overtly sexual, me-first MTV-generation where every child is a precious little snowflake, nobody has respect for family, elders, or authorities, and selfishness all but negates personal accountability. People like Mallard are deserving of a special place in hell, and the fact that there is no doubt at least one person with sympathy for her only reflects society's decay. It's sad that the movie ending isn't the real ending, and that vile scum like Mallard are allowed to live, let alone be given the possibility of parole. With any luck (crossing my fingers), karma will make the rest of her life a horror movie.

Buy Stuck (2007) Now

The setup for Stuck seems pretty ridiculous, but it's actually based on a true story. After a night of partying, the young Brandi (Mena Suvari) commits a hit and run on a homeless man (Stephen Rea). Such a tragic mistake, and here's the horrible kicker--the guy is wedged tightly in the windshield of her car! Quite a crazy predicament, and Brandi is of course stricken with panic.

So what does she do? Drives home, drops some more ecstasy and has sex with her boyfriend. Just leaves the poor guy bleeding to death in her garage? Well, I suppose we all deal with stress in different ways.

I can appreciate the dark comedy of this story and realize it might be a statement about the current mindset that seems to be prevalent in our culture. People having a reckless pursuit of personal happiness along with a selfish disregard for responsibility. It also plays other stereotypes out to comical effect.

But the humor eventually goes from being subtle (a cop unaware of the car passing behind him with a bloody passenger on the hood?) to extremely silly (death by a ball point pen?) (ah geez). Oh well.

Overall, this was somewhat entertaining and original. This movie includes profanity, violence, drug use, and nudity. Written and directed by Stuart Gordon.

Read Best Reviews of Stuck (2007) Here

So, this is what is life in America? Joking aside, this is a terrific look at the consequences of the "culture of success" permeating the United States. Which is in fact no success at all, but mostly submission to bosses, bureaucracy and money. It is the law of the jungle in "Stuck", but when Stephen Rea, a victim of downsizing, gets stuck in Mena Suvari's windshield he seems still incapable to understand that his society no longer functions, and waits for her to get help. That never comes. I don't see this film as a black comedy but as an indictment, a suspenseful look at the effects of a socially inept landscape in some individuals fighting to maintain their status in the ranks of the low class (they are... stuck!). More insight and this could have been masterful. As it is, it constitutes a very enjoyable action film.

Want Stuck (2007) Discount?

A relatively low budget but searching and fascinating film. Our 'heroine' is Brandi who is presented as an attractive and caring young woman who works in a nursing home, sensitively taking care of elderly and senile people many of whom can no longer control their bodily functions. Not surprisingly, her somewhat smarmy supervisor tells Brandi that she is 'under consideration' to become the supervisor of other nursing assistants.

Next scene, however, shows her in a rather seedy cub where she meets and passinately kisses a guy who looks like he's a pimp and drug pusher. High on alcohol and drugs, Brandi leaves the club only to cell phone her pimp-looking 'friend', inviting him to come over. Brandi is clearly not attentive to her driving and hits a newly-homeless man who becomes stuck halfway in her shattered windshield.

Rather than stop and call 911, the cops or both--she incredibly drives into her garage with the moaning man still stuck in her windshied. 'You should have watched where you were walking.' She complains to her helpless victim, and goes into her house to call her pimp-looking friend for help.

The rest of the movie you've just got to see. It turns out that cute little Brandi is just about as selfish and self-centered as a human being could possibly be. She allows herself to be seduced by her pimp-drug pusher with the suffering, probably dying, victim only a few feet away. Later she yells at the bloodied man impaled in her windshield, 'Why did you do this to me?' and hits him in the head with a 2 X 4.

This movie is a scathing indictment of the 'ME' generation. Obviously Brandi is an extreme example of a generational model, but sometimes extremes make the point better than averages. Brandi is a good nursing assistant because such an occupation meets her talents and advances her cause. Brandi, at the very same time, is ruthless and completely uncaring about anyone or anything that disrupts the flow of her life.

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