Monsieur Verdoux (Criterion Collection) (1947)

If the willingness to take risks is the mark of a great artist -and I believe it is -then Monsieur Verdoux is one of Charles Chaplin's greatest films. And amidst all the controversy stirred by his portrayal of a serial wife killer, it's easy to forget that it's also a hilarious black comedy with plenty of sharp lines that would have succeeded even without its sociological message.

Chaplin's ability as an actor is pushed to a new level on this film through his portrayal of a morally ambiguous, unscrupulous ex-bank clerk who has no qualms about putting a body into an incinerator in his backyard. While much has been said about this film's break with Chaplin's Little Tramp character, careful examination reveals that Henri Verdoux is just a logical, and daring, advancement in the character: The more devilish, sometimes sadistic sides of the Little Tramp taken to their inevitable conclusion, where comic mischief crosses over the line to villainy. And it's highly compelling, the perfect foil to Chaplin's most heartwarming films (eg. City Lights and Modern Times), allowing Chaplin to express an insidiousness hitherto unexplored. Martha Raye nearly steals the show as the airheaded, supernaturally unkillable Mme. Bonheur (the name itself means "happiness"), and Marilyn Nash is winning as the Belgian derelict who inspires a spark of compassion in Verdoux. The conclusion of this character relationship is one of Chaplin's most complex writing feats: Imagine the ending of City Lights twisted into a dark, steely, uncompromising version of itself.

There are certain moments when the film does threaten to fall into self-involvement -in his later years, Chaplin did let his ego take ahold of his work -but in the case of Monsieur Verdoux, he uses this larger-than-life persona so well, and it fits the character so snugly, that the ego becomes an advantage and adds to the depth of the character. And the script has none of the self-conscious mix of silent film and talkies that plagued The Great Dictator; Chaplin had grown quite well into dialogue writing, allowing him to formulate moments of murderous irony that are cuttingly funny. ("Don't pull the cat's tail...") I have no problems with the ending speeches in this film as I did with the final speech of The Great Dictator: In the context of this story, they fit in quite well. Verdoux at the end is a man who has given up all hope, and he seems to mock his own fate and character while unmercifully unveiling his anger at the world. The speeches are not meant to be taken for face value, and I find them thought-provoking and fascinating rather than moralistic or self-important.

I first saw this film at Symphony Space in New York City and the audience was laughing so hard it was in tears. With modern audiences generally less inclined to judge a film by its "moral standing" (Kill Bill, anyone?), Monsieur Verdoux can be seen for what it is: A hilarious, complex sociological examination which identifies social ills while at the same time taking part in it. In that, it is unique in the Chaplin canon and deserves to rank among his most important films.

A quick note about this DVD edition: For some reason, the bonus materials for this film are far less numerous than on the other DVDs in this series -hence the single-disc package and lower price. By the standards of this series of reissues, the DVD materials are really quite scant -a useful yet brief half-hour documentary featuring good insight from director Claude Chabrol, a trailer, some storyboards. The picture and sound are of good quality, however, and the film is one to own. Highly recommended.

In his autobiography, Charlie Chaplin called "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) "the cleverest and most brilliant film I have yet made." Though not without its faults, this sardonic black comedy remains his best foray into sound. Chaplin's detailed performance as the business-minded Bluebeard is a masterpiece of screen acting. However, the supporting cast ranges from excellent (Martha Raye) to amateurish (Marilyn Nash) while the final minutes get bogged down in endless talk. Chaplin later admitted that "Monsieur Verdoux" could have used a bit more pantomime and less dialogue. Still, it's a thought-provoking and hard-hitting film. Henri Verdoux and the Little Tramp have much in common.

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That was the campain in the 40's, when the public didn't want to accept this film. After a few weeks of running, it was abandoned in all cinema's. The people expected a Little Tramp, instead, they got a Bigamist Lady Killer. En mass they decided to boo the film and stay away.

However, this is not what Monsieur Verdoux deserves. In every scene you see Chaplin's quick brain, keen eye and swift feet at work. Some of the love scenes are absolutely hilarious, even in this day. Martha Raye (the wife who refuses to me murdered) is a scream. The film is intended as a parody on Society prior to WWII; if you watch it with this in mind you'll be able to enjoy it tremendously.

Before Chaplin decided to make this film, he had just gone through one of the most turbulant periods in his life. His divorse with Paulette, being harrased by a neurotic former love, meeting Oona and soon to be banned from the States, accused of being a Communist had taken it toll. Chaplin fought back in the only way he knew how: by making a comedy to tackle the present cruel (at least to him) society.

This DVD quality is as good as you can get; there a no evidence of film aging. However, the text on the back of the cover is a great disappointment. I happened to read it before I watched the film (as most people do to see if the film is what they were looking for), and not only was this the dullest description of a film I ever saw, but worse, it actually managed to give away the entire film including the FINAL scene! If you decide to give this film a chance (which won't be a disappointment, garantueed), avoid reading the back of the cover at all costs.

This is a five-star film, but one star off for the cover. Shame on Image Entertainment!

Read Best Reviews of Monsieur Verdoux (Criterion Collection) (1947) Here

When Chaplin set about to tell the tale of MONSIEUR VERDOUX, he wanted an actress for the role of the indestructible Annabella who could hold her own in the comedy department. He looked no further than stage/radio/movie star Martha Raye, who was known for her improvisational skills and was fearless when it came to comedy. Raye considered this the high point of her career, to have been chosen by the man she considered The Master as a co-star. Without exception, critics hail the rowboat scene when Verdoux is trying vainly to murder the obnoxious Annabella as the highlight of the film. Given the right director, Raye was matchless in comedy and also proved to be a capable dramatic actress in a precious few roles (Jumbo, The Gossip Columnist). Watch this film, if only to appreciate the comedy genius of Martha Raye. Oh, Chaplin ain't bad either.

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Many people seem to have a hard time stomaching this movie, I think in large part because, despite all possible warning to the contrary, people go see this movie with the idea that it will be like Chaplin's earlier movies, with him playing a character that either symbolizes human virtue or directly espouses Chaplin's views. These people are sorely dissapointed, because Chaplin's character, Monsieur Verdoux, is neither virtuous, nor does he express Chaplin's personal ideology. In fact, sometimes people come out of this still holding the point of view that this is just a regular Chaplin movie and are disgusted with Chaplin's apparently murderous tendencies!

The basic plot has been oulined here many, many times, and I don't think anything can be gained from going over it again; I will simply provide my views on what the characters mean so that those who watch this movie for the first time can at least go into it without drastic misconceptions. Verdoux is a French bank clerk layed off as a result of the depression, he sees no alternative but to marry women, obtain their assets, and murder them, in order to support his family. He loves his family (son and invalid wife) dearly, but despite this is cynical about the world, viewing it as a hostile place where one has to be hostile in return to survive in it. NOTE: Chaplin is NOT Verdoux (although they have some similarities: more on this later), at least, Verdoux is not Chaplin's vision of an ideal human being. In fact, Chaplin's ideal, which in earlier films took the form of the Tramp, is most nearly expressed by a female ex-con that Verdoux runs into. I forget exactly what she says, but one essential point is that a little kindness can make the world a wonderful place. Her optimistic world view is at direct odds with Verdoux's cynicism, and in fact Verdoux tells her that her optimism is corrupting his philosophy. There is much else that I could say about the themes of Monsieur Verdoux, but it is better if you simply see the movie, which I highly recommend.

Looking at the film in a fair and balanced way, however, it does have flaws. The only one of real importance to me is that Chaplin makes the character of Verdoux too sympathetic, especially at the end, with his statement to the court, which comes off, at least partly, as an excuse for his atrocities, rather than as purely an indictment of the hypocritical, inhuman world he lives in. My view of Verdoux is that he is a product of the mechanized, impersonal, ungrateful world so briliantly satirized in Modern Times, as inevitable as the Sun rising in the East, and not that he is a wise person (not that his statements at the end are what I would call wise, but they contain elements of wisdom that invite one to place trust in what Verdoux says). Perhaps at least part of this half-sympathetic portrayal is that Verdoux's disillusionment, his lashing out at a world that has turned his back on him, were traits that Chaplin at this stage in his career deeply identified with, and perhaps he couldn't help but put a little of himself into Verdoux. At any rate, these minor quibbles are no reason, I think, to deny the film the status of a classic masterpiece.

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Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray (2012)

"Nisemonogatari", the animated series sequel to Japanese novelist Nisio Isin's "Bakemonogatari" returns with Koyomi Araragi dealing with a new threat closer to home!

The series will be released in the United States from Aniplex courtesy of a Limited Edition Blu-ray box set which includes all eleven episodes on five Blu-ray discs, a slipcase and a 36-page deluxe booklet.

VIDEO:

"Ninesemonogatari" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1) and this TV series is gorgeous. SHAFT really puts a lot of time into character design, shading but also carrying out changes in character design. From regular/series looking characters to goofy, cartoonish characters and many location scenes featured throughout this series. Colors are vibrant, black levels are nice and deep, animation gets creative in an artistic type of way, image is sharp and line detail is very good. I saw no edge enhancement or excessive banding.

I felt that production value is much improved in this sequel and for the most part I feel that fans of "Bakemonogatari" will feel that "Nisemonogatari" looks fantastic on Blu-ray.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Nisemonogatari" is presented in uncompressed Japanese LPCM 2.0 with English subtitles. Dialogue is crisp and clear and is front-channel driven. I detected no problems with audio and English subtitles were easy to read.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Nisemonogatari" comes with the following special features :

TEXTLESS OPENING & ENDING Featuring four different openings and three different endings.

TRAILERS (1:59) Japanese theatrical trailer for "Nisemonogatari".

TV Spots (2:37) Japanese TV spots for "Nisemonogatari".

BD & DVD ADS (1:50) The Japanese Blu-ray and DVD ads for "Nisemonogatari".

EXTRAS:

"Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set" comes with a slip case and a 36-page booklet with episode summaries and character profiles.

JUDGMENT CALL:

It's not an easy task to create a sequel that will better than its original. While it has been done, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" to George Lucas films like "Empire Strikes Back" and even the second "Indiana Jones" or "Transformers II" which was much better than the first film. The same goes for anime series. Many fans enjoyed "Dragon Ball Z" than the original, "Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood" fans preferred the second series over the first.

But do creators try to top their first series? Or just create something related but not be a copycat of the original?

For Nisio Isin, "Nisemonogatari" is an adaptation of a two-volume light novel that was created to be a continuing storyline. Not trying to better the first, but expand on its storyline featuring its perverted and crazy character Koyomi Araragi but also his relationship with his sisters and the characters that were introduced in "Bakemonogatari".

But part of the difficulty that "Nisemonogatari" has is trying to find its appeal to viewers who are interested in certain aspects of the series. There are those who love the harem anime series and fan service, there are those who like the darker more violent aspect and action scenes.

The first season was appealing to viewers as Koyomi had to help characters that had been possessed by apparitions. Not the case for "Nisemonogatari". This time, it's about a creepy guy that is tied to Hitagi's past and what happens when one hurts Koyomi's sister. But there are some strange and unusual things in store for viewers in this sequel.

For me, "Nisemonogatari" is odd, crazy but also a series that I enjoyed for its crazy antics and unexpected episodes with a storyline that just come out of nowhere. By saying that, there is humor in the series that will turn some viewers off.

While the character of Koyomi Araragi may have had his perversion toned down for the anime series there is no doubt that the writers explore the more sexual and fan service nature of the animated series by feeding off his perversion.

For example, the first episode when Koyomi sees Mayoi (a fifth-grade elementary school girl who is a ghost), Koyomi's loli complex is at its all time high. He can't help himself from hugging her or even wanting to see her panties. While humorous to anime fans who understand the whole loli complex, one may find that an older teenager getting all slobbery and perverted over a girl is wrong. One scene shows Koyomi seeing Mayoi's panties and then we see a cream pie exploding in Koyomi's face. What symbolism can that mean? Hmm...

After he's done with Mayoi, he then goes to Nadeko's home. Nadeko is the shy individual who starts trying to flirt with Koyomi by feeling hot and heavy, showing off her panties and wanting to play a game of Twister with Koyomi who is behaving like he is naive to what Nadeko is trying to accomplish. But perhaps he is that naive. Hmm....

Then he heads off to Suruga's house to help clean her bedroom and as always with Suruga, she is not wearing anything and just teases by showing her rear backside to him. But despite all the perversion, is he really too modest to stand their and pretend he shouldn't be taking a peek despite his perverted nature?

But the antics, don't stop there, it also extends to Koyomi's household as he starts to realize his sister's are getting older and their bodies are now much more developed that even he's having a hard time containing himself.

In one episode alone, he challenges his sister that if he is to introduce her to Suruga, she must not try to stop him from brushing her teeth. And of course, the words coming out of Koyomi is his ability to use the toothbrush inside her mouth, we see Karen enjoying it to the point where she begins moaning and submitting herself to her brother who desperately wants to grope her breast.

From loli complex to sister complex, the antics continue with his younger Tsukihi. He wants to see if the scars on her body and strips off his sister's clothes and grabs her breasts because he felt like doing it.

So, I have no doubt that there are people who will see these actions as wrong and those who don't like seeing this, will probably not want to watch this animated series.

The whole loli and sister complex maybe too crazy for viewers but this series was never created to be politically correct. In fact, this is a perverted anime series plays upon taboo situations with humor. Yes, they may be offensive but the point of these actions is that it's so wrong, that's why they are doing it and it's been a major point of "Nisemonogatari" and the series before it.

But also the allure of the series is its changing animation and not following banal anime tradition by being like any other series. There is no doubt that the object was to be more perverted and crazy but to also pull off the series with cool style. From its use of colors, use of location, use of differing animated character designs. I enjoyed the series for being different and being crazy!

While the series is only eleven episodes long, there is still a lot going for the series. The antagonist Kaiki Deishu for the "Karen Bee" storyline is quite fascinating. A con man that is heartless and an absolute liar, his sort of logic and why he does what he does, is rather cold and calculating. While the majority of the episodes are dedicated to the "Karen Bee" arc, it works because it leads to more character development for Koyomi's sister Karen, Hitagi but also the vampire Shinobu Oshino.

While "Tsukihi Phoenix" deals with more perversion but also a deep storyline of one brother willing to fight and die for his family. The action sequences between Koyomi is quite entertaining and while the series goes from Koyomi being a pervert towards his sisters, the storyline begins to be much more serious when Koyomi and Shinobu confront two characters who are set out in killing Tsukihi.

But overall writing is very good as it tries to go from one perverted extreme to being something much more complex and even smart at times. It makes "Nisemonogatari" so hard to describe because I don't think I have watched an anime series with so much fan service, so many crazy antics but yet manages to get deep when the episode calls for it. These are characters that one is unlikely to see in another anime series, it's what makes up Nisemonogatari's charm.

As for the Blu-ray set for "Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set", picture quality is fantastic and vibrant, while its uncompressed LPCM 2.0 soundtrack is crisp and clear with English subtitles that are easy to read. You get a slipcase and a 36-page booklet. But if there are any negatives that anime fans may feel towards this Blu-ray release is its price at nearly $150.

With a third final storyline left to be made to an anime series, for this Blu-ray release of the sequel "Nisemonogatari", one shouldn't really compare to the original. Sure, "Bakemonogatari" had much more to offer in terms of action and story, while "Nisemonogatari" tends to be more driven by perversion, fan service and making comedy over modern society's taboos. When the series wants to go crazy, it goes all out in trying to be far out there and this helps with the appeal to the series. It's quite a crazy storyline that not everyone will be pleased with, but for those familiar with the first series, can leave their political correctness out the door because this series is crazy but yet so much fun.

Overall, a worthy sequel in the Monogatari series... "Nisemonogatari Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set" is probably one of the craziest, most audacious anime series to be released on Blu-ray in 2013. Featuring wonderful animation and a fresh, unique storyline with crazy characters, "Nisemonogatari" is an anime series that I recommend!

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Before we start. I want to affirm that I love this film. Great script, great performances, great soundtrack, great directing.

Also, regardless of the negative feedback I give this DVD, we are unfortunately obligated to buy it, if we ever want to see a special edition DVD.

Ok, here goes. Yeah it looks great. But it just felt wrong. I couldn't place the reason. I thought maybe it was a visual matter. But I quickly realized that what was bugging me was the soundtrack. It was inexplicably, utterly mangled.

Will someone tell me why? Why were the vocals for whole songs removed? I am sorely disappointed and angered by this. I am outraged by the George Lucas style of re-working your film for DVD, and abandoning the original theatrical cut. If you feel the need to improve your film, fine, provide an alternate cut, or additional scenes, or whatever, that's great. Give me the option on the menu to see the "improved version, or the regular cut. But don't alter a classic, and not even mention it and try to pass it off as the original.

There are so many examples of this butchering, that I can't name them all. I only watched it once last night, and am at work now, but a few definitely come to mind.

#1 The scene where Trash and Suicide and the gang are speeding towards the cemetery used to have the Damned song Dead Beat Dance as the background music. Well, not anymore! You get the inital maniacal laugh, and then nothing, a completely different song. Why?!

#2 The scene where the zombie says: "send more cops", with a thick new york accent. A classic scene right? We all loved it right? Well did you notice that they changed the voice? Did you notice that is was awful in comparison, and not nearly as funny? Was there a good reason for this sacrilege? Has Dan O'Bannon lost his mind, or was this the studios fault? In the end credits, where the best-of scenes replay a second time, we hear the "send more cops" line in all its original glory. So I know I am not imagining this.

#3 What's his name, the Pathmark guy (no slight intended, his performance was excellent), takes his own life by placing himself in the crematorium. In the original version of this scene is accompanied by the song Burn the Flames, which sports a haunting guitar solo at the exact moment the door shuts and we hear the man's tortured screams. It is actually one of my favorite scenes in the film. The haunting music enhances the sadness of the moment.

But not anymore. Now the music is faded out in a particularly unartistic way, and the scene plays silent. Sorry but this is a disgrace. I waited years for this film to be re-released and I feel betrayed. The soundtrack was perfect the way it was. In a different film it would not be as a big of a deal. But when you are the ONLY zombie/comedy/horror film with a punky soundtrack, and a damned good one, and everyone loves you for it, you don't go around meddling and altering, deleting and rewriting, compiling and defiling.

It go to the point where I held my breath with every song change, worried sick that they would ommit lyrics or do away with the track altogether. Waves of relief washed over me when I reached the scene where the zombies are attacking the funeral home (and our heroes are furiously nailing doors and windows shut)and I discovered that the Cramps song "Surfin Dead" was left intact. Thank god, or the devil, for that one.

Could I be wrong? Did I miss some sort of soundtrack feature, where mistakenly clicked something off or on? Or is the sad fact that this movie has been permanently altered...?

After over a decade of being out of print (do to legal wrangling in regards to the film's punk rock soundtrack that is prominently featured throughout the film) the classic 1980s zombie film that turned heads with it's dark humor, witty script, and original zombie design is now available on DVD!

Freddy is a typical early 1980s punk rock fan who, on his first day at work at UNEEDA Medical Supply, learns that the movie "Night of the Living Dead" was based on an actual event involving zombies and that UNEEDA one day came into possession of one of the zombies which is now being held in a cylinder in the basement. A non-believing Freddy is shown the container just as it explodes, filling the supply company's building with a toxic green gas. The gas causes the sole human body in the body to come to life (as well as freeing the zombie from it's cylinder prison) and after failing to destroy the zombie the tradition way (cutting of it's head) they take it to the local crematorium to be cremated. Unfortunately this makes things MUCH, MUCH worse as the smoke laced with the toxic chemical mixes with storm clouds that rain down on the city at night and resurrecting the bodies buried inside the town's cemetary where ironically Freddy's fellow punk-friends are having a little party.

The kicker for Return of the Living Dead that makes it a classic film and makes it one of the most well loved zombie movies is the fact that the film's zombies aren't your typical movie zombie. They are smart (luring police to the crematorium after killing off several cops who come to investigate all of the strange activity going on), are fast and agressive instead of slow and dumb and the zombies have the most hilarious banter involving their thirst for brains that can have even the most squeemish movie viewer laughing.

Featuring a great punk rock sound-track and a great mix of humor and violence, this film has sadly been out of circulation for over a decade do to the it's punk soundtrack. Now it's back on the market on DVD. This is a must buy DVD for any true horror fan....

Buy Return of the Living Dead (1985) Now

Re-animated corpses, swearing, blood & gore, full-frontal female nudity, iconoclastic jabs at American culture, and lots of gallows humor--what more could a horror fan ask for?

Any genre fan who has a morbid sense of humor is sure to enjoy 1985's THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. In the same vein as other tongue-in-cheek horror shtick such as the Chiodo Brothers' KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE and Sam Raimi's ARMY OF DARKNESS, this one's specifically a spoof of George Romero's classic and highly revered zombie film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Director/Screenwriter Dan O'Bannon, probably best known for having penned the original ALIEN movie, does a fantastic job of lovingly poking fun at the Horror and SF genres while at the same time satirizing everything from the U.S. Military to Punk Rock. This movie is not only funny, it's got plenty o' "brains"!

And you can't beat the financial value of the DVD edition. Not only does it cost less than a lot of other full-length, widescreen DVD thrillers--including some that are hardly worth the plastic and aluminum it took to make 'em--but it also includes these cool extras: an optional audio commentary by O'Bannon and production designer William Stout; both the G-rated and R-rated theatrical trailers; over 5-minutes of various TV spots; some storyboard-like production stills; and a really cool "Designing the Dead" featurette, in which O'Bannon and Stout discuss the evolution of the final look and feel of the movie (lots of great shots of Stout's EC-Comics-like designs for the zombies offered in this one).

Read Best Reviews of Return of the Living Dead (1985) Here

"How was your day,dear?" "Usual,crap." I love that line. This is my absolute favorite movie of all time and I am extatic to hear that is finally coming out on DVD. The reason why I love it so much...couldn't tell ya. It's just one of those movies that keep you forever. I loved it. It's a unique zombie flick. With the portrayal of younger adolescents, I think it gives the movie a certain edge that no other zombie, or any other horror film for that matter, has ever had. Past, present and I will boldy say future. With combinations of laughs, scares, and gore, it surpasses every horror movie ever made. The character of Suicide and Trash are my two favorites. Unfortuanately for me, they are the first two to be devoured by brain starved zombies. But I always looked at it this way, Trash got what she wanted..."A bunch of old men to surround me. And start bighting, and eating me alive." I see. Trust me, if you are an avid horror fanatic like myself and love zombie films, check this one out! And if you are in to Punk music at all, the soundtrack for the movie rocks. With bands like The Cramps, The Damned, The Flesheaters, and TSOL, you'll be in pure heaven...Or hell. Whichever you prefer! I give this movie 2 THUMBS UP...and one half eaten brain!!!

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This cut of the film sucks: The soundtrack has been reedited and remixed. Its not the same as the version we grew up with. The songs have been edited. Most notably the creepy song "Burn the Flames" played when

James Karen cremates himself has been almost totally removed. This stinks.

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Space Cowboys (2006)

A Russian satellite is having problems with its' guidance system. The technology is dated, and the only one that has a solution to the problem is the person that designed it. That person is Clint Eastwood, and he has a hard time comprehending how they got a hold of classified information, but agrees to do what he can to help as long as they include his other buddies that were never given the chance to be in space. Tommy Lee Jones, James Garner, and Donald Sutherland are his partners in crime, and the situations and antics they get into are hilarious. What a stellar cast, and the supporting cast is just as impressive with James Cromwell, Marcia Gay Harden, and William Devane. This film is very entertaining, well acted, and has many memorable moments. It is one you will enjoy time after time.

This is a well acted film with a stellar cast. How can you go wrong with a movie that stars Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner? Deftly directed by Clint Eastwood, it is a well made, entertaining film.

The plot revolves around a crisis in space that is triggered when a Russian satellite malfunctions and is due to collide with Earth in densely populated areas, unless someone can repair it in space. The problem is that the technology on the satellite is obsolete and no one knows how to tackle it except the inventor of that technology, retired Air Force pilot Frank Corvin, played by Clint Eastwood.

Corvin agrees to do so, but only on condition that he and his top gun crew of forty odd years ago go into space to do it themselves. Having been kicked out of the space program in 1958, he wants an opportunity for them to do what they had come so close to doing in the past. NASA agrees, but only if this now geriatric quartet can pass the physical. Their preparation for their big moment provides some laughs, as they ultimately prove themselves the physical equal of their younger counterparts and exceed them in experience and wisdom.

Permission for them to go into space is reluctantly granted, but much to their consternation, they ultimately realize they have been sold a bill of goods. Not only has NASA not been dealing in good faith with them, but they eventually discover that a much more serious problem than a satellite malfunction exists. Unfortunately, they do not discover it until they are out in space.

What happen in space will keep the viewer glued to his or her seat. There is action, pathos, tension, and heroics. It is a film that says that one is never too old for adventure.

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I must say that at a price of nearly 3.50 per movie you couldn't get a better deal on this. You get 4 good movies on 2 double sided discs. Of course I am only giving it 4 stars because of the fact that they are double sided discs. For about 4.00 more I would've been glad to pay for a 4 disc set of these movies. Other than that great movies and great deal.

Read Best Reviews of Space Cowboys (2006) Here

My wife and I picked up a number of Clint Eastwood DVDs and enjoyed them very much. Good entertainment, albeit somewhat violent in many cases! More recently, we bought a packet of four Clint Eastwood Comedies ("Space Cowboys," "Honkytonk Man," "Every Which Way But Loose," and "Any Which Way You Can"). The four-pack is an easy and inexpensive way to purchase four good Eastwood films, or you can buy them as individual DVDs. In any case, I reviewed each individual movie for Amazon. You can look them up if you're interested in my opinions.

I rated all four individual DVDs highly. They were very good! Perhaps "Any Which Way You Can" was my favorite (4 stars) and the somewhat dated "Space Cowboys" was my least favorite (3 stars), but only by a slight margin. Anyway, this 4 pack is a bargain over purchasing them as individual DVDs and they're all very entertaining movies. If you like Clint Eastwood movies, it's an economical choice. Oh, by the way, two movies are on each disc, one on either side. Some people don't like this arrangement so be aware.

Gary Peterson

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Clint Eastwood. Tommy Lee Jones. Donald Sutherland. James Garner. That's the way to start a movie. The movie starts out showing the guys as young men in 1958. They main goal is to become the first men in space, but after crashing their 3rd test plane in 10 months, they find out that another agency, NASA, has been givin' that job. The movie then fastforwards to the present. A Soviet satelite is getting ready to come down, but the Soviets are pushing to make sure that it stays in orbit because it is their only communication satelite. The engineers can't figure out how to get that technology to work as it is outdated. So they go to get help from the creator who happens to be Clint Eastwood. After initially turning them down because of his hatred for their superior (you'll find out why when you watch this movie), he finally agrees to help. His idea is to send him and his 3 buddies up. The catch is they have to pass the physicals and all other test that all other astronauts would to qualify. This is filled with Clint & Tommy Lee's characters constantly competing against one another which is hilarious throughout. Pretty soon, they are on talk shows and in newspapers everywhere and are making NASA popular again. But before they get to go up, one the crew is diagnosed with cancer. After some arguing, in which Clint believes his "enemy" is trying to keep him from going to space again, he finds out that the Vice President is insistent that they are sent into space to fix the satelite. And this is where it gets really exciting. With excellent acting, some great comedy in the beginning, and super special effects, this movie is a keeper.They constantly are making fun of their age and continually beat the odds. They also have an extended version from the movie of the guys on Jay Leno's show. It's pretty funny. Clint Produced, Directed, Starred, and also composed the beginning music for the movie. And what a terrific job he did. Get this movie and you won't dissapointed.

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Gamera: Guardian of Universe & Gamera: Attack of (2010)

Gamera's first BD release in the US is great. While not entirely perfect, as it's lacking any extras and other small flaws, the video is excellent and audio very good as well. My only complaint, as stated, are the lack of extras, and some of the onscreen Japanese text goes untranslated (all of the dialogue is subtitled, though). Given the extremely cheap price and quality I'd highly recommend this to all kaiju fans, and monster fans in general. These are two of the best Gamera films and the BD quality only makes them better.

Two of the best Japanese monster movies in one Blu-Ray package. Though I love Godzilla as the king of the monster, as movies, the Heisei Gamera series beats most Godzilla movies hands down. GAMERA is probably the most realistic (as in, how people and the government would respond if giant monsters appear) movie ever made. Its sequel, LEGION, expands on the idea and how realistically the military would respond to giant monsters, strategically, as well as legally. All in the crisp Blu-Ray glory.

Buy Gamera: Guardian of Universe & Gamera: Attack of (2010) Now

I gave this a high mark simply because I love these two movies and there are some improvements --The blu-ray does a lot for GOTU as far as picture quality but falls short on "Legion"

I really did not notice much in the difference on "Legion" mostly because my 240hz tv and Blu-ray player already does an incredible job of upconverting ---so I can see the advantage for people who have 60hz tv's. The big difference on GOTU is the 16:9 aspect ratio -- which is a great improvement from the DVD version.

Now for the bad ----No special features, at all! Advent of Legion is one of my favorite movies of all time and one of the reasons is because of the "Lake Texarkana Gamera" version on the DVD. Don't get me wrong, I love the movie as is but the "LTG" version is a riot and losing that as a special feature kind of sucks.

All in all, it is worth the money, just don't expect your favorite special features or much of a menu at all ---still, for the average fan who wants better picture quality for two of the best Japanese monster films out there, you won't be wasting your money.

Read Best Reviews of Gamera: Guardian of Universe & Gamera: Attack of (2010) Here

The GAMERA Trilogy of the 1990's is regarded far-and-wide as some of the best monster movies ever made, recapturing the long-lost essence of the 1960's "Monster Boom" which gave us classics like MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA, ATRAGON and GHIDORAH: THE THREE HEADED MONSTER. The Gamera Trilogy boasts strong human characters, great effects for a budgeted 90's monster series, and a spectacular finale in the third film that is one of the best genre deconstructions to be found on either side of the pacific. Gamera himself is a character with a defined arc his reconnection with humanity after his long sleep, his climactic battle which strains his relationship with mankind, losing his connection as well as his sympathy, and his eventual redemption. It's darn good stuff.

While it's really, really nice to have both of these films available in a slick, cleaned-up format (as opposed to the rather sinfully bad transfers on the ADV releases), it's unfortunate that it's only two of the three, and it's a rather barebones release. It's also a shame that all three films couldn't be released in a single package, perhaps as a three-disc set to maximize quality.

Still, for the price and for the films themselves, this is a definite must-buy. Ridiculously cheap and nice transfers to boot, it's a welcomed addition to the collection. Not to mention the promised GAMERA 3 Blu-ray on the way that should hopefully be a meatier release. Just get it! :)

Want Gamera: Guardian of Universe & Gamera: Attack of (2010) Discount?

Love this movie and this BD doesn't disappoint. I picked it up for $9 but now it's $5? Amazing price! Great quality!

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Dark Knight (2009)

What has been said about the Dark Knight cannot be elaborated on so I won't. The film is muscling its way into my #1 favorite comic movie adaptation of all time.

The reason for my review is in hopes of saving you some money. This double disc Special Edition doesn't deliver the price you pay for it. There isn't even deleted scenes!!! I would save your very hard earned dollars and buy the single disc version and wait for the inevitable ULTIMATE re-release that will come later on down the road.

But nonetheless, a great film you will not be dissapointed; I just wish the studio would have given a better Special Edition release than what we have here. So enjoy!

Christopher Nolan has a vision. And whether you agree with it or not, he undeniably completes it in "The Dark Knight"--a vicious, engrossing, overwhelming, intelligent eventfilm that re-defines 'comic-book-flicks'. In Nolan's grim, dark-depiction of Gotham-City (the crime-ridden hell protected by legendary superhero Batman), the director strives to make everything real (something he began in the well-received "Batman Begins"). He makes it plausible, possible. And yet there's more to it: just as 'Begins' was a dissection of myth, the nature of symbols and heroes, 'Knight' is the escalation of that notion. It's a biblicalconfrontation of 'good-and-evil', yet as 'good-and-evil' really exist: a conflict of ideals, something that can't be purely-defined but that is relative to a viewpoint. In Nolan's world, the line of villainy and heroism isn't crossed... it's non-existent. The bad-guys don't see themselves as bad-guys, and as such something so unnervingly-real comes across it might fly past some people's minds (no insult to anybody, it's just common that people don't look deep into 'popcorn-flicks'): the battle is a complete ambiguity.

The film runs at nearly 2.5-hours, yet never ceases to lose interest or momentum. It doesn't waste a scene or moment; every event is utilized and necessary. 'The Dark Knight' tells a story worth telling and it takes the proper amount of time to tell it. Action-sequences are frantic, old-school, eye-grabbing stunts (vastly superior to 'Begins') and in their chaotic intensity we see that they serve purpose to the story, yet more interesting are not played for pure entertainment-value: we are meant to watch, petrified, simply hoping that the outcome will go the hero's way. Attention is never lost because we are immersed in a breathtaking, almost completely-unpredictable story (it packs many a shock), that makes us think and more importantly gains our emotional-investment. We come to care for the characters, because they are believable, developed, and personified fully.

Everyone has great-chemistry together. Maggie Gyllenhal is a more mature Rachel Dawes than Katie Holmes. Morgan Freeman provides his authoritative presence to the role of badgadget-inventor/Wayne-Enterprise CEO Lucius Fox, and under anyone else's portrayal, the part would be less-memorable. Gary Oldman underplays his world-wearied lawman with such honest-nobility, you never feel for a second any of its forced-acting. The irreplaceable Michael Caine makes a gentle, reassuring, father-like presence as Alfred, and the movie would surely fail without his strong-presence and interjected-moments of light-humor.

And while everyone (rightfully) pours the praise unto Bale and Ledger, I think most are glancing-over Knight's breakout-performance. As Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart does more than hold himself in the company of such a renowned-cast. He makes his presence known, whether he's playing on the easy-going charisma of Gotham's 'White-Knight' or the broken and damaged, twisted-soul of Two-Face. He achieves a full-impact with the tragedy that comes unto his character, and so closely connects with Dent, that he makes his pain tangible for us: we sympathize even as we become terrified. He captures both facets of each personality flawlessly.

Now, some people cite that 'Knight' has a potential fatal-flaw in the supposedly woodenacting of Christian Bale. Admittedly, his development is not as grand as in 'Begins' (yet that film gave us such a good psychoanalysis of Wayne, we hardly need more), yet what Bale pulls off is admirable. Wayne is not an eccentric personality. He is a disillusioned man who can hardly find any joy in having no family, giving up his love-interest and spending his life fighting a battle that may never end. He's dark and conflicted, and Bale plays up on that brooding-mood by making Wayne look as though a thousand dark-things were on his mind. He's not wooden...he's a humorless, quiet individual. Even when Wayne is acting as a frivolous playboy for the public, every now and then Bale offers us a powerful glance that reminds us its all a façade; that deep down, something more disturbed irks him. Occasionally he offers a broken-smile when exchanging banter with Alfred, letting us know that beyond the dour depression of the Caped-Crusader lies a damaged human-being. It is only in the guise of a growling masked-man, that he can unleash his true, ferocious personality.

Finally, who could forget Heath Ledger. Now, when he was first-announced for the part, I was (along with many other people) asking myself: "Why?". Mr. Ledger had proved with 'Brokeback Mountain' he could deliver a potent performance. But he hadn't before. It is only, after seeing this film, that I know the answer to 'why?': I see the significance of his loss.

When Heath appears in this movie, he is completely unrecognizable. His voice is distinctly-altered; a near-whiny, pedophile-like tone that sends shivers down the spine. His face is completely splattered with makeup that renders him both freakishly-nightmarish and strangely-funny. And when you see him, you don't think it's him. In this, his final performance, Ledger proved he was a chameleon. His two iconic performances in this, and 'Brokeback', could not be more different. I am convinced he could have been anything in his career. He commits so intensely to character that the line of actor/portrayal dies. His every tick and gesture only further-enhances his character. Heath never hams the role up or goes for something cheap: he delivers a fully-immersed display of psychotic madness...or do we just label him that to feel safer? The movie writes the character brilliantly; blending terrifying truth into his every social-accusation, and making us question why we laugh at his sick-jokes.

'The Dark Knight' has had an incredible-amount of hype running for it, from the get-go, mounting ever-higher, until Heath Ledger's too-soon death. And the finished-product does more than exceed all of the near-impossible expectations placed on it. It becomes something much richer than a super-hero-franchise-saga. Christopher Nolan has opened a new door in cinema: allowing action-flicks to become more serious, capable of intelligence. He has transformed this into a piece of artwork, full of beauty, terror, moral-conundrums. This movie has changed things...forever.

There's no going back. 10/10

Buy Dark Knight (2009) Now

Ok, the movie is a 5 star, this is a little info on the case and bat pod if anyone is curious about it size. We have it at work and I have already seen it. It is actually VERY small, the case and the bat pod. The bat pod is maybe 4"-5" long, and the case is just a bit larger then the blu rays. I was expecting a bat pod the size of the one available at in the toys at most stores which is 10"-12" long.

AT $50+ dollars, I would get the Bluray 2 disc and the $20 12" bat pod, which s a much better bat pod and value in my opinion.

Read Best Reviews of Dark Knight (2009) Here

First of all, this is a GREAT film, not just a great Batman film.

Others have compared Christopher Nolan's two Batman films to the Tim Burton Batman films, so I won't repeat their observations. Let me simply say that everything about this movie, from the script to the casting to the CGI to the acting and ultimately the directing is superb.

Now to Plato. The meta-message of The Dark Knight is a meditation on the nature of good and evil, the veneer of civilization, the virtues of principle and the necessity and the danger of bending principle in emergencies, the differences between evil for gain or power and evil for mere destruction and chaos, and the tension between public duty and private loyalty. Finally there is the question of the place for facts and the place for "sacred" myth.

(Caution: this review refers to specific scenes and characters.)

The mafia in Gotham is evil for gain and power. They want money and they want influence. They also want order. When the manager of the bank objects to the robbery he complains that the usual rules and courtesies among criminals are being violated. The corrupt police officers are evil for gain as well. They too need general acceptance of rules and procedures.

The Joker is evil for evil's sake. He sows chaos and disorder and wants to expose the thin veneer of civilization. He seeks only to unmask what he sees as contradiction and hypocrisy in human nature and to demonstrate that so-called good citizens are really evil underneath.

Scarecrow, who was featured in Batman Begins and has a minor role in the drug bust scene in The Dark Knight, is a deranged psychiatrist whose evil comes from desire for power over others as he uncovers the weaknesses in the minds of others.

The Mayor is out for power but does not resort to evil. Police Lieutenant James Gordon represents incorruptible good. This is ultimately stressed when Gordon must make a choice between public duty and personal relationship. Batman faces that same dilemma when he must decide whether to rescue Harvey Dent or Rachel Dawes. Likewise, the passengers in the ferries must choose between what they are told will be personal survival and the deaths of others, in another of The Joker's nefarious experiments. When the Wayne Industries accountant is about to reveal the identity of Batman, The Joker announces that the accountant must die, and citizens try to assassinate him. Personal safety trumps adherence to the good sometimes, but not all times.

Batman seems weaker than The Joker because he adheres to rules. The Biblical injunction, "Justice, justice shall you pursue," has been understood as demanding that justice be pursued justly. Evil, especially evil for its own sake, makes no such demand. We see this every time terrorists deliberately target innocents and hide themselves behind children knowing that those in pursuit will not purposely aim at innocent bystanders. This gives evil a huge temporary advantage.

Yet sometimes the good must bend and even break the rules. Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus during a critical interval during the Civil War. Batman asks Lucius Fox to preside over such a broken rule to locate and catch The Joker. When and how can we know when good can break rules to catch evil? Batman answers by creating a mechanism to restore the rules as soon as the crisis is over.

Alfred Pennyworth indirectly poses the question, "Knowing that evil, if attacked, will double its efforts and create even more destruction, is it really wise to go after evil?" The bad guys cause huge destruction after Batman and Gordon squeeze the mafia, creating enormous conflict and guilt in Batman. But without disturbing the hornet's nest, evil would prevail anyway. So the battle must be joined in any event.

Harvey Dent is extremely complex. He berates Gordon for compromising his police unit by accepting some corrupt officers to his staff. Gordon answers by claiming that sometimes those who know corruption can be the most effective in fighting it. Dent is identified as the "White Knight" whose public persona will rally the public against evil. But Dent himself participates in an untruthful diversion to help trap The Joker. Even he compromises good for the sake of fighting evil.

When Rachel and Dent are being held in danger Batman and Gordon each race to save them. Batman declares he is going to save Rachel but is tricked into going to Dent's location. Rachel dies and Dent is severely injured. In a brilliant make-up creation the right side of Dent's face remains normal and the left side is severely and dramatically changed. He has physically transformed from a White Knight into his derisive nickname, "Two Face." Reminiscent of Jekyll and Hyde, Dent's nature is now permanently divided.

The death of Rachel has destroyed Dent's belief in good and has dissolved his commitment to the public's welfare. Now he only thinks of his own personal pain and loss. But he is not a creature of pure evil. His hurt and grudge turn him into a near nihilist. The lucky coin with two heads has been transformed. One side is now ruined and becomes for him the oracle of ethics. Life and death depend solely on chance; solely on the flip of a coin.

Furious at Gordon for the actions of the corrupt police officers in Gordon's unit who betrayed Rachel, Dent finds Gordon's wife and children. Recognizing that Gordon's young son is dearest to him, Dent demands that Gordon reassure the son as Dent flips his coin to decide the boy's fate.

Batman, for whom good and evil, life and death, are not decided by chance, intervenes. In their fight Dent and Batman both plunge to the ground from a height. Batman survives and tells Gordon that the myth of Dent's goodness must become the rallying point for the city. Dent remains the White Knight, while Batman allows himself to become The Dark Knight, spurned by the public, identified wrongly but necessarily as the source of evil, who can then secretly work for the good. Only Gordon and his son know the true story behind this myth. Gotham thus gets the hero it deserves.

The Joker is captured but his fate is left hanging, literally and figuratively. We do not even know for certain whether Dent died, or unconscious, has survived his fall. All we know for sure is that the complexity of fighting evil and the compromises permitted for good are unsolved. Civilization continues but only barely. The Joker has destroyed Rachel, transformed Dent, and caused everlasting turmoil and doubt within Batman.

The need to resort to myth over facts after arguing previously for the absolute value of Truth, ends Plato's Republic, with the famous story of the myth of the cave. We too are left in the dark, in the company of The Dark Knight, at the end of this superb film.

We can only wonder what the sequel might have been, with The Joker and Two Face challenging Batman, had Heath Ledger survived.

Speaking of Heath Ledger I want to mention a few things about his performance as The Joker. There is a small pantheon of presentations of psychiatrically deranged individuals in film. Among the best are Olivia Thailand in Snake Pit, Gregory Peck in Spellbound, Jack Nickelson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Ledger's perhaps surpasses them all.

For those with a psychiatric or medical background like myself, the use of his slight head tics and the seemingly random movement of his tongue suggest that The Joker has been in a psychiatric institution and medicated with drugs that left him with a case of tardive dyskinesia, a rare but serious and irreversible movement disorder that can be a side effect of certain psychotropic medications. This touch, which I believe was meticulously and masterfully added to the portrayal by Ledger, makes The Joker both more convincing and more dangerous.

I am told that Ledger immersed himself in The Joker's state of mind before and during the filming. It is not unknown for an actor to have difficulty extricating himself from such a wrenching and demanding role. Joaquin Phoenix and Faye Dunaway have each spoken about this as they worked to emerge from Johnny Cash and Joan Crawford. If this was so for Ledger then The Joker got an undeserved bitter laugh while we have only tears.

Addendum July 23, 2008: One of The Joker's henchmen must have gotten into my spell checker to change Olivia De Havilland into Olivia Thailand. Sorry for that.

I want to expand on one point distinguishing Batman from Dent. When The Joker reveals the locations of Rachel and Dent, Gordon asks Batman which location he is going to. Batman says Rachel's but I believe he is aware of The Joker's double crosses and switches, and knowingly goes to Dent's location. That Batman expresses no surprise at finding Dent rather than Rachel confirms this view. Bruce Wayne would have rescued Rachel but Batman, a true hero, puts his public duty above his private preferences.

After Rachel is killed Dent loses his sense of public duty and loses faith in goodness. Batman, equally in love with Rachel and equally convinced she will marry him, retains his public duty and goodness, though he is burdened with grief and guilt. Perhaps a White Knight cannot endure crushing disappointment. Perhaps only a Dark Knight, who has already experienced the crushing loss of viewing the murders of his father and mother, and holding himself responsible for that tragedy, can make his way through darkness without losing his way.

A final note, in response to a commenter who took issue with my portrayal of Gordon as incorruptibly good, I agree that Gordon made pragmatic choices, and refer to them in the essay. But as a person he is beyond bribery and never loses sight of his duty to the citizenry. So how about personally incorruptible but one who made some seemingly necessary but ultimately unwise alliances.

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This is just some information regarding the Bat Pod. Please be aware, the Bat Pod and the display stand are 100% plastic. The Bat Pod is also not removable.

In my opinion, they are not worth the extra money.

Get the film, but don't splurge on this plastic toy.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2011)

Ever seen a horror movie with hillbillies in it? They're usually psychotic chainsaw-swinging inbred cannibal psychos who like to murder anyone who happens to drive by.

But don't expect any of THAT to actually appear in "Tucker & Dale Vs Evil," a clever black comedy that asks, "What if the HILLBILLIES were the innocent victims of the doomed college kids?" Tropes are inverted (or lampshaded), there's gore aplenty, and Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine make endearingly rough-hewn heroes.

West Virginia hillbillies Dale (Labine) and Tucker (Tudyk) have just bought a dilapidated little house out by a remote lake, and plan to spend some time fishing and drinking beer. They also end up rescuing Allison (Katrina Bowden), a college student who hit her head while swimming, and she soon finds that these seemingly terrifying hillbillies are actually kind, gentle and sometimes quite smart.

Unfortunately, Allison's friends get the wrong idea, and think that she's being held captive by a pair of chainsaw-swinging psychos. As they try to attack Dale and Tucker, they end up accidentally dying in bizarre and gory ways. As Dale, Tucker and Allison try to defuse the situation, they also have to deal with the increasingly bloodthirsty Chad (Jesse Moss).

I have no idea why it's taken so long for "Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil" to make it onto DVD, because this movie is absolutely hilarious -a gory, satirical little comedy that acknowledges every hillbilly-slasher cliche right before turning it on its ear. And yes, writer/director Eli Craig homages many a horror movie, from "Evil Dead" to "Friday the 13th."

And even though it's obviously a spoof, "Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil" is actually very well-written -clever foreshadowing, a shocking climactic twist, and all sorts of hilarious situations that make Dale and Tucker look... well, like psycho hillbillies. For instance: Tucker accidentally destroys a beehive, and ends up racing through the woods, screaming and waving his chainsaw spastically.

And yes, there are lots of OTHER hilarious moments, such as lampshading hillbilly stereotypes ("Oh, I love Earl Grey") and the college kids' gory deaths (impaling themselves on sticks or jumping into woodchippers).

And the acting is absolutely brilliant. Labine and Tudyk are amazing as the protagonists, respectively playing a sweet timid teddy bear and an outgoing good ol' boy. Yeah, don't judge these guys from their appearances, because you will be ALL WRONG. And the rest of the small cast also does an excellent job, especially given that most of them are shrieking horror movie cliches.

"Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil" is pretty clearly destined to be a cult classic, right alongside other fun spoofs like "Shaun of the Dead." Hilarious, bloody and clever.

The set up is a lot like the recent installments of the Texas Chainsaw and Hills Have Eyes franchises or Wrong Turn. A group of college kids go camping in the woods. They're unnerved by the backwoods, hillbilly-chic locals. And, naturally, they suspect the worst of them. Perhaps for the first time in horror movie history, these kids assumptions were wrong.

Tucker (Alan Tudyk; A Knight's Tale, 28 Days) and Dale (Tyler Labine; Rise of the Planet of the Apes, TV's Mad Love) are two loveable, kind-intentioned idiots on a bro-mantic fishing trip. Their interactions with the campers are misconstrued such that they appear to have performed malevolent deeds. After nearly drowning, Tucker and Dale save Ally (Katrina Bowden; Piranha 3D, 30 Rock) of the girls. But when they pull her into their boat and yell "we have your friend" to the others, it is perceived that they "took" her and then cruelly goaded them. Naturally, when Ally regains consciousness, she thinks she's been abducted.

Just from the trailer I think everyone knew that this would just "work" on film. This was Eli Craig's first job as director (he wrote this, too) and I'm itching to see what he does next. He took a smart comic premise and peppered in some solid doses of Sam Raimi-esque gore. As the kids try to "rescue" Ally from her "captors" they get accidently killed under silly circumstances delivered with perfect timing. A true horror hound, I tend to laugh at many of the kills in serious horror flicks. But this movie invites all to join in the laughter as mulched entrails shower over the face of a mortified friend.

American Psycho and the Scream franchise may have mastered the slasher movie satire. But this stands out as more of a paramount slasher movie farce, much as Shaun of the Dead was for zombie fare.

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Very infrequently do you see a movie that blends its satired source with comedy as well as Tucker & Dale vs. Evil has. When you find yourself laughing out loud as teenagers hurl themselves into wood chippers, impale themselves on tree branches or set one another ablaze you realize that the horror element is vastly outweighed by the ironic humor that the entire piece is littered with.

If you're comfortable with a little blood and a little cursing then this movie will be a surefire winner.

Read Best Reviews of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2011) Here

I don't write reviews but felt the need on this one. I also don't watch gory movies what's the point? We got this on a whim and it is actually REALLY funny and the gore is minimal which is awesome. So if you are a gore wimp like me you will like it. I was completely surpised by this one and enjoyed it. If you are looking for something insanely funny and off the wall this is the movie!

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Just writing a review to get the word out that this is worth a lot of watches so it is worth owning! This movie is a hoot from beginning to end! Although they should of called the film Tucker & Dale vs. College Kids...that is my only complaint! My wife and I sat and watched this with our 18 year old college student and we laughed our butts off because we know how teenagers act and we could relate! Although this is a low budget movie it is pretty well done for the special gore effects. The one-liners from the two hillbillies is what makes this movie though! For a horror movie...this one is quite original! Think Evil Dead movies...if you enjoyed that series....you'll enjoy this one!

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Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960)

If you're a fan of the movie "Spartacus", this is the version to get; the Universal DVD is as bare bones as they get with just the movie. The Criterion version looks great. The facelift the film received help return much of its luster. Kubrick later disowned his version of the epic Hollywood Sword & Sandal genre, but Kubrick brings much of his sensibility to bear; the fight sequences and epic vistas bring to mind Kubrick's work on Paths of Glory and 2001. True, this isn't a complete Kubrick picture; Kubrick had nothing to do with the screenplay and Douglas had all but cast the picture in collaboration with director Anthony Mann (dismissed after butting heads with Douglas one too many times).

Is it Kubrick's finest film? Well, frankly no it isn't. It's an interesting mishmash between Kubrick's detached, ironic style and Hollywood glitz. Spartacus is Kubrick for people who don't care for Kubrick's detached style. It doesn't measure up to Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001 or A Clockwork Orange although it does compare favorable to the much darker Paths of Glory.

Kubrick stated that his intent at the time was to subvert the cliches of the genre. As a result, Kubrick manages to reinvent a genre that was in danger of becoming a parody of itself. As a collaborative effort, Spartacus is a great piece of entertainment and far more sophisticated than almost everything else that came out of Hollywood at the time.

The transfer is beautiful with much of Kubrick's bold use of color restored. The strong acting of most of the cast has always been a virtue of Sparatcus. The soundtrack has been meticulously transferred to 5.1 and Alex North's beatiful score has never sounded so sweet, tragic and powerful before. The audio commentary is the same one that was on the laserdisc version. It provides additional understanding about the complexity of making an independently produced project like Spartacus. Kirk Douglas' bold decision to produce the film himself (with Universal-International distributing)was a leap of faith in both the material and the talented director.

The second disc is stuffed with supplements that are found nowhere else.There's two older interviews with Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons plus one that Ustinov did in 1992 for the laserdisc edition. It's delightful and he shares a number of funny stories about the picture. There's also a text overview of Kubrick's career and his involvement with the picture. Included also are sketches Kubrick made for the motion picture (artistically they're nothing special but they do provide insight into Kubrick's role in the visualization of the film). Included are some vintage newsreels and a promotional film originally made but unfinished for Spartacus that gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. The promotional film is missing it's soundtrack (in fact, it might have been lost if not for the forsight of a private collector) and has much from North's score. We also get to glimpse at Saul Bass' wonderful title design sequence.

Criterion has been both praised and criticized for their DVDs and laserdiscs before. While they tend to be expensive, this is the complete package. Occasionally Criterion will release a package that isn't up to their usual standards. Spartacus isn't one of them. Robert Harris (Harris restored the film along with Vertigo)evidently was also involved in the transfer to DVD. If you want a spectacular transfer of the film, loads of extras about the making and background of the project from those involved, this is the set to pick up.

Great movie. Horrible, horrible blu-ray. Maybe the worst blu-ray disc I've seen. Do not buy, wait for a recall. It's so blatantly awful even non-cinephiles will notice.

Here's the main problem: most all the film grain and fine detail have been completely wiped out in a clumsy attempt to remove video noise. Which begs the question: so what's the point of owning it on blu-ray?

What's worse is that it didn't have to be this way. But I guess this is what happens when an indifferent media conglomerate has complete control over a masterpiece. Check out Robert Harris's (the man who restored the film years ago) extremely negative review of this blu-ray on the web. I thought maybe he was overdoing it a bit, but no. It's even worse than he says. If you have the Criterion DVDSpartacus Criterion Collection, just hang on to it for now.

Buy Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960) Now

The Movie:

I've been letting this one sit in my collection for a few months before I let loose on it. This is one of my personal favorite movies. In the "swords and sandals" genre I think it is among the finest it has a stirring story, a wonderful sense of scope, a great soundtrack, and a set of truly exceptional performances, including screen greats such as Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Kirk Douglas. Although it doesn't display the sort of technical mastery that Kubrick would assert on his later films, there is still a certain Kubrickian something to the direction, as well. Certain camera moves, certain lingering shots, certain compositions. All told, it's a great movie and a great representation of the 1950-60s "epic" motion picture tradition. At 3-plus hours, it always remains brisk and entertaining, and it's a movie I frequently revisit because of its richness and replay value.

The Blu-Ray:

But then we get to this transfer. Having owned the Criterion DVD edition of this film, I was well acquainted with its look and feel.

This Blu-Ray transfer has been stripped of all natural film grain. As such, a level of fine detail is missing from the image, one which has been compensated for by the application of edge enhancement (quite noticeable on the tall iron bars frequently visible in the gladiator school) and an artificially boosted contrast.

On the plus side, the image *is* more detailed than the Criterion DVD. Interested viewers ought to search "spartacus dvdbeaver" in order to see that site's comparison between the Criterion DVD and the Universal Blu-Ray. You should be able to note that several of the comparison shots show that mid-sized details are much sharper. But fine details such as film grain are gone. It should also be rather apparent that colors have been juiced up for this release as well Kirk Douglas was always a bronzed sort of guy, but he looks like he spent a few too many hours in the tanning salon for this release. The most revealing comparison is the shot of Douglas being painted to show "kill zones" by his instructor. Details on the instructor's uniform like his metal buckles are clearer. But check out the high contrast areas such as the metal bars in the lower left there is practically a double image made of edge enhancement halos. The flesh tones also are hot and unrealistic. Facial details at this distance look waxy.

The irritating aspect of Universal's thought process is that there was apparently a fresh, restored celluloid interpositive from 1991 that could have been re-transferred at only nominal cost. Instead, the studio went with the cheaper option of using the inferior early-90's HD transfer of that interpositive, a transfer that Richard Harris (who oversaw the 1991 restoration) has called flawed in the extreme, riddled with noise. This noise was washed away with DNR, and then compensated for with edge enhancement.

So in the end, this is sort of a textbook case for a middling Blu-Ray transfer. Sure, it looks better than a DVD. But it is obvious that we're missing so much more that we could have seen. I'd call this comparable to decent cable television HD. Smooth, compressed, pleasing to the uncritical eye, but unsatisfying to those who wish their movies to look like they were shot on film, not on a computer.

The audio is quite nice. The DTS soundtrack presents the booming music score quite well, and the voice acting always comes through well. Extras of course fall short compared to the Criterion release, which had an entire extra disc to its credit. But we do get deleted scenes, some classic interviews and newsreels, some behind the scenes footage, and a trailer. Had we not known of the Criterion DVD, I think most would be pleased. But the lack of commentary and the lack of a comprehensive making-of documentary are glaring. A movie like this cries out for a discussion of writer Dalton Trumbo, Kubrick's tension with actor-producer Douglas, the Hollywood blacklist, and the many elements that slipped past censors of the day.

Conclusion:

As it stands, I can't go above three stars, here. The movie is undeniably great. Those who enjoy historical epics will find a lot to love. But the video transfer is significantly flawed (though perhaps not fatally so). That makes this an "average" home video purchase at best.

This is a stopgap. I think it's worth buying at a low price, in order to have a version of this film in high definition. But we can only hope that either Criterion gets the rights back from Universal and does their usual respectful job, or the powers that be at Universal pull their heads from their rears and decide to treat this classic the way it deserves to be: with a fresh, modern HD transfer from film elements that will give us a truly filmic presentation of a great flick.

Read Best Reviews of Spartacus (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1960) Here

I have reviewed this film at length, with links available under external reviews at the IMDB; however, I want to encourage readers to check out the Criterion Special Edition for the extras. The best feature on the 2nd disk is an interview with Peter Ustinov where he tells some of the background "dirt" behind Sparatus--hilariously scrunching up his face and immitating the great Charles Laughton to tell us about the ego wars that Laughton conducted with Sir Laurence Olivier.

Then by all means turn on the main commentary to hear original author Howard Fast (fired from writing the screenplay by Douglas for being too slow) absolutely rip into Douglas for his acting. I had to recue it to make sure I heard some of these criticisms correctly--far different fare than the usual promotional tone of most commentaries. The others offering commentaries are uncensored in their criticism as well, so count this as the most honest and refreshing commentaries on the market!

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Well, call me a romantic but I still love this picture. Yes, it's a bit dated in technique, and it was restrained in its depictions of sex and violence and adult themes by the Hays office (the official Hollywood censor board). And it has a bit of Hollywoodness in its love story and presentation (music etc.), but it also had heart and it strived to evoke a spirit of rebellion and defiance of oppression that moved me way back when and still does today.

And I don't give a tinker's damn what Howard Fast's, Dalton Trumbo's, or Kirk Douglas's for that matter, politics were...it's a helluva an entertaining movie!

Stanley Kubrick replaced Anthony Mann after production began. He had decried the film and script because it wasn't the one he would have written, but I think he did a good job just bringing this effort off and he was able to tone down or eliminate much of the Hollywoodisms. The matter-of-factness of Varinia's having to offer herself, the icily calm and detached way Olivier dispatches Woody Strode like an animal, though he is unnerved by the meaning of the attack. These are Kubrickian touches.

In the extra goodies in this Criterion effort, we discover that it was a very difficult shoot with everyone fighting with everyone. You had 4 major egos at battle: Kubrick, Douglas, Olivier & Laughton...each with his own ideas about what was or wasn't important. Would have been nice to have Stanley's comments, but we do get Douglas, Fast, & (most amusingly) Peter Ustinov's recollections.

All that is interesting, but beside the point. Why I love Spartacus is: the great Gladiator school sequence; the genuine warmth and relaxed sexiness of Douglas & Jean Simmons (lovely & luscious)together; the depiction of Rome at its height of power and the nice interplay between the corrupt but true democrat Laughton and the haughty and superior Olivier, whose lust for order and power is a far more sinister corruption; the wonderfully flawed & human Ustinov and the affection and warmth of his scenes with Laughton (much of which he wrote and they worked out together); great battles; and finally, the haunting image of the road to Rome decorated with the crucified remnants of Spartacus's slave army.

This last is why I return to this movie again and again. When the slaves lose, as they had to lose fighting against the awsome power of Rome, and the defeated remaining men standup and claim they are Spartacus knowing crucifixion will follow their gesture; and, Spartacus too goes to the cross but swears to Crassus over the dead body of Antoninus (Tony Curtis) "he'll be back and he'll be thousands"....well, it gets the blood moving. I love defiance in defeat.

And the last scene, with Varinia holding up his son to the silently dieing Spartacus saying "he's free" may be Hollywood corn to some, but it was just that small note of hope that makes movies emotional experiences rather than academic exercises to me. You can have the razzle dazzle of Gladiator, I will take the emotional heart of Spartacus any day. There is still something thrilling & uplifting in watching someone go down to defeat with chin raised (cleft and all) in defiance. Probably 4 to 4-1/2 stars, but will always be 5 to me for sheer entertainment.

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The Godfather (Coppola Restoration) (1972)

This review is based on the "Part 1" disc from the box set. I literally can't believe that people are saying that there's no difference between this and the DVD version. I had to do a side-by-side comparison to make sure, but there's no question that this new blu-ray is noticeably more detailed on a 40" LCD set.

It's also got a noticeably different color balance, in accordance with cinematographer Gordon Willis's original instructions, which makes it that much more baffling that people can't see any difference. In addition to the color difference, there is noticeably more detail, especially in darker scenes.

Yes, it's dark; yes it's grainy. That's the way it was shot. But if you are any kind of a fan of this movie, you owe it to yourself to see this beautiful new restoration.

Rarely does a film manage to express the power of a novel from which it was based -but "The Godfather" does manage to do quite well. Realizing that the entire second section of the novel could not be fit into the movie (but was cleverly woven into "The Godfather, part 2") Puzo and Coppola produced a film which was remarkably consistent with the remainder of the book (although there are a few 'jumps' in the plot which make more sense to someone also familiar with the book). The cast for this picture could not possibly be better -both in the first-rate Hollywood actors AND in the on-location Sicilian actors selected for those portions of the movie filmed on that island. Brando is perfect as the aging Don, Pacino portrays the inherently moral but tormented Michael extremely well, Caan is ideal as the hotheaded Sonny, and Robert Duvall, in the best role of his career, is splendid as Tom Hagen. (And I loved Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia)! In addition to the writing and the casting, the filming and cinematography was also excellent. Who could ever forget Sonny's murder at the toll booth? And the baptism scene? Classic filmmaking at its best. I can't recommend this picture highly enough -although I would strongly encourage the reading and re-reading of the novel as well.

Buy The Godfather (Coppola Restoration) (1972) Now

This is a great movie and the restoration is fantastic. The picture is clear with no noticeable scratches or dust, and the color that was added to make it resemble with looked like in at it's theatrical release gives it a sunny glow that in my opinion, gives it more life. My only problem is that upon buying this dvd, I found that the "2" disks amazon has in it's description, is really just 1. There are no bonus features except for the commentary that was included in previous releases. If you must have special features, buy The Godfather Trilogy The Coppola Restoration it has a boat load of special features, and you can get it on blu-ray or dvd for around $65 online. Besides there not being special features or a 2nd disk, this is a great restoration that should not be passed up by fans or anyone looking to see it for the first time.

Read Best Reviews of The Godfather (Coppola Restoration) (1972) Here

So many reviews rate the film itself which we already know is a classic, but few give any comments on the quality of the DVD. The Paramount Widescreen Collection of this film is indeed a very bad transfer which becomes quite evident in the first scene which is almost incomprehensible because it is so dark as to render the subtle performance of Brando unviewable. On my DVD I couldn't even access the bonus track with the commentary. Fortunately I only spent $15 for it, but it really fueled my desire to see the collection which everyone raves about, eventhough I could care less for GF III.

Want The Godfather (Coppola Restoration) (1972) Discount?

Director Francis Ford Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis oversaw the stunning 2008 digital restoration of their celluloid masterpiece. Trumping all previous video releases, "The Godfather" (1972) never looked or sounded better further augmented by Coppola's indispensable commentary track. This essential DVD stands on its own. However, if you want supplementary material, by all means purchase "The Coppola Restoration Giftset."

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Three Stooges (2012)

I just want to give a bit of information to anyone thinking of buying this because the official product description is a bit vague.

While the 3 Stooges did make a few films in 3D in the late '40s, none of them are included here. Instead, it has 4 shorts (Disorder In the Court, Brideless Groom,Sing a Song of Six Pants, Malice In the Palace) that have all been colorized and converted to 3D. The colorization is ok, but I would say that the 3D is actually very good.

If you're looking to expand your 3D library and just want a fun disc for a cheap price, then I would definitely recommend this. If you're a collector hoping to get the Stooges original 3D shorts in HD, then you'll have to keep waiting.

words cant describe how fun this was. amazing 3D depth like i was swept back into the 40s & 50s...worth every cent. they really just shat on the public with the DVD release in anaglyph 3D in the 90's. this makes up for it. Sick-Flix .com is where you can go for a sample of the 3D Bluray. they offer one short called Pardon My Backfire 3D which was actually filmed in stereoscopic 3D. go check it out !!!

Included Shorts in Real 3D & Color !

Disorder In The Court (1936)

Brideless Groom (1947)

Sing A Song Of Six Pants (1947)

Malice In The Palace (1949)

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I own several recent 3D blu-ray movies (Avatar, Avengers, etc), but I must proclaim that this colorized, 3D conversion of the classic "3 Stooges" is a masterpiece!

Reprocessed, from the original 2D, black-and-white videos, from the 1940's, I am simply amazed at the colorization quality, and the 3D rendering...

Moe, Curly, Larry, and Shemp, will live-on, and make us laugh, well into the next century!

:-)

Read Best Reviews of Three Stooges (2012) Here

A great selection. Colour and 3D look great. Gives a new life to some funny short films. Thanks 3D classics.

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I'm not a slapstick comedy fan but a techie....how they convert the original cast to 3D has me baffled. Not even close to a spectacular 3D display but well done for its time. I bought it just out of curiosity how well the 3D would play out. It's definitely (minimal) 3D. Don't expect Dreamworks standard of 3D quality....but it will have you scratching your head how they converted it to 3D. Collectors item.

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Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

When I first read this book,

I was just a tot. So,

I decided to see the movie -

And I liked it quite a lot!

I'll try to keep this short,

but I can't make promises here.

The movie is too great,

your children should not fear.

I know this book;

I can tell you the tale,

and here is that story,

in some minor detail:

The mayor gathers everyone

in town square

But Horton can't tell them -

he's really there.

All of the Who's and Who-ville

are unlike you and me,

They are people whom

we cannot see.

Of course, no one believes Horton,

which is sad -

the Kangaroo is making sure

that it will all go bad,

the animals rally around the kangaroo,

and they would say,

"We don't want Horton in the forest,

at all, to stay."

Horton's an elephant,

living in what we call "our world".

In the jungle of Nool there are animals,

young and old.

Who-Ville is on a flower,

and in it are all the Who.

No one can hear them but Horton,

but still, could you?

A great story, of course,

and as bad it is to say,

such examples of Kangaroos

can be found today.

I love this quote,

when Horton is about to fall,

He shouts, "A person's a person,

no matter how small!".

You should go see this movie,

I'm not afraid to tell,

the acting is great, the animation

is flawless, as well.

I won't ruin the movie,

but let me quote you this now,

although it's not in the book,

it sums up my review; how?

"I meant what I said,

and I said what I meant.

An elephant's faithful,

one hundred percent!"

Update 9/11/2012: A few people have e-mailed me asking where I got this, why doesn't it rhyme properly sometimes, etc. I actually wrote this back in high school after we were required to imagine a Dr. Seuss book as a movie and write a review on it. The quote "I meant what I said and I said what I meant," is actually from the book "Horton Hatches an Egg" by Dr. Seuss. I wrote this. Sorry it doesn't rhyme sometimes! And, for those curious, I received an A on this project in high school, as my review was the only one that rhymed.

Dr. Seuss is like a childhood staple, and it is so wonderful to see the everlasting presence he has on literature, even today. With my unending love for the writer, I'm actually shocked it took me this long to actually see `Horton Hears a Who' but I finally did and I must say that I absolutely loved it.

The film follows the tale of an Elephant named Horton who is a beloved teacher in his jungle town. When he hears a high pitched cry for help on a tiny speck floating in mid-air, he risks his life and reputation to save it. His former friends and neighbors, spurred on by Kangaroo, turn on him and label him a risk to the values of their community. If you can't see it or hear it then it must not be real. Alas, Horton is an elephant, and elephants are faithful 100%, so he presses on in his determination to find that speck a safe home. It's a good thing too, since on that tiny little speck there is an entire world of Who's, tiny people living in a world where nothing bad ever happens. The Mayor of Whoville joins forces with Horton to save his people from destruction at the hands of the mean spirited Kangaroo.

Speaking volumes about acceptance, perseverance and the power of kindness, this wonderful film captures the heart and soul of Seuss and makes it perfectly accessible to your little ones. The films themes can be taken a few different ways (depending on your personal stance), which is quite possibly the point, but the obvious moral here is one that is universally understood.

I loved the animation choices; with rich, lush backdrops elaborating the worlds created here, and I really loved the inserts of Anime inspired segments and even classic Disney'ish moments that add splashes of color and excitement.

The narration is also splendid and adds a poetic essence to the film.

I really commend this film for `going there' without forgetting their key audience. This is an animated film FOR CHILDREN and it remembers that while crafting the sequences of peril. While there are moments of tension, nothing is so extreme that children will lose themselves in fear. As much as I love and adore `Toy Story 3' and many other animated films as of late, it seems all too common to forget that young kids are easily shaken. `Horton Hears a Who' understands the importance of maintaining a certain level of innocence; so when Kangaroo bows her head in shame and then, when prompted, returns a kind deed with another, you can sit back and feel content that this film not only entertained your kids, but it taught them a valuable lesson as well (without giving them nightmares).

Buy Horton Hears a Who! (2008) Now

Great fun for Dr. Seuss fans. Animation is top notch. Talent is top notch. Digital Copy works great on my iPhone 3G now I can watch it again wherever I am. I think more movies should include a Digital Copy...great feature. I highly recommend picking this up...you will NOT be disappointed!!

Read Best Reviews of Horton Hears a Who! (2008) Here

This is by far one of the best animations ever made. The colors vibrantly "jump out at you" and the cartoon is very entertaining. Horton the playful good-natured elephant protects the microsopic city of Who-ville in the jungle with amusing results. It teaches you that "a person is a person no matter how small." Don't miss this feel-good movie with many laughs for people of all ages.

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I haven't actually watched the movie with my son yet, but the other reviewers that claim no audio CD is included are wrongthe audio CD is in the DVD case. I ordered this as a Christmas present for my son, and everything listed in the item description was included. The stuffed animal is a little larger than a typical Beanie Baby, and the DVD case includes both the DVD and the audio CD.

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