The Phantom Carriage (The Criterion Collection) (1920)

**EDIT 9-27-11** The overall quality of the Blu-ray is fair, not quite as good as I had originally hoped, but it's still decent. As with most silents, the tell-tale signs of aging are still present even after the restoration, mainly age spots and vertically running scratches. But don't let this discourage you from purchasing this silent masterpiece. Although it's not perfect, Criterion still did a good job on the restoration (as they normally do) and the overall quality is better than previous versions that I've viewed.

The Phantom Carriage is a silent Swedish film made by legendary actor/director Victor Sjöström. While Sjöström is known more for his acting performances later in life, namely as the protagonist in Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries, he originally made his mark as a prolific and very innovative director, beginning in the silent era and spanning into early talkies. This film is considered by many to be one of his very best and is a perfect example of how Sjöström both pioneered and refined techniques that were used for decades to come.

The film uses double exposures quite extensively. While this technique was not new, for this film it was far more advanced, consisting of multiple layers and dimensions. While the techniques may seem obvious and even primitive by today's standards, they left audiences awed and mesmerized 90 years ago. Another innovation of this film is the unique structure in which it's told. This is one of the first movies to make extensive use of flashbacks, going as far as having flashbacks within flashbacks.

I will briefly cover the plot, as to not ruin the film for someone who has never seen it before. The film opens on a dark and depressing New Year's Eve with a young Salvation Army sister named Edit lying on her deathbed. Her last wish is to see David Holm, an alcoholic she had tried to help the previous New Year's Eve. David promised Edit that he would return on this very day to show her if her prayers for him had been answered. Since he has yet to arrive, someone is sent to find him before it's too late. David (portrayed by Sjöström) is found in a local cemetery with two of his drinking buddies recalling a legend told to them by their friend Georges. The legend states that the last person to die each year has to work the following year for Death collecting souls from the dead. The irony is that after telling the legend, Georges himself died on New Year's Eve. David and his friends are drinking and laughing until an altercation occurs, leading to David's accidental death right before the stroke of midnight. His soul steps out of his body right before Death's carriage arrives revealing Georges as its driver. From here the story has a Dickens-like feel as Georges drives David around in the carriage showing him the mistakes he's made via flashbacks. The rest of the story shall remain unspoiled. . . I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.

The Phantom Carriage, based on the novel "Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!" (Körkarlen) by Nobel-prize winning author Selma Lagerlöf, is an example of a somewhat modernized version of the old right vs. wrong morality tales. The main message in the film is to show how problems, such as alcoholism, can completely destroy someones life, but with a little faith and guidance, salvation is always attainable. In this, and many of his other films, Sjöström so masterfully shows the problems he saw within society, and the impact they could have on us if not resolved. . .

**Special Features and Technical Aspects As Listed by Criterion**

-New digital restoration, done in collaboration with the Archival Film Collections of the Swedish Film Institute

-Two scores, one by Swedish composer Matti Bye and the other by the experimental duo KTL

-Audio commentary featuring film historian Casper Tybjerg

-Interview with Ingmar Bergman, excerpted from the 1981 documentary Victor Sjöström: A Portrait, by Gösta Werner

-The Bergman Connection, an original visual essay by film historian and Bergman scholar Peter Cowie on the film's influence on Bergman

-Footage of the construction of the Räsunda studio where The Phantom Carriage was the inaugural production

-New and improved English subtitle translation

-PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by screenwriter and filmmaker Paul Mayersberg

Sweden

1921

106 minutes

Black and White

1.37:1

Silent

I saw The Phantom Carriage on TCM not too long ago and was enthralled. This movie is one of the gems of silent cinema, and for American audiences it's still mainly an unseen gem. I hope this Criterion release will change that. The print quality is superb; even with higher-contrast orthochromatic film there is good tonal range in this restoration. This is a boon because the lighting is often subtle. I'm not familiar with the source material, but the way Sjostrom directs his actors makes me wish he'd done a silent adaptation of Crime and Punishment; The Silent Carriage is a Dostoevskyan drama that turns the protagonist's soul inside out. It's a masterpiece of direction and restrained acting, and makes me appreciate again the sophistication Scandinavian film-makers brought to the early development of the motion picture.

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It delights me no end that Victor Sjostrom's THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE is finally getting a Region 1 release and from Criterion no less. I have had the Region 2 version of this for a few years (complete with mislabeled discs) but now I will be able to enjoy the additional extra supplements that Criterion offers. Since it is also being offered in Blu-Ray I can assume that it has a digital upgrade from my release which is from the Swedish Film Institute and was already a decent restoration although I confess that I didn't care much for the modern KTL score. In my opinion, the Matti Bye score suits the material better. An improved English subtitle translation is always a plus as well. KORKARLEN, the film's original title and the name of the book it is taken from, translates as "The Coach Driver" and is an accurate description as the carriage and driver appear throughout and are the key symbol on which the plot hinges.

THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE is one of those silent movies to show people who think they don't like silent movies. I have yet to meet someone that I have shown it to who was not captivated by it. Part of that is due to the similarity of the plot to a well known English property which I won't name here but a lot of it is due to the simple but creative special effects that seem perfectly natural in keeping with the story being told. Credit should also be given to the lead performances of Victor Sjostrom and Hilda Borgstrom which seem as contemporary as anything seen today. It's easy to see why Ingmar Bergman would have been attracted to and inspired by this story of a vicious alcoholic who receives his comeuppance and an unexpected shot at redemption. The dysfunctional family theme, long a staple of Scandinavian drama, also plays well today. A surprising movie that still has the power to engage and enthrall audiences 90 years later.

Read Best Reviews of The Phantom Carriage (The Criterion Collection) (1920) Here

A psychological film that probes into the mental anguish and misery of a character, "The Phantom Carriage" is a film that inspired filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman but also a film that would be the precursor of Bergman's probe into the psyche of his characters throughout his oeuvre.

"The Phantom Carriage" (Körkarlen) is a silent film from 1921 that is a film adaptation of the novel "They Soul Shall Bear Witness!" by Nobel-prize winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf (the first female writer to win the prize and is best known for her children's book "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils").

The film would be directed by Victor Sjöström who would also play the lead role of the film.

Known for directing films in the U.S. during the 1920's, it's unfortunate that for a talented filmmaker and actor, the majority of his films are considered as lost. Fortunately, those that did survive are his film adaptations of Lagerlöf novels such as the "Sons of Ingmar" (1919), "Karin, Daughter of Ingmar" (1920) and "The Phantom Carriage" (1921). The latter which received restoration courtesy of the Archival Film Collections of the Swedish Film Institute.

And now, "The Phantom Carriage" will receive its HD treatment on Blu-ray and also standard DVD release courtesy of the Criterion Collection.

VIDEO:

"The Phantom Carriage" is presented in High Definition, tinted color and the fact that earlier versions that many people have watched this in the past were not in the greatest condition and considering the fact that the original film elements were not fully complete, I was quite amazed to see how beautiful this film looked on Blu-ray.

The film also utilized double exposures made in the camera but used in a greater form for the film in order to create the ghost characters. A very challenging special effect for its time.

Presented as a color-tinted silent film, "The Phantom Carriage" on Blu-ray is the best version of the film to date. Is it pristine? The answer is no. You can see occasional white specks, hairs or tears on the original film element, flickering but with that being said, none of these will ruin one's viewing of the film. In fact, the fact that it's complete, not hindered by any nitrate composition or any degradation, for a film that is 90-years-old, if you are a silent film fan, you can't help but be appreciative that the film look so good and that the Criterion Collection has chosen to release this film on Blu-ray.

According to the Criterion Collection, the restoration of "The Phantom Carriage" was undertaken by the Archival Film Collections of the Swedish Film Institute. A new film master was created from two source elements, an incomplete black-and-white nitrate print with Swedish intertitles and an incomplete color-tinted nitrate with print with English intertitles. From these source elements, a new black-and-white duplicate negative with Swedish intertitles was completed in 1975. New 35 mm polyester viewing prints were then struck from this restored negative, using the color-tinted nitrate print as a color reference.

Criterion Collection also pointed out that the new digital transfer was created on an ARRISCAN film scanner in 2K resolution from the new duplicate negative, at the Chimney Pot in Stokcholm, using the same color-tinted print from the Swedish Film Institute as reference. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean system while Digital Vision's Phoenix system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"The Phantom Carriage " is presented with two scores. One by Swedish composer Matti Bye and the other by the experimental duo KTL.

The original 1998 Matti Bye composition used on this Blu-ray release is absolutely beautiful. Presented in DTS-HD MA, the music with its piano, horns and strings does a great job of enhancing my appreciation of the film. The music is coordinated just right to the scenes of the film and for the most part, is a wonderful score which sounds great via lossless.

As for the KTL soundtrack is presented in LPCM 2.0 and the experimental music makes this film feel quite dark and menacing. It stays that way throughout the whole film and the sound is quite eery. The score of course is subjective to the listener but listening to the score and watching the film, it gives you the feel of a horror film.

So, overall, I preferred the Matti Bye soundtrack because it is more emotional and upbeat compared to the KTL experimental score.

The film is presented with Swedish intertitles in English and special features with English subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"The Phantom Carriage The Criterion Collection #579' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Audio Commentary-featuring an in-depth audio commentary by film historian Casper Tybjerg who helps explain the film but also the sentiments of the viewers watching the film at the time.

Ingmar Bergman (15:19) An interview with Ingmar Bergman, excerpted from the 1981 documentary "Victor Sjöström: A Portrait", by Gösta Werner

The Bergman Connection (18:12) An original visual essay by film historian and Bergman scholar Peter Cowie on the film's influence on Bergman.

Construction of the Räsunda Studio -(4:43) Short footage of where "The Phantom Carriage" was the inaugural production.

EXTRAS:

"The Phantom Carriage The Criterion Collection #579' comes with an 20-page booklet. The essay "Phantom Forms" by Paul Mayersberg is included plus information on the two scores included on this Blu-ray release.

JUDGMENT CALL:

We often hear from filmmakers in America who talk about the American filmmakers and films that inspired them to pursue a career in the industry.

In Sweden, filmmaker Ingmar Bergman who was only a 1-year-old when "The Phantom Carriage" came out, would later become inspired by Victor Sjöström's work and how his exploration of the human psyche, their melancholy, a character being miserable and the emotional pain that they harbor inside..these are things that are a big part of Bergman's oeuvre.

As Bergman is known as the filmmaker to capture human suffering, for Bergman it began with Victor Sjöström who would go on to introduce his style of filmmaking in America and showcase the mental anguish of a person in "He Who Gets Slapped" (1924), "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) and "The Wind" (1928). And while many historians have always recommended Sjöström's "The Wind" (as it is one of Lillian Gish's finest acting performances), "The Phantom Carriage" was definitely a film which is a product of its time that does have its relevance today.

We have seen how alcoholism affected a person, especially a father and his family in film. This is nothing new. But in 1921, alcoholism was never fully explored, nor its ramifications. Tuberculosis is still a problem today, but even moreso back then. It was a bold film to take on such a subject of how an alcoholic can hurt his family and others, but also lead to one's death. And yes, there is a little introduction to how those who submitted to God have changed for the best, but for those who frown upon preachy religious films, this is not one of them.

If anything, one can easily call this a psychological thriller mixed with drama. The film for its time can be seen as dark as it showcased human suffering and interesting enough, Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining" which has a famous axe scene is quite similar to the axe scene found in this film. Granted, this is not a horror film but compared to other silent horror films that I have seen (which are not too scary), I can only imagine how audiences reacted when they first watched this film. It's definitely not a happy upbeat film but it does manage to work itself out in the end and I guess, one can say the film is not all tragic.

There are life changing moments and for the most part, "The Phantom Carriage" is a pre-cursor of the human suffering type of films that Victor Sjöström would create several years later and a theme that would have its impact on Ingmar Bergman's work.

So, "The Phantom Carriage" does have its place as an important film not only to Swedish cinema but also for its darker theme that was not as prevalent in 1921. But as many people are discovering Ingmar Bergman's films through the new releases on Blu-ray and DVD from the Criterion Collection, the company has been good in showing films in which these filmmakers were inspired from.

So, this is one important film that fans of Bergman's work can really enjoy. So, as Jean Renoir and Jean Vigo were an inspiration to future French filmmakers, Victor Sjöström was the same as he inspired Swedish filmmakers, specifically Ingmar Bergman. And for Bergman, he had watched this film over 100 times and has said that from the first time he had watched the film, he would eventually watch it every year since then.

"The Phantom Carriage" was a big impact on his life and to know Bergman's work and why he is so enamored with human suffering, you need to look past Bergman and watch a Victor Sjöström film.

"The Phantom Carriage" is recommended!

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Swedish director Victor Sjostrom's THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE (1921), while not as popularly known today as other masterworks from the era, is nonetheless as important to the development of cinema as are any of those more famous films.

The last person to die on New Year's Eve before the stroke of midnight must drive Death's chariot, collecting the souls of those who die throughout the next year. Sjostrom himself plays David, an abusive alcoholic who becomes the chariot rider's successor and is shown the harm and misery he brought to others.

THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE is an atmospheric masterpiece. Told in what was then an innovative flashback format, the film utilizes double and even multiple exposures in ways previously unseen to simulate the spectral, horse driven carriage and its doomed rider. The film is also noteworthy for some of the earliest night for night photography ever attempted in a motion picture. This remarkably moving parable of a film was a huge influence on the work of Ingmar Bergman, especially THE SEVENTH SEAL and WILD STRAWBERRIES, both from 1957.

Criterion's exceptional Blu-ray was transferred from a restored duplicate negative derived from two prints; a black and white nitrate and a color tinted nitrate. Two optional scores are included; a chamber orchestral work and an experimental, computer composition. The special features give us an absorbing commentary by historian Casper Tybjerg, a 1981 interview with Ingmar Bergman, an essay by Peter Cowie on the film's influence on Bergman, some footage of the construction of Rasunda studio where THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE was shot, and a booklet by Paul Mayersberg discussing the film's importance.

As usual, Criterion has done a beautiful job in putting this edition together, and it does ample justice to an extraordinary film that deserves wider recognition. Its haunting quality is unforgettable.

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Wimbledon

A bunch of people have said that Wimbledon was 'too predictable.' Well, it's a romantic comedy. Of course it's predictable: boy meets girl, they fall in love, trouble pursues, they get together in the end.

The point of seeing a love story is to see HOW all this happens. Wimbledon does a great job coming up with an original plot (love and tennis) while presenting the story in a way that draws in the audience. You really care about the characters. Kirsten Dunst, especially, creates a wonderful portrayal of Lizzie Bradbury. Lizzie is a very bold, driven, somewhat selfish character, but Dunst makes her lovable. And Bettany (Peter) plays off Dunst's performance incredibly well.

I love this movie. It's incredibly sweet, and funny without the groaning and eye-rolling junk. It is an amazingly well-directed, well-casted, and all around well-done movie that immediately made it to the top of my favorites list.

Peter Colt is a moderately successful tennis star facing the end of his career although he's only 32 years old. All he has to look forward to in life is a job giving tennis lessons to flirtatious middle aged women and fights between his argumentative parents who he still lives with. Then he stumbles into the life of young Lizzie Bradbury, a rising American star on the tennis scene. Lizzie gives him the motivation to shoot for the top, but the only trouble is that she finds any romantic involvement detracts from her own ability to play the game.

This is essentially a romantic comedy, but it is also a story about a meeting between an aging, slightly cynical British man and a motivated, optimistic young woman. It's unique to see a confident woman taking a leadership role in a film of this genre, where traditionally the male lead strong arms the woman into realizing that they are made for each other. Kirsten Dunst plays the role with great vigour even though she has admitted in interviews that she naturally has a shier disposition than that of her character. It's an amusing coincidence that Dunst is routing for a character named Peter again following on from the triumphantly successful Spiderman films. And doubly coincidental that Peter's primary opponent is a character named Jake after the actress' recent sad break up with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. This film's soundtrack features two beautiful songs "Caught in a Moment" and "Sometimes" by the fantastically talented Sugababes. It's to the film's credit that by the end most people in the audience felt sufficient emotional involvement to care who won the big tennis match. Wimbledon is an enjoyable movie that only occasionally goes over the top.

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This movie combines all my favorite film features: sports, romantic comedy, and beautiful filmography. The tennis action is sensational, with brilliant camera angles (e.g., viewing a volley from the ball's perspective). The romance is sweet and touching. The English ambience is eternally appealing. And the movie is just plain funny.

I watched it once, and wanted to walk right back in to watch it again. It was quite enjoyable.

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For me, there's nothing like a good romantic comedy, and when the story is set in the sports world, my interest level can be counted on to double. This one has a tennis theme, so naturally I checked it out as soon as it became available on DVD.

British journeyman pro Peter Colt, played in a bit of stellar casting by Brit actor Paul Bettany, has never quite made it to the top, and is now resigned to the end of a long career. He's got a wild card for Wimbledon, and plans to announce his retirement after the prestigious tournament ends. When a mistaken room assignment brings him to the suite of American star Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst) romantic sparks fly as the repartee flows she behind the frosted shower glass, he bags in hand in the hall. It's all great fun, and we know right away this one's gonna be good.

When in a surprise, Peter wins his first match on court 17, things begin to look up for him. The romance is right on track too, as the two discuss the merits of fooling around on the night before a big match over fish and chips, no less.

For Peter, fooling around seems to have hurt his game. His second round match is a budding disaster. He's headed for defeat until who should show up but Lizzie to cheer him on. In a stunning turn of events, he plays for her and wins. A streak that continues when in round 3 Peter dispatches his best friend and practice partner Nikolaj (Dieter Prohl) despite the increasingly evident disapproval of Lizzie's driven father and coach, Dennis (Sam Neill), and the re-appearance of Peter's long absent agent Ron (Jon Favreau).

Meanwhile, Peter's dysfunctional family add really great touches of color. His feuding mother and father (Bernard Hill and Eleanor Bron)have reached the point where his father has moved to the treehouse in the back yard of the mansion, and his younger brother Carl (James McAvoy) provides comic relief as to the disgust of the bookies at the betting shop he bets against his brother("He's been on such a good losing streak.").

All told, Wimbledon is a light-hearted love story with a strong sports angle filled with great one-liners and several nice little plot threads that add up to an outstanding whole. I really loved it. I think it's the best sports-theme film to come along since "For Love of the Game."

Art Tirrell is the author of "The Secret Ever Keeps."

"Simply put...the best underwater scenes I've ever read." reviewer Meg Westley

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Being a fan of British love comedies such as NOTTING HILL and LOVE ACTUALLY, when I saw the trailer for a romantic comedy set at one of my favorite places and tournaments, Wimbledon, I knew I had to see it. I really didn't know what to expect.

From the beginning of the movie, where you are given a great introduction to the tennis aspect, with heads that turn from side to side watching the game to the final match in the movie, I was captivated. As you are introduced to the unlikely Colt who is ranked 119 in the world and to Lizzy Bradbury who is seeded 2 (I think) at Wimbledon, and how they find a love for one another, you are captivated in a combination of a classic love story, and the excitement of the sport of tennis.

Being a tennis player myself, I especially enjoyed the matches in the movie. They were very well filmed, and presented the tournament well. They way they filmed the points that the players played was very well done because it helped you to get more into the matches.

Although sometimes predictable, this movie is a must see, especially for tennis players. Some friends have told me that it is hard to keep track of the score if you don't play tennis, but I think its pretty obvious who is winning when. Overall, this is a movie that I definetly recommend to everyone! Go see it!

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Scream 4 (2011)

Now a popular author of a self-help book, Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometown Woodsboro for a book tour.Sydney is quickly reunited with her good friends Sheriff Dewey Riley (DavidArquette), and Gail Weather (Courtney Cox) who have now married.When a new Ghost-face killer is on the loose , Gale, who once was a reporter, is given the chance to become a reporter again, but Sheriff Dewey and his loyal Deputy Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) are sharing as little with her about the case as they possibly can. Since she wants to solve the case with him and find the killer as a team like they used to, but he doesn't want her to get hurt. Desperate for information, Gale teams up with Charlie Walker (Rory Culkin), a film geek that seems to know a lot about scary movies and remakes.

Sydney who is now under police protection due to that the killings started when she returned and since she's always the target of the Ghost-face killer; is basically protecting herself, while protecting her cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her friends from the new killer. Since Jill and her friends have been getting threatening calls from the killer and are a target as well.

With Scream 4, Director, Wes Craven, and screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, have a great time entertaining as well as scaring their audience. From the start the director and writer duo offer many clever twists and turns that are impossible to see coming. But sometimes the film is too goofy for it's own good as far as the laughs go. For instance, in a surreal and hilarious murder scene where someone takes forever to die, you'll laugh while also thinking "that's pretty stupid." Then in other scenes the movie can be so violent that it's disturbing with innocent teens brutally killed. So the comedy and violence isn't as well balanced as it is in the earlier films.

Still, Scream 4 is one of the best in the series since it will make you jump and a lot of the laughs are pretty clever, especially the ones about horror remakes.

I am a big fan of the Scream trilogy!!! Scream 4 brings back Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette as well as some well known young actors that balance very well throughout the entire movie. If you are a fan of this trilogy, you will definitely love the fourth installment. It gives you what you come to love about the other films of this great trilogy. I could even see them making another installment, Hopefully!!! I really enjoy these films and I know other fans will as well. Can't wait for the dvd!!!

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I am a huge fan of the Scream franchise, so I have to be honest that when they announced this movie, and even as I walked into the theater to see it last night, I had my doubts that it would be any good. I was wrong! At first it seemed cheesy, but there was a reason and it turned out to be awesome! The kills were much more violent and to me that made it more intense than the previous three. The plot was the same as the the others, but they seemed to tackle it with enough action and violence to make it okay, and besides, why do we watch slasher movies? It seems to be that its our way of indulging in violence and mindless murder without actually either being in danger or going to prison. I thought this movie had the PERFECT mix of comedy and intensity that makes a movie like this great. I laughed as much as I was afraid and lets face it, that is how horror movies are today, a mix of comedy and horror and only a few movies ever balance that correctly. This one definitely did! I was surprised to find who the killers were and I think a part of that was due to the lack of character development on the new characters in the film. In the first Scream we had Billy and Stu constantly interacting with each other and in tiny places throughout the movie there were winks toward them as the killers, this film had nothing of the sort and I thought it had that going for it. Character development is important, but not necessarily in a slasher movie, and aside from that we already know who Sid, Gale, and Dewey are. The best things this movie had going for it were its comedic edge, action scenes, the killer was tougher, faster, and more psychotic, and it takes a tongue in cheek approach to today's horror blunders just as the first Scream did with the originals. In my opinion, this is one of the best in the series. I was not that impressed with Scream 2 or 3, but this one brought me back and I'm loving it. It did what Scream set out to do in 1996, make an awesome slasher movie that didn't rely on sex to push its story line along, and Scream and Scream 4 does it perfectly!!

Read Best Reviews of Scream 4 (2011) Here

...and loving it.

I'm sure like many of you when I heard they were doing a fourth movie my first thought was...why?

Let the franchise rest will ya?

I was wrong and I'm REALLY glad I was wrong as this installment is the best one since the first.

Better than two or three easily.

I don't know what it was really.

It felt like an old friend had come back.

It was great to see Campbell and the whole crew back again.

The magic in most franchises simply cannot be recaptured but in this case, it feels like the magic never left.

All the horror, the jumps, the music, the snide humor is all there in all its glory.

I loved it.

I'm so sad to see this isn't doing that well in theaters. I hope positive word of mouth helps keep this movie going for a while.

Everything you wanted another Scream movie to be, this is it.

Highly recommended.

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Upon hearing that Scre4m got the greenlight, I was ecstatic. Scream has been my favorite movie franchise for the past 7 years or so, and needless to say my expectations for Scre4m were incredibly high. I will spare you the simple plot description has so many others have already provided. There will be some light spoilers in this review, but nothing that will ruin the movie for you. Let's start with the opening scene. Brilliant. There are three "acts" to the beginning of the movie and they do not disappoint. At least, the first two "acts" do not. That's not to say the third "act" is necessarily bad, but it's not nearly on par with the first two. I will not spoil the scene but I will say this. There is no way you can ever top the original opening scene to "Scream". The sequel did a good job at putting an interesting twist on it, while the opening scene in the third film failed to impress. The opening scene in this film is most similar to the second film, but with an interesting twist. The commentary that the now famous "opening scene girls" have about the current state of horror movies is not only absolutely hilarious, but incredibly accurate. And I will say that the scene with Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin is one of my favorite in the entire series.

On to the meat of the movie. There is an incredible balance of screen time and importance between the original cast members and the new cast. Courteney Cox is back to her Scream roots, with some excellent "one-liners." David Arquette has never been my favorite part of the series, but he brings back his Dewey charm that the series could not live without. However the real star here is Neve Campbell. Up until the fourth film, I was much more a "Gale supporter" than a "Sidney supporter." That is not to say I had anything against Sidney, but Gale was always the character that I loved to hate. Coming into this film, I was not sure where they could go with Sidney's story, as I thought it was completed nearly perfectly at the end of the original trilogy. However, seeing Sidney as a new strong character who has to deal with these attacks on her life, for the fourth time now is what made this movie. Neve's acting in this film is as perfect as can be, and as viewers, we feel her emotions when sees Ghostface back in action. The look on her face when she sees the masked killer for the first time in 10 years is incredibly heartbreaking. What I love about Sidney in this film is that this time around she is the one chasing after Ghostface. She is sick of the bulls***. I will not spoil any more of Sidney's character arc in this film, but it exceeded my expectations by far.

On to the new cast. Emma Roberts(playing Sidney's cousin Jill Roberts) does a very good job here. I will not say she was perfect, but she did a solid job, better than most thought we would get from Emma. Hayden Panittiere however is clearly the new "fan-favorite." She's funny, she's witty, she's sassy, she's hot. Say what you want about her short hair-cut, but it fits the character perfectly. I will not spoil the scene featured heavily in the previews in which she rattles off a seemingly endless list of nearly every horror remake of the past 10 years, but know this. EPIC. Hands down my favorite scene of the series. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well. My only problem being the character of Judy Hicks, the flirtatious deputy played by Marley Shelton. It has nothing to do with the acting, but everything to do with the writing of this character. Clearly this is a character that Ehren Kruger came up with in re-writes as opposed to Kevin Williamson. However as the film goes on, her dialogue and actions become less exaggerated and annoying. Many people complained about the acting of Kate Roberts(Sidney's Aunt) played by Mary McDonnell, however I thought her to be exceptional, despite the fact that many of her scenes were clearly left on the cutting room floor.

The final 30 minutes of the film are out of control. My jaw was on the floor the entire time. It is comprised of great acting, great dialogue, and an incredibly relevance to today's society. But enough of that.

My ONLY serious qualm with this film is how much was cut out. This is made clear by the fact that half of what we were shown in previews was not in the film. I do think some of the characters could have been a bit more developed with a few more scenes(the infamous cut scene of the new cast around the same fountain as the cast of the original Scream.) Hopefully, on the blu-ray there will be an option to view an "extended" cut of the movie. Overall, I rank this movie as equal to the first film, which both have a slight edge over Scream 2. As for how it compares to Scream 3, well let's just say I try to forget how horrible that movie was.

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Beaches (1988)

This may very well be the saddest movie I have ever seen in my life, but it is also one of the best. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend that you do. It tells the story of two young women who meet when they are 11 years old. At a glance, they seem like two completely different people, but in the end, it's their strong devotion to their friendship that make them so close. Bette Midler does an excellent job in her portrayal as CC Bloom, a feisty redhead who is determined to succeed in music and will do almost anything to do so. Hilary Whitney, played by the talented Barbara Hershey, is a quiet, reserved woman who often finds herself jealous of CC's rising success. CC and Hilary may be very different, but they grow even closer when Hilary gives birth to a child--a beautiful little girl named Victoria. When Hilary becomes diagnosed with a fatal disease, she is forced to search her soul and strengthen her relationships with CC and Victoria. Throughout the movie, CC and Hilary go through many difficult times, but in the end, their friendship prevails. I definitely recommend this movie to everyone, but don't expect to have dry eyes at the end! It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will touch every piece of your heart. It really does show that even though two friends may be very different from one another, and even though they may go through a lot of rough times, it is the strength of their friendship that will be the decisive element. Go see this movie--you won't be sorry!

BEACHES, based on the novel by Iris Rainer Dart, is a fantastic and emotion-driven drama/comedy. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey turn in fabulous fully-realised performances as two best friends who share an amazing relationship.

On the beach in Atlantic City, 11-year-olds CC Bloom and Hillary Whitney strike up a friendship that will endure beyond all obstacles. Through letters spanning the years, the two women vent their frustrations, hopes and dreams.

Bette Midler is mesmerising as the brash CC Bloom (the 'Otto Titsling' number is alone worth the price of admission). Barbara Hershey wisely downplays the role of Hillary though she never is upstaged by Midler.

Supporting roles from John Heard, Spalding Gray and Lainie Kazan (as CC's mother Leona) are right on target. Mayim Bialik (TV's "Blossom") plays the younger CC.

This film could have easily fallen into soapy melodrama thanks to it's plot, but the direction of Garry Marshall saves it from becoming too maudlin.

Still one fantastic movie!

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Bette Midler is wonderful in this movie. Barbara Hershey gives an outstanding performance. I love their friendship and how it goes through the different phases, and yet at the end they are there for one another, to support one another. This movie is definitely a tear-jerker, yet a classic.

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I loved Beaches so much! I watched the movie on the WE network, but it was still good enough for me to pick up the DVD. The movie remind me so much of friendship with my best friend, that I love so dearly. I don't know how I would go on if I lost my friend to a terminal illness, cause we're so much like sisters. The movie just so heartfelt and tender hopefully every friend of a friend will get this movie.

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I would actually give this film 3 1/2 stars. Bette Middler is just incredible. Bette's timing is perfect. Watch Bette as someone is talking to her in a scene, her facial reactions alone are just hilarious. She is a comedic genius. There are few movies that actually make me LOL, Bette's performance makes me laugh everytime in this film. The child who played Bette was also wonderful...

Barbra Hershey pulls off the other half of the film OK, but it is Bette that makes this movie. Great soundtrack too! I always get teary eyed when Bette is singing "The Glory of Love" at the end of the movie, and waves up in the air to heaven at Hillary.

But why is this a barebones DVD release? This was a huge movie. there are no extras? WHY? Not even a trailer? The DVD gets only 1 star. The movie gets ***1/2. Boo to Touchstone for putting this classic film on such a cheap DVD.

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Shallow Grave (The Criterion Collection) (1994)

Danny Boyle has given us movie fans some amazing films in a variety of genres(Trainspotting, 28 Days Later. His first movie, Shallow Grave, is one of the best directorial debuts ever. A solid, gritty thriller centered around three flatmates and their descent into greed and subsequent savagery.

Shallow Grave is invariably one of the top 10 mystery/thrillers I recommend to newbies of the genre. The large cult following for this film is most definitely warranted, mainly because it doesn't fall victim to studio executive induced foolishness or its bastard requisite happy ending. This is good film making with taut direction derived from an excellent script.

The entire crux of the film is the question: "When confronted with a large sum of money can friendship survive?" Obviously the answer is a resounding "no". Boyle drops his audience into a frightening and exhilirating situation, makes us care for his characters, and then ruthlessly pummels them with brutal circumstance. We can see a little bit of ourselves in all three main characters which definitely increases our empathy and revulsion at the betrayal and bloodshed.

Shallow Grave is a haunting depiction of paranoia, deceit, murder, and madness that gets better with each viewing.

P.S. Danny Boyle revisits similar ground with his new release "Millions", albeit in a more wholesome, family friendly format.

This little Scottish gem is worth watching more than once! I'll not bother recanting what it's about, you can read that above. This is a delightful example of how greed and peer pressure can twist and stain the human soul with ugliness. Most of the movie takes place in the three roommates' flat in Scotland so it has a real claustrophobic feel to it. The plot is simple, watch the three characters crumble as they're affected by their decision to keep the money and dispose of the body. Strongest scene: when David comments about the dinner after having to hack up the dead body "It tastes different." Possibly meaning both the dinner and everything else about his life. This film has a nice ending, not a phoney one just to keep everyone happy. Technically, the digital transfer is mediocre. The sound is quite low. I have to turn my TV up pretty high to hear it, but this could be due to poor production on the set. There are no extras included on this DVD.

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Although there is no room on the name plate at the front door to their flat, Juliet Miller (Kerry Fox), David Stephens (Christopher Eccleston), and Alex Law (Ewan McGregor) are interviewing for a fourth, to rent out the red bedroom. However, their way of interrogating prospective flat mates makes it seem that they will never find a fourth wheel. Alex, the reporter, asks most of the insulting questions, the nicest of which is probably asking "When was the last time you heard these exact words: 'You are the sunshine of my life'?" But Juliet, the doctor, asks things like, "This affair you're not having, is it not with a man, or not with a woman?" while David, the accountant, likes to inquire, "How would you react, then, if I told you I was the Antichrist?" There is no way that anybody is going to get a passing grade from all three of this trio.

In fact, Hugo (Keith Allen) talks to only Juliet before he makes it to a dinner with the boys, where Alex wants to know if Hugo can pay for the flat (a large wad of bills suggests that he can) and David just wants to know if Hugo has ever killed a man (Hugo lies on this point). These answers are sufficient for him to move in, although Hugo is clearly a bit older than they are and is not as amused by the trio's wit as they are. However, the next morning Hugo is lying naked and dead in the red bed, the victim of an overdose. Alex immediately starts checking out everything that Hugo left behind, apparently never thinking that the police might want to take a look at things first. Just as Juliet is about to report the corpse, Alex finds the proverbial suitcase filled with cash. Immediately, Juliet and the boys are reviewing the situation.

The key to keeping the money becomes eliminating Hugo's body and the title of the film gives you an indication of how the trio plan to accomplish that particular task, although Alex knows enough about how bodies are identified to suggest a few surgical procedures to go along with the burial. This requires the purchasing of necessary supplies, a trip into the forest, the drawing of a short straw, and then returning to the flat to endure the questions of Detective Inspector McCall (Ken Stott), who seems to think there should be four people living there. However, the trio have another problem, in that all that cash apparently did not really belong to Hugo either, and there are a couple of blokes looking for it, and therefore, for them as well.

The three flat mates are eccentric enough for us to be entertained by the way they treat most of the other human beings that they come into contact with, but when Alex makes a point of going to far with his treatment of poor Cameron (Colin McGredie), one of the failed applicants from the film's opening sequence, and Cameron offers a pointed rejoinder with the toe of his boot, we readily admit Alex deserves it. This becomes an important part of the dynamic for "Shallow Grave," because while we certainly expect the bad guys to get their hands on the three flat mates before the police can put everything together, we do not expect the sharp turn the film takes at that point.

These characters are entertaining, but they are not sympathetic, so in watching how this one plays out we do not really have a rooting interest in which, if any of them, get out of this film alive. Although I know it came out four years later, "A Simple Plan" tells a similar story but with much more sympathetic characters. The question is the same: if a whole lot of money fell into your lap, how far would you go to keep it? Of course such narratives beg the question as to whether you should or not, because the drama, and the attendant horror, comes from how far people will go.

The other thing that "Shallow Grave" reminds me about is the bit from one of Bill Cosby's routine where he is talking about people doing cocaine. Cosby explains that people have told him that cocaine enhances things so that you become more of what you were and his rejoinder is, "But what is you are an a**hole?" That question is a totally legitimate one to ask with regards to this story line because these are not good people, and when they are put in a bad situation that becomes increasingly worse, it is not like there are any angels representing their better natures. This one gets pretty bad and if you want another cinematic reference tossed at you then think of the three way gun fight at the end of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."

Just do not be distracted by the sarcastic wit of the principles into thinking that they are good people or that this is a comedy. The "funny" stuff is all relative and just because you laugh at what people say is no reason to make the leap to thinking they are good people. Besides, the director is Danny Boyle, known for both "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later," so you knew this 1994 was not going to be morally uplifting. This is just another example nice little example of bad people doing bad things to each other.

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Why is it that I watch and enjoy so many films in which Ewan McGregor appears? After finishing the substantive part of my day one evening last week, I flipped over to IFC and found `Shallow Grave' (1994) just starting. I stuck with it, and was not disappointed.

A movie fan has to love the risks that the independent filmmakers take. Danny Boyle, the same director of `Trainspotting,' did a very nice job with three rather unknown actors at the time at least in the U.S., Kerry Fox (Juliet), Christopher Eccleston (David), and McGregor (Alex), a quirky and unusual script, a little contemporary film noir, and created an enjoyable little story. Nice work, Danny Boyle.

In synopsis, Juliet, David, and Alex live in a nice four bedroom flat and are conducting a roommate search to pay a fourth of the rent. During a dinner/interview with a prospective tenant, Hugo, played by Keith Allen, the three are impressed, perhaps excessively so, when the potential flat mate brandishes nice wad of pound notes. Very shortly after Hugo moves in, he is not to be seen. Inquisitive Alex (he's a newspaper reporter) leads the charge to break into his room only to find Hugo naked and dead. Then, Alex continues to snoop and finds a substantial cache of money in a suitcase under the bed.

In short, after some very shallow soul-searching, the trio decided to keep the money rather than to report Hugo's death to the authorities. As such, Juliet, David, and Alex David must dispose of the body, Hugo's car, and anything else that could possibly associate the deceased flat mate with the three friends. The disposal proves to be quite a grisly affair, but that is not the least of the trio's problems. Paralleling their own struggles in disposing of Hugo, Boyle introduces us to two very bad men who are also looking for the money. The audience does not know and does not necessarily need to know who these very bad men are, just that they are very bad men and are getting closer and closer to Juliet, David, and Alex.

Ironies abound in `Shallow Grave,' but one of the most fun of those ironies occurs at the point when bodies, yes, bodies are found in a shallow grave, and Alex is assigned by his editor at the newspaper to cover the story. Alex's front-page headline is then succeeded by an intense climax as the three "friends," each apparently on the verge or over the precipice of insanity caused by greed, face each other early one morning and then a surprise ending that includes Alex gruesomely fastened to the floor of the flat.

In a moderate budget, independent film, actors, directors, and producers tend to take more creative risks. As such, I do not believe a Hollywood studio would have ever produced `Shallow Grave'. And, if it had, Hollywood would have turned it into a watered down version of its original intention, comparable to the difference between the independent `Requiem for a Dream' and the Hollywood `Traffic.' Good for lovers of good film.

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First of all, let's just tell the review readers that the low ratings are obviously few and far between for a reason. Take stock in the fact that the majority of ratings are 5 stars.

I own this film on good old VHS tape. Long before Ewan McGregor was a household name. So please, throw away any idea that he makes or breaks this film. It's stunning. The story sucks you in and you are there, alone with just you and your television. It will be easy to block out the outside world and become mesmerized. And horrified and shocked and aghast and bewildered.

I promise this film is amazing. Be careful of reading too many reviews as they'll stupidly give away too much of the film.

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Alpha & Omega (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2010)

Despite all the poor reviews online, my 6-yr old daughter loves this movie. Although I have not had the opportunity to sit down with her to watch the entire film, I will admit there is a lot of adult humor (like most children's movies nowadays... Look at Toy Story 3 and SpongeBob.) No matter... picture quality good, and my daughter really wanted to add this movie to her collection. At Target's unbeatable sale price of $9.00, it was a good buy too.

I am a 23 year old male and im usually into action and comedy but one day i was on Facebook when i saw the page for Alpha and Omega i watched the trailer to it and it looked pretty good then it was on ondemand so i decided to watch it and it turns out i really loved this movie it has some corny kids scenes but all in all a great movie for everyone to enjoy its one of the few movies i would watch over and over again

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Alpha and Omega has all the features of a good film. It has endearing characters, a classic plot, and lots of humor mixed in too. I'm 16, and I really enjoyed the film. You'll find yourself laughing one minute and "aww-ing" the next. I actually felt that the animation was fairly good, and the plot, while certainly not original, was a classic winner. As long as you still haven't lost connection with your inner child, I guarantee you that this movie will be a good buy.

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Certainly not the coolest animation movie I've seen, ... but certainly not the worst either. Actually it was reasonable good I suppose. Watched it with our 6 year old son, ... and he did like it. One of the scenes he liked most was those poor birds dropping from the sky, when ... (well I won't spoil it). Me... I liked the Canadian turkey with his caddy.

The story on its own was I suppose ok, ... a bit too cute, too sweet perhaps,....puppy love. But,... I don't know, somehow they pull it together after all. I mean,... I enjoyed it, laughed,.. most of all, I loved my sons reaction to it. He was entertained and laughed a lot.

I think I appreciate the makers effort in trying to use a different type of animal then usual in the leading role. Wolves! And usually wolves would be in the `bad/evil' role. I remember wondering at the beginning of the movie how they were going to pull this off I mean, weather they would succeed in portraying the wolves as "good". Because next to being in the "good" role, they also had to show the "strong" and "meaner" character of the wolves. I think they succeeded pretty well.

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this is a well made animated movie. this movie was entertaining and it was funny. this movie is for kids and kids at heart. great famliy film

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Mystic Pizza (1988)

I first saw this movie after seeing Pretty Woman in the theater back in 1990, I instantly became a Julia fan. This is great movie with a great cast, the only thing I don't like about the DVD is it doesn't have the original cover/poster that has most of the cast on it. I think it's a better cover because this isn't just a Julia movie, and I know she would say the same.

Julia stars as Daisy, a girl who's never been able to live up to her mothers expectations so she only lives for herself, and is happy with it, until a rich young boy named Charles shows up at the local pool hall. He instantly falls for her, but Daisy is afraid that he is just using her to get back at his snobbish parents. "Bring home your poor Portuguese girlfriend, shake up the family a little bit." But Charlie isn't like that, and it isn't until Daisy discovers more about herself that she realizes this. Then there's her younger sister Kat(Annabeth Gish), whom her mother is so proud of because she will be attending Yale. Kat has never been in love and ends up falling for the married father of the young girl she babysits for; in this short time she gets to expierience the joys of love and the pain of being heartbroken when his wife returns.

Their friend Jo (Lili Taylor) is another story altogether. She loves her boyfriend Bill (Vincent Denofrio), a local fisherman, but every time she tries to walk down the isle she pictures herself fat and ugly with all these kids hanging around and ends up passing out.

In the end they all pass major milestones that come with life, and the movie ends with the girls looking into the stars. This wasn't a starting point for Annabeth Gish whom had already appeared in many movies, but was a bit of a launching pad for Julia who dyed her hair black with mouse just to audition for the role (and walked home in the rain ruining her blouse). This was only her third feature film, and she seems to grow in this role. It's no surprise she received an Oscar nomination for her next role in "Steel Magnolias."

Since Matt Damon has become a household name, I've seen this movie mentioned some places as starring him as well as the main actors, but I must advise that if you're renting it JUST for Matt, you're in for a big disappointment. Matt is only in one scene and only utters the lines "Mom, do you want my green stuff." So, it really isn't HIS film, but he is in it.

What makes the DVD special is being able to see the film's actual trailer and watch the movie in widescreen.

Julia has a line at the beginning of the film that kind of makes me smile:

"Don't worry about me, I'm not going to be slinging pizza for the rest of my life." Words that ring so true, if only she knew then the big star she would be.

It's hard to believe that this little 1988 film has endured in popularity for so long. It is a simple story of three 'sisters' in the small fishing village of Mystic, CT who have just graduated highschool, work as waitress in the town Mystic Pizza parlor, and face decisions about the future of their lives. There are three less than fairytale romances with three male characters of varying potential as partners and it is the 'coming of age' in a small Portuguese clan that sparks the tenderness and the sadness of this story written by Amy Holden Jones and directed by Donald Petrie.

One of the most interesting aspects of this low budget film is how it catapulted Julia Roberts and Matt Damon (who plays such a bit part he nearly goes unnoticed) to fame, reinforced the careers of fine character actors Conchata Ferrell, Lili Taylor and Vincent D'Onofrio while pushing the then promising Annabeth Gish, William R. Moses and Adam Storke over into TV land roles.

The film is a bit of nostalgia for a better time, has charm and innocence, and will always be one of those movies everyone who is a film collector will keep in their library for times when a return to simple little movies just makes you feel good. Grady Harp, January 06

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Watched the 1988 movie "Mystic Pizza" today. It was one of the first movies for the female leads Julia Roberts , Annabeth Gish (native of Cedar Falls, Iowa), and Lili Taylor. Interestingly, Gish's name appears before Roberts in the credits at the end. Gish has gone on to a productive career, mostly in television, Taylor has moved into a career in more independent, quirky movies while Roberts has gone on to...well, you know.

I read Roger Ebert's review and he gave the movie 3 1/2 starts (out of 4) when it came out. I wouldn't rate it that high (maybe 2 1/2 or 3 out of 4), but the movie has kind of a comfortable feeling to it and gets better as it goes along. You don't see many movies about work & work environments these days and I think the scenes in the Mystic Pizza Parlor are pretty good. The romantic storylines are pretty standard and as Ebert says, "The movie isn't really about three girls in love; it's about three girls discovering what their standards for love are going to be." All-in-all I liked the movie. Oh, and watch carefully for Matt Damon in his big-screen debut!

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There's a line from American Pie in which one of the young guys declares, "Women are like fine wine. They just get better with age." So true. All of the women in this movie are living proof of that, especially Annabeth Gish, who went from being merely girl-next-door pretty in Mystic Pizza, to the mature goddess we have seen on the X-Files.

Mystic Pizza is very much an ensemble movie, with no one person standing out above the rest. A very strong female cast is counterpointed by some solid male performances, such as that of the always superb Vince D'Onofrio also check out The Cell, with Jennifer Lopez.

Beautifully filmed in Conn. New England, the movie is also a visual delight, and captures the reassuring simplicity of life in an Atlantic fishing community. I love Nova Scotia and Maine for the same reason. The original Mystic Pizza restaurant is still going strong and their website is well worth a visit.

All in all, a very sweet movie about real people and real family situations, and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time. I literally never tire of this modern classic. My only quibble is that the last spoken line is disturbingly unimaginative and anti-climactic. After crafting such a superb screenplay, the writers just seemed to run out of inspiration at the last hurdle. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."

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Good but by no means great. I am not really a Julia Roberts Fan and it was the fact that this is one of Vincent D'Onofrio's first films that made me watch it. Early on the film drags but about halfway through I began to find it absorbing. My plroblem in the early part was that the three women characters seemed like such airheads that I really did not care what happened to them. I give all three actresses credit for giving performances that kept me fairly interested until the mid-part of the film. There are two surprises at the end of the film that really made me glad I stuck with it. This really is a "Girl Movie" and the men in it are mostly wasted. Especially Mr. D'Onofrio. None the less it is worth watching.

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Jaws Blu-ray SteelBook (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) (1975)

Well, I bought the DVD dts and I think you'll like the extras such as the outtakes, deleted scenes, and especially an excellent documentary. You'll get the behind the scenes from Spielberg, the actors, photographers, and the producers. In today's film world this movie could be made rather easily, but back then you'll see the tremendous undertaking that went into this production. The movie itself, of course, is just amazing. At one point Spielberg says that the shark is the star, but the scenes on the boat will show you 3 stars at the top of their game. The sound quality is outstanding and exact, but I do have one complaint.... on the 5.1 DTS their isn't much activity from the back 2 speakers. The sound coming from the front 3 is great, but they could have done more. This movie is just as suspenseful as when I saw it in the mid-seventies. I hadn't really watched it in awhile and I had forgotten the outstanding acting performances by Scheider, Dreyfuss, and Shaw. Shaw's USS Indianapolis speech is about as good as it gets, while Scheider's everyman performance really rings true. You'll enjoy this DVD and it's at a good price. A good bargain. Buy it!

Jaws was Stephen Spielberg's first hit and after his initial reluctance to release his movies on DVD, it finally makes its DVD debut. We all know the story, a great white shark terrorizes the waters off of Amity Island. The movie is based on Peter Benchey's best-selling novel. This is one of the rare instances where a movie is actually better than the book it was based on. In Mr. Benchey's novel, there is are some extraneous sections such as an affair between Ellen Brody and Hooper that really don't add to the story. The movie streamlines the book and the changes made bringing it to the screen actually improve on the book. The performances of three stars are superb. Roy Scheider plays Chief Brody as an everyman. We can all relate with him as he is just trying do his job and the right thing but is caught in the middle. He wants to close the beaches to catch the shark, but the people he is protecting want them opened as the water is the source of their livelihoods. Richard Dreyfus adds some comic relief to the film as the wise-cracking oceanographer, Matt Hooper. The late Robert Shaw takes what could have been a cartoonish role of the shark boat captain Quint and turns him into an obessive, vengeful man in the mold of Captain Ahab. The real star of the film could be its score by John Williams. The music adds tension and fear to the suspense much like the music from Psycho. The DVD contains some extra material including deleted scences, trailers and best of all a documentary on the making of the movie. This is a must see for all fans of the film. We learn of all the problems the crew experienced while filming on Martha's Vineyard, some original casting choices and other behind-the-scences tidbits. These are nice bonuses, but the movie's first appearance on the DVD format is reason enough to buy it. After 25 years, this movie remains a classic.

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This movie is a credit to everyone associated with it, from the stellar cast of actors and actresses to the direction by Steven Speilberg to the original story (a novel) and screenwriting by Peter Benchley. This is a riviting tale superbly told, with excellent cinematography and special effects, and a scary soundtrack that builds the edge of mystery to a crescendo each time it musically announces the shark's appearence.

The idea for the movie is deceptively simple; a great white shark with a fond taste for the sweet taste of human flesh is patrolling the water off Amity Island (read Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard)and terrorizing the summer tourist population. Inject into this some interesting and novel subplots regarding a burned-out city cop and unlikely undersung hero, a brainy, affable but basically misunderstood young marine biologist, and a wonderfully crusty old mariner turned professional shark fisherman and you have the recipe for an entertaining rollercoaster ride.

This movie is a modern classic, one with a young Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and the late Robert Shaw. Watching their characters interact is an afternoon's entertainment well deserved, one that is durable and repeatable. It also is one that translates very well into the DVD mode. One caution; don't view it anytime before going for your summer vacation. You may really be afraid to go back into the water!

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The original summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg's JAWS quickly became my favorite film growing up, having devoured it on VHS and on ABC's Sunday Night Movie presentation (the one with the added footage) so many times I could recite dialogue before I was out of grade school. Over the years I've been able to see it on the big screen (thanks to a visit with Lukas on Martha's Vineyard back in `96 or so), but despite that and having reviewed numerous laserdisc and DVD releases over the years only now with Universal's Blu-Ray edition do I feel like I've really, completely seen "Jaws." This is a spectacular HD presentation on every level and is sure to thrill fans of this classic 1975 screen adaptation of Peter Benchley's bestseller.

There's not much I can say about the movie that hasn't been written or documented from behind-the-scenes books to countless documentaries since the film's 1975 release date. Spielberg's miraculous direction took advantage of every difficult production situation to create an all-time film masterwork that's always been as satisfying for its unforgettable characterizations, surprising humor and memorable atmosphere as it is a white-knuckle thriller about a great white marauding swimmers off the shores of Amity Island. As I write in my review of the terrific "Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard" book a year ago, "Jaws" itself was a collaborative success, one that saw actors from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw down to extras improvising their lines, giving the film a real, human center that we seldom see in modern filmmaking. The daily shooting schedule couldn't be mapped out all that far in advance since screenwriter Carl Gottlieb spent most nights working on the script with Spielberg combined with our unpredictable and ever-changing weather here in southern New England, "Jaws" relied on the people making it so much that it's because of their efforts as well as Spielberg who marshaled them all together that the movie overcame its physical production struggles. In fact, had the movie not endured such a tumultous shoot, it's likely that "Jaws" never would've become the classic it did.

Universal has produced a number of "100th Anniversary" Blu-Rays this year with remastered transfers the results have ranged from superb to mediocre, but none have looked as brilliantly detailed as "Jaws." Restored from high-res 35mm original film elements, this is one of the most satisfying catalog releases the studio has produced on Blu-Ray to date: Bill Butler's cinematography is richly textured down to the finest detail, with warm colors and just a dazzling appearance that, even though I've watched the movie dozens of times, brings new background details to light with a clarity that I've never seen before in any format (there's also, thankfully, been no attempt here at "tweaking" the movie's color scheme like we've seen on too many BD releases over the years). The water has more depth, the Martha's Vineyard locations come into sharper focus, and just the faintest hint of some filtering is apparent on a transfer that is content to let the movie's natural cinematography speak for itself. It just looks phenomenal. On the audio side, viewers can select from the movie's original mono soundtrack as well as another, "rethought" 7.1 DTS MA stereo remix, both of which are more full-bodied than their DVD counterparts, though purists may still object to some of the alterations in the latter (i.e. the "new" gunshots at the end still sound closer to the controversial 5.1 DVD remix from a decade ago than they do the original mono recording; in other instances, though, the newer effects are much closer to the mono mix than the 2001 version. It's at least a noticeable improvement in that regard).

Extra features are something of a letdown, mainly because they're almost all in non-anamorphic, 4:3 standard-definition and suffer from low bit-rates. The "Jaws Archives," for example, is comprised of direct screen captures from the laserdisc, many of which look blurry and should've been cleaned up for high-def. Ditto for the deleted scenes, which appear to be filtered and ported straight off the LD (and the DVD). The eight-minute "From The Set" segment includes candid footage of the production's first few days on-location in Martha's Vineyard. Included here is priceless footage of Carl Gottlieb falling overboard and into the icy, early May waters of the Atlantic -all for the abandoned first attempt Spielberg made at showing the discovery of Ben Gardner's boat. It's a wonderful segment and it's a shame it doesn't go on longer than it does.

Laurent Bouzereau's dry but essential two-hour documentary from the `90s Signature Collection laserdisc is back, and it's been complemented by "The Shark is Still Working," a 2007 labor of love doc from James Gelet, Jake Gove, Erik Hollander, and James-Michael Roddy that treads over ground previously traveled by numerous other behind-the-scenes docs, as well as profiles other aspects glossed over by them (such as an interview with Percy Rodriguez, who performed the voice over for the film's classic theatrical trailer). Unfortunately, the inferior visual presentation does no favors to the program, with heavy compression and "jaggies" present throughout its 103 minutes. Finally, the movie's original, primary theatrical trailer is also on-hand here, in a likewise poor, non-anamorphic standard-def presentation that's worse than its laserdisc appearance from years ago. Of course, given that the prior DVD didn't have trailers of any kind, it's at least an improvement in that regard (the movie's original teaser is a regrettable omission yet again).

The sole new addition is an eight-minute look at Universal's restoration efforts on the picture, presented in HD, plus a digital copy and Ultraviolet copy. The disc is housed in a standard two-disc Elite case with one of Universal's nice 100 Years slipcovers; fans looking for more deluxe packaging ought to check out Best Buy's exclusive (though pricier) Digibook release, or the UK's Steelbook edition, which arrives in early September.

Ultimately, Universal has done one of their crown jewels proud with a Blu-Ray that boasts one of the format's finest catalog transfers not just from Universal, but any label. Spectacular! (

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WOW! That's all I can say. The picture and sound are 100 times better than any previous versions (and I've bought them all). There are literally hundreds of fascinating details in the blu-ray that I've never seen before. The sound is unbelievable and the rear channels get a huge workout. Williams score never sounded this ominous. I guess someday there will be an 8K resolution that will blow away this version, but for now, this is as close to perfection as anything I've seen from the 70's. I watch it on a 58 inch Samsung plasma and it's truly a beautiful thing. The new documentary "The Shark Is Still Working" is fantastic as well.

Tired of typing just buy it and enjoy your life.

Rogue

"Rogue" is top-notch entertainment in a genre that has suffered quite a bit with lukewarm entries lately.

Amazon has done another excellent job giving us the basics of this story and who the big stars are, so I keep my summary very brief. A small handful of sightseers have their boat nearly destroyed by a rogue croc and they take refuge on a small island that will quickly disappear under the rising tide in a river basin area in Australia. It really is that simple of a story, but superbly executed by the cast of familiar faces, especially the lovely and talented Radha Mitchell from Silent Hill, the director who is famous for Wolf Creek, terrific photography, and outstanding special effects that are used sparingly but effectively.

This is one intense thriller. The last "us against it" thriller that I enjoyed this much was Prey. In regards to croc films, this isn't quite as good as Lake Placid, but it is far superior to the more recent Primeval. The film isn't, however, especially graphic for it's genre. More seems to happen off camera, but that doesn't reduce the intensity one bit. Rent or buy this one, personally, I think it's a keeper as it has repeat value.

Like Jaws did back in the 70s this tale gives a lot of fictional elements to its main animal villain to make the tale more terrifying. I have to admit having worked in a wildlife park with crocodiles and knowing all about them I didn't have very high expectations for a movie set around a crocodile serial killer. But having checked out the DVD I must say I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the best man verse nature villain films out there.

The DVD in Australia (this American release doesn't give details of what's on it) comes with some great making of the film documentaries. If you can check it Amazon's version does as well, if it doesn't and your DVD played is multizone, order the Australian version instead.

The film is well shot and the two fake robot crocodiles used for the film (see them in the special features) look so realistic the actors visibly shook with fear when filming shots next to them even though they knew they were machines. Robot animal technology has come a long way from Bruce (the up close unrealistic looking shark used in Jaws interaction with human shots). Real crocodiles in the background of the film add to the authentic look as well.

The first third of the film shows some great Northern Territory wildlife and landscapes and does resemble real tours that do go on up there. Unfortunately for these tourists (made up of Americans, British and city living Australians) when they respond to a distress flare and go up a restricted river forbidden to tour boats, a large 7 metre crocodile takes exception to their intrusion into his territory. Their boat is wrecked and they are left on an island that will be underwater when the tide comes in. Paralleling many slasher film or alien space ship invasion films, one by the humans are picked off (although you don't really get to seem them being killed which is a lot more realistic than if it had been done differently). With the water coming in they know they will soon be underwater where the crocodile has all the advantages. They must escape the island or die!

The film would have actually been a lot more realistic if it had ended after the island scenes but to make the third saga the fictional element of crocodiles storing their food in caves is introduced to the storyline which is where the viewer will actually get to see the villain up close. I don't like this factor being in the movie which is the only reason I drop this film a star in rating because as evident by a previous American reviewer people are believing the fictional element as a fact, which they will no doubt tell their kids and so forth when teaching them about crocodiles. For the record most people killed by crocodiles drown in the death roll underwater where the crocodile has dragged them as the crocodile is twisting off their arm, leg or whatever part of the body. Crocodiles don't eat the whole person (or animal) they just eat parts they have ripped off and they definitely do not store bodies in trees, logs and caves. Fatalities also occur as people bleed to death from their wounds if they are in a isolated area and of course death from shock is also a fairly large factor.

The same way many people still believe sharks are out to attack and eat them as a food source since they saw Jaws, a fact the public didn't believe before Jaws was released, and a fact that has seen many a shark killed in the name of fear. The back of this DVD cover (Aus version) says "Rogue does for crocodiles what Jaws did for sharks". I hope really hope this isn't true! If you take precautions, don't go swimming in crocodile habitats, and read the warning signs you'll be safe.

This is a great film though, and well worth seeing! It also has the entire Never Smile at a Crocodile song playing in the credits, I've often heard the chorus but never the whole song. A bit tacky song yes, but interesting to listen to in its entirety. Another man verse nature film that is pretty good is the classic Australian movie Razorback.

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Rogue(of an animal) having an abnormally savage or unpredictable disposition, vicious or solitary, as a rogue elephant.

After the huge success of "JAWS", producers have been trying to capitalize on the undersea horror genre. There have been quite a number of underwater horror films about killer crocodiles recently; "Lake Placid", "Primeval" and "Crocodile", among others. "ROGUE" is another horror film about a huge crocodile and while this film may follow the usual stereotypical plot that have plagued the genre for many years, it does have its redeeming moments. It had a very limited theatrical release perhaps because the producers felt that audiences may be a little tired of the "croc on a rampage" storyline?

Pete (Michael Vartan) is a reporter on assignment in the Australian outback. He decides to take a scenic boat tour led by Kate (Radha Mitchell), along with a bunch of other tourists. The folks are enjoying themselves, they take in the sights, swat flies, watch salt water crocs socialize (in a way) with other tourists. During the tour, Kate spots a signal flare and decides to investigate. Once in the secluded site, the group of people realizes that they are in the territory of a monstrous saltwater crocodile that swiftly sinks their boat. The tourists find themselves at the mercy of a huge predator who has a taste for human flesh and the rising waters on a tiny slump of land.

I know what you're thinking, the film must be a rethread of previous monster flicks and there is nothing to see here. Well, the film is written/directed by Greg McLean, also responsible for the torture flick "Wolf Creek". I'm not exactly sure how you felt about that film but I thought "Wolf Creek" wasn't a real effective thriller. "Rogue" does have its flaws but I think Mclean did serve up a solid thriller with his ambitious attempts at intensity and suspense, by not relying on explosions, character stupidity and an overload of blood and gore.

The direction by McLean opted for not giving away too much, too early, and I thought that was a clever move. You don't really see the croc until the 50 minute mark, but the proceedings do give hints of just how big it is by exposing its tail, mouth and just how powerful it is. The film's last act is actually the icing on the cake, when you really see just how HUGELY impressive our antagonist really is. Shades of "JAWS" anyone? The survivors of the attack actually suffer through panic, desperation and fear, but they are not really unlikable characters, just look at them the same way when you visit a new city. You would barely know anything about anyone, so I was able to look past the film`s lack of character development. The film is successful in generating a feeling of claustrophobia and helplessness, as the tide is rising and there's a gigantic man-eater swimming around, that takes them out one by one; McLean also maintains the tension by focusing on the group and not just the "hero" of the film.

Now, the film does take a hit on realism. Saltwater Crocodiles (and no matter how big) are cold-blooded reptiles so when the sun's up, they need to bask in the sun otherwise, well, their blood may stop circulating. I do watch enough of Discovery channel to know this, and well, our killer crocodile seems to be an animal on steroids that he does not need to warm himself up? The film's little "main event" takes place in a not so believable area and our croc`s savagery seem a little too over-the-top. But hey, this is a movie, right? Maybe this is the animal's "rogue" behavior in play?

The film does have the stereotypical characters but thankfully, Mclean manages to fit everything together. "Rogue" isn`t perfect, but it is a lot better than "Primeval". The film is actually is panic-induced piece, while Pete and Kate try their best to outsmart the huge animal and try to survive. The film does have a fair amount of blood and gore but most of the killings happen off-camera, and the CGI effects are solid enough for the most part. The film does deliver a satisfying man vs. monster encounter and the film's direction is competent enough that the film is easily understood and taken in. Mclean also doesn't portray the croc as mindless killing machine bent on just eating anyone in sight, this monster is cunning and he likes and stays within his territory, anyone who marches in is its food.

"ROGUE" is a film with modest intentions and I appreciated McLean's sense of restraint in his direction. He wisely avoids the flashy explosions, the usual perfunctory dialogue in its climax and the film does have a satisfying enough closure. The film is a successful blend of B-movie thrills and chills that is aimed at horror fans. The film does stay true to its limited concept and it does go straight to the conflict. "ROGUE" doesn't reinvent the "monster" genre but it doesn't hurt it either. For a film with a limited budget, it is a satisfying enough diversion.

Recommended timidly, rent it first [3 ½Stars]

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Well worth renting or even owning. If you're into killer creature flicks this one ranks among the best I've seen. Far better than Primeval and more realistic than Lake Placid the movie offers a good story with fine acting and a beautiful and forbidding setting. The fact that the movie is so realistic helps boost the suspense, so much for giant digital crocs this one actually felt made of flesh and blood. It's a pity this movie didn't get more publicity it was good enough in my opinion for widespread theatrical release, especially when one considers some of the absolute garbage that has hit the theaters this year alone.

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At first glance, the DVD cover of 'Rogue' brings to mind Saturday programming on the SciFi channel... giant CGI monsters wreaking havoc on bad actors shrieking lines like, "Look at the size of that thing!"

Don't be fooled. 'Rogue' is not that movie. It's a much, much better one. Director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) has created a movie with more similarities to 'Jaws' to any of those straight-to-cable movies on SciFi. The emphasis is on suspense rather than gore. McLean then focuses on characterization rather than tank tops barely restraining C-cups or muscle-bound special ops teams.

The plot in a sentence: While investigating a mysterious flare shot into the sky during an Outback river tour, a group of tourists are attacked by a giant crocodile and stranded in the middle of nowhere.

McLean entwines a credible Outback flavor to the setting. Refreshingly, the animal acts more like a true crocodile than the manic monsters of most creature-features. For the most part, the characters act like real people. None of them are ex-Marines and there are no automatic weapons or female scientists wearing short shorts and tanktops for no discernible reason. The actors are good, including Radha Mitchell from 'Pitch Black' and 'Silent Hill.'

If you're looking for a fairly intelligent, well-acted, and suspenseful film, pick this up. It is a fun way to kill two hours, and 'Rogue' is probably much better than you think it is. I can attest to the appeal of this movie due to the fact that my wife (who HATES SciFi and horror movies) actually liked this one. And that is saying something. Trust me.

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Gattaca (1997)

I've heard it said that if any sci-fi film were to become reality, Gattaca would be the first in line. Makes sense since the premise of the film is highly likely to take place in real life, maybe not soon, but definitely in my lifetime.

In an age of "perfect" people, one "traditionally born" boy grows to be a man with an impossible dream: travel into space. He was naturally conceived without any genetic tampering, and as a result of that he has a few problems with his body. His younger brother, on the other hand, was perfected before birth and it shows. This overwhelming factor leads to the departure of the genetically inferior older brother, which begins our tale of hope.

In order to achieve his dreams, Vincent riskily takes on the identity of a genetically enhanced man now confined to a wheelchair. Everyone calls him Jerome, but Vincent's dreams are his own and the film proves that being yourself is always the best way.

A gorgeous musical score helps the film flow to many emotional places, and an exciting murder-mystery also gives the film an added dose of drama. 1997 was a great year for sci-fi cinema and, along with the equally impressive "Contact", Gattaca is a memorable film and a real highlight of the year. Film: 5/5 stars.

The blu-ray presents the film in a great way, considering the film's age. I would definitely recommend upgrading from the DVD, since the blu-ray often provides great detail in image, especially during closeups. Video quality gets 4.5/5 stars.

The audio is also great. Anyone familiar with the film's musical score knows its something special, and the dialogue is audible as well. Audio gets 4.5/5 stars.

Overall: 4.5/5 stars. Gattaca keeps getting better with age, and is underrated sci-fi that might have been ahead of its time. It might even speak of our future! The blu-ray is great and a definite upgrade from the DVD. Own it!

Rating: PG-13. Some brief violence and language. Male nudity and sensuality in some scenes. Ages 15 and up.

Imagine a world where your future is determined by your genes. Your schools, your job, your social status are all determined by what genetic flaws you have.

Such is the world that we see in "Gattaca," a scarily plausible sci-fi story that examines the implications of eugenics and genetic enhancement. Director Andrew Niccol thankfully never gets too preachy or "uplifting" -instead he crafts a cleanly elegant story with a murder mystery as the catalyst, and the strong trinity Jude Law, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke.

Vincent Freeman (Hawke) is an "invalid," conceived without eugenic technology. On the day he was born, it was predicted that he would be myopic, might be bipolar, and would probably die at thirty from a heart defect. Throughout his life, Vincent dreams of becoming an astronaut, but his genetic status dooms him to menial labor.

The solution: Vincent "buys" the identity and genetic profile of Jerome Eugene Morrow (Law), an Olympic swimmer who broke his back in a car crash. Vincent will pay Jerome, and Jerome will provide him with blood, urine, skin and hair samples.

With Jerome's help, Vincent is accepted into Gattaca Aerospace Corporation, and is chosen for a manned flight to Titan. But when one of the administrators is found murdered, the police find one of Vincent's eyelashes nearby. If they discover who Vincent truly is, he won't just lose his dream -he'll be convicted of murder.

"Gattaca" is a movie that addresses one of life's great questions -does destiny determine how we live our lives, or do we decide our own fate? There are no easy answers, but it's always best to err on the side of "we can make our own destiny" -and this movie is basically all about one man's quest to determine his own fate, DNA be damned.

None of the movies Andrew Niccol has made since "Gattaca" have even come close to this level of skill -the movie is a slow, elegant winding of murder mystery and philosophical sci-fi. The plot quietly grows in tension as Vincent's life becomes more tangled up in lies and suspicion, with quietly powerful dialogue laced with dry humor ("I guess we can rule out suicide," comments a cop as they bag a bloodied keyboard).

And it's beautifully filmed. Everything is full of clean lines and cold light, with the occasional moment of symbolism -note that the apartment that Eugene and Vincent share is centered around a giant DNA-style spiral staircase.

And the final puzzle pieces are the actors, who are all really good. Ethan Hawke gives a quietly powerful performance as a man who goes to desperate lengths to fulfill his dreams, and Uma Thurman has the right mix of icy reserve and sweetness as a "valid" woman who falls in love with the man rather than his DNA.

But the best performance is Jude Law. Jerome a truly tragic character, whose genetic perfection wasn't enough to keep disaster away -he's proof that DNA can't make your life good or rewarding. Law plays him with a mixture of bitter wit and compassion, with perpetually shadowed eyes and a drink always in his hand. You may cheer for Vincent, but your heart will bleed for Jerome.

"Gattaca" is a masterpiece of science fiction -a richly nuanced, beautifully understated work that reminds you that, no matter where we come from, we can all reach for the stars.

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Why are there two different versions of this on Blu-Ray on Amazon, and what is the difference?

(Not counting the weird "bilingual" one in English/Esperanto.)

Here is one, already released ASIN: B000HEVZ6W

New one, not out yet ASIN: B00C6F60HE

Also, both Blu-Ray disks say they are in NTSC format. I thought we left that behind when we transitioned to High Definition. Shouldn't they both say 1080p or something similar?

(The movie is great. I am giving the product shown here on amazon one star (because I can't give it zero) for the lack of information and general crapitude of presentation.)

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