Porky's (1982)

Porkys'

Distributor: 20th Century Fox (US)

Somewhat unbelievably it's been 30 years since Bob Clark's riotous comedy hit Porky's ruled the teen comedy movie circuit. Set in the 1950's, the film charts the usual round of high school jerks who's sole purpose in life is fun, basketball and of course getting laid.

Giving rise to countless scenes of hilarity, the boys from Angel Beach High move from one sticky situation to the next providing some genuinely funny moments which still stand up all these years later.

Fans of the movie have always had their favourite stand out moments and there is certainly no shortage to choose from with the stand out scene being the girls school shower room antics where one of the gang actually gets a lot more than he bargained for. Although the film does contains the occasional semi serious moment there are plenty of laughs to be had and enough unique ideas along the way to keep the pace fresh thanks to some decent scripting and a cast that work seamlessly well together, which is ultimately what has helped to keep this film alive and standing above all its competitors over the years.

Released as a region A locked Walmart exclusive, the film is presented with a 1080p 1.85:1 transfer which considering the low budget origins of the movie actually looks fairly strong. Detail is sharp especially during close up and outdoor scenes, colours and black levels look natural and it's safe to say Porky's has never looked better. Admittedly the transfer will never compete with modern day releases but if you are a fan of the film and used to the previous DVD transfers you are certain to notice the increase in quality with this Blu-ray release.

Audio is presented with a DTS mono track which basically delivers exactly what it says on the tin. Dialogue is clear without any distortion and the few sound effects scattered throughout the film also come across as well defined. The soundtrack overall provides all you really need for a movie of this type and should not command any complaints from collectors, especially given the new sense of clarity provided.

Extras for this release comprise of a recycled audio commentary with the films director Bob Clark, some extended non cast interview segments and the original trailer and TV spots. It is however a real missed opportunity that none of the films original cast were approached and interviewed for this release as any recollections all these years later would have been most interesting to observe. In an ideal world, a full cast commentary with the surviving actors would have provided a unique feature and reason in itself to justify a purchase. Sadly however this wasn't to be and for its 30th anniversary Porky's really should have commanded a lot more effort as far as extras are concerned.

All things considered then, Porky's is one teen comedy hit that simply never gets old. The film was followed by two sequels both featuring most of the original cast and although neither one being up to the standard of the original were both once again great fun filled movies that at least had decent stories to tell. It is slightly surprising then that the entire trilogy was not released together on Blu-ray as per the prior DVD releases, however if the sales for the first movie are good, hopefully the sequels will follow. Until then we will simply have to make do with the first installment of the trilogy however as far as teen comedies goes what better place to start?

So as the saying goes kick back, relax and return once again to Angel Beach High School, to a time when life was simple, pranks were plentiful, and if you looked hard enough, trouble was always waiting to find you at every given opportunity.

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Porky's is the funniest movie I've ever seen. I've seen it dozens of times and it never fails to crack me up. It's a coming of age movie like no other. Highly recommended.

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Having watched Porky's as a teenager in the 80's, this movie was considered outrageous at the time. Critics thought it was the worst movie since the invention of film, but I and many other fans loved it. Dirty sexual humor with hard up teens in the 50's trying to get into the raunchy bar called Porky's. To this day, I still remember the cast of characters that made this movie so funny, Peewee, Lassie, Miss Ballbricker aka Ballbreaker, and Tommy Turner. Maybe a little dated and low budget as compared to movies these days, but this movie still makes me laugh. This movie is not for the easily embarrassed or offended as this crosses the line in multiple ways, definitely a classic from the 80's.

Read Best Reviews of Porky's (1982) Here

Funny to see this old movie . Mrs Ballbreaker in the principals office is probably one of the funniest parts

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love the movie love the price love hot guys in shower room ohh la la OH and the transfer to blu ray? just ok

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Ponyo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2008)

Ponyo is a young fish-girl who loves to explore, but her father, a great wizard of the sea, fears the chaos her untamed powers could unleash upon the world. He's right to worry, since she, like every young undomesticated child, is an elemental force of nature who has little respect for the boundaries that grownups take so seriously. She escapes and meets up with a young boy whose imagination at least is a match for her magical powers and it is love at first sight. Not romantic love but something more innocent and pure like the youthful love of nature.

It starts out strong and contains some of Miyazaki's most delightful and exuberant imagery, as when Ponyo runs blissfully upon the backs of her sisters who are at once giant fish and enormous waves. The story itself as it develops has gaps, moments that don't all add up, and unexplained elements. As another reviewer mentioned, for example, the test that Fujimoto and the sea goddess devise for Sosuke is somewhat anticlimactic, unlike the tests faced by the heroine of Spirited Away. I had the suspicion several times that perhaps Disney cut things out for its U.S. release since the plot lacked some of the depth and richness in its backstory of many of Miyazaki's other works. A bit of searching shows I was wrong this is the film Hayao Miyazaki intended. He is quoted in the L.A. Daily News as saying: "I intentionally tried to simplify things for this film. I figured that this movie should be seen by 5-year-olds, since they are the main characters. So I made the storytelling easy to understand. I figured they could watch it later as adults and understand the more complex parts of it, so I didn't foreground those elements." In hindsight he may be right -from a young person's perspective what matters is just the magical relation between two young children, and from their perspective everything else, the fate of the cosmos, even, hinges on that.

Like most of his films, there is an ecological message here, that humans tend to ignore the wonders around them and treat carelessly the gift of the earth. Here it is expressed in an entertaining and magical story that will be easily understood by children. While, from the perspective of an adult viewer, I found this film less fully satisfying than masterpieces like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, or even the delicate and rich My Neighbor Totoro which is the closest in spirit to this film still it contains some remarkable and beautiful imagery and delightful moments. Well worth watching, and a very lovely and simple introduction to the work of one of the most inventive and important animated storytellers alive. There's no one else quite like him, and we're lucky to have another Miyazaki film, especially given his initial plans to retire upon completing the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away. Highly recommended.

In 2008, Studio Ghibli released their latest Hayao Miyazaki film "Ponyo" (aka "Gake no Ue no Ponyo") in Japan and followed with a U.S. release in August 2009. The film which is Miyazaki's eighth film for Studio Ghibli has amassed several awards including the Japanese Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. The film which is budgeted around $34 million dollars made over $199 million worldwide. Where his 1988 film "My Neighbor Totoro" was Miyazaki's tale for older children, this time around for "Ponyo" he wanted to create a film for young children and was inspired from Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid".

VIDEO:

Magical, beautiful and everything that you can expect from Hayao Miyazaki. I was completely in awe when I watched this film. In this day and age, we tend to put so much into CG animated films and rarely do we see hand drawn quality animation anymore. I'm so glad that Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli continues to show this creative style through this film. The hand painted backgrounds are absolutely beautiful, the character design continues that Miyazaki look and style but looks absolutely fluid during its more action-oriented scenes.

Presented in 1080p High Definition, detail can be seen on the painted backgrounds. Vibrant during the day scenes with trees that are full of detail and water reflecting the trees, cliffs showcasing the detail as shadows and detail showcasing the curvature and the little pieces of grass that are placed within the rocks. The scene with the storm and the crashing features Miyazaki's handiwork as he created the water and his waves all by himself. It's an amazing sight to see.

There are no compression artifacts, edge enhancement, aliasing, banding or any problems in picture quality for "Ponyo" whatsoever. "Ponyo" achieves perfection!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Ponyo" is presented in English 5.1 DTS Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit) and in Japanese and French 5.1 Dolby Digital. First the good. The English dub track is fantastic. You want an immersive soundscape, "Ponyo" delivers. From the sound of the ocean, bubbles popping, the rush of the waves, the sounds of trees rustling, the sound of rain, sea animals swimming in the water and most of all, a beautiful musical score by Joe Hisaishi. This soundtrack is absolutely divine. Great use of front and center channels with dialogue and music that is crystal clear. The surround channels and the use of LFE as the sound effects bring "Ponyo" to life. This lossless soundtrack is perfect!

Now the bad. There is no lossless Japanese audio soundtrack. The Japanese Blu-ray release has a lossless soundtrack but what happened to it for this Blu-ray release? There is no doubt that audiophile purists who want the original Japanese soundtrack are going to be upset by this and one can hope that if Disney does bring out a Miyazaki release on Blu-ray in the near future, that a lossless soundtrack is included for both the English and Japanese audio.

Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Ponyo" has a good number of special features in 1080p High Definition and 480i Standard Definition. Audio is in English 2.0 Dolby Digital and subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish. Special features include:

* Meet Ponyo (3:22) Executive producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy talk about working with Hayao Miyazaki and give a quick introduction to "Ponyo".

* Original Japanese Storyboards Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards.

* A Conversation with Hayao Miyazaki & John Lasseter (3:31) PIXAR's John Lasseter and a friend of Hayao Miyazaki talk about "Ponyo".

* Creating Ponyo (3:58) Hayao Miyazaki talks about how he came up with the concept of "Ponyo" and him wanting to create a film for children.

* Ponyo & Fujimoto (2:59) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the name "Ponyo" and the character Fujimoto.

* The Nursery (2:00) Studio Ghibli Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about Miyazaki wanting to create a children's nursery and both men made Miyazaki's dream happen by creating the Studio Ghibli Nursery.

* Producer's Perspective: Telling the Story(2:27) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how Miyazaki works and creating the storyboards and story for "Ponyo" and more.

* The Locations of Ponyo (9:32) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on Miyazaki's animated films and visiting the areas that inspired Miyazaki to create the village of "Ponyo".

* Scoring Miyazaki (7:19) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more.

* Original Japanese Trailer (3:22) The original Japanese theatrical trailers.

* Behind the Microphone (6:04) Featuring the English dub voice talent talking about their role, their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films and interviews with the All-star talent.

* My Neighbor Totoro Creating My Neighbor Totoro (3:00) Miyazaki talking about the creation of his film "My Neighbor Totoro".

* Kiki's Delivery Service Creating Kiki's Delivery Service (2:27) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of "Kiki's Delivery Service" and what inspired Miyazaki for the creation of the city in the film.

* Castle in the Sky: Character Sketches (2:37) Miyazaki talks about the characters of "Castle in the Sky" and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time.

* Enter the Lands Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters (from all films). Click on a character from that film (note: only "Ponyo", "My Neighbor Totoro", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Castle in the Sky" are available) to get a Q&A or a small video info. of that film and its characters.

EXTRAS:

A DVD of "Ponyo" is included with this Blu-ray release. The DVD is in Widescreen (1:85:1) Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions, English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Japanese and French with subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Once again, Miyazaki continues to prove to us that hand-drawn animation is absolutely beautiful and there is no need to join the pack and create a CG animated film. "Ponyo" succeeds on all levels storyline, animation, music and its soundtrack. I absolutely loved this film!

Before I saw the film, I figured that people were so used to Miyazaki's more serious work and for him to try to go back to something similar to "My Neighbor Totoro" was going to be difficult in this day and age but with "Ponyo", he managed to pull it off. The world he creates is magical, the characters are just enjoyable to watch. From every scene, I was literally just loving the animation and the painted backgrounds and to find out that Miyazaki actually drew the sea and the waves himself using 170,000 separate images is amazing.

In terms of any deep messages on society or ecology, in "Ponyo", we see how trash and waste has been collecting on the ocean floors and Ponyo being stuck in a bottle lying in a wasteland under the sea. For Fujimoto, as he tries to maneuver underwater, waste and garbage is everywhere. So, it was great to see Miyazaki convey how people have mistreated the ocean with their garbage and incorporating it to the storyline.

The Blu-ray is absolutely beautiful when it comes to picture quality, lossless audio and also contains a good number of special features. If there was only one thing that prevents this Blu-ray release from reaching perfection is the lack of a lossless Japanese audio soundtrack. But both English and Japanese vocals are well-done with the English track featuring all-star talent with Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Betty White, Cloris Leachmen, Lily Tomlin and Matt Damon providing their voices for this film. Even Jonas Brothers sibling Frankie Jonas (as Sosuke) and Miley's younger sister Noah (as Ponyo) do a great job as the primary vocals. The Japanese soundtrack features two of Japan's top celebrities with George Tokoro lending his voice for Fujimoto and Tomoko Yamaguchi as Lisa. And also Hiroki Doi (Sosuke) and Yuria Nana (Ponyo) do a wonderful job providing the main voices for the Japanese audio track as well.

Overall, Hayao Miyazaki is truly a remarkable filmmaker and "Ponyo" is a true masterpiece. Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli show no signs of waning and they manage to capture the magic that I have felt when I was younger when I first watched Ghibli classics such as "Nausicaa", "My Neighbor Totoro", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Laputa: Castle in the Sky". This Blu-ray release is highly recommended!

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Miyazaki's films are refreshing for their even pacing and tempered characters. A far cry from the neurosis of Disney characters where everyone is shouting and riding on high octane. Ponyo is almost completely silent in its first 10 or 15 minutes, and even when the dialoug begins it has more of a sobering effect. If you pair that with the gorgeous hand drawn characters and hand painted backgrounds you suddenly remember what animation felt like twenty-plus years ago.

The story of Ponyo is truly Disney-esque on the surface but only on the surface. A boy, Sosuke, finds a "goldfish" trapped in a jar and frees her. He also gives her the name Ponyo. It doesn't take very long for Ponyo to develop a pet-like affinity for Sosuke, leading her to the decision that she wants to be a human. It's really that simple. The rest is Miyazaki's masterful aptitude for making the plot less important than his signature slice-of life sequences of how people relate to each other and their environment. Watching Ponyo at times feels like people-watching. And, like people watching, it all amounts to a perplexing joy.

It's strangely relaxing to watch his visually vibrant and animated characters bring color to such banalities as eating soup and ham. If you've watched Howl's Moving Castle and the delicious scene of Howl cooking bacon and eggs, then you've seen Miyazaki do this before. The man has an eye for the small details of life. This is not to say that the movie is not forward moving. There are some semblances of Western story telling. For instance, Ponyo's father who is not particularly fond of humans is constantly seeking out Ponyo to bring her back home. However, as dramatic as this may be, it's marginal to the rest of the story. Miyazaki is less interested in the need for conflict and more interested in those unexplainable things that draw two people to each other.

Read Best Reviews of Ponyo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2008) Here

As soon as my daughter saw Ponyo, she fell in love with it. She loves My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service, so this was pretty much a safe bet with her. Getting the movie's already a good deal, but the plush Ponyo included here is of great quality, and easily beats any other Studio Ghibli plush I've seen [at least here in the US].

You can see right there in the stock picture how big Ponyo is since it's right next to the dvd in the packaging. It's made of a very soft, huggable material sure to comfort any child, and it's super cute. The material is easy to clean if anything gets dirty, and the construction is very sturdy. Of course there will be some issues with a longer 'skirt' here and there (that's quality control for you), but can you really turn away such a cute character even if it's suffering from such a thing? The plush Ponyo alone runs for about the cost of this set on most sites, so getting it included with the movie is great. While I would've liked them to give the blu-ray the same treatment, it's good to have on dvd since it's beautiful to watch on either format. And hey, most parents don't let 3 year olds handle 'expensive' movies, eh?

The dvd includes the usual special features that other Studio Ghibli dvds havean interview with Miyazaki, a short featurette and a storyboard presentation of the entire movie. This is always a very important special feature for those interested in animation, or like to see the movie in a different format and seeing how it came together before the animators stepped in. And of course, the movie's in Japanese and English with Japanese, English, Spanish and French subtitles.

If you or your child(ren) love Ponyo, this is a must. I wish Disney would've given the recent re-re-releases of Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro the same kind of gift set. Now I'm kinda jealous that my daughter has her own Ponyo. Maybe I need to order one more?

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The mother Lisa has the most poignant line in "Ponyo," saying the equivalent of "When you find yourself surrounded by magic and wonder, you don't try and understand it you just enjoy it."

To me, that is the theme and lesson of "Ponyo" ("Gake no Ue no Ponyou" or "Ponyo on the Cliffs"). After dabbling in darker themes and more adult-orientated fare like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, Miyazaki has returned to the lighter, simpler themes of the magic and mystery of childhood as found in his groundbreaking My Neighbor Totoro. One can always tell the target audience for a Miyazaki film by the age of the main character: "Spirited Away" was made for 10-year olds, "Princess Mononoke" was made for teenagers. The lead characters in "Ponyo" are 5 years old.

Like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Ponyo" is a film based on a childlike sense of joy and imagination. There is no need for a "villain" or some arbitrary conflict or threat for the children to overcome. Like Satsuki and Mei, Sosuke and Ponyo are pure at heart, and open to exploring the wonders around them. They feel their emotions without cynicism or thought, instead living in the moment and experiencing its joys, sorrows and fears.

Which is not to say there is no depth here. In "Ponyo," Miyazaki has blended two unlikely sources; Richard Wagner's pounding opera Die Walkure from Der Ring Des Nibelungen and Hans Christian Anderson's melancholy fairy tale The Little Mermaid. The essential set-up comes from "Die Walkure," where the god Wotan holds the goddess Freia captive, and is also the possessor of the Rhinegold Ring which grants vast magical powers so long as one gives up all possibility of love. As a nod to this, the name Ponyo is giving by her father is Brünnhilde, one of the Valkyrie who feels the power of the Ring and must make the choice between love and paradise. This story is skillfully blended with Anderson's "Little Mermaid," about a sea creature who must win the love of a human or be reduced to soulless sea foam.

Miyazaki essentially presents two movies. The front film is basic, colorful and easy to understand for children. The animation in "Ponyo" is some of the best that I have ever seen, with Miyazaki personally drawing much of the underwater and ocean scenes, utilizing the influence of classic Japanese ukiyo-e pictures. Miyazaki has said that "Ponyo" is his most technically complicated film, using more unique images than any previous film.

The second, deeper story is something that can only be assembled from fragments and snatches of conversation. For example, the wizard Fujimoto, Ponyo's father, was a human being who fell in love with the ocean goddess Gran Mammare, and struggled for centuries to burn away his humanity and become consort and protector for the entity he loved. More than anyone, he understands the sacrifices and struggles awaiting Ponyo when she loves someone not of her world. These story/sub-story elements are one of the things I love so much about Japanese film, where more expectations are put on the audience to read between the lines and to give thought to the unspoken as well as the spoken

I am not sure how much of this deeper story survived the translation into English, as I watched the film in Japanese. There are some nuances that probably went missing, and I am curious as to how some of the scenes were handled, such as when Lisa sings Sosuke a part of the theme song to "My Neighbor Totoro" to cheer him up when his father is not home. Some other things, such as the significance of tunnels in Japanese folklore (considered the realm of female Mountain Gods who are prone to jealousy, it is assumed that the tunnel would not take kindly to a water deity passing through. However, outside the tunnel is a statue of Jizo, the protector of children, which sends a visual clue to the audience that Sosuke and Ponyo are going to be alright.) also might pass unnoticed or appear confusing to Western audiences, although every Japanese person would inately understand this without needing to be told.

Miyazaki proved in "Ponyo" that he is still the greatest director of animated films alive. I am so thrilled to have seen this movie, and I know I will watch it again and again.

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Every now and then, you come across a film where everything was done just right. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of those films. Directed by Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay as well as the popular young-adult novel of the same name from which it was adapted, The Perks of Being a Wallflower seems to hit every note just right, capturing all of the tumult and the extreme highs and lows of adolescence as experienced by a group of friends in high school in Pittsburgh back in the early 1990's.

(*** Note: this review contains what some people feel to be spoilers, so if you're sensitive to such things, please stop reading now and just take my word that this is really well-done, enjoyable film and is well worth going out of your way to find and see. ***)

The film begins with 14-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman) writing a letter to an anonymous "Dear Friend" about his nervousness about starting his first year in high school. He writes because he doesn't feel he can talk to his parents or his siblings about his anxieties, nor does he seem to have any real friends he can confide in, for reasons that are initially only hinted at in the internal narrative of his letters.

Charlie's anxieties prove to be well-founded as he finds himself isolated in his first few days at school, dodging upperclass jocks looking to harass new freshmen, torn between just wanting to be left alone and yet not wanting to feel alone. The only friend he makes his first day turns out to be his English teacher, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd), who notices Charlie writing down correct answers to questions he asks of the class but not holding up his hand to be called on. Sensing Charlie's reluctance to be noticed, Anderson reaches out to him, "You know they say if you make one friend on your first day you'll do good." To which Charlie glumly responds "If my English teacher is the only friend I make today, that'll be sorta depressing."

In spite of his tendency to withdraw from everyone, Charlie finds himself unexpectedly drawn into the orbit of an ultra-extroverted and over-the-top flamboyant senior named Patrick (Ezra Miller), who happens to be the only senior in his freshman shop class as well as a major source of annoyance to the shop teacher, Mr. Callahan (Tom Savini yes, for those who recognize the name, it's that Tom Savini). At the school's first football game, Charlie spots Patrick up in the bleachers and ventures up, hoping Patrick will invite him to sit with him, which Patrick cheerfully does. They are soon joined by another senior, a quirky but friendly girl named Sam (Emma Watson), to whom Patrick introduces Charlie and with whom Charlie is immediately encrushed. After the game, Patrick and Sam invite Charlie along to grab something to eat. The two seem so close to each other that Charlie mistakes them for being boyfriend and girlfriend. They laughingly correct him and tell him that they're actually step-siblings who found that they just get along really well-together, always liking the same music and always having each other's backs.

Gradually, Charlie is befriended by Patrick and Sam. At the homecoming dance, to which Charlie goes alone, he ends up dancing with Patrick and Sam, who then drag Charlie along with them to a party where he meets the rest of their circle: Bob (Adam Hagenbuch), an amiable stoner; Mary Elizabeth (Mae Whitman), who's bossy and opinionated; and Alice (Erin Wilhelmi), a proto-goth who's into film. At the party, Charlie unknowingly has his first hash-brownie, which causes him to loosen up to the point of sharing his observations on what he thinks of high school so far, which both amuses and impresses the others. He also later divulges privately to Sam that he hasn't been close to anyone since his best friend committed suicide the year before. Learning this, Patrick and Sam decide on the spot to bring Charlie into their circle of friends, with Patrick making it official by quipping "Welcome to the island of misfit toys."

As Charlie gets to know Patrick and Sam and their circle, he leans that all of them have their own set of individual issues they have to cope with. Patrick is fairly openly gay, but his boyfriend Brad (Johnny Simmons), one of the school's star football players, is very much in the closet and so they have to pretend to not really know each other in school. Sam, whom Charlie only sees as beautiful, smart and talented, has low self-esteem and always settles for guys, like her current boyfriend Craig (Reese Thompson), who always treat her badly. A problem shared by Charlie's sister, Candace (Nina Dobrev), whom Charlie sees being abused by her boyfriend. At one point, when Sam asks Charlie "Why do I and everyone I love pick people who treat us like we're nothing?" he repeats what his English teacher told him when he asked him the same question: "We accept the love we think we deserve." But when Charlie says it to Sam, he is finally beginning to understand what it means.

Chbosky does a fine job of touching on moments that almost everyone can relate to from their own high school experience. The intensity and fragility of adolescent relationships. The way you can sometimes find yourself in a relationship with someone you don't want to be involved with but don't know how to get out of, even as the person you really want to be with is in a relationship with someone else. And how formative moments can suddenly come in the most unexpected circumstances. Like when Patrick and Sam are driving Charlie home after the party and Sam, hearing a song on the radio that she immediately likes, demands that Patrick take the tunnel, where she cranks up the volume and then stands up in the back of the pickup and sways like she's dancing to the music as the tunnel lights flash by overhead. The image is simple and yet entrancing, and we, with Charlie, find ourselves falling in love with her.

Other moments are also well captured. Like when Charlie unexpectedly gets drafted to be the substitute Rocky in the group's live-cast act at the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and suddenly finds himself nearly naked in gold lame hot pants in a theater full of people, doing the "Toucha-Toucha-Touch Me!" number with Sam's bodiced-and-boaed Janet. Another moment occurs at a party where Charlie his friends are playing truth-or-dare, when Charlie takes a dare and in an unwitting but truly honest moment commits an enormous faux pas, leaving him suddenly shunned by the entire group just as he was beginning to feel like he wasn't alone. And yet another moment reunites Charlie with the group when he comes to Patrick's rescue during a fight in the cafeteria with a ferocity that takes everyone aback a moment that for all its heroic nature also hints at Charlie's deeper problems. Problems that ultimately come to a crisis point when graduation comes and Charlie has to watch as his senior friends leave and he finds himself alone once again. It is to Chbosky's enormous credit that he avoids the usual Hollywood teen-movie approach and treats these situations much as they really are complicated, with no easy answers, and with wisdom often coming painfully and with a cost.

The young cast are all excellent in their roles, with standout performances by Lerman, Miller and Watson. Logan Lerman's Charlie is a complex mix, perceptive and yet naïve, a loner who finds loneliness unbearable, a friend who feels his friends deserve better than they get but cannot bring himself to feel that he does too. He can rise fiercely to the occasion when his friends are threatened but is as fragile as glass when the secrets he carries buried deep inside threaten to overwhelm him. Ezra Miller's Patrick is charmingly rendered, a character who uses his flamboyance to mask his frustrations and sometimes despair at the unfairness of life, only letting a very few, like Sam and eventually Charlie, inside his protective front. And Emma Watson's Sam is a bravura turn as a girl who comes to life among her friends but whose self-esteem withers when it comes to believing she has anything like a future waiting for her or that she can do better in her choices of boyfriends. All three are acting veterans Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians), Miller (We Need to Talk about Kevin), and Watson (the Harry Potter films) but I think The Perks of Being a Wallflower will be a break-out film for all of them. Particularly for Emma Watson, who proves once and for all that she can be a lot more than just Hermione Granger.

But if the actors are extraordinary in their performances, credit must also be given to the heartfelt dialogue Chbosky's novel and screenplay provides them to work with. All are given wonderfully individual voices, but Charlie, as the would-be writer and ever observant `wallflower' among them, is the one ultimately speaks for all of them with an achingly earnest lyrical poetry, as he does at the end when once again he's with Patrick and Sam, driving through the tunnel and listening to the song they'd heard earlier, except that it is now Charlie who is standing in the back and swaying with the lights passing overhead:

"I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening, I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite."

Highly, highly recommended.

When I think of this movie, I think about perfection. Everything about it is spot on. The acting, the directing, the music, the story, everything. Had their not been so much focus on Argo, Lincoln, Zero Dark, and Les Mis, this movie would have won many awards.

The story keeps you guessing and is anything but predictable. There are several things hidden from you as the plot unfolds and right away the mind gets busy trying to figure everything out.

You feel very involved when watching Charlie's freshman year in high school progress. You root for him and are riding on his emotions, but you are also trying to understand who exactly he is.

Without spoiling anything, the basis goes like this: Charlie's best friend shot himself the summer before Charlie goes to high school. As a result, he enters high school as a loner and outcast, and has to try to get through the year with as little resistance as he can. Luckily he starts to make friends and you are brought into their lives with Charlie.

Many moral issues surface along the way. Not directly, but they are happening. With so much going on to the different characters, you are bound to be sucked in by this movie. One of the story lines will grab your heart and you will enjoy it. My sister doesn't even like movies, but we forced he to watch this and she loved it. We all did.

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I am 74 years old. The world is different now; there are more risks and more choices than when I was 15, but this movie reminded me of what it felt like to be 15 and 16 in 1954 and 1955. In those days homework was accompanied by radio with Rock and Roll music thanks to Alan Fried, Ranger hockey against Maurice Richard, and Gene Shepard,the best story teller of all time. Most of us had after school jobs which gave us enough spending money to begin making choices independent of our parents, and every day we left home and entered the world alone, with very little confidence but with the hope that everything was going to work out. Watching Charlie going through his day, observing the antics of his friends and trying to make sense of it all, brought tears to my eyes. The beauty of the movie is that it captures the universal experience of adolescence, and fortunately, as difficult as the experience may be, just like Charlie, most of us make it through.

Read Best Reviews of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Here

I just returned home from watching this film. I thoroughly loved it. If you are a child of the 1980s and enjoyed John Hughes films, you will love this movie. Take the best things about the 80s: making mix tapes for people you like, going to dances, having your first crushes, dealing with insecurities and shyness, knowing deep secrets about the popular people in school, but then combine all of the dramatic scenes with very powerful performances, and you have a film that is just a great watch and will make you experience every emotion. I laughed, teared up, felt sadness, and felt exuberance all in 1 hour and 42 minutes. I will see again, and I am definitely going to add to my video library. I'm also thinking about reading the book. If I were an Academy member, I would vote for this film for Best Picture before I would "Lincoln." I'm dead serious!

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"Welcome to the island of misfit toys." Charlie (Lerman) is a very very shy boy just starting his freshman year in high school. From his first day he counts down the days till he graduates. He meets two seniors Sam (Watson) and Patrick who help him adjust. There are few movies that can suck you in in the first minute. This is one of them. This is a movie that has a character that everyone can relate to, which is very rare these days. There are also movies that are so good that words can not express how good they are. This is also one of those. I honestly can not express how great this movie is and can not recommend this highly enough. I was actually fighting back tears almost the entire time (I almost made it) and for me saying that about a non-sports movie that is saying a lot. I really have nothing else to say except this is an absolute must see movie. Overall, WOW...just WOW. I give this an A+.

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Tears to Tiara

Having gotten other fantasy series like Tower Of Druaga, Sands Of Destruction, Rune Soldiers, an the like after seeing a few episodes of this entertaining series I knew I had to add it to my anime collection. The series is a nice mix of action, magic, drama, romance, and comedy put together nicely also the storyline is very well done for the most part. At first I was going to get the two box sets that were being sold but after seeing that this one would have the added features of and English dubbing with a voice cast I've heard before and knew were very good I decided on this set. The animation is very good as well as the soundtrack for the series and the voice cast as expected for the Japanese cast and English cast did their characters roles very well. The series comes in four dvd's put into one dvd case with a center spindle to stack all four dvd's on top of one another, I'm sorry I know everyone of the U.S. anime production companies is trying to reduce cost and save money but almost all the other companies at least have better cases for the anime series sets I mean they could spend a few pennies more and at least get a better case for some of these anime series box sets. Still regardless I'm very pleased to have added this enjoyable series to my other anime sets to watch and enjoy anytime I wish, but if you're still not sure or are on the line about the series I suggest checking a few episodes out on HULU or other sites to see and you might get shocked at how entertaining you truly find the series to be...

First of all the description of this anime is WRONG....The series IS ENGLISH DUB,not just Japanese audio. That was keeping me from buying this until I clicked the image of the collection and noticed it on the back of the case, I am now going to buy this series since I just found out and hope you do the same.

Buy Tears to Tiara Now

In 2005, the Japanese PC tactical RPG video game "Tears to Tiara" was developed by Leaf and then released on the Sony PlayStation 3 console in 2008. It was not long after an anime adaptation of the video game would be shown on Animax Asia and then released by Sentai Filmworks.

"Tears to Tiara" is produced by White Fox, known for their work on Katanagatari and also their in-between animation work for series such as "Pokemon: Diamond & Pearl" and "Mobile Suit Gundam 00'. The anime series is directed by Tomoyuki Kobayashi ("Ichigo 100%", "Rozen Maiden", "Utawarerumono") and a screenplay by Touko Machida ("Lucky Star", "Wolf's Rain", "Samurai Champloo"). Music is by Takayuki Hattori ("Battle Athletes" "Slayers" films, "GTO", "Sister Princess") and character designs by Masahiko Nakata ("Utawarerumono, "Love Hina, "Sou Nanda").

Originally released earlier in the year on DVD from Sentai Filmworks with a Japanese soundtrack, the Blu-ray release has now been released and features a brand new English dub.

VIDEO :

At first, I wondered how the animation and art for "Tears to Tiara" would be, mainly for the fact that they have not done a major series before but only supplying in-between animation for major anime series. But overall, animation and art production by WHITE FOX was actually quite solid. One thing that helps with this series is that the tribe is constantly on the move, so there are a lot of scenes that are new for each episode. Character designer Masahiko Nakata has had experience working on adventure-based series such as "Utawarerumono" but has experience working on anime series such as "Comic Party", "Love Hina", "Soul Nanda" and many other titles.

So, for the most part, I think that the fact that the series has experienced people working on this series and that WHITE FOX is trying to promote their name as a major anime production company, it works in the favor for "Tears to Tiara" as the company doesn't have a their artists working on too many titles all at once. Overall, the animation and art backgrounds are well done and is featured in 1080p High Definition 16×9 Anamorphic Widescreen.

On the original DVD, I did notice some compression artifacting during some scenes and it appears that on Blu-ray, the series looks much better than its DVD counterpart. I do wonder if the episodes were split up into three or four discs, would the picture quality be any better? I did notice some areas where I saw a little artifacting but I was look for haloing and edge enhancement jaggies and I didn't see them. But overall, picture quality was very good and much better than the DVD.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

As for audio, the series is presented in English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Dialogue is clear and understandable and found it much better to have my receiver set on stereo on all channels. Voice acting is well done and a good number of talent with Makoto Ishii, Toru Ohkawa (known for the voice of Roy Mustang from "Fullmetal Alchemist" and Rufus Shinra of "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children) and Yuki Goto (voice of Mikiru Asahina of "Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya") providing the voices of the main characters. There is more use of surround channels for the second half of the series. I didn't notice any LFE but for the most part, dialogue is crisp and clear.

As mentioned, the Blu-ray release features a new English dub soundtrack. And this is where I have a problem with this Blu-ray release. I am a believer that if you are used to doing British or Scottish accents or born speaking that way, that's great! But if you are not a native speaker of the language and you don't speak in an accent at all, then don't do it. Otherwise, forcing yourself to speak with an accent is not going to turn out well.

Earlier I mentioned, The story of "Tears to Tiara" is loosely based on the storyline of the Dark Age of Brittania, when the Gaels, Britons, Celts and Scots took on the Roman Empire. And I figured the ADR made the decision to have the voice talent speak in a British and Scottish accent. And unfortunately, I felt that the voice talent were not ready for this because some talked as if they went from speaking with an accent to vocals without one. It didn't work at all.

And as for Arthur...the Scottish accent was not too my liking. Some other accents for other characters didn't work, it wasn't working and unfortunately, I couldn't listen to the English dub track anymore. But with that being said, the English voice talent, these are veterans to anime series but when it comes to accents, no veteran is going to get the accent right if they are not used to talking that way for long periods of time and they get a hang of it. Many actors and actresses for major films are able to immerse themselves in the culture and eventually feel comfortable to speak that way but I'm guessing with schedules, nailing down accents were probably difficult to accomplish in a short amount of time.

Subtitles are featured in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Tears to Tiara" features the clean opening and closing animation and Sentai Filmworks trailers.

JUDGMENT CALL:

For the first half of "Tears to Tiara", the anime series has been quite enjoyable. It does remind me a lot of "Watarerumono" and also a little bit from the OVA series "Bastard". But one thing the series has done well during the first half is establishing storylines for the supporting characters.

Although the first episode featured a good amount of blood and violence, the other character driven episodes are more lighthearted, fun and humorous. I did enjoy the series and felt the first half was more lighthearted and fun, while the second half of the series became much more serious and in some ways, a different anime series because things become more glum and serious.

I haven't played the previous video games, so I can't comment on how close the anime series is to the video games but I have read that the anime series utilizes the voice actors for the Playstation 3 video game and the adaptation is quite close to the PlayStation 3 video game. As mentioned earlier, the artwork and animation is quite solid and the anime production studio WHITE FOX did a wonderful job for their first major anime series.

The Blu-ray version of "Tears to Tiara" definitely is an improvement over its DVD counterpart. It still is pretty much barebones in terms of special features but this time, the Blu-ray does feature both lossless soundtracks in English and Japanese. While I enjoyed the Japanese voice acting tremendously, I can't say the same about the English dub. Not because it was bad but you can tell the actors felt uncomfortable with their accents. It's not projected well in the anime series and at times, I felt the talent were going in and out of their accent back to their natural way of speaking. So, as much as I'm happy to know that the Blu-ray does come with an English dub, it's unfortunate that the poor accents for some of the characters didn't go so well with the series.

Overall, I did enjoy "Tears to Tiara". It's actually a pretty fun, adventure-based anime series in the first half and becomes another kind of beast with it becoming more serious and gloomy for the second half of the series and part of me wanted to see some of that fun, humorous style that I watched in the first 13 episodes.

If anything, Japanese RPG video game fans will more than likely appreciate the series because you can tell there will be many characters but how the writing definitely spends time with certain characters and getting them involved in the series, especially during battle.

But if you are looking for an adventure anime series and also enjoyed series such as "Utawarerumono" and "Bastard", definitely give "Tears to Tiara" a try !

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On the isle of Erin (Ireland) during the medieval era, there lived a tribe called the Gaels lead by the brother and sister team of Arthur and Riannon. One day while most of the village was out on a hunt, Riannon gets captured by the Goidelic people to be used as a sacrifice to revive the Demon King Arawn. Unfortunately for the summoners, upon awakening, Arawn decides side with Riannon instead of eating her. He then joins the Gael clan as their leader in the rebellion against the Divine Empire (Rome).

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this show. After I started watching it I found it was based on an Ero game and wondered if I was setting myself up for disappointment by continuing to watch it. But I was enamored by the often terrible accents and by Arawn, who continued to be an interesting and likable character throughout the series. The accents were darn fun to listen too, and they did get better as the actors got used to speaking with them. Riannon and Arawn were the worst offenders, but by the end of the series Riannon had one of the best accents, though Arawn was still inconsistent. Fortunately with Arawn, he speaks with such a light accent you almost don't notice when he stops using it for a bit.

The accents were my favorite part of the series, but even they wouldn't have been enough if the story had been bad. But the story was actually quite entertaining and surprisingly well developed. It is drenched with Welsh and Gaelic mythology with its own unique twists. As I said before, Arawn is a great character and surprisingly, Arthur is too. I even grew to like Riannon. Most of the rest of the cast is disposable and could have easily been cut out entirely *cough* all of the elves *cough*.

For a show based on an Ero game, I expected more romance and fanservice. I was pleased to see both kept to a minimum. Morgen is very scantly clad and Llyr's top rather form fitting, but this is about all the fanservice there was. And despite Riannon's obvious attachment to Arawn, nothing ever happens between them. I admit I found it quite weird, but refreshing.

There was plenty about this series I didn't much care for *cough* all of the elves *cough*, but the good outweighed the bad and I am glad that I watched it to the end. If you have any interest in Welsh and Gaelic mythology and don't mind a bunch of whiny cutesy elves, then I recommend giving this series a shot. And make sure to give the English dub at least one episode :)

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I like sorcery anime's with abit of hack and slash like Slayers and this is no exception, but I feel the dub takes the accent thing abit too far, but that's only a minor detail, the main character having all the women around him falling head over heels for him is intresting as well^^

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The Fox and the Hound / The Fox and the Hound Two (Three-Disc 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray / DV

Fox and the Hound has always been a favorite of mine. The characters are great, the story is heartwarming to say the least. After buying a slew of the latest Disney Blu Ray releases (Beauty and the Beast, Fantasia, Bambi, etc) I was expecting another state-of-the-art fantastic 1080p transfer. Unfortunately, the Mouse House has not taken this title as seriously as some of the others in its vault. Instead of giving us a glorious, painstakingly perfect restoration, it would seem they opted for tossing in the insulting "sequel" Fox and the Hound II to make up for the slacking effort.

Now I won't say it looks awful. This Blu Ray is clearly a significant upgrade from the DVD, but it is also obviously missing the Disney touch I've come to expect. For example, at the bottom right hand corner of the picture you will see an occasional black line flicker in and out. Ordinarily Disney has gone in and removed these kind of print damages, through intense digital editing or by some other miraculous effort. It is not the case for Fox and the Hound. The black line is hardly noticeable, but once you notice it you can't stop looking at it. It flickers in and out as it pleases, subtle at times, obnoxious at others. A few instances it went all the way from the bottom of the picture to the top. Nothing extreme for casual movie watchers, but for those of us who are really picky about picture presentation it can be unbearable.

Colors weren't really consistent either. At times they were bright and vivid, at others they were dingy and dark. Blacks are overwhelming in the wrong spots, turning shadows and shading into eclipses. Unlike the animated Alice in Wonderland, which is bright and perky, even once the forests of Wonderland get dark, Fox and the Hound looks just a little too dark even in bright sunny scenes.

My overall opinion is that, while I'm glad to have an HD release of Fox and the Hound in my collection, this is not the Blu Ray I had dreamed of. Personally I'm a little annoyed that the nasty sequel wasn't destroyed or forgotten about, much less released right alongside the classic, and I'm really disappointed that Disney didn't spend as much time as they usually do on the transfer. For most Disney fans I doubt it'll be too much of a problem, since, like I said, 1080p certainly beats the DVD, but for those of us who are film geeks and get frustrated by imperfections, I would suggest waiting another 5 years in hopes another re-release will give this great movie the attention it deserves.

I feel short of neutral about the Fox and the Hound movie itself. But that doesn't mean I'm not upset about Disney's HD transfer. It is quite clear that it didn't get the same remastering treatment as the other Disney classics. I guess because it's not as popular, Disney thought that they didn't need to spend as much time into restoring it. Well, that's just silly. If you're a fan of the film, demand that Disney rerelease it as a stand-alone title with a new remaster.

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I always held a special place in my heart for this film. Its adorable characters were too much to take, and it was a great tale of friendship. It's sad how Disney chooses not to acknowledge this film much. What does it get? A stuffed animal in the Disney Store? Not even a mug, or pens. Just, recently, plush toys. It isn't like many Disney films. If you are a die hard fan of recent Disney, Disney Renaissance, and the classics, then you may not find it....to your liking. The film has some magic from Classic Disney, but, as it was in the odd years of Disney, it has that feel of a transgression for the studio.

Disney brings this wonderful film to blu ray, and, as i said, Disney doesn't acknowledge the film too much. Maybe that's why is didn't get a pristine conversion, but a good one. The colors are vibrant, lines visibly drawn, but there are problems. One problem that is most easily noticed is the fact that in certain shots, the drawn lines appear blurred. Now, i don't know if this was a mistake in conversion, or if the film itself is plagued with those problems indefinitely, but they are there....and they are noticeable. The most pointed "issue" is a line that appears far, far right on the picture. Trust me, unless you aren't paying attention to the movie, you should barely notice this. it comes, goes, but it's barely seen if you don't look.

Beside these issues, the blu ray conversion is good. Do I feel this is the best this film can look? Probably not. But this is what we have, what Disney gave us...either get it or hope for a better conversion.

Now, I did not bother to watch the cheapquel. I know I won't like it, so I see no point. I wish Disney had given us the choice whether we wanted to buy it, but, alas, they didn't. Hopefully, in a later re-release they will spare us. The fact that it's name is on the cover does bother me, but the happiness that I own the original is stronger than the hate.

If you are a fan, buy it; if not, maybe wait....not sure.

Read Best Reviews of The Fox and the Hound / The Fox and the Hound Two (Three-Disc 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray / DV Here

1. Cheap packaging (DVD's are stacked)

2. The movies themselves have not been restored (like every release was prior to this..)

3. Two movies on one blu-ray disk (not convenient if you want to separate)

4. No real extras on the Blu-ray (and what extras they did include they put them on the DVD's)

I own each and every Disney Blu-ray movie and this by far is the absolute worst job I have ever seen Disney do.

Who ever is responsible for this release should truly be ashamed!

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I received my copy of the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack of Disneys The Fox and The Hound. It is one Blue Ray disc and two DVD discs. They contain the following:

Disc 1 (Blu-ray):

The Fox and the Hound 30th Anniversary

The Fox and the Hound II

Bonus: Unlikely Friends

Disc 2 (DVD):

The Fox and the Hound 30th Anniversary

Bonus: Passing the Baton: Making of

Bonus: Best of Friends Sing-along

Disc 3 (DVD):

The Fox and the Hound II

Bonus: Making of the Music

Bonus: You Know I Will music video

I really enjoyed the original film and found the colors and sharpness of the Blu-ray very acceptable. It almost looks like it was made yesterday and not 30 years ago. In fact, I think it looks better than when I saw it at the cinema in 1981! Sound was also very good and I had no problems. I let the kids watch the sequel and while they enjoyed it, I must admit I only saw bits and pieces of it. While it was nice to see the characters in a new story, I am not into the sequels of most films.

I am going to hold onto my previous edition of the 25th Anniversary Edition on DVD. It contains an Art Gallery that is sadly not included in this 30th Anniversary Edition. Also missing are the bonus shorts and games.

It is good to see Disney remastering and putting their films on both DVD and Blu-ray formats. I highly recommend this classic of Disney animation.

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Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics (Little Caesar / The Public Enemy / The Petrified Forest /

Great stuff here.... All of these films look better on blu-ray than on the old dvds....especially White Heat....the indoor scenes in Petrified Forest look noticeably better, while the out door scenes have a lot of gray, but are still pretty good.... Public Enemy and Little Caesar are both improved, but still have a lot of scratches and some grainy scenes here and there.... The mono audio tracks on all the films are still very limited, but ample.... The extras are the same as on the DVDs.... Too bad the Warner night at the movies sections are still standard definition.... Oh we'll, these are all great films--Cagney, Bogart and Robinson are all at the top of their game, easily out shining the wooden character actors contained herein....worth it just to see Cagney flip out in the prison cafeteria in White Heat--he kinda sounds like Dwight Frye in Dracula.... Mother of mercy, is this the end of the review?....

I bought the Blu-ray of "White Heat" separately, but since it's included in this set, I figured I'd post a comment here.

The picture quality of the "White Heat" Blu-ray is very much improved over the DVD (maybe a 15% improvement to my eyes), and that's saying something since the DVD was already pretty good. There's a tremendous amount of detail revealed in nearly every scene. The blu-ray unveils the textures of skin, clothing, furniture, and machinery to very good effect, making the film more lifelike.

There is one shot in the opening sequence (during the train robbery) that has poor image quality, but that was true on the DVD as well. Perhaps it looked that way originally.

Audio quality may have improved, but I didn't notice a great change from the DVD.

Overall I am very pleased with the Blu-ray of "White Heat," and consider the upgrade wotth the cost.

I look forward to reading what others have to say about the 3 remaining films in this set.

Buy Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics (Little Caesar / The Public Enemy / The Petrified Forest / Now

I have to say, "Little Caesar" & "Public Enemy", MIGHT look better than on dvd ( I'm not sure I agree), but they are very crappy remasters for blu ray. Especially considering their place in film history. They should have done a better job. I did not even get to the others. I was so disappointed in the picture quality, I sent them back! Here's hoping WB does a better job on Cagney's other films and the rest of their classic gangster films!

Read Best Reviews of Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics (Little Caesar / The Public Enemy / The Petrified Forest / Here

Event the worst of Warner's 4 volume gangster movie collections, are a 100 times better then so many of the mob, criminal underworld movies we see today. Im just wondering why Warner's, since they own the copyrights still I believe. Did not offer us a BluRay suite of the DVD releases, rather then just the few fantastic offerings they do put on the BluRay. I hope maybe they will release all their originals that we saw on DVD on BluRay rather then limiting us to this one release, cause I loved every single one of those shoot-em ups and would love to see them all,the best and worst on BluRay. Anybody else feel the same?

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No "Angels With Dirty Faces"? Would have definitely considered buying this BluRay, if this gangster masterpiece had been included....Under the circumstances....no deal!

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Orpheus (The Criterion Collection) (1950)

In French cinema, there are many filmmakers named Jean Renoir, Jean Vigo, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville, to name a few. But among these filmmakers who really never craved the spotlight was Jean Cocteau. A proud man with humility and creative talent that extends beyond cinema.

Before Cocteau was a playwright, a screenwriter, a director...he was one of the most prestigious, talented poets living in France.

At a young age, similar to Jean Vigo who suffered through pain throughout his childhood after the death of his father, Jean Cocteau lived a different life. Coming from a prominent family, like Vigo, at a young age, Jean Cocteau lost his father (who committed suicide).

Where a filmmaker like Vigo had cinema at a young age to escape reality, Cocteau had poetry.

In fact, his first volume of poems titled "Aladdin's Lamp" was created at the age of 19 and would eventually become popular through his poetry.

But it was World War I which changed Cocteau. He would meet poet Guillaume Apollinaire, artist Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani and would later collaborate with many talents which include Russian choreographer Sergei Diaghilev, who persuaded the poet to write a scenario for his ballet "Parade" in 1917.

As one of the great poets, the introduction to writing for a ballet would lead him to writing and directing plays but also novels. Among the novels he is known for are "Les Enfants Terribles" (1929), "The Blood of the Poet" (1930), "Les Parents Terribles" (1948), "Beauty and the Beast" (1946) and "Orpheus" (1949).

In 1930, is Cocteau's "The Blood of a Poet" would be the first film that would become the start of a trilogy known as "The Orphic Trilogy", followed by film adaptations of his novels "Orphee" and "Testament of Orpheus" (1960). The trilogy which are not connected to each other in terms of story would showcase Jean Cocteau the writer, the poet, the novelist, the playwright and filmmaker. Utilizing the Orphic myth to explore the relationship between artist and their creations, reality and imagination.

In 2000, the Criterion Collection released "The Orphic Trilogy" on DVD but recently, Cocteau films/works are now being released in the US by the Criterion Collection on Blu-ray. While "Beauty and the Beast" is the first Cocteau film to be released on Blu-ray in America, the second is "Orpheus" (Orphee) which is also the second film of "The Orphic Trilogy".

A film that remains poetic and influential for many artists today. In fact, for music fans, an image from the film is used in the Smith's single "This Charming Man", the music video for "Take On Me" was inspired by "Orpheus" and radio messages from the film were sampled in "DJ Culture" by the Pet Shop Boys. And in 2010, the film was voted in Empire Magazine's "100 Best Films of World Cinema".

And while the film has its place in cinema and also pop culture, from a cultural, poetic and creative artist such as as Jean Cocteau, its the symbolic nature of the film, people who want to delve further into the life of Jean Cocteau and the era of when the film was written, to grasp how World War II had an impact in the making of the film but also, at 60-years-old, "Orpheus" was also a film that included elements of how Cocteau was feeling about his past-life, how he felt about his peers.

How he saw the new generation of poets being free, but at the same time, showing disdain towards how they lived their lives. A different experience when Cocteau was younger.

But as for the story of "Orpheus", it was a chance for the talented artist to bring his passion but also part of his life to cinema. In a much different style than what he had done years earlier with "Blood of a Poet".

"Orpheus" is one of cinema's celebrated, visually poetic films ever created and a true representation of the creative genius of writer/director Jean Cocteau.

VIDEO:

"Orpheus" is presented in 1080p High Definition, black and white (1:33:1 aspect ratio). As a previous owner of "The Orphic Trilogy" DVD Box set, as expected from the Criterion Collection, the contrast of the film looks fantastic! Black levels are inky and deep, contrasting whites and grays are magnificent and while there may be signs of mild flickering at the beginning, by no means does it ruin one's viewing pleasure of this 1950 film.

According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on a Spirit 2K Datacine from a 35 mm fine-grain internegative struck from the original nitrate negative. The restoration of Orpheus was carried out in a collaboration with the Archives francaise du film in Bois-d'Arcy, France, under the supervision of assistant director Claude Pinoteau. 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 DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Orpheus" is presented in French monaural with English subtitles. The film is dialogue driven and dialogue is crystal clear through the center channel.

According to the Criterion Collection, the original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35 mm optical track print. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using Audio Cube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Orpheus The Criterion Collection #68' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Audio commentary An excellent and in-depth audio commentary byFrench-film scholar James S. Williams.

Edgardo Cozarinsky's "Jean Cocteau: Autoportrait d'un Inconnu (Autobigraphy of an Unknown) (1:08:51) The longest feature of this entire DVD is the 1984 documentary about Jean Cocteau. For those interested in knowing more about the filmmaker/poet, this documentary is very informative as Cocteau talks about his childhood, his artistic contemporaries and more.

In Search of Jazz (17:38) An interview from April 24, 1956 as Cocteau discusses the use of music in his films.

Jean Cocteau and His Tricks (13:29) A 2008 video interview with assistant director Claude Pinoteau by Marc Cairo.

40 Minutes with Jean Cocteau (40:37) From an interview back in August 28, 1957, for the TV series "At Home With..." featuring Francois Chalais talking to Jean Cocteau.

La villa Santo-Sospir (36:26) Jean Cocteau's 16 mm color film from 1951. A visit of Francine Weisweiller's Villa in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferat, on Côte d'Azur, which was decorated by Jean Cocteau.

Gallery of images by French-film portrait photographer Roger Corbeau Using your remote (or computer arrow button), you can scroll through a gallery of images.

Saint-Cyr Military Academy Ruins (1:41) Raw newsreel footage from 1950 of the , a location used for "The Zone" in "Orpheus".

Theatrical trailer (3:31) Theatrical trailer for "Orpheus".

EXTRAS:

"Orpheus The Criterion Collection #68' comes with a 30-page booklet, which includes the following essays: "Through a Glass, Amorously" by Mark Polizzotti, "Cocteau on Orpheus", "Cocteau's La villa Santo-Sospir" by James S. Williams.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Filmmaker Francois Truffaut once asked the question, "Do we still have to prove how important a filmmaker Jean Cocteau is?"

In 2011, there is no arguing of Jean Cocteau's place in cinema. There is no arguing how influential and how multi-talented he was not only as a poet, a playwright, novelist, filmmaker, etc. He was a person who embodied the life of artistic creation and a man who lived life at the beat of his own drum. A man who lived with humility and lived a long life of being wanted because of his talent.

I use a juxtaposition with Jean Vigo and Jean Cocteau, not to compare their talent but to show how a few films created by these two individuals, would remain as an inspiration for other filmmakers not just in the '50s but also to filmmakers today.

For Cocteau, while "The Blood of a Poet" and "Testament of Orpheus" were very different kind of films when compared to "Orpheus", many probably were attracted or repulsed by the level of surrealism in his films, "Orpheus" was not surreal but it was poetic in nature, especially when you work with an actor such as Jean Marais.

You just don't see films like Cocteau films. Others have their own way of taking on surrealism, but when you have a creative poet wanting to make poetry visual for cinema, its a rarity in cinema.

There is a visually poetic and creative way he directs his talent but also knows what to get out of them. From the way the film is acted, it is like watching a play as Orpheus reactions when he comes home to his wife and is haunted by his exchange with the Princess (Death). From the scene where he wakes up on top of the mirror on the sand, it's a classic yet artist shot or when we see Death coming out of the mirror to visit Orpheus when he is asleep.

It's a fantastic blend of fantasy and reality which we have seen before, especially in "Beauty and the Beast". A whimsical probe of a character done intelligently, a bit of surrealism but a film that show us why Cocteau is an important and unique filmmaker with a style that can never be duplicated.

These are intoxicating images that are strong, beautiful and you feel almost as if you are part of that dreamlike environment that the characters are part of. There have been films where one tries to reach out to their dead spouse, but the film is more sci-fi in nature because of the focus and over-reliance of visual effects.

The people from the netherworld are not shown in demonic forms. Death is not the typical look of a robe with a hand holding a sickle, death is beautiful, death is emotional, death wants to find love in Orpheus, as Orpheus also finds love in the death. And that is something that should not happen.

The film shows us the anguish each side feels towards the unknown. Death loves Orpheus, who loves Death but also loves his wife Eurydice who loves him, but feels alone because of his focus is more on lady death and thus, we see one man staying with her (Heurtebise) when the other, Orpheus is consumed with his passion to find death.

Sure this is somewhat a modern 1950's retelling of the Greek myth but who else can craft something so genius and mesmerizing? No other than Jean Cocteau. And suffice to say, if you watch "Blood of a Poet" and then you go this film, you realize how far the filmmaker has come since his last film.

But when it all comes down to it, there is nothing like "Orpheus". It's a great film and its exciting to see The Criterion Collection bring this out on Blu-ray but most importantly, to showcase the career of Jean Cocteau through many lengthy special features.

I know that many of the Jean Cocteau fans own "The Orphic Trilogy" and in some cases, typically when Criterion releases a classic that was on DVD for Blu-ray, the special features are the same.

In this case, it is not the same. The original DVD version of "Orpheus" didn't come with hardly any special features but the other films included in the trilogy did. The 1984 documentary and "Villa Santo Sospir" were included in the trilogy DVD box set on the discs of "The Blood of a Poet" and "Testament of Orpheus" but everything else on this Blu-ray is new.

From listening to the in-depth and wonderful commentary and just the sheer amount of well-done documentaries and also classic interviews, this Blu-ray release of "Orpheus" is a wonderful tribute to Jean Cocteau.

And I can tell you right now, because of the enhanced picture quality, the booklet and the additional special features, "Orpheus" on Blu-ray is obviously worth the upgrade, especially if you are a Jean Cocteau fan. It's a 5-star release and I give it my highest recommendation.

But with that being said, for the newbie Criterion Collection fans who are used to more literal storylines, Jean Cocteau films, especially "Orpheus" is creative and is visually poetic, for some people, Cocteau's films may not be for them. "Orpheus" may not be for them. It takes an appreciation of Cocteau's work and his style to really enjoy this film.

So, for those who adore Cocteau's films, especially "The Orphic Trilogy", will be happy to know that with this Blu-ray release, you are not only getting a better version of the film to date, there are also a good number of special features included.

Once again, another fantastic Blu-ray release from the Criterion Collection that is highly recommended!

Jean Cocteau pulls out his usual bag of tricks to create a film that rivals his magnificent Beauty and the Beast (1946). Both films are masterpieces which deserve your undivided attention--especially on blu-ray where the blacks are black and the whites are white and mirrors are the doorways to unreality and back again in a gray-warp of unintentional mystery....Get it....

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I hadn't seen this in years, I have it on VHS but don't have use of a VHS player(too lazy to hook it up, plus no HDMI output etc)... so it's strange to watch this now. Cocteau used his typically novel film techniques to the point of humor sometimes, but this movie exhibits a couple of his most famous scenes that shouldn't be missed by those who love film history. I won't even go into the story/theme why spoil it completely? If you like "art" films then check it out. Ultimately this is a romantic film in nature with Cocteau once again weaving an otherworldly spell of sorts upon the world of cinema. 5 stars simply because it is unique for those who have patience.

Read Best Reviews of Orpheus (The Criterion Collection) (1950) Here

Jean Cocteau was a genius, doing film not by the books, breaking barriers, giving us the unexpected. I loved this film and Beauty and the Beast when I saw both in the mid 70s. They have only improved with time. You don't need the subtitles to understand these films. This is the poet as film maker. AND there is Jean Marais.

The DVD has great additional features. Interviews with two of the principal actors; interviews with Cocteau and a home movie (so to speak). It is important to remember when this film was made to appreciate some of Cocteau's film 'tricks'. Some of the extra features help put this in context with the period. This would make an interesting double bill with Black Orpheus (another of my favourites).

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This movie was very entertaining. I intend to pursue others by the same producer/director. Very imaginative and thought provoking. Plan to watch it again.

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Kung Fu Hustle / The One (2010)

The 2 in 1 package worth at least a purchase...especially for the excellent Kung Fu Hustle, not to be missed if u are blurays purist, go get it and u will not regret !

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Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In is one of the most beautiful films of the year, and probably the best remake that I have ever seen. It is based on the Swedish film, Let The Right One In, which was released two years ago to monumental acclaim from both critics and art-house audiences alike. This touching story, concerning a young man's crush on a 12 year old vampire named Eli, captured the hearts and minds of everyone who was lucky enough to see it. If Ingmar Bergman were to direct a vampire-themed film, it would look a lot like this. However, one should not think of the film as yet another entry into the recent "vampire" craze. It is much more than that. This is the film that Twilight only wishes that it could be.

The remake deviates structurally from the original, only in that the opening is a bit different, and a few minor characters have been altered or dropped altogether. The integrity of the storytelling remains intact, and as a result, much of the remake resembles the original in all of its snow-drenched glory.

Kodi Smit-McPhee plays Owen, a lonely young man who is constantly bullied at school in the most brutal fashion. He spends his evenings at home playing with knives, and spying on the attractive neighbor next door. In addition to these disturbing quirks, he has an almost addictive fondness for Now and Laters, and constantly eats the candy throughout the film. Chloe Moretz plays Abby, a young girl who moves in next door with a man that we initially assume is her father. The two meet on the playground one night, and bond over the intricacies of a Rubick's Cube. Soon, Owen develops a crush on his new friend, oblivious that Abby is really a vampire, and that her "dad" is in fact a serial killer, who creeps out into the night, stalking and killing random victims in order to bring buckets of blood back to Abby, in order that she will survive.

Meanwhile, an older cop tries to figure out who the mysterious killer is, as the bodies continue to surface. As far as Owen is concerned, the bullying still continues at school, but with a little advice from Abby, and a little bit of weight training, Owen realizes that he can stand up for himself in one of the film's most shocking and darkly comic sequences. It doesn't take long for Owen to realize who and what Abby really is. In all of his fright and confusion, he decides to stay by her side, and as a result, Abby vows to protect Owen in the only way that she knows how.

As I said, this is one of the best films of the year. Both of the leads deserve Oscar nominations for their layered performances. The cinematography is breathtaking. The score is beautiful, although there are moments in the film that could do without a background score. This is my only criticism of this otherwise perfect film. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) has crafted a worthy tribute with Let Me In.

It is worth mentioning that this film is rated R, and while the film centers on two adolescents, it is not a film for the 12 and under crowd. It is much too disturbing at times, and the language is pretty rough. I would also encourage Twilighters to see the film, so that they may have a clear example of a film (Let Me In) and a product (Twilight).

Back in 1992, I believe it was, "The Last of the Mohicans" starring Daniel Day-Lewis was released to a blockbuster reception by the public. It was exciting, well acted and beautiful. However, it was not a trans-literation (word for word) of the source novel by James Fenimore Cooper far from it. Like many films that have novels as their story origin, you must endeavor to take the film on its own merits and not bemoan that what you loved in the book was not on the screen as you hoped. You can love both, one, or neither, but don't hate the one for being unlike the other.

This is the problem many early critical reviewers of "Let Me In" seemed to fall into. They had loved the original Swedish book and film ("Let the Right One In"), but didn't like this American version because the tone and focus is slightly different. (An example would be Reeves' decision to make nearly all characters in the film outside the primaries into archetypes, not only simplifying the narrative, but also reenforcing Owen's isolation a brilliant choice.) Many critics said things like it's "a needless remake" or "not as faithful as the original" or some such. The damaging thing is that Matt Reeves' beautiful film was not taken on its own terms and therefore was not given a chance by some of the very audience it was made for.

"Let Me In" is beautiful, haunting, disturbing, painfully human and engrossing. The pace is deliberate, but spot-on. This was not made for the slasher film crowd. This is a movie that dares you to think what would life be like for a vampire and those around them. It works as a morality tale about, effectively, a serial killer. It also is the story about adolescence and the horrible pain of that age and the joy of finding a kindred spirit.

What is disturbing is the questions that arise from the relationships in the film. Who needs who, for what reasons, and where does the line between 'love' and 'need' end and the other begin?

The two leads in this film are stunning. No other word will suffice for their performances. They are brilliant and carry the film with their facial expressions. Moretz and Smit-McPhee deserve high praise for their work. Utterly amazing. (Compliments to the secondary players, Jenkins and Koteas, for excellent work as well.)

One final thought, a great film is enhanced by a great musical score. Like "Mohicans", the music in "Let Me In" soars and makes this film an indispensible one.

See "Let Me In" for all the right reasons. If you are a lover of film, this is a can't miss.

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It was with some amount of trepidation that I first heard about the impending release of Let Me In. Like many others, I was quite taken by the original Swedish film, Let the Right One In, which easily secured a spot on my Top 10 of that year. I feared that a remake would only excise the poetic nature of the story in favor of a by-the-numbers vampire film. The attachment of Matt Reeves as writer and director didn't do much to assuage my fears. Cloverfield was entertaining enough for what it was, but its gimmicky shaky-cam aesthetic wasn't very indicative of his directorial abilities. Once the good reviews of the film started pouring in, I figured I'd see it just to say that I did and then forget about its existence shortly thereafter.

Could I possibly have been more wrong? I ultimately saw the film five times during its brief theatrical run. It's been three months since then, and I still can't stop thinking about it. Never before has my reaction to a film been so contrary to my preconceived notions. Not only do I prefer the remake, it has fast become one of my all-time favorite films, and Matt Reeves has shot to the top of my "directors to watch" list. While there is much that can be said for how Let Me In compares to its Swedish counterpart, I'm going to try and keep comparisons to a minimum, because Let Me In stands firmly on its own two feet as a film. The wonderful thing is that one film doesn't have to supplant the other; Let the Right One In is a beautiful film in its own right, and Let Me In is another faithful and unique cinematic take on the same story.

The story in question originally comes from the mind of Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, who wrote the original film as well as the novel that inspired it. The plot revolves around a lonely 12-year-old boy who is bullied mercilessly at school and finds solace in his budding relationship with the girl who lives next door. Unbeknownst to him, the girl also happens to be a blood-thirsty vampire who has been 12-years-old for a very long time. Reeves' adaptation of the material is respectful, thoughtful, and personal. In rendering his version of the story, he draws on the overall structure of the original film, various details from the original novel, as well as some of his own ideas and experiences growing up. Reeves clearly has a firm grasp on the complexities of the material, and he crafts Let Me In as a poignant coming-of-age story, tender love story, and chilling horror story all at once. By thoughtfully transplanting the proceedings to 1980s Regan America, Reeves uses the sociopolitical context of that era as a backdrop for Owen's tortured adolescence, resulting in a subtle exploration of moral ambiguity and duality. Despite its fantastical elements, at its core, Let Me In tackles fundamental human needs the need to connect, the need to survive, and the need to make sense of a sometimes cold and frightening world. Whereas most modern horror films rely on excessive gore as a substitute for intelligence, Let Me In is one of the select few that brilliantly utilizes its horror premise as a multi-layered metaphor to explore a variety of thought-provoking ideas.

While Reeves' screenplay adaptation is impressive in its own right, his directorial style is just as powerful and artistic. Simply put, Let Me In is one of the most elegantly directed horror films I've had the pleasure of watching in a really long time. Reeves' controlled and careful direction is a revelation in today's frenetic cinematic world. Let Me In is one of those rare films where virtually every shot helps reveal character and drive the narrative forward. Reeves is clearly an ardent admirer of Alfred Hitchcock, and his point-of-view driven visual storytelling does an admirable job of cementing the audience in the perspective of the central characters. Furthermore, he injects his film with a sense of dread and tension that would have made the Master of Suspense proud. Between Reeves' crafted cinematic approach and his cinematographer's haunting gothic visual palette, Let Me In is a breathtaking and beautiful film to behold.

Finally, a discussion of Let Me In's strong suits isn't complete without addressing the power of its two lead performances. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Grace Moretz may have only been 12-years-old at the time of filming, but their performances exude a sense of depth and maturity far beyond their years. Let Me In may revolve around two children, but it is a dark and complex film for adults, and the fact that McPhee and Moretz are able to shoulder the weight of the film with such a sense of grace speaks volumes for their talent as actors. Richard Jenkins and Elias Koteas turn in excellent supporting performances, but the central story of Let Me In lives or dies by the success of its two leads, and McPhee and Moretz play a huge part in making Let Me In the emotionally charged film that it is.

Although it didn't do nearly as well as it should have at the box office, Let Me In deserves to find a larger audience on DVD and Blu-ray. It's a rare and precious gem that got unfairly swept aside in the chaotic rush of awards season, despite its strong critical reception. In a cinematic climate where countless films are created solely to cash in and make money, it comes as a startling surprise that such a moving, layered, and crafted piece of cinema would come in the form of a remake. And yet, Let Me In is all of these things and more. Anyone who likes their films to have equal doses of artistry, emotion, and intelligence owes it to themselves to pick up a copy of Let Me In. Don't let the genre deter you; it's not just an amazing horror film, it's not just an amazing remake, it's an amazing film, period.

Read Best Reviews of Let Me In (2010) Here

I'm not a big fan of horror movies, but this one really had me. It's the most engrossing horror film I've seen in years.

Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a lonely kid, mercilessly bullied at school, whose parents are divorcing. One winter night, he meets Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz), a girl who has just moved into the apartment complex and never wears shoes.

Abby is a vampire, trapped in a child's body, and her "father" (Richard Jenkins) is actually her protector. Not only does he go out and kill people so that Abby can have blood, but when she does the dastardly deed herself, he disposes of the body.

Both friendless, Owen and Abby bond and it is a relationship that endures even after the young man learns the truth about the strange girl.

Adapted by director Matt Reeves (CLOVERFIELD) from a Swedish novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, LET ME IN is both a horror film and a heart-wrenching tale about the pain of adolescence. Abby may kill people in order to survive, but she is also a victim. She didn't ask to become a vampire.

The picture is dark and violent, though much of the blood-letting (wisely) happens off-screen. It is also a love story that will haunt you long after the movie ends.

© Michael B. Druxman

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I adore the Swedish film Let the Right One In and I was highly skeptical about the idea of an Americanized remake. The original was such a poetic, touching film I wondered how anyone could hope to improve on it. When it was announced that the director of Cloverfield was behind it and the title had been dumbed-down for American audiences (I realize that translations being what they are, the title may be appropriate, but you can't deny it sounds like a dumbed-down version of the original), I lost all faith in it until director Matt Reeves cast two of the most talented child actors working today. Whenever a film is remade, I watch it and judge it on its own merit. When reviewing a remake I don't like to compare it with the original, but I found it impossible to not break my own rule several times here.

The setting is Los Alamos, New Mexico, 1983. Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a 12-year-old boy, seemingly with no friends, frequently bullied at school, and with no supporting parent figure to come home to. One night, outside his apartment building, Owen meets a young girl named Abby (Chloë Moretz), who has just moved in next door with a mysterious man that Owen assumes is her father (Richard Jenkins). It's no spoiler to tell you that Abby is a vampire.

Character actor Elias Koteas plays a policeman, who is basically a composite character of several minor characters from the Swedish version. While it's not a shot-for-shot remake, Reeves sticks very close to the Swedish film. Since I've never read the book, I can't be sure that additional elements in this film are Reeves' own ideas or simply ideas taken from the book so I ask you to forgive me if I credit him with something that should be credited to the novelist John Ajvide Lindqvist.

So, what has changed? Obviously the setting has moved from Sweden to New Mexico. Some of have commented that since Reeves didn't differentiate from the look of the Swedish version this change was pointless. I'm not offended by it as it doesn't change the story at all. The characters names have changed from Oskar and Eli to Owen and Abby. Once again, I find no quarrel here as their names aren't intact but their character is. Owen and Abby don't differ very much in character from their foreign counterparts and I like that Reeves didn't attempt to tweak with the characterization. Structurally, it's been altered too; the opening scene is changed, which seems to just be a way to capture the attention of an American audience quicker. Let Me In begins with a bang, while Let the Right One In draws you in as it progresses. The bullies portrayed here are much more loathsome, as they appeared more childlike is the Swedish version. Rather than show Owen's father as an alcoholic (do we need another alcoholic father in American movies?), Reeves largely removes his involvement and in a brilliant creative flourish chooses to illustrate Owen's disconnected relationship with his mother by obscuring her face whenever she's onscreen. The look of this film is a bit more monotonous, while scenes with the father (called Håkan in the original, but anonymous here) are played out with more suspense. There's an impressively shot car crash that, in context, I thought worked much better than the "entering the bathroom in defeat" scene from the original. In one moment where Owen simply finds a picture, Reeves adds a much deeper level to the relationship between the father and Abby.

Reeves does use a bit more CGI, but he doesn't overuse it. I think Reeves knew he couldn't make the scene where Abby meets a victim under a bridge any more poetic, so he attempted to make it, at least more, creepier. I did not approve of the decision to give Abby such a vampiric look when she feeds. The look was much more subtle and effective previously. Also, the pool scene was executed (no pun intended) much better in the original as it was simultaneously horrifying and darkly humorous. Here, it's just a dark scene (but not in the sense that it's not well-lit). Despite these changes (and despite your feelings on these changes), Reeves doesn't keep the beauty and poetry of the original intact but brings his own poetic beauty to it, really proving his merit as a capable director.

Now let's talk about the acting, beginning with Richard Jenkins. This is a highly underrated character actor who has appeared in a lot of movies (including such cinematic fecal matter as Step Brothers, among other things), but he's rarely given a role that allows him to really shine. With hardly any additional screen-time than his foreign counterpart (actor Per Ragnar), Jenkins gives a much creepier, more effective, and ultimately more sympathetic performance. He brings new life to this character that simply wasn't present before. Beyond those two performances, I will not compare any others. McPhee does a convincing, identifiable interpretation of his character and gives a performance that is more emotionally mature than you'd expect from someone who is fourteen (at the time of this writing). Moretz is a revelation in what is arguably her most mature role yet. At thirteen (as of this writing), Moretz has racked up an impressive filmography and, as Abby, she demonstrates that she's an immensely talented actress, capable of conveying emotions way beyond her years. If acting is her passion and she sticks to it, I can see her making real waves in the film industry and being the recipient of many film awards as she gets older. I don't recall seeing a performance by a child actor that impressed me this much. While many will compare her performance with Lina Leandersson's, I encourage those people to look at Moretz at face-value. This is an actress of infinite talent.

Let Me In was released to theatres in October of 2010, only four months after the third film in the Twilight Saga became a box office phenomenon. Unlike that film, Let Me In underperformed at the box office. It's a tragedy that such emotionally retarded films like Twilight do phenomenal business at the box office but something this poignant makes no impact. I mention this because fans seem to flock to human-vampire romances, yet the lesser one makes 10x the money. Let Me In is a love story, but not in any traditional, straight-forward sort of way. This adolescent love story has no kissing, no physical intimacy, and no dreary, contrived romanticizing yet is more poignant, romantic, and sweeter than Twilight while simultaneously achieving more emotional resonance than that saga could ever hope for. The fact that Moretz and McPhee, at 13 and 14, bring more pathos to their "romance" than the entire adult cast of Twilight says a lot about the childish idiots that populate that movie.

It's a remake, yes but it's one of the best horror films and one of the best vampire films to come out of Hollywood in a while. Let Me In is an admirable film that would be much more respected if it wasn't a remake. Few remakes live up to the original film while almost rivaling it as successfully as Let Me In does. Those not familiar with the original Swedish film should seek it out, but whether you're a big fan of the original or were completely unaware of it's existence I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this film.

GRADE: A-

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