Easter Parade (2013)

I really like "Easter Parade" and was eagerly anticipating how beautiful it would look as a result of Warner's Ultra Resolution process. This is a method that electronically aligns the elements of the famous 3-strip Technicolor process to deliver greater sharpness and even details that weren't visible when the film was brand new. Unfortunately, this film doesn't look nearly as good as the other films that previously underwent this process: "Singin' in the Rain," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "Gone With the Wind." Even "The Harvey Girls" and "Annie Get Your Gun," which were restored without the Ultra Resolution process, look much better than "Easter Parade."

All of these films, although not perfect, look almost like they were filmed yesterday with wonderful sharpness and contrast range, an almost three-dimensional clarity, and beautiful, sparkling colors--rather like a Kodachrome slide. "Easter Parade," on the other hand, looks like a very old movie that's had it colors artificially pumped up--like an old tart that thinks a lot of warpaint will make her look young, but fools no one. This transfer HAS to be several generations removed from the negative. It has a thick, flat, dull look: very little contrast or modeling, flesh tones the color of red clay mud, and colors that look as if they were applied to the film with a spatula--no light or life can get through! When there is some contrast and a bit of brightness, the effect is very garish and detail is washed out. Warner Brothers either shortchanged this film financially in its restoration or it was working with elements that were far removed from the original negative or color separations. Yes, this is the best this film has looked on home video. Yes, it often has decent detail, but it looks everybit like a film from 1948--or even older--rather than the almost brand new look we have come to expect from Warner's other major restoration efforts.

"The Band Wagon," another classic musical that was released in conjunction with "Easter Parade," is better, but still has that rather dull, flat, copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy look, and reddish brown fleshtones. Compare it with "Singin' In the Rain," released just a year before: the difference is like night and day! We have come to expect better than this from a company that has given classic film fans the best DVD transfers of any company. I am more than disappointed; I am shocked! What happened, Warner Brothers?

Originally intended as a re-teaming of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, EASTER PARADE ran into trouble when Garland's doctors advised against her working under the direction of her husband, director Vincent Minnelli--and no sooner did director Charles Walters take the helm than Gene Kelly broke his leg. Out of such confusion are movie musical miracles born: although a bit old to act as Garland's leading man, Fred Astaire was coaxed out of retirement. He and Garland had tremendous chemistry, EASTER PARADE was a box office smash, and Astaire unexpectedly found himself reborn as an MGM star.

Set in 1900s New York, the film's story line is flimsy but enjoyable. After long-time dance partner Ann Miller abandons the act, Astaire hires chorus girl Garland and attempts to recast her in his former partner's mold--a situation which offers Astaire and Garland considerable comedy and gives Astaire the chance to parody several of his own famous dance of the 1930s. Garland eventually convinces Astaire that she needs to be herself, and once the act is revamped they become a hot ticket--and, once their several romantic complications are resolved, romantic partners as well.

Astaire is every bit as charming here as he was in his Ginger Roger days, and his choreography retains his signature sharpness, wit, and elegance. Although Garland isn't really a dancer, she holds her own with Astaire and she tears strips off a brillant score of Irving Berlin favorites. Both are well supported by Anne Miller, who gives a brilliant turn with 'Shakin' the Blues Away,' and Peter Lawford, who is quite charming as one of Garland's admirers. Although this really isn't as inspired as the truly great MGM musicals of the late 1940s, director Walters keeps it going at a smart pace, and the star power, clever script, memorable score, and those legendary MGM production values elevate it well above the pack. Musical fans will be in for a treat! Recommended.

Buy Easter Parade (2013) Now

Some movies (especially movies from today) are really to me just a waste of time and money. People just don't seem to care about what people see on the screen anymore. And that is one of the reasons I LOVE old movies! Because you can always, almost, well, you can really never go wrong!! And Easter Parade is one of those movies to just treasure. To save for your children and grandchildren. So they can's appreciate the past, and know that there once was a time when people cared about the things they put on that larger than life screen.

Easter Parade begins with the ballroom dancer, Don Hews (Fred Astaire). Who is in love with his goregeous partner (Ann Miller) Oh, what a star!

Those two are a great team that audiences love. But when Nadene, (Miller) becomes hungry for renown, she dumps him for the Zigfield Follies, and Don's best friend, the handsome Johnny Harlow (Peter Lawford).

Angry Don sets off to prove to Nadene that he can dance with anybody and he doesn't need her! So he finds the chorus girl working at a bar, the Lovely Hannah Brown (Judy Garland). Wonderful songs that put a smile on your face. And clever lines that will make you laugh! Easter Parade has it all!! And as Don Hews realizes he's fallen hoplelessly in love with Hannah. And he proves to the narrow minded, jealous, Nadene, he DOESN'T need her, and he CAN dance with anybody.

Clinton Sundberg plays the bar tender where Hannah used to work. And thinks he knows everything. Lines like:

Astaire: I bet you know alot about women.

Sundberg: I should, been single all my life.

Wonderful songs like: Easter Parade, Love the Piano, A Fella With a Umbrella, Michigan, shakin the Blues away, and more!

Ann also does a jaw droppin performance of Shakin your Blues Away. Wonderful!!! This movie is all smiles!! And let me tell you something, this movie DEFINETLEY cannot miss! I'm only practically 14, but my opinion is very decided, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!

PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR: SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Easter Parade (2013) Here

Hello everyone!

I just thought I'd share with you all that Warner Brothers is in the process of making Corrected Blu-Ray discs for Easter Parade. I got an e-mail today from a Representative at Warner Brothers after I e-mailed them with my concerns regarding the missing "Judy Garland: By Myself" that was advertised and not put on the disc. I was told that they were just made aware of the problem and are in the process of making the correction. They asked me for my address and told me that they would ship it to me as soon as it became available. So, I would e-mail Warner Brothers through their website (warnerbrothers.com) and express the same concerns as I did and someone SHOULD respond to you within a few days and hopefully, ask you for your address so you can get one sent to you. Hope you all didn't run out and buy the 2 Disc Special Edition on DVD just to get this missing extra. :)Easter Parade [Blu-ray]

UPDATE: 3-26-13 Well, I FINALLY got my copy and, as with the rest of you, it was Disc 2 of the DVD 2 Disc Special Edition. I must say, I am rather disapointed that Warner Brothers didn't fix the Blu-Ray version of this Movie and add the missing documentary. I'm sure all they did was tear open a bunch of the 2 Disc sets and take Disc 2 out and throw away the rest of the set; just to satisfy the requests for a fix from me and the rest of you. So, OK. They put a band-aid over the problem. What happens from this point onward?? Are they going to just keep sending out Disc 2 of the DVD collection everytime someone writes or calls to voice their concerns about the missing documentary?? Will they send a bunch of these Disc 2's to Amazon and everyone else selling this movie on Blu-Ray and tell them to include it with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it from them?? Are they EVER going to produce the Blu-Ray with the missing documentary and if so, will they send US a free copy to give us what we should have had all along?? I guess only time will tell.

"I don't wanna complain. But, I drove around that revolting block 51 times and my feet are killing me!" :)

UPDATE: 4-2-13 I just contacted Amazon Customer Service to ask them (now that they are begining to sell this as a "2 Disc Version" Blu-Ray) "Would I get 2 Blu-Ray discs or 1 Blu-Ray disc and 1 DVD disc containing the missing Documentary "By Myself" if I purchased this from Amazon"?? Well, I tried 3 different people and got nowhere. One person denied that this movie was ever put on "hold" by Amazon and only available to purchase through Marketplace Sellers. Are they SERIOUS!?!? So, my suggestion is, buy at your own risk! I suspect that Warner Brothers just sent them a bunch of the same DVD's they gave all of us who contacted them regarding the missing Documentary and told Amazon to just throw it in with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it. But, to call this a "2 Disc Version" is misleading to consumers if this truly isn't a 2 Disc Blu-Ray set. Unless Amazon can give us a straight answer, I would hold off on purchasing this. You want to know exactly what you're getting, don't you??

Want Easter Parade (2013) Discount?

This film is a joy from start to finish and, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the colour and sound reproduction on the DVD are excellent. On this `special edition' there is also an interesting extra in the making of documentary Easter Parade: On the Avenue in which you get to learn interesting little snippets such as the fact that Anne Miller had to dance her numbers in a surgical corset due to the fact that, shortly prior to shooting the film, her husband had pushed her down the stairs and broken her back! Also, some might not have known that, but for a similar, though not quite so severe injury, Gene Kelly might have been playing the lead. The aspect ratio also means that you get the full screen image rather than it being cut down.

There is so much to enjoy: not least, of course, We're a Couple of Swells, in which Judy had to persuade Fred to `dust on' and go very much against the normally suave, sophisticated and elegant grain! It is in this number that she seems almost always to be teetering on the edge of going overboard but just, somehow manages the restraint necessary to achieve a superb piece of vaudevillian pastiche. And then there is Fred's `Steppin' Out With My Baby', in which he ends the number by dancing in slow motion against a backdrop chorus dancing in real time: sheer brilliance.

In an era in which we are often served up garbage and expected to accord it the status of entertainment; of reality TV and Hello magazine and, seemingly, commonplace `mega stars' it isn't often that we get to witness and appreciate true and sublime genius on show.

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Berlin Calling

I don't know who wrote the review posted above, but it's for a completely different movie. Berlin Calling is about the trials and tribulations of a Berlin based DJ in the early yaers of this millenium. Great movie.

A Soldier's Story (1984)

A phenomenal cast brings Charles Fuller's adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play to the big screen. Howard E. Rollins, Jr., is magnetic as the Army Captain sent to investigate the murder of a black Sergeant in Louisiana during World War II; his careful detective work uncovers the complex layers of racism (both externalized and internalized) that led up to the crime. Adolph Caesar gives a superb, Oscar-nominated performance as the (unsympathetic) victim whose story is told through a series of flashbacks. And Larry Riley, David Alan Grier, Robert Townsend, and the always-magnificent Denzel Washington register strongly in important supporting roles. Effective as both a mystery and a social commentary, this worthy nominee for the 1984 Best Picture Oscar is tightly directed by Norman Jewison.

The DVD presentation of this recent screen classic offers an excellent film-to-video transfer, featuring a sharp picture and crisp sound. The disc contains both the widescreen and fullscreen editions, and includes the original theatrical trailer. Also offered is a short but very moving 1999 documentary entitled "March to Freedom", which recounts several astonishing real-life stories of racism in the American armed forces during World War II. All-in-all, this is a highly recommended DVD that deserves a place in your home video library.

A Soldier's Story simply has everything working for it, and the result is a frequently overlooked masterpiece that will add depth to any collection of American film. It works as a murder mystery and it works as an astounding inside look into cultural psychology. Certainly the themes of racism and self-hatred are universal. But this snapshot of southern race relations in 1944, seen in a military context, is also very specific, and more powerful still because of this specificity.

That these able-bodied men are not in Europe says a great deal, that they are baseball players from the Negro League tells us that even the national pastime was not truly national in 1944. When Captain Davenport, played with spellbinding dignity and power by Howard Rollins, arrives to investigate the murder of a hated drill instructor, he is the first black officer most of the men have ever encountered. Capt. Davenport's seriousness and dedication drive a wedge into the status quo, revealing layers of racism in white and black soldiers alike.

One of this movie's rewards is getting to watch familiar actors just starting their ascent, Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle), and David Alan Grier to name a few. Even Philly's own chanteuse, Patti LaBelle, lends some characteristically high notes. But the star of this film is Sergeant Waters, the murdered drill instructor, played with smoldering intensity and conviction by Adolph Caesar. Hard to believe he did not receive an Oscar, after being nominated.

In Sgt. Waters, Caesar creates a man of multi-layered psychological complexity, whose hatred of blacks is more vicious than any white man's ever could be, whose assimilation of white culture is more desperate than any white man's ever is. Sgt. Waters believes himself to be a transformational man, a black who has put the embarrassing shuck-and-jive eye rolling behind him, a man who must kill his own blackness to be free. In doing so, he is responsible for the death of the film's most thoroughly innocent and likable character, C.J. Memphis, played admirably by Larry Riley.

By baiting Memphis, Sgt. Waters severs not only his ties to his true self, but to his humanity, in an attempt to further his crackpot philosophy. At this point he is more than doomed, he is damned. A Soldier's Story is not only a masterpiece of craftsmanship, it is a deeply truthful and humanistic story. Engrossing, but more than mere entertainment art.

Buy A Soldier's Story (1984) Now

"A Soldier's Story" is a truly compelling film that gives the viewer a lot to think about. While this film explores the issue of racism and intra-racial prejudice, it does so without being overwhelming or preachy.

Howard Rollins gives a solid performance in the role of Captain Davenport; a stoic and principled officer who is assigned to solve the murder of a black NCO--Sgt. Vernon Waters--at a military base outside of Tynin, Louisiana. Davenport is determined to solve this murder and he's not going to let the white racist senior officers stand in his way. At the same time, he doesn't let the enlisted black soldiers suck-up to him because he's on a mission and he wants to get at the truth, no matter what.

Adolph Caesar plays the hard-ass, irascible Sgt. Waters. Caesar plays this role for all it's worth and he does a great job of making the viewer feel his contempt for southern blacks and for himself.

Robert Townsend adds a bit of comic relief to this tense drama in his role of the bumbling sycophant Coporal Ellis. For all the fawning attention he gives to Captain Davenport, you, the viewer, can understand and feel Ellis' sense of pride in working with a black officer.

Denzel Washington also gives a convincing performance in the role of Private Peterson. Peterson is the angry young black man who not only resents the white racist society in which he lives but also the blacks who try to keep other black people down. This inner rage is played out in a very tense verbal exchange between Peterson and Waters which ultimately culminates in a fight between the two men.

The only weakness this movie has is its reliance of the flashback throughout the film. At times, this technique comes across as a bit awkward but given the context of the film, this technique is appropriate.

Despite this minor criticism, I'd have to say that this is a first-rate film and I highly recommend it.

Read Best Reviews of A Soldier's Story (1984) Here

I think the first time I saw this movie, was an edited TV version. I usually don't watch TV because I'm annoyed by commercial interruptions. But, this film captured my interest because of how well it played out as flashbacks being put together to come to a conclusion about a murder. This is a suspenseful story with an unexpected conclusion.

Tynin, Louisiana 1944. A black non-commissioned officer was murdered. Shot to death on a roadside near a bridge, outside of a predominately black army base with only white officers. A black army officer lawyer (Howard Rollins, Jr.) comes from Washington D.C. to Louisiana to investigate the murder. No one has ever seen a black officer before and white officers only heard of the possibility that a black man could be an officer. As you can imagine, this black officer doesn't get much support from the white officers on the base.

This is a powerful film of perseverance, courage, determination, pride, and accomplishment against overwhelming odds. And the cast is fabulous. Howard Rollins, Jr. Adolph Caesar, David Alan Grier, Denzel Washington, Art Evans, David Harris, Larry Riley (as C.J. Memphis), Wings Hauser, and many other stars you know you've seen before. And it even includes Patti Labelle as Big Mary belting out some fabulous Southern Rockin' Blues.

This is my very favorite film that has Denzel Washington, although "Mississippi Masala" is a close second.

Want A Soldier's Story (1984) Discount?

This movie takes a hard look at racism in the military duringthe 1940s ... The plot focuses around the murder of a black officer, and the Rollins character's investigation to find out who really was responsible for his death, in classic whodunit style. Especially worth noting are the performances of Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington and Larry Riley, even though the entire cast is stellar. Patti LaBelle also has a cameo (and yes, she sings!). Riveting all around. Don't hesitate to pick this one up. END

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Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Blu Ray (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / 2011)

"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" (ZNMD) is a complex, honest, and thoroughly refreshing story about friendship, about love, about choices, about ... well ... the journey of Life (lit. 'zindagi'). Writer-Director Zoya Akhtar takes three characters we might think we've seen before ... but deftly makes them original, fresh, and unexpectedly engaging. Her intelligent script perfectly balances the very real, even painful, personal transformation of each character with moments of joy, wit, charm, and humour.

No one's Life Journey is ever quite what one plans!

Our protagonists? Three best friends since childhood: Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), now an investment broker in London; Imraan (Farhan Akhtar), an advertising copywriter in Delhi; and Kabir (Abhay Deol), a construction architect in Mumbai. Ten years after college Kabir's imminent wedding impels 'The Three Musketeers -all for one, and one for all!' -to finally embark on the many-times-deferred adventure challenge they'd always planned.

ZNMD explores whether three grown men can survive a 3-week road trip together *and* still remain friends *and* still be the same people.

Think you've heard similar, before? Guess again! Ms Akhtar elevates the basic 'road movie' premise into something rare and sublime: brilliant character-driven comedy never cheap but often laugh-out-loud funny, and so true to life and people each of us actually know that it genuinely moves the heart as well as the mind and funny-bone. As each ZNMD character in turn challenges his own fear, whatever personal demon that has been holding back his life, it becomes our victory, too.

See ZNMD and discover: *your* life may change, too!

Such strong story and plot would be lost, without great acting.

Farhan Akhtar (the writer-director's twin brother) just gets better and better, as an actor, every time out of the gate. Already one of India's best young directors, his deceptively brash but sensitive and layered acting in ZNMD is quiet excellence ... and deliciously funny.

Abhay Deol I confess I had not seen before. Not exciting, but I like his potential. A good foil for the other two.

However the real revelation in ZNMD is, most surprisingly, he whom we might have *thought* most familiar. Hrithik Roshan we see so often in heavy dramatic and/or demanding multi-part roles -because, let's face it, he's that rare actor who CAN do them, and do them brilliantly well -that it's easy to forget just how plain damn funny and versatile he can be. Casting one of the world's more notorious compulsive workaholics as, well, a compulsive workaholic? Absolute genius!

On the distaff side ... Katrina Kaif. Wow! Where did this performance come from? She's always been beautiful, of course, but in ZNMD for the first time she shows subtlety and depth as an actress. Easily, her very best work to date.

Cannot finish without special mention of the fantastic music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy (long my favourite Hindi film composers). Their ZNMD soundtrack perfectly backdrops the film's emotional journey. Irresistibly hummable music spans the full range of moods and emotions, much like our three main characters: everything from amusingly lighthearted ('Senorita', sung by Mssrs Roshan, Akhtar, & Deol) to cool and modern ('Ik Junoon -Paint It Red') to reflective ('Der Lagi Lakin') and even unabashedly romantic ('Khaabon Ke Parinday').

But the rocking 'Dil Dhadakne Do' seems to capture the very Joy of Living ... and that is the ultimate spirit of Zoya Akhtar's ZMND.

Perfect summer movie! 10/10

Best film I've seen yet from anywhere in the world, thus far in 2011.

If you liked Dil Chahta Hai, you will like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. I'm not going to tell you the summary of it because you can read it yourselves. I'm going to tell you the thinks I liked about this movie:

1. The actors. Each of the three main actors did a great job. Hrithik was the work-a-holic, which is something he has never played before so it was nice to see him play something different. He did a great job. Farhaanthe jokester of the group. His one line jokes had us laughing throughout the whole movie. This is also a new role for him because in his other movies he has played someone serious. He also has a serious role in this movies but you don't see it until the end. AbhayI don't usually like him in movies but I think he did a very good job playing the guy getting married. He also had his own one line jokes, but not as much as Farhaan.

2. The storyThere is something about three guys coming together on a trip and finding themselves and dealing with issues. Each of the guys have to deal with something in their lives and you learn that their issues aren't known to each other until the end of the movie. This movie is a lot like Dil Chahta Hai because both movies are about three friends going on a trip to find themselves.

3. The settingmost of the movie takes place in Spain, where they decide to go on their trip. The scenery was beautiful and a great place to film, since there are no Bollywood movies made in Spain (that I know of). Also the setting is important for the trip because each guy picks a sport to do that the other two do not know about it so the sports takes place in Spain.

4. The Musicthe music was amazing. I bought the soundtrack before I saw the movie and I loved it. Hearing the songs made me want to see the movie even more. My favorite song (which is hard to pick, since the album is great) is Senorita. In the movie, all three actors do their own singing for the song. The music video for the song in the movie is great as well.

I recommend this movie for anyone. Even some of my friends who have never seen bollywood films loved this movie.

Buy Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Blu Ray (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / 2011) Now

Embarking on a road trip before entering a important phase in life has been done dealt with in movies in the past. ZNMD is about such a raod trip as three friends travel across the country in Spain, changing their lives forever.

The director's brother Farhan Akhtar had made a film on his debut which was about friendship but this sophomoric debut by his sister Zoya is completely different from the Dil Chahta Hain.

Abhay Deol is plannig to get married to Kalki Koechlin but before he does, he wants to have a road trip in Spain with his childhood buddiesFarhaan Akhtar and Hrithik Each of them will choose an adventure sport and will participate in it, whether they like it or not. It is during the road trip that they meet women, resolve issues in their life and live lie to the fullest.

This is a fantastc film in all respects, I had loved 'Luck by chance' and this one furthers the evidence that Zoya Akhtar is one of the most underappreaciated but one of the greatest directors that we have on the scene today.

Hrithik Roshan is great throughout the film and so are Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol. Karina Kaif looks pretty after a long time and Kalki Koechlin plays the part of the possesive girlfriend ably.

Shankar . Ehsaan and Loy have gven us a decent soundtrack. Especially 'Senorita'

Carlos Catalan's cinematography transforms the film and the locations are superb.

I thought these scenes were the best:

Kalki's expression when she watches the friends walk in the lobby, while Ajay is cradling Katrina in his arms.

The song Senorita

The tomatino festival in Spain

The Sky diving scene

The events that led to the engagement of Kalki and Ajay

Farhaans meeting his father for the first time and his conversation with his mom.

The song in the climax.

ZNMD is one of the better films of the year and Zoya Akhtar has created an anticipation for her next work. See this now. 8/23/2011 4 stars

Read Best Reviews of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Blu Ray (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / 2011) Here

"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" (ZNMD) is a complex, honest, and thoroughly refreshing story about friendship, about love, about choices, about ... well ... the journey of Life (lit. 'zindagi'). Writer-Director Zoya Akhtar takes three characters we might think we've seen before ... but deftly makes them original, fresh, and unexpectedly engaging. Her intelligent script perfectly balances the very real, even painful, personal transformation of each character with moments of joy, wit, charm, and humour.

No one's Life Journey is ever quite what one plans!

Our protagonists? Three best friends since childhood: Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), now an investment broker in London; Imraan (Farhan Akhtar), an advertising copywriter in Delhi; and Kabir (Abhay Deol), a construction architect in Mumbai. Ten years after college Kabir's imminent wedding impels 'The Three Musketeers -all for one, and one for all!' -to finally embark on the many-times-deferred adventure challenge they'd always planned.

ZNMD explores whether three grown men can survive a 3-week road trip together *and* still remain friends *and* still be the same people.

Think you've heard similar, before? Guess again! Ms Akhtar elevates the basic 'road movie' premise into something rare and sublime: brilliant character-driven comedy never cheap but often laugh-out-loud funny, and so true to life and people each of us actually know that it genuinely moves the heart as well as the mind and funny-bone. As each ZNMD character in turn challenges his own fear, whatever personal demon that has been holding back his life, it becomes our victory, too.

See ZNMD and discover: *your* life may change, too!

Such strong story and plot would be lost, without great acting.

Farhan Akhtar (the writer-director's twin brother) just gets better and better, as an actor, every time out of the gate. Already one of India's best young directors, his deceptively brash but sensitive and layered acting in ZNMD is quiet excellence ... and deliciously funny.

Abhay Deol is not exciting, but I like his potential. A good foil for the other two.

However the real revelation in ZNMD is, most surprisingly, he whom we might have *thought* most familiar. Hrithik Roshan we see so often in heavy dramatic and/or demanding multi-part roles -because, let's face it, he's that rare actor who CAN do them, and do them brilliantly well -that it's easy to forget just how plain damn funny and versatile he can be. Casting one of the world's more notorious compulsive workaholics as, well, a compulsive workaholic? Absolute genius!

On the distaff side ... Katrina Kaif. Wow! Where did this performance come from? She's always been beautiful, of course, but in ZNMD for the first time she shows subtlety and depth as an actress. Easily, her very best work to date.

Cannot finish without special mention of the fantastic music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, long my favourite Hindi film composers. Their ZNMD soundtrack perfectly backdrops the film's emotional journey. Irresistibly hummable music spans the full range of moods and emotions, much like our three main characters: everything from amusingly lighthearted ('Senorita', sung by Mssrs Roshan, Akhtar, & Deol) to cool and modern ('Ik Junoon -Paint It Red') to reflective ('Der Lagi Lakin') and even unabashedly romantic ('Khaabon Ke Parinday').

But the rocking 'Dil Dhadakne Do' seems to capture the very Joy of Living ... and that is the ultimate spirit of Zoya Akhtar's ZMND.

Perfect summer movie! 10/10

Best film I've seen yet from anywhere in the world, thus far in 2011.

Am definitely holding out for the complete 2-DVD version (and/or Blu-Ray) on this title.

Want Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Blu Ray (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / 2011) Discount?

Three best friends embarked on a three-week road trip across Spain. Three musketeers, one for all and all for one:

Artemis Kabir (Deol)

Arthos Arjun (Roshan)

Porthos Imran (Akhtar)

Kabir as the reliable, responsible, most grounded of the three .. or so I thought.

Hrithik Roshan completely shreaded his usual heartrob, devastated handsome image. At the beginning of the movie, he was the self centered, competitive, career focused guy who has been dumped by not once, not twice but thrice by 3 different women. Yeap, Hrithik being dumped by women is a sight to behold.

Imran as the devil may care, spontaneous charmer, I like his character the most! so carefree and full of surprises.

Love the scenes, love the interior decoration settings, love the musics, love those underwater shots, strongly recommend this movie for those who love roadtrips as I!!

The Rundown (2003)

Option BI MAKE YOU go see The Rundown.

The Rundown marks the arrival of Dwayne Johnson, A.K.A. "The Rock" as a bona-fide movie star. As Beck, a "Retrieval Expert" who longs for a simpler life as a chef, he displays for the first time on film the humor and charisma that won him "Millions....and MILLIONS!" of fans in the WWE. Dispatced to the South American town of El Dorado (Called Hell Dorado by the locals) to fetch Travis Walker (Seann William Scott), the wayward son of his shady boss, Beck gets more than he bargained for. He finds Travis easily enough, but getting him home might pose more of a problem. Not only does Travis not WANT to go home, but local land baron Hatcher (The hilariously nutty Christopher Walken, at his eye-popping best here) won't LET him go...At least not until Travis finds a mythical golden idol for him. The Rock vs. an army of gun-toting slave-drivers......Place your bets!

As I said earlier, The Rock is awesome in his role, bringing a mix of self-effacing humor and quiet strength to the mix, balancing out the potentially irritating Scott's whiny character. Walken is, as always, a joy to watch. His diatribe about The Tooth Fairy is worth the price of admission alone, and hearing him say "Oompa-Loompa" is sure to go down in history as one of my all-time favorite movie lines. Director Peter Berg shows himself to be equally comfortable with comedy and action; He keeps the film moving along at a brisk pace, and the action scenes are simply stunningNot only are the fights choreographed beautifully, but the action is easy to follow, with none of the choppy editing and shaky photography that has ruined many an action movie.

The Rundown is just what it portrays itself as: A fun buddy picture. I had a blast, and so did everyone else in the theater. If you're in the mood for action, The Rundown is a sure bet. If you smell what I'm cookin'.....

Well, I wasn't expecting a great deal from this film. In fact, I probably wouldn't have seen it at all if it hadn't gotten surprisingly good reviews. The Rock was pretty forgettable in 'The Scorpion King', although not terrible, but he puts in a great performance here. Tasked with the retrieval of a wayward son, he ends up in a three (or four) way hunt for a mysterious golden idol, along the way enountering everything from homicidal gold miners to jungle rebels to packs of angry monkeys. It is one funny movie, and the action scenes are great. Most importantly, the cast has both charisma and quality, and the dialogue isn't nearly as stilted as you'd expect in a typical action film. You can tell they all had fun making the movie, perhaps because it was actually filmed in Hawaii. Regardless, you should check this out even if you have doubts about it, because it will win you over.

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This movie is truly Rock-solid; the inimitable pro-wrestler turned actor admirably struts his stuff here in terms of sheer muscular star power and heavyweight charisma, and proceeds to turn the Amazonian jungle upside down in the process. This is certainly no dramatic masterpiece, but all of the cast are excellent in this incredible action movie, especially Christopher Walken, doing a turn as a witty yet egomaniacal villain who simply isn't prepared for the consequences as `Beck' (the Rock) arrives on his doorstep in his part of the jungle to retrieve the errant son of a gangster he is indebted to. The murder and mayhem that ensue make up two hours of first class entertainment as we find Rock against the world, and the world getting the worst part of the deal.

The movie is wonderfully photographed, and the comic moments flow from the opening sequences, when Beck step into a crowded bar to retrieve a debt from a pro football player. The ensuing madness is so well choreographed and played out that it is entirely believable despite the fact that it is strictly super-heroics that the character Rock plays has to deliver to punch, elbow, and drop-kick the whole offensive line of a pro football team in pursuit of his man. Likewise, the bar-room fight scene that sets up the rest of the movie once Beck arrives in Brazil is a study in athletic make-believe, so far out it is both fun and amazing to watch, as long as you can suspend your critical faculties long enough to not laugh out loud at the silliness of some of the supposed stunts. But the Rock never disappoints, and he always entertains!

Indeed, like some of the better early Schwarzenegger movies (e.g. `Predator'), the wit and winsome qualities of both the characters and the plot are indeed quite entertaining despite the fact we all know who is going to win, and thus have very little doubt as to how things will progress as the tale spins along toward its conclusion. Also, one can see that Rock is rising very quickly to fill the action hero void once held by Arnie and Sly Stallone. He has a lot of screen presence, and is a joy to watch in action. What's more, he seems to handle himself very well, and is quite believable on the screen, which is no small feat given the cartoon-like aspects of the story line. All in all, a great action flick, and one you will likely want to include in your video library. Enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of The Rundown (2003) Here

Praise for The Rock's performance in this film is not overrated. He has come into his own in this film and established himself as a true actor and not just a muscle-bound cretin. The Rock plays Beck, a polite leg-breaker for a low-life loan shark with big-time "clients" such as NFL super stars. In a business where violence is his back-up when diplomacy doesn't work, Beck loathes guns and has a deeper desire to run his own 5-star restaurant and leave this knuckle-busting life behind him.

His boss gives him one last assignment before he cuts him loose and gives him the restaurant of his dreams... the mission: bring back his son Travis (Seann William Scott). His father has pulled his son's butt out of a sling so many times, he is reeling him in to face the music.

Beck heads to South America to retrieve Travis in what he believes will be a quick grab and flight back to the U.S. Unbeknownst to Beck, Travis is seeking a priceless golden idol and a local slave driver (Christopher Walken) is keeping tabs on Travis so he can steal the treasure from him as soon as he finds it. Hatcher (Walken) runs a gold-mining operation, employing the local populous at disgustingly pitiful pay and slave-like hours and treatment. It's a real shanty-town, but filled with sophisticated cameras and other surveillance equipment and gun-toting thugs.

There is non-stop butt-kicking and far-out choreography through-out the film. So many scenes are so proposterous, it borders on insulting your intelligence, but things happen so fast and you get such a good laugh along the way, you really just sit back for the ride. There are a couple of scenes involving monkeys that are real gut-busters for laughs but they used African baboons for these scenes not animals you'd ever encounter in the western hemisphere. Anyone who watches the Discovery Channel even once in a while will roll their eyes at these scenes, but still laugh.

A local bar-keep named Mariana (Rosaria Dawson) adds an additional twist. Is she just a bar-keep, or is there something else going on... and how does she keep her hair looking so nice while running for her life in the middle of a humid rain forest?

Seann William Scott has proved that he is much more than the "Stifler" character in the "American Pie" series... he is a talented actor and can portray a range of characters and emotions. This film will probably be his launching pad into more serious roles in the future.

There is some language, but nothing beyond what you'd see on NYPD Blue on TV, limited in-your-face violence... just butt kicking, and no sex scenes so the movie is fairly family-safe.

On the overall first-time-viewing enjoyment meter, I'd give this film 5 stars, but on the "would I ever want to see it again" meter, I give it half a star.

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I enjoyed this movie on DVD and it is even better on HD DVD. Great picture quality with the lush jungle scenes and lots of bass in the soundtrack.

The movie is also very entertaining with lots of action and humor. The Rock plays a goon that has been sent to retrieve his bosses son played by Seann William Scott (a.k.a Stiffler from American Pie). The interaction between them is hilarious. The great Christopher Walken plays the bad guy and he is his classic self. His awesome dialogue (I wonder how much was ad-libbed?) and his pants pulled up to his drooping breasts add the finishing touches to this terrific movie. I think this is the Rock's best movie and a sequel must be made!

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Blu-ray SteelBook

No extended cut, no 6.1 audio, no point ! Nothing "Ultimate" here. Way to drop the ball Warner Bros.

Like many of you who purchased the first two ultimate editions at a pretty penny, i was expecting extended editions of movies 3 and 4. What a disappointment! Were the big wigs at WB thinking that their fans would triple dip editions when they bring out all films in one super ultimate collection? I already owned all of the HP on Blu, but sold them when i started buying the Ultimate editions. I will NOT be purchasing 3 and 4. Very poor on WB's part to say its ultimate, and include 8 hours of bonus materials, but not the few extra scenes that regularly show on TV. Very poor indeed.

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Unlike the first two potter films released in "Ultimate Edition" form, the second two versions do not include their extended editions. This might not be a legitimate complaint if these versions of the films didn't already exist. In the US, they are aired quite regularly on ABC Family, and are quite good.

These extended editions of the film make the price point of the first two versions palatable, but their absence makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for with both this and the ultimate edition of PoA.

Read Best Reviews of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Blu-ray SteelBook Here

****SPOILER ALERT****

Okay...the GoF book is 734 pages, and the movie adaptation is a little over 2.5 hours. Of course a lot of stuff was going to be cut. Some of the cuts I was able to deal with (e.g., Hermione and S.P.E.W.). Unfortunately, many of the characters (especially the other Triwizard champions) were severely underdeveloped as a result.

Giving Viktor Krum only two lines in the entire movie was inexcusable. So was cutting out the entire Quidditch World Cup match. The viewer isn't given enough reason to care about Krum, or why he became a potential love interest for Hermione. He simply comes across as a dumb jock. The movie should have shown a couple minutes of the World Cup match to show off his prowess, and little scene here and there of him interacting with Hermione (I was actually quite peeved that the didn't show her teaching Viktor how to pronounce her name).

The other champions were likewise poorly developed. You learn practically nothing about Cedric or Fleur Delacour (who got the least screentime out of the four champions). Fleur was simply another pretty face; they even cut the part about her being a quarter-veela (which was why the boys were swooning over her in the book). And if I didn't read the book, I probably wouldn't have cared too much about Cedric's death near the end of the movie.

Even Ron and Hermione were mainly relegated to the background. They didn't even use any kind of magic for the entire film! It would've been nice to show how exactly Hermione was helping Harry (like with the Accio spell), instead of just having her simper and worry. Ron seemed to be purely comic relief.

My other quibble was that the first task was WAY too long. The dragon chasing Harry around Hogwarts was ridiculous. They could've easily shaved off a good five minutes, and instead use that time for the World Cup match they DIDN'T show (can you tell that I was mad about that being cut out?)

Don't get me wrong. I still enjoyed the movie; it did capture the spirit of the book pretty well. And I was VERY happy to see the ferret scene (YES!)

Overall impression: Good entertainment, but read the book first. That'll help fill in the blanks. Three out of five stars.

3/16/06 UPDATE: I received the Special Edition DVD set last week. I liked the interview with the Golden Trio, but it would've been nice if they had other cast member interviews, like in the PoA DVD. The reflection of the fourth movie (which included sharing from other cast members) was a nice touch, but again, I wish they had more in-depth interviews with them. As for the deleted scenes, they weren't worth it. I'm not giving away all of the deleted scenes, but I'll just say that there was NO footage whatsoever of the Quidditch World Cup Match!

I'm also slightly puzzled at why there was a *seperate* Special Edition DVD this time around. I'm sure that confused a few people.

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Warner Bros. has shown us the dark side of the entertainment business by releasing this "Ultimate Edition" without the extended version. It's unfortunate they will still make money on these flawed editions from people who were pleased with the year one and year two sets(as was I), which included both the theatrical and extended films, who will feel compelled to keep this incomplete set (I will be returning mine). I encourage everyone who feels the same to write about it. Whether it's in these reviews, a blog or emails directly to Warner Bros., letting the powers that be know that their customers are dissatisfied is the only way they'll even consider terminating these shady business practices. The following link is to Warner Bros. Studios' online customer service:

Tsuritama: Complete Collection (2012)

High Schooler Yuki has just moved to Enoshima to live with his grandmother. He has transferred schools a bunch of times, but Yuki doesn't make friends easily and he doesn't expect this time to be any different. But he didn't count on Haru. Haru is not only new to Enoshima, but also Earth, since Haru is an alien. Or so he says. Yuki thinks he is just nuts. But he finds himself drawn into an unlikely friendship with Haru and moody classmate Natsuki, as well as the mysterious Akira with his pet duck, Tapioca.

I have never had any interest in fishing (which is the hobby that brings the 4 friends together), but I thought it sounded like a fun show despite that. And it is fun. But it is also a lot about fishing. Which ended up more interesting than I had thought (still not taking it up myself though). You actually learn quite a bit about ocean fishing.

Aside from the fishing, there are aliens. And ducks. And of course, fish.

tsuritama is only 12 episodes long, which is the perfect length for the story it had to tell. The ending was nice and wrapped up the story perfectly. I enjoyed tsuritama quite thoroughly and will be buying the DVD set once it is released.

This dvd series main focus is on learning to fish on the ocean. Thought I like the way the creator showed the inability of the main character, Yuki and his inability to communicate while worrying about other people like being drowned in water. The aliens are like exotic colored siamese fighting fish that have the ability to change shapes and control people and animals briefly through water outside their bodies.

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Flags of Our Fathers / Letters From Iwo Jima

I'm really glad they're releasing the films in this two-film set. The films deserve to be examined back-to-back. It was a shame the distribution of the films in theatres couldn't be coordinated so the releases were closer together creating more of an "event" status around them. These films are a stark, striking, bold entry in the pantheon of World War Two movies (war movies in general for that matter). I've not seen a bolder attempt since Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy of films (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July and Heaven and Earth (maybe this release of Eastwood's films will prompt them to give Stone's series a similar DVD treatment). The two films, very dramatically examine war on various fronts, not just the combat milieau.

The broader scope of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima combined, are unique for the war film genre, and it will finally get the exposure it deserves and I hope more people discover the films via this release.

Clint Eastwood has proven himself (if there was ever any doubt after Million Dollar Baby) to be a master filmmaker. With Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby under his belt (2 bonafide masterpieces), one wondered how he would top them. His answer was to direct not only one but TWO films about WWII (the other being Letters from Iwo Jima. To make 2 great films at 76 (back to back no less) is no easy feat. But to make 2 films of such depth, poetry, humanity, and poignancy is even more beautiful and moving. When you realise that 90 percent of what Hollywood puts out ranges from atrocious to mediocre, and then you watch these 2 magnificent films, it restores your faith in filmmaking and that even Hollywood, which has been maligned (quite rightly) over the last 30 years or so, can still contribute to film as an art form. Clint has been compared (rightly, I believe) to John Ford. There has been beauty and poetry galore in Clint's last 3 films in particular, and in many others as well. Ford's films also had that poetry and lyricism, and a depth that most filmmakers rarely posses. In these 2 films, there is poetry, subtlety, and substance to spare.

Flags of Our Fathers generally got mixed reviews from critics, and many were disappointed. Out of the two films, it was the one that most people disliked. I wasn't disappointed at all, and I think the film is a masterpiece. It is truthful, sad, cynical, heartbreaking, and yet, somehow uplifting in some ways. It centers on the offical lies about the famous Iwo Jima photograph. We find out the exact circumstances as to why this photo was rendered, and we find out on the 3 servicemen who were exploited by the Roosevelt Administration (showing that exploiting servicemen is a bipartisan enterprise) and how they were pretty much jettisoned after the government had no further use for them. In many Eastwood films, there are a few bad performances in the minor roles. Here that isn't the case. The trio of lead actors, Adam Beach, Ryan Phillipe, and Jesse Bradford, are superb. There isn't a false note or performance in the entire film. One of the best aspects about this film is how it's edited. The film has graphic war footage, but it's interpersed in the film in an interesting way. The war footage, unlike other overly graphic war films like Saving Private Ryan, doesn't revel in its cruelty. It's there to move the film along. This film also really gives you a sense of the battle for Iwo Jima. You see the military strategy in how they take the island, painful step by painful step. The military people here are not the stupid, gung ho types that often are portrayed in Hollywood films. They are much more down to earth and real. Regardless about your feelings about war and the cause of, you can't help but feel for all soldiers after seeing this film (and its companion Letters). The ending of this film is one of the more beautiful that I've seen. It flashes back to a rather simple scene that ends up being unexpectedly poignant.

Letters is equally extraordinary. Despite its depiction of war, it is a much quieter, serene, and moving film that Flags. It does touch on how soldiers are pawns in politicans' schemes like Flags, but this film concentrates almost exclusively on the Japanese soldiers themselves. Ken Watanabe gives a towering performance as the commander of the island, a vastly intelligent, articulate, caring man, who nevertheless does what he feels is his duty to his country, knowing very well that he will most likely be killed. Like Flags, we really get to know these soldiers like we were in the platoon ourselves, and aside from a few war speeches, Letters and Flags never feel like they are propaganda, gun-ho garbage that Hollywood and others have been known for putting out. Clint's direction is breathtakingly assured. When you take into account that Clint speaks no Japanese, and he directs a film almost exclusively in Japanese, it makes the film even more extraordinary to behold. There has only been a few films in history that have managed to do this, a film where a foreign director immerses himself so much in the culture that if you didn't know it was a foreign director directing the film, you'd swear it was a native of the country (Kurosawa's Dersu Uzala, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice are examples of this phenomenon).

Perhaps the best example of Clint's direction is in the following scene. One of the Japanese soldiers arrives at the island, and the other soldiers believe him to be a spy sent by the officers. He eventually tells them his story, and why he was sent to Iwo Jima. He was enforcing curfew in a local town with one of his officers, and they pass by one of the houses where a dog is barking rather loudly. The officer informs the soldier to take the dog inside the house, and shoot it. The soldier takes the dog into the house, and the family is horrified. The soldier shoots a bullet in the air, and tells the family to keep the dog quiet. The soldier then leaves the house, but the dog barks again. The officer becomes furious, and he goes into the house to shoot the dog. But you never see the dog being shot, you only hear the shot, and see the soldier's reaction (only the officer goes into the house). This makes the scene so powerful and sad. The soldier was sent to Iwo Jima because he let the dog live, and the officer was furious that the soldier disobeyed him. The way Clint films this scene is why it's so memorable. A lesser director would have shown the dog getting shot, with hand held shots and hysterical screaming. He would have tried to justify his decision by saying "it's more realistic", which it is, but there is no art, poetry, or intelligence in that. It's lame shock value, which will always lessen the dramatic impact of a scene.

This is a great set. It's worth picking up for the films alone. Kudos to Warner Brothers for funding this immensely ambitious project, and for Clint Eastwood for making it so memorable and moving....

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I always imagined that they would release these movies in one set. I believe that they are two of the best (and most emotional) WWII movies. I've read the discription and was pleased with the extras (I never previously bought Flags because there were absolutly no features to be found) and I hope they release them both on HD and Blu-Ray in one set. For those who have never seen these, Flags is a very poignant film but often felt stale in terms of flashbacks and characterization. However, Letters is easily the best and is one of my favorite war films of all time( along with Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Band of Brothers, and Full Metal Jacket). Together, these films make one of the greatest WWII experiences of all time. Plus, 39.99 for a 5-disc set ain't half bad!

Read Best Reviews of Flags of Our Fathers / Letters From Iwo Jima Here

This maybe the best War films out there back to back they give you a understanding of the times and captures the era perfectly I heard the NPR radio interview of Clint Estwood on the making of these two films so I had to buy it the violence is no worse than the Final Destination movies catigory the special effects are unbelieveable it looks and feels like the real news reels back then etc I like both films equally it is in color but the on the dark side during battle scenes Clint wanted this on purpose to tone down the gore and get the heroism across better it has a extra DVD of Vintage 1944 Imo Jima American Color film too with interviews of recent survivors and family telling stories and about the famous flag raising picture on Imo after seeing these films you wonder how anyone survived this battle Clint did a very good job getting the story across without judgement of either side in this conflict I have to admit I was a little timid buy this collection because of the persumed war violence I thought was in it but it's not worse than Saving Privite Ryan I guess don't be scared of these two films on that levelall wars are the same amount violence and gore discribed in these kind of films buy it you won't be sorry

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With the magnificent double feature of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, producer/director Clint Eastwood has given viewers the greatest Memorial Day homage in movie history. I am reviewing a monumental five-disk set that needs to begin with disk five. It includes a brilliant 95 minute History Channel documentary, narrated by Gene Hackman, on America's battle in February 1945 to take Iwo Jima; and also includes an Oscar-nominated Technicolor short from 1945 called TO THE SHORE OF IWO JIMA. Do watch this first in an evening so that you have essential background for the main course Eastwood two-to-four night double bill.

Next watch the bonuses to LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA so that you can appreciate an American filmmaker who does not know Japanese making a subtitled Japanese-language war movie about the taking of this small Japanese island in the South Pacific. The cast for LETTERS is all Japanese and completely unknown to me, except for Ken Watanabe as a General. It is a relentlessly grim war film, filmed on Iwo Jima and on various Southern California locations, including military bases. The late Henry Bumstead's production design (with James Murakami) of snaking tunnels all over the island are a wonder, and Eastwood with cinematographer Tom Stern have conceived the movie in bleached out color that is almost black-and-white. The only real color are flame throwers. The Japanese believe in ceremony in life and honor in death; nothing is more glorious for them than to die heroically in a war for the glory of Japan, which is a philosophy that revulses me. So a 140 minute Japanese film with soldiers blowing themselves up or shooting themselves rather than be captured is a bit of a turn-off for me. But Eastwood handles it all flawlessly, helped by Iris Yamashita's poignant script. And subtitles are mercifully full-sized below the letterboxed CinemaScope picture.

The bonuses for LETTERS are a filmmaking documentary called RED SUN, BLACK SAND (working title for the movie), meeting the Japanese actors and their characters, and attending a world premiere and a press conference one day apart in November 2006. Seen first, these featurettes provide valuable background material for the movie.

I vastly prefer the curiously underrated FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, which has the American point of view on Iwo Jima for 132 minutes. Only about 1/3 of it has war footage (largely filmed in Iceland); the other 2/3 is stateside after the war going all the way up to the present day. The stunning movie perceptively explores the concept of what makes a hero, with Iwo Jima survivors treated as manufactured heroes in 1945-1980 Anerica to be interviewed and sell war bonds. But for these so-called heroes, the true heroes are those men who lie dead back on Iwo. (We flashback to the three survivors on a podium remembering the battle to take Iwo. Joel Cox is the superb editor.) I was often reminded of Philip Kaufman's THE RIGHT STUFF (1982). FLAGS is flawlessly designed by Henry Bumstead (his last credit before he died at age 90), hauntingly scored by Clint Eastwood and his son Kyle (that evocative forlorn trumpet and the strident piano!), wonderfully written and edited out of sequence (with old men recalling a battle half a century earlier to young reporters), takes us up to a Iwo monument dedication around 1990, and also is shot in ghostly monochromatic bleached-out colors by Tom Stern. FLAGS is a true film masterpiece--and again with a mostly unknown American cast. Eastwood and fellow producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz can be very proud of their double feature triumph that does justice to two very different cultures re: war. It is the ultimate two-sided Memorial Day weekend movie experience. LETTERS, in particular, helps us understand a foreign culture and a thousand World War Two movies with "the Japs" as the enemy.

The bonuses for FLAGS should also, like LETTERS, be watched before that film. They are 105 minutes total, including an introduction by Clint Eastwood, a featurette on the six brave men who survived Iwo (or at least the flag raising), The Making of an Epic, Raising the Flag, Looking Back Into the Past, writing the screenplay (by William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis), the visual effects, and the theatrical trailer. What a towering feat Eastwood, Spielberg, and Lorenz have done here as producers and director. Everyone must have felt the importance of the dual film concept, given their all, and created two towering masterpieces that will endure as long as movies do. Bravo to all!

Amazing Ocean (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray)

If you have viewed Imax:Deep sea 3d or Imax undersea adventures than this movie is hardly going to do anything more for you than either of those other two films have done, you definately are not going to find that scene that makes you feel like your purchase was worth it.

With Imax Deep sea you had multitudes of scenes where the 3d depth wasnt only great but those occasional Pop Out scenes that made you say OMG! that was cool... not to mention the audio quality of that film paired by entertaining narration made it worth every penny.

With Undersea we had one of the most significant 3d pop out scenes ever, the one scene alone made it worth owning the entire disc.

Unfortunately this release was kinda flat to me, it had some okay 3d depth but nothing near what the other underwater films have brought to 3d, the pop out was very limited as the only things that appeared to pop out were the fish left in 2d as they were closest to the front, but this is more because of the added 3d depth in the background and not because they were made to appear popped out. The only genuine pop out effect was the fishes poop and other particles floating in the water throughout the film I literally waved my hand in my face a few times cause It was like having a nat/fly/misquito near your eye which is more of an annoyance.

To make matters worse the audio in this is almost entirely boring as for the better part of the film it has some bubbles new age sounding music/ambience playing and could easily make one ready for bedtime. The pacing of the film is equally dreadful having the narrator talking about clownfish than changing subject then okay were back to clownfish again. the film paced itself terribly as it randomly changed subjects and just felt forced almost as if the narrator had a gun pointed to his head and he was being forced to speak.

The film isnt entirely bad but it definately lacks what others have brought to us in the past, nothing that makes it a must have can be found here whatsoever, The only thing it managed to do was be crisp and free of ghosting with exception for one small scene showing black clown fish the white stripe did create some ghosting but it was miniscule and easily overlooked to the normal viewer. So the only thing this film did better than any other in its underwater documentary category was its lack of ghosting but then again it took no risk and came out flat overall.

Literally the best 3d effect I have ever seen anywhere! Good narrator and there are a lot of cool pop out effects and amazing depth! Excellent!!!! The only problem with this movie is it will make you wonder why can't every other 3d bluray use this amazingly technology so well. i like!

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Fantastic 3D effects, thought that the fish and plantlife were coming into my lounge. highly recommended and excellant value for money.

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Both movies were fun to watch in 3D but IMAX had better music and narrative. This type of movie really makes 3D worth having.

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the cover is the best from this blu-ray. the 3d effects are not good and the light is very, very bad.

imax-3d movies are much better then this amateur movie.

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Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1991)

Pulp entertainment of the highest order, "The Silence of The Lambs" is terrific filmmaking. Entertaining, suspenseful and more than a bit hokey (albeit in just the right places), "Silence" at its core is a "B" movie thriller given an "A"-level film treatment. Fine direction, a crackling plot, iconic characterizations, perfect casting and superlative performances all adds up to a five-star film (out of five) that is worth owning for any self-respecting horror/suspense fan. Unfortunately, MGM's "Silence" Blu-Ray debut is sure to disappoint, as it looks strikingly similar to a finely upconverted DVD, albeit one with heavy doses of grain throughout. Yes, sharpness is slightly improved, but it's only really noticeable in a handful of scenes, and the difference is hardly impressive; the same can be said for the Blu-Ray's blacks and slightly-improved colors.

Some are attributing this to the MPEG-2 encoding, but really the problem lies with the film master source, which really needs a better clean-up. Another contributing factor is the cinematography and lighting of the film, which just doesn't lend itself all that well to hi-def. The underwhelming DTS-HD 5.1 audio fares no better, again probably due to the limitations of the original audio source; the overall sound is flat with the rear channels and sub-woofer barely used, if at all. To top things off, this Blu-Ray release includes most, but not all, of the extras found on the previous DVD releases, meaning if you're a hardcore "Silence" fan, you'll want to to hang on to your old DVD(s). Of course, the Blu-Ray edition does currently offer the best visual and audio presentation of this film, but the difference is decidedly unimpressive and contains far greater film grain than any of the previous DVD incarnations, to boot.

As a side note, I want to state that I have no problem with film grain per say, and will always take the naturally grainy-albeit-sharp look of film over a waxy-looking DNR "remastering" any day of the week. Yet, when the only appreciable gain of a Blu-ray upgrade over its (1080P upconverted) DVD counterpart is a barely perceptible upgrade in sharpness, slightly stronger colors and heavier doses of grain (stemming from a combination of a worn master, mediocre re-mastering, digital noise and the type of film stock originally used for shooting the film), then I say stick with the DVD, as the trade-off simply isn't worth it.

Regarding special features, while the majority of the bonus features included on the Blu-Ray are simply ported over from the 2007 DVD release, the Blu-Ray does contain one exclusive: a picture-in-picture commentary / trivia track called "Breaking The Silence", which has factoids mixed in with occasional snippets of new interviews from Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Anthony Hopkins, and screenwriter Ted Tally. Unfortunately, it sounds cooler than it really is; while the interview snippets are pretty good, there is no making-of footage of any kind included in the PIP, and the factoids mostly contain information that is recycled from earlier (more compelling) bonus features. Also, there are annoyingly long stretches throughout the film in which the PIP track simply disappears. Overall, a mediocre exclusive bonus feature at best, and decidedly inferior to Criterion's audio commentary track (or the previously made making-of docs, for that matter).

So, for those who DO NOT OWN any DVD edition of "Silence of The Lambs", this is what it boils down to:

The Blu-Ray is currently reasonably priced here on Amazon.com and (depending on your tolerance for film grain) is therefore worth picking up;

For hardcore "Silence" fans, they should seek out both the Blu-Ray AND the Criterion DVD, as the Criterion disc contains special features that are not contained in any other edition of this film on home video, particularly an outstanding (and exclusive) audio commentary track that includes Foster, Hopkins and director Johnathan Demme. As I type this, it's still the overall best making-of feature made for "Silence", IMO.

Be advised that the Criterion DVD has the weakest visual presentation of the various DVD releases, as the picture on that disc is in non-anamorphic widescreen, which is why I recommend the Criterion version to Criterion collectors and hard-core "Silence" fans only;

For the price conscious, the 2001 "Special Edition" DVD can be had for under $5.00, has good (anamorphically-enhanced) video and (5.1 Dolby Digital) audio, and a nice set of special features, including the same hour-long making-of doc ("Inside the Labyrinth") that is included in both the Blu-Ray and 2007 DVD edition; although it lacks interviews from Foster and Demme, it's probably the best making-of feature that's been produced for "Silence", outside of the superior Criterion audio commentary.

As for those who ALREADY OWN "Silence of The Lambs" in either the 2001 or 2007 DVD incarnations, there really is no compelling reason to upgrade to the Blu-Ray edition, unless you can get this on the cheap, or are an obsessive-compulsive Hi-Def completest with money to burn. The fact is, both the 2001 and 2007 DVD editions contain respectable audio and visuals that competently represent the original look of the film (although the 2001 "Special Edition" DVD release has a slightly greener hue to its video transfer, while the 2007 transfer has a slightly redder hue) and both editions look perfectly fine upconverted via 1080P. Never mind the naysayers who hate DVD upconversions, as there are some of us who can settle for "good enough" with certain films and save our hard-earned cash for far worthier hi-def material.

If you really love "The Silence of the Lambs", then this is the best edition you could find (though, nowadays it's also the only one you can find).

I have seen every DVD release of this film, though sadly I wasn't old enough to see it when it first came out. Nevertheless, MGM and 20th Century Fox have really outdone themselves:

1. Criterion

The Criterion Collection has always been a trusted source of films for me, and their initial release of this film was decent but lacking with special features, plus the video quality was somewhat scratchy. Still, couldn't beat that commentary track.

2. 2001 MGM

The MGM Speical Edition was pretty nice to promote the theatrical release of Hannibal, with a slew of documentaries and interviews that gave a lot of information of the Silence. No commentary track, but a nice new 5.1 surround mix and a much needed clean-up of the faded picture made the greens rich and the reds blood red.

3. 2007 MGM/20th Century Fox

This new 2-disc set offers the same anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer as was the 2001 release and it still has all of the same documentaries, but this release adds some more features that give even more information about how the film was made and the contoversy afterward. That, and the package art is absolutely delicious. Speaking of which, just behind the inside cover booklet is a tasty treat that invokes both sick humor and helpful tips about "cooking"

Bottom line, if you've never seen this film before then I highly recommend it...that is if you have a strong stomach. It's a brilliant story about good and evil and how dark some people can really be. If you already have all of the previous releases, check this one out too, it's worth the double-dipping into your wallet. The best reason to get this are the added bonus features, but if you really love this film like I do then you'll find it's a great addition to your DVD library.

Buy Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1991) Now

This review refers to the Special Edition(Widescreen) 2001 MGM release of Silence of the Lambs.......

Want to be scared out of your wits??This film will do that for you! Want to see it on an outstanding DVD. This one is top quality!

This film was probably the scariest ever to win the Best Picture(1991) Oscar. I don't think it was the most violent though, that honor most certainly goes to Braveheart. But Silence is just not a good scarey story.It's much more than that. It's an excellent film in all respects. Expert Direction by Jonathan Demme(recieving Best Director) and Cinematography by Tak Fujimoto really is what set this film apart from the others. The stars, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster(also both oscar winners for their performances), Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Brook Smith, and Anthony Heald, all were expert in their craft at making these characters either scare us or empathize with them.

For those who by chance have not seen it, here's a little taste of what were treated to. Clarice Starling is an agent in training with the F.B.I. She is bright,pretty and has a way of knowing how to handle people. She is sent out on an "errand" of sorts. To interview a serial killer, known as "Hannibal the Cannibal". He was an esteemed brillant psychiatrist and seems to be able to look into peoples souls. He may be able to help in supplying information to help catch another very demented serial killer nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" because of his desire to skin his victims.

Hannibal takes a shine to Agt. Starling and will help her, but he wants something from her. For his own demented reasons, he wants to hear the details of her life, and as they exchange information, she is then forced to deal with the memories that have plagued her throughout her life. He provides her with clues to who the killer on the loose might be and she goes after him , providing us with some very tense,hide your eyes, nail biting situations.Does she have the will to take on this psychopath as well as her own demons? And don't forget about Hannibal, the story wouldn't be complete, without showing us what atrocities he's capable of.

This dark psychological thriller will stay with you for a long time. It has an effect that really makes you think about it for quite a while. This film was released in Feb of 1991 and still was well remebered at Oscar Nomination time. That's not something you see to often.

Altough not the more expensive editon,I was not only thrilled by this film, but also with this top quality transfer to the MGM DVD. The picture in the anamorphic widescreen presentation(There is another edition in full screen if you prefer) was beautiful. Colors and clarity excellent,even in the darker scenes. The 5.1 Surround sound is terrific. You can hear everything. I even heard what "Multilple Miggs" in the cell next to Hannibal's was saying, and I never heard that on my tape(that wore out). The Music by Howard Shore sounds great and is always there but unobtrusive to the intenseness of the story. There are some really great "extras". There are documentaries including one with lots of commentary by the stars and all the crew,lots of deleted scenes,photo gallery, trailers, and more. It can be watched in French or Spanish and there are also subtitles for those who may need them.

This is a great addition to your DVD collection and for the price you can't go wrong.

So "have a friend for dinner" and enjoy this together....Laurie

Read Best Reviews of Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1991) Here

The new anamorphic transfer on the new MGM/UA Silence of the Lambs DVD is much improved from the Criterion DVD edition, and also noticeable better than the Image DVD version. The picture looks sharp and clean; colors achieve a right balance between being bright in some scenes and subdued in others; black levels are accurately reproduced, a crucial aspect since many scenes take place in the dark. The new Dolby Digital 5.1 track is not state of the art, but definitely a great improvement from the 2.0 mix on earlier DVDs. The much sought-after Criterion DVD edition is, in my opinion, terribly overrated. Its pinkish picture quality is poor, its Dolby Surround sound is [bad], its text material about serial killers can be easily looked up on the Internet, its collection of deleted scenes have unwatchable video quality. Its only worthwhile material is the outstanding audio commentary, but that is not something you want to pay through your nose for now that the DVD is out of print.

The Criterion DVD has seven deleted scenes in poor video quality. The MGM disc has 22, including all from the Criterion disc, albeit some are in truncated form. And they all look and sound much better. Some of the deleted scenes that are not on the Criterion disc are quite startling. One of them is a dramatic shot of Lector, close to tears, speaking to the camera about Buffalo Bill's sickness and, via special effects, the prison wall MOVING towards him. Another deleted scene is Lector's offscreen murder of the ambulance driver -we see a long shot of the ambulance swerving off the road, ending with a closeup of Lector in the driver seat wiping blood from his face, laughing. The MGM disc also has 2 documentaries not on the Criterion disc -a superficial 10-minute featurette made in '91, and an engaging 1-hour retrospective made for this DVD. Hopkins is the only one interviewed in both. The 1-hour feature has a well-rounded coverage about the making of the film, including production design, costuming, special effects (those moths were "dressed up" since real ones couldn't be obtained), sound design, and of course the various themes of the story. It's too bad Howard Shore's superlative, Oscar-deprived music score is barely mentioned in either documentary. The 1-hour feature also does not overlook the fact that the film was once accused of being gay-bashing. And actor Ted Levine gives a thoughtfully-put analysis of his character, concluding that Jame Gumb is not really gay, but only has fantasies about being that. There are also a theatrical trailer and ten TV spots, one of them reveals something I hadn't noticed before -the skull figure on the moth is actually made up of figures of naked women. Look closely on the skull figure on the cover of the DVD case.

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Okay, Silence of the Lambs, a great movie blah blah blah. This review is about the features and lack thereof on the criterion release.

First the commentary is very good. They mix five different people onto one track. Personally I would prefer a few independant tracks as was done on (for example) the Contact DVD but it's still is an interesting commentary. The deleted Scenes are interesting and is a feature I would like to see more of on DVDs. The image quality is great; I can't imagine anyone having any complaints about that. Finally, the Documentary material on the disk is interesting but don't get too excited about it it's nothing you couldn't find on the internet with about 15 seconds worth of effort.

Now about the two features the disk is lacking which I think are serious short comings: No Subtitles and no Trailer. That a criterion release is missing these two features REALLY surprises me since they usually put a lot of effort into making a quality release. I hope this was just an oversight on Criterion's part and they won't make the same mistake in the future.

Teen Wolf (1985)

1985: The days when Back to the Future and Breakfast Club were hitting the big time, When Katrina and the Waves hit it big with 'Walking on Sunshine and David Lee Roth left Van Halen for a solo career, this was also when those Toyota 4x4's were hitting the big time.

Anyways, this movie is about Scott Howard, your basic average high school teen. Anyways, Scott also plays basketball on the basketball team, but the team isn't doing very well, well things are about to change when Scott turns into a werewolf, since I'm not going to tell you more about this movie because I don't want to give out the information right away and if you're in the mood for a classic 80's teen flick, I would recommend Teen Wolf and the movie is clean compared to those other teen flicks.

Plus the music on this movie is a big plus, I just wish that they would have the soundtrack to this movie, anybody know where I can find it?

This is not the first time I have watched this movie, but it is an old time favorite of mine. My husband and I could not believe the excellent quality and how much of a difference HD made versus regular DVD.

Buy Teen Wolf (1985) Now

There are not that many movies like this anymore. It has a great storyline, can cater to anyone who feels like they're out of place, or alone in life. It's about time it came out on Blu-Ray too, what would be even better than that is if they fixed up the voice dubbing in certain scenes, and put extra scenes back in that were in the US TV Version. Even get Michael J. Fox himself, to make an Audio Commentary on the film. And also some featurettes on the making of the film. But i am very happy that a Timeless Classic has made its way home to Blu-Ray.

Read Best Reviews of Teen Wolf (1985) Here

This is a good movie. Michael J Fox was in this just after he was in the first Back to the Future movie. He plays a high school kid who winds up getting more problems than he needs-at first-and of course other ones later. You should see it.

Want Teen Wolf (1985) Discount?

From 1985 comes the classic coming-of-age comedy, TEEN WOLF, starring Michael J. Fox! As if homework weren't already hard enough, high school loser Scott Howard starts noticing some odd changes as he is transformed into a teenage werewolf. His enhanced abilities and scary new look quickly make him a star on the court and the most popular kid in school, but as Scott begins to lose himself in "the animal," he must learn that with great power comes great responsibility. Michael J. Fox gives another entertaining performance as Scott Howard, whose shy apprehension prior to his literal and figurative transformation makes him a lovable dork. TEEN WOLF is clearly a product of its time, following strict standards that have been set forth by other teen comedies of the era. Memorable moments like Scott's trip to the liquor store and the van surfing scene have made this a fan favorite for decades, however, and for good reason. Despite the obvious 1980's cliches, the humor is well-written, the lines are perfectly delivered, and the monster make-up used to turn Fox into the wolf couldn't be more suitable to add a soft horror edge. It's time to take a trip back and rewatch TEEN WOLF today!

-Carl Manes

I Like Horror Movies

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Day of the Dead (1985)

The third--and possibly the final--entry in George Romero's DEAD series, 1985's DAY OF THE DEAD was initially panned by both critics and horror fans. Many complained that, in spite of the much improved special FX, the film did not live up to the creepiness and the literacy of the groundbreaking first film of the trilogy, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), nor was its content equal to the offbeat humor and satirical subtext of the second film, DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978). Thus, it was simply written off as another exercise in shock value. But in the time that has passed since the initial release of DAY OF THE DEAD, many fans and critics alike have grown to regard the film as a worthy entry in the series, with many claiming it has become their favorite of the three.

DAY OF THE DEAD is a claustrophobic character study set almost entirely in a secured underground military bunker. The story picks up some months after the end of DAWN OF THE DEAD, with the earth now nearly overrun by the flesh-eating corpses (one character estimates that the zombies outnumber the "normals" by circa 400,000 to 1). Military personnel have been assigned to the bunker with orders to protect and assist the group of scientists there who are experimenting on zombies in order to find a "solution" for the pandemic. However, much time has passed already with few results, and the assignment is taking its toll on the soldiers. When the Major in charge of the unit dies, the next in rank, an unbalanced Captain named Rhodes, takes over the project with the intention of shutting it all down and bugging out. The scientists resist, of course, as do the few civilians under the scientists' employ, and the resulting strife just might result in the annihilation of these last vestiges of the human race.

Contrary to initial criticism of DAY OF THE DEAD, the film's characterization is strong, literate, and fairly unidealistic, and the matter-of-fact socio-political subtext of the plot--though it might be a somewhat cliché SF theme--is actually a quite believable, hard-boiled reflection of the real-world tension between science and the military. And, yes, there is something for the gore hounds, too. Romero's long-time FX man, Tom Savini, does some of his most sophisticated work in DAY OF THE DEAD, with some of the most shocking grotesqueries saved for the final reel.

The performances in DAY OF THE DEAD are actually some of the best in the three-film series. Lori Cardille's emotive portrayal of the hard-as-nails heroine--a scientist named Sarah, who is the only woman in the enclave of "normals"--is fantastic, and Joseph Pilato creates a truly frightening portrait of a draconian martial megalomaniac. Richard Liberty is also delightful as Dr. Logan, the "mad" scientist whose experiments on the zombies are so extremely over the edge that the soldiers have nicknamed him "Frankenstein." Actor Terry Alexander delivers a standout performance as John, a civilian helicopter pilot who is also a pacifist and therefore avoids assisting the military half of their troupe as much as possible. And equally outstanding is Sherman Howard's (a.k.a. Howard Sherman) warm and sympathetic characterization of Bub, a benign zombie that Dr. Logan has "domesticated."

In short, DAY OF THE DEAD makes a worthy finale to Romero's bellwether DEAD series, despite its initial rejection by fans and critics. The socio-political subtext, while not overly subtle, is interesting and realistic, as are the characters in the film. And DAY OF THE DEAD offers up lots of cool make-up FX for the gore freaks in the audience.

The two-disc Divimax Special-Edition DVD from Anchor Bay is a must-own for Romero fans. It offers a beautifully crisp and clean digital transfer of the film--of even better quality than Anchor Bay's previous release--with two great optional feature commentaries (one that includes Romero, Savini, and actress Lori Cardille). The second disc is chock-full of other goodies, including an all new 39-minute documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew about the making of the film, a behind-the-scenes featurette, tons of trailers and TV spots, artwork galleries, and much more! Definitely worth the price of admission.

A fine horror film in its own right, but it suffers in comparison to "Dawn of the Dead". Where "Dawn" thematically succeeds on its criticism of consumerism, it's hard to find where "Day" fits in the trilogy. And George Romero himself has stated that this was only a shadow of the original "dead" grand finale he envisioned. But the good news is that maybe we'll see a another sequel some day? It's time...the world needs another Zombie film!

But no matter...it's creepy, apocalyptic nightmare that probes a primal fear, i.e. being eaten. It's quite well-acted (in a yelling and screaming sort of way) in spite of its other shortcomings. Lori Cardille and Jarlath Conroy stand out; too bad they haven't done more film work (both are very active in indie/theater work). Josef Pilato has gone on to character roles, including Dean Martin in "Pulp Fiction".

One note regarding the special effects...they're *really* disturbing, especially Sarah's field surgery upon Miguel. But people don't pull apart or break quite so easily.

It's well worth seeing. If you can still find it, buy it. The extras (including a home video "making of" documentary) are compelling.

Buy Day of the Dead (1985) Now

Day of the Dead, thanks to its tumultuous production history (Romero's original script had to be drastically rewritten because of budgetary constraints), falls short of the tremendous heights that Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead reached. However, ranked alongside many other '80s horror films, Day of the Dead actually holds up remarkably, looking fresh and smart, and the writing hasn't dated all that much. It is still a very effective post-apocalyptic vision that the film offers, whose ideological complexity can match modern works like The Matrix.

The acting is weaker than in Dawn of the Dead -Joe Pilato takes the most obvious route by playing Rhodes as a megalomaniacal villain, right down to his extremely conscious enunciation of his lines, which actually detracts from the effectiveness of the character. (In Night of the Living Dead, for example, the character of Cooper had added power because we understand his fear) Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander and Jarlath Conroy are quite good, however, and Tom Savini's special effects are convincing as always, this time enhanced by Michael Gornick's dark cinematography. Visually the film creates its own niche, just as Night of the Living Dead had its stark black-and-white, low-budget, high-contrast look and Dawn of the Dead went for a garish, exaggerated colour which is almost uncinematic, alluding to comic books and paintings.

One can't help but feel that the true Living Dead series (the Return of the Living Dead series, for the record, has nothing to do with Romero and his original vision, or even the tone of the true Living Dead films) could have used an even bigger closing statement - the ending of Day of the Dead feels slapped together and a cheap cop-out. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that this is still horror filmmaking by a master of the genre.

The DVD edition includes a documentary which, though interesting (a 1985 behind-the-scenes doc!), leaves out much that is important -nothing on the preproduction of the film; no intimate looks at any of the stars and major above-the-line crew (Joe Pilato is the only one we get close to -no Romero, no Cardille, no Alexander or Conroy, no Gornick). For a better look behind the scenes, hunt for the deleted book The Zombies That Ate Pittsburgh or one of Savini's memoirs.

Read Best Reviews of Day of the Dead (1985) Here

George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD proves once and for all that when it comes to making horror movies about the dead coming back to life and chowing down on the living, Romero is the best there is. Hell, DAY OF THE DEAD makes all other zombie movies, especially Lucio Fulci's excellent zombie movies, look like child's play. My favorite character was Bub, played to perfection by Howard Sherman; his moments, including his discovery of Beethoven, are the best moments in the whole movie. Isn't that interesting, having a zombie as my favorite character in a zombie movie? Yet that makes sense considering most of the other characters in the film; however, Joe Pilato was great as Captain Rhodes, and the late Richard Liberty stole it as Dr. "Frankenstein" Logan. I also liked John the Jamaican helicopter pilot, played by Terry Alexander, who is the most sympathetic human character; his speech to Sarah (Lori Cardille, daughter of the reporter in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, Chilly Billy) about the zombie situation is the most intelligent moment in any horror movie. Gary Klar also steals the show with his performance as nasty Private Steel.

Ah, but the gore in DAY OF THE DEAD is the real meat of this grue sandwich here! Tom Savini really poured himself into the effects (along with Greg Nicotero, who appears in the film as Johnson), and it shows. The scenes involving intestines sliding out onto the floor are guaranteed to upset your stomach. I really can't say enough about the climax that hasn't been already expressed; simply put, it's the greatest instance of gore ever filmed in movie history! Truly disturbing what happens to those unfortunate to cross paths with these zombies; it all makes Fulci look like Walt Disney! Savini won a well-deserved Saturn Award for his effects on DAY OF THE DEAD, the culmination of his awesome makeup effects work in all those splatter films he did in the late '70s and early '80s!

Anyway, this 2-disc set rocks! Stunning picture quality, like it was filmed yesterday! The extras are really awesome, especially the documentary "The Many Days Of DAY OF THE DEAD" featuring interviews with Romero, Savini, Nicotero, Cardille, Sherman, Pilato, production designer Cletus Anderson, assistant director Chris Romero (George's wife), and co-producer David Ball; their anecdotes on the production are really interesting and informative. There's also 2 commentaries, one with Romero, Savini, Anderson, and Cardille, and the other with director and Romero fan Roger Avary; a radio interview with Richard Liberty (shortly before his death in 2000); behind-the-scenes gore footage; photo gallery; trailers; and TV-spots. Oh, and I love the little booklet that looks like a legal pad with notes by Dr. Logan which contains liner notes from Michael Felsher on his view of DAY OF THE DEAD. A groundbreaking yet underrated horror movie whose reputation is steadily increasing, DAY OF THE DEAD is a definite must-watch!

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Of all Zombie movies, I liked this one the best for it's grim portrayel of a world gone mad and over run by blood thirsty rotting corpses. I think the sub-plot/story of this film is based apon our current prison system if zombies=criminals. The underground shelter has become what is left of society, or at least what these solitary survivors percieve as the last fragment of society. They keep several zombies in a corral, like cattle or a prison of sorts if you will for the zombies (criminals) every day more and more of the zombies are captured and put into this prison. Let's say that Dr.Logan (Frankenstein) is a bleeding heart liberalist with an idea to rehabillitate the zombies, he thinks they can be 'tamed' or domesticated. He knows that with the zombie population at 125,000 to every one human that the war against them is futile. I think this represents a huge problem with the prison system, the war against criminals will never end, every time you imprison one there is always one or tow more to take their place, and theres definately not enough room for them all, and many prisoners today are serving long pointless sentences for non-violent crimes and some are in for minor crimes. Many of these people could be rehabillitated and turned back into society as useful members of society. Nobody wants to pay for this rehabillitation however so we lock them in a room for several years hoping when they are released they will be so afraid of returning to jail they wont re-offend. However this is not the case as after release from prison they are not rehabillitated for their crimes and will most likely re-offend. Lets say Sarah and her Lab Partner are open minded yet sceptical as Logans theories are quite sound but they do not have the time and the resources to go along with his plan. THe government doesnt even want to imprison them at all, the government represented by Cpt.Rhodes and his militia. They want them to simply drop dead or execute them all, but as said before they are hopelessly outnumbered. Much like the government they desire a quick cheap easy safe way for the problem to be solved which is insane as it is not realistic.

The whirlybird pilot and radio-man could care less either way, however they dream of a peaceful utopia away from the problem to start civilization all over again from scratch. By their philosophy theyd just rather ignore the problem at large. But if they're not part of the solution they're part of the problem. I think Dr.Logan was on to something briliant when he tamed 'Bub' and taught him how to use a pistol...Dr.Logan quite possibly could have, given the time he needed, tamed and trained several zombies, armed them with fire-arms (or other weapons) and sent them out to kill other zombies. They'd have no opposition as the other zombies would never have seen them as a threat.

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