Cinderella(Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (Spanish Version) (1977)

I looked forward to this DVD release for months and snagged a copy the first day it was available. My excitement turned to dismay, however, as I began to watch it. From the moment the birds open the curtains to reveal Cinderella in her bed, it became painfully obvious that Disney truly had "enhanced" the picture to within an inch of its life. Instead of restoring this beloved classic film, the images have been changed; this is NOT Cinderella as she was first seen in 1950. Just to make sure I wasn't mistaken, I did a comparison between my parents VHS tape (the original video release) and the DVD. True, the picture on the DVD was much sharper and the sound was crystal clear, but Cinderella's hair was NEVER that color of yellow, and lines that were part of the original animators drawings, faithfully inked and painted onto the original cells, are no longer visible. For instance, right at the beginning of the film, when Cinderella turns over in her bed to shut out the sun, there were originally clearly drawn/inked lines in her blanket to show the drapery of the fabric. Those lines, obvious in the VHS version, are now only visible if you zoom in on them. Similar editorial decisions on the part of the DVD authors are evident throughout the film, though they decrease in frequency as the film progresses. It could be said these changes don't matter much, but they truly affect the look of the film. I often found myself thinking it looked like a Scooby-Doo cartoon, a far cry from any Disney classic. Although I understand that Disney owns this intellectual property in the legal sense, I don't understand why the've chosen to disrespect that very property, especially in light of their excellent work on Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Bambi, etc. Hopefully, this is an anomaly and Disney won't continue to offer us disfigured films.

In an effort to revive his sagging animation department, Walt Disney turned once again to a fairy tale. This time around, he chose one of the best known and oldest of them all, Cinderella.

The tale is familiar. A beautiful girl is abused by her stepmother and stepsisters and forced to work as their slave. When a ball is given for all the eligible maidens in the kingdom, Cinderella dreams of going too, only to have her hopes dashed at the last minute. With a gift of magic, she is able to go, but only until the stroke of midnight.

The story is so well known, if fact, that any story about an underdog coming from behind and winning is called a Cinderella story. Disney's job here was to make the story entertaining for 75 minutes. The solution here was creating the animals. Mice Jaq and Gus and their constant struggle against the evil cat Lucifer is funny and tying this sub-plot to the ultimate outcome is brilliant. The other standout character is the stepmother who is frighteningly evil with no super powers.

As with any Disney movie, this one also has great songs. Arguably the best known is "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo." Right behind it is "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes." My favorite, however, is the often overlooked love song "So This is Love."

While not the best release in the Platinum series, it still stacks up well. The movie has been restored, and it looks great to me. I'm not a nitpicker, but I can't find any problems with the full frame picture, the original aspect ratio. There is an enhanced 5.1 home theater mix, which doesn't seem quite as impressive as some other releases. It seems more like the sound coming equally from all speakers. Of course, given the age of the film, there probably isn't much more they could do. For purists, there is an original soundtrack on the disc as well.

The extras in this set seem to be split between content for kids and adults, with the kids winning. Disc one includes a new version of "A Dream is a Wish" with the stars of several Disney Channel series. It also has several "Cinderella stories" in sports moments, a weird feature to me. Disc two includes several features about living like a princess.

Also on disc two are the bonus features adult fans of this movie will want to watch. There are two "deleted scenes," which are really abandoned songs with the storyboards created for them. In edition there are more abandoned songs with no storyboards on here. It's pretty interesting watching how various ideas went from one form to another before finally making it into the movie. Other extras include a thirty-eight minute documentary about the creation of the show, including achieved interviews with the animators behind the show. We are also treated to an overview of how the movie progressed over the years it was in development, a tribute to the "Nine Old Men," Disney's "Laugh-O-Gram" version of the story from 1922, and radio promotion from the time. I was thrilled to see trailers from the movie's multiple releases here. Unfortunately, there is no commentary in sight.

This Platinum DVD release means that all of Disney's animated movies have been put on DVD at some point in the last few years. While the Platinum series isn't quite as nice for adult fans as they used to be, this is still a release that fans of the movie will want to pick up.

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There are two well known versions of Cinderella, the French version and the German Brothers Grimm. Disney and Rodgers & Hammerstein used the more family friendly French version and Sondheim & Lapine used the more grisly Brothers Grimm.

The story is very simple. A young girl's father remarries to vain and cruel woman with two daughters of her own. Her father dies and the stepmother turns Cinderella into a servant.

The King wants his only child, the Prince to marry. So he holds a ball with all the eligible maidens. The evil stepmother and her two daughters attend but make sure that Cinderella does not. Come to the rescue Fairy Godmother. She does her magic and uses Cinderella's animal friend. The Prince sees Cinderella and instantly falls in love. But she has to leave before midnight and only leaves her glass slipper.

A search for true love begins!

This is a fun version of the fairy tale with the most violent villains of all three main versions of the story. This is still a great movie but if you want the best get the Leslie Ann Warren version of the Rogers & Hammerstein TV special.

DVD EXTRAS:

Disc One -

Cinderella Stories presented by ESPN Classic: Joe Namath host 10 sports "Cinderella Stories" from teams like NY Jets in Superbowl III and 1980 US Hockey Team to individuals like Lance Armstrong and Mia Hamm. You can watch all ten or just the ones that you want. These are superficial but can be inspirational for young kids. (Total running time 34 minutes)

Music & More Two music videos and a making of video (9 minutes total) A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes is done by Disney Channel stars and shows that with today's technology anyone can be made to sound alright. It also shows how you can take a great song and make it into drivel. This is followed by making of video. Every Girl Can be a Princess which uses clips from all the Disney "Princess" films. The song was written for a Princess album. It actually is very nice.

Disc Two -

Deleted Scenes Two deleted scenes and an introduction by Don Hahn (Producer of Beauty and the Beast. The Cinderella Work song is newly recorded and has the original storyboards. Dancing on a Cloud is the original recording with the original storyboards. (10 Minutes)

Music & More -

Cinderella & Perry Como: A 7 minute excerpt of his show promoting the film. Perry narrates with Ilene Woods (Cinderella) and the Fontaine Sisters as the mice singing the song live. The end is a jazz version of Bibbidy Boobity Boo by Perry, Ilene and the sisters this is great.

Cinderella Title Song: Original demo recording probably by the song writers (no storyboards). (2 minutes)

Unused Songs: 7 songs not used in the film audio only (17 minutes). Disney animated films always had unused songs. Usually, the scene that it is used in was cut but sometimes it just didn't advance the story and this was the number one rule of songs. They do not give singing credits on these.

Radio Programs: Three radio program excerpts promoting Ilene Woods (12 minutes) Village Store introduces Ilene as Disney's choice for Cinderella and she sings When You Wish Upon a Star. Gulf Oil Presents Ilene sings A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Scouting the Star with no singing.

Games & Activities -

House of Royalty: Three six minute vignettes on Look Live Act Like a Princess. These are for the youngsters only and they probably will not watch them more than once. Although Act Like a Princess has some tips everyone could use.

The Royal Life DVD ROM game in which you can point and click to make your dream castle, ball gown or bedroom.

Princess Pajama Jam A really silly 3 minute game on dancing like a princess. It would have been better if this lasted longer as a child's exercise program but it is really an advert for the Princess Party DVD.

Backstage Disney -

From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella Four featurettes totaling 39 minutes. This is actually an indepth look at not only the film but Disney and has interviews (from 1995) with the original animators. The section on the voice casting is really interesting as many of the voices were well known character actresses. It is really great.

The Cinderella That Almost Was: This is a 14 minute featurette on the genesis of the story from a Silly Symphony to various early incarnations that were never used. It is very interesting to see what didn't make it into the film.

From Walt's Table: A Tribute to Disney's Nine Old Men This is a 22 minute round table discussion with today's top animated film makers discussing the original nine animators. It is nice but nothing special.

The Art of Mary Blair A fifteen minute tribute to the artist who helped conceive the style of many Disney animated features.

Storyboard to Film Comparison: Opening Sequence A seven minute comparison of the film to the original story boards or live action reference shot. These are always fun to watch.

Cinderella Still Galleries Massive stills galleries from concept drawings to posters

1922 Laugh-o-Grams: Cinderella An early animated short based on Cinderella set in current times.

Excerpt from The Mickey Mouse Club with Helene Stanley (1955): A four minute sequence with live action model Helene Stanley.

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Stunning new 2-disc `Platinum Edition' of Disney's 1950 fairytale confection CINDERELLA. The story is as old as the hills: Cinderella is mistreated horribly by her cruel Stepmother and stepsisters Anastasia and Drisella. Her only friends are some pet mice, the birds and her faithful dog and horse. When the Prince invites all the eligible maidens in the land to his grand ball, Cinderella is heartbroken when her Stepmother forbids her to go. Enter the magical Fairy Godmother, who, with a little "Bibiddi Bobiddi Boo" magic, enables Cinderella to live out her happily-ever-after dream.

From a historical perspective, the Disney studio was pinning it's future on the success of CINDERELLA. World War II had virtually wiped out the studio's international market and films like PINOCCHIO, BAMBI and FANTASIA had lost a lot of money on their initial releases.

Disney has performed a complete restoration on the film, including an extensive frame-by-frame cleanup of the original camera negative and the result is eye-popping (almost alarmingly-so as every hint of speckle, dirt and debris has been removed). The film looks showroom-new and it's hard to believe the thing was actually made over 50 years ago. Likewise the soundtrack has been sweetened with Disney furnishing the film with an all-new "Enhanced Home Theatre" 5.1 mix. But purists need not worry, as the original mono soundtrack is also included.

There are some fantastic extras on Disc Two including an all-new `Making-Of' documentary which features recent interviews with Ilene Woods (voice of Cinderella), Mike Douglas (the Prince) and Lucille Bliss (Anastasia). "The Art of Mary Blair" is an invaluable look into the life of the revered Disney concept artist and designer; "The Cinderella That Almost Was" hosted by Don Hahn explores the scenes, songs and characters that were considered but eventually cut from the final film. "Disney's Nine Old Men" is a charming segment hosted by Joel Siegel which has the leading Disney animators of today remembering the trailblazers who created the classic Disney animated masterpieces.

There is also a charming clip from Perry Como's television show which publicised the film with a performance from Ilene Woods. A clip from "The Mickey Mouse Club" features Helene Stanley (the live-action reference model for the Cinderella character) enacting a scene with the help of the Mouseketeers. There are also extensive galleries, interactive games and DVD-ROM components.

There are however some needless (and downright questionable) extras like the ESPN Classic "Cinderella Stories" programme, which profiles sport celebrities and their rise to fame. Just what exactly does all this have to do with Disney's Cinderella? Plain boring old filler. That said, the rest of the package is outstanding. For Disney collectors and families everywhere, this is a must-own.

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Well, only a year to wait...

This two disc Platinum Edition will follow Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Aladdin and (Easter 2005) Bambi as Disney's jewels in their DVD crown when it is released next October.

Whilst seemingly forgetting how to produce a decent animated film lately, the folks at Disney sure know how to produce DVD packages. Expect deleted songs, artwork, games, docs, commentaries and much more!

Just avoid the embarassingly bad sequel.

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Once Upon a Time in America (2011)

Okay, a four hour gangster movie is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, especially when the pacing is absolutely glacial and DeNiro and Woods aren't on-screen for about half that time because of a childhood flashback that's longer than some full movies. But, if you take this movie on the terms director Sergio Leone sets, it's a richly rewarding cinemeatic experience. I've heard the film described as "an opium dream of a gangster movie" and the pacing seems to justify such a response. But it's slow and richly detailed, and a little odd at times, for very good reasons that pay off in spades by the film's emotionally titanic (though slightly anti-climactic} finale.

Despite what can seem like turgidness on first viewing, this film is likely to stick to your ribs and merit repeat screenings. DeNiro smolders throughout, while James Woods delivers a teriffic scenery-chewing performance. The story is friendship (and betrayal, of course)--or is it Romulus and Remus? Greek tragedy, perhaps? Godfather parts 1 and 2 rolled into one film? Yes, and more. And viewers familliar with Leone only through his spagetti westerns are in for a surprise: Leone is a world-class film-maker here, capable of stunning beauty and cruelty, often within the same frame.

Does it really need to be this slow? Does the flashback to childhood need to be almost and hour and a half long (don't worry--it's absorbing enough in its own right to keep you from noticing)? Does the the chronology need to be so screwy? Does that darn phone need to ring so long? Absolutely.

Fans of Woods, DeNiro, Leone, or gangster movies in general canot afford to pass this film up. The supporting cast, especially the young actors playing the gang members in thier childhood, is also consistently stellar. Best viewed on a cold wintry afternoon when you've got plenty of time. Opium not provided.

When "Once Upon A Time in America" was initially released, there wasn't much of a stir in America due to the well-documented excision of around an hour and half of footage. But, on its release to home video, the restored, uncut version was suddenly available to American viewers. Thank God. This is a deeply moving, emotionally-wrenching film that deserves its ranks in the annals of some of the greatest motion pictures ever filmed. Movie lovers will delight in this film from frame to frame. Top-notch performances, extended sequences with attention to detail that rival the best Kubrick films, and plot twists told through inventive flashback sequences make this a movie-lovers paradise.

I remember when it first came out, I was mesmerized by it for three reasons. Firstly, when it was released there was possibly never a more violent film than this one, with the possible exception of Scarface. Thus, the action is first-rate. Secondly, the performances were all compelling. One performance that went overlooked, I think, was Tuesday Weld's volatile performance as the damaged and emotionally scarred girlfriend of the equally volatile Woods. DeNiro, of course, holds every scene he's in; there's a great sequence in the film involving crooked cop Danny Aiello and a sick practical joke played on him by the gangsters seeking to influence him; additionally, a young Jennifer Connelly gives a fine performance as the childhood sweetheart of one of the gang-members. Thirdly, the pacing of the film was deliberately extended in several sequences to allow for Ennio Morricone's haunting, melancholic, and most deeply felt musical score. When Morricone's music swells, so collectively do we, and the play on the screen becomes the ultimate tragedy that can never have a happy ending.

Some of the visuals of the film are especially striking, not the least of which is the aerial shot of DeNiro lying under a mesh cover on a mattress in an opium den, grinning goofily while he allows the opium to take its effect, and wipe away the memories of his betrayal. Other standout visuals include the shot of a frisbee flying through the air to introduce yet another flashback sequence, the opening sequences of horrifying violence, and a final sequence involving a garbage truck.

All of this together creates an unforgettable movie experience, one that will stay with the viewer for a long time.

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"Once Upon A Time In America" is director, Sergio Leone's stunning tale of organized crime and the destruction it unleashes into the lives of four life-long friends. Robert DeNiro headlines a cast of great talent that includes Joe Pesci, Treat Williams and James Woods. When this film first premiered in 1984 it was 229 minutes. However, the subject matter was considered so violent and shocking, and the pace so methodically slow that nearly 40 minutes were excised for general exhibition, rendering the story line practically incomprehensible. I am pleased to say that this new 2-disc set at last gives us the story as it was originally intended, full of robust characterizations, enthralling action sequences and filled with the sort of memorable moments that have reminded me why we all go to the movies to be entertained (not overwhelmed with way-too-many, ultra-slick digital effects!).

Warner Brothers 2 disc set does have its drawbacks. First, the movie itself is spread over two discs and, there is no polite way to say it, the interruption is obtrusive. The break happens right in the middle of a crucial scene. Interruption aside, the DVD is marred by considerable film grain and a bit of digital grit that make most of the images digitally harsh instead of creamy smooth. Many scenes offer remarkable clarity and depth while others, mostly night time or dark scenes suffer from a loss of fine detail that disappears into a haze of undistinguished muddy blacks, browns and blues. Edge enhancement, pixelization, shimmering and aliasing are present throughout the transfer, sometimes distractingly so. The audio is remixed 5.1 and is strident and lacking in tonal bass.

Extras: Pretty much a retrospective and audio commentaries. Some toss away stuff. That's it, that's all!

BOTTOM LINE: For its sheer mastery in the art of cinema story telling, I recommend "Once Upon A Time In America". The transfer leaves something to be desired but hey, it's nice to have this American classic back in the spotlight and, finally, in its full running time.

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Now, I am by no means a Sergio Leone fan, but he deserved the Oscar for Direction for this film. I firmly believe that this film stands up there with "The Godfather, Part II", "Casablanca", and "Citizen Kane" as one of the greatest films ever released (maybe the best). Sergio Leone's violent, visual, masterpiece of turn of the century Jewish boys from New York growing into a life of crime has a different effect on all those who have viewed it in its various forms. I, personally have never seen the shortened version so I can not comment on it. There isn't anything in this film that isn't worth the four hour running time. Brilliant, poetic visuals, great photography and fantastic performances across the board.

Leone touches on issues of violence (the scenes are gory and sometimes explicit), sexual depravity (its no coincidence that all sexual encounters are in unconventional places and only in Noodles' rape of Deborah does he exhibit any kind of emotion toward any of his partners, gently caressing and kissing her as he violates her in a pathetic attempt to show his love), and simply growing old (brought about by the reminisces of Noodles' childhood with a beautiful good 'ol days type feeling despite the criminal nature of his childhood) and leaves us clamoring for more after the four hours are through.

Robert DeNiro is fantastic as always as Noodles. But it is James Woods, in my opinion that steals the show as Max. William Forsythe, Treat Williams, Danny Aiello, Burt Young, Joe Pesci, Jennifer Connely and Tuesday Weld add to this film just as actors of their quality are expected to. Their performances, as well as the two leads at the very least deserved, but didn't recieve any, Academy Award nominations. (In fact, the Oscars were the only ceremony to snub this film). Ennio Morricone's score was as beautiful and evocative as one would expect from the master of the Italian score.

Worth seeing. Sit back, take the phone off the hook and prepare for a cinematic experience.

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Once again Sergio Leone proves that he is the master of the classically "American" genre film, this time training his exquisite eye from the Western to the gangster film...gangster EPIC, actually.

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This movie takes place via disjointed flashbacks over a period of fifty years, focusing on the life (and death) of crime as experienced by four childhood friends, specifically David "Noodles" Aaronson, portrayed in maturity by Robert DeNiro in another typically inspired performance.

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The movie in its American release nearly 20 years ago was absolutely butchered by the US-based distributor, with over an hour of footage removed from the feature in order to make it more managable for US audiences. The result was that the personality of the movie was essentially siphoned off and the film was savaged by film critics nationwide. When the movie was released for cable a year or so later, a fair bit of the footage was restored (and in fact another edit presented the film exclusively in chronological order from Noodles' youth to old age).

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This restored version does include as much as the film's original footage as can be accounted for (to our knowledge), and the effect is somewhat more enlightening than the cable edit I first saw (and legitimately loved) almost two decades prior. The violence edited back into the movie makes it more difficult for the viewer to find sympathy/empathy with any of the characters (which may have been a stretch to begin with)...but while the extra features are a wonderful addition to the DVD (James Woods' admission on the Leone bio piece that to this day he is asked what exactly happened in "his" last scene...and to this day he's uncertain himself...is worth the price of purchase alone. And Richard Schickel's film-length commentary track is also a joy to watch/listen to.

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But Warner Brothers REALLY dropped the ball by deciding to split the film into two equal lengths for the purpose of placing it on 2 discs; particularly when considering that in fact Leone did make provision for an intermission within 2:45 of the film's original running time. The most obvious issue is that yes, a rather crucial scene was unceremoniously interrupted as Disc One ends and resumed at the beginning of Disc Two. Arguments will be made that this was necessary to include the full-length commentary track for both discs, but even "Pulp Fiction" with a complete running time of over two-and-a-half hours was able to complete the presentation with commentary track on the same disc; you have to believe Warner Borthers could at least have done a better job with Leone's final masterpiece. As it is, the perfect realization of the film that was by all admissions nearest and dearest to the Italian film maestro's heart still eludes him, even in this digital age. Had he lived to see it, he could not have been pleased with this treatment. Nor was I. A terrific film, beautifully and lovingly shot as always, speaking to the emotions of the viewer in a way that so many American directors simply can't pull off...but once again the editors have failed the artist. I own it, and will view it regularly out of respect to its brilliance as a film, but someone should have been sacked over this DVD presentation.

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Perfect Sense (2011)

I first saw "Perfect Sense" at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most visceral movie-going experiences of my life. I have never walked out of a theater so happy to be alivein a good way! Ever since then, I've been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see it again. Unfortunately, the film didn't receive much of a theatrical release in the US, so I look forward to introducing it to my friends and fellow film lovers once it's released on Blu-ray.

To be fair, I can understand why "Perfect Sense" might not have got the release it deservedit's a hard film to categorize. The film focuses on two residents of Glasgow; a chef, Michael (Ewan McGregor, "Trainspotting") and an epidemiologist, Susan (Eva Green, "Casino Royale"), as they meet & begin to fall in lovemeanwhile, an unexplained illness begins to cause humans across the globe to lose their senses one-by-one. In the beginning, it's just a few people losing their ability to smell, but things escalate quite rapidly from there. While this might sound hokey (and usually is, on an indie budget), director David Mackenzie and his team succeed in evoking an effective & terrifying global disaster from a local perspective, and the film does enough to suggest plausible causes for its illness while keeping it ambiguous enough to allow the larger metaphor to shine through.

The effect of the disease is made even more immediate thanks to an interesting side effect: prior to each new sense that is lost, victims are hit with a uncontrollable wave of emotions, varying from despair to hunger. This leads to terrifying scenes such as crowds of people devouring everything in sight like animalsedible or not! These montages are quite effective at putting the viewer in this situationone can't help but imagine how you would feel if you were losing your connections to the world and had no control over it.

Adding to the cinematic power of the disease are the unique perspectives of our protagonists. As a chef, Michael finds his whole livelihood threatened with the loss of taste and smell, and struggles to adapt to a world with little needs beyond the base essentials of "flour and fat". Likewise, epidemiologist Susan finds herself on the front lines of the disease, desperately trying to understand an illness that is clearly beyond comprehension (and one could argue is punishment for humanity's sins).

With all the mysterious disease and global chaos, one might place "Perfect Sense" squarely in the burgeoning indie apocalypse/sci-fi genre (a la "Children of Men"). However, it's clear that "Perfect Sense"'s dark backdrop exists to illuminate the film's true focus: the romance between Michael & Susan. These two lovers are hardly an ideal pairboth come with their own set of very human flaws, sabotaging their efforts at intimacy and admittedly making it hard to relate to either of them at first. But for this reason, their relationship feels very real their flaws reflect humanity's flaws. Both Ewan McGregor & Eva Green give excellent performances, anchoring the film with their natural characters and physical chemistry, even while serving as metaphors for the whole human race. As Michael & Susan find themselves drawn together, each new sense that is lost brings an examination of what it means to be human, and what is most important to us in this world. In the end, when even our bodies betray us, the only solace to be found is in the people that we love.

It would be criminal of me to spoil all of the film's pleasures, but I must mention several other aspects that made "Perfect Sense" such a powerful experience. First, the supporting cast is fantastic, and collectively they sell the reality of the situation. The film features several familiar faces, including Connie Nielsen ("Gladiator"), Ewen Bremner (Ewan McGregor's "Trainspotting" co-star, "Black Hawk Down"), and Stephen Dillane (currently starring as Stannis Baratheon in HBO's "Game of Thrones").

Finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, I must call attention to the incredible score by Max Richter ("Shutter Island"). His beautiful and heart-breaking music on piano & strings was truly captivating, and hooked me into this emotional journey from the very first frames. Indeed, the score elevates the entire film, adding layers of emotional depth & power to the larger ideas the film could only visually suggest for the sake of budget. I hope somehow there is a soundtrack release, because if you're like me, once this music gets in your head you may not want it to leave!

"Perfect Sense" was one of my favorite films of 2011, and I am delighted that it is finally being released in America. It's not for everyone, but it may just make you appreciate the world more, and realize that the things we should value most aren't possessions, but people. I hope you walk out of "Perfect Sense" as I did thrilled and appreciative of the wonders of life, and filled with a desire to share them with your loved ones. As the narrator so eloquently states, "without love, there is nothing."

(Update 10/17/12: I just wanted to add that Max Richter's amazing soundtrack for "Perfect Sense" is now available to download in the U.S., via Amazon, iTunes, etc.)

Susan is a scientist who lives in her own little world, her entire life is devoted to research, while everything else is neglected. For Susan, it was all work and no play, until she meets Michael. A talented scientist meets a talented chef, and the sizzling romance begins. As one would expect, Susan's life begins to change, but so does the entire world she lives in. The more steamy the relationship, the more a new epidemic spreads. As the couple fall in love and share their feelings, people all around lose their sensory perception. As the romance become intense, the mysterious disease becomes more disturbing. The outcome is global chaos as the mystery continues. "PERFECT SENSE" is brilliant, powerful, romantic, and chilling. The acting is superb, and the story is both touching and thrilling. Highly recommended for romantic suspense lovers and thriller loves.

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The ineluctably disturbing aspects of "Perfect Sense" linger long after the movie ends. "Perfect Sense" is a poetic thriller that forces people to make sense of a world that is literally stripped of all its sensibilities. Slowly, one sense is lost, then another, across the world, and the viewer becomes directly involved in sly and clever ways. Will vision be lost next? And then what? How much more can possibly be lost? Ewan McGregor is satisfyingly atmospheric and Eva Green's dramatic starts and stops provide genuine intrigue. One can only hope that should the world end this way, and if we could possibly survive the perceptual annihilation, that we could once and for all come to our senses about how we treat each other and never lose sight of what really matters to us.

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"I think it's OK to panic now." A very serious disease strain has begun to cause havoc all over the world and it's called severe olfactory syndrome (SOS). It begins by smelling something that reminds you of someone you know who has died, then one by one you begin to lose your senses. During the outbreak chef Michael (McGregor) and scientist Susan (Green) begin to fall in love and their relationship is tested over and over as their senses begin to fail. Even the the plot may sound a little hokey this is actually a very good movie. At once the movie is both disturbing and sweet as well as erotic. The acting is fantastic as you believe that they are really losing their senses and you really begin to feel bad for them. To me this is a little scary because it makes me wonder if this could actually happen (from some chemical) and how I would act. This movie will give you hope and break your heart at the same time. I recommend this but it is a movie that will leave you worn out and not really in the mood to do anything after. Overall, a very good movie that is both disturbing and wonderful. I give it a B+.

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Of all the movies that I have viewed this year, this one has to be up there with the best. The amazing direction of David Mackenzie, the lulling and mournful soundtrack by Max Richter and the photography by Giles Nuttgens (both beautiful and distressing combined) pull a metaphorical statement from beginning to end.

Michael (Ewan McGregor) is an executive chef who meets Susan (Eva Green), a saddened epidemiologist, after she returns home from examining a patient with a very disturbing affliction. Inexplicable, as he suddenly lost his sense of smell for no apparent reason. This continues on to several other people at first then runs amok.

These two begin an intimate relationship quite rapidly, as everything in this movie happens quickly and without warning with one exception: each person will fall into a severe emotional occurrence previous to losing their ability to smell.

Susan and her team give it the name 'Severe Olfactory Syndrome' (SOS) as it reaches epidemic proportions and spreads world wide. There are no explanations given as there is no time, therefore one must think on their own of how, why or what is happening. The movie heavily affects your time in reacting. It causes suspenseful anxiety to build readily and rapidly as you are left questioning the reasons why.

The erotic relationship between Michael and Susan hardly gets a chance to develop, as the rapid-fire affliction follows into another sense (taste) and similarly eradicates it. Michael is 'affected' and this is devastating to his career as is Susan affected also. The couple is growing more and more dependent on each other as the happenings around them are rapid fire and deconstructing.

The symptoms preceding the loss of the senses are bewildering, wonder-struck and deeply disturbing. People are losing control, panicking and literally start unstoppable eating of anything and everything (from lipstick to things you have got to see for yourself). The photography and camera angles are astounding in bringing this chaos to life as it is all out catastrophic.

People are running wild, rioting in the streets as everything is unsafe and sickness is omnipresent. There is so much to this movie that I wouldn't want to go on with the plot any longer as I would hate to ruin anyone's response to this movie...and your response itself is everything.

Running amid the course of the film are short plugged in narratives that work well. They serve to make you think, as this is a frightening portrait of annihilation in a very different form.

When someone loses one of their senses, it is usually just that one and devastating at least. The ending of this movie presents a whole alternative view to this, as tomorrow is no guarantee and "gather ye rosebuds while ye may".

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The Artist (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011)

I respond to hype involving movies in a variety of different ways. If I get all excited about a film months before its release, I often find myself being disappointed with the film's final product. I saw a trailer for "The Artist" months back, and didn't think much of it, because I didn't know much about it. I had seen reviews and award acclaim for Michel Hazanavicius's "The Artist", and wanted to give it a shot. On account of the limited theatrical release that the film got, I found myself venturing toward the bad part of town the night before it happened to win the Golden Globe for best picture, and oh, was it worth it.

"The Artist" is everything you could possibly want it to be. The story isn't anything revolutionary or surprising, but it really doesn't have to be. In case you have somehow not heard of this film yet, it is a silent film that is set in 1927, at the height of the silent movie era. It follows George Valentin, an actor who has had a great deal of success in silent film. The film follows the years where the film industry is moving into "talkies", where he finds his success is dwindling. He falls hard for Peppy Miller, an actress who is just breaking into the business. This story lasts over the span of maybe ten years.

While up until now, Hollywood has widely forgotten about the silent film era, the style of the film feels kind of experimental to a moviegoer of my generation. The film is a beautiful love letter to this period of film which we all have forgotten about. It makes me think that actors, writers, directors...everybody had to work a lot harder in that generation. It's hard to write a universally appealing story with no dialogue.

Style is a big deal, camera angles, and lighting are critical. I'm glad this one was released after I took my first Film Studies course at college, because there's a good chance a film like this would have slipped through my fingers otherwise. I learned about the silent film era, and found that there were twice as many flops as there were hits, in those days. This film could not have worked in those days, since it is clearly about the silent film era. However, I appreciate the little hidden history lesson that this film offered.

In a film with no dialogue, actors have to have very expressive faces, they have to be able to emote, which is also something that a wide amount of today's actors and actresses have forgotten how to do. Jean Dujardin's George Valentin is wonderful. His infectious smile is a big reason why the film works. It's the same deal with Berenice Bejo. The two actors have phenomenal chemistry, and that's enough to carry this, even if it were a bad film.

Like I said, this film's storyline is nothing new. It's the classic story of the Hollywood big cheese who helps the beautiful young starlet in her rise to fame. The film works because it's a story that can be shown in any country, in any language, and it would still be relevant. It's universal in a way that I didn't expect. The film doesn't use the titles that silent films are known for too much. There are titles, but they are used sparingly, only when they need it. That was a very good thing. For a film that's so strictly about filmmaking technique, being shot in glorious black and white, with a 4x3 aspect ratio, it's quite affecting. I give most of the credit to the actors, the extraordinary musical score by Ludovic Bource, and the direction. This was clearly a labor of love, and it pays off in a big way.

Grade: A

It is a masterful movie-maker who can take a simple story (much less a silent one) and captivate an audience. That "The Artist" is so straight-forward is itself a tribute to the old adage that any story can capture the imagination, it just must be true to the soul. The genius here is that you are totally drawn into this world in near totality by the expressions on the actors' faces. It belies the fact that the silent film is indeed a lost art and we are fortunate to have it re-introduced to the main-stream in such a glorious fashion.

But first things first, this is *not* a stodgy, stick-in-the mud film. "The Artist" is at times laugh-out-loud, and then is equally engrossing as an emotional hay-maker. If you are expecting a dull yawn-fest, go see the latest CGI-laden summer film. But if in the the best sense you want to be captivated by a film, see "The Artist".

Without any giveaways, the story here involves an aging film star who is being left behind by the rise of the sound-age of film. Right behind him is a rising starlet who is excelling in the sound age. It is their story to tell: his from the perspective of the slide down and hers from the climb up. There is great supporting work as well, including a delightful little doggy who is essentially the side-kick to our hero. But it is lead actor Jean Dujardin who rightly "steals" the picture with his breath-taking emotional range.

Also a delight are the little scenes we as an audience identify with as true-isms: the bits of film magic that stick with you long after you leave the theater. The rising starlet using our hero's jacket in a pantomime, reflecting her awe and love of him, is the perfect example. But what tops it all in my mind are those moments where "The Artist" blends old-fashioned movie staples into itself and makes you want to cheer, though you know it's been done a thousand times before. An example being the aforementioned doggy as hero at one point. It is this homage to old films that makes you smile the director is so skillful at it, he creates his own legitimate, unique and praise-worthy old-Hollywood world without it feeling stale in the least. In fact, it is as refreshing to watch as anything else you will see this year or any other.

"The Artist" is the best of what movies should be: good storytelling that makes it look easy.

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In an era where we rely heavily on CGI and 3D to wow us, this movie takes us back to a time when acting was truly an art, men were gentlemen, women were proper, and moviegoing was a theatrical and magical experience. Gone are the days when we can get into our Sunday best and spend an evening at the theater for a movie and a live show. Nowadays, anyone can catch a flick at 10am 7 days a week wearing their jammies, and often being the sole soul in the theater.

Spoiler: this is a silent movie. Sorry if I've lost your attention already. But hear me out. True, this is one of your "been there, done that married boy meets single girl, married boy falls in love with single girl, married boy can't have single girl, single girl moves on, and there is still a happy ending" story. But it's not the story that makes this movie it's the way the story is told that makes this movie revolutionary and epic. Jean's and Bérénice's pure, raw emotion, in addition to a stellar soundtrack, tell the entire story without the need for schnazzy graphics or complex plot. Dialogue is only displayed on screen maybe less that twenty times. The rest of the story is told entirely through kinesics, which is relayed via stellar acting.

I don't usually go see a movie in the theaters twice. I will see it once, and if it's good enough to see again will wait until it comes out on Blu Ray. But this movie...I even convinced by buddy, who had zero interest in seeing the movie and hadn't even heard of it, to go see it, and he loved it.

The score is also worth picking up. Yes, it's 100% instrumental. But 50% of the meaning of the movie is through this score! Even if you've not seen the movie, it's written so well that you can feel the emotion just by sitting back and closing your eyes while listening to it.

I can only hope that we begin to see more silent movies like this.

Read Best Reviews of The Artist (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011) Here

There are many who would have been stunned when they heard that a silent movie won for best picture in 2012 at the Oscars. Okay I admit I was one of those people. But after having had the chance to see the film it made me think that perhaps Hollywood granted the award for two reasons: one, because it is a great film and two, because it is a love note to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

The film is about the career of silent screen idol George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a swashbuckling/dancing/sly grinned matinee idol if there ever was one. When the film starts George is at the top of his game and the biggest box office draw around. Along with his pet pouch he's the talk of the town and a hit with everyone.

One day while signing autographs he literally bumps into a young woman named Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). At first surprised he passes it off with a laugh and the two go on their way. Except that now the press is all abuzz wondering who this mystery woman is, something that Mrs. Valentin (Penelope Ann Miller) isn't pleased with.

As the film progresses the paths of George and Peppy cross once more when they meet on the set of his next film where she's an extra. They playfully dance back and forth much to the displeasure of the head of the studio (John Goodman). When he attempts to toss her off the lot, George steps in and defends her. This is much to her good fortune as the roles she receives increase and her popularity grows as well.

The same can't be said of George. When Goodman shows him the latest thing to hit Hollywood, sound, George laughs it off and gloats that he's never needed sound to reach and audience. When the studio switches to sound only, George is tossed aside as old. He promises to show them how great silent films are by starring in, directing, writing and producing his next film. Opening the same day as the new Peppy Miller film, it draws a few people against the lines waiting to see her film.

Down and out and nearly penniless after the stock market crash, George's wife leaves him. Only his trusted chauffer Clifton (James Cromwell) stays by his side until George finally fires him due to no money with which to pay him. George sells off everything he has and finds little to keep him going.

At the same time the fortunes of Peppy Miller are skyrocketing. Little known to George so are her emotions for him. It will only be a matter of time before these star crossed lovers finally meet once more.

It seems like such a simple story, perhaps a bit of A STAR IS BORN, tossed in as well. But this is no remake and yes, the story is quite simple. But that doesn't make it the least bit boring. Instead it's a tremendous piece of storytelling that makes the viewer use their eyes to get the story. The music enhances the action on the screen just as it was in the silent era. The composition of what we are viewing is something we could take for granted or perhaps we have the chance to see how visually stimulating it can be, even in black and white.

The film ends with a dance number straight out of the old Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers playbook. Unfortunately there will be far too many viewers who won't even know who Astaire and Rogers were which is kind of sad because there are so many great movies that just aren't the thing these days. Younger viewers ignore films that are black and white. They have no desire to watch a film that is "silent" (even though the score to this movie is fantastic). It's much easier to watch a movie with tons of explosions or sparkling vampires than it is to invest oneself in a love story like this one.

That's a big loss for this generation. They don't know about the high flying adventures of Captain Blood or the deeply romantic loss felt by Rick in a town named Casablanca. They'll never know the charm of Nick and Nora Charles as they solve crimes or the horror displayed by an actor named Karloff. This movie might change that though. Perhaps after watching and enjoying this film the younger generation might be interested enough to seek out those classics. One can only hope. And if not, at least they'll be entertained by this film. It deserved the attention it received.

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Wow! The acting in this movie was amazing. Even though few words were spoken throughout the movie, I felt as though I watched and listened to an entire dialogue. The unspoken and unheard became loud and clear. The actors facial expressions and body motions moved with their lips and created a script that anybody could understand and enjoy.

This movie should be catalogued with the best classics.

What I liked most about the movie:

It was cerebral.

Every actor and every scene combined with great music to bring this movie to life (living color and sound).

It didn't need sophomorish bathroom humor to be funny.

It didn't need sex to be passionate and romantic.

It had many very memorable moments like the old time greats Here's lookin' at you kid.

It didn't need words or sounds to hear and experience the action, love, tragedy and inspiration.

And, the dog was just as much of a character as any of the human actors in the movie. The dog should be named Oscar.

I watched this alone, and like a good book I couldn't stop watching even though I was tired and needed to go to bed.

I plan on watching it again, and I am going to insist that my girlfriend watch it with me I know she'll love it.

If they made silent movies like this back in the beginning, it could have delayed the need for talkies.

From one armchair critic to another watch it (you'll be glad you did).

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Kylie Minogue - Kylie Live X2008

This review focuses on the BLU RAY transfer than on the actual concert. You can read the SD reviews for the overall quality of this concert. With that said this BLU RAY can best be described as a huge disappointment. For those of you expecting a transfer similar to Celine Dion's Live In Vegas tour, prepare to be disappointed. This transfer misses on all counts. Mediocre sound and an extremely soft, blurry grainy picture best describes this hot mess. I compared the picture of this BLU RAY against my SD copy of the Kylie Catch The Fever tour 2002 concert, and the picture quality of the 2002 concert just blows this away. The fact that the 2002 picture was nothing earth shattering should give you an idea of how bad this video looks. The Kylie X concert is watchable when the shots are distant and there are no close ups. But when a close ups of Kylie is shown, the picture gets so grainy that it looks like ants are crawling all over her face. The editors seem to have realized this because camera shots are all over the place. The camera will show a 6 second close up of her face, realize that the picture looks horrible then keeps panning out until it finds a decent show. When I watched this concert I felt like I was sitting in the nose bleed section than on the floor. The video and camera work look like the work of amateur trying to bootleg the concert. It is not BLU RAY quality, or even SD DVD quality. The picture quality is akin to a 1980's BETA movie. The sound is better although no different than sound quality of 2002 Catch the Fever tour.

If you like the CD and feel like you have to get the concert, save yourself some money and get the SD release. It can't be any worse than this hot mess.

I've enjoyed all of Kylie's concerts, especially Manchester and Showgirl; this one was nice to see because of the new songs and variety in staging and choreography. Compared to a lot of modern singers, one thing that's always impressed me personally about Kylie is the hard work she puts into choreography and staging. She's always been very conscientious about delivering a great show for her audiences, and this one is another winner. While to be honest I like her earlier concerts better, this one is still well worth getting, because she's evolved over time (like Sade, M, others), in a good way.

I just recently found out about Kylie Minogue a year or so ago, wish I'd found her years earlier, as she's one of the top female pop vocal performers ever. I watch her concert DVDs regularly and highly recommend all of them, including this one. Well done, and thanks for keeping the music coming, Kylie.

To the music,

Ken

Buy Kylie Minogue - Kylie Live X2008 Now

Let me start by saying that I love Kylie Minogue. Really, I do. Beautiful woman, a gracious smile, a great body and the voice of a princess. I have six DVD's from this girl who I deeply admire. She is my queen of pop (yes, I know all about Madonna since the 80's) and I don't have any blank spaces in my mind or heart for anyone else (in the pop world, I mean). But this Blu-Ray edition is really somehow disappointing. The image doesn't have the quality expected of a Blu-ray disc, maybe because it was poorly filmed or something went wrong in the editing process. My disc has the information that it is a PAL version, but plays without problems in both my (NTSC) blu-ray players. Nothing wrong with my queen or the concert itself. If you are a Kylie fan like myself, buy it. Don't have high expectations on the image, though.

Read Best Reviews of Kylie Minogue - Kylie Live X2008 Here

I do not have any other videos of Kylie to compare this to, but I really like it. She is a "new" addition to my media concert collection and I am happy with it. She has an awesome stage presence, she is just a beautiful woman, her stage rocks and her music is what we all know...great. Why 3 stars? Well, I would give it only 1 but her performance was a 5, the video quality was not blu ray nor was it dvd quality. It is poor, grainy, it leaves a lot to be desired. The sound is great but the video quality really was a flop. For those of you that don't agree, good for you if you are not experiencing this problem with this blu ray, mine was so bad that I stopped it, popped another blu ray in...similar in nature...a concert, to make sure my TV or player were not acting up. Right away I noticed the difference, the system was working fine, it was Kylies blu ray that was not up to par.

I would advise to buy the DVD instead

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Kylie Minogue's 2008 world tour is easily the envy of any pop music fan. As grand a spectacle as anything from Madonna to Lady Gaga...those ladies could learn a thing or two from Kylie. A great show and beautifully captured!

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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!!

Love Aaj Kal (2009)

I really like that LOVE AAJ KAL, a romantic comedy that segues into a drama, takes a more sophisticated approach and allows for real emotional development, something we don't get too much of from the generic Bollywood product, what with Indian cinema so hooked on sweeping over-the-top romances. When director Imtiaz Ali met star/co-producer Saif Ali Khan in the first of their pre-production meetings, he told him, "All I know about this story is that two people meet to break up." It's an interesting take, and the premise gets even more interesting with the introduction of two interweaving storylines, one set in contemporary times, the other set in 1965.

London today, and Jai's opening gambit when hitting on de ladies goes something like this: "I don't mean to pile on but..." This must be a colloquial Indian maneuver, since this phrase strikes me as a pretty odd flirting tool. Meera, lovely and outspoken, certainly isn't impressed, and she calls Jai out on it. Still, they start a fun year-long romance, chronicled in the film's first seven minutes in abrupt episodic moments. But then careers get in the way and Jai and Meera being a sensible couple there's an amicable parting of ways (there's even a break-up party).

Somewhere along here, Jai is befriended by coffee shop owner and old sikh Veer Singh (Rishi Kapoor) who goes on to give him advice and to recount his own long ago romance. Jai's romantic plight strikes a chord with Veer and he begins to reminisce. And this is when the secondary story arc is introduced.

It's 1965 in Delhi, India. Veer Singh is a sikh and something of a rough fella. But his ornery demeanor shifts once he sets his eyes on the very shy Harleen. It's a long distance romance, really, as Veer and Harleen barely exchange any dialogue. Just tons of furtive longing glances, and Veer doing his best to woo her from afar. It seems to work, until he learns that Harleen's family has arranged a marriage for her. And we wait to see just how far Veer will go for love (turns out, he goes pretty far).

On the surface, the cynical modern love story serves as a counterpoint against Bollywood's traditional idealistic romance (in which a man may be so besotted that he travels hundreds of miles from Delhi to Calcutta on a rattling train just to catch a glimpse of his love). But a closer look gives us the film's true message, that love may wear different fashions, that behavior may be reflected by the respective era, but love remains universally the same and confounds even obstacles such as cynicism and practicality. This is a really good movie from India. It mostly stays away from silly elements and the relatively understated tone goes a ways into lending believability to the plot. And it does feel like there's a solid connection between the two generations of lovers onscreen.

The acting is terrific across the board. We've seen Saif Ali Khan take on roles like "Jai" before in SALAAM NAMASTE and in HUM TUM, you know, the charismatic fun-loving guy unwilling to settle down. His character's journey to maturation is pretty predictable. Saif also plays the bearded and turban-coiffed Veer Singh of 1965, and Veer is a far cry from Jai, unabashedly romantic where Jai is flighty and dismissive. It's a nod to Saif's acting ability that you're able to separate the two characters even as they share the same features.

Deepika Padukone, long-legged and stunning, is the revelation. She's simply marvelous and adds surprising depth and warmth to Meera, and, c'mon, how can you not fall in love with her? She makes Meera a character you really root for, a girl perfectly aware of what's going on every step of the way and hoping against hope that her guy would get wise and catch up. Harleen, the other lady in question, is played by 20-year-old Brazilian model Giselle Monteiro, who had initially auditioned for the role of Jai's Caucasian girlfriend (yes, Jai does try to move on after Meera). However, the director's wife pointed out that Giselle would make a better Harleen, since Director Imtiaz Ali had been getting frustrated finding the right actress for that part. Not exactly rocking the Hindi language, Giselle Monteiro doesn't get a lot of dialogue, which is probably a wise thing. Giselle's identity was kept under wraps until the movie's theatrical release.

Besides the opening seven minutes of quick cuts, LOVE AAJ KAL throughout its running time is rife with transitional images which fall outside of chronological order. It's a disjointed technique but there's a sense of gratification as you do eventually see how these images fit within the framework of the story.

The production values on this film are top notch. Not only is the contemporary story arc set in the slick international backdrops of London, San Francisco and modern Delhi, but the 1965 setting is also nicely, convincingly evoked. Not that I'm a huge expert or anything, having only recently started watching old Bollywood classics from the '60s and '70s but I least now know how much Rishi Kapoor and his wife Neetu impacted Indian cinema in the '70s.

The musical numbers are alternately hip and charmingly old-fashioned. "Dooriyan" is a contemplative, soulful song about distances and separation. "Twist" is toe-tapping stuff and showcases Saif's unexpectedly smooth dance moves (even Saif's admitted to being a stiff at dancing). "Ajj Din Chadheya" is sweetly done and frames Veer and Harleen's courtship at a distance. "Thoda Thoda Pyar" is the old-school courtyard number featuring a dancing Giselle (according to the commentary, Giselle drove the dance choreographers up the wall because, well, as someone new to the culture, she couldn't quite grasp the moves). "Chor Bazaari" is fun and serenades Jai and Meera as they hang out on the sly in Delhi.

2 discs for this one. Disc 1 has the feature presentation, an option to check out the film's musical numbers, and the film commentary in English by Saif Ali Khan & Director Imtiaz Ali. Disc 2 has the following special features: the Making Of the film segment; the Making of the songs; LOVE AAJ KAL Journey which is even more behind-the-scenes stuff (although one does get tired of a segment that keeps popping up, the one about the crew going on and on about the hassle of shooting in horrible Delhi traffic); deleted scenes and quick shots with director's commentary (including a sequence in a sweet's shop featuring Jai and Meera and the now aged Veer and Harleen); the promotional press conference with the lead actors & crew; a remix video of "Twist"; the audio release function basically, another press conference this time focusing on the music in the film; and the original theatrical trailer.

Love Aaj Kal is DEFINITELY one of the very best 2009 romantic comedies I have ever, ever seen in an utterly long time... the two main leads (Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone playing as Jai and Meera, respectively) are just flat-out fantastic, and the way the two love stories from two different generations of time interconnect with each other is just seamlessly and most flawlessly brilliant indeed; you can just literally sense the sheer chemistry, the compelling character development, their painful heartaches, and one powerhouse performance after another in this original Hindi-language film from start to finish, combined with such an outstanding story that just makes you want to leap with great joy and go all the way, guaranteed!!! ;)

Shot on location in San Francisco, London, and New Dehli as the main backdrops, what makes this movie *extremely* so special for me personally is that all the dating and relationships here are handled in quite an absolutely, ABSOLUTELY fresh and alive and splendidly convincing and rather strikingly mature manner indeed between the characters and what they are going through also, and even much more better is that we end up fully and genuinely with an amazing, non-stop rooting interest in those two main characters throughout, especially as well in the key point late in the film where we actually sense that Meera and Jai's emotional, secretly attractive connection to each other is seriously at risk when they are in sudden jeopardy in their relationship! I am not gonna spill the beans on what happens at the very end here... but one thing is for certain: with fantastic pacing, excellent laughs, amazing non-stop energy, first-rate songs to lift the action so wonderfully, and an incredibly top-notch modern-day romance that spans two generations, Love Aaj Kal literally blows away all of the contrived, obnoxious, and most blatantly lifeless 2009 American theatrical romance comedies (i.e. The Ugly Truth, Love Happens, and All About Steve to name a few!) to kingdom come. PERIOD, final.

DO NOT MISS THIS ONE especially with your loved one as well, because this is your perfect date movie that you must, must see indeed... you will *not* be even disappointed whatsoever, and congratulations to Illuminati Films, Eros International, and especially to writer/director Imtias Ali as well on quite a watershed brilliance of a romance-comedy film well made!!!! (^-^)v !!

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With highlight over Contemporary romance in comparison to older times love, this new hindi movie is meant for the youth and completely relates to both the generations. It is a movie that throws light on how the 2 generations don't understand each other and how broad each of their thinking is. With a starcast like Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan, who are the face of youth in Bollywood, the movie shows how love in two different generations was the same feeling.... flowery. It's just about how people treat their love differently. Comparing the lifestyles of people in 2 different countries, the movie is based in London, Delhi and Calcutta. It showcases the best of the 2 countries.

It's a feel good movie and worth watching again and again with the high quality picturization and amazing dance and romantic songs churned into a beautiful tale of 2 generations that makes you feel that "love" is truly a bliss and worth giving your life for just like Veer (Saif Ali Khan) does!!

Read Best Reviews of Love Aaj Kal (2009) Here

This is one of my favorite movies to come out of Bollywood. Though I am just now diving into the very deep waters of Indian cinema, I know a pearl when I see one. This movie is both timely and timeless, with a theme that will speak to anyone's heart. Also, the music is spectacular. Since this is Saif Ali Khan's first foray into producing, I hope to see many more great films come out of his studio in the upcoming years.

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I'm gonna give this film full marks because it doesn't try to be a romantic comedy and unlike a lot of Bollywood films takes itself seriously. Saif was superb while Deepika only outshines him with her effortless grace and intriguing character. Some surprises as far as guest appearances are concerned but the film will win you over. A great film both for cynics and for daydreamers.

I strongly recommend.

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Big Trouble in Little China (2009)

...People back in 1986 did not understand Big Trouble In Little China. It's the kind of film you either "get" or you "don't get"...They were ahead of their time. Big Trouble In Little China is no different. Basically a Hong Kong action picture with stabs at humor, magic, mysticism and a touch of romance, "Big Trouble" clashed with the heroic heroes of the time... and instead gave us a lead character who's big on talk but usually not good at much else. Kurt Russell's Jack Burton is the type of character with an over-evolved sense of ego that never seems to match his less than perfect grasp of how to deal with real situations. The other difference here is that Jack is not the real hero, it's really Wang Chi(Dennis Dun), who shows us all the great Kung Fu moves and sword fighting styles... Jack Burton is more of the sidekick who thinks he's the head honcho but never seems to do anything right and when he does do something right it's usually because of blind luck. But that's the kind of character Carpenter wanted and he knew Russell would be the best person for the job because he's not afraid to let his hair down and look foolish. Looking tough with smeared lipstick on his face, rolling backwards in a wheelchair screaming or shooting his gun straight up causing small rocks to fall down, knocking him unconscious. No ego is involved with Kurt Russell...

The DVD transfer looks wonderful (widescreen 2.35:1) and even comes with DTS sound which you've got to listen to to believe. As for the special features, the biggest gem on this 2DVD Set is the Audio Commentary by John Carpenter & Kurt Russell. These two have done commentaries before and hinted at doing one for "Big Trouble" during the commentary they did for The Thing (1982). I love listening to these guys! It's just so much fun, it's like being in the room with them and you're just being quiet and listening. Their comments tend to take off from "Big Trouble" and aim more towards where their careers have been, where they're going and how their children are doing in regards to sports and music. Carpenter laments that his son, Cody, can play the keyboard better than he can now and Russell talks about his son, Wyatt winning a hockey championship and how he'd rather see a twenty-something do action films instead of people like himself who are in their fifties (this is him saying this, not me). There's a lot of respect between the two and some hinting that they might work together again soon...I wrote a review about Escape From New York and how I felt it was Carpenter's and Russell's best collaboration out of the five films they've done together. Well on this commentary, Kurt Russell said that working on Escape From New York was the best experience of his career. It would seem we're in agreement. There's also talk about how the styles of directing has changed over the years and how it seems to be going downhill. You need a director who believes in his vision and sticks by it, otherwise you're in for trouble, Big Trouble. Sadly, no mention whether or not they'll do commentaries for Elvis and Escape From L.A.(the only films they haven't made commentaries for), but I'm sure they'd jump at the chance. These guys are such good friends, you can feel it...Carpenter even said he thought "Captain Ron" was Kurt's best performance! I wish the film was twice as long just so I could hear more from them!

The rest of the features are basic: trailers, TV spots, featurette, music video by the Coup De Villes(love Carpenter's low voice!), interviews, still gallery, magazine articles, production notes, cast & director film lists and some interesting deleted scenes, including an extended version of Jack in the Chinese bordello with an added line about the green-eyed girl that's hysterical...The actual ending, however, is still the same. There are even some trailers to Aliens & The Fly hidden on page 2 of the special features section (just click to the left once you're positioned on the Richard Edlund Interview and press "Enter").

This Special Edition rocks and is second only to the collector's edition DVD of The Thing by Universal Pictures. That DVD included a retrospective documentary with most of the original cast & crew returning for a look back. Ennio Morricone's Score is given it's own isolated track during this documentary as well, so those are the main reasons why The Thing is still the best John Carpenter Special Edition DVD out there, but Big Trouble In Little China is very impressive as well. Some of you may be wondering why they couldn't fit all the special features on Disc 1? Well, normally you could, but DTS Sound takes up a lot of room and this is why they had to split it all into a two disc set. So add this Carpenter masterpiece to your collection. It is truly one of his all time bests!

ADDITIONAL BLU-RAY INFO:

I recently bought this film again on Blu-Ray and just had to comment on how nice an upgrade it is. First, I was really impressed with the new transfer. There's so much more detail now in the picture quality, which, while still not perfect, is a vast improvement over the DVD. Second, all of the special features from the out of print 2 disc Special Edition DVD set are all included on the Blu-Ray, along with a wonderful new feature: an Isolated Score audio track for the complete film in 5.1 DTS. This was the first thing I checked out when first popping in the Blu-Ray and I was just blown away by it. It's exactly like having the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in your possession, with every complete music cue and sequence included and intact (no edits or cuts at all). There are a couple of dead-air spots, where no music was used, but they are brief and don't detract very much at all from the overall listening experience. So if you're thinking about upgrading this fantastic movie to Blu-Ray, my advice is "Go for it." The price for the Blu-Ray is usually very cheap too. Plus, again, if you don't already have the 2 disc special edition DVD, you'll get all of the special features from it on the Blu-Ray, with the added Isolated Score option as well. Check it out!

Big Trouble In Little China A Cult Classic!

"It's all in the reflexes" Kurt Russell as Jack Burton

Other recommended Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaborations:

"Elvis: The Movie" DVD (1979)

"Escape From New York" DVD & Blu-Ray (1981)

"The Thing" DVD & Blu-Ray (1982)

"Escape From L.A." DVD & Blu-Ray (1996)

Director John Carpenter teams with Kurt Russell in this wonderfully unique spoof of the martial arts movie genre, and they hit on all cylinders in a film that is incredibly funny, surprisingly well-crafted, and just plain fun.

Russell takes advantage of Gary Goldman and David Weinstein's script to deliver the best comic performance of his career as his swaggering trucker Jack Burton blunders through Chinatown in an attempt to recover his stolen truck and his friend's kidnapped fiancee.

Masterminding the badguys is demon/ghost David Lo Pan, played wryly by James Hong. Hong parodies practically his whole career in this role, and has some priceless lines in so doing. His motive in the kidnapping is to marry a girl with green eyes, which will appease his demon-god and restore his lost vitality.

The plot grows more absurd and hilarious as the movie progresses and Burton and his companion, Wang (Dennis Dun) enlist the aid of local magician Egg Shen (Victor Wong) to thwart Lo Pan. Russell and Dun are perfectly over-the-top in their deliveries, and they provide constant laughs to propel the movie rapidly along to its conclusion.

It is very hard to find someone who doesn't like this movie, and with good reason. The film is so novel and so funny that it can be enjoyed over and over again--a real treasure.

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The Critics shredded and diced this movie so I really went to the theatre expecting to see one sick puppy. Instead, I was delighted and I continue to be delighted every time I watch this marvelous movies. John Carpenter created an original howl of a time, with tongue firm planted through the cheek and simply went wild with fun and throw away lines, that will keep you coming back again and again. The Critics just did not get the JOKE!! Sigh...fortunately, the public did not agree.

A great cast Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, Kate Burton (Richard's Daughter), Victor Wong and James Hong take several wrong turns and end up in a war kung fu style kidnappings and all sorts "some very unreasonable things". Originally the manuscript for the second Buckaroo Banzai movie, Big Trouble hits bulls eye where BB just missed. It's over kill to the max, but such a great way to go as Jack Burton Russell doing a BAD John Wayne Imitation runs headlong into the magick underbelly of Chinatown. One critic put down Russell's performance as "was so poor, it was like he was doing a poor John Wayne imitation" WELL, DUH???? Earth to LM!!

Russell is taking Dennis Dun to pick up his bride to be, but she is mistakenly snatched. It's up to Russell, Dun, Wong and crew to try and get her back. Instead, they lose Kim Cattral to Hong as well as Burton's Peterbuilt "the Porkchop Express", so old Jack has to get mean.

If you don't want to laugh so hard your ribs hurt, you don't enjoy parodies, you don't enjoy bad John Wayne imitations...fine give it a pass. But everyone else wanting a great time, this is one you should not miss!

Read Best Reviews of Big Trouble in Little China (2009) Here

For non-stop action and entertainment, you can't beat this movie. There is no way any of it could happen in this world, and probably not in the next one, but it's so much fun that we just suspend belief and go along for the ride. And what a ride it is. Our hero, Jack Burton, superbly played by Kurt Russell, and his sidekick, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), are in a race against time to rescue Wang's girl, a beautiful, green-eyed (huh? ) Chinese immigrant fresh off the plane, who has been kidnapped by the henchmen of a villain named David Lo-Pan, a 2000 year old ghost who must marry a girl with green eyes to restore him to flesh and blood. Along the way, Jack and Wang have to do battle with the Three Storms (thunder, rain and lightning) and a host of nasty bad guys in Lo-Pan's service. By the time Wang's girl is saved from the evil machinations of Lo-Pan, we've been through an incredible roller-coaster ride spiced up with gun-shooting, knife-slinging, things exploding in a ball of green fire, karate chops galore, mid-air swordfighting (yes, these guys actually fly through the air), and a hefty dose of good old black magic. It all adds up to a wild, crazy, hilarious, slambang knockout of a movie experience.

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Another title we've all known about for a while has now been tapped as official: Big Trouble In Little China will hit DVD as a 2-disc Special Edition on May 22nd! Disc 1 will feature the film with a brand-new digitally remastered anamorphic transfer and both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS soundtracks! Also included on Disc 1 will be an Audio Commentary track with John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. Disc 2 will be loaded with treats, including: Deleted Scenes, an Alternate Ending, a new Making-of Documentary from DVD producer David Prior(Fight Club), an extensive Stills and Promo Art Gallery, DVD-ROM interactive material, and much MORE. MSRP will be a VERY fair $26.99, and this amazing 2-disc set is already available for pre-order! When we visited Fox last November, we were treated to a sneak of this set and the DVD menus. Trust me, it's going to be nice... and the wait for those of us who are fans of the film will be more than rewarded. Fox is taking charge of DVD... that's for sure. And it's also worth mentioning that on that same day (5/22) they will also be releasing the cool Point Break disc we told you about. It's not a "Special Edition", but will receive nice treatment including a new anamorphic transfer and both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks! A fun film that is sure to be a worthy DVD!

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