Showing posts with label discount blu ray movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discount blu ray movies. Show all posts

Friday, September 26, 2014

Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in

Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In TimeI actually really enjoyed Cinderella III, but Cinderella II is horrible!

Cinderella II is a collection of shorter cartoons, and can't even really be called a movie. The animation is poor, and the story lines are kind of ridiculous, (Cinderella has to have a party, one of the mice wants to be human, and one of the step-sisters wants to date a townsmen.) Alone, Cinderella II would get one-star, and that would be generous.

Cinderella III is an actual full-length movie about what would happen if Cinderella had no magic. It starts on their first anniversary, but then Lady Tremaine, (the wicked step-mother,) gets her hands on the Fairy Godmother's wand, causing them all to go back in time to the morning after the ball, and causing Prince Charming to forget he danced with Cinderella. She remembers, and tries to get him back. It's a good story, and had a strong girl power feel to it. The mice provide great comic relief, and the characters are well developed. The animation isn't that bad for a sequel either. It's nowhere near as good as the original, but it is entertaining enough to watch more then once.

I would suggest looking for a single copy of Cinderella III if it's available at all, but save your time and money with Cinderella II.

I can't remember much about Cinderella II, other than it being the typical sequel movie (if I remember correctly it's about Cinderella trying to fit-in with the palace life). However, the third Cinderella was very interesting. When this movie first came out, it was heavily advertised about what would happen if the glass slipper was taken away--would Cinderella still get her prince. So unless someone purchased it much later on than the original release it could not have been any surprise of what was going to happen. This movie doesn't take away from the first movie--it just adds to the Cinderella story.

Spoiler Alert:

The movie begins after Cinderella is with the Prince and the Wicked Stepmom and daughters are miserable. But then, the wicked step mom discovers the magic Godmother that had helped Cinderella and steals her wand. She used the wand to turn back time before Cinderella was with the prince, but this time there is no magic to help Cinderella and the Prince. I think the movie illustrates that with true love, it will find a way to work out.

Buy Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Now

My daughters have wanted Cinderella 2 for a long time now, but Disney had discontinued it. We have seen Cinderella 3 and really enjoyed the twist, plus a more in depth look into Prince Charming and the king.

These reviews are opinions and while some might not care for C2, others might especially the girls. I suggest that you give this collection a chance I have 3 daughters (ages 2-8) and we enoy watching C2 & C3!

Read Best Reviews of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Here

My daughter loves Disney's Cinderella movie and these were no exception. She now loves the whole franchise now! Beloved characters and updated story lines.

Want Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Discount?

Very good movie, the kids enjoyed it. it's also close captioned, so the deaf adults can enjoy it too. Yes, I would recommend this dvd.

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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Rosetta (The Criterion Collection) (1999)

RosettaI remember, at least half a dozen times, passing this movie by in the video store, gravitating towards it due to the legend "Winner Palm D'Or Best Actress/Best Picture" and the lovely face of Emilie Dequenne, then passing it by after reading the back. The summary of the plot bored me so immediately and intensely that I could not imagine actually sitting and watching the film. I eventually changed my mind, and thankfully so.

Rosetta is an absolutely driven character, almost an animal, single-minded in her goals. Those goals are mundane: find a job, lead a normal life. Her obstacles are mundane: rent, alcoholic mother, cramps. She asks questions, gets her answers, and walks away with no pretense of social grace. For most scenes the camera either points in the direction of Rosetta's POV, over her shoulder, or aims directly into her face. The shot rarely sits still: action and object are the same here. We see what she sees as she sees it and make judgments about people and situations alongside her, a process that usually reveals how silly normal people seem when viewed by someone with no tolerance for nonsense. She does not understand dancing leisure, or why people would indulge in it when other things need doing, is foreign to her.

Routine fills her existence, and when the routines of friendship and work cannot be found, she constructs new and even unnecessarily complicated routines: cross the road to find the sewer where she hid her boots, change out of shoes into boots to cross the mud to reach the lake where she's set up fish traps with bobbypins and broken bottles, every day. She doesn't even keep the fish. In that way she, like most of us, is completely neurotic but who has the motivation to carry out their designs with so much determination, in ignorance of those neuroses? Who completely ignores defeat?

I would recommend other Dequenne pictures, but apparently her only other role is alongside Mark Dacascos in the inscrutible Brotherhood of the Wolf. Stick with Rosetta and enjoy.

Rosetta,a film that deals with the struggles of a young woman who has just been fired from her job at a factory in Belgium,was an extremely pleasant surprise for me.Emilie Dequenne's performance in the lead role is riveting,realistic,raw,and energetic.If this were a film financed by hollywood,there's no doubt her gender would have been exploited,and she would have been some sexpot with boy troubles.Not so in this cinematic effort.The focus is almost entirely on her effort to secure employment just so she can get a meal and help her alcoholic mother with the rent.She doesn't have time to chase boys,she's only concerned with surviving.The most startling aspect of this film is it's avoidance of manufactured sentimentlity,complete with cheasy music,to get the viewer to sympathize with her predicament.There's no epiphanies,startling revelations,or some cheap trick ending tacked on for marketing purposes.The way the film is shot(16mm or digital video(i'm not sure),handheld tracking shots,what seems like natural lighting)gives it a powerful,frenetic feel.Some people are turned off by the camera movement,but to do it any other way would negate the spontaneous,out of control atmosphere(maybe it doesn't bother me because i spent almost 2 years out at sea without getting sick).The camera follows her every move,you'll feel like a peeping tom stalking this young lady.The supporting cast are all solid,but it's really Dequenne's show,it's the main reason to seek out this hidden gem.Highly recommended,especially for the art house crowd.My only complaint,and it's not with the film itself,is that,why can't more director's take chances with movies such as Rebecca.It's an example of what can be accomplished when you don't try to please the masses,and truly "reflect" grim realities(something hollywood portends to do).Croupier,Dark Days,Human Resources,Blair Witch,The Last Broadcast,and now Rebecca,it's been an amazing 2 years for independent film.I consider this another one of my all time favorites.

Buy Rosetta (The Criterion Collection) (1999) Now

Relentlessly downbeat. Heck, the sun doesn't even shine in Rosetta's world of despair. And the production values made me wonder if the Dardenne brothers signed the Dogme 95 pact. I now understand the controversy at the 2000 Cannes film festival when this dour film picked up the Palme D'Or. However, despite it all, I was moved by Rosetta's plight, and I rooted for her. No doubt this is due to Emilie Dequenne's amazing performance in the title role.

Read Best Reviews of Rosetta (The Criterion Collection) (1999) Here

Rosetta is a powerful film depicting a young woman, Rosetta (Émilie Dequenne), living in the cracks of the Belgian society. The crack in which Rosetta has fallen is a part of society where she has no social protection from the government where corporations exploit her without giving her any securities. Rosetta is considered a minor as she is in the years between adolescence and adulthood.

The initial scene is set in motion as Rosetta violently fights her way into the office at the company where she works. When she arrives to her desired destination it becomes evident that she has been fired. However, what would make someone young that upset for being fired? This is a question that is answered as Rosetta returns home to the trailer park in which she lives. Rosetta is a proud person who struggles with keeping it together for her and her alcoholic mother. The mother evidently has been neglecting her daughter for most of her upbringing as Rosetta takes care of herself in every aspect of life as she has done it for a very long time.

The young female protagonist of story lives a life where she strives for socioeconomic security through a job. This is easier said than done as she finds it very hard to keep a job as she lacks experience and laws that protect her from being exploited by small companies. Rosetta also seeks a home, a place where she can find emotional security, as she continues to hold on to her alcoholic and neglecting mother.

The struggle of Rosetta is not told through long scripted dialogues, but through the daily actions of Rosetta. These actions are captured through a handheld camera as it flows with Rosetta and her difficult journey, which enhance the realism of the film. The realism is soul tearing as the audience cannot escape the world of Rosetta, a world in which Rosetta attempts to find a spot.

Rosetta offers an intricate character study of the young woman through her struggles. Émilie Dequenne was awarded the prize for best actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her part. Besides the character study the film also offers a well-made socioeconomic drama that had an impact on the Belgian government. Shortly after Rosetta was released the Belgian government passed a law branded as "Plan Rosetta". The law protects minors from being exploited by being paid less than minimum wage.

Want Rosetta (The Criterion Collection) (1999) Discount?

Rosetta, the main character, is oppressed by life, not by men. Her mother is an alcoholic, and tries to get what she wants and needs--her drugs and some care--by trading her body for them. (Incidentally, Rosetta and her mother eke out some cash by a clothing reselling businesses of their own, requiring a good bit of industry and initiative.) The prematurely adult Rosetta sees that her mother is prostituting herself and does what she can to intervene. When Rosetta herself gets the opportunity (plot spoiler alert), she takes advantages of the friendship of a male friend to stab him in the back for his job. Suffering remorse, she tries to extricate herself from the web, but she's already perpetuated the cycle by her poor judgment (actually, by following the temptation to lie and use people for her own benefit). This is an excellent narrative of spiritual and psychological growth, of a girl negotiating opportunities and learning the ways of life. Betrayal and an underplayed if ambiguous redemption theme.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Hero (2002)

HeroI feel like I have been waiting a long time to see this movie and that the trailer for "Hero" ("Ying xiong") has been teasing us for at least a year. I have to admit that I fully expected to see an epic full of battle scenes and massed armies of men. My mistake. This film from China is a pointed fable, distilled from legend that may well be myth, and with a point that may well be lost on Western audiences. This is clear from those viewers who are unwilling to accept the conventions of wire work in Chinese martial art pictures and whose standard of realism refuses to allow for the poetic ballet of combat.

The prologue makes it clear that this story takes place in China before it was China, when the land was made up of seven warring provinces and the King of Qin (Chen Dao Ming) dreamt of conquering the other six provinces and uniting the land. For years the king has been unable to have a peaceful night of sleep because there are three assassins who are out to kill him. Now comes a nameless warrior (Jet Li), who has come to the imperial court to be rewarded for killing the three unbeatable assassins. He is warned that he may not approach within 100 paces of the king or he will be killed. But because he has bested the assassin Sky (Donnie Yen) in combat, he is allowed with 20 paces to tell his story.

Most of the story of "Hero" is told in flashback as Nameless tells his stories and the king questions him. We also learn of the fates of Broken Sword (Tony Leung) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), two assassins who were also a pair of lovers. But there is more than one truth and more than one tale to be told in this film. Director Zhang Yimou, improving on the artistry we first enjoyed in "Raise the Red Lantern," color codes the stories that we see. First the story is told in lush shades of red, then in cool blue, again in white, and finally in green. Drops of water and swirling yellow leaves all become parts of the dances of death during the fight sequences, captured by cinematographer Christopher Doyle. "Hero" is a gorgeous film that uses its saturated colors better than any film of recent memory. There is a code to the colors, but that is something you need to come to terms with on your own.

Another strength of this film is that the fighting (choreographed by Wei Tung) and special effects do not overwhelm the actors who are required to play what is on some level the same scene as slightly different characters. I know there are computer generated effects in this film, especially since there are more arrows shot in "Hero" than any film in history, but for once I did not get the feel that what I was seeing was not real. That is become this film keeps coming back to questions of aesthetics, from the breathtaking use of color to the eloquent idea that swordsmanship and calligraphy are intrinsically awaited.

Special mention has to be made of the music, composed by Dun Tan and featuring violin solos and fiddling by Itzhak Perlman along with drumming by the Japanese group Kodo. I have never really seen one of those Hong Kong kung fu movies where everyone screams while they fight and I might never get around to it given the silent eloquence of the fights in movies like "Hero" (not to mention "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), where the moments are underscored by the sound of clashing swords, pounding drums, and a violin. "Hero" is an art film, albeit one made on a larger and more colorful canvas.

"Hero" may be sold as being a big film but it is really about something relatively plain and simple. I disagree with the idea that either the style or substance of the film is beyond our Western sensibilities. Apparently the reason the film has the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" tag at the start was so that Miramax would not cut 20 minutes of the film out on the pretext that it too Asian/confusing for Western audiences. Indeed, I have seen some critics who professes to be confused about the complex plot and I can only wonder if they were equally confused by "Rashomon," an obvious reference point to this one (in many ways Yimou owes more to Akira Kurosawa's classic film than to Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). Certainly after a century of cinema we are capable to looking at the same thing from multiple perspectives and enjoying this gem of a film that has finally made its way to our shores.

Beautiful, artistic, poetic...an enchanting martial arts film that will captivate you with every scene!

These are the words I feel about "HERO", the 2002 film directed by Zhang Yimou ("Curse of the Golden Flower", "The House of Flying Daggers" and "Happy Times") and a film that would feature cinematography by Christopher Doyle ("Chungking Express", "In the Mood For Love", "Fallen Angels", "Happy Together") and music by composer Tan Dan ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "The Legend of the Black Scorpion").

The film would also star Asia's top talents which include Jet Li ("The Warlords", "Fearless", "Once Upon a Time in China", "Fist of Legend"), Tony Leung Chiu Wai ("Lust, Caution", "Red Cliff", "Tokyo Raiders", "Infernal Affairs"), Maggie Cheung ("Ashes of Time", "Sausalito", "In the Mood for Love", "Comrades: Almost a Love Story"), Daoming Chen ("Peace Blossom", "My 1919', "Infernal Affairs III"), Zhang Ziyi ("House of Flying Dagger", "My Wife is a Gangster", "Musa the Warrior", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and Donnie Yen ("All's Well, End's Well", "Iron Monkey", "Flash Point" and "Bodyguards and Assassins").

The film which was Hong Kong's most expensive film at the time, was critically acclaimed, won several awards and eventually would make over $178 million worldwide in the box office.

"HERO" is presented on a two-ray Blu-ray disc with one being the primary Blu-ray and the other being a digital copy version of the film. Also, the Blu-ray also comes in a slipcase.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"HERO" is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:35:1) and suffice to say, this film just looks incredible. It's one of the most significant qualities of this film is its artistic direction, costume design, set design, location and most of all, the cinematography of Christopher Doyle.

Personally, I have always have seen Christopher Doyle as an avant-garde cinematographer since he worked on Wong Kar Wai's "Chungking Express" and suffice to say, his amazing cinematography and the tight editing really pulled the artistic vision of director Zhang Yimou to new heights.

Picture quality is vibrant. Very vibrant and color plays a big part in this film. Grain is seen on the film and I'm glad to see that Walt Disney has again kept with that and not gone the excessive DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) route. But for a film that came out back in 2002, is it a reference film on Blu-ray? Not really. But it does look very good. Part of the main reason is that despite the film being shot in beautiful locations and costume design and the colors really enhance the look of the film, it's no super clear, nor is it reference quality compared to recently released films on Blu-ray but still, "HERO" is just absolutely magnificent to watch.

As for audio quality, this is where it pains me to give it slightly less than perfect score. The film is presented with an English 5.1 DTS-HD losless audio track but the original Chinese language is only in Dolby Digital 5.1 (along with the Spanish and French). For a film of this caliber, I was hoping there would be a lossless audio track for the Chinese language but unfortunately, it's not.

But for some, I know it's a dealbreaker for some that the original language is not in lossless audio but the English version is and to be fair, I will say that the English dubwork is very good for this film. For earlier DVD releases, Asian films released in the US had terrible English dubbing but I will say that "HERO" turned out very well.

For audio, sounds such as the rains, swords clanging, arrows zipping through air... this is all captured quite well on the DTS-HD lossless audio track and sounds great. For the most part, audio is front and central channel driven with dialogue, music and sound effects but many of the soundtracks do utilize the surround channels. Again, I wish the original language was in lossless but for those who enjoyed the dubwork, you will be pleased by the DTS-HD audio.

As for subtitles, subtitles are presented in English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"HERO" comes with the following special features (in 480i, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles):

* Close-Up of a Fight Scene (9:18) The secrets of the fighting choreography of "HERO". Quentin Tarentino, Jet Li and Donni Yuen discuss the fighting choreography. Also, storyboard and fighting scene comparisons. (Note: Some of the footage is the same as the one used on the main featurette).

* Hero Defined (24:01) The Director and talent on their experiences of working on the film and the challenges they faced. Also, how locations were selected and what took place before the shooting of the film, during and after.

* Storyboards (5:19) A side-by-side (or more like top-and-bottom) comparison of the storyboards and final feature.

* Inside the Action. A Conversation with Quentin Tarentino and Jet Li (13:55) Jet Li is interviewed by Quentin Tarentino about his past films and working on "Hero".

* Soundtrack Spot (:39) commercial spot for the "Hero" soundtrack.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"HERO" is a film that really distinguishes itself from other martial arts film due to its artistic style, wonderful cinematography, well-chosen locations and of course, having a talented director and top talents of HK cinema definitely helps as well.

For the most part, "HERO" was definitely one of those films that you can remember for many years later for its scenes. From the vibrancy of the colors used, the battle scene on top of the lake (which Director Zhang Yimou wanted perfect still waters and didn't mind waiting to film when it happened), the thousands of arrowheads attacking the art school, there is simply many scenes that are just memorable.

Sure, "HERO" is a beautiful film known for its cinematography, its talent, its location but what about the storyline? The story of "HERO" is good but not great. Where a film like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is one of those films that captured beauty through its storyline, "HERO" definitely relies on the visuals to enhance the storyline. Because the film is split up into three arcs with three different stories of what took place, it's all about how the viewer interprets that storyline and how that storyline touches their soul.

Personally, I have found "HERO" almost like a piece of art. You embrace everything that went on to create that artistic piece. From its characters as Jet Li and Donnie Yen are just fantastic when they battle each other during their scene. You know that when these two are together onscreen, you're going to get a beautiful, captivating scene with the best fighting choreography. When you see Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Chung, you know that these two have awesome chemistry and that they can bring out the more dramatic scenes and even during their fighting scenes, everything seems believable and the two enforce the vibrancy and color of the film. The same goes with Zhang Ziyi who brings the more emotional scenes to the film.

But is the Blu-ray release perfect? Unfortunately, it misses the mark of perfection due to the Blu-ray not including a lossless audio track for the Chinese language. I was so excited about "HERO" on Blu-ray and it's a given, we are going to get awesome picture quality because it's a colorful and vibrant film. You know that the scene between Falling Snow vs. Moon with its rich red colors and yellow leaves is going to be absolutely brilliant on HD or the scene when Broken Sword and Falling Snow wear these blue outfits or their green outfits and you know that color is going to look great on Blu-ray. But along with that awesome picture quality, you want awesome audio.

The English dub is definitely one of the better English dubs for an Asian film and the lossless audio track was very good. But I was torn by wanting to watch the film in its original language but knowing that the audio quality of the Chinese Dolby Digital 5.1 was nowhere near the 5.1 DTS-HD English track. For a fan of this film, for me...it was bittersweet.

So, overall "HERO" is definitely a wonderful film to catch on Blu-ray and it's great to see Disney give this release a digital copy as well. But for the most part, "HERO" could have been a great release but without the Chinese audio track in HD, it ends up being just an average release.

Buy Hero (2002) Now

Much as Ang Lee demonstrated his directorial virtuosity in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, Zhang Yimou has applied his magnificent talents to the martial arts genre with HERO. This is movie not only worth seeing, but worth watching two or three times, or more. Each viewing unveils new appreciation for Zhang's artistic direction, Chris Doyle's cinematography, Tan Dun's musical score, and Itzhak Perlman's violin performance, not to mention fresh insights into the story line and character interrelationships.

The story line is simple enough on its surface, based loosely on Chinese historical fact. The king of the Qin state seeks to unify the Seven Kingdoms some 2,000 years ago, and three assassins from the defeated Zhao state wish to kill him. An unknown warrior named Nameless, from the Qin state, succeeds in killing the three assassins and returns to collect his reward in an audience with the King. As we view segments of Nameless's explanation of how he defeated three such fearsome opponents, a battle of wits ensues with the skeptical King until the truth emerges. Their verbal sparring beautifully parallels the feints, thrusts, and parries of the martial arts scenes.

Within this story line, we are treated to extraordinary, ballet-like martial arts contests between Nameless and the three assassins. Each scene is dominated by one primary color, from the opening desert white to the reds of the calligraphy school to the yellows of autumn leaves whose wind-swept swirls become weapons in themselves. A sword fight between Broken Sword and the King of Qin is cloaked in flowing green cloth, reminiscent of Zhang's use of colored cloth in JU DOU.

While HERO evokes memories of RASHOMON, this is not the same motif. The three "versions" of the assassins' reported deaths are rather more like the gradual unfolding of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. As the tale reveals itself, the relationship of the four assassins (including Nameless)moves from enemies to spurned lovers to companions working together and finally to a genuinely tragic (if seemingly platonic) love between two of them.

Several less recognized aspects of HERO are particularly worthy of note. First, anyone who saw Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung in IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE will find it remarkable that the same two actors could pull off the characters of Broken Sword and Flying Snow so successfully. Second, the game of Go played by the assassin Sky at the beginning of the movie magnificently foreshadows Nameless's successive movements in the King's presence from 100 to 20 to 10 paces. Third, the ballet movements in unison of the candle flames burning before the King are not only brilliant in conception, they mirror the closing scene's behavior of the King's faceless advisors calling for Nameless's execution. Finally, the juxtaposition of calligraphy brushes with swords and flying arrows is a dramatic visual rendition of the pen and sword adage.

A last comment. Criticism of HERO as Communist Party propaganda is laughably absurd and demonstrates a severe lack of understanding of Chinese history. Qin Shihuang was a product of his times, no more or less tyrannical than the Egyptian pharaohs, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, William the Conqueror, Suleiman, or the American generals who "cleared" the Wild West of Indians. Regardless of his methods, Qin Shihuang accomplished a grand unification (All under heaven) that continues two millennia after his death. HERO evokes the founding of a nation and one unknown man's ultimate decision to sublimate his desire for revenge to the greater good of his country. That makes it no more propagandist than stories of Abraham Lincoln's struggle to re-unify the North and the South at the cost of countless thousands of lives, and far less pathetically propagandist than the recent "American hero" movies celebrating Jessica Lynch or Ronald Reagan. Americans need to take a long, hard look in the mirror more often before screaming propaganda about the cultural work of other countries.

HERO is not a perfect movie. The sword fight over the lake goes a bit over the top, the calligraphy/sword connection is overplayed, and Zhang Ziyi's character Moon too often feels extraneous. Nevertheless, HERO is a Must See for anyone who loves great story-telling and great movie-making.

Read Best Reviews of Hero (2002) Here

The one star is not for the movie itself, which is one of the best movies I've ever seen. But argh! I've got the Japanese DVD from Elite Group and it is so far superior to the North American release in all aspects (image quality, subtitles, disc pressing quality, and even the box!) that this version makes me want to cry.

Also, I'm getting tired of defending this movie to people who've only gotten the North American version of the subtitles. It's like we're not even talking about the same movie anymore.

What a thing to do to such a beautiful piece of art. How do these people sleep at night?

Looking through the other comments below, I followed Raul Saavedra's advice and checked out the difference between the image quality in the special features, and the movie itself. He has a very astute point. The main movie image quality just ends up looking that much worse in comparison. Why do the scenes look so awesome in the special features sections? My theory is that they tried to cram too much onto one disc (the Japanese release is 2 DVDs), and had to compress the video even more than the overseas releases to make up for it, so the image quality of the movie itself suffered.

PS. Go here for a detailed comparison review of the different versions:

Want Hero (2002) Discount?

One can view Zhang Yimou's "Hero" in two perspectives:

One perspective is looking at this movie as if it were Chinese propaganda, since the movie tries to characterize the first King of China as a "misunderstood protagonist being perceived to be a tyrant". In reality, he was worse than Hitler, if not equal.

But most aren't that cynical; Most would view this movie as a clash of action and complexity.

The movie begins with "Nameless" (Jet Li) being escorted to "The King" (Chen Daoming), after claiming to have defeated the 3 most feared assassins: "Long Sky" (Donnie Yen), "Flying Snow" (Maggie Cheung), and "Broken Sword" (Tony Leung). When he arrives at the castle, he walks past thousands of soldiers and gets body searched for weapons. He is told to stay "100 paces from the king; one pace closer and he will be killed without question." To prove that he has defeated these assassins, he brings their weapons as evidence (Two swords, one spearhead). Relieved and intrigued, The King asks Nameless to tell him how he defeated each assassin (each is represented with a flashback).

Nameless explains that his skill as a swordsman was not enough to penetrate the superior skills of those being discussed. He had to use or know something else to get the upper hand. He explains that Broken Sword's calligraphy exposed his swordplay. And since Broken Sword and Flying Snow were lovers, jealously would be a natural tactic. Nameless also uses "honor" as a technique when fighting against "Long Sky". They share a mutual respect as fighters. Halfway into their fight, they stop to ask a blind harpist to continue playing his instrument. While playing, both fighters visualize the fight, rather than physical confrontation. But after a moment of visualizing, they go for the deathblow, sort of resembling an Old-Western Duel.

With each succeeding story, Nameless is rewarded with riches and is allowed to walk a few more paces towards the King of Qin. But also with each succeeding story, it becomes more and more apparent to The King that something doesn't seem right. After all three stories are told, Nameless and The King are only ten paces apart. Now is when The King realizes that the stories might be fabricated. He mentions that he has fought these assassins one on one, and the very idea that a psychological technique like "jealously" corrupting such exceptional warriors would be preposterous. This is the part of the movie where the "Rashomon"-effect goes into effect, where the actual story has more than one point of view. The King retells the story in what he believed has happened. A series of "underestimating each other" occurs, adding a perplexingly rich structure.

"Beautiful" would be an understatement, and would not even begin to describe the mind-blowing visuals of everything in the movie, ranging from scenery to color schemes. Consider the scene where the army of Qin unleashes a plethora of arrows that rain towards a crimson-shaded calligraphy school with sonic precision. Or the flashback fight scene between Broken Sword and The King, where the subtle-bright green color gives off a "dream-like" depiction. And perhaps visually, the best fight in the movie: the scene where Flying Snow fights Broken Sword's apprentice, Moon (Zhang Ziyi) in a forest. Raining from the trees is a profusion of bright golden-yellow leaves that turn into a blazing crimson-red after the fight is over. The overwhelming colors literally explode off the screen. The cinematography is exceptional as well, catching the fierce intensity of the clash of weapons between every warrior. The visuals alone are worth the ten dollars.

The story thinned-out is simplistic, but it is the presentation of the story that makes it intricate. Many would dismiss this complex structure to be "too confusing". But perhaps it is the complexity that makes it alluring. While most movies "spoon-feed" you the story, this one allows you to be drawn in. Nevertheless, "Hero" remains to be both intriguing and compelling.

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Friday, August 8, 2014

Howl (2011)

HowlHow do you bring the written word alive on the screen? "Howl," in depicting the famous Allen Ginsberg poem, does so ingeniously. But the beauty of the poem is interspersed with scenes of a much more conventional nature as well. The film is divided into four specific segments--the 1957 obscenity trial, a famed 1957 interview with Ginsberg (played ably by James Franco), the 1955 public unveiling of the masterwork "Howl," and an animated representation of the work in question. Then there are some flashbacks that accompany the various segments as needed. It is a lot of material for a film that runs less than ninety minutes. It is a credit to "Howl" that it works so well--but I also wonder if more impact might have been made by limiting the focus somewhat. Sometimes less is more. Also, by being so reverent to Ginsberg and the source material (the interview, most noticeably)--ultimately, I felt less emotionally connected to this fascinating character than I'd hoped.

It is actually the animation in "Howl" that stands out the most. On some level, I felt that the filmmakers had this inspired idea of how to present "Howl" (the poem) in a visually compelling style--but then had to come up with other secondary material to round out a feature film. The film comes to life with these sequences. Franco's interpretation as he reads "Howl" can be distracting, however. I know he is channeling Ginsberg, but the awkward cadence of his delivery disrupts the smooth flowing imagery. A small point, though, because I found the animation in "Howl" extraordinary and interesting. As a small film, on its own, I think it would have been a rousing success and brought "Howl" (the poem) to a new generation.

The other segments are nice enough. The 1955 reading and flashback scenes, done in black and white, provide context to Ginsberg and his era (that good ole "Beatnik" generation). We see glimpses of Ginsberg with the various loves of his life--they are fleeting moments, not particularly developed, but they do help to enhance the meaning of "Howl" (the poem). The obscenity trial, which was leveled against the publisher and not Ginsberg (Franco is not even in this part of the film), is pretty standard courtroom fare. It's well done, if not especially revelatory. With Jon Hamm, David Strathairn, and Bob Balaban as the court officials and Mary-Louise Parker, Treat Williams, Alessandro Nivola, and Jeff Daniels on the stand--you know it's impressively acted. It is the interview sequence in which Franco gets to shine. Franco's frankness is both convincing and illuminating to how Ginsberg conceptualized his poem. But again, as it is based on transcripts, we learn only as much about Ginsberg personally as he tells us.

"Howl" is a good film with elements of greatness. My only real disappointment is the biographical element in the film. Ginsberg's interview documents his journey from normalcy, to a mental institution, to a life in the professional world, to his acceptance of a counterculture. I'm sure it would make a terrific film in its own right. But "Howl" introduces us to Ginsberg, the man, but never really lets us get close to him. So as much as I admired the film--ultimately, I was not very connected to it. Interesting and intellectual, "Howl" succeeds best when dealing with "Howl" but lacks some of the insight into its author that would have taken the film to the next level. There were just too many aspects in "Howl" introduced to follow them all through. Courtroom drama, biography, artistic interpretation--it's a lot for a little film. But I did very much enjoy "Howl" and recommend it--especially to those interested in the subject matter! KGHarris, 10/10.

HOWL is a well-chosen name for this excellent movie. Yes, it indeed is a study of the creator of that significant poem Allen Ginsberg but the film seems to be more focused on bringing the audience to a level of appreciation of the impact that particular poem had on the world of censorship, of bringing to the attention the parameters of varieties of sexuality and emotions, of the so called concept and rise of the Beat Generation than it is in portraying the life history of the poet himself. Writers/directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman have combined archival footage of the real Allen Ginsberg and moments in the cafés where Howl was read along with very fine animation to relate the grotesque feelings of the poem in a way that enhances our understanding of this important work, and with that they have gathered an exemplary cast of actors to recreate the people that surrounded Ginsberg's life and experience with the courts.

The film begin with the 1957 obscenity trial held for the 1955 creation of the poem Howl: the Judge Clayton Horn (Bob Balaban) hears the prosecutor Ralph McIntosh (David Strathairn) bring testimony from a variety of 'experts' Gail Potter (Mary-Louise Parker), Professor David Kirk (Jeff Daniels), Luther Nichols (Alessandro Nivola), and Mark Shorer (Treat Williams), and then hears rebuttal from Ginsberg's attorney Jake Ehrlich (Jon Hamm) who is also defending Ginsberg's publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Andrew Rogers). And while the trial proceeds the audience is taken back to the year of the poem's creation with Allen Ginsberg portrayed with exceptionally fine acting by James Franco. Ginsberg relates his mother's insanity and the effect of him, his own hospitalization for insanity, and his coming out with lovers Neal Cassady (Jon Prescott), Jack Kerouac (Todd Rotondi), and Peter Orlovsky (Aaron Tveit). Each of these actors offer polished portrayals and truly give a sense of the meaning of a counterculture that emerged as a result of Ginsberg's masterpiece poem.

One of the beauties of this film is that it offers the audience all the information about this period and this event and this poet with astute brevity (the film lasts only 84 minutes), making the impact all the more personal. James Franco as Ginsberg, whether reading Howl or responding to an off camera interviewer, is a completely realized performance. Time will prove what an important film this is. Grady Harp, January 11

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"Howl" is the story of the obscenity trial surrounding Lawrence Ferlinghetti publishing Allen Ginsburg's Howl. Told from Ginsberg's perspective it isn't formatted like a usual movie, but more like a poem with different alternating stanzas.

The stanzas breakdown into an interview with Ginsberg circa 1957, an animated rendition of Howl, the trial, the Six Gallery reading that brought the beats and Howl to mass public awareness, Ginsberg writing Howl, and his meeting and falling in love with Peter Orlovsky.

James Franco plays Ginsberg and while not a nuanced or fiery performance you do get the feeling of what it would be like at the time of the obscenity trial to sit down with Ginsberg and talk about Howl, from how it got started to what it meant to him to write it, and the literary merits of it.

The stanzas mesh seamlessly, and intricately. For instance, the animated Howl that is interspersed with the live action works very well on its own but also in the context of the movie. If you're not familiar with the poem it provides a reference point as to what the controversy was in the first place. The trial scenes with Jon Hamm as Ferlinghetti's defense lawyer, and David Strathairn as the prosecutor provide comic relief, especially more so because the dialog was taken right from the trial transcripts. If obscenity trials are good for anything it's getting straitlaced attorneys to say things that in a different context would be considered obscene.

The movie also doesn't avoid or ignore Ginsberg's homosexuality. As a matter of fact, it's an intricate part of the movie since Howl was Ginsberg's first flash of accepting that within himself as being a part of himself, and normal.

All the performances in "Howl" are good. Everyone delivers even if they aren't asked to do much except "be" the characters they`re supposed to be. Most of the attention is focused on Franco as Ginsberg and he proves that there's more to his acting than what's seen in franchise movies such as "Spiderman."

Read Best Reviews of Howl (2011) Here

This is a shorter length feature film in the style of a documentary drama. Essentially it is Allen Ginsberg (James Franco) telling the story of writing his book of poems 'Howl', and the court case that decided whether or not it was considered obscene material. The film cuts between interviews with Ginsberg, scenes from his memory, scenes of the court case, and is broken throughout with scenes of his first reading of 'Howl'. The poetry reading is also interpreted through animation.

James Franco plays Ginsberg very well and at times his imitation of Ginsberg's vocal cadence and delivery are spot on. He refrains from a caricature of Allen Ginsberg and portrays a real, endearing and human man. The court scenes can be dry and prime to be over dramatic or cliche. They serve mostly to show the conservative and censored backdrop on which 'Howl' was published. The film doesn't have a strict chronology and doesn't need one. It is generally structured by the beginning and end of the poetry reading and a brief biography of Ginsberg's life. I thought the animation was aesthetic and interesting and I really liked the piano score that accompanied it.

There are really beautiful moments in this film. Ginsberg reading the letter of love and rejection from Neal Cassady. Gingsberg relating his revelation that he would always be loved and that he could live life happily as himself, even as a gay man in the 1950's. At the end of the film it is touching and almost thrilling as the voice over of a man singing sweetly transitions to footage of the real Allen Ginsberg.

I was inspired to write a poem while watching this film! It was a very enjoyable and satisfying experience to see 'Howl'. The best aspect of the film is that it brings to your attention the wisdom and poignancy of Ginsberg's story, and the simple beauty of living honestly and free.

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As a journalist, I spent time covering Allen Ginsberg during a tour he made in the early 1980s, a time when he almost seemed to have turned himself into a popular little lawn gnome in American culture. Ginsberg always loved to celebrate and poke fun at himself and the culture that both rejected and eventually enjoyed him. He loved to dance, play his little harmonium as he performed and when I encountered him, he drew a big crowd of university students mostly curious to see the '60s celebrity who had managed to survive.

But Ginsberg, years before Harvey Milk, was a subversive genius and "Howl" finally puts the howl back in Ginsberg's work.

I agree with most of the other reviews on the Amazon page, but would stress a few helpful things: First, you get to experience the entire performance of "Howl" in the course of this film. That's a rare experience these days. James Franco performs it in scenes that recreate that first explosive reading in San Francisco in 1955. In the Extras, Ginsberg himself reads it. Plus, this is the entire version of "Howl," including the "Footnote to Howl," which I think and most literary scholars think is an essential part of the poem. It's amazing that sometimes "Howl" is read or assigned in classes without that Footnote.

The truly subversive choice in "Howl" was casting two of the hottest heartthrobs in America as the leading characters. The courageous defense lawyer at the "Howl" trial is played by Jon Hamm, better known to millions as Don Draper in the hit "Mad Men" TV series. The defense lawyer Hamm plays in "Howl"---from his looks to his prophetic message to the court about American values---is almost a twin to the character of Don Draper. Then, to portray Ginsberg, the producers chose Franco. While Franco may not rank with Brad Pitt on tabloid covers, he's certainly hot today. For example, he appears as one of the hunkiest heartthrobs in Julia Roberts' new movie version of "Eat Pray Love." Trying to place Franco in "Eat Pray Love"? He's the knock-em-dead young actor who tells a girlfriend: "When I look at you, I can hear dolphins clapping." Obviously, that sappy line wasn't penned by Ginsberg. Watching those two actors at the helm of "Howl"---that casting choice alone---drives home the film's plea for diversity. Two of the coolest hearthrobs in America right now see the enduring value in what Ginsberg achieved more than half a century ago.

Ginsberg certainly was as much a self-styled clown as a prophet. But, he realized years before many others of his generation that--even from the margins of our society--words are a perpetual source of power. He shouted out this truth at the very end of Howl. Even the language of the Footnote is R-rated, but those final lines should echo on for years to come. The passage includes:

Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!

The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy!

Everything is holy! everybody's holy! everywhere is holy! everyday is in eternity! Everyman's an angel!

The bum's as holy as the seraphim! the madman is holy as you my soul are holy!

...

Holy forgiveness! mercy! charity! faith! Holy! Ours! bodies! suffering! magnanimity!

Holy the supernatural extra brilliant intelligent kindness of the soul!

This is a great film. And those are great words to remember as the credits roll.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011)

Big Momma's House 1 & 2We bought this as a gift for our nephew for Christmas and he was really happy with it . He only wanted the first one the price for the two of them was hard to resist .

this movie is so funny. i laught everytime i watch this movie. and it's a good price 2 for one.

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Several male comedians' have (in the movies) a character best described as their "alter-ego', ie: a character of the opposite sex engaged in an adventure of some sort or another.

Back in the day Flip Wilson had 'Geraldine', then Eddie Murphy with his (I forgot the name) and of course Tyler Perry's 'Medea'.

Well, Martin Laurence has 'Big Momma'. As far as my tastes go Big Momma is the best! She's sweet, funny, really not gross at all (as these characters' are wont to get, well there are a few, er, moments). Something about the way Martin Laurence executes his character is pleasing...and funny! No F-bombs, just a tad innuendo (ie: a wink wink to the camera) to remind the viewer that it is a male character playing a female role.

Big Momma #1 and Big Momma #2 are great as a set. Big Momma is not a one-trick-pony. The character has depth (to a degree) and the movies' are family friendly, crazy, and good for more than a few gut busting laughs!

I do think Big Momma #1 is the better of the two. Big Momma #2 is kinda like a re-do of #1 and drags abit. Big Momma's House #1 is ****, Big Momma's House #2 is **1/2. Average it out to @ ***1/2 for the set.

Read Best Reviews of Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011) Here

I would advise anyone one who wants a funny, family oriented movie and loves them some Martin Lawerence to go buy this!

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It is worth the money I paid for it. I think that any color and any age can watch these movies and laugh. It is a family movie that brings people together and makes them see life as humorous. There may be some gun scenes that may not be appropriate for children but overall, I think they took big mama and really made a movie that was unique and different fromother movies. Would buy again, well worth the money.

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Scream Five-Film Set (Scream 1-3 + Two Documentaries) (2011)

Scream Five-Film SetSince Lions Gate has been mum on the details/specs of this set, never even issuing a press release containing any info., I thought I'd take this opportunity to answer many of the unanswered questions for those who have yet to order:

1. The 3 movies are the exact same blu-rays that were released separately. Right down to the now dated ads and trailers that you cannot skip past. Same extra features (not many), same picture, same everything -outside of the discs themselves which are all that generic grey "rental" version looking disc with no individual artwork. There is, as expected, NO director's cut of the original film included.

2. The 2 documentaries are on 1 disc, despite this being labeled as a 5 disc set when I (and many others) ordered it.

3. The 2 documentaries are in partial HD. "Scream: The Inside Story" goes between 1080i, 720p and 480p. The only parts in 480p are clips of the actual Scream movies. The rest, for unknown reasons (I suspect a glitch on the discs or a way to cram both docs onto one disc) jumps between 720p and, rarely, 1080p. If your blu-ray player upconverts, the only real noticeable changes are the film clips in "Scream: The Inside Story" being of significantly lesser quality. "Still Screaming" fares a little better with the film clips also being in HD.

4. Despite Lions Gate's website claiming the documentaries contain 4 hours of extras, including commentaries, etc. -there are NO extras. The docs play in DTS Master Audio Stereo. The menu is static with the only options being to choose which documentary you want to play. Even if you are in the middle of watching one of the docs, it will start at the beginning if you even accidentally hit the stop button. There isn't a bookmark option and, most surprisingly, there ISN'T CLOSED CAPTIONING ON EITHER DOCUMENTARY. I think that is very important to note for those hard of hearing. It's an inexcusable omission.

5. The movies are just as you left them. Scream is an excellent little horror film. Scream 2 is a decent, somewhat drawn out sequel. Scream 3 is still an embarrassment (seriously, what are Jay and Silent Bob doing in this thing?). The movies DO have closed captioning available. Just not the docs.

6. The whole thing comes in one normally sized Blu-Ray case with a cardboard overlay. The 4th disc was warped over the 3rd disc in mine, which hasn't seemed to cause any problems, but was distressing when I first opened the package. The cardboard overlay and case itself have the same art as you see displayed at the top of this page.

7. I have just noticed Lions Gate removed the "5 film set" from their webpage entirely and replaced it with "Scream 1-3 Gift Set." The 5 film set was there as recently as Saturday. Maybe they didn't want to be seen falsely advertising the multiple hours of extras the documentaries included (which, as I mentioned above, aren't there).

Overall, I'm disappointed with this package. And I can see why Lions Gate did everything to HIDE the details from the general audience. If you like the Scream movies and don't yet own them, this is the best way to buy them as it's cheaper than it is to buy them individually (if you want all 3) and you get the two docs (as poorly presented as they are). If you already own the movies? I'd pass on this. Clearly there ARE extras out there for the docs and I suspect they'll sell the documentaries separately -probably for under 10 bucks -with closed captioning and all the extras included. The docs themselves, as bare-boned as they are, just aren't worth 20 bucks, if you already own the films.

I hope this review helped anyone on the fence make an educated decision as to whether or not the 4 disc collection is worth it for them. Thanks for reading!

September 26th was a date etched in my brain. I could not wait for the arrival of the "Scream Trilogy: Box Set" let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Besided being the most successful horror series EVER, (yes people, even better than all 27 Friday the 13ths) it's really smart. The dialogue, characters and plot twists are exceptional. Of course, being directed by the MASTER of horror and suspense, Wes Craven, made it even better. This set is absolutely perfect. Each of the Scream films, all in widescreen, with Dolby Digital surround sound, audio commentary and loads of extras. The Scream extras include: 3 Behind The Scenes featurettes, trailers, TV Spots, Q&A with the cast and crew, special effect gallery, film facts etc. Scream 2's extras include: outtakes, deleted scenes, Production Featurette, music videos, trailer, TV Spots etc. Finally, Scream 3's DVD includes: Outtakes, Deleted Scenes, Alternate Ending, Trailers, TV Spots, music video, Behind the Scenes of all three Scream films and so much more. Finally, we get a bonus DVD. This is my favorite one of the set. It includes a 35 minute documentary titled, "Behind the Scream" includes interviews with the cast and crew; Outtakes from Scream, Screen tests, Sunrise Studio trailers, the "Stab 2" trailer, and the cutting room, where you can make your own version of the opening scene of "Scream 3." The set also comes with a 24 page Behind the Scenes book. including pictures, photos, a tribute to the victims etc. The cover comes in two separate parts, which is really cool. All in all, everyone MUST own this set, it's PERFECT!!!

Buy Scream Five-Film Set (Scream 1-3 + Two Documentaries) (2011) Now

When I review a movie, especially a box set, I base my review on the bonus material and quality of the set in general. I think most people who buy movies from Amazon have usually seen the movies they are buying already.

The Scream Ultimate Collection is truly that! This box set is assembled very nicely and uses the plastic (not cardboard) cases for the DVDs. I prefer the plastic cases for durability! This set also includes a fourth disc packed with bonus material. Here's a break-down of what's on each disc besides the movie.

Disc 1 Scream Collector's Series

Audio Commentary, Director Wes Craven & Screenwriter Kevin Williamson

Production Featurette

Theatrical Trailers

TV Commercials

Behind-The-Scenes Footage

Q & A with Cast and Crew

Special Effects gallery

Cast & Crew Profiles

Film Facts

Disc 2 Scream 2 Collector's Series

Cast & Crew Biographies

Outtakes

Theatrical Trailer

TV Spots

Master P Music Video

Kottonmouth Kings Music Video

Deleted Scenes, commentary by Wes Craven

Featurette

Feature Commentary with Wes Craven and Crew

French Language Track

Spanish Subtitles

Disc 3 Scream 3 Collector's Series

Outtakes

Behind-The-Scenes, all three movies

Deleted Scenes, commentary with Wes Craven and Crew

Alternate Ending, commentary with Wes Craven and Crew

Feature Film commentary with Wes Craven and Crew

TV Spots

Theatrical Trailer

International Trailer

'Creed' Music Video

Cast & Crew biographies

French Language Track

Spanish Subtitles

Disc 4 DVD/DVD-ROM Exclusive Bonus Material

DVD Special Features

"Behind The Scream" Documentary

Outtakes From Scream

The Cutting Room (Edit scenes using your remote)

Screen Tests Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy, Skeet Ulrich

Sunrise Studios Trailers

DVD-ROM Special Features

Scream Trivia Game

Scream Character Web

ScreamSaver

Scream3 Website

Screenplay and Shot List

This box set would be an excellent gift idea for any Scream or general suspense movie fan. This is a must-have for Scream fans! The value is excellent as there are tons of special features and the quality of the box set is very good!

Read Best Reviews of Scream Five-Film Set (Scream 1-3 + Two Documentaries) (2011) Here

This is definately a smart move by Buena Vista releasing the box set. The first 2 Scream movies DVD releases were sub-par in many aspects so the re-release is something that needed to be done. First off all, there are going to be 4 DVDs, Scream 1, Scream 2, Scream 3, and a 4th DVD with supplements. The supplements will include deleted scenes, alternative endings, outtakes, screen tests, trivia games, web links, and a "Screamsaver." Of course all 3 movies will be in Dolby Digital 5.1 and believe it or not, all three will be Anamorphic transfers. Where the first 2 were not. All in all this is going to be a great set to own! I've already ordered mine and anyone who loves Scream and loves extras will be in awe come September 26th.

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Since everybody is talking about the movies, I am only going to review the dvd box set special features.

DISC 1: SCREAM

.Commentary by Director, Wes Craven

.Trailers-there are 2, one greenband and one red band(together they last for a little over than 4 minutes)

TV SPOTS-there are 7 tv spots(and each of them run for 30 seconds)

Production Featurette-(this runs for 6 minutes)

Behind the Scenes-there are two behind the scenes. The first is called On the Scream Set(which runs for 3 minutes). The second one is called Drew Barrymore(which runs for 3 minutes)

Q and A with the Cast and Crew-There are two to choose from, one of them is called What's your favorite scary movie?(which runs for 2 minutes and 45 seconds). The second one is called Why are people so fascinated by horror films?(which runs for 2 minutes and 30 seconds).

Special Effects GalleryThe gallery contains 18 pictures)

Cast and Crew ProfilesIn this section you will find profiles for Drew Barrymore, Courteney Cox, Wes Craven, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy, David Arquette, Kevin Williamson.

Did you Know?-Here you will find facts about the movie,and there are 19 facts.

Additional Titles-In here are just some recommemdations, the recommendations are From Dusk Till Dawn, Scream 2, The Crow, Mimic, Halloween H20, and Pulp Fiction.

Scream comes with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and in Widescreen (2.35:1)

Disc 2: Scream 2

.Audio Commentary by Director, Producer, Editor

.Outtakes-(this runs for nearly 9 minutes).

.Deleted Scenes with optional commentary with director, producer and the editor.-(this runs for a little over 4 minutes).

.Theatrical Trailer-(2 minutes)

.Tv spots-there are 11 tv spots and all together they run a little over 6 minutes.

.Music Videos-There are two videos two choose from. One is by Master P called Scream(which runs for 3 minutes). The second music video is by the Kotton Mouth Kings and is called the Suburban Life(and it runs for 3 minutes and 45 seconds).

.Featurette-(this runs for 7 minutes)

.Cast Bios-Here you will find Bios for David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Jada Pinkett Smith,Omar Epps, Elise Neil, Jerry O'Connell, TimoThy OlyphanT, Rebecca GayhearT, Portia Se Rossi, Liev Schreiber, Luke Wilson, Tori Spelling, Laurie MeTcalf, Heather Graham.

.Crew Bioshere you will find Bios for Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson, Marianne Maddalena, and Cathy Konrad.

Scream 2 comes with 5.1 Surround Sound and in Widescreen (2.35:1) enhanced for 16X9 Televisions.

Disc 3: Scream 3

.Audio Commentary by Director, Producer, and Editor.

.Outtakes-(this runs for 6 minutes and 30 seconds).

.Behind the scenes Montage-this runs for 6 minutes)

.Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by director, producer, editor-this runs for 13 minutes and 30 seconds.

.Alternate Ending with optional commentary by director, producer,and editor-this runs for 10 minutes.

.Theatrical Trailer-(1 minute and 24 seconds)

.International Trailer-(1 minute and 37 seconds)

.Soundtrack Trailer-(1 minute and 17 seconds)

.Tv Spots-there are 14 tv spots and all together they run for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

.Creed Music Video "What If"-This music video runs for nearly 5 minutes.

.Cast Bios-here you will find bios for David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Matt Keeslar, Jamie Kennedy, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Parker Posey, Deon Richmond, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Warburton, and Kelly Rutherford.

.Crew BiosHere you will find bios for Wes Craven, Marianne Maddalena, Cathy Konrad, Ehren Kruger, and Patrick Lussier.

Scream 3 comes with 5.1 Surround Sound and in Widescreen(2.35:1) Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions.

Disc 4:Bonus Disc

.Behind the Scream-this runs for 31 minutes and 30 seconds.

.Scream Outtakes-this runs for 4 minutes

.Screen Tests-There are three Screen tests. One for Neve Campbell(which runs for 4 minutes and 20 seconds). The second tests is for Skeet Ulrich(which runs for 2 minutes and 30 seconds). The last test is with Jamie Kennedy(which runs for 1 minute).

.The Cutting Room Floor-Here you can make your own scenes but the only scenes that you can use is the beginning scenes with Cotton in Scream 3.

.Sunrise Studio Trailers-there are 9 sunrise studio trailers. I am going to list them.

1.Stab 2-(48 seconds)

2.FrankenPimp-(55 seconds)

3.It walked from the waves-(49 seconds)

4.Is somebody there?-(36 seconds)

5.Zombie Martians from deep outer space-(1 minute and 11 seconds)

6.Opium Den-(1 minute and 16 seconds)

7.The 1st house on the right-(26 seconds)

8.Voodoo club-(38 seconds)

9.The scared bit** projectz-(1 minute and 13 seconds)

.Crew Bios-here you will find bios for Knb Efx,Peter Deming, Patrick Lussier, Bruce Alan Miller, Stuart Besser, Nicholas Mastandrea, and Lisa Beach.

DVD-ROM FEATURES

.Scream Trivia Game

.Scream Character Web

.ScreamSaver

.Scream 3 Website

.Screenplay and Shot List

This is all the special features on this awsome 4-disc collection. If you like the scream movies i HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO TO THE STORE AND BUY ONE, because this is probaly as good as it gets. I hope you enjoyed my review.

.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

BluScenes: Scenic Aquarium 1080p HD Blu-ray Disc (2012)

BluScenes: Scenic Aquarium 1080p HD Blu-ray DiscExcellent Blu-ray disk, It looks and sounds like a very real aqaurium:)I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys watching aquariums without the cost and care of a real one:)

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Disturbia (2007)

DisturbiaKale (Shia Labeouf), a teenager who recently lost his father in a car accident, is on house arrest after punching his teacher. He soon gets bored with too much time on his hands and starts spying on his sexy new neighbor Ashley (Sarah Roemer). One night, while watching the news on TV, Kale hears about a missing girl and an eyewitness report describing a suspect's car. Kale realizes that his next door neighbor, Mr. Turner (David Morse), has the same vintage car of the same color also with a dent in the bumper. Mr. Turner brings a woman home one night and Kale witnesses some rough play through the open curtains. He begins to suspect him of being the missing girl's killer and starts to spy on him with cameras and binoculars.

Disturbia is directed by D.J. Caruso (The Salton Sea, Taking Lives) and is molded after Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller, Rear Window. I really wasn't expecting too much from this one other than it was a Caruso film, a director whose work I admire. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised; the plot and characters sucked me in almost right away. The film has a similar premise as the one in Rear Window, but with all its gadgets, flashy shot compositions, and younger target audience, it really feels like a fresh approach to a cool idea.

The script was well written in the sense that it took time to set things up, to develop its characters, and provide us with enough twists and turns so that we never have time to look at our watches. The tension increases a lot in the last half-hour of the film and builds to a climax that doesn't fall into the clichés of the recent suspense/thrillers. Shia Labeouf shows promise as a young actor, bringing depth to his character. Sarah Roemer was also pretty good, showing us that she's more than a pretty face and a hot body. David Morse (The Rock, The Green Mile) was great as usual as the neighbor who may-or-may-not-be a serial killer. Caruso's got another hit under his belt, much more satisfying than Taking Lives was for that matter.

If you're a fan of Hitchcock's Rear Window, you might really enjoy this one; it's much more than your average sugar-coated teenage flick. Horror fans and thriller aficionados will find something to sink their teeth in as well. Definitely worth the price of admission.

What a pleasant surprise! I'm the world's biggest Hitchcock fan, and well past my adolescent years, so I wasn't expecting a lot from a new flick that every critic in America said was "REAR WINDOW with teens." But this film actually works on its own merits, and the chief merit is Shia LaBeouf. I haven't been this impressed with a new talent since I saw Keisha Castle-Hughes in WHALE RIDER, or when I saw 15-year-old Matthew Broderick in the Broadway play, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS, some 25 years ago. This Shia guy is the real deal, and I have a feeling DISTURBIA will go down in the books as the film that really broke him out to a long, high-profile career.

Older folks, take note: This is not your average "teen thriller," nor is it a simple ripoff of Hitchcock. It is a clever, exciting new entity, expertly directed by D. J. Caruso. And the young lead is a perfect combination of Jimmy Stewart in REAR WINDOW (in the first 75 minutes) and Jodie Foster in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (in the final 30 minutes), and every bit as good as both of them. Give DISTURBIA a try--I think you'll like it.

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"Disturbia" isn't original. It isn't too scary or gory either. What it is, though, is a fun popcorn yarn about a teen named Kale (Shia LeBeouf) who's placed under house arrest for taking out a little internal anguish on a Spanish teacher. His mother (Carrie-Anne Moss) takes away his television, his music and his X-box. What's a bored teen living in suburbia to do to pass the time? Spy on the neighbors, of course. It helps that his newest neighbor, Ashley (Sarah Roemer), is a knockout and takes regularly scheduled swims and rooftop reading breaks. Once he has all of his neighbors' daily lives timed perfectly, he introduces his friend, Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), to his voyeuristic world. The duo gets caught spying on Ashley but she ends up befriending them when they tell her that they believe one particular neighbor, Mr. Turner (the underused David Morse), might be a serial killer from Texas who was never captured.

This sets the film into motion. The three friends try to uncover the truth about their very private neighbor. The only problem is that with each clue they find that might lead to the truth, Turner seems to be one step ahead of them. Things get even crazier when the police think that Kale is crying wolf over everything.

What I really enjoyed about this film is that it's very funny. I'm not talking about it being funny in a sophomoric, slasher movie way, there's some very smart humor here. Director D.J. Caruso keeps the humor spread just thin enough to keep the suspense at an acceptable level. The cast is very likeable. LeBeouf has an ever-present goofiness about him, but when he needs to be afraid or angry, he pulls it off perfectly. Morse is sneaky and sinister at the same time. Whether he's a murderer or not, the guy will creep you out. Moss is solid, but has a very small role to fill. LeBeouf's pals do a good job as well.

The DVD doesn't have much to offer outside of the film that's worth more than one look. There's the standard "Making Of" featurette, outtakes, a forgettable music video, deleted scenes, and a photo gallery. The digital transfer is good, and the audio is nice as well.

Overall, "Disturbia" is a very fun suspense flick. It's not Hitchcock-caliber, but then again, so few films are. If you want Hitchcock, don't watch "Disturbia." If you want a good film to watch for a quiet evening at home, this film's the one for you.

Read Best Reviews of Disturbia (2007) Here

It's always exciting to see a new star on the rise. I don't know what IT is, but Shia LaBeouf has IT is spades. I'm a fan of 'Rearview' and think this is a good modern take on the classic. Though I do have to agree that the last third of the film begins to loose major points just in the sheer illogical motives of the killer. If you are going to be a psycho killer-why on earth would you live in the suburbs? Everyone knows everyone's business there...and you mean to tell me that one one would know this man was digging to China in the garage? Given how close all the houses were-no one else heard women screaming from his place? C'mon. If you can force logic to take a vacation during the movie's durance, you can actually have a pretty good time. Overall: worth watching.

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While at the local multiplex watching this fine show, a few seats down from me a young teenaged boy was holding his head in his hands through most of the film, and he could be heard muttering, "I can't take this...oh my god...this is too much..." At one point, he got up and *ran* out of the theater, causing his three friends no small embarrassment. His reactions were almost more entertaining than the movie. I can't imagine this poor kid sitting through something meant to be truly frightening. I gave myself a giggle or two imagining him sliding to the popcorn-and-Coke-caked floors during the urination scene from The Exorcist while sucking his thumb and humming nursery rhymes. Poor guy.

Speaking of other films, this one bore more than a passing resemblance to Rear Window. I was also reminded of The Blair Witch Project (this may just be me but if you see it, think of this toward the end of the film when a certain someone was walking around another certain someone's basement).

Caruso didn't do a bad job with Disturbia, but he didn't "do Hitchcock proud". He was very fortunate to have Shia LaBeouf in the lead role. LaBeouf didn't bring James Stewart to mind, but he did make me forget from time to time that I was watching a dumbed down, high-tech Rear Window. As many have said, LaBeouf does have tremendous talent, and seems headed for stardom (despite Dumb and Dumberer).

The story is fairly simple. Kale (LaBeouf) is put under house arrest for punching his Spanish teacher although truth be told, if the Spanish teacher had thrown my dead father in my face I might have punched him too. Too coincidentally, the police officer assigned (or who assigns himself) to keep an eye on Kale is the Spanish teacher's cousin, and his treatment of Kale leaves a bit to be desired.

Stuck alone in a beautiful house, after his Mom has taken away his iTunes, Xbox, and flat screen TV, Kale turns to the only form of entertainment left to him spying on the lives of others. There is one such "other" who particularly intrigues him: his new next door neighbor, Ashley (Sarah Roemer), who does a swimsuit proud. Kale and his (requisite) silly friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) take turns with the binoculars enjoying her presence until she catches them at it one day (I'm not giving anything away here because it's in the trailers for the film). As reason would indicate, she then befriends them.

Kale becomes suspicious of his next door neighbor, and is certain that he is the person responsible for a rash of missing women. The ensuing cat and mouse game between them is made more enjoyable by the gadgets that LaBeouf's character has that James Stewart's didn't, but the next door neighbor, "Mr. Turner" (David Morse, who with much shorter hair played a very convincing cop with a grudge against Greg House earlier this season in House), wasn't as, well, icky as I would have liked him to be. He's foreboding, and formidable, but a serial killer needs an "ick factor". (That's a new technical term...).

3½ stars.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Get Low (2010)

Get LowAaron Schneider's "Get Low" is a slight, unpretentious film that would blow away in the wind if it weren't anchored by some truly wonderful performances. Based on a true story, "Get Low" is set during the Great Depression, in the Appalachian hills of Georgia. Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) an old hermit feared and despised by his neighbors, hires the local funeral director (Bill Murray) to organize a "funeral party" so he can hear what the locals have to say about him before he's actually dead. That climactic event proves the occasion for Felix to make a full confession to his neighbors about the horrific event, forty years before, that cost him his reputation and has haunted him ever since.

Frankly, not much happens in "Get Low" before that climax, but it's mostly a pleasure to watch, thanks to Schneider's deft, low-key direction and the extremely fine acting, especially by Duvall and Murray. Duvall has made a career specialty of backwoods eccentrics, and his Felix Bush is one of the more memorable of them. The pain in Duvall's eyes blasts away any suggestion of mawkish sentimentality that might be inherent in the film. Murray is equally fine as a man who has more than a little con man in him, but who also has seen enough sorrow in life to spark his essential decency. The earnest Duvall and the roguish Murray play beautifully off each other, as fellow travelers on the Train of Sadness.

Sissy Spacek, as an old flame of Felix's, doesn't have much to do, but it's nice to see her anyway. Bill Cobbs is tartly amusing an a preacher who knows Felix's secret, and Lucas Black is extremely likable as Murray's assistant. "Get Low" is a gentle, poignant film, memorable for the acting.

Robert Duvall should have been in contention for an oscar with his complicated portrayal of Felix Bush, a 40-year hermit from the mountains of Tennessee. Bill Cobbs' performance was also remarkable as an Illinois preacher. In actuality, all the acting was stellar. Bill Murray was worth his weight in yen as the more-than-happy-to-oblige funeral director. This innovative storyline of Felix's wish for his own funeral service during his lifetime was perfectly-paced to let each character unfurl. And it was just the right length. Both the photography and costuming were stunning and gave the impression that this really was bound by that period in time. Even the currency had a look of authenticity from back in the days of the Great Depression. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the soundtrack, especially Alison Krauss' splendidly apropos "Lay My Burden Down".

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"Get Low" takes place in the thirties and is about Felix who lives in the Tennessee woods for forty years as a foul-tempered recluse having little to do with the local townspeople. The old bearded coot is played by Robert Duvall who does a great but effortless-seeming acting job. He has a guilty secret which has driven him into seclusion. When an old acquaintance dies, he decides to have a funeral, but he decides he wants it to be a party, and he wants people to tell stories about him, and he wants to be there while he's still alive. Felix infrequently comes into town with his old mule. It's fun looking at the old thirties cars and the period hearse.

It's only later as the movie moves along that you realize this is really a mystery movie. One of the first clues comes when an old flame Sissy Spacek runs out on Felix after seeing a photograph on his wall. As a viewer you wonder what gets her so agitated. What Felix wants is one particular friend, an Afro-American minister (played by Billy Cobbs) to tell what he knows about him. Not that Felix built a beautiful church for the minister but what he confessed to him.

As the funeral director, Bill Murray is very winning playing the part of a man who is funny, sly, maybe a bit of a crook. He is only too happy to get paid for the strange funeral party because his business is tanking, not like his former home in Chicago where people were regularly getting bumped off.

It's actually a tour de force role for Duvall, but movie acting has gotten so deeply ingrained in him that he can make it seem organic. The movie is about peeling away layers of humanity in each character, and we slowly see them evolve into better people that we can admire.

It's a piece of magic storytelling which moves at a stately pace, a measured pace, but you don't get bored and you don't want it rushed because it is inevitably going to be revelatory, and Felix's secret is going to be eased out.

Basically it's a very simple story concerning a man who does not want to go to his grave with a guilty conscience.

Murray's young assistant, the deus ex machina, the catalyst, for a lot that happens in the story, is well-played by good-looking young Lucas Black. It's a movie of subtlety, humor, and deep human emotion, but I do have a lot of trouble remembering what I think is a lousy title.

Read Best Reviews of Get Low (2010) Here

No special effects or much action in this movie, but still it is a good movie to watch.

It is about a hermit (wonderfully played by Robert Duvall) who live in the woods isolated from the towns people. As the story develops, we understand more and more why he decided to live like a hermit: to punish himself for the mistake that he made 40 years or so earlier. In fact, he publicly discloses his mistake in the climax of the movie towards the end.

Bill Murray is very funny, in a serious manner that he plays his role as funeral director. Good cast, good acting, and good plot.

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I thought that "Get Low" would be a hands down winner during this years awards. Great story, outstanding actors wonderful sound track. It has not even been mentioned in this years awards. I have considered that the awards are for political purposes and not for artistic accomplishment and talent. I throughly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it.

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Quiz Show

Quiz ShowThis looks vastly better than the USA letterboxed DVD which was overexposed, shaky, and washed out. The picture is very sharp, bright, steady, and clear with deep blacks and rich but subdued colors. English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and closed captions. Several dubs and subtitle options. Not a lot of extras no commentary track, just the teaser, trailer, and short featurette. The picture was restored and remastered very recently, this Blu-ray was released in early February 2013. The movie looks brand new with no dirt or film damage. Very light grain.

You can get this well under $30 with shipping on eBay from Australian sellers (click on Worldwide under Item Location when doing a search). Delivery took less than two weeks to USA.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010)

Analyze This / Analyze ThatAs an avid viewer of the gangster genre, I went into this one with high hopes...and wasn't disappointed. This film paints mobsters in the same sympathetic light that the original Godfather does (not the other ones, of course). DeNiro reenacts his famous heavy-handed mobster role with a whole new perspective in this very entertaining comedy. His off the wall character of a mob boss who breaks into tears at random intervals is priceless. Crystal works as the perfect dichotomy as the nervous psychologist who winds up over his head before he knows what has hit him. This film, although nothing past a simple comedy, is terrifically written and has more than it's fair share of laughs. Watch it. Have fun.

These comments apply to the "Comedy Double Feature" Blu-ray.

Inside the case, there is only ONE disc even though two movies are bundled together.

This would have been fine if they had used a dual layer (50GB) disc, but to me it appears that both the movies have been crammed in on a single layer (25GB) disc.

The bit rate is really low and the video quality suffers badly, to the point that it is virtually indistinguishable from that of a DVD.

Don't waste your money on this Blu-ray. Just buy the DVD or opt for the two dollar download.

Buy Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010) Now

"You, you're good, you." Yes! Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is brilliant as the mobster who cries and gives no mercy to his enemies. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) becomes his shrink after one threat and there goes on! "Analyze This" is funny with Sobel trying to get married, but Vitti interrupts his life and shoots pillows for no reason. "Analyze That" is funnier with hilarious parts including the woman and the midget picture, the tuna casserole, and the "West Side Story" sing-a-longs. Momentous! These are two funny movies that people need to see.

Read Best Reviews of Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010) Here

In case you were wondering, this is a double sided DVD with the main menus and special features as they were originally released, so it really is like two DVDs for the price of one.

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still very funny depiction of mobsters and their doctors...

How can you go wrong with DeNiro and Crystal?

The scene with Chaz Palmenteri in the warehouse with Billy Crystal speaking for the Family is still one of the greatest scenes...

The sequel is good too but buy it for the original.

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Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Digital Copy)

The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary EditionOK to clear up some confusion about the latest incarnation of "The Muppet Movie" this edition is celebrating the fact that Kermit always a bit green around the gills is 50 years old. That said I'm completely unimpressed with this edition of a classic family movie. I'll get to the reasons why in just a bit in the meantime here's a recap of the plot for those of you who have forgotten what its about.

Discovered by a big time agent (Dom DeLuise) playing his banjo among the reeds and lilly pads, Kermit (Jim Henson) moves to Hollywood for fame and fortune. Along the way he hooks up with Miss Piggy (Frank Oz), Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz) and other Muppets who are looking for their road to the big time. Kermit is pursued by Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) who wants to open a chain of fast food frog leg restaurants. He hopes to make Kermit his company mascot. Along the way Kermit and his friends meet a who's who of Hollywood's funniest comedians along the way. Featuring a who's who list of top notch celebrity talent including Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahnm Richard Pryor, Edgar Bergen, Steve Martin and others, "The Muppet Movie" provided the early template for family films that could also be adult friendly as well.

With bright vivid colors "The Muppet Movie" looks solid in this DVD transfer but the film could have used a bit of restoration. Image clarity and sharpness are not what they could have been as well with an occasional softness that surprised me. Granted, this edition looks better than the Tri-Star release of four years ago but the film really needs to be carefully restored improving the overall image and sound quality. The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix presents dialogue with nice clarity but the music score and just about everything else in the movie's soundtrack comes across sounding tightly compressed. Again, an overall disappointment even when compared to the previous edition of this movie from four years ago.

I would have thought that a great movie would deserve great extras. Instead, the best extra from the previous edition (Frawley's test footage) is missing from this edition. Instead of that we get an underwhelming five minute featurette about Kermit. It's a waste of money and space on the DVD. We also get the usual assortment of Disney previews at the beginning although you can skip them. A note to Disney--including a full screen version of the same movie no longer counts as a special feature

About the only good thing about this DVD release are the chapters placed throughout the film. It makes navigating to a particular scene pretty easy overall but that's not saying much in an age where "The Wizard of Oz" gets a deluxe three DVD edition or even the recent "War of the Worlds" a two disc edition. Honestly, it feels like Disney blew it here. I'm not sure they knew what they wanted to put on the disc and this smells suspiciously like a double dip down the line. Considering the deluxe treatment that Disney recently gave "The Muppet Show" on DVD, I'm really surprised at how shabbily they treated this classic film.

A classic that receives truly pedestrian treatment, I'd recommend waiting to see if a deluxe edition of this film is coming out before buying. If you don't have the very good previous edition of this film on DVD and feel you must have it now by all means feel free to pick it up. I have the distinct feeling you'll be kicking yourself later however and suggest renting and then taking a wait and see attitude about buying this feeble "Special Edition". Man talk about being green, watching the treatment this classic received on DVD made me sick to my stomach.

Let's clear up some confusion here....the "grasshopper" comment was on the movie soundtrack ONLY. It was NOT in the film. If you listen to the song "I hope that something better comes along" from the soundtrack recording, MOST of the dialog exchange between Rowlf and Kermit prior to the beginning of the song, is DIFFERENT than the movie (not just the "grasshopper" line). The different dialog on the soundtrack was to help make sense of the scene in which the song takes place, for those who hadn't seen the film.

I have an old VHS tape of The Muppet Movie from 1984, and the "grasshopper" line isn't on that either. Nothing was censored for the DVD.

I agree that the Muppets' 1979 TV special "The Muppets Go Hollywood" (which promoted the film's release), SHOULD have been included on this DVD. I'm deducting one star for that ridiculous omission.

Buy The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) Now

Mini review of one of my alltime 10 favorite films.

Many people question why this is on my top 10. I think the question is why is it not on theirs? This is pure entertainment for the whole family. It is a movie that works on all levels. The story is enchanting. The music is charming and whimsical. The muppetry is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a better opening to a movie than the rainbow connection sequence.

The movie is a cornucopia of awesome quotes. I think my favorite still remains: If frog's couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn.

The cameo roles are excellent as well. Steve Martin excels as a put upon waiter. Dom Delouise is impressive as a hollywood agent adrift in a swamp and Mel Brooks steals the show as a german mad scientist.

Read Best Reviews of The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) Here

The original classic Muppet Movie has finally arrived on DVD. Unfortunately, it did not get the treatment it deserves. The only special feature of note is "Jim Frawley's camera test" (which I found pretty entertaining). The so-called "Muppetisms" are just a couple of very brief jokes from Kermit and Miss Piggy. The picture, for whatever reason, is very grainy most of the time...but at least the colors are bright and vivid. The sound is low when the characters are talking and louder during musical numbers, requiring frequent volume adjustments. The disc contains the preferred widescreen version of the film on one side, and a completely unnecessary pan-and-scan version on the other. Folks, I ask you, wouldn't you rather have a plethora of special features on that second side? How about 2 or 3 episodes of The Muppet Show? Why not some sort of a commentary on the film? Perhaps a biography of Jim Henson? The Muppets (and Jim Henson) deserve a Special Edition, and this disc is far from it.

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This movie was truly the work of the Genius that Jim Henson and Frank Oz created along with the many Muppet Performers and Writers of this film. However, Columbia/Tri-Star has made a terrible mistake in not giving this DVD the clean up or detail that it truly deserves. I bought this and Tootsie on the same day, and Tootsie looks and sounds beautiful. This film looks like I pulled out an old video. What happened to the art of remastering? There was virtually no audio or video cleanup, and I was truly disappointed. Such a brilliant film deserves more. Yes, I too would like bonuses, but want a cleanup more than anything else. The DVD version was a waste. Movie = 5 Stars! DVD = 1 Star Film Test = 5 stars, but so little in the bonus area. Aren't there more bonuses out there?

I sincerely hope the folks at the DVD company will work with the Folks at Jim Henson Productions on getting a quality product out there, with bonuses it deserves. Here's some: Clean the movie (remaster audio and video) Outtakes? Early short films? Audio commentary by Frank Oz and other Muppet performers? Documentary? Muppet Show episode? Muppets 30th Anniversary TV special (CBS) Muppets Tribute To Jim Henson (NBC Disney)

So many possibilities... Hey JH Productions, let's get the complete Muppet Show DVD collection out there!

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