Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)

OK, I'm an Indian and like many other indians I too love this movie and so you might think this is an biased review. But far from it,as even though its been 10 years since this movie was released ,no hindi movie has since come close to matching this ones greatness. I'm sure Indian readers wont be needing this review, so I will write this review for the Western readers.

For starters all hindi movies are musicals, i.e they involve song and dance numbers. I do not know why, but it has always been this way. So if you like musicals you will fall in love with this movie as the music is top notch and excellently choreographed and blends in well very well with the situation.

This is a love story to begin with and a very good one, that too. Though the storyline is familiar, boy falls in love with a girl, girl's dad is the pain in the butt,boy tries hard to win the girl and finally wins over the girl :), what sets this movie apart is the sizzling chemistry between SRK and Kajol and honest performances from the entire star cast. And I guess what appealed to the masses is that unlike in other movies, the hero does NOT run away with the girl nor does he use violence as means to justify his love for the girl. So then how does he win the girl ? Well for that you will have to watch the entire movie. So come and fall in love with the movie.

Note: Hindi with English subtitles.

`Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' (translation: "The brave heart will take the bride") was released in `95 and is unquestionably one of the most beloved Indian films ever to come out of Bollywood. This Yash Raj comedy, romance, drama stars the incomparable Shah Rukh Khan and the beautiful Kajol as two young British Hindustani's, Raj and Simran, who meet during a one month European vacation. Things do not start out well for the two, but slowly the ongoing banter of dislike and ridicule between them transforms into friendship and finally so much more. Unfortunately Simran is leaving for India soon after their return to England where she will fulfill her Father's wishes and be wed to a stranger in a pre-arranged marriage. Will Raj follow her to the Motherland in hopes of stopping the wedding and claiming Simran for himself? If he does who will win out in the end, Love or Tradition?

I guess 1.1 billion Indians can't be wrong. Shah Rukh and Kajol are perfectly matched as foils and lovers, they are absolutely marvelous together. Watch and see two of the biggest stars in the world in top form, you'll love it too!

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This is such a great film! My husband and I caught it when it was shown on TCM's Bollywood night last year. If you love musicals and are curious about seeing a Bollywood movie, you should make this the first one you watch. The acting is cheesey at times but when there are heartfelt emotional scenes, the acting is top notch. Its easy to see that this was (and still is) a hit. The movie is a little on the long side but when you get into the movie, the time flies and is worth the time you spent watching it.

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I'm not Hindustani. But this movie and most of the Bollywood movies make me so jealous that I'm not! I LOVE HINDI FILMS...(or BOLLYWOOD movies!) If you haven't seen any..you are in for a treat. The dancing, the singing, the costumes, the actors...marvelous!

Sometimes the style may be a bit hard for Americans to take....because they are often not "realistic". But I LOVE the way they highlight love and family. So many of the joys of life and the virtues that make life worth living...these are in these movies! Bollywood people really know how to make movies. Hollywood movies could only dream of coming EVEN close!

The actors are handsome and absolutely entrancing...and the actresses are the most beautiful in the world! The costumes are gorgeous...makes one wish we could dress that way!

The whole family will LOVE this movie...clean and fun! Worth the work of reading the subtitles! But...be careful..these movies are addictive!

This movie has two of the most amazing of their stars...when they were just starting out...they get even better as they mature! Dil is heart...Braveheart Carries Away the Bride.

Don't miss one of the best of Bollywood!

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On the dvd, in the special features section, one of the promo spots shows several of the movie's stars telling which song is their favorite. None of them mentioned my favorite song which shows how many excellent songs there are in the movie.

Raj is a carefree young man that enjoys a good time and seems to excel at everything. He's also good at manipulating others as we first see him manipulate his father and then others.

The first half of the movie is a slapstick comedy while he and Simran travel Europe and fall for each other. In the second half, there is more drama but with comic moments. Raj follows Simran & her family to Punjab and tries surreptitiously to win over her family in the 16 days before the wedding while imposing on the groom's family's hospitality. His plan is working until the wedding is moved forward a few days, and it isn't pretty when his plans are found out.

I adore this movie and have played it over and over. Unfortunately, you can't purchase the ringtone in the U.S.

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Grosse Pointe Blank (15th Anniversary Edition) (1997)

I first saw this during it's initial VHS release. The story is of Martin Blank, a professional Los Angeles hit man who is drawn back to his rural hometown to both attend his high school reunion and take on a contract to whack a guy.

One of the most well-written scripts of the 90's, in my opinion, doesn't work without John Cusack being cast as Martin Blank. He sold the role perfectly, and shines throughout the film, alongside a witty, phenomenal supporting cast of Minnie Driver, Jeremy Piven, Dan Akroyd and Joan Cusack.

Often mistaken as completely morbid, the film takes on not only a tone of humor, but that of vengance and morality. You must see this film.

The DVD, on the other end, [stinks]. Yet another incredible film thrown out there on DVD with a poor transfer and a trailer for an extra. The film sounds fanastic though, and scenes such as the Akroyd/Cusack gunfight and the destruction of the mini-mart can be greatly enjoyed with a good surround sound setup.

Grosse Pointe Blank is an unusual movie. A professional hitman returns to his hometown to "do a job" and, while he's there, attend his 10 year highschool reunion. John Cusack plays the role well, charming and remarkably likeable, despite his profession. This "dark comedy" is very clever, and I rate it as one my favorite 90's films.

Too bad the DVD isn't up to par. It has next to zero extras. But even that could be passable if the picture was good. First of all, the movie is non-anamorphic. That doesn't make a difference unless you have a 16x9 television, it'll look the same on a regular tv, it's just a pet peeve of mine. But, the transfer we did get is just pathetic; it looks like a (bad) laser disc transfer. The picture is grainy, and there are some definite compression artifacts to been seen.

Bottom line: this DVD is worth buying for the movie, no doubt... and since this is the only version available, it's this or nothing. Just don't expect a really terrific picture.

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I went into a local store to check out the packaging for this 2-disc re-release, hoping that Disney would finally release a DVD of Grosse Pointe Blank with a new 16x9 anamorphic transfer. This new disc appears to be the same disc that was released in 1998, and NOT a new anamorphic widescreen transfer. On the back of the package, it still lists "Dolby Digital Surround Sound" and "1.85:1 Widescreen," the same as it did on the original DVD (and the combo GBP/High Fidelity disc that came out later). The new 2-disc release for "High Fidelity" lists the same bonus features as its original release, and showed as "Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions."

It appears the only difference between this release and the original 1998 issue is a second disc with a digital copy for portable video players and updated packaging. I didn't end up buying it based on the packaging and won't until they release a proper version for 16x9 televisions (hopefully a Blu-ray).

I am extremely disappointed that Disney would even bother to re-release such an antiquated, low-quality DVD with only the most minor of improvements (packaging, digital copy). Even if they had not added any bonus features (the original release had none to speak of), an updated anamorphic transfer wouldn't be too much to ask. Will absolutely not buy a copy of Grosse Pointe Blank until a good-quality DVD or Blu-ray is made available.

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Having seen quite a few of John Cusack's movies, I think this one hits exactly the right tone. He often plays lovable loners or losers who somehow manage to get the girl. In this film, he is the ultimate loner, a professional hitman, with very little to brag about at his 10-year high school reunion. He can't even figure out what to tell people who ask him where he's been for the past 10 years, so he tells them the truth, but nobody believes him.

Cusack's character, Martin Blank, is filled with angst, and trying to work this out in therapy. Unfortunately, his therapist (brilliantly underplayed by Alan Arkin), doesn't want to talk to him ever since Blank told the good doctor what he does for a living. The interaction between Cusack and Arkin in this film is much funnier and more real than the Billy Crystal/Robert DeNiro shtick in "Analyze This."

The heart of the film is the relationship between Blank and his high school sweetheart (Minnie Driver), whom he stood up on prom night 10 years before and never contacted again. Blank is emotionally repressed and morally confused (which is why he is well-suited to be a hitman) but Driver is still crazy about him, not believing his statement about his chosen profession. She has some huge trust issues though, what with being stood up on prom night, and all. She is somewhat willing to give him another chance. The playfulness of their interaction is charming, especially when it's tinged with irony and distrust. She doesn't want to have sex with him right away, but she would like an "airplane." (he holds her up with his feet while she pretends to fly)

The climatic scene, where Blank declares his love for Driver, acknowledges his own considerable shortcomings, and promises to change, meanwhile engaging in a gripping, over-the-top shootout with the bad guys, is absolutely perfect for what Cusack's character is about: he can't express himself unless he's pumped full of adrenaline in a battle to the death, but he doesn't want to stay trapped in this way of life.

All of the actors are wonderful, especially Joan Cusack as John's office manager and the person who needles him into going to his reunion and rejoining the human race. Dan Akyroyd is also a hoot.

Everything works in this movie. It's a black comedy/screwball romance/action flick with subtle, clever dialogue, cool music and beautiful scenery. It is completely irreverent, but hopeful and life-affirming, as well.

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If I'm correct, after this movie came out, all the big Cusack fan sites started. Coincidence? I think no compadre. I know I definatly fell head over heels for John Cusack after this movie, not only because of his performance, but because he also wrote the movie, produced it, and supervised the soundtrack (which also kicks some serious boo-tay, featuring some great 80s hits such as: "Blister In the Sun"-by The Violent Femmes, and "Rudie Can't Fail" by The Clash. A little trivia for you...When John Cusack and his buddies at New Crime Productions were writing the script to this movie, they kept The Clash in mind throughout and had Joe Strummer write the score for the movie.)

I was a little dispointed in the DVD version of this movie because of the lack of extras. I was hoping for some commentary or deleted scenes, but alas, all you are left with is the trailer and some "suggested titles," which bore everyone to death. Still, it is wide-screen and the movie is amazing by itself so the rating will not be lowered.

I'm sure everyone viewing this review has seen the movie, but I'll outline the plot for the unblessed among you.

Plot: Martin Q. Blank doesn't know what to do with his life. He has the money, car, but his life feels empty. His therapist reminds him that the angst over killing a lot of people might have something to do with this (He's a lonegunman, professional killer, hitman, however you'd like to describe that profession.) He and his assistant (a brilliant Joan Cusack...what great genes that family has) tell Martin to go back to his high school reunion on the way to do a hit to reunite with his old girlfriend...the one he ditched on prom night and has not stopped dreaming about since. Chaos insues when after not joining a hitman's union fronted by Grocer (a phycotic hitman with frayed nerves), plans to kill Martin by siccing Feds on him after he performs his hit. In the process of reuniting with Debbi, (Minnie Driver, love that woman, she is funny and great in this movie) he realizes that there is so much more to life that he overlooked. It so cute when he holds that baby at the reunion...he realizes the value of human life when he looks into the baby's eyes...a very touching moment.

Does Martin deserve a second shot? (Bad pun, I know) Will he redeem himself? What will Debbi do when she finds out what he really does for a living? Will Martin ever live down his shame at being know as "poodle puncher?" Watch the movie one time to find out, and twenty more times for fun and the joy of seeing John kick some butt (he does all his own kick-boxing stunts that he learned in Say Anything...his kick-boxing instructor also plays the "thug" that is trying to kill him) and wear all black suits. Great plot, witty dialogue, wonderful cast, plus John's friend George Piven's in it. Amazing John movie, definatly in my top five list.

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Hamburger Hill

As a combat medic who served in the 101st Airborne Division just three months after the events depicted in this film took place, I can tell you that it is absolutely the most realistic Vietnam war film to date. I cannot address the issue of the absolute truth of the way specific events are depicted in the film because I wasn't involved in this particular action, but I can say with no equivocation that the characters and combat shown in this film are absolutely realistic based on my experience. The fictional soldiers shown in the film talk like we talked, and all aspects of combat shown are much like my own experience. Some aspects of this film may seem cliched to some viewers (see below), but that is just the common reality of war and reveals the simplistic views of the times. Soldiers in combat were young and not especially astute in their views. We really did say "it don't mean nothin'." I cried on the way home after I first saw this film in the theatre, and finally achieved the catharsis I needed to leave Vietnam behind me. I am grateful to the director and producers for providing that. Someone finally got it right. "Doc" Cooper, B company, 2/502, 101st airborne division

I served three combat infantry tours in Vietnam, and this is the movie that best captures the realities of the U.S. military field experience there (the other movie that's worth seeing is the more recent "We Were Soldiers"). "Hamburger Hill" has the right music -the soundtrack is full of songs I never knew the names of, but tunes that I remember hearing in Vietnam and that help to bring back the world as it was then.

You see the ubiquitous helicopters, although no movie, including this one, has ever used anywhere near the number of choppers that were actually used in Vietnam. I've seen as many as 100 around a major operation, but it's rare to see more than a dozen at a time in a movie. I would guess that the cost is prohibitive for movie makers. War is an expensive proposition.

No movie can convey the smells of a place, but "Hamburger Hill" comes close with its images of field conditions, and it catches everything else -the sights, the sounds, the language, the cliches, the basic training knowledge common to all grunts, the attitudes toward those outside your unit -including higher command, Vietnamese, media people, and politicians -and even the social revolution that was rocking America while the troops, who fought for ground that would not be held, knew they would never be allowed to chase the enemy back to his lair, so next week, or next month, or next year you'd be fighting for the same hill again.

For those who were there, this movie takes you back. For those who weren't, this movie, better than any other, tells it like it was. There's a special place in heaven for writers and directors who make truthful art like this.

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This movie is billed as the most realistic war movie to come out of our experience in Vietnam. From the ping of mortar rounds leaving their tubes to the crump of their impact, I agree. Its heroes are Vietnam grunts who only want to survive, but who give it their all because their sense of responsibility to each other and to themselves demands it. There are no masterful generals, no crusading journalists, no anti-hero politicians -just a group of young men caught up in events they didn't control, probably didn't understand, and certainly didn't want.

There is no shortage of combat scenes. Hamburger Hill depicts in gory detail the action that spanned 11 days (May 10-21, 1969) during which the 3rd Battalion of the 187th Airborne (3/187th, the "Rakkasans" of Korean fame) tried and finally succeeded in taking what was labeled on their maps as Hill 937 (meaning it was 937 meters high). Hill 937 was actually one of several ridges that comprised Dong Ap Bia on the Laotian border in the A Shau Valley.

A series of coordinated operations was planned with the intended purpose to clear the valley, deny its use, and disrupt the enemy's plans. These operations would comprise ten battalions of US and ARVN troops that would move into various parts of the valley in a coordinated scheme of maneuver. The Rakkasans of the 3/187th and an ARVN battalion drew the prize: Dong Ap Bia (Ap Bia Mountain), occupied by two battalions of NVA -some 600 to 900 strong and probably reinforced during the battle.

The movie follows a fictitious infantry squad, along with the supporting medic, and their platoon sergeant and platoon leader. Focusing on a single squad subtly points out how combat in dense terrain becomes very localized. Their link to the outside world is through the platoon leader's radio and the disembodied voice emanating from it that keeps urging them on and asking for SITREPs (situation reports). You quickly understand that despite the frustrations of the war, the growing hostility at home, and the growing racism within the military, they understand that their individual and collective survival depends on each other. This binds them in a way that few other situations can.

The movie's real strength is its attention to detail. Everything has the right look, sound, and feel. From the crack of M-16 rifle rounds, the hollow resonance of the M-79 grenade launchers, and the crump of impacting mortar rounds, to the radio traffic, the banter, jargon, and slang, the locales and locals, the sandbags on the floors of the trucks, the mud, wooden ammo boxes and artillery shell containers littering the base areas, the red filters on the flashlights, etc. I was particularly thankful to be spared the hand grenades and mortar rounds that explode like giant balls of fire so typical of war movies.

The mistakes were few and minor. The biggest error was that there were not 11 assaults up the hill as the movie leads you to believe. May 10 saw the first contact. On each of the next three days (May 11, 12, and 13) the 3/187th conducted a "reconnaissance in force" (RIF) to find the enemy, probing for weak points. Deliberate assaults occurred on May 14, 15, 18, and 20. The days in between were either stand-downs for resupply or aborted assaults due to the inability of supporting ground units to get into position.

No company, thus no squad, was committed to each RIF and deliberate assault. The squad in the movie is a composite of all the squads engaged. The various incidents -the squad members' deaths, the NVA virtually rolling their grenades downhill on the attacking Rakkasans, the friendly fire, the torrential downpour on May 18 that stopped that day's assault, and so on -all happened. They just didn't all happen to the same squad.

Other than the platoon leader, the officer chain of command is never seen; rather, they are depicted as disembodied voices over the radio. This is misleading. The command structure at company and below would be on the ground with the troops; battalion command would be either on the ground or in the air, depending on where the battalion commander thought he could best control the battle.

The movie's anti-war message is apparent from the opening credits, which are interspersed with views of the Capitol and the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. The symbolism of our seat of government juxtaposed with the memorial to the fallen is heightened by the wintry sunset reflecting off the Vietnam Memorial.

Rather than a history lesson, the movie is a metaphor for the war in Vietnam: the relentless push to achieve ground of questionable importance despite the high cost in blood. Good men fought and died.

Was it worth it? As the fatalistic mantra among the grunts in the movie said, "It don't mean nothin'." That's a sad, angering attitude until you recall that shortly after the battle was over, we left the hill, as we did with so many other hills, and another NVA regiment moved in and retook possession.

Hamburger Hill doesn't glorify war, but it does show the best attributes of men caught up in war. In so doing it rightfully praises the American soldier. However, one has to conclude that the lives of the men who fought at Hamburger Hill -the deaths, the anguish, the exhaustion, the physical and emotional wounds -didn't matter if the capture of the hill didn't ultimately contribute somehow to victory. In the same way, the lives of the men and women who fought in Southeast Asia didn't matter since we didn't prevail in the war. Private Beletsky (Tim Quill) said it all with his silent tear as he surveyed the body-strewn, devastated slope from the summit of Hamburger Hill at the end of the movie.

So, the message is fight to win or don't fight. Make it mean something. That's what some came away from Vietnam with, and that's what makes this a movie worth seeing.

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From a reality standpoint, this film hits the mark. It is not at all atypical like "Apocalypse Now" (USO Show at night in unsecure area? Give me a break!) or "Platoon" (obsessed with potheads and war lovers). I speak as a veteran of the Vietnam War (May '67 to May '68). The guy who calls this film booring was either in another room or expecting a cartoon. At any rate, he misses the boat or has no experience. The main idea that drove these young soldiers was how to stay alive. The sounds of mortar and artillery explosions used in this picture were the most realistic I have ever heard in any war film. It instantly took me back to 1968 and the nightly mortar attacks we lived through in the central highlands of Vietnam. The characters were entirely believable and diverse. There was conflict between characters as well as conflict on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the film's dipiction of "friendly fire" though tragic was a fact of life at times. And to the guy who says there was no plot: What does he call the all out effort to take that miserable hill day after stinking day? For a typical and realistic rendition of what the war in Vietnam was like, I offer "Hamburger Hill" as the answer.

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This review is from;Hamburger Hill (20th Anniversary Edition)

"Hamburger Hill" is a Vietnam War movie that deserves to be a classic in its own right, but unfortunately it will always be not as highly recognized as the more popular movies of its genre including the highly regarded "Apocalypse Now", "Full Metal Jacket" and "Platoon" (all made by very revered directors Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick & Oliver Stone, respectively). Director John Irvin's "Hamburger Hill" is gritty, action packed and straight to the point film about the 3rd battalion of the 101st Airborne Division's assault on hill 937 in Vietnam from May 10 to 20, 1969. A bloody battle that had nearly a 70% casualty rate. Although underappreciated I personally liked this movie, but rather than review this movie as many others already have under the original Artisan DVD release link, I just wanted to point out the features for the new "20th Anniversary" release. I owned the prior DVD by Artisan (from 2001) and I decided to splurge on the new, 2008 release by Lions Gate.

The 20th Anniversary release of "Hamburger Hill" was given a new, anamorphic widescreen transfer by Lions Gate. Although I thought the old Artisan DVD contained a decent transfer, there were some imperfections or spots on the film. Not much, but some. The colors on the old transfer also looked slightly faded and fuzzy. The new transfer on the otherhand, looks slightly sharper and more focused. The imperfections I saw on the old transfer are gone on the new one. Great clean up job! I'm not really an expert on sound, but the new DVD contains a digital 5.1 sound track which for the most part sounds almost identical to the Artisan DVD. Although this is not really a complaint, the scene selection in the old transfer had 36 chapter stops while the new transfer has only 16. This is probably irrelevant to most people, but I just thought I would take note of it.

The 20th Anniversary DVD now contains commentary tracks from the film's writer/Producer Jim Carabatsos and actors Anthony Barrile, Harry O'Reilly and Daniel O'Shea. Most of the commentary is from Carabastos. Some of the commentary is screen specific, but most of it is about the films' origin and production. The actors mostly talk about their auditions and boot camp experiences at Subic Bay, Philippines in addition to their own experiences on the film.

The new release now contains a couple of new featurettes. One is called "The Appearance of Reality" (16 minutes, 50 seconds). This is your standard behind the scenes, film crew & cast interviews with some film footage. We also hear from director John Irvin and writer/Producer Jim Carabatsos. The feature also covers the difficulties encountered while making the film in the Philippines. Watching this reminded me of some the difficulties encountered when "Apocalypse Now" was made which was well covered in the documentary "Hearts of Darkness". Some of the troubled moments during the filming of "Hamburger Hill" included an electrician that was electrocuted (and died) during filming, a typhoon, some local fighting during the Aquino revolution against the Marcos Regime and some sniper fire towards the actors' van at night (the van had to drive with the lights off and the passengers had to crouch down for safety to avoid the sniper fire!).

The other featurette is called "Medics in Vietnam" which is about medics (about 6 minutes). Although very short in length, I still think it's great that some well, deserved recognition is given to the medics in the battlefield and some basic, understanding about how vital they are as supporting units in the battlefield. We hear excerpts from actor Courtney Vance who played medic Doc Johnson in the film as well as a military historian Colonel Robert Tomlinson, book author Artur Wiknik Jr. and former medic Bob Rogers. I found it interesting that some of the medics that went to Vietnam had such distinct backrounds. Some were ex-infantry men and some were conscientious objectors that didn't want to fight in the war, but wanted to help in the effort nevertheless.

The DVD also has an interactive "Vietnam War Timeline" filled with interesting key dates and facts. The timeline has a sixteen different date menus in chronological order from 1867 (the French Colonization) to 1975 (the American withdrawal). When you select each date with your DVD player's remote, some text notes, map locations and/or pictures appear to explain what happened in that specific time period you selected. Neat!

The last features on the DVD are trailers for other Lions Gate films including "Reservoir Dogs 15th Anniversary" (and video game preview), American Psycho, 3:10 to Yuma and Rambo (the new 2008 DVD and the Rambo "Ultimate Edition" set). Note there is NO trailer for "Hamburger Hill" on the 20th Anniversary DVD, but if you have purchased the new 2008 "Rambo" two-disc DVD set, the trailer for "Hamburger Hill" (20th Anniversary DVD) is there.

My only, minor complaint about the new DVD is the absence of actor Don Chealde from the featurette and the commentary. Chealde became famous later for his many roles in other films such as "Hotel Rwanda" & "Ocean's Eleven". Although his role in "Hamburger Hill" is somewhat minor (a stepping stone for him at the time), I appreciated all of his work and I still would of liked to hear any of his insights about "Hamburger Hill" despite the fact that he has become a much, more acclaimed actor now than he was back then. Otherwise, I think this is a worthy upgrade for fans of the film who owned the prior DVD and a worthy purchase for new viewers. Improved picture and some interesting features made the "20th Anniversary" a good purchase for me and possibly for you?

Heavy Traffic (1973)

I remember very well the effect this film had on me right after leaving the theater; everywhere I looked on the drive home, people looked like cartoons. In Heavy Traffic, animation artist Ralph Bakshi presents us with a look at life in the early 70s (late 60s?), city style .... and this city is gritty, not entirely pretty ....

Michael Corleone (not the only reference to other popular films of the times) scribbles away at his drawing board while his Catholic father and Jewish mother wage Armageddon outside his door. He finds comfort and release seeing the world as an absurd, psychotic cartoon. Pretty much a loner, his main connection to the outside world is a black bargirl named Carol who works right downstairs from him and slips him drinks for his entertaining sketches. An unfortunate incident with a drag queen associate costs Carol her job, and she and Michael end up out on the streets together, since he can't seem to make ANY sort of job situation come together. They form a sort of hustling alliance, with him as her pimp, and they nosedive into dark urban realms of the quick buck and the inevitable personal compromises involved.

All this is interposed with images of live city backdrops and numerous references to a pinball game. Ralph Bakshi's animated vision is a moving work of underground pop art which, despite limitations, was a groundbreaking achievement that pushed the frontiers of American animation thousands of miles. I can see the influence of this film (and Bakshi's work in general) on the likes of Matt Groening, Don Bluth, and yes, even parts of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Heavy Traffic is dark, rude and dangerous. At times it has an almost experimental feel, moving at a stream of consciousness pace more than any conventional narrative. Its portayal of characters is raw and extreme, has an exaggerated sort of believability to it. It also has the feel of a semi-autobiography, with its portayal of a creative misfit struggling against the odds for survival, if not personal validation.

This very personal work goes places other animations of the time wouldn't even consider, was rated X at the time of its original release, and was re-released very shortly afterward in a lightly watered-down R-version. The recent DVD release appears to be a restoration of the original artwork, is a nice clean print, despite the full-frame format and mono soundtrack. It would be nice to see this touched up with a slightly refurbished soundtrack (it IS animation, after all); at the same time the compressed sound lends to the quaint sort of 70s feel to it, creating an air of nostalgia rivaling that of The Iron Giant. And these guys weren't even trying!

My appreciation for this special film has not diminished over the years; indeed, I understand it a bit more as an adult. It captures the dark, skewed out, surrealistic beauty of the urban underbelly, delivers some nasty bellylaughs, shows us the world as an oversized cartoon arcade game, and reminds us that all we can do sometimes is just keep playing that game. Even if we do end up getting our head blown off by a paraplegic midget on a skateboard. This stuff happens .......

Heavy Traffic will likely never receive the attention or respect it deserves as a piece of honest to goodness Americana. Like most of Ralph Bakshi's most personal work, it is rough hewn, obscene (though never pornogaphic) outrageous and damn honest. Along with Coonskin and Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic is about life in the 60's (in fact, taken together these three films form a kind of animated triptych). All three films are about revolution of one kind or another, personal or social, contain plenty of poetry, both visual and narrative and are more about life as we know it then the fantasy of life as we might wish it to be, which seems to be the standard for most animation today. Let's hope that eventually Ralph will get his due as a pioneer of animation.

Buy Heavy Traffic (1973) Now

"Heavy Traffic" is a masterpiece of animation, despite the flaws it has. It dares to tackle with more complex human emotions and issues, far more than had ever been done since the Golden Age of Animation. The story deals with the trials and tribulations of young Michael Corleone (yes, that's his name), a 22 year-old Half-jewish, Half-Italian aspiring cartoonist. He lives with his parents, Angelo and Ida Corleone, whose relationship make Al and Peg Bundy look like Ozzie and Harriet. The film also talks about life in 1973 New York (tough place to be).

First off, there is a lot of great animation in here, although it lacks precision and professionalism , although I chalk that up to lack of funds for pencil testing and Bakshi's relative inexperience with feature animation. However, the animators do manage to get the personality of the characters across quite well. The characters in this film feel real, although they have caricatured appearances, but in some ways, the cartoony drawing style of the movie enhances the emotional realism of the characters. They're both lovable and deplorable at the same time, which makes them feel like real people. You'll never see Mickey Mouse or even Bugs Bunny do any of the stuff they do in this movie. One of the most interesting aspects of this movie is that it prides itself on being a animated movie. A lot of animated films have followed the Disney pattern of trying to disguise the animated factor by following a live-action pattern (trying to emulate live-action). This film tries to do what can only be done in animation. As such, there is a lot of surreal moments loaded with symbolism, although you will have to watch it a few times to get them. A key strength to any Bakshi film, but particularly his early ones, is collage of different styles. The characters are sometimes traced over live backgrounds (actual photographs), or the animation takes a whole new turn and transforms into something like the brilliant Maybellene sequence (set to the classic Chuck Berry song). Bakshi in those days was all about forging ahead and trying to create something new.

However, despite its brilliance, this film has a few rough patches. There are many good parts to this movie, but it's only after multiple viewings that the film connects as a whole. This shows a lack of clarity in storytelling, which isn't surprising since Bakshi tended to improvise as he went along. Although it adds a sense of adventure for production, it doesn't help create a coherent film. Also, did we really need to see Ida's breasts or have the gag about Angelo crapping his pants. I could have done with out those.

Aside from these minor complaints, "Heavy Traffic" is a great movie that is lightyears beyond Bakshi's previous film, "Fritz the Cat". This DVD does no justice to the films. We need a DVD commentary from the man himself, along with the animators who worked on this. Thank you for reading.

Read Best Reviews of Heavy Traffic (1973) Here

It is about time that studios started looking into their back catalogues and releasing some old gems especially animated ones. This is a surreal reality cartoon from the genius Ralph Bakshi, a blighted but brightly lit urban landscape filled with far out characters. NOT FOR KIDS Now if we could get them to release all of Bakshi's work

Wizards Fritz the Cat Fritz the Cat 2 Streetfight Lord of the Rings I would especially love to see the short lived but spectacular Mighty Mouse series he did put on dvd! Even todays animated laugh fests on tv don't compare to this mans work.

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What is to be highlighted: The highest quality of this truly classic surrealistic piece. I take it as a qualifying American answer to such European surrealistic classics as Luis Bunuel's "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie." Each absurd of our life, pictured there, is blown-up to a quite visible and sensible proportion. It is my opinion, that "Heavy Traffic" even surpasses "Fritz the Cat," regarding such qualities as range and depth of depicted ugliness of the "dark side" of human nature.

Also important is than not everybody appreciates surrealism. Therefore, this item is not for everyone, and especially is unsuitable for not mature audience (because of quite credible quality of certain graphic scenes).

I find as no surprise that some of the most notorious faces from "Heavy Traffic" can be spotted in recent times in many places, take "The Simpsons" as example.

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The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Yul Brynner, back in the late 1950's, wanted to direct an American version of the SEVEN SAMURAI, as an western. So he bought up the movie rights. He wanted to cast Anthony Quinn in the lead, as Chris. Brynner had been directed by Quinn in the remake of THE BUCCANEER. Quinn would have been great as Chris, the leader of the Seven; and what a different film it would have been. But, alas, Brynner himself took the part, and put his own stamp of individuality on it. He walked like a cross between a panther and a ballet dancer; light on the balls of his feet. Ironically, as an actor, he was slow on the draw, and not used to Westerns. But artistically, this was never apparent in the finished film.

Many of the Seven's actors had seen the Kurosawa film, and they were very excited about transferring it to the American West. Eli Wallach, as Calvera, in just a few short scenes, found both the humor and the cruelty in the bandit chieftan. His accent and speech pattern were fairly authentic; more so certainly than the young German actor, Horst Buchholz, endeavoring to find a southwestern/Texan/Mexican drawl. Director, John Sturges, had great hopes for Horst; the camera loved him. But it was the trio of studs, Steve McQueen as Vin, Charles Bronson as O'Reilly, and James Coburn as Britt, that dominated the frame.

Steve McQueen, wearing skin-tight leather stovepipe chaps, spent a lot of time finding ways to upstage Yul Brynner. There was a rumor that he would have preferred playing Chico, the Buchholz character. McQueen's manic physical performance, lightning fast with a pistol and a quip, seemed to work well for him, and it gave him more than his share of focus. His Vin emerged as lethal, lean, and hungry; yet weary of the gunfighter's plight, and envious of the simplicity and the honor of the peasants fighting for their families and their homes.

James Coburn, as Britt, was laconic and dangerous, and living on the edge of his blade; competing mostly with himself for the next big thrill. Coburn got the part he wanted, and though he was given minimal dialogue, his deliveries were classic. This set the mold for his future career.

Charles Bronson as Bernardo O'Reilly, half-Irish, half Mexican, was solid as a rock; an experienced stone killer, and yet still a soft touch for the children of the village. His death scene touched us. He found the pulse of his character, and he was both dangerous and decent.

Robert Vaughn, as Lee, seemed uncomfortable and lost. His part had been rewritten, and expanded for him. Yet he seemed ill-suited for the part, and the genre. Even his costume seemed ill-fitting. Part of the problem was that his characters' inability to participate in the first couple of firefights left us with little sympathy for him. Later then, in his scene with the peasants, in which he admitted his fear, the emotions seemed forced and poorly conceived. His last moment heroics and death did little to balance the scales.

Brad Dexter was nearly invisible. He is the one actor in trivia games no one can remember. His character, Harry Luck, with twice the dialogue as Coburn, paled in comparison. Part of it was Dexter himself. He was a bland, middle-of-the-road, B-Movie heavy, and it was odd to cast him, and thrust him in amongst all of those young turks. He did a credible job, but he was completely outshined by the future super stars.

Vladimir Sokoloff, as the village's "old man", gave such a wonderful and touching performance, one did not realize the actor was not Latino. Like Eli Wallach, his talent as an actor transcended ethnic boundaries.

John Sturges, a veteran director of westerns, found just the right balance of action and character. Mexican farmers substituted fine for the original Japanese farmers. And brigands, or bandits, are cut from the same nasty mold no matter what the era, or geography. Kurosawa's classic runs like 3 hours in length, and it gave us much more in-depth character development; so that when these samurai began to die, we cared about them. In 1959, when SEVEN was filmed, three hour westerns were a non-existant species. Elmer Bernstein's musical score was revolutionary, and its pounding stacatto beat has become one of the most recognized pieces of music ever created for film.

This western, always listed in the top 50 best westerns, is a must-see. And the DVD version, in widescreen, is crisp and clear and colorful, and it helps us to recapture that magical feeling we had the first time we saw this film in a movie theatre.

MGM has just released the DVD of "The Magnificent Seven", perhaps the very last of an epoch of classic westerns. Poignant and sad, yet thrilling and action-filled, this cinema classic became a model for 100 action flicks to come. It's an early peek at the emerging movie anti-hero of the 60's and the 70's. An embattled farming village in Northern Mexico hires an unemployed gunslinger from Dodge City. Chris, played by Yul Brynner, recruits six more guns and takes a bloody stand against forty invading banditos. The film opened in 1960 to mild reviews. It was sent off to Europe, where it exploded with positive response. "The Seven" returned to the U.S. to wide acclaim, and as co-star James Coburn says in the documentary, "It's been playing ever since..." John Sturges filmed "Bad Day at Black Rock", "Gunfight at the OK Corral", and "The Great Escape", but history confirms that the meticulous out-door director achieved his artistic peak with this star-studded spectacle, featuring Elmer Bernstein's now classic theme. The film was followed by 3 sequels and a TV show that ran for 2 years. The DVD sound dialogue is a bit muted. The anamorphic 16:9 picture is perhaps the clearest ever, though you'll see some grain fallout during the lap dissolves. An audio commentary track with producer Walter Mirisch and several actors comes with 2 trailers and photos from the actual shoot and cast party. The real jewel of this new DVD is a brand new 46-minute documentary featuring interviews with all the major surviving stars, except Charles Bronson, who just turned 80. Charles Coburn, Eli Wallach, and Robert Vaughn re-live the adventures of filming this epic on location in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Amusing tales of future super-star Steve McQueen are revealed by his ex-wife. McQueen intentionally crashed his sports car to leave his TV series, "Wanted Dead or Alive", and join the cast of "Seven". Yul Brynner so enjoyed his all-black gunfighter attire that he repeated the same exact outfit in at least 4 more movies. Yul Brynner died of lung cancer in 1985. Steve McQueen died of cancer in 1980. Thanks to this timeless and valuable DVD, "The Magnificent Seven" may never die. After the raging battle ends, Brynner's character looks down on newly dug graves for the brave villagers. "We didn't do it.."he says. "Only the farmers win. We never win..."

Buy The Magnificent Seven (1960) Now

This review refers to the MGM Special Edition of this film....

In this time when we are looking for heroes to fight off terrorists, this is the perfect movie to watch.

Based on the Japaneese classic "The Seven Samurai", this story is set in a small farming village south of the border. A band of outlaws, lead by the ruthless Calvera(Eli Wallach), are terrorizing the town, taking the food and supplies of the hard working but meek farmers. They go the the elder of the town seeking advice. He tells them to buy guns and fight back. But guns are expensive and hard to come by. They gather up the little money they have and hire seven gunmen to help stave off the mauraders.The men accept, for little pay,mostly because they are broke,but we come to see they are moralistic and believe in the cause.

The gunmen are tough but each with his own special charisma.

These are not heartless anti-heroes(although at times some may seem that way), they bond with the townspeople, share food with them, teach them how to defend themselves. There are some touching scenes of them working together (one even forms a fatherly relationship with some of the children), and there's even a touch of romantic comedy.

The standoffs with the outlaws ensue, the gunmen and the farmers fight shoulder to shoulder.Although some of our heroes are lost, good does triumph over evil. This is a the definitive film for western lovers.

Not just a great western story, the cast is also magnificent.All these legends in one film, Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen,Charles Bronson,James Colburn, Robert Vaughn, and with Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz. The musical score by Elmer Bernstein is a huge part of the film, just try to get it out of your head afterwards, you know the one, used to be the theme song for the "Marlboro Man". Director John Sturges gives a real western feeling and the cinematography to go with it.

Already know you love this film and wondering about the DVD?

The DVD lives up to the name of "The Magnificent Seven" The transfer is one of the better ones of a film from this era(1960), I think I saw one glitch(But I was looking for them)that was so fast, hardly worth mentioning, The colors are glorious, The widescreen is in the original theatrical format, and it's perfect,The Sound is in 5.1 Surround and also in the original mono, take your choice,the score is Magnificent,and dialouge crisp and clear,The Picture is bright, even the night time scenes are easily distinguishable,Nice Packaging (A nice case with booklet inside), and the "Extras" will keep you busy all day, there's a documentary making of, still photos(Lots),Trailers, and Audio Commentary which runs through the whole movie if you want to watch it that way, and more.

"The meek shall inherit....." with the help of "The Magnificent Seven" Enjoy....Laurie

also recommended:

Great Hollywood Westerns: Man Without A Star

The Wild Bunch (Special Widescreen Original Director's Cut)

The Greatest Western Themes

Read Best Reviews of The Magnificent Seven (1960) Here

Enough has been said in the past about this fantastically entertaining movie, so I won't bore you with anything more. My comments concern the DVD, it's nicely presented, with an interesting documentary and feature commentary, certainly a bargain given the incredibly low price tag.

The 5.1 sound remix is excellent, but I have to say that the very obvious grain and print damage on the movie itself knocked my assessment of the DVD down from a 5 star rating to 4 stars. I realise that the movie is over 40 years old but some of the print damage in very noticeable, and given modern cleaning techniques I think it is difficult to believe that at least some effort could have been made to clean things up a bit. Having said that this DVD is still greatly superior to any VHS copy I've seen and well worth the money despite its flaws.

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I am a huge fan of Steve McQueen and as such purchasing The Magnificent Seven on Blu Ray was a no brainer for me, a true must purchase item.

This movie is a classic and set a very high standard for all Westerns to come. With that said, this review is going to deal with the actual Blu Ray transfer , both video and audio , and not the plot or performances contained in it.

This being another 'quickie' catalog release from MGM, a studio in bankruptcy, I was not expecting too much here and afraid the technicians would just slather the image with tons of DNR, Edge Enhancement and call it a day. Luckily for me and all fans of this film I was wrong! Phew!

Here is the good news: This film has not been DNR'd to death at all. I can't see any actually, and as for edge enhancement, I just don't see that either. GREAT! A pretty natural looking image, nothing spectacular, but solid color and an almost fully stable image. There are a few very short instances of 'image/telecine wobble' but nothing too severe and only a few times. Chances are most folks won't even notice it.

Generally the image is pleasing,. Although there are SOME soft shots, a few horrible looking grainy shots, a bit of mosquito noise on certain blue sky shots and a grainy blurriness every single time the picture dissolves/fades into another scene, rather than a clean cut. I watched this carefully and noticed that most of the video problems occur in the first 50 minutes of the film, with the remaining hour and 18 minutes being just about issue free and VERY nice to look at for a 1960 film. Seriously, unless you are picking it apart, you will just notice a few soft grainy shots and everything else should look pretty good to you, bordering on very good.

Note that this transfer is not anywhere near a reference catalog title and stands no chance of winning Blu Ray release of the year or anything like that. I absolutely think most video reviews on name brand reviewer sites have inflated the video quality of this transfer. It was no where near as good as I was expecting, but then again no where near as bad either! Did I enjoy watching it? YOU BET! I can honestly say this is the very best this film has looked in home release format. EVER! Period!

The sound fares better than the picture I think. A decent DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 track is your only option. Basically this film is front heavy and center heavy. Every now and then you might get a gunshot or ricochet in a surround speaker, but most all the action and sound takes place up front and in the center channel. On the other hand, there is more LFE for your Sub than you would expect. Only a few lines of dialogue here and there were hard for me to hear, even with my surround system cranked up a bit. Most of it is clear as a bell with both music and sound effects sounding fine. I ran into a small segment towards the end where the audio/video sync was off. It was not my system and I could duplicate it multiple times with the problem always occurring in the same spot. When Charles Bronson paddles the kids behind, you see it, then hear the whack whack whack! Since the mouths are moving BEFORE the sound, the delay adjustment on your receiver will be useless. Fortunately, this disappears in a few minutes as if it had never happened and mouths and words match up once again. I have only ran into an actual disc/audio problem once before and that was on the last Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool. I am convinced that both discs have some sort of authoring problem that causes this.

**If you see the same sequence and the sound IS in synch please write a comment on my review so I know it is my gear and not the disc. Thanks.

There is a pretty nice selection of extras on this disc. Most come directly ported over from the 2 DVD collectors set. The audio commentary is particularly good, with stars James Coburn and Eli Wallach, plus the producer and assistant director. Not bad and at times quite entertaining and informative. When I really love a movie I tend to eat this stuff up and this was no exception. Also included is a very nice 46 minute 'making of' type documentary that offers lots of good stories and trivia. Another 15 minute documentary on composer Elmer Bernstein's score, and yet another shorter 'making of' piece called 'The linen Book'. Add to all of that two trailers and you can see this is a pretty hefty offering for bonus features.

The Magnificent Seven was a big hit, first in Europe and then in America. It is still revered today by both classic film buffs and Western genre fans. I love it because it launched Steve McQueen into stardom. It has a lot of appeal that works on many different levels. The score in particular is as rousing and inspirational as has ever been heard in a Western and all by itself it is an American Icon. You immediately conjure visions of the Old West and wide open spaces when you hear this music. Add an all star cast and great direction from John Sturges and you get one heck of a Western and one heck of a movie, period! Highly recommended!

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Wizards (Ralph Bakshi) (1977)

Wizards (1977) aka War Wizards (the name was changed at the behest of George Lucas as he thought two movies released at the same time by the same studio with war in the title, his being Star Wars, would have been off-putting to movie goers) written and directed by Ralph Bakshi, was certainly a departure from some of his previous adult animation works, Fritz the Cat (1972) and Heavy Traffic (1973), but provided Bakshi the opportunity to show he could create a animated feature for all viewers, young and old, that spoke to the viewer on intelligent terms. Were all viewers ready to hear what he had to say? No, and given the subsequent release of Star Wars (like two weeks later) Wizards, which had been enjoying a great amount of success, got pushed out of theaters to allow for space for George Lucas' epic space opera. With this release of Wizards on DVD, maybe now his film will garner the recognition it deserved so long ago.

The story goes that the Earth gets consumed in apocalyptic fire as man unleashes his most terrible achievement upon himself, and many years after his destruction, various forms of life begin to come forth, including fairies, elves, pixies along with mutants, beings once humans but changed over thousands of years of exposure to radiation. Almost all technology is gone, wiped from the face of the Earth, and, in its' place, magic has prospered. Born of the same mother are two brothers who become powerful wizards, one good, Avatar, and the other evil, Blackwolf. After a tremendous battle, Avatar vanquishes Blackwolf, but not before Blackwolf issues a statement that indicates he will not go quietly into that good night.

Blackwolf, now residing in the poisoned lands with the mutants and nasty things, puts together a massive army, but one lacking proper motivation, and, subsequently, they are easily defeated any time they are sent forth into battle. Tired of his inability to advance proper on his enemies and gain ground, Blackwolf commands that his followers dig up once forgotten technology, hoping to find aid within the scattered remnants of the powerful technology of old. His salvation comes in the form of propaganda films created by the Germans during WWII. Likening himself to the leader of the German forces during this past conflict, Blackwolf uses the films to not only motivate his troops, but to instill fear and dread among his enemies, showing the films in the sky during the battles.

This prompts Avatar, his female fairy charge Elinore, the leader of the Elves named Weehawk, and Blackwolf's captured/converted assassin robot re-named peace, to embark on an adventure to discover the source of Blackwolf's new power, and destroy it. Can this heroic group effectively end Blackwolf's reign of terror and end his powerful war machine before all is lost? There's a nice bit of irony at the end, one that really suited the feature.

So, is the film any good? I have read many opinions that will tell you it's not, and I can understand why this film would put some off, but I really enjoyed the movie. Bakshi's goal, as I understood it, was to create an animated feature with heart, one that didn't talk down to its' audience, as do other animated features released by other companies, i.e. Disney, do at times. His animation style definitely unconventional, is certainly distinctive, and swims with realism, despite the surface superficialities. I really loved how he incorporated live action footage into the film, enveloping it with animation, creating an eerie superimposed background to various scenes within the movie. The film was rated PG at the time of it's release, so I would be wary of showing it to younger viewers, but I think it's a really wonderful alternative full of heart to the shiny, happy, uber-clean, product tie-in animation put out by the larger profit-driven studios. There's nothing wrong with wanting to make a profit, certainly, but sometimes it seems like these films tend to cater to the lowest common denominator, and be more contrived to make money rather than entertain. The animation may seem crude, disturbing, and misogynistic at times, but this is animation with the sugar coating peeled away, mirroring elements within our society. Do people want to see this in an animated feature? Maybe not, but I enjoyed it, but may find myself hard presses to recommend it to all but the more discriminating viewer.

The picture looks really good here in wide screen anamorphic, and there are some wonderful special features including a commentary track by writer/director Ralph Bakshi, theatrical trailers and TV spots for the film, a still gallery with conceptual drawings, and a featurette titled `Ralph Bakshi: The Wizard of Animation'. This provides a wonderful look into the making of Wizards, and Bakshi also provides tons of background on himself, how he got started, his difficulties and successes within the animation business, his motivations for his films, his contempt for animation that talks down to audiences, and his experiences with various individuals during his career. This is the only featuette he's doing for any of his releases, mainly due to his affinity for the project. Some of his comments, especially the ones hinting towards various conspiracies leveled at him, make him sound a little nutty, but make for entertaining viewing. All in all, an excellent release of a great little animated film that went against the conventional grain. Also, keep an ear out for a voice appearance by Mark Hamill as Sean, king of the fairies.

Cookieman108

While it is certainly not for young children, older teens and adults will get a real kick out of "Wizards". Set in a post-apocalyptic world wrought by radiation due to a nuclear holocaust, most humans have died, and the population consists mainly of elves, fairies, dwarves, and then the mutants. The world is in danger from the threat of technology, brought upon by the evil wizard, Blackwolf. It is up to his brother, the comical, yet good hearted wizard, Avatar, to stop him. Joining Avatar in his quest are Weehawk, chief of a tribe of warrior elves, Elenor, fairy princess of the land of Montagar, and Peace, a former assassin of Blackwolf's (formerly known as Necron 99) who changes his ways and fights against the threat of technology. The WWII references abound, and there are many more adult-oriented references throughout. It dares to go where cartoons usually do not, making allusions to sex, prostitution, religion, and there's even a rather racist Vietnam reference if you can catch it. However, I still highly recommend "Wizards", because in all it's brashness, it deserves to be seen. What the animation lacks in quality, it more than makes up for in imagination. It's quite funny, and it also delivers some unexpected twists. I personally really like the way it was done. The music really seems to fit the overall style of it, and the wonderful character designs and voice acting really pulls it all together. I definetely recommend it to anyone searching for something creative and different, and I'm sure any fan of cult classics will definetely want to check it out. However, I stress the importance of having an open mind. I think those who are more open to controversial subject matter will be able to better enjoy it, with all it's dark humor and it's alternative-type feel. I think it is something that everyone should see at least once. It deserves more credit than it has been given, and I think that it will really make people stop and think about our world, and about themselves.

Buy Wizards (Ralph Bakshi) (1977) Now

Unless my memory has failed me utterly this film came out just as I was finishing up graduate school. Bakshi was already something of a god to the revolutionarily inclined of my generation, and there was no question but that a group of us were going to see it. We were wowed, enthralled, and heartened by Bakshi's brilliant combination of a strong story and inventive animation back then. And today, years later, I found myself thinking feeling the same way while watching it again.

For three weeks the film was a smash hit, when one of those weird accidents of fate happen and Wizards was pushed of the stage by the arrival of Star Wars. Suddenly Bakshi's fable was relegated to fond memorys, only to reappear in retrospectives and campus theaters. As you will find out when you listen to the excellent Bakshi interview (more of a monologue), Wizards was the film dearest to the artists heart, the one he felt was his best accomplishment.

Despite its rough language, partial nudity, and high level of violence, Bakshi though of this as a children's tale, albeit one that hewed closer to the true than the sugar coated fantasies that were coming out of Disney's studios. Set in far post apocalyptic times, two brothers are born to a queen of the fairies. One at distorted mutant (Blackwolf) and the other normal (Avatar), both potent wizards. The inevitable clash between then happened, and this is the story of the end of a 3,000 year struggle between the two over the fate of the world.

The story shifts between the two wizards. First the machinations and plots of Blackwolf, as he unearths archaic Nazi technology and turns it into an weapon designed to erase the magical from the world. Then the journey of Avatar and two elvish friends, Elinore and the warrior Weehawk, who are seeking the source of Blackwolf's power.

The story is told with a deft hand as both the narrator and the characters use humor more than dramatic horror to bring the lessons of the film home. The horror, especially that of the battlefield and the aftermath of war is never far behind. In fact it is the these grim scenes that Bakshi displays some of his greatest genius in illustration, using stock footage, illustration, and collage to build an unnerving context.

Even years later, jaded by many hours watching anime, this film still works artistically, and works well. In addition, its messages about the risks of over-dependence on technology and the inevitable losses of war ae just as fresh now, if not fresher. Bakshi was right, Wizards is his best work.

Read Best Reviews of Wizards (Ralph Bakshi) (1977) Here

This is one of the most original and creative films of the fantasy genre. It takes place after a global nuclear war. Two brothers, each a wizard in his own right, go toe to toe in their final confrontation. The film uses a lot of slapstick for comic relief mainly because some of the subject matter is so serious. Bakshi juxtaposes magic against technology and sixties style love against Nazi style hate. The overlying message is that somtimes when it comes down to it, the ends may very well justify the means, and that those who hate cause their own destruction.

Bakshi's use of stock footage is masterful, and his animation is top notch. The characters are very archetypal, but each has a quirk or flaw that makes them unique. Also the voice acting is quite good.

This is probably one of the most misunderstood fantasy films ever made. But once you get past the presentation and look at it on a deeper level, you realise that it is a stroke of genius.

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A movie lost between others, this feature used to be a staple "Midnight Show" along with Clockwork Orange & Rocky Horror. Its a simple tale that is easy to follow and exemplifies one of the oldest lessons learnable. Those who choose to forget the past are doomed to repeat it. As the evil wizard comes across ancient film of the 3rd Reich, he sees the discipline & motivation as a way to train his own (formerly inept) army. But the world (post apocolypse) has become a better, quieter, more beautiful place & most folks don't want to change. Enter the younger, seemingly simple wizard brother to "fix" the problem once and for all.

Simple to follow, an easy movie to enjoy with friends/family or even alone. There are scores of KeyNotes throughout the movie to base a college level thesis on... but as a linear story, the less you attempt to "make something mean something else" the more you'll enjoy the ride. PEACE BABY!!

Holy Matrimony - Blu-ray (1994)

I don't know why, but I just loved this movie. Patricia is so charming(as usual). I'm definitely a fan of her. I liked how it was tied into the Amish community. The boy was so perfect. If he were older he'd be the perfect guy. The film had action, suspense, a moral, pretty gal, romance, and it was surprisingly engrossing . I liked the conflicts. It was fun to see how putting different types of people in different situations would work.

This is overall, a very enjoyable movie. A woman who loose and easy as we used to call it..working at a carnival..so her and her boyfriend ..who was previously an Amish, decide to steal money...they flee to The Amish to hide out...the guy winds up getting killed and the woman has to marry his younger 12 year old brother... Overall..It is delightful...

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I love in this movie how a little boy marrys a harlet theif and then at the end ends up working things out and realizing there mistake really inspiring movie

Read Best Reviews of Holy Matrimony - Blu-ray (1994) Here

funniest film i have seen in a long time. good story, good acting and no filthy language. a good family film for kids and adults

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I watched this movie when i was younger and watched it again, years later, and i still enjoyed it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was so young, but what a good actor. This is also one of my Patricia Arquette fav's too, well right along with Wildflower. It actually made me laugh out loud, which says a lot.

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Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Ben Affleck has written (with Aaron Stockard) a superb screenplay adaptation of Dennis Lahane's novel GONE BABY GONE and has proceeded to direct this tough tale with an ensemble cast of both well-known actors and unknown actors and walk-ons from the streets of the Boston area where they grisly story takes place. The result is a film so well tuned and realistic with a perfect sense of pacing and character development that it becomes a remarkable calling card for Ben Affleck's career as a director. That it is going unnoticed (with the exception of Amy Ryan's nomination for Best Supporting Actress) by the Oscars is a grave oversight !

The time is contemporary Dorchester, Massachusetts and Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and his girlfriend/partner Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), become aware of a missing child Amanda (Madeline O'Brien) in their own neighborhood. The child's aunt Bea (Amy Madigan) and uncle Lionel (Titus Welliver), unable to cope with Amanda's drugged out mother Helene (Amy Ryan), knock on Patrick and Angie's door, pleading with them to help find Amanda: Patrick and Angie are private detectives who just happen to be an integral part of the neighborhood. Reluctant at first to become involved in the now 3-day police hunt for the child, a hunt headed by the respected Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) who his lost his own daughter in similar circumstances and detectives Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton) and who as a triad feel they are competent to handle the case without the 'immature experience' of the young couple. But Patrick and Angie do become involved, uncover leads within the neighborhood that lead to the clues behind the missing child incident and in doing so, unravel a lot of corruption within the police force, and also discover differences between themselves that threaten their otherwise close relationship. To say more would remove the incredible tension this story maintains all the way to the fadeout credits.

The cast is uniformly excellent, from the smallest roles to the most major ones. It is difficult to single out any performer for praise as this is truly an ensemble piece. The flavor of the film is honest, unflinching, and refuses to ignore the grotesque incidents that must be shown for the movie to maintain its impact. Writer Dennis Lahane ('Mystic River', 'Shutter Island') is a master of detailing the spectrum of responses that ugly matters induce: even the most noble of intentions have their shadowy side. Affleck finds all of this in this excellent film, a film so strong that it easily bears repeated viewings. Highly recommended...but not for the squeamish. Grady Harp, February 08

I'm going to be honest, I really wasn't overly exited to see "Gone Baby Gone." From the previews, it looked like a competent--if familiar--genre picture. I was galvanized, finally, to see the film based on Amy Ryan's practical sweep of the award season's Best Supporting Actress Prizes. The Affleck brothers, Ben as Director and Casey as Star, did nothing to alleviate my limited expectations. But something quite unexpected happened--my opinion completely changed as I was caught up in the twists of this genuinely good sleeper. Ben Affleck has generated a brisk, tough and uncompromising film and Casey Affleck has turned himself into a bona fide leading man! And although not a flawless film, I ended up loving "Gone Baby Gone."

When a child goes missing, the community of Dorchester gets caught in a media frenzy. With Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris as officials in charge of the investigation, Casey Affleck (as a local detective) is brought in by the family as additional help. Having been raised in the area, it is felt that these contacts may give him better access to and communication with the tightlipped Boston neighborhood. Immediately, the story starts to unravel and the sympathetic mother (Amy Ryan) turns out to be not so sympathetic. The route the film follows takes us to some familiar territory but also to unchartered waters. The film dares to raise moral and ethical questions and presents a terrific and thoroughly uncompromising ending! The film's final moments put this head and shoulders above traditional Hollywood product. And I give Ben Affleck full credit for not bending to a more stereotypical conclusion.

"Gone Baby Gone" is actually the fourth in a series of novels by crime writer Dennis Lehane featuring private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. It is, however, the first to be treated to a big screen adaptation. Those familiar with the novels know that the Kenzie/Gennaro dynamic provides much emotion and conflict. Their relationship is almost as important as any case that they work. Fans of this aspect of Lehane's novels, therefore, might be a bit disappointed. In making this stand-alone film, Gennaro is largely marginalized and the impact of what happens to them as a couple isn't as significant to the story as it is in the book. That said, film and novels are two different mediums and "Gone Baby Gone" as a film still works exceedingly well in its own right.

Casey Affleck is not the conventional actor one would picture for this role. Small in stature, relaxed in delivery--his offbeat presence actually makes "Gone Baby Gone" even more intriguing. As he is not a predictable "leading man," you're never quite sure what he's going to do. I found this lack of expectation to be quite invigorating and led me to accept and appreciate the twists of the film to a greater degree. With "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," this was Casey's year to redefine himself. Freeman, Harris, Ryan, Amy Madigan, and Michelle Monaghan (as Gennaro) all give impassioned performances. With a tight script and solid direction, "Gone Baby Gone" is a surprisingly tough film--and I mean that in all the best ways. Highly recommended. KGHarris, 01/08.

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Ben Affleck's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's book, Gone Baby Gone, is one of the best movies I have seen in years.

The basic story centers around two local detectives who reside in Dorchester. They are asked to assist the police in their investigation of a missing girl, who was abducted while her alcoholic/drug addict mother was at her friend's place. Reluctantly, they agree to take on the case.

Having read the book, the only complaint I would have is how they portayed Angela Gennaro, played by Michelle Monaghan. In the book, her character has survived a physically abusive marriage and numerous brushes with death. In this film, she is almost like a hood ornament to Casey Affleck's Patrick Kenzie. But the chemistry between the two actors can almost make you forget about that.

The story moves at breakneck pace and keeps you in suspense until the very end. Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris are excellent as two police officers who are deeply involved in the case....and even deeper in secrets. But the true standout is Golden Globe nominee, Amy Ryan, who plays the missing girl's mother. You don't like her from the start, even though you feel tempted to feel some sympathy because of her situation. Ryan plays this crass, ambivalent single parent with such raw power, you truly despise this woman.

The movie reflects on many famiilar themes; tight knit people who will "die with their secrets", things not appearing to be what they seem, the moral dilemma of doing what is right and what is "right", etc. And by the end, you find yourself just as torn as Kenzie about which "right" will prevail.

You should probably read Deniis Lehane's prequels to this film such as "A Drink Before the War", "Darkness, Take My Hand", and "Sacred" before watching this film. It will make you appreciate it even more.

A great film. A truly "do not miss" film.

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When a young Boston girl, Amanda McCready, is kidnapped, PI's Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are called in by the child's aunt to investigate sources in the neighborhood that won't talk to the police.

They're reluctant to take the case. Gennaro doesn't think it will end well--as Kenzie comments in the opening narrative, "we handle cases for people who live on the edge--and fall through the cracks."

As they dig into the case, they realize Helene McCready, Amanda's mom, isn't precisely Mother of the Year material. Amanda is considered the mascot at Helene's favorite bar--but she only goes in there in the daytime because it's far too violent after dark. Helene is a drug user and occasionally acts as a mule for one of the local dealers. Little Amanda was probably stolen because Helene and her no-account boyfriend ripped off the local drug dealer.

Enter Detective Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and his partner, Nick Poole (John Ashton). They're assigned to help Kenzie and Gennaro by Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman). When Bressant learns of the drug deal gone bad, he and Kenzie team up to set things right believing that if they paid back the drug dealer that he'd return little Amanda to her family.

The switch goes awry and Kenzie and Gennaro realize they've been had. Now they stand on opposite sides of a moral issue and the question posed to them threatens their future together and their individual peace of mind.

Ben Affleck did an amazing job directing this thriller-morality play by Dennis Lehane. For the most part, he was spot on with his timing. Standouts were younger brother Casey as Kenzie and of course Ed Harris as Bressart (in a reprise of his true believer type role in "The Rock") and Morgan Freeman as Doyle. I genuinely believe at least two of the three of these actors should be nominated for an Academy Award for their performances.

"Gone" was a hard film to watch and it's one that will have you debating the merits of the decision with your family and friends for days to come. That's the true mark of a really good film--how well it stays with you. This one's a must for collectors of strong mysteries.

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This is a confident and assured directing-debut for Ben Affleck. He has proven to be a good screenwriter (he co-wrote this one, as well as the Oscar-winning script to GOOD WILL HUNTING), but has been prett spotty as an actor. Sometimes his choices were poor and sometimes his performances too. He is obviously very intelligent and capable...but that doesn't always come through in his performances.

With GONE BABY GONE, filmed in Affleck's beloved and familiar Boston...he has established himself as an outstanding director. There aren't any fancy tricks or special-effects here. Just an understanding of how to set mood and how to give good actors space to operate.

The movie (based on the novel by Dennis Lenhane, who also wrote MYSTIC RIVER) tells the story of two low-rent private eyes (Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan) who are hired by grieving relatives to help the police in their search for a 4 year old missing girl. The belief is that people who won't talk to the police will talk to them. This proves to be an astute assumption, as the two investigators (who are also a loving couple) quickly make headway.

Regulations apparently compel the police to cooperate, so two veteran detectives (Ed Harris and John Ralston) assist the couple in their work...and vice versa. I liked the fact that there was tension between the two groups (which we certainly come to expect when we see similar scenarios in movies) but it fairly rapidly is lightened when it becomes clear that the two private eyes are actually making progress and the two cops are actually willing to act on this information and to take some risks themselves.

I'm going to leave the plot there...suffice it to say that no one is quite who they appear to be. It is an intersting and surprise-packed story on the surface...and that's almost good enough...just watching the case unfold and the twists get revealed. But what earns this film an extra star is the moral and ethical tale just beneath the surface. These characters grapple with moral choices, and the movie shows over and over that our consciences and religious beliefs may be tightly held and admirably adhered to...but they can nonetheless get us into serious trouble. As viewers, we understand fairly clearly what we think everyone OUGHT to do...but we also feel the pain of internal conflict when they don't. Because we understand their internal battles. And we also feel for them when they live with the consequences of their prideful stubborness. Doing the right thing isn't cut and dried in this film at all.

Pretty much everyone in the film does great work. Special mention should go to Casey Affleck, an actor that I've pretty much paid no attention to. Well, he's having a great year (with this film and THE ASSASINATION OF JESSE JAMES...) and he's an interesting performer. Unconventional looking and seemingly a little slow and sleepy-eyed...his character bursts forth with shocking actions and bravery. He uses bluster to get out of sticky situations...but you can also easily tell that he's probably quivering in his boots at the same time.

The film isn't perfect. Michelle Monaghan's character is both underwritten and underplayed. I think this movie stretched her skills just past her breaking point. She isn't awful...but I was distracted by her lack of convincing reactions in many scenes. And a couple of brief flashback scenes go by SO quickly, and they're so important, that I think I may have missed a couple of minor points of plot developments.

Quibbles aside...this is a stirring, adult, thought-provoking, well-acted, well-written and SURPRISE, well-directed thriller. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Men in Black (1997)

Wow! This limited edition isn't limited in features. Disc one has the wide and full screen versions, visual commentry with Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones and a technical audio commentry with Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker & the ILM team; this feature is exclusive to the limited edition version. Throw in the standards like the sound setups: English 5.1, english 2-channel (Dolby Surround) and french (Dolby Surround) and subtitles that include english, french, spanish, cantonese and mandarin, and that wraps up disc one! Disc Two is loaded! I can't list them all or I will use up all my space, so I will list the major ones. There is a 3 scene editing workshop which allows you to become the filmmaker, so to speak. You get to edit 3 chosen scenes that were filmed in a lot of different angles and then watch the final cut. Sonnenfeld will also descibe his own editing process. Next, there is a Edgar bug fight scene deconstruction using different angles. Then you have "concept to creation" creatures feature and art and production photo gallery. There are extended & deleted scenes, storyboard comparisons, a documentary, a music video, DVD & web links, trailers, talent files and more! Whew! I said there was a lot, and as you can see, I wasn't exaggerating. Throw in a booklet and letter from Sonnenfeld and small poster which may be signed by the artists and you have a DVD with enough features to keep you entertained and busy. Quickly, the transfer was beautiful and, of course, the movie is great. This movie was one of my favorite Will Smith roles. Aside from the comedy woven into the script, the special effects were great! This is a must have for any fan of the movie or comic book! Enjoy!

Men in Black was one of my favourite Hollywood blockbusters of the '90s. One of only a handful successful comic-book translations in history, the film retained the irreverence and zany creativity of the best comics while adding the visual grandeur, attention to detail, and narrative focus of the best features.

Rewatching this movie now, it's lost none of its charm. The meticulous Bo Welch production design is superb, director Barry Sonnenfeld's sense of pacing and comic timing impeccable, the Danny Elfman score absolutely perfect for its subject, and the cast is uniformly excellent. Nobody else could have played the role of Agent Jay with such pizazz as Will Smith; Tommy Lee Jones delivers hands-down his best comic performance ever, Linda Fiorentino is delightfully weird as coroner Dr. Laurel Weaver, Rip Torn nearly steals the show as perennially grumpy, inscrutable agency head Zed, and Vincent D'Onofrio is fun to watch as Farmer Edgar/Edgar Bug.

The bonus materials are also great. The "editing workshop", which allows you to play with alternate footage and put together a new version of one of two scenes, is my personal favourite (although I actually agree with Sonnenfeld's poker-faced quip that, "[The audience] will find out that everything I did was perfect). "The evolution of MiB" gives a hint of the major changes that happen on (to) a big movie as it's being made, and the MIIB (Men in Black 2) teasers definitely suggest that MIIB is a must-see for summer 2002.

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Based on the comic book of the same name, these guys keep the aliens living among us under wraps. A lot of tongue-in-cheek humor and a new way of looking at a multitude of aliens , good and evil, small and large.

Will Smith makes the movie entertaining and the special effects quality and originality will keep you from blinking. Fun gadgets will also intrigue the sci-fi afficianado. This full-featured DVD is well-worth the money, especially with the multi-angle shots. I've already seen this on tape a number of times and I'm anxious to get this limited edtion DVD edtion.

There is some language, but not much beyond what you'd see on prime-time TV nowadays. Very enjoyable and entertaining.

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It's a fun movie, even if it isn't a cinematic masterpiece. Just a joy to watch, it's well paced, funny and slick. It has undercover agencies, aliens, and Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones,a nd lots (I mean lots) of jokes and a touch of action and mayhem. Gotta love this classic summer fun flick!

The Blu Ray edition is stunning; while some of the special effects didn't age as well as I'd have liked, picture quality and sound quality were both phenomenal, noticeably better than DVD. Colors were crisp, there was minimal grain and noise. Watching this on my 50" plasma was a total blast. This was hi def done right and a great showcase for the capability of blu ray. I haven't really explored the extras much, but they seem pretty normal--commentaries and the like. Fox should take lessons from this and fix some of their abysmal transfers (Predator, I'm looking at you!).

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This is a excellent DVD loaded with extras including the music video by Will Smith, storyboards, extra footage, and a sneek peek at Men in Black II! Grat movie, Great DVD.

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Starlet (2012)

I'm so happy it's already out on Bluray and DVD! Starlet was one of my favorite movies of the year. Absolutely in my top three. It completely caught me by surprise. I really don't want to spoil too much because the beauty of this film is to discover it on your own. Nonetheless, I think I can say that the performances are outstanding. There is such a natural way in which the actors exist in the film. It all feels so natural. Dree Hemingway's work is truly impressive and inspiring. The film carefully takes you in. There is a new revelation in every scene, subtle or big, the film never stops surprising. The film is harsh, sweet, naive, mature, it just is what is has to be when it has to be. I love that. A beautiful thing is that this film never ever judges any of its characters and truly makes you think that nothing is what it seems. Starlet is pure honesty. I feel that the director and people involved made this one from the heart. There is nothing better than an honest piece of work. Thank you.

"Starlet" is one of the most heartfelt looks at the people of the City of Angels I've seen in a long time. It is poignant and sincere. It doesn't need shock or artifice to make you pay attention. Love, love, love...see it if only for the doggie / Chihuahua that steals the show!

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There's a feeling in the movie that makes the spectator relate with; an every day life loneliness, a void that we try to run away from but in the end its always there... and in between that, what seems to save us: finding am accomplice for that feeling. sharing it without even mentioning it.

The story is minimalistic. Silences are beautifuly placed and tell the audience more than what would dialogue do. Or at least, it gives the audience the space to relate with the movie, and fill the blanks with those feelings.

The music and photography are there to back up the mood of the film amazingly. I fully recommend it.

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The only character in this movie that is 100% likable is the dog. Which is perfect. That's real life. The others are weak, sad, and bored. Kind of mean. And beautifulDree Hemingway's and Stella Maeve's looks are the 'blink blink it's a movie' factors that makes their characters unauthentic. They seem like real people. Addicted, numb, and desperate for human connection.

The photography and music reminded me of The Virgin Suicides and King of California. As I write that I realize Dree Hemingway physically resembles both Evan Rachel Wood and Kirsten Dunst. The take away she does not have an original face, but she is totally watchable. This is the dreamy, dry, hazy L.A. Good score. Uses one of the repugnant songs ever in the best ways ever. Bravo. "Crazy bitch" may fill me with more furor than any other pop song.

Besedka Johnson as Sadie is heart breaking. She is a strong lady. She demands respect. She doesn't reel from foul language. She has her marbles. She is appropriately suspicious, but eventually grateful for Jane's attentions.

An enjoyable film if you like this sort of thing. To utilize film review clichesslice of life, indie paced, unsentimental, sticks with you. I'm a Northern Californian. I've always had a foreigner's fascination with Los Angeles. I don't spurn and spit at it like my fellow Yay Bareans, but I know it's not for me. This is the sort of film that shows you what it must really be like in L.A./San Fernando Valley. There are real people there too. They live lives. They have cool dogs.

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I feel fortunate that a good friend recommended this to me without telling me anything about it. He told me to avoid reading reviews so nothing was spoiled and I would say the same to others. It's best to just watch the story unfold and form your own ideas and feelings about what you see.

I felt like I was watching real people, more than I do when I watch some documentaries. The look, thoughtfulness and realistic characters remind me of some of the best American films that focus on relationships produced in the 70s, like Kramer vs Kramer. Now it's often good independent films like Starlet that seem to step back more and allow us to think and feel things more naturally as we watch.

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