Pet Sematary (1989)

First off, this is the scariest movie I have ever seen. It may not be so for everyone (and I know comments like that often get you a "0 out 0f 30 people found this helpful" but so be it) but if you like King's visceral, deep-seated horror, I recommend it.

The town, the graveyard, the music, the mist everywhere, the monstrous undead animals and the people all make this a frightening ensemble for me. I have to concur with many of the reviewers about the Zelda character (who was incidentally played by a man named Andrew Hubatsek). There's something so phenomenally horrifying about that character to me that I can actually say I have trouble watching the movie, and certainly never again alone. I find those sequences truly terrifying. The flashbacks of Timmy Baderman (sp?) are also scary.

Furthermore, I agree with many of you that this is a different experience from the book, which I also recommend for added terror. I read the book in broad daylight in a friend's house in Hollywood and I still felt like I was alone in the woods at night.

Highly recommend the film to fans of horror, though it might not be your thing if you just dig slashers. DVD completely lacks features, so for the format itself I'd give 2 stars.

It has been the candid observation of numerous film critics that the works of literary horror maven Stephen King don't often translate well to the screen. But when they DO work, man do they WORK! PET SEMATARY is a prime example. Though some of the details of the King masterwork had to be pared down--as is often the case when well-written literature is made to fit into a two-hour visual narrative--this film captures perfectly the spine-tingling essence and atmosphere of the original novel. As with many King cinematic adaptations, it HELPS if you've already read the book. But with a really good one like PET SEMATARY, familiarity with the book is absolutely NOT a prerequisite.

PET SEMATARY tells the story of the Creeds, a young nuclear family who has moved from the Midwest to a small college town in Maine. They take up residence in a old country house a few miles outside the town, and it isn't long before they become friendly with their new neighbor, a bucolic but agreeable old coot named Jud who lives across the street. Jud quickly alerts them to the fact that the road between their two houses is a busy rural highway, and he therefore warns them to be always mindful of their young children and the family cat. Many a pet has ended up in the nearby pet "sematary," Jud explains, due to an unscheduled meeting with a speeding truck or car on that infernal highway.

Inevitably, the Creeds' cat, Church, joins the roadkill ranks, but only the father, Louis Creed, is at home when this happens. Neighborly Jud worries about how the Creed children will take the news, so he decides to let Louis in on secret. Just beyond the nearby cemetery where the children of ages past have buried their beloved pets, Jud tells Louis, is another cemetery that was long ago held sacred by the Native Americans once indigenous to the region. Local legend has it that when you bury your dead there, they will return to life before the end of the following day. Sometimes there is a price to pay for this magic, says Jud, as the dead don't always come back exactly the way they were before they died. Nonetheless, Jud thinks it is worth the risk if they can protect the Creed children from the pain of losing a cherished pet. Being a physician, Louis is understandably skeptical, but he humors his elderly friend and, with the stiffened body of Church in hand, follows Jud up to the "magical" burial grounds.

Much to the surprise of Louis, Church does indeed arrive on the Creed doorstep the next morning. In some intangible way, though, Church seems different--no longer a loving feline, but instead stealthy, aloof, and easily provoked to anger. Jud tells Louis to try to ignore theses differences, and he suggests that if Louis remains mum about Church's resurrection, the rest of the family will never know their little secret.

Of course, as one might guess, it isn't long before one of the Creed children meets his fate on the highly trafficked road. But dare the grieving Louis bury his son in the sacred soil of the Indian cemetery? And if he does, will what worked for a cat work for a human? If so, at what price?

PET SEMATARY is a very satisfying horror film that offers the requisite spooky ambiance, frightful imagery, and outright scares, and all without requiring much effort to suspend one's disbelief. Part of the reason the filmmakers pull this one off is, of course, due to the excellent job that King has done in his adaptation of his own novel. But the lion's share of the credit goes to the excellent performances from the cast. TV actor Dale Midkiff, whose acting style usually teeters on the histrionic, here turns in a subtle yet compelling performance as the family patriarch, Dr. Louis Creed. Even when things get really intense for his character, Midkiff maintains control and convincingly delivers the reactions of an educated, loving father who is grasping for a rational means of rescuing his family from a dangerously surreal situation. Denise Crosby--better known to SF fans as STAR TREK's Tasha Yar--also does an unusually good job portraying Louis' perky upper-middle-class wife.

It is the performance of Fred Gwynne that really makes the show, however. Genre fans know Gwynne from his role as Herman in TV's classic horror-themed sitcom THE MUNSTERS. As the rustic and lovable Jud, Gwynne stretches his thespian skills way beyond the limits of the slapstick of THE MUNSTERS to create a credible and convincing elderly Maine farmer. Gwynne could easily take it over the top and upstage his fellow actors here, but he instead keeps it honest and subdued and thereby makes a significant contribution towards pulling the audience into the fantasy of the filmic narrative.

As with many of Paramount's DVDs, this disc is sparse on extras. However, the digital transfer (for the widescreen anamorphic edition) was made from a very clean print, and both the picture and sound quality are great. For King fans and fans of great cinematic horror, owning this film is a must!

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After reading Stephen King's novel "Pet Sematary" and being a little disturbed by it, I figured that I would rent the movie to see what a terrible adaptation some money-hungry fellow made. After viewing the film I was quite surprised. The first half of the film starts out nice with a happy family enjoying thier new rural home. But then we see the second half of the film in which all turns to hell. After Gage is killed you can't help but feel bad, no one wants to see a boy that cute skin his knee let alone what happens to him in this film. The performances in the film were mostly well done, especially from Fred Gwynne (Jud Crandall), Denise Crosby (Rachel Creed) & Miko Hughes (Gage Creed). The Pet Sematary novel was meant to be disturbing, and this film certainly is just that. Most likely the reason people hate this film and think it's sick is because they too were disturbed by it. It's definitely not a film to give you a positive outlook on life, but I guess that's what makes it such an effective horror film.

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It was 1989. I was 14 and I thought that Pet Sematary was one of the best movies I'd ever seen. It hasn't aged well. Or rather, I have aged out of it. Upon a recent viewing I came to the unsettling conclusion that this film, despite its horrific subject matter, is basically aimed at a young audience; intentionally or not.

Most of the problem is with King's screenplay. Whatever literary strengths he has, they do not translate to film. (Maximum Overdrive...nuff said) It seems that King has very little respect for film goers. He seems to have some respect for film as a medium, but the viewers themselves he writes down to. Look at The Shining, for instance. For years King complained about and trashed Kubrick's classic adaptation. Then King himself finally remade The Shining and he removed all subtlety, crafting a sappy TV mini-series that pandered rather than entertained. Perhaps King likes bad film adaptations, lest a superior film overshadows his work, as is the case with Kubrick's The Shining IMO.

His screenplay for Pet Sematary is up to the same tricks. King does not bother with characterization, he just shoehorns in the books most horrific scenes and pumps them up in some cases (Victor Pascow being the worst offense, he appears once or twice in the book, but in the film the guy is all over the place, doing some sort of stand up comic zombie routine that gets old quick.) He just sort of hopes that characterization will be implied I guess. He also worked in the "spring loaded cat" jump scare several times. You can't disrespect an audiences intelligence much more than that.

The worst part is that none of it makes very much sense. In the book, King went to great lengths to make you believe in his story and it works. Here, King just seems to be shoveling out the story as fast as he can, making story revisions and additions that have no logic in and of themselves and that contaminate the internal logic of the parts of the story that should work. Again, the Pascow angle is the main offender here. In the book he gives a simple warning. It's up to Louis Creed to make the decisions. In the film Pascow becomes an active force that just screws everything up worse with his meddling as he keeps coming back to help out and only ends up helping out the evil force in the MicMac burial ground. Not a very good result for an emissary send from beyond the grave by "higher forces". This is just one example of how little sense the film makes, I could go on for pages and pages. It seems King had his brain turned off while churning out this screenplay. Gone are all of the weighty themes the book explored, only to be replaced by thoughtless illogical attempts to pump up the opportunity to show more ghosts and guts and blood.

King has said that he does not like Pet Sematary as a book. I guess that's understandable. King is, at heart, an optimist. Pet Sematary was his one foray into real pessimistic horror. Perhaps he just felt like turning it into a big joke on those grounds.

I don't have anything bad to say about director Mary Lambert. She did a damn good job considering the screenplay she was working from. In King's original screenplay King tried to rework Jud's character. He wore trendy clothing and listened to the latest rock music on his walkman...you know, so the kids would think how cool this old guy was. Well, if Mary had anything to do with excising that particular bit of cynical pandering...then more points to her. When Stephen King comes along with his own screenplay, and it's a cartoony carnival spook show...well I suppose as a director you give him what you think he wants. Unless you want to end up like Kubrick, listening to this writer whine and complain about you for the rest of either of your natural lives.

The acting here is adequate. Fred Gwynne steals the show, and is largely the only thing that holds it all together. Dale Midkiff does some wonderful round the bend acting towards the finale. Brad Greenquist is having (too much} fun playing the ghost of Pascow, but for what it is its good acting. The only actor who truly made me feel emotion though was Michael Lombard as Rachel Creed's father. I guess he didn't get the memo that this was all goofy fun because his heartbreak at Gage's funeral is keenly felt. Too bad the rest of them didn't miss the memo as well. In short, the actors did what they were asked to do and they did it well for the most part. No real complaints. Unless you're just a jerk that likes to pick on child actors and the like.

Pet Sematary does have a lot going for it though. For one, it's original. Ok not totally original, you will still hear people saying King ripped off his book from a film called Zeder. A movie you've probably never even heard of (and I doubt King had either when he wrote the story) so it's original enough. Especially for the well worn cliches of the endlessly recycled horror genre. It's also very dark. Even with the cartoony gloss smeared all over the film, it's still considered morbid, mean-spirited, bleak, and nihilistic. I don't consider these bad things, especially for the horror genre, except maybe the charge of mean-spiritedness...which does hold some weight. The film does seem to lack a heart...perhaps of any kind, mean-spirited or otherwise.

Perhaps it had to be this way. 1989 was not likely to be a good year for any mainstream film to be so dark and realistic at the same time. Without suppressing the realism it may have been just too much to remain mainstream, which it pretty much had to be considering it was a King vehicle. Mr King is Hollywood's dependable horror whore after-all. No sense making a film with artistic merit that might lower the profit margin.

It's unfortunate, because if it had been allowed to show the same sort of realism that, say, William Friedkin had brought to The Exorcist, this very well may have become a horror classic for the ages, instead of just another (above average) goofy 80's carnival gore show.

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Pet Sematary is by far the most disturbing horror film I have ever seen. From the creepy opening credits to the tragic ending you will either be creeped out or disturbed by this movie. The most unnerving part of the film is that you can't root for the killers demise because he is an innocent little boy who did nothing to deserve what happened to him, it is a complete injustice. The fact that Rachel Creed (Denise Crosby) is seen with red, swollen, tear filled eyes after her little boy is taken away from her only makes the tragedy seem real. As well, the flashbacks of the Ludlow town's hidden secrets, told by Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne), are intriguing and make you wonder why people wouldn't move far away from that place. Having picked the cutest little boy to portray the tragic role of Gage Creed (Miko Hughes) is one thing, but him giving such an outstanding performance at the age of 29 months is incredible...incidentally it took 2 girls to play the role of Ellie Creed! All in all this film is great for people who can stand emotionally unsettling situations, it is truely a horror film.

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Lewis Black: In God We Rust (2012)

After reading the other reviews for In God We Rust, I ordered it in order to decide for myself if it was a one-star or five-star performance. I watched it with my husband and adult son and we all laughed like hyenas throughout. How Lewis Black manages to sound like a slightly (?) deranged, angry man while expertly weaving his topics together (and then tying them all up with a bow to bring them together) is beyond me...but no one does it better. We all loved In God We Rust. Black on Broadway is still The Standard in this family, but there's absolutely nothing about In God We Rust that was anything less than brilliant. Black's opening riff, explaining why he was actually agreeing with people who might be tempted to walk out of his show in protest, was so brilliant that it was hard to follow for a minute until his convolutedly-masterful reasoning slapped us all in the face. From the opening until the very last word (which is best appreciated if you are familiar with Facebook terminology), In God We Rust is quintessential Black -and worth every cent of what we paid for it.

Lewis Black "In God We Rust" is nothing short of brilliant and it might just be his greatest performance ever. Pay no attention to the 1 star reviews. They are pure nonsense and were probably left by Michelle Bachman and Sarah Palin who Lewis dresses down with ease. Anyone who could watch this DVD and not laugh their butts off needs shock therapy. If you're a huge Lewis Black fan don't delay buying this DVD. Don't just sit there DO IT NOW!!!!

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I was at this show in Minneapolis, and have seen Lewis Black in concert many times here and in Las Vegas. He never disappoints. I think the material he has on his current tour is better, but even so this was a great night. Highly recommended, and even more importantly go see him in concert if you get a chance. What a blast.

Read Best Reviews of Lewis Black: In God We Rust (2012) Here

In God We rust is just typical totally funny Lewis Black Stand-up comedy!!! Lewis is one of our favorite comedians and love watching anything he does.

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This is the latest and greatest Lewis Black DVD LOVE IT! He is so sarcastic and funny and current about politics. If you've never seen his work before, try this one!

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Child's Play (1988)

A worthy edition of Child's Play hits shelves on September 9th as a nice appetizer before Halloween which is most horror fans version of Christmas. What better gift then a good guy doll.

Chucky has become a horror icon over the years. Directed by horror contributor Tom Holland who also directed Fright Night. Holland also wrote Psycho II and the screenplays for the brutal Class of 1984 and the classic 80s film Cloak & Dagger. Another horror regular Brad Dourif and that voice, he makes Chucky a doll version of Samuel L. Jackson's, Jules, from Pulp Fiction. Most notably his response to being thrown in the fire. Dourif along with the Fx team helped create one of the best doll horror movies. Other good one's that come to mind are the Zuni fetish doll from Trilogy of Terror and Stuart Gordon's Dolls.

The original dvd:

Originally Child's Play contained a non widescreen edition. As for special features it contained a collectible behind the scenes booklet that wasn't very collectible. If you'd like a real write up on Child's Play check out the somewhat new magazine HorrorHound. In issue #10 they do a in depth retrospective on the Child's Play series. I highly recommend this magazine as well, unlike Fangoria it does more articles on horror over the years instead of just new stuff.

The 20th Anniversary Edition:

Special Features

Commentary track with creator/writer Don Mancini and producer David Kirschner.

A second track with FX guru Kevin Yagher, Catherine Hicks (Kevin's wife; they met on the film), and now-grown-up Alex Vincent.

A third track with Mancini and Chucky (Brad Dourif voicing in character).

The film itself is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.

Making-of documentary blending archival footage with new, on-camera interviews with Mancini, Kirschner, Yagher, Hicks, Vincent, Chris Sarandon, John Lafia and Brad Dourif.

All this commentary should blow away the 1 page "collectible" piece of paper with the original dvd release.

I'd also recommend to those who like the series, which I do, (there a fun time) to pick up Chucky The Killer DVD Collection, for those into cover art there is a doll of Chucky coming out of the cover with various weapons he can choose from on the side.

Hope this helps.

A serial killer has mysterious disappeared from the cops and found tumbled into a toy store after being shot by one of the policeman. He must find something to transfer his soul into another form of a body that will keep him alive until he can a living host. So he finds one of the childrens most favorite dolls known as the Good Guy dolls. He tranfers his soul into the doll and find a person to retransfer it into a human. If you ask me, I'd say this movie had suprisingly good special effects in the movie. Especially on the Chucky doll. Brad Douif does a great job on the voice of Chucky as he goes killing people without anyone knowing who he really is, except for the fact that he is a walking, talking, stalking, doll. The trouble starts as a little boy's dream was to get a Good Guy doll for Christmas and so the mother starts to panic, that she can't find one. But a strange man as just apparently had a Good Guy doll for sale. When the little boy gets the doll for Christmas...and well, you should know what happens from then on! Chucky's back, Jack!

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This is the best Child's Play/Chucky movie of all time! It was actuallly HORROR and scared me when I was a kid. This movie deserves to be bought, great acting, great entertainment, great horror. Watch this!!!!!

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Forget Seed of Chucky, Bride of Chucky, and the other two sequels that came after this surprisingly good horror romp. Tom Holland (Fright Night) directed this horror romp, in which the soul of a deranged killer inhabits a child's doll. Child's Play manages to boast a few genuine scares and add some creepy atmosphere to boot, with Brad Dourif doing great work as the voice of killer "good guy" doll Chucky. I won't go into the plot, since everyone pretty much already knows it, but what I will say is that this is about ten times better than any movie to feature the killer doll released since, and surprisingly the film hasn't aged too badly. All in all, if you've never seen the original Child's Play, give it a try; although I wish the DVD were presented in widescreen.

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Child's Play (Chucky's 20th Birthday Edition) has some extras that the first DVD release did not have.

I of course recommend this to any fan of the franchise.

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In the Mood for Love (The Criterion Collection) (2000)

Perfection in cinema is an almost impossible goal to achieve. Mostly because spectators have varying taste and perspectives. But you can't help but feel that Wong Kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love" is anything short of perfection. The imagery with its lush colors and breathtaking movements is enough to elevate this film. The simple, yet somewhat complicated tale is both heartfelt and authentic. And the performances by Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung are a marvel. But it's none of these that really makes this film, it's rather the manner that Kar-Wai so magically molds all these factors to set a mood that I have never felt before while watching a movie. In all honesty, I'm really not too fond of "forbidden love" movies, but this film really startled me.

Ironically, "In the Mood for Love" feels nothing like a Wong Kar-Wai film. It's a very slow moving film which uses lots of fades and dissolves. The Criterion edition of this film is probably the best dvd package I've seen to date. There are just so many extras on it, it's hard to believe. Deleted scenes, interviews, and promotional material, are just a few of the extras. The way Kar-Wai shoots his films (without a script) also adds to the suprise of picture. You see in the extras how much different the original concept was for "In the Mood for Love." There is also an alternate ending that seems very plain, but at the same time very heartbreaking.

Tony Leung is a journalist in Hong Kong, who rents a room with his wife in a family apartment. Next door, Maggie Cheung has done the same thing with her husband, who is almost always away on business.

As part of Kar-wai's game plan, neither the wife, nor the husband, is seen. They exist and are talked about, but never introduced.

Both Leung and Cheung's characters are painfully polite, which means you don't know what they're thinking. Even when it becomes obvious that their other halves are having an affair, it takes ages for either of them to respond. The idea of an emotional outburst would be unthinkable.

The film is so subtle and slow and internalized that it crystallizes into a thing of beauty. Longing has been choked by a thousand years of acceptable behavior. The cut of Cheung's dresses and the sheen of Leung's hair take on an unexpected importance in what appears to be Kar-wai's experiment into the purity of unconsummated passion.

By now this one is the most beautiful movie I had ever seen.

Every shot is like a poem. Each picture is a work of art.

I couldn't help myself from repeating the scenes again and again just to make sure i hadn't miss a thing.

A masterpiece.

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In the Mood for Love is such a charm despite a very simple plot. The year was 1962. Chow Mo Wan, a newspaper editor, recently moved into a dwelling populated by Shanghai immigrants with his wife. Through casual and accidental encounters Chow exchanged pleasantry with So Lai Jun (Mrs. Chan) who later found out about her husband's affair with Chow's wife. Heartbroken and devastated of the cruel truth, Chow buried himself in his job while So indulged in nightly movie screening. They began to let down the guard for one another and spent time during the mahjong sessions of their landlords. The characters forced themselves to abide by inveterate conventions and cultural morale that forbid an affair to become fruition. ...

Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung as usual deliver an impeccable performance in this 2001 Wong Kar-Wai release. Leung portraited a man who is unsatisfied about his marriage and denied his spouse's infidelity. Cheung seizes the empathy of her character who is accustomed to hush about reason for his husband's frequent absence. Maggie Cheung is elegant and charming in this movie. Not to mention the dazzling wardrobe she wears consistently over the entire movie. Her leg movements are captured in slow motion. Her arms dangling with the thermos meant for the late-night porridge order-to-go from the street vendor.

The movie is shot through a minimalist scope, that is, message is conveyed through very succinct scripts and imagery full of lush colors and meticulously chosen soundtracks. The film is shot in a very stealthy manner; it is as if a pin camera being fastened on the wall of the apartment. Conversations between Leung and Cheung are shot in an eavesdropping manner. The director seeks to de-emphasize other characters in order to focus on Leung and Cheung. Their spouse, respectively, always have their back facing the camera. Their performances are conducted by voices. The gaffer has done an excellent job adjusting the hues of light which is relatively dim throughout.

As a native of Hong Kong (born in mid-70s) who never witnessed the city in glory 60s, In the Move for Love has done me a favor in reminiscence. Wong Kar Wai makes sure everything is done just like when it was the 60s. Yes, even the restaurant menu to which Leung and Cheung skimmed through briefly. It was a green piece of cardboard decorated with some coconut tree clip art. Menu with such heavy Malaysian touch can still be found at local cafés that serve a fusion menu of Malaysian spices and sirloin steaks. Napkins are folded diamond-shaped like paper planes and kept at the far end of the booth. Leung and Cheung sip coffee from flimsy green chinaware cups that hold maybe three gulps. The green vinyl blinds hang unevenly at the office windows. The rotary phone. The subleased rooms where newly-wed couples rent and the kitchen with whom they share with their landlords. The white-collared wardrobe worn by housemaids. These are all the epitomes of lives in the 60s, in Hong Kong. Some find this mmovie a little slow-paced. I savor the manner in which the film is made. I savor all the details, the choice of colors and the tiptoeing scores in the film. 4.6 stars...

Read Best Reviews of In the Mood for Love (The Criterion Collection) (2000) Here

It's only a shame that this wasn't released several months ago in the U.S. as it was in the U.K. or else it would have been nominated for some major awards. It's actually really hard to fault anything in this movie: the acting, directing, music and cinematography are all world-class.

The story centers around a woman and a man who live next to each other in a Hong Kong apartment complex in 1962. They both suspect their spouses of having an affair with each other, and begin to fall in love themselves. Being in such tight surroundings they obviously cannot show very much affection to each other in public and rely on subtle glances and very little actual physical contact: it is a testimony to the superb acting skills of the two main leads, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, that the relationship is believable. The director Wong Kar-Wai is also brilliant at mixing in slow-motion shots (perhaps to emphasize how slowly their relationship develops) and Spanish music, which fits the mood of the movie amazingly well.

To add to the atmosphere, the movie is almost completely shot indoors except for some shots outside at night and in the rain and the haunting last scene. You really get a sense of clautrophobia after a while, not only of the living space but how confined the characters' marriages and even lives are as well. Futhermore, the movie also has a political overtone which is, like everything else here, subtle, but suffice to say its setting in 1962 is not accidental.

Finally, the lack of a huge amount of dialogue means that those who don't like subtitles won't have to suffer through so many. For those of you like me who were disappointed with most of the junk nominated for Academy Awards this year, finally here's a movie that lives up to its reputation.

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"In the Mood for Love" is simply one of the most beautiful films of the last several years. I cannot praise this film enough the plot is at once simple and complex, the characters are both real and heartfelt, and the images are powerful and elegant. There really are so many positive things to say about this film, I'll try and hit the highlights for you.

The acting is superb both Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung give impeccable performances filled with subtle emotion. They radiate a quietly powerful intensity that is so lacking is a great number of film stars today.

The story moves in ways both expected and surprising. The pacing is wonderful as the story unfold slowly before you. They're none of the lighting fast cuts and manic pacing of most films. It's a slower film for a patient audience willing to wait for their just rewards. The overall design of the film with the use of color and wardrobe stunned me with it's rich simplicity. The same can be said of the photography rich with nuance (the way the shots are framed is remarkable) and feeling.

With "In the Mood for Love" Wong Kar-Wai has become one of the most skilled directors of our time with this film, proving that "Happy Together" (another brilliant film) wasn't a fluke. The Criterion Collection edition of the film is a two disc set that has an astonishing number of extras. After watching the film once, I watched the extras then immediately watched the film again with a fresh eye to see how the entire thing was put together. I was truly impressed.

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Ocean's Trilogy (2009)

I enjoyed the movies my self and looked forward to the BD release, but when I put them in my player and noticed the almost DVD quality video I felt ripped off. There are numerous artifacts through out the movies and bad colors. Buy with caution.

This is, without a doubt, the WORST quality blu-ray movie I have seen!! what were they thinking when they did this transfer? It is hard to see a big difference in this regular DVD and the Blu-ray.

The movies are great. the quality is a real let down. This review is based on the HD quality, not the review of the movie, as it should be on the Blue ray box set listing. Don't waste your money until they do a better job with the quality of the conversion

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The pros:

Brilliant ensemble cast

Entertaining story lines that are enjoyable through multiple viewings

The cons:

Lack of special features (Ocean's 12 disk special feature consists of...drumroll please...the TRAILER alone)

No real justification to buy box set unless you are just really really excited about owning, well, the box

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I'm sure everyone has seen this series so my rating is not based on the plot or acting quality. Everything looks great in HD, of course. The problem is that because they are crooks (lovable crooks, but crooks nonetheless) their operations usually happen at night or in the dark. That means tons of film noise, which is gloriously captured in 1080p. I find that some of the night/dark shots are grainy to a point of being obvious, though not enough to annoy me. It's like two guys sitting next to you in the theater, constantly chatting away in low volumes. It doesn't distract from the movie, but you'd enjoy things a little more if it weren't there. That's the only minor imperfection I could find. Everything else is marvelous.

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Ocean's Eleven is a fantastic film and the two follow on are still a good time, although not the same quality as the first. The second is by far the weakest and takes the most liberties with being ridiculous. You do have to suspend disbelief in these films but it is totally insane to say they are a bad trilogy especially when the first is genius. Not to mention that the original is actually pretty crappy if you go back and watch it. Just because it is a classic doesn't make it good. If you look at the original Thomas Crown it is actually quite bad. The remake was a fun, very well done film. Clearly the previous reviewer has an axe to grind and that is making it into their review. If the extras are anything like extras on the non-HD versions, you'll be pleased. Rarely have I appreciated a commentary but they have some great ones on these discs.

Ocean Heaven (2010)

This has been touted as Jet Li's first starring non-action drama. While that is interesting it is probably the wrong approach to think of Li's past roles before watching this movie. This is a simple bittersweet realist drama that is a moving cinematic experience because of the earnest performances. Jet Li's minimalist characterization is the right approach for his character Wang Xuechang and quite different than his action persona. The director describes Li's character as "like a man who has become a mother." He is described by others in the film as a good man, which he is. He is doing the best he can with this situation with dogged determination, not with brilliance or luck, but perseverance. Wang is a maintenance work for an aquarium and had lost his wife fourteen years ago. He also has complete responsibility of his son Dafu (Wen Zhang: also acts with Jet Li in the later The Sorcerer and the White Snake) who suffers from severe autism. Wang is also dying from liver cancer and is given around three months to live.

The film stars off inauspiciously. Wang takes his son out to the ocean to drown him and himself. This does not work because the son had secretly untied the rope and the son has one special gift in his mostly closed world -he is an excellent swimmer. So Wang goes back to his home and work determined to leave his son prepared for his passing while his pains get worse by the day. At first he tries to find a place where he can leave his son. But either the institutions are for kids or seniors which the 22-year old does not qualify. While this proves difficult he also spends time going over simple behaviors like riding the bus, cooking eggs, and spending money so he can have some semblance of a normal life.

While Dafu spends his days swimming in the aquarium tanks he befriends a travelling circus clown and juggler Ling Ling (Kwai Lun-mei: also acts with Jet Li in the later Flying Swords of Dragon Gate; she also sings a song for the film) who also gives Dafu someone else to trust. But given that her life is nomadic and that Wang's life is slowly ebbing away you are left to wonder what is going to happen to Dafu.

This is Xue Xiao-lu's first directed film. Her only other screen credit is for the writing on Chen Kaige's Together. Xue has stated she has worked on this project fourteen years, referring to her volunteer work with autistic children, and by the time the screenplay got to be read by Jet Li it was in its seventh draft. What is impressive is the crew that was put together for this film. For the cinematography you have Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Hero), for the music you have Joe Hisaishi (Kikujiro, Spirited Away) and production design by Yee Chung-man (Tokyo Raiders, Shaolin). Having this triumvirate is quite unbelievable considering the modest budget. Their collaboration helps the film immensely in sound and image.

This is a beautiful looking film. The cinematography and production design is dominated by blue hues throughout as a constant allegory to the water in their lives. The acting from Li and especially Wen is quite good. There relationship is quite touching as is the relationship between Dafu and Ling Ling. That one is underplayed, but I think that is the right decision for this film. So much of the success of this film depends on how Wen portrays his character's interactions with these two. There are no magical solutions to the familial issues, just a lot of hard work from caring people. There are no real antagonists in this story. Some might consider this a negative, but the movie does not need it. I am glad, because Dafu's life is difficult enough and the movie is emotional enough. I had to watch it in two sittings because the first half depressed me quite a bit. I do recommend this movie and hope those who are on the fence about watching this to give it a watch. I think it is quite a good film.

There are certainly some parallels between this film and Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung's Heart of Dragon. Both films were dramatic roles dealing with a caretaker having no choice in dealing with a mentally challenged relative and both were popular action stars getting a chance to expand their acting repertoire. This film also reminds me of Zhang Yang's underrated Shower in which the relationship between Er Ming and Liu parallels that of the two main characters here. There is also a water motif present in both films though I think the allegory is stronger in Shower and more matter-of-fact here. I mention these films because both are interesting and different approaches to similar matter. Shower is also one of my favorite films.

I saw this on the R1 Well Go DVD release. But there is also a R1 BD/DVD combo available from Well Go which should have the same extras. For the extras there is an 11 minute "Making of" extra which has interviews from Jet Li, Kwai Lun-mei, Wen Zhang and Xue Xiao-lu and inserted footage from the movie. It has some good information, but is ultimately too short. There is a trailer and a teaser for the movie as well. The start-up trailers (not accessible by menu) are 1911, The Stool Pigeon and The Man From Nowhere. I found a mistake in the description on the back cover which uses names for the two characters (Sam and David) that appear nowhere in the film and there is no English dub so I am not sure where they came from. The two dubs for this are a Mandarin 5.1 Dolby and a Mandarin Dolby Stereo. There is also an R3 Edko release of this film that came out in 2010.

In the past several years, there's been a tremendous increase of awareness surrounding the nature of autism. To be correct, autism is medically known as, either, Autism or Autism Spectral Disorder (ASD); both terms define a group of disorders associated to the development of the human brain. Typically, persons suffering autism display difficulty in interacting socially; in fact, they may experience difficulty with any form of communication. They may engage in repetitive behaviors repeating sounds or phrases, arranging and re-arranging objects and furniture, flapping or waving of the hands and/or fingers, etc. Of course, there are other vastly more serious and complicated medical symptoms and realities; but the end result is that when dealing with the traditional parent-child relationship it becomes increasingly difficult to responsibly raise a sufferer who neither completely grasps the direction or advice offered nor possesses the skills to adequately define any cause for alarm to the parent. Still, the parent continues on out of love and that's the central theme behind writer/director Xue Xiaolu's latest film, OCEAN HEAVEN.

To his surprise, widowed handyman Sam Wong (played by Jet Li) discovers that he's entering the final stages of an advanced terminal illness. In normal circumstances, Wong would simply go about spending some quality time of shoring up his own personal affairs; however, he must put the desire to square up his relationships aside in order to place all of his effort into securing some reasonable future for his 22-year-old son, David (Lunmei Kwai), a victim of autism so severe that he lacks anything resembling a normal existence and quite possibly won't survive independently. With no other family or institution available to assist with this highly personal challenge, Wong fights an uphill struggle to connect once-and-for-all with the boy in a way that can give him half-a-chance to live in a world he's always at odds with.

The film opens with a sequence I won't go into any specifics here so that I don't spoil it for any viewers that I found a bit off-putting. It isn't the sequence itself that I found a bit problematic it's a fact that, in the scope of time, I was at a loss to understand what had legitimately `happened' at the opening until a bit later in the film. (Trust me: once you see the film, I have no doubt you'll probably understand what I'm referencing.) It's a small quibble, but I think it should've been either handled a bit differently or given a better explanation earlier than it does; there are hints, but it's never fully explained until later than I believed was helpful to the narrative. What it did (for me) was throw me for a loop: I am watching these events in their proper chronology or is the picture `as a flashback'? To my delight, it worked out the way I hoped no harm, no foul but, as I stated, I believe it could've been handled better. Who knows? It may even have been something lost in the film's translation (subtitles).

That small quibble aside, OCEAN HEAVEN is nothing short of pure cinematic brilliance.

In his hands as David, Kwai embodies so much of the picture with an infectiously youthful innocence. Director Xiaolu clearly goes to great lengths to capture how David's perspective on the larger world outside flavors so much of the young man's perceptions. To be precise, Xiaolu even tries to great effect to display "how" David sees the world, positioning the camera to record what the young man's exact visual impressions would be. In the hands of a lesser director, it could have all ended up more than a bit maudlin an aggressive film-school narrative trick unintentionally demeaning the `affliction du jour' but it works here, winningly, and that's because of respectful attention given to the material. As David's counterpoint presenting the point-of-view which most movie watchers will identify with Li gives an exceptionally convincing performance as the troubled father. Clearly, this aquarium worker has lived a humble life one entirely dedicated to raising his boy after the death of the mother. This grounding in reality in the hands of man who accomplishes `fixing' things but yet can't even begin to understand how to `fix' his child gives OCEAN HEAVEN the chance to not so much be an advocacy picture in support of treating autism so much as it sticks to a central theme no one can find controversy in: at all times, be a good parent. So much of the father/son relationship works here because the two characters remain `committed' to one another in this crippled reality both are shown struggling to find their respective voices instead of securing a grand solution suitable for a motion picture audience. It's always poignant. It's always relevant. It's always reverential to that central struggle, not the players, and that's why it excels on so many levels.

The production is impressive. The director put a tremendous amount of work in securing not only a certain look but, as well, a certain environment for the story, and it's photography beautifully. Colors are rich and vibrant when needed, and they're necessarily muted when the story calls for it. Sound presentation is equally important, and no expense has been shared. It's a top notch production given a top notch pressing here. There's a brief `making of' featurette essentially a series of intercut interviews and trailers, but nothing else.

HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION. I went into this one with, seriously, very little expectations. I mean ... Jet Li? In a dramatic role ... as a single father suffering a terminal illness? It's nothing short of wonderful if not heart-wrenchingly so at times a brilliant story of one man's acceptance of the fact that connecting with his autistic son may not only mean bringing the son into his world but also having the courage and conviction to live forever in the boy's world.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Well Go USA provided me with a DVD screener copy of OCEAN HEAVEN for the expressed purposes of writing this review.

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As the dad of an autistic boy, I was very moved by this film. I'm not well versed in foreign films nor Jet Li's work, so I was drawn to it simply by the subject matter. Even though I just happened to stumble upon this DVD, I'm glad I watched it. It is a beautiful story with authentic acting and very visually appealing.

The most impressive thing about this film is the accurate portrayal of the challenges between a father and autistic child. The very real fear of who will care for your child after you're gone, the frustrations over your inability to connect with your child and the one way nature of expressed love are all dead on in this film. Xiao Lu Xue's (Director & Screenwriter) many years of service with autistic children and their families create a true to life account of a Dad and son.

Kudos to Xiao Lu Xue, Jet Li, Lunmei Kwai and all involved in this special movie.

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If you want a movie you can cry along with-then this is for you. Fantastic performances all across the board. No English dialog but that does NOT take away from the movie. Highly recommended.

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I just loved this movie, although I must admit up front that there are few Jet Li movies I don't like! A definite departure from the martial arts genre for Jet Li in this touching, sad, moving and emotional drama of a father trying to help his autistic son gain some independence before the father dies. It was hard not to invest yourself in Jet Li's character. Jet Li's performance is understated but amazing and I really hope he adds more dramas like this to his repertoire of movies as well as his more usual martial arts films. The guy who played the autistic boy also did a very, very good job in his part. I like Jet Li in dramas and he also did an outstanding job in The Warlords with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. I recommend Oceans Heaven.

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Trailer Park Boys 1 & 2

I enjoyed these movies very much. They were very entertaining and are very funny. I also showed these movies to my friends and they had a good time.

First off, let me say that these movies are great, and it is great to see them in hi-definition, I gave it such a low rating because of the lousy packaging.

I was suckered in because you get two great movies in one package, the problem is, you get ABSOLUTELY NO BONUS FEATURES WHATSOEVER! Most multi-movie packages come with separate discs in a double case. Not so with this one.

Strictly the movies, no audio-commentary, no deleted scenes, you can't even access the scenes from the menu. EPIC FAIL!

It's common knowledge that a blu-ray disc will hold a ton of information, I feel that they could have done a lot better job than this.

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bought this for my boss because he is obsessed with the show. he loved it! too funny! if you have ever seen the show you need to see the movie!

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Good movies, I've seen all the seasons of Trailer Park Boys about 6times now, the movies are good, but honestly the seasons are better. I wish they'd make more of these

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I am a big trailer park boys fan. Its great that this is a double feature. Great value. Loads of laughs.

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Jazz Singer (2013)

Almost immediately after Warner Bros' huge financial gamble premiered in Oct 1927, other studios' concerned bigwigs frantically ordered their studios to immediately equip themselves to do sound movies. New careers were made -and shattered -overnight. If you haven't seen The Jazz Singer, considered the first "talking movie" (even though there actually were some earlier sporadic experiments) this is a video worth not only seeing but OWNING for several reasons: a)You see Al Jolson at his height. He was one of the first half of the 20th century's biggest stars and some of his stage charisma comes through in this movie's songs. Most of the flick is actually silent except for the songs. Originally he was only supposed to sing, but he ad libbed a few lines and the response was absolutely electric when audiences heard and saw him say these few words on the screen. b)The story's value: a Jewish religious leader's son, torn between tradition (using his voice for religion and following in his dad's footsteps) or to please the masses (as a jazz singer in vaudeville). Follow family tradition or national culture? c)The historical show biz value: the Warner brothers put everything they on the line in doing this flick and if it had failed sound movies would have been set back about 10 years (or more) -and maybe Bugs Bunny wouldn't have been invented. d)Technical show biz value: The Warners used Vitaphone, which was basically sound on disks synchronized to the film's action. You also get a nice zippy period musical score throughout the movie. f)American history historical value: Note long shots of the Jewish ghetto. They were actual shots of a New York street taken through a window -NOT extras on a movie set. And the theater in which Jolson sings was the Wintergarden, a theater in which he often performed. g)Cultural historical value: even though Jolson's belt-em-out vocal style (effective in theaters without mikes) is part of the reason you don't hear about him anymore, a MAJOR part of his vanishing public historical profile is because he did some of his stage act in "blackface" and minstrel shows were viewed a bit differently in those days. You will SELDOM EVER see this film aired on television due to the fact that blackface is so obviously politically incorrect (understatement!). Does this hold up? YES, it is corny but it is also deeply touching and Jolson's stage pizazz reaches across nearly a century on most numbers (one or two now are almost "camp" but weren't back then). Advice: it won't be available on video forever as the 21st century advances. And you might not find it at your local rental store. Get it now. It's the movie that forever changed Hollywood -and it's still entertaining.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I watch it at least once a month and each time I see it, there's something fresh to savor. Al Jolson is just one of the major attractions of this part-talkie, part-silent. You've got this powerful, knock-out film score that enhances tremendously the intense emotion of this drama. I don't know if this score was the one first heard by movie-goers in l927 but if it was, one can only imagine the extraordinary impact it had, along with that new-fangled invention called "Talkies." Throughout this gripping drama, the musical score soars and throbs, nearly sobbing and then laughing with each scene. Eugenie Besserer is unforgettable as the Jewish mother who never gives up loving her Jazz Singer. Besserer specialized in playing mothers during the silent era. As far as I can tell, she never appeared in the talkies so perhaps her voice didn't measure up. You hear just hints of it when Jolson is singing "Blue Skies" to her. In his memoirs, he said that Besserer helped him out tremendously in this--his first full length film. When he felt exhausted and despaired, Besserer came and cheered him up. I get so terribly sick of these politically correct reviewers who harp and whine about the scenes of Jolson wearing black face. This was l927, you idiots! Minstrel Shows and black face were an accepted theatrical institution during this era. It was meant as homage to the great black musicians and performers and was never intended to be a slap in the face to these artists. So view this classic in the framework of the time it was made. This movie can be maddening because just when you're enraptured by hearing the actual voice of Al Jolson, then the sound stops and the music begins again. This is a fascinating journey back into time, when singing jazz was the hottest thing to do in the Jazz Age!

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In 1926 Sam Warner of the Warner Brothers decided to invest in the Vitaphone sound system. Don Juan was their first Vitaphone film, but it only contained music and sound effects. In 1927 Warner adapted the Samson Raphaelson Broadway hit The Jazz Singer into a movie and, this time, they incorporated vocal musical numbers in what was still a silent film for all but twenty minutes. Contrary to popular belief, audiences had heard music on film before, and they had heard dialogue on film before. What they had not heard or seen before were either of these things being particularly entertaining. When Jolson sings "Blue Skies" to his mother while adlibbing humorous comments, it all came across as so completely natural that people suddenly realized that sound on film could be entertaining and not just some novelty act. Despite its many shortcomings, including the predictable storyline, The Jazz Singer was a box-office success and a cinema milestone.

This new 80th Anniversary Edition of the Jazz Singer due in October 2007 contains three discs of extras and appears to be just as much a tribute to the birth of the talking picture as a fully digitized release of the Jazz Singer. Disc 1 is dedicated to the film itself, and includes a commentary track. "A Plantation Act" is also included. This is a 1926 Vitaphone short also starring Jolson. Disc 2 is dedicated to the silent to sound transition and includes a documentary on this subject along with shorter featurettes. The real jewel in the crown of this disc is the excerpt from "The Gold Diggers of Broadway". That was the top-grossing picture of 1929 and is an example of a very good all-Technicolor musical of the pre-Depression era. Unfortunately, it was considered lost for years and only a little over two reels (about 20 minutes) survive. Disc 3 contains almost four hours of Vitaphone shorts. These films run the gamut from musical theater legends and vaudeville acts, to dramatic vignettes and classical music performances from the most prestigious artists of the era. Most of these were shorts considered lost for decades, until a consortium of archivists and historians joined forces with a goal to restore these time capsules of entertainment history. Up until now, contemporary audiences have only been able to see these shorts via rare retrospective showings in a few large cities, or through the limited release of a restored handful of the earliest subjects, which were part of a 1996 laserdisc set. This new collection will finally make these films available on DVD. The actual Vitaphone shorts are included in the product description. Seems like a must buy for anyone interested in the film itself or the dawn of sound.

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First, ignore the old comments in this string that refer to the old VHS release and have nothing to do with this truly awesome new 3 DVD set. The content is awesome. Even if you have no interest in the feature (which has been completely restored with sound direct from origina discs and a new print). The fact this set contains 26 early, never on DVD (most never on video) Vitaphone vaudeville and music shorts from 1926-30, a new feature length documentary on the coming of sound, a dozen more shorts, and loads more extras ---for less than $30 on Amazon --makes this a must have for any film buff.

Recognize that NO other studio is releasing this kind of early talkie material, nor shorts. WHV is to be congratulated for assembling a first class package in a first class way. Please spread the word on this set. If it does well, perhaps more early stuff will emerge from the vaults!

Producer George Feltenstein deserves special recogition for sticking his neck out and producing a stellar set. Thanks!

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Many others here have eloquently extolled the virtues of this incredible DVD release. I echo their laudatory comments. Jaw-dropping is the right word to describe the overall presentation.

I always thought THE JAZZ SINGER was a 'good' film, but not a masterpiece of cinema. The amazing energy of Jolson, and knowing its place in film history earned it my respect and admiration. My assertion was likely due to the limited quality of the image and audio. The resoration here takes the movie out of the gauze and lets you appreciate the film in a way that people couldn't even in 1927. The projection quality and the speakers back in 1927 couldn't even deliver the amazement that you see in this DVD restoration.

The film gets a sterling commentary from two noteworthy scholars who impart enormous background on the making of the film. There are many rare shorts featuring Jolson, the Lux Radio Adaptation, a Jolson trailer gallery, and the great Tex Avery cartoon parody I LOVE TO SINGA.

But wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain't heard nothin' yet.

Altough the restored feature and the supplements alone are worth the very reasonable price (along the Criterion level, and with equal, if not superior presentation), there are TWO more discs, stuffed with amazing things.

Disc Three has two dozen (24) rare VITAPHONE shorts. Incredible glimpses of vaudeville performers, mostly forgotten, who hopefully will now be remembered.

Disc Two has a myriad of vintage shorts, but its highlight is a terrific feature-length documentary called THE DAWN OF SOUND: HOW MOVIES LEARNED TO TALK. This documentary is not recycled, and was not made for TV. It was made for this release... No one has ever made a definitive documentary on this period, and now it's been done, and done beautifully.

Now, we get to the packaging. The gorgeous sturdy box opens to reveal a beatiful three-disc layout with an original theatrical release one=sheet poster as its centerpiece. How cool is it that Warner Bros. re-created VITAPHONE DISC labels for the DVD labels. Only WB would know to do that!

Inside are numerous rarities, still reproductions, and a copy of the original souvenir program.

I'm buying a bunch of these to give as gifts. This is an overwhelming release, and it's the pefect gift for anyone who loves motion pictures

A DVD release like this 3 Disc set for THE JAZZ SINGER shows that the current Warner Bros. staff respects its company's history. A rarity these days. That's why they are the best company in the industry.

Bravo, Warner Bros., Bravo!

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Hysteria (2012)

"Hysteria" (95 min.) brings the highly unlikely (but we are reminded at the beginning of the film that "This movie is based on true events. Really.") story of a young doctor Dr. Mortimer Granville (played by Hugh Dancy) in London, 1880, who is struggling but eventually finds a job with Dr. Robert Dalrymple (played brillantly by Jonathan Pryce) who is treating women for the so-called hysteria disease, really a catch-all for any and all things supposedly wrong with women in those days. The treatment is nothing else but to touch these women's private parts until they reach "paroxysmal convulsions" (wink, wink). The young doctor along with his buddy eventually come up with a mechanical device, which became the vibrator (still the number one sex toy in the world today, we are reminded at the end of the movie).

But the movie in fact is much more about Granville's romantic interplay with the 2 daughters of Dalrymple, Emily (played by Felicity Jones), who is "daddy's girl" and to whom Granville gets engaged, and Charlotte (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal), the "rebel" daughter who has set up a social center to help the poor. I don't want to give away much more from the plot, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Maggie Gyllenhall really shines in this movie. I couldn't help but think how much she reminded me of Diane Keaton in her late 70s performances (think Annie Hall). That aside, this movie is a pleasant romcom, nothing more, nothing less. And no, not an "important movie" about women's empowerment as some other reviews here (who obviously did not see the movie) are suggesting.

When, some time ago, I'd heard that Maggie Gyllenhaal was making a movie about the invention of the vibrator, I was excited. I mean, I love Maggie and I love vibrators so what more could I ask for in the way of entertainment? But time went by and I heard nothing about it. I'd almost forgotten it completely when, checking out the new offerings on Amazon (because as I've told you repeatedly for months now, NETFLIX SUCKS), there it was! Yippee!

I had fresh coffee, a French toast bagel with honey walnut cream cheese and a movie about vibrators. A near-perfect Saturday morning.

Honestly, I expected the movie to be interesting, perhaps even enlightening in an indie film kinda way, considered that it apparently got so little press I wasn't even aware it had opened. But what i got was a delighful little movie that had me chuckling and laughing out loud. Considering the subject, it gives the term "a feel-good movie" a whole new meaning.

Even better, the basic facts of the movie are true.

In England of the 1890's -the height of Victorian prudery, where furniture was draped with heavy fabric to prevent the scandalous sight of carved table "legs" giving rise to lascivious thoughts -the average doctor killed more patients than he saved. Medicine was still medieval, and leeching was still being prescribed even for broken bones.

Mortimer Granville, a young doctor who eagerly embraces all the cutting-edge research of the day, finds himself discharged from one hospital after another for his strange new ideas about "germs" and hand washing. In desperation, he ends up at the door of Dr. Dalrymple, who is eager for help in his thriving and lucrative practice treating "female hysteria."

Hysteria, an affliction of the female nervous system thought to stem from a disorder of the uterus, was at the time the catch-all diagnosis for just about every female ailment, particularly melancholia, nervousness, frigidity, nymphomania and excitability. What we realize now, of course, was that these women were actually suffering -and often quite seriously -from the sheer frustration of the limited, tedious and repressed lives they were forced to live.

A well-bred young woman had no choice but to marry a man she barely knew, submit to his "carnal lusts" with no preparation or expectation of pleasure, run his household, bear his children and do it all while smiling, biting her tongue and wearing a corset. Who wouldn't be depressed, frustrated and, yes, hysterical?

In extreme cases, hysterectomies were performed to remove the "offending" organs. Which says a lot about the complete and utter bigoted ignorance of men in understanding and valuing women's lives and bodies.

It should be noted that only well-to-do women suffered from hysteria. Poor women were too busy simply trying to survive, and barely had access to medical treatment for life-threatening emergencies.

Dr. Dalrymple -superbly played by Jonathan Pryce -specializes in the treatment of hysteria through "medicinal massage" to "lessen the tensions in the womb." With complete sincerity, he explains to Granville (played by Hugh Dancy) that his patients experience "paroxysms" -not to be confused with sexual pleasure, which women are of course incapable of experiencing without masculine penetration.

Granville becomes the doctor's assistant, and is soon suffering intense carpel tunnel and muscle cramps from the prolonged daily "massage" of dozens of women. When idly playing with his friend's new invention -an electric duster -he notices the vibrations bring amazing relief to his near-crippled hand.

Which leads to a moment of spectacular genius for which I am eternally grateful.

There's a love story, too, but it dovetails nicely with the theme of the movie, which is about women taking control of their lives. Maggie plays Dr. Dalrymple's "other" daughter, a passionate suffragette and doer of good works in the poorest parts of London. She sparkles. I think this may be my favorite role for her.

So, let's give a hand (metaphorically speaking) to Dr. Mortimer Granville, the inventor of the vibrator! Perhaps we should all celebrate a "paroxysm" in his honor.

Seriously, check out this very funny and enjoyable movie. If it sounds "risqué" it's really not. There's no nudity, no bad language, and only one kiss in the whole movie. It was actually amazing that they could deal with the subject matter in such a Victorian way. One reviewer has expressed his disgust at watching an "old dried up woman" experiencing pleasure in a completely demure and ladylike way. You'd have to be a serious prude or a sexist, ageist grump to characterize the scene in such a dismissive way. Maybe the more conservative of you might not want to watch it with your parents or children, but my mom would laugh right along with me.

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Yes, Hysteria really is about the invention of the vibrator in Victorian England. And in my opinion it is adorable. Not everyone's cup of tea I realize. If the subject matter makes you a little uncomfortable, then give this one a pass. I can certainly see that certain conservatives would not be amused by this premise.

If however you find it amusing that someone made a romantic comedy about...well...you know what... then you will have a lovely light evening with lots of laughs.

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A deliciously fun treatment based (loosely) on the true story of the invention of the personal vibrator.

Dr. Mortimer Granville, a young, inspiring doctor is fired from many jobs in London hospitals due to his firm belief in Germ Theory the idea that infections were caused by germs. Not being a popular theory at the time, he was terminated repeatedly by the "solid Victorian medical foundation" for believing in "quackery."

The only job he can find is with a private practice that prevalently deals with women in the grips of "Hysteria" a quaint, Victorian term for women that are in essence, sex-starved. The treatment? To manually stimulate women with hand massaging until orgasm, thereby relieving the tension and associated emotional stress that comes with the condition. Since this is definitely a temporary relief, obviously the young and attractive doctor soon finds himself overrun with current and new patients leading to the development of a unique form of handstrain! Most certainly, alternative forms of stimulation for women need to be found to keep up.

Heaped on top is his employer, who with two daughters is pushing his "proper" one toward our protagonist for marriage, while the wild, wooly socially unacceptable daughter is the one who actually attracts him.

A comedic, fun historical piece that romps through the bedroom without being dirty or crass and handles delicate subjects beautifully without being dull or "prim." Definitely not for the kiddies (simply for the subject matter instead of any particular scene/situation; I don't think there was one even partially nude scene) but enough fun for adults on a Friday night to snuggle with popcorn and wine to enjoy.

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We see how the first mechanical vibrator was invented in the name of medical science. This is a sly R-rated in-crowd joke that becomes semi-militant when it launches into what was done to women in the latter 1800s (pre-Suffragette). If they were unhappy with their lives they were deemed "hysterical," sent to mental institutions, and if they had the temerity to object, were subjected to mandatory hysterectomies. This was before Lister's ideas about sanitation were widely accepted by the medical community, so this often was a death sentence.

That being said, let's focus on the sly humor:

* Jonathan Pryce ("Very Annie Mary") is Dr. Dalrymple, a charlatan who treats women suffering from hysteria through "manipulation" that results in "paroxysms," after which the women are "greatly relieved." His waiting room is jammed with "sufferers."

* Hugh Dancy ("Adam") is Dr. Mortimer Granville, the physician who really DID develop the first vibrator, which remains the most popular "sex toy" in the world. After Dr. Dalrymple hires him, it's clear that our hero soon suffers from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, so he has to invent something! His treatment was for muscle aches, as masturbation was considered deviant.

* Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Crazy Heart") is Dr. Dalrymple's progressive daughter Charlotte; she runs a soup kitchen, teaches children to read (and wash their hands), and then to cap it off, passes out literature that promotes women's right to vote. Hussy!

* Rupert Everett ("Wild Target") has a blast as the tinkerer Edmund St. John-Smythe, Dr Granville's good friend and collaborator. Edmund is always struggling with one invention or another and is constantly trying to get that new-fangled gadget, the telephone, to work: "Ahoy! Ahoy! Is anyone there?"

* Felicity Jones ("Like Crazy") is Dr. Dalrymple's other (perfect) daughter Emily: acquiescent, cultured, well-groomed and lovely.

Hugh Dancy always impresses me, as does Maggie Gyllenhaal, so I was happy to sign up to be notified when Amazon has this available.

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Harry Potter Blu-Ray Double Feature Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and

I love The Harry Potter movies & wanted them all in Blu-Ray...the only thing about these doubles...it will go to hearing impaired for no reasona an then cannot get it off of it...Plus there are no previews..the movie just starts...if stop it, does not save your place.....so I am disappointed in this version..

Last Holiday (2006)

Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) works in retail. On the side, she's in the church choir, and afterwards goes home and cooks while watching Emeril on TV. One day at work, she bumps her head and needs a cat scan. From the results of the CAT scan, the doctor then tells Georgia that she has a brain tumor and has three weeks to live. Upset and distraught, she goes home to look through her "Book of Possibilities" book (a book with all the goals she wants to achieve). Thinking it's all over, she takes a trip to Czechoslovakia. While there, Georgia has the time of her life. She bungee jumps, snowboards, and so much more. During her stay, people around her start wondering who exactly she is.

...a feel good movie, with a bit of a love story to it. Last Holiday is a smart comedy that will leave you thinking about life. Latifah is exquisite and also very funny. Two thumbs way up!

Queen Latifah stars in this endearing movie that forces the audience to question their own lives. Queen is told that she only has a few weeks to live, and she finds out that she has to learn a hard lesson about living life instead of waiting for the perfect time for things to happen. While this movie does force the viewer to think about life, there are some very funny moments. LL Cool J was surprisingly good in this film, and the rest of the supporting cast was wonderful.

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I just about never review motion pictures, but I absolutely had to say something about "Last Holiday." I have gone to see it three times, and I plan on seeing it at least once more before it is out of theatres, and I hope it comes out on DVD fairly soon.

Queen Latifah's performance is sensational as always, and she is perfectly cast. The supporting ensemble is also just brilliant.

Sure, this isn't Oscar material, and this won't break any box office record either, but this movie is the ultimate in life-affirming. It is true that the whole notion of the plot is rather cinematically cliched, but Latifah gets around this without a trace of sap on her fingers.

As the plot reaches its climax, it's hard to hold back the tears, at least if you're the sensitive type, and if you are not at least deeply moved you probably need to see a shrink.

You will indeed see that life is not about regrets; go out and fulfill your dreams and enjoy the life you have, because any day could be your last. The character of Georgia Byrd epitomizes this to pure perfection, and, as I said, it is profoundly moving.

And don't think you won't have a barrel of laughs, either. Go see this movie while you can.

Read Best Reviews of Last Holiday (2006) Here

I saw this movie in Orlando a few weeks ago. You know it's a good movie when the audience applauds 2-3 times during the movie. Great cast. Queen Latifah is her usual cute, funny self. She's also regal in this movie. I had so much fun seeing this movie that I'm going again. Lots of funny stuff. And when the movie ended, I felt that warm feeling of happiness.

Want Last Holiday (2006) Discount?

Continuing my trilogy on recent Chick flix that are pretty darn nifty in their own right, I have chosen Last Holiday for many good reasons...

There are way too many sad little movies that make heroes out of simpletons, and show that love can be achieved under any (especially quirky or unrealistically dangerous) situations. This movie, thankfully, keeps a wonderful human tone to its characters.

Georgia Byrd (to quickly sum up the synopsis you know already) has just been informed that she is about to die. Her life is flipped upside down, even to the point where she turns the churches praise meeting into a "Why God Why?" moment. The humanity keeps a smile on your face, the way everyone is nervous when they are supposed to be, particularly in love matters. The way Georgia enjoys cooking, but doesn't eat it. (The neighbor boy has that honor.) Also the blunt truth that Georgia is suddenly able to vocalize once she realizes, "Hey, I am about to die, might as well say what I think." I believe there is a lesson there for myself I know. Sometimes we sugarcoat don't we?

Last Holiday is a chick flick by definition. Too bad, because I believe that guys will enjoy it as much as the ladies. The ones in the theater did. Its funny how we were dragged in there kicking and screaming and came out feeling really good about what we just experienced.

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Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011)

In a brilliant bit of bad movie magic, 2011 heralds the arrival of the epic SyFy channel original movie "Mega Python vs Gatoroid." Not only is this another stunning example of a creature feature showdown between unlikely foes, it brings the estimable talents of two former pop princesses together. If you lived through the late eighties, you'll instantly be attracted to the idea of seeing Tiffany and Debbie Gibson go at it in a full fledged catfight. The film's comic rivalry is ludicrous and delightful! It's inspired casting, to be sure, because both ladies have previously graced the small screen in films featuring mutated monster mayhem. Debbie Gibson got the ball rolling with "Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus" while Tiffany took on "Mega Piranha." For the record, the star rating system used to evaluate these films will, obviously, be adjusted for a bad movie criteria. What makes a bad movie great? In my opinion (and my opinion only) it's the fun quotient and the commitment of the actors.

Here's my breakdown of the three films:

5 Stars: Mega Python vs Gatoroid

4 Stars: Mega Piranha

2 Stars: Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus

In Shark vs Octopus, two giant prehistoric sea creatures are unleashed from their arctic tomb after some whales go wonky and crash into the ice. Mortal enemies, these two beasts also seem to be aggressively anti-man for within minutes they are chomping on (or squishing) boats, planes, offshore drilling platforms--basically anything they can sink their teeth in or wrap their tentacles around. Debbie Gibson is a researcher who may have the key to ending their reign of terror. With an old professor and a Japanese love interest, they whip up an intoxicating batch of pheromones to lure each of the creatures to a trap. Silly humans! Gibson tries to corral the shark in the populated San Francisco Bay area (why not?) but that leads to disaster. Maybe the only solution is for the two animals to battle each other! Despite some amusing graphics, I didn't have a lot of fun in this picture. Gibson and crew (including the most un-militaristic military man I've ever seen, Lorenzo Lamas) are a little too relaxed. Gibson's theatrics never rise above mild flirtation, so I didn't feel like enough was at stake in this bit of silliness.

I had no such qualms, however, about Tiffany's performance in Piranha! That's what makes this film such delightful nonsense--the actors act like the fate of the world rests in their hands. They sell it. In Venezuela, a batch of experimental piranha have been released into the river system. When a US diplomat is devoured, Greg Brady (I mean Barry Williams) sends a meathead (I mean analyst Paul Logan) to uncover the assassin (strangely enough, no one suspects fish initially). With Tiffany on hand as a local scientist, she and Logan must battle a corrupt militia and toothy fish that double in size every few hours. It's fast, frantic, and exceedingly silly especially as fish start flying into buildings--but the actors, once again, rise to the challenge at every opportunity. No, they're not good per se, but they are committed! It comes down to a rather dubious solution (where are pheromones when you need them?), but with no other creatures to battle--the piranha must destroy themselves.

Python vs Gatoroid really is the combination of everything sacred and good about these two films. Played with unabashed comedic elements, it embraces the silly so brilliantly--it's impossible to resist. Gibson and Tiffany are rivals (Debbie digs the snakes, Tiff is down with the gators) and the film mines all the possible pleasures this pairing can provide. Add the delightful Kathryn Joosten, some drugged chicken carcasses, a surprise musical guest, more delicious pheromones, hillbilly wisdom, and the aforementioned fight (a food fight no less--just what was that in Tiffany's cleavage?) and you've got a camptastic spectacular! A great bad film that's definitely in on its own joke, it's viewing nirvana. With two pop divas and three films, SyFy has set a new standard for absurd cinema! KGHarris, 2/11.

Its a fun cheesy movie. If you need your science and physics to be anywhere close to reality to enjoy a movie, this one is not for you. If you are looking for a mindless cheese-fest, enjoy!

Buy Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011) Now

This has to be the best crappiest movie going. Awesomely bad special effects! I love it! A no brain movie! You don't have to think while watching! Tiff and Debbie are fabulous together! It's a laugh riot for the whole beer or liquor drinking family!!!

Read Best Reviews of Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011) Here

I hadn't planned on watching "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid" but when I realized it was written by the same screenwriter as "Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus", I had to see it. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to that movie's insane absurdity. This one is a more down to earth standard creature feature, but still pretty entertaining if you like that genre, as I do.

Want Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011) Discount?

In a brilliant bit of bad movie magic, 2011 heralds the arrival of the epic SyFy channel original movie "Mega Python vs Gatoroid." Not only is this another stunning example of a creature feature showdown between unlikely foes, it brings the estimable talents of two former pop princesses together. If you lived through the late eighties, you'll instantly be attracted to the idea of seeing Tiffany and Debbie Gibson go at it in a full fledged catfight. The film's comic rivalry is ludicrous and delightful! It's inspired casting, to be sure, because both ladies have previously graced the small screen in films featuring mutated monster mayhem. Debbie Gibson got the ball rolling with "Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus" while Tiffany took on "Mega Piranha." For the record, the star rating system used to evaluate these films will, obviously, be adjusted for a bad movie criteria. What makes a bad movie great? In my opinion (and my opinion only) it's the fun quotient and the commitment of the actors.

Here's my breakdown of the three films:

5 Stars: Mega Python vs Gatoroid

4 Stars: Mega Piranha

2 Stars: Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus

In Shark vs Octopus, two giant prehistoric sea creatures are unleashed from their arctic tomb after some whales go wonky and crash into the ice. Mortal enemies, these two beasts also seem to be aggressively anti-man for within minutes they are chomping on (or squishing) boats, planes, offshore drilling platforms--basically anything they can sink their teeth in or wrap their tentacles around. Debbie Gibson is a researcher who may have the key to ending their reign of terror. With an old professor and a Japanese love interest, they whip up an intoxicating batch of pheromones to lure each of the creatures to a trap. Silly humans! Gibson tries to corral the shark in the populated San Francisco Bay area (why not?) but that leads to disaster. Maybe the only solution is for the two animals to battle each other! Despite some amusing graphics, I didn't have a lot of fun in this picture. Gibson and crew (including the most un-militaristic military man I've ever seen, Lorenzo Lamas) are a little too relaxed. Gibson's theatrics never rise above mild flirtation, so I didn't feel like enough was at stake in this bit of silliness.

I had no such qualms, however, about Tiffany's performance in Piranha! That's what makes this film such delightful nonsense--the actors act like the fate of the world rests in their hands. They sell it. In Venezuela, a batch of experimental piranha have been released into the river system. When a US diplomat is devoured, Greg Brady (I mean Barry Williams) sends a meathead (I mean analyst Paul Logan) to uncover the assassin (strangely enough, no one suspects fish initially). With Tiffany on hand as a local scientist, she and Logan must battle a corrupt militia and toothy fish that double in size every few hours. It's fast, frantic, and exceedingly silly especially as fish start flying into buildings--but the actors, once again, rise to the challenge at every opportunity. No, they're not good per se, but they are committed! It comes down to a rather dubious solution (where are pheromones when you need them?), but with no other creatures to battle--the piranha must destroy themselves.

Python vs Gatoroid really is the combination of everything sacred and good about these two films. Played with unabashed comedic elements, it embraces the silly so brilliantly--it's impossible to resist. Gibson and Tiffany are rivals (Debbie digs the snakes, Tiff is down with the gators) and the film mines all the possible pleasures this pairing can provide. Add the delightful Kathryn Joosten, some drugged chicken carcasses, a surprise musical guest, more delicious pheromones, hillbilly wisdom, and the aforementioned fight (a food fight no less--just what was that in Tiffany's cleavage?) and you've got a camptastic spectacular! A great bad film that's definitely in on its own joke, it's viewing nirvana. With two pop divas and three films, SyFy has set a new standard for absurd cinema! KGHarris, 2/11.

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JFK (2011)

Oliver Stone's "JFK" is a monstrous epic that revolves around the whole mystery around President Kennedy's assassination. While it is a dramatic picture and Stone most likely twisted a few things to make this a more relevant and better movie, it is still an undeniable powerhouse that has you go through a whole set of emotions, ranging from fear, anger, paranoia and sadness. There's no question that the majority of the country believes that there is more to the assassination than we were lead to believe. I don't think it's exactly how it is in the movie, but that's not important. What is important is that the film works for many reasons.

President Kennedy has been assassinated. Lee Harvey Oswald is the suspect and gets shot shortly after. There is a secretive and brief hearing on the whole assassination, and it is in stone that Oswald was a lone gunman and nobody else was involved. Seems like an open-and-shut-case, but District Attorney Jim Garrison isn't willing to buy it. With his staff, they decide to work on the case, until they are shut down by the government. Three years later, Garrison isn't willing to stand by in silence anymore and decides to go ahead with the case. The further he digs, the more horrible truths he uncovers. Not only that, but people high up in the ranks are willing to do anything to make sure that the American Public will never find out about them.

As I said, this isn't meant to be an entirely accurate portrayal of how everything happened. It suggests to you that it could've been this way, and it even does a good job of presenting its case to you. What I think Stone was trying to achieve was to create his own commentary on how people feel about the handling of the whole assassination and how sloppily the case was handled. The film wasn't made to merely exploit the death of Kennedy, but what it does exploit is the fact that we're willing to believe anything they tell us in the media. It's a hard concept to grasp, because it's not too far from the truth. The movie is brilliantly directed and well-acted. Kevin Costner gives one of the best performances of his career. The film has a whole list of famous actors in it, like Gary Oldman, Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Sissy Spacek and a whole bunch more. They are all fantastic in their roles.

A word of warning; this is a VERY LONG movie. It is about 3 and a half hours long in running time. If you want to watch this, then you have to really commit to it. If you're not in the mood for a very lengthy movie, then you will not be able to enjoy this. The new 2-Disc Special Edition offers a remastered director's cut that looks and sounds great. Another interesting feature is the documentary, "Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy." Extras included are deleted/extended scenes, commentary from the director, theatrical trailer, essays and DVD-ROM features. A very nice package that does the film justice.

JFK" is an amazing picture that did not bore me for a single second. Not only does it work as a powerful drama, but it also works as an intense thriller. Did everything happen the way the movie proposes? Maybe, maybe not. What the film does is make you think about everything that happened around the assassination. Any film that can get the brain thinking is more than okay in my book. A very character-driven and passionate epic that is perfectly executed by Oliver Stone.

-Michael Crane

This review refers to the 2 DiscOliver Stone CollectionSpecial Edition (Director's Cut) DVD

Oliver Stone uses facts,speculation and some dramatic liscense to bring us this fascinating look back at the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination.The New Orleans District Attorney at the time of the murder was Jim Garrison(Kevin Costner), who uncovers a chain of evidence that leads back to his city and a possible conspiracy theory.He persues the evidence,witnesses, and suspects, and finally years later brings the first and only trial of the conspiracy theory to the courts.

Stone's gripping film unpeels the layers of this "mystery wrapped in an enigma" by following Garrison and his staff's endless investigation into the facts.Interviews with the witnesses that heard and saw shots coming from the "grassy knoll" area, the "magic bullet" theory,which showed that there was more than one rifle and more than three bullets shot(as previously stated in the Warren Commission report) and conflicting autopsy reports to name a few.

Garrison also has conversations with a man called"X", who relays information vital to the case that causes us to ponder not who or how many shot Kennedy, but WHY was he assasinated. Speculation on this leads to one theory, the discovery that Kennedy had set a plan in motion to pull out of Viet Nam, but there were many powerful people against this(ranging from the mafia all the way to the White House), and the day of Kennedy's funeral Lyndon Johnson signed documents that in effect brought us full force into Viet Nam.Other theories are also brought to light.

The film,based on Jim Garrison's books, is outstanding in all respects. It looks at all of the issues and will keep you intrigued until the end. There is actual footage of the day of the assassination incorporated, and the photography going from color to black and white(in the flashbacks) is excellent. There are so many fine performances, I'll just name a few. Kevin Costner anchors this magnificent cast as the low key Garrison, Tommy Lee Jones is Clay Shaw,the only suspect brought to trial. Kevin Bacon as a key witness, Joe Pesci is wonderful as David Ferrie, the paranoid link to everyone, and Gary Oldman IS Lee Harvey Oswald! Donald Sutherland is the mysterious "X". The Musical Score by John Williams adds greatly to the film.

In most cases I usually view the "extras" on a DVD as a bonus. In this case I was as enthralled by these features as I was by the film. They were welcome additons to this film of historical importance. Some included are interviews with the real"X", this was very enligthning,and new and updated information on the evidence surrounding this 40 year old mystery. There are also deleted/extended scenes with or without Stone's commentary and more. There are also subtitles in English Frensh, Spanish and Portugese if needed.The widescreen,clarity of picture and sound is as wonderful as the film. This DVD is a great addition to any film library.

Each time I view this film I discover something new. You will too!.....Laurie

also recommended:

Marilyn Monroe The Final Days(great bio includes clip of Marilyn singing happy birthday to JFK)

Best Picture Collection Epic Dramas (Casablanca/Gone With the Wind/Ben-Hur)

Gandhi

Buy JFK (2011) Now

Oliver Stone's "JFK" is a remarkable film that is too often overshadowed by the very real events upon which it is based and by the perceived political agenda of its director. But, as Stone himself has stated on numerous occasions, the movie is not meant to stand as a definitive historical document but rather as an alternative look at what might have happened on that fateful day in Dallas given the conflicting and incomplete information that came out of the official final word on President Kennedy's assassination, The Warren Commission Report. Much of "JFK" is based on known fact but Stone has taken it one step further and extrapolated out a variety of possible realities based on the many unanswered questions and perplexing coincidences that surround the case.

The central character in the film is Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner), the district attorney from New Orleans who actually brought the case of the Kennedy assassination to court -some three years after the fact. Although his attempt to convict Clay Shaw (Tommy Lee Jones) of conspiracy in the assassination of the president was doomed to failure, the facts that he uncovered, and continued to pursue through his later writings on the subject, gave a certain legitimacy to the claims by conspiracy theorists that all was not right with the official investigation. Through countless scenes, the government's assertion that Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman) was in fact a lone gunman who acted of his own volition and with no outside help is continuously under siege. By the end of the film, every preconceived notion that the viewer may have had regarding the assassination has been called into question.

In addition to the actors mentioned above, "JFK" is a virtual who's-who of Hollywood talent. Rounding out the cast are Kevin Bacon, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, and even John Candy. In all instances, the performers bring a certain degree of mystery to their roles that really reinforces the overall disconcerting feel of the film.

Enough about the film already, what about the DVD? Well, as many of you know, Warner first released "JFK" as a movie-only edition back in 1997. While this DVD featured Oliver Stone's preferred director's cut of the movie with some 17 additional minutes of footage reinserted, the video was non-anamorphic and the audio was a merely serviceable DD 2.0 mix. In addition, the lack of any extras was a shame and the disc itself was a dreaded "flipper". With this new release, Warner has addressed all of these issues and "JFK" is at long last available in a fine special edition DVD.

"JFK" is presented in anamorphic widescreen, preserving the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the original theatrical release. Sharpness is usually quite solid although the extensive use of filters lends a somewhat soft appearance to the image in a number of scenes. Black levels and contrast are good with only the darkest of scenes losing fine shadow detail. Colors are accurate and exhibit no signs of bleeding but the palette is, for the most part, somewhat muted. I could spot no instances of compression artifacts and the edge enhancement that plagued the original release is mercifully gone. The video is a marked improvement over the old release and, while it isn't a perfect transfer, I could find no glaring issues with the work Warner has done preparing this release.

Just as the video has been upgraded for the new special edition, so too has the audio. Replacing the fairly good Dolby Digital 2.0 mix on the previous release is a brand-new 5.1 channel Dolby Digital soundtrack available in both English and French. The increase in dynamic range afforded by this new mix really makes John Williams's moving score come alive and adds some overall depth to the soundtrack as a whole. Surround use is frequent and well-integrated and dialogue is always clear and firmly anchored to the center. While this new 5.1 mix certainly won't give the best soundtracks a run for their money, it is a fair improvement over the previous release and is very well done.

Now we come to that facet of DVD that truly defines a special edition -the extras. Seeing as how the film itself is quite long, Warner has taken the step of making "JFK" into a two-disc release in order to accommodate the plentiful bonus features.

Disc One features the movie itself and provides a very engaging commentary track by Oliver Stone. I've listened to a number of his commentaries and they are always informative, entertaining, and full of great personal and professional recollections. "JFK" is no exception as the director delves into every facet of this remarkable film. His tone is always conversational which makes the three plus hours spent listening to him more enjoyable than one might expect. Rounding out the extras on Disc One are cast and crew bios and filmographies as well as a list of the awards that "JFK" has garnered.



Disc Two is where the real strength of this special edition resides. First up is a 15 minute interview entitled "Meet Mr. X: The Personality and Thoughts of Fletcher Prouty" in which the real-life Mr. X discusses his particular take on the assassination. Played by Donald Sutherland in the movie, Mr. X was to Jim Garrison as Deep Throat was to Bob Woodward -a shadowy source who provides the hints needed to further the investigation. Next up is "Assassination Update: The New Documents," a 30 minute multimedia essay hosted by noted conspiracy theorist James DiEugenio. Combining text, photographs, and video clips, Mr. DiEugenio delivers a very riveting, if not a bit overwhelming and scattershot, look at the facts of the case that have come to light in recent years.



Are we done yet? Not even close. Also included on Disc Two is 50 minutes of additional footage that can be viewed individually or as a complete set and with or without Oliver Stone's accompanying commentary. Combine this with the 17 minutes previously added back into the film and you have well over an hour of footage that wasn't in the original theatrical release. As is the case with some of the scenes that were added to the director's cut, much of this bonus material is redundant. Nevertheless, there are some real gems here and it's great that this abundance of cutting room casualties are included on the DVD.

Rounding out the extras on Disc Two is the DVD-ROM content that features links to a number of websites, a series of theatrical trailers for this and other Oliver Stone films, print reviews of "JFK," and a link for a future online chat with Oliver Stone. Whew!

Now we turn to an aspect of this DVD that I rarely mention in a review -the packaging. "JFK" is presented in Warner's preferred snapper case, which should come as no surprise. But, in order to accommodate the two discs, a pocket has been added to the cover flap and Disc Two resides there in a flimsy little envelope. It really is a screwy method that may be a bit rough on that second disc over the long haul so it's best that the buyer be forewarned. But, on the plus side, Warner has taken the negative comments about this packaging to heart and have promised to come up with a better alternative for any future two disc sets.

"JFK" is a thought-provoking film that remains almost as big a conundrum as the subject upon which it is based. Many viewers and critics see it as nothing more than another political rant by that crazy Ollie Stone. Others have had their eyes opened wide upon seeing it and no longer view the world in quite the same rosy light as they once did. Skillfully filmed, well-acted, and at its very core quite unsettling, "JFK" stands as one of Oliver Stone's finest films.

And what better way to treat a great film than with a brand new two disc special edition DVD? Featuring vastly improved video and audio, the new release presents "JFK" in fine fashion. The wealth of bonus features that examine the film itself, and the real-life events it revolves around, add some much needed depth to the understanding of this pivotal moment in American history. Throw in the fact that Warner is offering this two disc special edition for much less than some studios sell their bare-bones DVDs for and you have a sure-fire winner. The film and the DVD both come very highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of JFK (2011) Here

I'm surprised, after 40 years, that so much effort is still made to discredit Jim Garrison's investigation of the assassination of President Kennedy and Oliver Stone's telling movie "JFK".

Peter Jennings and ABC made a "heroic" effort to convince viewers that Oswald was a "lone nut" assassin. Even PBS sold out with their "Frontline" program, and a couple of others, about the JFK assassination.

As someone who has studied the JFK assassination, as an avocation, since 1968, I highly recommend Oliver Stone's "JFK" as an excellent starting point to understanding why Kennedy was assassinated.

Stone had to abbreviate the story. How could any film cover everything that happened from before Kennedy took the oath of office in January of 1961 until the trial of Clay Shaw in 1969 in a couple of hours? It isn't possible unless some artistic license is taken. An example is "X", the mysterious military colonel, who was based on more than one person but primarily on Col. L. Fletcher Prouty (who wrote the excellent book "JFK: The CIA, Vietnam and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy". The conversation, in the film "JFK", between "X" and District Attorney Jim Garrison, never took place. But it precisely summed up events which happened over a long period of time in the planning and execution of the assassination. If not for these kinds of artistic license a movie spanning nearly nine years would have to be several years long to include all details exactly as they happened.

The jury in the Clay Shaw trial believed there was a conspiracy, they just didn't have the proof they needed to convict Shaw. And it was no wonder they couldn't. The FBI, CIA and many other government entities did everything they could to thwart Garrison's investigation. His offices were bugged, "volunteers" removed stacks of documents, The FBI threatened his investigators, witnesses were murdered, Governors refused to extradite key witnesses, the judge wouldn't allow the police officer who booked Clay Shaw to testify that Shaw said he used the alias Clay Bertrand when being booked ... no D.A. could win a case under those circumstances. Even Johnny Carson, on NBC's "The Tonight Show", attacked Garrison over national television.

Garrison did a remarkable job, under the circumstances, of coming close to solving the assassination. Garrison's book "On The Trail of the Assassins: My Investigation and Prosecution of the Murder of President Kennedy" illustrates exactly what he was up against in bringing Clay Shaw to trial. If you can find this book buy it.

Why is the Kennedy assassination of any importance 40 years later? You have to understand what happened then to understand what has happened since. Why would the government, the media, authors, television program producers and others want to make you belive a lone nut assassin killed our President? Why did so many witnesses die so quickly? Why was evidence destroyed and modified? Why was Oswald silenced by Jack Ruby? Why was Oswald given Russian language training while in the Marines, sent to work at the largest CIA military base in Asia, then allowed to "defect" to Russia? Why would our government stand by and do nothing when Oswald tells the U.S. Embassy that he wants to give up his U.S. citizenship and says he is going to give Russia secrets about our U2 flights? Why would he be allowed to do that? Why, when he wanted to come back to the U.S., was he promptly given his passport, never debriefed, and even given travel money by a CIA cover group? Why wouldn't he be charged with treason? Why did Oswald pretend to be pro-Castro working out of the office of Guy Banister, a private investigator who was former ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) and former head of the Chicago office of the F.B.I.? Why would Oswald hang out in a place within a couple of blocks of the Secret Service, the F.B.I., the C.I.A. and the O.N.I. offices in New Orleans if he had truly defected to Russia? Was Oswald being set up to be the "patsy" for the assassination? Why didn't the Warren Commission take Jack Ruby to Washington, D.C. where he said he could tell the truth? Why did Ruby suddenly contract a virulent form of colon cancer in his lungs just after being told he would get a re-trial? He claimed he was being injected with cancer and he died within a couple of months. Why would JFK's brain disapper from the National Archives along with autopsy photos? Why did LBJ have the limousine flown to Ford Motor Company and the windshield with a bullet hole removed and destroyed, as well as the carpet and parts of the interior replaced destroying that evidence. These, and hundreds of other questions, will come up as you watch "JFK" and do some searching on the internet.

Want JFK (2011) Discount?

It has been said that JFK is Oliver Stone's favorite of his films, and I can understand why. In many ways, it is his best. It is certainly his most ambitious. Even if taken only in terms of its visuals and editing, this was an ambitious undertaking. And he's taken it a step further. He has taken the dry minutiae (whether you can give a label of "hard facts" is debatable) and not only kept it from being boring, but has also made it compelling, gripping cinema. Three hours go by without a yawn.

Culled from two major sources--On the Trail of the Assassins by Jim Garrison (who is the lead character played by Kevin Costner) and Crossfire by Jim Marrs--as well as other governmental records and his own interviews, JFK is an almost complete picture of what information was available at the time.

Also involved in the film's riveting status is the all-star cast Stone has hired to portray important characters. A listing of actors in this film includes: Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Sissy Spacek, Kevin Bacon, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, John Candy, and Gary Oldman. Donald Sutherland (playing "X," a character based on Fletcher Prouty) gives a ten-minute monologue that should have been dull as dishwater, but it is so chock-full of information combined with intercut dramatizations and John Williams stunning score, that it is a pivotal (and my favorite) scene in the movie.

There is so much information involved here that it could have easily become confusing or overwhelming but Stone and co-screenwriter Zachary Sklar have assembled the pieces in a narrative form--often having the information come out in the form of character interviews--and doesn't talk down to its audience. Also, the mix of film types--grainy documentary-like footage, differences in lighting and colored filters mixed with footage from the Zapruder film--was surely a step toward the making of Natural Born Killers a scant few years later.

My only question lies in Kevin Costner's performance as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison. He gives his normal measured performance, but, apart from a workable Louisiana accent, never really delves into the character. Perhaps this is deliberate. After all, Garrison is only the means Stone uses to tell his story (putting other people's theories in the character's mouth along the way), so why wouldn't the actor playing him be just as much of a conduit? A familiar face that we have come to trust through his relationships with other quality films playing a man who we need to trust for the film to work. If this is so, it also explains the stunt casting of the key personalities: give us familiar faces so we don't have to learn new identities, we can just take what we know of their past performances and subconsciously layer that over the new ones.

I could keep going on but suffice to say that JFK is one of my favorite films and I recommend it highly as entertainment--regardless of what you think about the cause of the assassination.

(Other good reading on the subject is Don DeLillo's novel Libra, which suggests that Lee Harvey Oswald was hired to pull off an unsuccessful attempt on the president in order to blame it on Cuba and warn Kennedy to change his administration's relationship with that country.)