Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Well, I am sure that we have all heard the story of Cinderella many times over, but in Ever After we finally get to see a stronger female lead than those who dance through our little girls brains at an impressionable age.

Danielle De Barbarac (Drew Barrymore) lives alone with her father and their servants after the death of her mother, until one day her father brings home a new bride, the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent (Anjelica Huston) and her two daughters, Marguerite and Jacqueline. When Danielle's father dies, the Baroness turns Danielle into a servant to wait on her and her spoiled daughters.

Danielle accidently meets young Prince Henry (Dougray Scott) when the Prince pilfers a horse from their manor in order to escape his parents restrictions. For her silence, he gives her coins, which she uses to pose as a courtier to buy back their old servant the Baroness sold to pay her taxes.

She meets Prince Henry again, but this time posed as a Lady, and Henry finds himself enchanted not simply by her beauty but by her intelligence and spirit. He becomes determined to know more about her, but first must find her for she keeps slipping away from him. In the meantime, Marguerite has set her sights on the handsome prince, with the help of her mother and a michevious courtier.

I won't give away any more of the movie, but absolutely must mention that there is a great deal of humor in this unique telling of the Cinderella story (take special note of the wedding chapel scene with the Spanish Princess). The acting is supurb and the script very tight and well written, the costumes are stunning, the scenery is breathtaking, and the photography brilliant.

Overall, this is a wonderful movie that softened even my cold, hard heart, allowing it to pump warm blood if only for the length of the movie. This is a love story without sappiness, a handsome hero with faults of his own, and a beautiful heroine who knows how to save herself. Enjoy!

This is a wonderful movie. The premise may be cliché, but this is much, much more than just another "Cinderella" movie. Its effects are really quite magical--it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will totally immerse you in its spell. If you are human, it will produce a lump in your throat that will remain there for hours. Some people might call this a "woman's" movie, but I, as a man, will proclaim that it really touches my heart every time I watch it, and I freely admit that it does bring tears to my eyes. I need not go into detail describing the plot--it is a somewhat modernized Cinderella story, replete with the evil stepmother, charming prince, and angelic, mistreated heroine. Instead of a fairy godmother, there is Leonardo da Vinci--an unexpected but brilliant scripting decision, I feel. There are no magic pumpkins turning into horses and carriages, but there is magic; it is the magic of true love.

The entire cast is superb, particularly Anjelica Huston as the evil stepmother, but all of them are overshadowed by Drew Barrymore. Anyone who does not feel that Drew Barrymore is one of the greatest actresses of this and any other generation has obviously not seen this movie. I love all of Drew's movies, but I really believe this movie represents her finest performance. Even down to the most unimportant nuances of acting, she is simply brilliant. She is equally convincing as a peasant in the field as she is a royal courtier among the nobility of France. The emotion she is able to express to the audience is deep and amazingly real. I really can't say enough about her performance here.

All I can do is encourage you to experience this movie. I believe you will want to watch it more than once; it is just as fresh and moving the second and third time as it is the first. Don't dismiss it as a "sappy love story" or think its 16th century setting will make it hard to relate to. This is a story as old as time itself, really, and it is a story that will always be relevant to humankind. It celebrates the power of true love and shows all of us that dreams can indeed come true.

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This is the kind of movie that no self-respecting guy would admit to liking in front of his friends. Seeing as i have no self-respect and even fewer friends, i have no reservations in stating that i loved this one from start to finish. It is a clever and highly original retelling of the classic Cinderella story, set in France. The entire cast does an inspired job. Drew Barrymore hasn't been this endearing since "E.T." (or was it "Doppelganger" ? I keep confusing the two), Anjelica Huston is a fittingly loathsome stepmother and even the featured "prince charming" i found easy to stomach. Need i recount the (allegedly true) tale ? (daughter turned lowly servant turned pretend courtier turned princess) Check elsewhere !

The pre-feminist subtext is hard to overlook, but far from obtrusive. Couldn't help liking the not so evil second stepsister. No fantastic elements are introduced: there is no evidence of sorcery, or a pumpkin anywhere to be found. Replacing the fairy godmother with Leonardo da Vinci of all people is a stroke of genius, adding to the credibility of the storyline. The payoff is thoroughly satisfactory, leaving you with a smile on your face. My fellow countryman Jeroen Krabbé (Barrymore's father) sees his acting career cut short as he is killed off within the first five minutes or so. The whole thing is accompanied by a great music score. Set aside your prejudice & suspend your disbelief. This is 1 hour and 57 minutes well spent !

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Very often "realistic fantasy stories" flop like dying fish. "Ever After" is one of the few exceptions, a sparkling tale about Cinderella in a semi-historic setting, with an outstanding cast, strong script, and a delightful love story. What's a fairy tale without magic? It's "Ever After."

Danielle (Drew Barrymore) is a young girl raised alone by her father, who encourages his daughter's intelligence, curiosity and strong will. But her life takes a tragic turn when her father marries a haughty social-climber Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent (Angelica Houston), and brings her and her two daughters Marguerite and Jacqueline (Megan Dodds and Melanie Lynskey) to live with Danielle. He dies tragically of a heart attack, leaving his daughter alone with his widow. Years later, Danielle is treated like one of the servants, with whom she is a loyal friend. Her only relics of her past life are a pair of shoes and a beautiful dress left by her mother.

When one of the servants is imprisoned falsely for theft, Danielle goes to try to save him. And there, she bumps into the young Prince Henry, who is being pressured by his stuffy parents to marry -and Rodmilla is targeting him as a potential mate for one of her daughters. But Henry falls in love with Danielle -her intelligence, her political knowledge, her love of fun, her bravery, and her strength.As Danielle and the prince grow closer, the scheming of her stepmother threatens to destroy their relationship.

The director knows the right way to mix comedy and drama in a way that seems entirely plausible. When Henry "dumps" the Spanish princess, or when he wakes his parents with all sorts of bright plans, the audience laughs out of affectionate amusement. You like or dislike the characters exactly as the director wants you to. And he apparently knows that magic is less in plot elements than in the atmosphere -though the setting is medieval France, there is the sort of bright, ornate look to the castle and clothes that you see in fairy tales. (The only exception is the painfully-90s gown and sparkling makeup that Danielle wears at the climax. This is medieval France, not the Butterfly prom!) The script is full of funny or tense moments, and the frequent uses of Sir Thomas More's "Utopia" add an extra dimension of realism. And, in perhaps the most brilliant move in this film, one of the stepsisters is not "wicked." Rather the chubby, not-as-pretty but good-natured Jacqueline adds a silent ally to Danielle and prevents Jacqueline and Marguerite from turning, essentially, into one character.

Drew Barrymore is exquisite as Danielle, putting on Danielle's intelligence, wit and strength with ease and believability. Thankfully Danielle is never turned into a feminist in the usual sense of the word; she is unafraid to show that she is every inch a man's equal, but the movie doesn't bash viewers with that theme. Dougray Scott is equally good as Henry, mixing pride and confusion, sweetness and boredom into a very believable young prince. Anjelica Huston is almost hammily enjoyable as Rodmilla; Dodds and Lynskey are even better as her daughters. And even Leonardo da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey) makes an appearance to help smooth out the course of true love.

This is a family movie in the best sense of the word. The plotline and scripting are clever enough for adults to enjoy thoroughly, but there is nothing that the kids can't watch. So get everyone together and watch this enchanting retelling.

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Sure, like any rendition of a classic, Ever After has holes you could rear cattle in -everyone in France inexplicably speaks with a perfect British accent; Leonardo Da Vinci has nothing better to do than to advise a romantic couple in the matters of the heart; a young girl brought up on menial house chores has more grace in hand-to-hand combat than the Prince of France...etc.

Yet, amazingly, very little of this goes unforgiven if not totally unnoticed because the movie bears an infectious charm in its rhythm.

The script is thoughtful enough to maintain a distance from mickey-mouse concepts of pumpkins and fairies. The dialogue has enough grace to keep anglophiles glued, there's even a wanton skein of humour that makes it all more pleasant than your average garden-variety Cinderella narrative. The roundabout love story is beautifully developed, earning full marks for the screenplay. The visuals of nature, palaces, horse chases etc are stunning, and the costumes full-bodied and colorful. The background score, while not remarkable, makes for an excellent prop.

That is in itself a creamy cake, but the film wouldn't be quite the dessert it is, had it not been for some icing in the form of delicious acting all round.

I'm not a raving fan of Barrymore but her Danielle is thoroughly likable, sweet without being cloying, confident without being overly theatrical. Dougray Scott does his job as the Prince, but I could see why his character likes Danielle much more than she likes him. The vixen of a stepmother is played immaculately by Anjelica Huston, as are the two daughters and the crones who serve as the domestics.

A wholesome film that pulls all the right strings and pulls them fluently. Recommended in a blink.

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Total Recall 4 Disc LIMITED EDITION EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT - Blu-ray (2 Disc) / DVD / Ultraviolet

Plot/Scripting perfect; better than the original by light years.

Acting, particularly Ferrell's dramatic (even his over-the-top trademark moments) believable;verbal and non-verbal, body language,everything.

All other actors, extraordinary! Especially their fight gymnastics.

Directing/editing, complex but understandable/vivid,

delivering a constant shot of adrenalin.

Production values: Computer Generated Images are spectacular. Sharp,vivid, real-er than real. Who needs reality anyway, these days?

(( BUT, an example of reality rising above computer effects(by light years),

3 IDIOTS3 Idiots (English subtitled) It shows how good 'real'

can be. Yes, it's subtitled, but only brief comments and insertions of english designed to make 'listening' easy... ))

Back to TOTAL RECALL: I bought the Extended Cut (it extended the movie maybeeee three minutes(!)) EH?.

It offers 'both theatrical and extended cuts' and promised four disks, which

turned out to be two disks, both BluRay, which has me discussing promises with Amazon product description folk (I need DVD versions vs a BluRay for viewings away from my media room...) A-typical over-promises by Amazon product page and the Amazon MarketPlace seller's representations have me severely irked...

If I didn't REALLY like the film as much as I do, I'd ding down a few stars; but really, the film's really fine. Just consider carefully the disk count, bonus disk, value paid-for, but consider what is value... etc.

The Director's cut adds a more fleshed out version of the story and the commentary by Wiseman was informative and engaging.

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Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

I wasn't exactly sure about the whole idea and concept behind this movie as I walked into it tonight, since all it took was a fifteen second glimpse of a TV trailer and the ambiguous claim about a case of mistaken identity that uncoiled my interest into full blown curiosity.

I was floored and blown away by the movie and at the same time really proud of trusting my gut feeling about good flicks. I was thrown off many times by the black humor since I knew it wasn't a comedy as Slevin (Josh Hartnett) had what seemed like a really unlucky chain of events that have spiraled him into a big, hot mess. As he arrives in New York to meet up with an old school friend after being fired from work, cheated on by his girlfriend back home and mugged down the block, all he finds is an empty apartment and no sign of Nick, his old friend. He proceeds to shower and dress as unexpectedly the next door neighbor, Lucy Liu, drops by to borrow some sugar. They become quick friends with matching quirky personalities and from that point on things go from laughingly bad to worse.

Slevin is mistaken for Nick, who apparently owes money to two rivaling mafia type bosses who hate each other and he gets pulled into their personal war. This movie was so full of twists and turns that I forgot to eat my snacks and almost left my purse at the theater at the end. I recommend not reading too much about it and skipping long trailers because this beauty can be given away on a silver platter and to miss that feeling in the theater of realizing the true story would be a sin. I was really impressed by the actors in this movie and I think Josh who looks like a teen-movie type of an actor did a brilliant job! Bruce Willis is also quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, here as a slick top class assasin, I was impressed greatly!

I enjoyed the twisted suspense, murder mystery comic relief type of a story so much that I was unable to concentrate on my book on the way home. I couldn't read or think, all I was consumed by was the story. This movies is an odd-ball, eccentric, quirky, unconventional and refreshing cinematographic achievement. The line between good and bad guy was blurred consitantly and the story dug deeper and deeper into my curious brain. I'm really glad I got to see it on the big screen.

And last but not last let me tell you, the loud people in front of us who wear eatting and laughing quickly became mutes so sucked into the story that I forgot I was furious with them before. It kept everyone entertained and made them gasp at the right time and the hip music at the end really wrapped the whole thing together nicely.

Bodies accumulate quickly in LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN at least eight in the first 15 minutes, not including the horse. Then, I lost count.

As background to "now", the film flashes back a couple of decades to a fateful horse race. A young husband and father, privy to a tip about a horse doped for extra speed, takes out a foolishly big loan from a bookie and bets it all. His horse comes from behind, but then fails to finish in dramatic fashion. With no way for the loser to pay back the loan, the local Mob makes an example by brutally killing him, his wife, and his young son. Flash forward to "now".

Slevin (Josh Hartnett) arrives in New York to visit his friend Nick (Sam Jaeger). On his way to the latter's apartment, Slevin is mugged, his nose broken, and his wallet stolen. Arriving at Nick's place, Slevin finds it deserted and the door open, but decides to stay the night. The next day, Slevin is kidnapped, garbed only in a bath towel, from the apartment by two thugs and forced to meet with The Boss (Morgan Freeman) in his luxurious penthouse. The Boss believes Slevin to be Nick and claims the latter owes him $96K, but gives Slevin the option of eliminating the debt by killing the son of his archrival in crime, The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley), who lives in an identical penthouse immediately across the street. Unable to prove his real identity remember the stolen wallet Slevin has no choice but to agree to terms before returning to the apartment. Then, as if the day wasn't going bad enough, two of The Rabbi's goons kidnap Slevin and force him to meet with their employer, who, unaware of Slevin's shotgun arrangement with The Boss, claims that Nick owes him $32K. Both mobsters give Slevin three days to meet his obligation.

Slevin's life is further complicated by Lindsey (Lucy Liu), Nick's perky across-the-hall neighbor and NYC medical examiner, hard-boiled plainclothes cop Brikowski (Stanley Tucci), who has both The Boss and The Rabbi under surveillance from a dilapidated van who and wonders how Slevin enters the equation, and Mr. Goodkat (Bruce Willis), a mysterious paid assassin who's apparently working both sides of the street, so to speak.

LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN is a fiendishly clever, albeit bloody, masterpiece of misdirection and long-delayed justice with a completely unexpected plot twist. This is perhaps the first film of 2006 that contains Oscar-worthy performances Best Supporting Actor nominations for both Freeman and Kingsley.

The film, at times a very dark comedy, is given its lighter (and romantic) moments by the Lindsey character, whose presence on the screen is marked by a soundtrack turned quirky and playful, and her interaction with the vulnerable Slevin. As a couple, the two are enormously appealing.

Bruce Willis is in top form as the calm, dapper, efficient hit man working in the background to control the strings of his puppets, which apparently even include both The Boss and The Rabbi.

The cinematography, enhanced by uncluttered, modern and/or otherwise visually engaging sets, e.g. the first visit to the airport waiting room, the penthouse occupied by The Boss, and the hallway outside Nick's apartment, is inspired. Even the wallpaper in Lindsey's bedroom is eye-catching.

After a long work day followed by an evening meal, I'm likely to nod off even during a better-than-average film. LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN kept my eyes open and riveted to the Big Screen for its entire runtime.

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After watching this movie over cable in HD I was glad to see it released on HD DVD.

Warning: Possible Spoiler here! This is basically a payback story that has many twists in it that reminds me of a Hitchcock movie. Some mysteries are only good to watch once but this one has so much going on to try and trick you that multiple viewings are recommended.

The picture quality was outstanding with bright colors and deep blacks that was visably better than cable HD on my Hitachi 50" rear projection LCD as was the Dolby Digital Plus audio. No problems with playback or menu access either on my HD-A1 with 2.0 firmware. Highly Recommended!

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This title is a testament to the absolute beauty and superior quality of HD DVD. The richness of the formats color and depth of contrast lend itself perfectly to the story told in this film. With a flawless transfer, you can enjoy the film without distraction as if you were in your own private theater. As for the film, it is one of the most amazing films as of late. Reminiscent of The Usual Suspects in it's twists and turns. With the redemptive qualities of films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. I don't want to say too much about the film because it may just spoil it if you haven't yet seen it. Trust me when I say, don't rent this movie, buy it!

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You don't want the kids to see this movie. It is very violent with a lot of killings. (Also a couple of short nude scenes.) The movie starts with a brutal killing with a big splatter of blood and guts on a car window. The movie makes no sense at all in the first few minutes, but as it proceeds all the loose ends are eventually tied up and it all makes perfect sense by the end. The ending (which I won't reveal) is somewhat a surprise, although you can kind of figure it out somewhat before it is fully revealed and perhaps early on. I don't usually like this type of movie, but it was interesting enough to keep me watching to see how the hero was going to get out of the serious predicament that he was in. The top cast keeps it interesting too, but probably not the best performances for any of them. Lucy Liu seemed a bit weak in her role and too predictably ends up in bed with the hero, but her performance is okay. A great rental for adults. Would you want to own it? Perhaps not because once the surprise ending is revealed it probably is not as interesting to watch again.

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For a Few Dollars More (1965)

For A Few Dollars More is, in my opinion, by far the best of the "Man With No Name" trilogy! In "A Fistful of Dollars," director Sergio Leone bowled the viewers over with Clint Eastwood's character being a gruff gunslinger of few words and lots of action. In this sequel Eastwood's character has a lot more depth and even a little bit of humor. I am highly impressed with the script and acting in this particular film, especially in comparison with its predecessor. One can even consider it funny but useful that a few of the villains from the first film that were quite dead at the end of that one, are back now with new names! Magnificent performances by both Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef serve to enhance this movie's style.

The premise:

This movie has a wonderful beginning as we are introduced to Lee Van Cleef's character while he's in the performance of his role of a bounty killer. We are then treated to the reintroduction of Clint Eastwood's character, which actually does have the name of Monco, while he is taking care of his business as a bounty killer as well. Once the director has shown these two acts, he deftly shows how they end up on the same path as they both find out that they can score it big by killing Gian Maria Volonte's character, Indio and his gang. From there, we're taken to El Paso where the film's intrigue and suspense kick into high gear as both Eastwood and Van Cleef's characters meet.

If you've never seen this movie or its predecessor, I highly suggest you check these movies out as they're basically the mold for many of the westerns that followed. Prior to this movie and "A Fistful of Dollars," westerns were much tamer, which lends to the popularity of these movies which have a lot more grit and realism to them.

Special Features:

Just like "A Fistful of Dollars" this movie is jam packed with hours and hours of special features, documentaries etc... This DVD is all about what it's supposed to be, the movie! It does include a great theatrical trailer and an exceptional 8 page booklet that gives a lot of great information about the movie and the people involved. {ssintrepid}

This review refers to the Delux Widescreen Edition VHS.....

He's back for the money again. This time as a "Bounty Killer", who always gets his man. When the poster says "Wanted Dead or Alive", look out if Clint's in the neighborhood! The man with no name (they do mention a name in this one but never actually refer it to him, so it's anybody's guess) has been tracking down the small fry, and now the big fish,Indio, has escaped from jail, leaving a bloody trail and a big price on his head.

Clint follows his trail, but he's not alone in his quest,Col. Mortimer(Lee Van Cleef) is determined he will be the one that gets this guy.They each try to "dissuade" the other, but to no avail. So they team up and set a plan in motion. But can Mortimer really be trusted? Is the money his only motive? Will he betray our guy?

There's lots of great western action and classic scenes, as these two persue Indio and his bloodthirsty gang of thieves.You won't want to miss a minute of it as these two quick draws show their stuff.There are also some wonderful comic moments to break up the action,watch for those.

If you're thinking of getting the VHS or waiting for a special edition DVD to come out you'll be happy with this tape. The digital Video transfer is a good picture, the widescreen(there's also a standard format edition if you prefer) lets you view all the great western scenery, and basically the sound(Hi-Fi) is good as far as clarity and the great musical score by Ennio Morricone. But the dubbing of the dialouge is a little off.The movie is so good though, I could not bring myself to take off a whole star just for that reason. It's classic Clint and Director Sergio Leone knows how to make a clasic western!

Sit a spell and enjoy....Oh and where DOES Clint get those wonderful panchos?.......Laurie

here's a couple of package deals for Eastwood Fans:

The Gauntlet/True Crime

Clint Eastwood Selection: Dirty Harry/The Outlaw Josey Wales/Unforgiven

Not always available but keep an eye out for a good deal

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Prior to this film, the Western movie genre had just been about been done to death in the United States. It took an unknown Italian director (the ingenious Sergio Leone) borrowing from a Japanes film source (Kurosawa's Yojimbu) to create one of the most incredible anti-heroes in movie history: The enigmatic Man With No Name played by the legendary Cline Eastwood.

"For a Few Dollars More" is the second film in the Man With No Name Trilogy. The first film was the highly-influential "A Fistful of Dollars," which seems to be perpetually playing on television. "A Fist Full of Dollars" was made for a mere $ 200,000, but was an incredible film.

"For a Few Dollars More" is even better. It has a much higher budget and a much more complex plot than its predecessor. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot to this film for those who have never seen it. It's a great story. A landmark film that will never be forgotten. Make sure you see all three movies in this trilogy. The final chapter in this trilogy is "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," which might be the most well-known Western in the history of cinema.

Again make sure you get a copy of this film. After watching this film, you'll wonder why Hollywood can't make films like this anymore. They should.

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Federico Fellini is often credited as "the Greatest Italian Director." For me, however, Sergio Leone earned those laurels. More than deSica or Fellini, Leone's movies were Italian to the core: Grandiose, operatic, melodramatic, full of vendetta and vengeance. The irony is that Leone's most memorable movies took place not in Rome, the Abruzzi mountains or Sicily, but in the Old West.

With his epic "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "The Man With No Name" trilogy, Leone not only resuscitated the Western genre, but set a new standard. His first Western, "A Fistful of Dollars," was basically a retelling of Akira Kurosawa's "Yojimbo"; a Samurai tale transplanted south of the border in old Mexico. With "For a Few Dollars More," Leone really opens up as a screenwriter and director. Gone is the claustrophobic town of "Fistful," replaced by the full sweep of the great American Southwest (for which the drier regions of Spain provide a reasonable facsimile for those of us who know that Tucumcari is hardly so dry and El Paso nary as mountainous).

Leone also begins staking out his territory as director with this one, too. "For a Few Dollars More" bears more traces of Cecil B. deMille than Kurosawa, as Leone starts trending toward an epic production that reaches full fruition in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "Once Upon A Time in the West." However, Leone's *style* of Western could never be confused with John Ford -rather, it hearkens back to the more violent moments found in Westerns such as "Winchester '73" (Anthony Mann), "High Noon" (Fred Zinnemann) and "Rio Bravo" (Howard Hawks), and looks forward to the gritty, realistic violence from directors influenced by Leone, such as Sam Peckinpah, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.

"For a Few Dollars More" is a tale of three men, and their respective missions: Indio, played by the great Gian Maria Volonte, is a sadistic, psychotic, killer and bank robber. His performance reminds me of Toshiro Mifune's best roles -big, tough, and foreboding. Clint Eastwood plays one of the men who try to hunt Indio down, a bounty killer named "Manco," reprising his role from "Fistful" as a mercenary for hire who plays by rules from his own book. But it's Lee Van Cleef as Colonel Douglas Mortimer who really steals the show. If you think Clint's squinty-eyed visage fills men with fear, then you ain't seen Van

Cleef -his eyes are steely, intelligent, intense; you can tell when Mortimer has somebody's number that he isn't bluffing.

The opening scenes set up the story beautifully: Indio and his gang are planning a big robbery at the Bank of El Paso and both Manco and Mortimer have set out to round up the bad guys. After a couple barroom scenes establishing the bounty killers' credentials as ice-cold killers, Manco and Mortimer pair off in a battle of wits, a showdown during nightfall in the streets of El Paso.

After proving to each other what deadly accurate shots they are, Mortimer proposes they team up to go after Indio and his gang, backed up by the realistic observation: "When two hunters go after the same prey, they usually wind up shooting each other in the back."

So working "one on the inside" (Clint) and "one on the outside" (Van Cleef), the two manouever Indio and his gang after they dynamite the bank and steal the safe. The scenes on the streets of Agua Caliente (Spanish for "Hot Water," which Manco and Mortimer will soon be in) are eerily silent. Indio' gang has free rein in the town, the hoofbeats of their horses a harbinger to windows slamming shut on the whitewashed adobe houses.

Though Clint plays a wise guy, over the course of the movie he discovers wisdom beyond his own years in the person of Mortimer. Clint may be cool, but never as cool-headed as Van Cleef, who sees through all of Clint's ruses and double-crosses. Van Cleef rides them out, cutting Clint way too much slack it seems. But by the final scene, a showdown between Mortimer and Indio, all the patience and faith Mortimer has invested in Manco pay off. For the showdown is rigged entirely in Indio's favour, but -having learned a thing or two at the feet of a real man of integrity -Manco shows up to make the playing field even for Mortimer. It's a beautiful scene, to see that Manco has dropped his cynical pose and accepted Col. Mortimer as a father figure.

The quintessential Leone Western (I won't degrade it by calling it a "Spaghetti Western"), "For a Few Dollars More" is filmed and cut a lot tighter than "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," though it still comes out over two hours long. Ennio Morricone's soundtrack really melds seamlessly with the action onscreen. Morricone was to Leone as the great composer Bernard Herrmann was to Alfred Hitchcock: Leone's movies were only 60 per cent complete before Morricone laid down tracks just as pungent and larger-than-life as the story and actors on the screen. Today's composers, who are so busy trying to write "understated" scores for today's boring fare, could learn a thing or two from the beautifully bombastic Morricone.

The DVD widescreen presentation is much better than the fullscreen VHS. However, the colours are pretty washed out. I understand that MGM/UA has restored "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"; I hope "For a Few Dollars More" is slated as well for restoration or preservation.

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this sergio is really the film that solidified sergio leones work sergio had more money to spend with his success of fistful of dollars and started to created his trademarks striking visuals, eerie music, a slow lingering camerathe pocket watch theme used so scarily in for a few dollars more would be used again and again in all his films -once upon a time in the west and also once upon a time in america and also good bad and the ugly.

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Straight A's (2013)

"Mom told me to come." After his mother tells him to visit the family he abandoned, Scott (Phillippe) surprises his sister in law (Paquin) and her kids. Decidind to wait for his brother to come home Scott stays and begins to form a relationship with Katherine's kids in spite of her requests. When Scott begins to act like his old self she wants him out, but he is determined to listen to his mother's advice...even though she is dead. I know what your thinking, a man hears his dead mother and listens, that can't make a good movie. You would be wrong. The acting in this is really good, but the story of each character is so well written and thought out that it really makes the movie that much more enjoyable. 99% of movies like this are very predictable and for the most part this one is too, but there is a twist in this I did not see coming, which also adds to the enjoyment of the movie. This is a surprise sleeper that is very much worth seeing. I recommend. Overall, a little low budget movie that proves good movies can be made with a good script. I give it a B+.

This is your typical heart warming amusing feel good indie flick starring indie perennial favorite Anna Paquin as Katherine. Long lost "white trash Uncle" Scott(Ryan Phillippe) rides in one day on a horse to greet his sister-in-law and former girlfriend. He obeys the indie formula and immediately bonds with his nephew and niece. He claims he is being guided by visions of his dead mother to come back and make amends...a man who has spent the bulk of the last eight years in a mental institution for substance abuse. Chaos erupts and from chaos comes order.

The script is somewhat formulaic with a slight twist on the end. Good acting, slow at times.

Parental Guide: F-bombs. No sex or nudity. Paquin in a sexy sando shirt showing side breast, cleavage and high beams. Personally my low brow tastes liked "Uncle Buck" better. Worth a rental.

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I liked this movie very much. Really some great acting. The ending was totally different than the way I thought it would end.

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Very good movie and acting. Not predictable which is a must for me!! Highly recommend this movie for date night

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The film focuses on the relationships of a family two brothers and their shared love interest, their forgetful father, and the legacy of their mother.

It's been years since I've seen a movie with Ryan Phillippe that I would watch and this is one. Luke Wilson has always been a favorite of mine. And Anna Paquin has always been an actress that I've wavered whether I love or dislike her. The casting was perfectly done.

Ryan as the irresponsible, wandering brother the black sheep of the family who's been gone for 8+ years. Luke as the perfect husband/provider (the opposite of his brother) who is contemplating divorcing his wife. And lastly, Anna as the woman who has loved both brothers. At first, the younger one Scott and after he left due to a fallout with his father; then she fell for William.

Katherine and William have a marriage that is perfect on the outside; not so much on the inside. Katherine is too busy to spend time with her children or family. Instead, the duties of child-rearing and caring for the house are foisted onto a maid. William is always out of town, a fact that is recognized by Katherine's "so-called" friends.

When Scott shows up after a long absence, he turns their world inside out and manages to bring Katherine, William, and their children back together. Be prepared to shed a few tears at the end.

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National Lampoon's Van Wilder (Unrated) (2007)

National Lampoon brought the raunchy and raucous college world to the mainstream kids back in the 1970's with Animal House, which would go on to virtually springboard the careers of several of its stars, including John Belushi and Tim Matheson.

But for those of us who may have been born after the original release of AH and raised on films like the American Pie trilogy get a new version of Animal House for the new generation with Van Wilder.

Van (Ryan Reynolds) is the virtual definition of a slacker in the college world, having spent seven years attending Coolidge College. He is pretty much the life of the party and he revels in it greatly. It's only until his dad (Matheson) finds out that Van is still in school and places a halt to Van's tuition payment that he realizes that it's time to get his head in the game and find a way to graduate and pay tuition.

A story printed by the school's star reporter Gwen (Tara Reid) causes Van to become a party planner and raise the money for his tuition, along with the help of his closest friend (Teck Holmes of "Real World" fame) and his personal assistant (Kal Penn). When a relationship develops between Van and Gwen, Gwen's pretentious boyfriend Richard tries to put a wedge between them. When Van learns of this, he gets a little revenge in one of the most ingenious and disgusting ways ever devised (trust me, this has the humping a pie thing beaten hands down, no pun intended...)

Van Wilder is pretty hilarious in spots and somewhat disgusting in others, particularly the classic payback Van pulls on Richard and later on when Gwen also gets a little revenge on Richard when she learns a little something that Richard did behind Gwen's back. Also, Penn and Holmes have some gut-busting moments in support and is it nice to see Matheson deciding to continue his association with National Lampoon by bridging the gap between Animal House and Van Wilder.

A word of advice, though: if you have a weak stomach, this is not the movie for you. But if have that type of sense of humor that thinks that letting one rip loudly in public causes you to double over with laughter, then definitely check out Van Wilder.

I'll begin with a confession: I was reluctant to watch this film. It was snobbish on my part. A recent interview with Tara Reid in MAXIM portrayed the actress as a shallow ditz, and I doubted that the voluntary suspension of disbelief would succeed in allowing me to see her as serious college student Gwen Pearson. This was the crux of my objection to NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER. My husband cleverly defeated my opposition with the "Yes, but she's a really hot chick" argument, and we bought the DVD. To my surprise, Reid pulls off the act, dropping words like "pander" and phrases like "benevolent agenda" as if they had belonged in her personal vocabulary bank all along.

The writing goes far beyond clever. It's down right poetic, with lines dance on the ear like a butterfly on a buttercup. Take, for example, "That's no bong! That's for my shlong!" Watch out Shakespeare.

Best of all, the movie answers the age-old question: What was Ferris Bueller like in college? Van Wilder (Ryan Reynonds) fits the mold rather closely. He's a philanthropist who knows how to have a good time. He's funny, good looking, and popular with just about everyone. Brilliant ideas like topless tutors and the naked mile run are a-dime-a-dozen with this guy. Most importantly, he gets away with everything. I'm glad I didn't get away with turning my nose up at this delightfully amusing film. So even if you're skeptical, give it a try, and don't neglect to consider that Tara Reid's a really hot chick.

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This movie is spectacular if crude humor is your thing. Ryan Reynolds must have studied Chevy Chase's character from the National Lampoon's Vacation movies for hours on end. His joke delivery and expressions fit Chase perfectly. If your not into drug and sex jokes, you may not like it. If you are, you'll laugh for an hour and half.

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This was avery funny movie that I enjoyed thoroughly from start to finish.Some of my favorite moments in this film included the eclair-stuffing scene involving the dog and the Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity,the hockey showdown,and when Gwen mixed up the "bloating formula".

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I know you have heard about the dog scene, and probably will see the movie or avoid it because of that, but forget about it, that was one scene in the movie. The movie in a whole is hillarious and has characters that you either hate or love.

This has to be one of the best college movie in years and the best National Lampoons has done in a long time. They created an interesting and very charasmatic character called Van Wilder. A man who has been in college for most of a decade achieving legendary status, but no degree. He handles school like a politician, active in most facets, sports, art, social events, and renowned for his parties. But for some reason is afraid to graduate.

His character is what really drived the movie. He is funny without being mean, intruguing without being far fetched, and interesting to watch. The humor is all over the place, puns, word plays, situational, crude, as well as deadpan. But most importantly it creates a character that you not only laugh at and with, but actually care about. I wish he had gone to the colleges I have been to.

so as stated before, forget about the dog scene, and just watch the movie, you won't regret it.

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Quigley Down Under (1990)

Like many TV actors, "Quigley"'s star Tom Selleck gave much attention, during and after his small-screen career, to attempting to break into movies. If he'd been born in 1926, instead of 1946, he would probably have gained fame, not as Thomas Magnum, but in Western films and/or TV series like this one. Quigley is the role he was born to play, and in Quigley's adventures he has made, to my mind, the best movie of his career.

This slam-bang actioner, though often labelled a "Western," actually takes place, not in the American West, but in the Crown Colony of Western Australia, probably around 1875 (there are still convicts there). Selleck plays Matthew Quigley, a soft-spoken marksman from Wyoming, who answers an advertisement by Australian rancher Marston (Alan Rickman) for "the finest long-distance marksman in the world." After three months on a sailing ship, he steps ashore at the port of Fremantle, where he promptly gets into a brawl with what turn out to be three of Marston's men, come to meet him, and is mistaken by displaced "native-born Texian" Crazy Cora Cobb (Laura San Giacomo) for her husband Roy. At Marston Water he offers a display of his skill with his primary weapon, a customized Sharps .45 buffalo gun, and impresses everyone, including Marston, who describes himself as "a student of your American West" and is a fast draw, pinpoint-accurate, and quietly proud of it. Only now does Quigley find out that he was being hired, not to kill dingoes (Australian wild dogs) as he thought, but to clear Marston's lands of the native Aboriginies. He promptly throws Marston out the French window of his own house, but is eventually overwhelmed by Marston's crew and, with Cora, taken out to the desert to die. Managing to kill the two men who fetched them there, he recovers his rifle and big Stetson, but loses the buckboard and horses. Trying to walk out, he and Cora are found by a clan of Aboriginies, who take them in, and when a group of Marston's men appears to hunt the natives down, Quigley takes up his Sharps in their defense. Eventually he eliminates Marston and all but three of his men in a sort of one-man "long hunt," climaxed by a shootout in which, though wounded and battered and admitting that he "never had much use" for handguns (he doesn't even carry one), he kills three men so fast that his shots sound like one.

Though there's a good deal of violence in this video--in fact, it will probably be too intense for kids under the age of 12 or so--none of it is gratuitous: each instance either serves to further the story in some way or is portrayed as an inevitable result of the choices and character of the person acting or being acted against. Selleck's Quigley is a '90's version of the classic John Wayne hero: soft-spoken, quietly competent, modest and unassuming (he "spent a night" in Dodge City once, and describes it as "a nice place to get some sleep"), chivalrous toward women and even a little unsure of how to react to them. (His early interactions with San Giacomo's Cora, on the Fremantle docks and in their first outback camp, add a whimsical touch to the movie's tone and should draw laughs from all watchers.) He also has an iron code of behavior, and he doesn't hesitate to learn even from the primitive Aborigines: one of the most delightful sequences finds them teaching him to use a spear-thrower and to suck water out of the sand through a bamboo--after which he repays them by conducting a class in the making and proper use of a rawhide lasso. Rickman is the kind of villain you love to hate: smooth, silky, sneering, yet acting from what seem to him to be completely valid reasons. San Giacomo may be "touched in the head," but she's also earthy, practical, and fiercely loyal to Selleck and to the orphaned Aboriginie baby they find; her story of how she came to be in Australia is touchingly delivered.

And, like most of the best movies, "Quigley" can serve as a starting point for some penetrating family discussion. Parallels will quickly be seen between the Aborigines' situation and, not only the experiences of the American Indian, but the "ethnic cleansing" through which the former Yugoslavia suffered, and which kids may have studied in school. Quigley seems not to be revengeful against Marston and his crew of 20-odd tough English and Irish until they act against the Aborigines who have been his and Cora's friends, and even then a case can be made for his killing as many of them as he can hit: afoot and outnumbered, he doesn't want them in the area and angry at him; after the second Aboriginie drive and the accidental killing of a storekeeper's wife, he is simply resolved to keep them from doing any more harm.

Though action is the movie's keynote, it is above all the story of how three people inspire one another to certain inevitable acts--in short, like all the best stories, it turns on character. And its characters will remain in the memory for a long time to come. (A side-benefit is the blood-stirring score by Basil Poledouris, which was one of the first CD's I ever purchased.) The cinematography gives a powerful sense of the size and loneliness of the Australian outback (filming was done in Alice Springs and other Australian locations), as well as of how important it is that Quigley seems far better able to adjust himself to it than Marston's men are willing to do. Director Simon Wincer, though not of American birth, has turned out a movie which, while not strictly a "real" Western, should become a classic of the genre. By my criteria, it's definitely a 10--or perhaps even a 12.

An American sharpshooter (Tom Selleck) with a powerful, experimental rifle takes to the high seas in the late 1800's and sails across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. His name is Matthew Quigley and he has been hired by Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) to rid the wealthy landowner down under of the numerous packs of dingos (wild dogs) attacking his livestock. At Least that's what Quigley thinks he's being hired to do.

Shortly after arriving on this foreign shore Quigley learns the horrible truth about his assignment. The cruel and despotic Marston doesn't like Aborgines wandering through across his land and has decided to solve the problem by exterminating them. Quigley has been hired to carry out the job. His refusal to take the job marks the beginning of an epic battle between Marston and his men against Quigley as he fights to defend the indigenous population.

Action/Adventure in its truest tradition, with the lines clearly drawn between the forces of good and evil. You will find yourself rooting out loud for the "good guy" before the movie is through!

Along with the typical action sequences you expect to find in a good Western, there are also plenty of poignant and sad moments which center around both the plight of the aboriginal culture and the personal tragedy shared by Crazy Cora with Quigley in one of the most tender moments of the movie.

Great performances by all. Tom Selleck was born to play this role and anyone familiar with Alan Rickman knows that nobody is better at playing the "bad guy" than he is. And let's not forget Laura San Giacomo as Crazy Cora who supplies both the comic relief and eventual love interest of Matthew Quigley.

This was a tremendously original concept for a film which was carried out to perfection. This is not only one of my favorite Westerns, but one of my all-time favorite films.

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As the title character, Matthew Quigley, Tom Selleck, plays an American sharpshooter hired by an Australia landowner, Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) to kill dingoes. On arriving in Australia, Quigley immediately becomes entangled with Crazy Cora (Laura San Giacomo) who thinks he is her husband. When Quigley and Cora arrive at Marston Waters, he finds that he has been hired to kill Aborigines instead of dingoes. He objects by knocking Marston through double glass doors. Marston has both he and Cora beaten and left in the Australian desert to die. Saved by Aborigines, Quigley spends the rest of the movie protecting both them and Cora from Marston ending in an old fashioned OK Corral type shoot-out.

The plot is weak typical western fare with very good "good guys" and very bad "bad guys" but the actors are exceptional. Selleck plays his typical take all comers, macho man who can out fight and out shoot any man, but has absolutely no idea what to do with a woman. His total inability to deal with Crazy Cora is hilarious and the heart of the movie. San Giacomo's portrayal of Cora is excellent progressing from crazy to sane as her relationship with Selleck adds stability (as an aside, there is ~16" in height difference between Selleck and San Giacomo, but excellent photography hides the fact until the end of the movie). Rickman, as always, is the best bad guy a movie director could ask for. His evil sneer should be copyrighted.

If you are looking for in depth character development, deep, intellectually challenging dialog, and conscience raising social statements, you may want to forego this one. If you want a relaxing evening with enough action to be interesting and comedy to keep it light hearted, this may well be just the movie for you.

I saw the movie both on the big screen, television and VSH version. The television version stinks. It is so cut that it completely destroys the movie. The VHS version is okay, but it just does not do justice to the incredible photography of the Australian landscape nor the outstanding musical score. I look forward to the DVD version if it is ever released.

Read Best Reviews of Quigley Down Under (1990) Here

Tom Selleck is outstanding as the American cowboy hired by Alan Rickman to come to Australia to help him with his aboriginal problems. Women will fall in love with Selleck's cool, tough, protective, and caring portrayal of Matthew Quigley. Men will want to be him. Rickman is a natural bad guy. Laura San Giacomo does the best acting of her life as Cora. I saw this movie when it was first released to VHS in the late 1980's. The day I returned the copy I'd rented, I bought a copy to keep. I have been recommending this movie ever since. One of my all time favorite movies. I hope that with its release to DVD it will get renewed interest and finally get the attention it deserves.

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I have Quigley Down Under on dvd,I thought the picture quality of the dvd was good,I,ve just watched QDU Blu-ray,it knocks the dvd to smithereens,what an excellent transfer this is,it,s the best this wee gem of a western has ever looked,it,s SHARP/CRISP/CLEAR,far superior to the dvd,a joy to watch,this is what blu-ray was made for,the jump in picture quality from the dvd to blu-ray is HUGE,whoever supervised this blu-ray transfer deserves every plaudit going,I understand this is a Walmart exclusive,for TEN DOLLARS,this blu-ray is a MUST-BUY!!!!!absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Davy Cairns,Scotland.

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It Could Happen to You (1994)

I also was channel surfing last night and wound up watching it. A long time ago I had caught the last five minutes of it and even though I felt it was extremely predictable, I thought it was a good 'feel good' movie. This time I caught it only ten minutes into the plot, just when he and the wife are about to hear the winning numbers...

If you don't like predictable, 'feel good', light-hearted romance, this movie might not be for you... but I do!!

I just loved it!! I am a fan of romantic comedies with good acting and good plots that renew your faith in life and in the fact that there STILL are good honest people out there that will 'do the right thing' in spite of putting a lot on the line. I love Nicolas Cage as an actor. He can do a really dramatic role and he can turn around and do a great romantic character with feeling next time.

If you liked 'While you were sleeping' you will love this one as well. Slightly more comedy content than another great one, 'A walk in the clouds'.

"It Could Happen to You" was the surprise romantic comedy of the Summer of 1994 directed by Andrew Bergman (screenwriter for "The Freshman", "Fletch", "Striptease" and director of "Honeymoon in Vegas") and a screenplay by Jane Anderson (who has written for television series such as "The Facts of Life", "The Wonder Years" and most recently an episode of "Mad Men").

VIDEO & AUDIO:

One thing that people may see is the Blu-ray disc cover with photos that looks quite grainy and aged. Granted it was an artistic decision to use a water color style of filter to give a painted look but by no means should anyone judge the cover for the picture and audio quality of this High Definition transfer of "It Could Happen to You".

The film is presented in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 1:85:1. Although, the film does show a slight hint of age and the High Definition transfer does bring out the grain, you do get a bright and colorful look of New York City and overall, picture quality is well-done for a film that is 15-years-old compared to the original DVD. Like many films that came out in the 90's, many on Blu-ray tend to have some softness or dullness and "It Could Happen to You" joins that group.

To tell you the truth, "It Could Happen to You" is not a stellar transfer but its a very good transfer compared to the DVD.

The audio quality is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 in English, French and Portuguese and in Spanish 5.1. The film is primarily a dialogue driven film. Definitely more front channel speaker usage and rarely a need for the rear speakers or subwoofer in this film. Dialogue is heard clearly and I think that once in awhile, you do hear the sounds of New York and the ambiance but overall, audio quality is very good for a dialogue-driven film.

Music also plays a big part in giving us that New York feel but also that romantic sense with Frank Sinatra's "Young at Heart" playing during a scene at the old Yankee Stadium and of course beautiful classics such as Billie Holiday's "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Now It Can Be Told" and "Always" by Tony Bennett and more.

Subtitles featured are in English, English SDH, Portuguese, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Unfortunately, there are no special features included. The Blu-ray disc for "It Could Happen to You" is BD LIVE enabled.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"It Could Happen to You" is a romantic comedy that was in theaters in July 1994. The screenplay fits the "fairytale" or "Happy Ever After" storylines that were popping up in the early 90's courtesy of films such as "Pretty Woman" and "Sleepless in Seattle".

The film was an enjoyable romantic comedy that definitely had that Frank Capra style of being a "happily ever after" storyline.

Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda definitely were enjoyable to watch, while Rosie Perez's character really goes out of its way to make you really despise her. With "Pretty Woman" about rags-to-riches, "It Could Happen to You" goes a different way of money changing things but its all about how one responds to it. Charlie and Yvonne continue to want to live their simple lives, he as a cop and she as a waitress. Both have extremely kind and caring hearts while Muriel wants the best in life...the expensive clothes, plastic surgery and whatever fame it could bring her. A selfish attitude that helps drive the final wedge into her marriage with Charlie.

With Andrew Bergman in the helm as director, some may have wondered if the film would have been dark since his previous film such as "The Freshman" and "Honeymoon in Vegas" were anywhere near happy as this film but overall, Bergman did a good job capturing that New York magic and the emotions of the characters. While Jane Anderson did a good job in making sure the pacing was just right and giving us that "happily ever after", "feel good" type of film. In other words, the Bergman, Anderson and the entire film play it safe and never gets complicated.

Of course, the storyline of a police officer willing to share half his multi-million dollar winnings with a waitress may seem farfetched but according to snopes.com, a similar story really did happen for real in 1984 with NYPD officer Robert Cunningham and Sal's Pizzeria waitress Phyllis Penzo.

It's the performances by all three talents that make this film so magical, believable and most of all enjoyable. And I like how the film would showcase the New York atmosphere from the city skyline to Yankee stadium.

Overall, "It Could Happen to You" is an enjoyable romantic comedy that even in 15-years-later, is given new life through it's new, beautiful Blu-ray transfer. This is probably the best we will ever see this film get.

If there was only one negative that I found with this release is the lack of any trailer, featurette, commentary or anything that would be considered a special feature. You do get trailers for upcoming films but that's about it.

All in all, "It Could Happen to You" is an enjoyable romantic comedy worth checking out!

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I am glad that this movie is available on DVD because it's a great "feel good" movie! Nicolas Cage plays a mild mannered cop who, one day, can't leave a tip for a cup of coffee, so he offers his waitress (Bridget Fonda) his lottery ticket. It's funny to see the chain of events that happen throughout the movie. It's a romantic comedy that will keep you watching right to the end!

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Nicolas Cage has always been hit of miss for me and in this film his quirky style works very well. Cage plays an all around good guy cop in this slightly uneven, but good natured comedy. Fonda is also very good and Rose Perez despite playing a very unlikable character does it so well you will cheer with glee when her fate is revealed at the end of the film.

The film does seem a bit dated as the sum of money involved although a nice score, would hardly be enough to do so much with these days. Even in 1994 when the film was released it seems a little low. 4 million dollars split between two people after taxes would leave around 1 million dollars a piece, hardly enough to quit your job on, but certainly enough to change your life.

My biggest gripe is that Cage and Perez seem so mismatched that you can't really figure out what brought these two together. It would have been nice to see Perez played a little more real and maybe get some insight about her. Was she always this greedy and ambitious(a very nice way to put it)? or did she become this way over time. They do talk about the relationship briefly, but it doesn't really give you much. If your husband is so upstanding it's hard to believe she would be the polar opposite. I'm not saying that she doesn't have a point, letting your husband give away 2 million dollars to a stranger would be a hard thing to do, but Cage seems to be this man with great character and I don't see the connection with him and his wife.

Regardless of these flaws, the film is entertaining and does have a nice inspiring ending. The DVD is pretty standard with nothing special on it other than a good DVD transfer.

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The actual story behind the highly fictionalized movie script could have made a really good movie. According to the urban legend website SNOPES, the real events involved a not-so-young waitress and a not-so-young police detective who together select the winning numbers to a $6 million jackpot. There was no hint of romance between the two. But that would be too open-ended for the cookie cutter mentalities behind this movie. They must have went into a conference room -or a lunch room -or a diner -and derived this formulaic romance between two unhappily married people.

Their result was this plot bringing together a Prince Charming, a Cinderella, a the Wicked Witch of New York. But they forget to include a nice dramatic flow of events. I just didn't experience any peaks and very little emotional depth. In the end, I wasn't satisfied.

At least Nicholas Cage makes the most of the opportunity to be normal and charming rather than quirky and charming (one of his first such efforts). He gives the movie whatever depth it attains. Pretty Bridge Fonda gives her usual quiet, unexciting performance. They're responsible for most of the positive rating I give this movie.

Rosie Perez, unfortunately, overwhelms the entire proceedings with nasally witchiness. And that's not the memory I want to take away from a movie.

So, I'm looking forward to the remake based on my own soon-to-be lottery success... Oooh, Briii-dget....

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Stand by Me (25th Anniversary Edition) (1986)

"Stand By Me" is a classic coming of age movie about growing up and friendship and the pain of disillusionment when the adults you depend upon let you down. Highly recommended.

In this review I'll focus mostly on the relationship between the movie and the Stephen King novella it is based on, and the DVD extra material that closes the ring.

The movie "Stand By Me" was made in 1986. It is based on a novella published in 1982 and the story takes place in 1959 (movie) or 1960 (novella). But the story is timeless the conflicts and the difficult transition from child to adult apply to every generation.

There is a lot of trivia (pop songs, slang expressions, TV shows, etc.) from 1959/1960 in the movie and the novella, but this doesn't really anchor the story to that era. Every generation has it's own trivia that is very important to that generation. But today's generation can smile at the trivia of 47 years ago and still see the parallels between that trivia and their (to them) much more wonderful trivia.

The movie is based on a novella by Stephen King called "The Body". This is one of Stephen King's best stories, and is well worth reading or, if you like audio books, listening to. The audio version lasts almost six hours and is read by Frank Muller. Highly recommended. If you'd prefer to read the story yourself then you should buy the book "Different Seasons", a collection of four Stephen King novellas including "The Body".

The movie and the novella are very similar. There are, of course, many small differences, for example the town of Castle Rock has been moved from Maine to Oregon, there is more coverage of the older juvenile delinquents and less coverage of Gordie's stories and of Gordie as an adult, the place where the bloodsuckers are encountered is different, etc., etc. The biggest difference is that in the novella Chris is the main protagonist, or hero if you like, while in the movie it is Gordie. Still, this movie is truer to the written source than most movies based on books are.

So why did Rob Reiner make these changes, and what on earth did Stephen King think of them?

Here's where the magic of DVD extra material comes in. The "Special Edition" (2000) and "Deluxe Edition" (2005) DVDs both include a 35-minute documentary "featurette" called "Walking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand By Me", which was made in 2000. Stephen King, Rob Reiner and all of the major actors in the movie (except River Phoenix, who died in 1993) participate.

In this documentary film Rob Reiner tells that he identified personally more with Gordie than Chris, and therefore decided to make the movie Gordie's story. And Stephen King says that he respected Rob Reiner's decision and thinks that "Stand By Me" was the first movie adaptation of his work that really fulfilled the spirit of the story.

Stephen King also says that many of the things that happen in "The Body" and in "Stand By Me" are things he experienced himself in his childhood. This makes the story somewhat autobiographical, with Gordie being in some ways the young Stephen King. In the novella "The Body" this is quite pronounced in that an adult Gordie is telling the story in the first person, and also tells how he's now become a successful writer of horror books.

So the bottom line is, if you like the movie then read or listen to the novella. And after you've read the novella and seen the movie, check out the DVD featurette that ties them together.

Rennie Petersen

I purchased the Special Edition of this movie recently and couldn't believe that the audio was monophonic. I was thus pleasantly surprised to see that in this edition of the DVD they restored the original multi-channel soundtrack. Even the casual listener will notice the difference immediately.

To my knowledge the movie itself is the same as on the Special Edition (no added or cut scenes) so I won't waste your time commenting on that. I just wanted to bring attention to the fact that the Deluxe Edition of this movie is the ONLY one any serious movie collector should consider.

Buy Stand by Me (25th Anniversary Edition) (1986) Now

Stand By Me has always been one of my all-time favorite movies. The chemistry between the four boys out to find the body of a kid their age has always been an inspiration for me growing up.

Rob Reiner's direction is tops. How he managed to get those four boys to act their hearts out is still a mystery today. The best comes out of River Phoenix as the troubled leader of the pack Chris Chambers, and Jerry O' Connell's part as the way-too-innocent scaredy cat Vern Tessio, Corey Feldman's turn as the crazy Teddy Duchamp, and Will Wheaton as the narrator of the story, the more focused than the others Gordon Lachance. Cameos by Richard Dreyfuss as the older Gordon, and John Cusack as Gordon's deceased brother Denny add an overwhelming feeling of delight to the entirety of this magnificent movie.

Special features include a behind the scenes of the film plus interviews with nearly the entire cast, a tribute to River Phoenix, Ben E King's music video of the theme song Stand By Me and commentary by director Rob Reiner.

This is one of those movies that no matter how many times you've seen it, you don't get bored of watching again.

Highly Recommended

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Okay, I admit it. Like Rick Blaine in Casablanca, I am a "rank sentimentalist." As such, there are many movies that can bring me to tears: E.T., Summer of `42, Casablanca...no matter what era they were released or who directed them, there will always be movies that will jerk some heart-felt tears out of this mostly action-adventure film watcher.

Stand By Me, Rob Reiner's 1986 bittersweet coming of age story based on Stephen King's novella The Body, is definitely one of those movies that move me.

Starring Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), River Phoenix (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), Corey Feldman (The Lost Boys), Jerry O'Connell (Sliders, Joe's Apartment) and Kiefer Sutherland (24), Stand By Me tells how a group of four boys goes into the woods in search of the body of train-struck Ray Brower, hoping to recover it before a gang led by Ace (Sutherland at his meanest, menacing best) does.

Reiner, working from a well-written screenplay by Raymond Gideon and Bruce A. Evans, excellently captures King's nostalgia-tinged story's mix of drama, comedy and even a bit of horror. He coaxes very natural acting from his four main actors, particularly from Wheaton, Phoenix, and O'Connell. Even Feldman, a child actor I really did not like in other films before his career flopped, is heartbreakingly poignant as Teddy Duchamp, the son of a mentally-ill World War II veteran. Despite being scarred by his father's harsh punishments, Teddy is proud of his father's wartime service. One of the best scenes is his confrontation with the mean junkyard operator of Castle Rock, where Teddy's conflicting emotions of anger and love for his dad are summed up by his tearful yell of "My father stormed the beach at Normandy!"

The heart and soul of this movie comes from the friendship between Gordie Lachance (Wheaton), the sensitive would-be writer, and Chris Chambers (Phoenix), a bright kid who seems destined for disgrace because he comes from the wrong part of Castle Rock. Chris projects a tough shell to hide his inner turmoil, while Gordie is having trouble coping with a family tragedy.

Reiner shines as a director capable of mixing moments of comedy (watch for a hilarious exchange revolving around the mystery surrounding Goofy's identity -"Mickey's a mouse, Pluto is a dog...so what's Goofy?"), drama (an encounter with an approaching train), and a wickedly gross revenge story told by Gordie involving a very large boy and a pie-eating contest.

A particularly effective narration by Richard Dreyfuss (who plays the adult Gordon Lachance) adds just the right mix of wry humor and bittersweet nostalgia, and Jack Nitzsche's gentle and subtle score, with its interpolation of the classic rock 'n' roll song "Stand By Me" just heightens the poignancy of this affecting tale of boyhood friendship.

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"Stand by Me" is a coming-of-age story about four boys on the verge of adolescence and junior high school, who go on a journey to see a dead body. The movie was based on the Stephen King novella "The Body" and directed by Rob Reiner, who also did King's "Misery" for the screen. This is a very faithful adaptation of a King story, and much of the dialogue came straight from the book.

What makes this film really great is the interaction, chemistry and performances of the four young actors. Gordy LaChance is the college-bound writer/dreamer, played by Wil Wheaton (who went on to become Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: TNG) with some great facial expressions and moments of vulnerable emotion and inner strength. Chris Chambers is the rebellious bad boy, but smart and athletic, played by a very young River Phoenix (whose promising career was tragically cut short) with strength and wisdom beyond his years. Gordy and Chris are the characters who grow the most during the adventure. Gordy's older brother Dennis (played in cameo scenes by John Cusack) died earlier in the year, so he in going to view the body, he is unknowingly looking for some closure to that event. Chris is at a crossroads where he can either "take shop and make birdhouses with the other retards" or take the harder classes with Gordy.

Teddy DuChamp is the psycho and dramatic kid, played by Corey Feldman, who had a productive child actor career. Teddy's relationship with the father who burned his ear on a hot stove is the key to his experience during a confrontation at the junkyard.

Rounding out the group is Vern, the dim fat kid played by Jerry O'Connell, who of the four has changed considerably as an adult and continues to build a decent acting career.

The film is very nostalgic, with its portrayal of small town life in the 1950s, treehouses, corner drug stores, and woods for exploring. Along the journey, there are a number of adventures, such as train dodges, a run-in with mean old Milo Pressman and his dog Chopper at the junkyard, a swamp full of leeches, and a night spent in the woods with howling coyotes. Interspersed with these sequences are moments of reflection and kids being kids, with weighty topics discussed like "superman vs. mighty mouse" and the importance of cherry flavored pez.

The main outer conflict is with a group of high school age boys, led by a villain named Ace and played menacingly by Kiefer Sutherland. There are two key sequences involving Gordy and Chris and Ace, and to a lesser extent, Chris' older brother "Eyeball" Chambers.

Funny and poignant, this is a great film about the brotherhood of boys, and was even referenced by Michael Gurian in his book "The Wonder of Boys" as a recommended film to watch with your young son to view positive examples of young male relationships. My caveat to parents would be that there is a lot of profanity and vulgar boy talk.

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In a Better World (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

There is no denying the message brought out in `In a Better World'. Susanne Bier (god, I love her) has a way of working with situations and actors to create such visceral chemistry. I've seen all of her works, and while `In a Better World' is far from her strongest (just watch `After the Wedding' and tell me it isn't one of the single greatest cinematic achievements of the past decade...I dare you) it still carries her trademark aura.

`In a Better World' explores a different theme for Bier. Here she tackles violence, its root and the steady escalation of untreated anger. It is within this theme, and the overall construction of its elements, that the film falters for me. While I find it more compelling than the lauded `A History of Violence', it doesn't quite capture the unsettling realities of violence that any one of Michael Haneke's masterpieces has done (especially `Cache'). Instead, `In a Better World' is a little too calculated for its own good. I actually loved the assessment given by the sites reviewer, Robert Horton. He states "this film is rendered with great care and each new strand of the plot is thought out and carefully placed...maybe, if anything, slightly too carefully placed--the story is so neatly plotted and balanced it comes close to being a closed system", and I concur with this sentiment. The film is so obvious in its construction that the eventualities bare less impact than they would if there was that element of surprise, and that element is a big one when considering violence as an act. Violence is often senseless and careless and unwarranted, and while this film touches on those areas (school bullies, ruthless warlords) it doesn't allow that energy to seep into the skin of the picture.

`In a Better World' deals with dueling families affected by various degrees and expressions of violence. Anton is separated from his wife Marianne after his indiscretions catch up with him. While he is off in Africa taking care of women ravaged by a disgusting warlord, Marianne is taking care of their son Elias who is suffering emotionally by the torment of a school bully. Claus, recently widowed after his wife lost her battle with cancer, is trying to repair his relationship with his young son Christian, who has witnessed Elias's treatment and has retaliated with a burst of violence that left the tormentor bruised, battered and scared. Christian begins to fray though, using this situation not as a stepping stone for change but instead, he spirals down into a morbid and vengeful spirit as he contemplates exacting revenge on anyone who treats him or those around him unfairly. Anton, who is absent in Africa most of the time, tries to set a good example in `being the bigger man' for his son and his son's friend, but Christian's attitude continues to derail as his pent up anger over his mother's death pushes him to the edge.

The performances are all outstanding, especially from young William Johnk Nielson, who infuses so much emotional complexity behind Christian's eyes. Trine Dyrholm is also very good here. I've only seen her in two films (WATCH `TROUBLED WATER' NOW!) and she's been exceptional in both. I loved Ulrich Thomsen in Bier's marvelous `Brothers', but here I'll admit that he has little to do. Mikael Persbrandt is extraordinary as Anton (he sounds like a Swedish Alan Rickman), developing such layered emotions as he struggles to be a father and a role model and a friend and when he begins to tamper with his own moral and ethical boundaries you can see the confliction in his soul.

In the end, `In a Better World' is a beautiful film. It has so much going for it (the score, the cinematography and the set designs are just a few of the extras that make this film completely eye-catching), I only wish that it wasn't so mechanically `exact' because it loses a bit of its heart in the process. It becomes `expected', which takes away from the wonderment of the experience.

Still, Bier is an exceptional filmmaker!

Why are Scandinavians so hell-bent on persuading us their societies are miserable and dysfunctional? When's someone going to put out a Scandi Rom-Com? (You will get precisely four Google hits should you search for "Danish Rom-Com" all refer to the same film, Italian for Beginners apparently very good, but having the misfortune to be released the week of 9/11.)

Well, if a Danish film entitled In A Better World fills you with expectation the drought might finally have broken, save your money. It is, instead, a pretty harrowing drama, beautifully staged and acted, as close in tone as I can think to Swedish Romantic-Horror Let Let The Right One In. Which is to say, grim.

The opening titles are projected downward onto a scene of sandy African hinterland cropped in such a way that it might be a close up of a banana. From there we open on a painterly tableau: a sweeping African landscape vaulted over by a heaving, boiling sky. The locale of the film switches between here and autumnal, coastal Denmark, between which Anton, a field doctor divides his time.

We also have parallel stories: Elias, Anton's son, is bullied at school. His home is also fractured: not only because Anton spends most of his time in an African refugee camp, but also because Anton's marriage is falling apart.

Christian is a new boy in Elias' school, transplanted out of a wealthy London boarding school following his mother's death from cancer. We first meet Christian as he flawlessly, but coldly, delivers his mother's eulogy over her coffin. In an early playground confrontation he comes to Elias' aid and reveals himself as a fearless child with a destructive streak. Elias quite the opposite can't believe his luck to have found a protector and latches onto him like a remora. Christian is a passable shark.

Meantime, Anton continent-hops and deals with his own sort of bullying: there are unpleasant goings on in the refugee camp, courtesy of a sadistic local war lord, who has been creating most of the trauma patients in Anton's clinic. Anton has a principled, but unworldly, commitment to the hypocratic oath, even if that means healing the war lord when he suffers an infected wound. Anton is bullied also back in Denmark, where he is as much of an outsider as he is in Africa: he's Swede.

So, nicely set up: we have fractures and bifurcations everywhere you look: between Denmark and Africa; between husband and wife; between Anton's theory and the boys' practice. But all under the same, brooding sky a visual repeatedly imposed on the screenplay: for all the localised fractures everything is part of a continuum: everything is under the sun. Well, clouds, at any rate.

The drama is very tightly worked and the pacing is perfect: whenever the pot nears the boil, we cut between Denmark and Africa so as to delay gratification, and the suspense keeps growing. Michael Persbrandt plays the Anton well, with fittingly piecing blue eyes. The children leads are terrific too: Markus Rygaard captures the eager but guileless Elias and William Johnk Nielsen is excellently cast as the scowling Christian.

As the premise implies, events set a course for tragedy and make all haste getting there: the family bonds in each family have worked themselves loose enough to be unable to avert disaster. This, I think, is Susanne Bier's industry: to investigate how the western veneer of settled social organisation (perfectly exemplified by the social democrat Scandinavians) doesn't need much of a scratch to come apart.

Anton's moment of revelation comes as his war lord, healed, shows no sign of remorse or gratitude and he realises there is a limit to philosophical theorising in the face of a nasty, brutish and short life. I doubt such a credulous or idealistic European would last long in that sort of environment in real life, but as a narrative device it works well.

Bier's conclusion, which I won't spoil, struck me as a little pat, but in the round this is a clever, tense, and well produced drama.

Olly Buxton

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It's funny how Hollywood spends so much money making these big special effects films and yet most of them (Not all I'll admit) pale in comparison ACTING wise to European, Latin American (Argentina for example) films. Movies like "In a better world" have the upper hand when it comes to excellence in acting. I love this movie for many reasons, because it shows the delicate and complicated relationships between fathers and sons and most of all it shows emotions in a very realistic sense without being sappy or overly sentimental,something that Hollywood is very good at doing. A very HIGHLY recommended foreign film.

Read Best Reviews of In a Better World (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Here

I was very reluctant to view this subtitled film due to a misconception that it was an overly preachy, overidealized paean to pacificism. Truth be told, it is much more complex, and provides a sensitive examination of human nature and the competing urges toward bravery, cowardice, evil and humankindness. To the viewer, it pulsates with excitement and danger. By design, a number of scenes are emotionally overwhelming and excruciating to watch--but without artifice, special effects or superficiality. Highly recommended without any reservation.

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"In a Better World," an Oscar-winning Danish-Swedish drama (Best Foreign Language Film for 2010), follows two thematically-related stories set in different locations: Africa and Denmark. Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a Swedish doctor who had moved to Denmark, but now lives in Africa as a dedicated member of a group providing medical services in a refugee camp. But the people in the camp are horrified by "Big Man," a sadistic warlord cutting up pregnant women.

In the meanwhile, Anton's son Elias (Markus Rygaard) and a new boy at school Christian (William Jøhnk Juels Nielsen) become friends when Christian beats up a schoolboy bullying Elias. Christian's mother recently died of cancer, and the strained relationship with his father Claus (Ulrich Thomsen) is not getting better.

Then two things happen: Anton is humiliated by a mechanic Lars (Kim Bodnia), who slaps him in the face, and though Anton tells the boys to ignore him, Christian disagrees. (The Danish film's original title "Hævnen" means "revenge.") And in Africa, when the "Big Man," now severely injured, is brought to the camp, an idealist Anton's belief is tested.

The plot gets markedly melodramatic as the film moves into the second half, where the two boys and their parents have to face the consequences of their actions. Acting is unanimously strong, especially from the two boys, and director Susanne Bier handles the convoluted story skillfully.

Or maybe she does it too skillfully. The film wraps everything up too neatly, and while we understand the point she is trying to make by juxtaposing two events at totally different places, I'm afraid the melodramatic narrative may be oversimplifying the complexity of the issues the film is dealing with.

Like her previous works (including "After the Wedding" and "Brothers"), Susanne Bier tells us a story of people in an extraordinary situation, and she is quite good at it. These stories are often very emotional but not sentimental. Flawed as it is, "In a Better Place" is a compelling drama with believable characters.

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