Fatal Attraction (1987)

This film did more for a return to monogomy than any social diseases! I've just re-watched this flick, and it's just as effective as when I first viewed it. Picture a younger Baby Jane Hudson combined with Jaws, and that's pretty much "Alex", Glenn Closes' woman scorned. Michael Douglas, as the typical, successful, arrogant, mid-'80's Yuppie, who, though perfectly nested in a seemingly great marriage to gorgeous, giving, Anne Archer, has to prove he's still a desirable stud by having a "casual" (WRONG!!) fling with Closes' "Alex", a sexy, also seemingly sophisticated associate of his. She initially gives the impression she wants the same thing as he, a "no strings attached" sex-fest, but, after a 24 hour marathon, while wifey is out of town, it begins to become apparent that Alex is becoming just a teensy bit possessive, and when Douglas, as diplomatically as possible, tries to explain to her that he's happily married, and it's dumpster time, Miss Alex IS NOT buying it. The ensuing harassment of he and his family, which starts with pranks from Alex to express her displeasure, turns into a horror-ride that will have your emotions tap dancing faster than Ann Miller!! Some people feel the need to rationalize the entirety of a film, "why'd she do that", that wouldn't happen", etc... not me. With a film like this, it either entertained me, or didn't. Well, this one certainly did. I found all the acting excellant, and the situation not all that unbelievable. Though "over the top", it is a non-stop ride of suspense as Douglas' nightmare (and life) un-folds. I recall there were some copy-cat flicks made shortly after this came out, trying to duplicate what this film has. Well, they didn't succeed, and were soon forgotten. I feel that this film, with its great cast , production, intelligent script, and direction, will not be topped for films of it's kind, and will stand the test of time. It pushes ALL the buttons.

Let's face it: we're guys. Wandering eyes. A perceptive inclination to gander at a short skirt, a hint of cleavage, a heart-pounding hip wiggle. I ran smack dab into a door the last time I gawked, but consider myself darn lucky compared to Michael Douglas' character in FATAL ATTRACTION--a white-knuckled "don't-let-this-happen-to-you" thriller that vividly demonstrates what can happen to a guy when he lets other parts of his anatomy do his thinking for him.

Manhattan lawyer Dan Gallagher (Douglas) has it all: successful career, attractive wife, loving daughter. So why not have an extramarital fling with a woman he met at a party while the family is out of town? Sure. Just a one-night stand. No harm, no foul. But there's something very "foul" about Dan's partner in crime, because blonde Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) may have all the right moves in the sack, but she also has an elevator that doesn't go all the way to the top. So when Dan wants to shake hands and part company, Alex will have none of it, and the table is set for a one-way ticket to Looney Land.

Let the stalking. . .the suspense. . .the thrills and chills. . .begin. The bathroom scene, in which Dan's frazzled wife Beth (Anne Archer) wipes the steam off the mirror, is worth the price of purchase of this video alone.

Director Adrian Lyne (as usual) delivers a gripping, antacid-popping story. The only positive in FATAL ATTRACTION was the fact all this bad stuff happened to an attorney. Like, how sad. I'd like to write more, but I hear the wife calling--something about all the hair in the sink. Don't want to get her riled.

--D. Mikels

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In 1987, the thriller "FATAL ATTRACTION" was released into theaters and the film touched a nerve worldwide that it became a social phenomenon and a box office hit. The film jumpstarted a wave of many psychopath films right after but also generated fear for men who have ever contemplated an extramarital affair.

The film was directed by Adrian Lyne ("Indecent Proposal" and "Nine 1/2 Weeks") and was produced by Sherry Lansing and Stanley R. Jaffe (both worked on "Indecent Proposal", "Black Rain" and "The Accused"). The film also featured the talents of composer Maurice Jarre ("I Dreamed of Africa", "Sunshine", "Dead Poets Society", "Jacob's Ladder" and "Ghost") and cinematographer Howard Atherton ("Indecent Proposal", "Deep Rising" and "Lolita").

The film would star well-known talents such as Michael Douglas ("Basic Instinct", "Wall Street" and "A Perfect Murder"), Glenn Close ("Air Force One", "Damages" and "Hook") and Anne Archer ("Privileged", "Rules of Engagement" and "The Art of War").

Needless to say, "FATAL ATTRACTION" had elements of the 1971 film "Play Misty & Me" but shocked America and the world of the implications of a one night stand, hurting the people around you and to be careful of the unknown and in this case, the unknown was having a one night stand with a psychopath.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"FATAL ATTRACTION" gets its first HD treatment on Blu-ray via 1080p High Definition. The film looks great for a film of its age. Because it was shot in 1987 and seeing many films in the late 80's and early 90's being heavily DNR'd (digital noise reduction) and looking too soft in picture quality, "FATAL ATTRACTION" definitely showcases the detail of the surroundings but also brings out the grain throughout the film. Personally, I would have grain (since it's part of film) rather than excessive DNR and edge enhancement.

The film showcases its vibrancy in colors during the outdoor segments but the indoor segments, really interesting use of lighting to show the differences between Daniel's home and Alex's home and how things continually got darker and darker. "FATAL ATTRACTION" doesn't have the cleanest picture quality but compared to its DVD counterpart, this is probably the best we are going to see of this film on High Definition. Blacks are nice and deep and I didn't see any major compression artifacts or dust.

As for the audio, the film is presented in English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD (including French Dolby Surround and Spanish mono). "FATAL ATTRACTION" is primarily a dialogue-based film where moods and ambiance is brought to life by the music of Maurice Jarre. Overall, dialogue is clean and understandable and music is quite clear.

There are some scenes where you can hear the New York surroundings and crowded scenes (such as the party scene) where you can hear the people around the room. But to tell you the truth, I felt the audio was front channel heavy. I didn't hear much coming from the rear surrounds but the subtle noises as the chilling water drips near the end to the operatic music of Madame Butterfly come quite clear in audio but then, even the single gun shot noise that you hear in the film really doesn't have any punch to it. But in the end, it's the acting and the dialogue that is the priority and how the music enhances the moods of love, sex, despair and violence is what I felt was most important and those two things come clear through the lossless audio.

As for subtitles, "FATAL ATTRACTION" is presented in English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"FATAL ATTRACTION" comes with the same special features that came on the 2007 DVD Special Edition release. There is nothing that is new to the Blu-ray but the alternate ending and the trailer are featured in HD. Included are:

* Commentary by Adrian Lyne I have watched a few films with commentary by Adrian Lyne and he's the first person to tell you that he doesn't have the greatest memory. With that being said, with his commentary for "FATAL ATTRACTION", he does remember enough to discuss the details of making the film and talks about it in detail. Especially how many cuts it took for certain scenes, working with the talents such as Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Ann Archer and the child Ellen Hamilton Latzen. Lyne is upfront about having to reshoot ending and his thoughts of the ending on the final cut of the film. But like previous Lyne commentaries, there are times when he just stops talking. Perhaps watching the film again has captured his attention for a short while. Lyne's commentary is also a bit soft and low, so you may need to turn your speakers up a bit.

* Forever Fatal: Remembering Fatal Attraction Cast & Crew Interviews (28:15) A wonderful featurette about the making of the film. From working with James Dearden and then finding the talent who would be right for the film (Michael Douglas was already in consideration) and why they chose the talent to portray those roles but also learning how no studio or director wanted to do the film. What was amazing to hear is how Glenn Close fought for the original ending. As an actress so into her craft, she researched her role for Alex Forrest and felt the ending was perfect but at the screening of the preview, audiences disliked the ending and thus they reshot the ending to the film despite Glenn Close being against it. And of course, discussion about how the film became a phenomenon and the worldwide media coverage that it received. Presented in Standard Definition.

* Social Attraction The Cultural Phenomenon of Fatal Attraction (10:00) "FATAL ATTRACTION" became a cultural phenomenon. On one side, it received media coverage because of how shocking the thriller was. The film became popular among psychiatrists but the film also received backlash by feminists. Presented in Standard Definition.

* Visual Attraction Behind-the-Scenes Production Featurette (19:39) In order to create the world of "FATAL ATTRACTION", a lot was done in set design, makeup and just creating this overall, visual sense of the film.

* Rehearsal Footage (7:05) The original rehearsal footage of Glenn lose and Ann Archer. If you thought their acting was powerful in the film, the rehearsals were just as powerful! Presented in Standard Definition.

* Alternate Ending with an Introduction by Adrian Lyne (HD) (11:51) The original "Madame Butterfly" ending. In the end, I would have to agree with the filmmaker and happy they changed the ending for the final cut.

* Original Theatrical Trailer (HD) (1:33) The original theatrical trailer presented in High Definition.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I'm not going to lie to you, "FATAL ATTRACTION" scared the crap out of me when I first watched it many years ago and it scared the crap out of me watching it again over 20 years later.

I remember it becoming a cultural phenomenon, in my opinion, because "one night stands" are always shown as things that happen in life but the film shows us the ramifications and the dark side that exist. Sure, we would see a break up of a relationship or a divorce from infidelity on film but "FATAL ATTRACTION" explores the side heavily and doesn't miss a heartbeat. Instantly, showing us a woman who would not be ignored, has some psychological problems and how she became obsessed.

You can analyze this film on the psychiatric side of things or the human-side of things and ask yourself, who is at fault? Who is the victim? In a way, all are victims in a way.

The film was powerful in a sense that Glenn Close played Alex Forrest, a troubled woman just perfectly. Her gaze, her look, everything about her sent shivers down my spine. But its what Glenn Close said on the special features that when playing the part, she felt there was some major trauma that this woman had gone through long ago to be this way. And Close did a good job of researching and bringing this character out and making her alive, but also terrifying.

Michael Douglas is just the "everyman" in this role. A normal, hardworking person with a family that he loves but now has to deal with the ramifications of his extramarital affair and the implications it has on his family, to Alex and to himself. Anne Archer as Beth was the wife one would want. A good mother, loving wife and it's just unfortunate that like in real life, even these good people become a victim. Fortunately, for Archer's character, despite the loving, family and caring tendencies, she's also a strong woman who will not let anything happen to her family. Archer's chemistry with Douglas was also terrific to watch.

I think that the alternate and original ending to the film can be debated. I've read that critics prefer the original but of course, the one that was reshot and is in the final cut was what was needed to please the audience. It was great to hear every on the film comment about having to reshoot the scene.

I'm just glad that all special features from the 2007 DVD Special Edition are included on this Blu-ray release. Although, nothing new added to the Blu-ray, "FATAL ATTRACTION" is still a solid Blu-ray release.

"FATAL ATTRACTION" is a well-done thriller. The acting is terrific, the screenplay was absolutely captivating and yet terrifying. For those wanting an excellent thriller for their Blu-ray collection, you can't go wrong with this film.

Read Best Reviews of Fatal Attraction (1987) Here

"Fatal Attraction" isn't so much an erotic thriller as it is a stalker suspenser. Sure, the movie begins with the standard lurid sex scenes involving two respected actors pawing at each other like there's no tomorrow. But rather than succumb to such torrid displays of goofy, laughably cheesy eroticism, the material actually becomes interesting in its second half, building a solid sense of menace and intensity around the mind games of its psychotic centerfold.

Michael Douglas stars as Dan Gallagher, a lawyer whose firm's clients include a well-known publishing company in New York City. His wife, Beth (Anne Archer), has hopes of moving out of their city apartment and buying a house in Bedford, where she and their young daughter travel for the weekend. And as they say, when the cat's away, the mice will play, which is just what Dan does when he crosses paths with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an editor from the publishing company whom he spends the weekend with.

So far, so mediocre. The various conversations between characters meant to advance the plot are silly and ongoing, while the inevitable images of lustful satisfaction between Douglas and Close provide some unintentional laughs that seem to work in the film's favor. Once you see these two credible performers manhandling one another, you have a choice: you're either in or you're out.

The film picks up considerable momentum once the reality of the situation sets in. Dan realizes that he can't continue seeing Alex, who becomes embittered when he avoids her phone calls and dismisses her from his office after an invitation to the opera. As he tries to juggle his secret and keep up the pretence of happiness with his family, Alex acts as a thorn in his side that keeps inching deeper and deeper, until he acknowledges the fact that she is a real threat to his family's safety.

This turn of events isn't as unexpected as it would hope to be; from the various expressions of underlying menace that grace Close's face, we can already gather that she's cooking up more than just spaghetti for dinner. But, as we wait in breathless anticipation of Alex's next move, the shocks multiply, the suspense grows, and everything we initially thought about the film's beginning act is but a memory as we follow the plot into familiar yet overall satisfying grounds.

Much of this rests on the shoulders of Close, who carries her character so well that any inhibitions one may have about the extent to which her character will go are left behind. Alex's coolly-calculated, ultimately psychotic plan of attack gives way to moments of sheer lunacy that Close masters with little more than a delightfully menacing smirk. When Dan finally comes clean and gets the police involved, we know just what she's going to do, and how she's going to do it, but under such a brooding performance, it all seems fresh.

It's also quite nice to see Michael Douglas squirm as the victim of the movie's role-reversal, where this time, the woman makes all the rules. His performance here is commendable, and he does show a sincere amount of fear and worry over the revelation of his dark secret, and the safety of his wife and child. His scenes with Close carry their weight in sweaty-palms tension, as well as some sweet lessons about the consequences that he must face as a result of his affair.

If you have the stomach to stick with "Fatal Attraction," you may find yourself enjoying it for its acting zeal and wonderfully-executed second half. It's trash, to be sure, but it's stylish, likeable trash, made so by a predictable plot tailored with a low-lying charge of intensity that grips the viewer by the hair until the blazing, bloody end.

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Sometimes we have great ideas and potential, and we may hold onto a lot of the great aspects, but we just can't work out the bugs. If we watch this movie fairly and objectively, we can see that this is most certainly the case here.

To make a long story short, Douglas is a good lawyer who is going through the stress of climbing the ladder of success. He has friends and a nice wife, as well as a 6 year old daughter. He meets an editor (Glenn Close) through work and he quickly has an affair with her. We are allowed to think that possibly, Douglas's wife was paying too much attention to the daughter and ignoring him. Or perhaps Douglas was just stressed from his job. (Either way, we have some reason why he accepts the offer of an affair.)

Moving on, Douglas tries to go back to his legitimate life, but finds that Glenn Close is not going to tolerate being 'used' and then just dumped in the garbage. To complicate things further, Douglas has made Glenn Close pregnant. (Great so far.)

Now, here is where we run into problems. The story tries to make Glenn Close out to be the villain. But let's be honest here. She did NOT FORCE Douglas to sleep with her. Douglas agreed to it. Then he tries to say he loves his wife and is happy with her. Well, Glenn Close is VERY RIGHT when she says: "If you were so happy with your wife, what were you doing with me?" And in all honesty, how can we not side with her a little when she says: "You had your fun, and now you just want to go back to your quiet life.

From here, the flaws start to get worse and worse. The simplest way I can put it is that the movie tries to make a hurt woman who has some psychological issues into an evil monster who has to be destroyed, and it tries to make the man who had an affair with her, got her pregnant, and wanted to just walk away as if nothing happened a hero. It just doesn't work.

A grand scale error is when Douglas goes to Close's house and brutally assaults her. Excuse me. This is a lawyer, and he doesn't know how stupid this is? (Even from a selfish standpoint, this is not going to help the matter if he wants Glenn Close arrested.) And even worse. Are we suppose to be cheering for him? Is it Glenn's fault that he consented to this affair? Is it Glenn's fault that he thought he could use her and walk away?

Reality check...A smarter man may have suggested a group therapy session with a psychologist....(And as a lawyer who understood confidentiality, he would have known his wife would never know about the affair from the mouth of the psychologist! The trip could have even been covered easily. He could have just said he was meeting with a client.)

Now the worst error. The original end (and at least we can see it as an extra on the dvd) tied things together nicely. Because of her severe depression and hopelessness, Glenn Close kills herself, and Douglas gets the blame because his prints were on the knife Glenn Killed herself with. (GREAT! And it underlines how stupid it was to go to Glenn's house and assault her.) In one option, Douglas was suppose to kill himself in prison. (Good) In the other option, Douglas's wife was to find evidence to clear him. (OK. A less disturbing, but still good end.)

But no. They choose the worst possible end they can. Let's see what's wrong. (Douglas consents to an affair with Close...He realizes you can't just sleep with someone and throw them in the trash...Glenn Close gets shot because Douglas had an affair with her...) This is a perfect example of an artificial (AND ABSURD) happy end that just doesn't fit.

Well, I should also say that Stuart Pankin does a good job of adding some badly needed comic relief in this movie.

SIDE NOTE: It is utterly absurd that Glenn Close became the most hated woman is America for playing this part.

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Beaches (1988)

This may very well be the saddest movie I have ever seen in my life, but it is also one of the best. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend that you do. It tells the story of two young women who meet when they are 11 years old. At a glance, they seem like two completely different people, but in the end, it's their strong devotion to their friendship that make them so close. Bette Midler does an excellent job in her portrayal as CC Bloom, a feisty redhead who is determined to succeed in music and will do almost anything to do so. Hilary Whitney, played by the talented Barbara Hershey, is a quiet, reserved woman who often finds herself jealous of CC's rising success. CC and Hilary may be very different, but they grow even closer when Hilary gives birth to a child--a beautiful little girl named Victoria. When Hilary becomes diagnosed with a fatal disease, she is forced to search her soul and strengthen her relationships with CC and Victoria. Throughout the movie, CC and Hilary go through many difficult times, but in the end, their friendship prevails. I definitely recommend this movie to everyone, but don't expect to have dry eyes at the end! It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will touch every piece of your heart. It really does show that even though two friends may be very different from one another, and even though they may go through a lot of rough times, it is the strength of their friendship that will be the decisive element. Go see this movie--you won't be sorry!

BEACHES, based on the novel by Iris Rainer Dart, is a fantastic and emotion-driven drama/comedy. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey turn in fabulous fully-realised performances as two best friends who share an amazing relationship.

On the beach in Atlantic City, 11-year-olds CC Bloom and Hillary Whitney strike up a friendship that will endure beyond all obstacles. Through letters spanning the years, the two women vent their frustrations, hopes and dreams.

Bette Midler is mesmerising as the brash CC Bloom (the 'Otto Titsling' number is alone worth the price of admission). Barbara Hershey wisely downplays the role of Hillary though she never is upstaged by Midler.

Supporting roles from John Heard, Spalding Gray and Lainie Kazan (as CC's mother Leona) are right on target. Mayim Bialik (TV's "Blossom") plays the younger CC.

This film could have easily fallen into soapy melodrama thanks to it's plot, but the direction of Garry Marshall saves it from becoming too maudlin.

Still one fantastic movie!

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Bette Midler is wonderful in this movie. Barbara Hershey gives an outstanding performance. I love their friendship and how it goes through the different phases, and yet at the end they are there for one another, to support one another. This movie is definitely a tear-jerker, yet a classic.

Read Best Reviews of Beaches (1988) Here

I loved Beaches so much! I watched the movie on the WE network, but it was still good enough for me to pick up the DVD. The movie remind me so much of friendship with my best friend, that I love so dearly. I don't know how I would go on if I lost my friend to a terminal illness, cause we're so much like sisters. The movie just so heartfelt and tender hopefully every friend of a friend will get this movie.

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I would actually give this film 3 1/2 stars. Bette Middler is just incredible. Bette's timing is perfect. Watch Bette as someone is talking to her in a scene, her facial reactions alone are just hilarious. She is a comedic genius. There are few movies that actually make me LOL, Bette's performance makes me laugh everytime in this film. The child who played Bette was also wonderful...

Barbra Hershey pulls off the other half of the film OK, but it is Bette that makes this movie. Great soundtrack too! I always get teary eyed when Bette is singing "The Glory of Love" at the end of the movie, and waves up in the air to heaven at Hillary.

But why is this a barebones DVD release? This was a huge movie. there are no extras? WHY? Not even a trailer? The DVD gets only 1 star. The movie gets ***1/2. Boo to Touchstone for putting this classic film on such a cheap DVD.

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La Grande Illusion (StudioCanal Collection) (1937)

Grand Illusion is sometimes considered as one of the greatest movies ever shot. It was Orson Welles' favorite. Even though many consider that "Rules of the Game" is more important and brillant. The two movies are very different, both incredible. Grand Illusion is easier to catch immediatly while Rules let you think endlessly. In regard of the DVD : BUY IT EYES CLOSED ! The picture is incredible, looks like it was shot yesterday because coming from the original re-found negative film. It has not even one small spot or crack. It is PURE. And it is the original 114 minutes version, not the well-known 105 minutes. The DVD is full of bonus, the best being the filmed introduction by Jean Renoir, and also the audio archive of Von Stroheim. I cannot express how much I love Renoir and this movie and I hope that Rules of the Game will come up in DVD soon in Zone 1 (it exists in France in Zone 2 with a beautiful master, but has no english subtitles). Then the world can contemplate this masterpiece again and again. Buy Grand Illusion and you'll never think of war and humanity the same way again.

The Criterion Collection has been batting 1.000 lately by bringing out splendid DVD versions of such classic films as "The Wages of Fear","The Passion of Joan of Arc" and "The Third Man". Now, with "Grand Illusion", they may have even surpassed themselves.

The transfer is from an original camera negative thought to be lost for decades and it can't be rivalled for image clarity or sound quality (given that this is a 62-year old film). The DVD version of "Grand Illusion" looks as close as we can hope to its original state.

The film itself is a poignant examination of the conflict between class and national identity during World War I. Three French officers an aristocrat (Pierre Fresnay), a rich Jewish banker (Marcel Dalio), and a working-class capitian (Jean Gabin) are captured and imprisoned by a refined, arrogant German officer (von Stroheim). The French and German aristocrats share a deeper cultural and affetionate bond than they do with the men of their respective countries. When the French captives plan an escape, the aristocratic officer risks himself for a nationalism he doesn't believe in. The scenes between Fresnay and von Stroheim, arguably some of the tenderest scenes in the movie, display a ritual of noblesse oblige that seems absurd today (the people in the cinema where I saw it laughed at these men's tender missives to each other). And, indeed, these aristocratic manners are patently absurd in the theater of modern warfare. Pauline Kael has said that this film is "an elegy for a dying class" and that's partially true it's also an examination of how tenuous the bonds of nationalism can be both within countries (as relations between the working-class Gabin and Dalio later prove) and between them (when a German guard hands Gabin a harmonica). And yet, the acting and writing are grounded so much character and detail that you can be very moved by this film without noticing these underlying theme (the audience that laughed at the aforementioned scenes, gave the film a standing ovation at the end).

"Grand Illusion" has been enormously influental you can see traces of it in "Casablanca" (with Dalio, interestingly enough) and "Paths of Glory", for example. Renoir's direction is wonderfully fluid even his minor characters have unique features. Along with "Passion" and "The Third Man", the Criterion version of "Grand Illusion" is one of the finest DVD releases of the year. Let's hope that they now do the same for "The Rules of the Game"

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One of the greatest achievement in film history, this Jean Renoir's masterpiece could be seen only in prints and video made from an inferior duplicate neagtive for over 40 years, as the original film elements was thought to be lost during the German occupation (Goebbels and Hitler hated the film, and banned it in Germany at its original release). If you have seen only these versions, you haven't really seen it yet! The new transfer, made from the newly-discovered original camera negative (i.e., the best film element available) is just stunning. For the viewers familliar with the film, there is an added surprise at the begining, for the credit title sequence is different. The crisp trasnfer allow viewers to appreciate the depth of Renoir's masterful direction, for you can see a lot of details that might be lost in inferior prints: for Renoir, it is not just the protagonists that are important, but the whole atmosphere that surrounds them, including the delicious performance from the supporting cast (the Jean Renoir Stock Company, such as Julien Carrette, Gaston Modot and Jean Daste) which makes this film more than just an anti-war film. The DVD also includes the trailer from the 1958 re-release, featuring Jean Renoir himself passionately telling what this movie is all about: "it is a story of people like you and me, caught in the tragedy called war". Grand Illusion is a story of survival, of people who want to live in their best way possible, within their humain limitation. Limitation, for the people can act only within their social class behaviour and their social role. But Renoir never condems or criticize them; the film embraces even the flaws in their perosnalities. It's a great film, and a must-have DVD.

Read Best Reviews of La Grande Illusion (StudioCanal Collection) (1937) Here

Orson Welles, who was not known for his modesty, said that if a cabinet containing every film ever made caught fire and he only had time to run in and rescue one film, it would be the Grand Illusion (not Citizen Kane, etc). Most people watching this film today might wonder why it warrants such high praise. I say this because many of the themes in this film have been dealt with memorably in other films (the first time I saw the Grand Illusion, for example, I couldn't help thinking that I preferred Stalag 17). As a result, the film appears to be less original than it actually was. Modern audiences are also not used to the movie's themes being dealt with so subtly (no bodies are graphically blown up to show the horrors of war, no lower class characters are unjustly executed, etc). Thus it will not attract as much widespread popular praise as such overblown garbage as Saving Private Ryan (which is a complete and utter failure as an anti-war movie after its opening 10 minute gorefest ends). In contrast, this film has a subtle depth which elevates its effectiveness and will keep the viewer thinking long after it ends.

There are many illusions dealt with in the film. The interaction between the upper class prisoners and the prison camp's commandant (excellently performed by Erich Von Stronheim) illustrates the illusion of civility that exists (or should I say existed) during war (people pretending to be civilized while trying to wipe each other out). It illustrates the illusion of nationalism (except for the war, the officers are kindred spirits). The illusion of class is also well portrayed with the commandant arbitrarily showing less favour to some prisoners because of their last name and for no other reason. Viewers with knowledge of history will also note the irony in its theme of the decline of nobility and the ascendency of democracy given that this film occurs during a war in which lowly soldiers were ruthlessly sacrificed by their "noble" leaders in greater numbers than in any other war.

One thing which makes this film different from most others about war or class is that it portrays the noble officers as worthwhile and positive people, but it treats all of its characters with equal respect. This, of course, further illustrates the illusory nature of class.

For a thought-provoking movie, it is also quite entertaining, filled with humour, suspense and great performances. While I would not go as far as Welles in his praise of The Grand Illusion, it is still very highly recommended.

Want La Grande Illusion (StudioCanal Collection) (1937) Discount?

Just have to say that this Renoir classic should have been released by Criterion on blu ray. They did a marvelous transfer of the film onto DVD several years ago and I had to get one of my favorite films on blu ray. I have never really liked how Studio Canal treats these classics onto blu ray. I shouldn't be comparing their work to the likes of Criterion, but when Criterion does such a wonderful job with the DVDs, why not allow them to release stellar blu rays of these classics? The Third Man, Ran, and now Grand Illusion get taken out of Criterion's creative hands and placed into lesser hands. The Third Man was originally released by Criterion on one beautiful blu ray but Studio Canal took the rights back and released a so so blu ray that was not as crisp and detailed as the first. So for me it is VERY hard not to think "What if?".

Studio Canal's blu ray of La Grande Illusion is really good looking, but I feel it could look better. I had the awesome pleasure of recently seeing this great masterpiece on the big screen at Dallas' Angelika Theater with a gorgeous print that I had trouble believing this film was made in 1937! Fantastic presentation all around. I feel that print was not used for this blu ray. If you like films looking like video, then this is for you. I want these older films to look like movies with the grain still intact. Looks as if Studio Canal might have used some noise reduction (can't say for sure, just looks it) to remove the fine grain that was intact with the film element. Is it possible to clean these prints too much? I still prefer Criterion's print on DVD over this blu ray.

The picture is not the only problem. The very small subtitles were now a problem. I watched this movie on a 55 inch TV and find myself distracted by taking my eyes off the main picture to read the small subtitles. If an older person watches this on a smaller screen, they will have trouble reading the subs. It is an annoyance to say the least.

The special features are nothing to write home about. I found them rather boring compared to the magnificent movie itself.

I got to hand it to Studio Canal for "trying" to release this film onto blu ray, but it doesn't shine like it should. I just hope Criterion can keep hold of Renoir's classic Rules of the Game. That is one marvelous blu ray in of itself. Studio Canal cannot compete with Criterion when it comes to restorations of the classics. Criterion just have many more years of experience under their belt. And the proof is in their great looking blu rays.

If you have The Grand Illusion on DVD from Criterion, keep it. This great movie deserves better than what is offered here on this blu ray.

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Ninja Scroll (1993)

Ninja Scroll is an excellent work of anime and cannot be praised too highly, but the new 10th Anniversary DVD edition only offers only a false widescreen they have merely cut off the top and bottom of the view to give the appearance of widescreen. The DTS sound is not any fuller or crisper than the original fullscreen DVD, merely converted to DTS format. In short, this DVD is not worth upgrading to, and the fullscreen side is the only one worth watching. Save your money if you hope to improve on the original DVD's quality the new anniversary DVD is actually an insult.

First, regarding its name: a more accurate translation from the original Japanese would be "The Chronicles of Ninja Jubei."

Second, regarding the "misogynism" in the film: While I understand how it might be interpreted that way, that's not quite true. Kagero is a fascinating character due to the tragedy of her curse. She plays a pivotal role in the story, but most importantly, the ultimate point of the love subplot is that Jubei's sense of honor is so strong and his heart is so pure that he will not use her as just a weapon or an object of lust, the way everyone else has used her. Even at the cost of his life (you will understand when you see it). That's what makes it such a powerful story.

This movie isn't for everyone, but it's an incredible film. It's extremely intense, so sensitive viewers should beware. The animation is beautiful; the action is intense and intelligently choreographed, not mindless and brutal; the plot is highly intricate and very well written.

The best anime that I've ever seen, period.

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One tradition of Japanese manga and anime is based on the legends of Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, who was a very real swordsman serving the Tokugawa Shogunate at the beginning of the 17th century. Jubei was known for wandering Japan, sometimes as a spy for the Shogun, and righting injustices with displays of his extraordinary swordsmanship. Kind of a Japanese Knight of the Roundtable.

In 'Ninja Scroll', this part is played by Jubei Kibagami, an itinerant ninja. He is drawn into clan politics when he comes to the aid of Kagero, a female ninja in service to the Yamashiro clan. To save Kagero, Jubei must successfully challenge Tessai, an evil ninja (one of the Eight Devils of Kimon) with the ability to turn his skin into stone, and the strength to chop walls down. Jubei succeeds, but Tessai swears vengeance, leaving Jubei deeply entangled in a struggle with the Shogun of the Dark.

The third player in this contest is Dakuan, the Shoguns spy. He is a deadly old man who recruits Jubei by giving him a poison that will kill him in a day and a night. Dakuan informs Jubei that Himuro Gemma, an old enemy that Jubei was sure was dead, was still alive, and, in the company of the Devils, was at the center of the plotting. Jubei, Dakuan, and Kagero must defeat the evil ninjas and discover the purpose behind the killing of an entire village.

Kagero is a poison taster, and, as a result, is permeated with deadly toxins. She can never take a lover, because even her kiss would kill. At this point in Japanese history such a woman was an outcaste, having little value in the eyes of her society. Jubei shatters her world when he insists on treating her as an honorable human being, creating a strong emotional tension that plays against the simple samurai action of the main plot.

Production qualities of the film are beautiful, echoing traditional Japanese art forms with a fine sensibility. Line and color are strong. Violence, of course, is present, but is tightly controlled, not dwelt upon. This is one of the best and most representative films of the more conservative Japanese traditions of anime. Worth seeing for its historical status as well as for its outstanding artistic values.

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Ninja Scroll is pretty much the stereotypical fantasy anime movie. Over the top gore, over the top sex and perversion and over the top demons and monsters. But does that mean the movie is bad? No, it just means that you should probably keep the kids away from this one.

The first thing to realize about Ninja Scroll is that it really is not for the squeamish. Throughout the movie there are gallons of blood, limbs, bodies, a rape scene and also a scene with a snake and a woman (actually, there are tons of snakes but there is one in particular that will probably surprise you at least a little). There really isn't any time when there isn't either nudity or death after the first few minutes in the movie.



If you can stomach the violence and perversition you will find a well animated movie with a good, if standard, plot. The animation is very well done and the action sequences (and there are a lot) are easy enough to follow. While I thought some of the character designs were fairly annoying (especially the snake lady's face), they are animated well and individual enough to be able to identify each character with no problem (even those that you see only twice throughout the movie). The plot itself is fairly stock, but it works well in the context. A wandering swordsman is recruited by an old man to fight eight demons as well as a man that swordsman thought he had slain years ago. The two are also joined by a woman swordsman whose body is too toxic to for any intimate contact (though that is by no means a deterent of her getting naked a few times). After the characters are introduced it basically becomes one long drawn out fight with the plot trudging along in the background.



The music in this film is pretty good. Maybe not something you would rush out to buy on a CD later, but it moves the movie along well enough and contributes to the action. The sound fx fit very well and seem to work well with the action on the screen.



In the end I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a good samurai flick or to anyone who likes tons of bloodletting. Again, though, keep it away from the youngins.

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This review is directed to those who, like myself, are not avid anime fans. I own three anime DVDs: Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and Ninja Scroll, and I enjoy all three. However, Ninja Scroll is far the most enjoyable to watch. But this review is not a comparison of the three.

I would like to praise the writer/director of Ninja Scroll for creating such an exciting and artistic work while at the same time retelling the ancient tale of the reluctant hero. The plot was sufficient enough to withstand the weight of the amazing action sequences and fun sexual content. The character development was superb. Jubei (the hero) is not portrayed an all-powerful superhero. Instead, we just see a gifted fighter with an immense will to survive.

The action scenes are among the best I have ever seen, with battle choreography that is comparable to that of the best filmakers. The villians are imaginitive and original, not to mention devious. The plot is extremely imaginitive, touching on topics that are not common to the "super robots and cute little girls" world of Japanese Anime: love triangles, rape, greed, self esteem, and homosexuality. This film was enjoyable from beginning to end, and if you are searching to expand your collection into something new, pick up this DVD. Its pure enjoyment.

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Gandhi (1982)

This movie was the realization of a lifetime dream for Sir Richard Attenborough, who finally succeeded in bringing this incredible spectacular to theatrical release in 1982. I was living outside London working for the American Forces in the greater London area at the time, so was thrilled to have the privilege to see this movie in its limited initial release in Britain, and was amazed by its scope, accuracy and integrity in bringing the quite controversial facts surrounding Gandhi's life and politically-motivated assassination to the screen. Ben Kingsley is simply magnificent as the diminutive, principled, and indefatiguable lawyer, humanitarian, and citizen of the world with an uncannily prescient feel for what was possible for a determined and energetic person as well as how to achieve his lofty otherworldly goals right here on earth.

Based on his appraoch here, Attenborough seems to have learned much from such masterful British film-makers as David Lean, for the use of scenery, topography, and natural surrounding of the characters as they wind through the more than 40 years of story line is breath-taking. His methods owe much to the kind of subtle insinuation of the local environment David Lean in particular used so memorably in movies like "Bridge Over The River Kwai" and "Lawrence of Arabia" (see my reviews) in making the scenery more than an incidental player in the storyline. Seeing Gandhi immersed in the incredible multidimensional diversities that were (and are) India helps the viewer as we begin to understand just how incredible his efforts were to unite the country with his strange yet irresistible moral authority, an authority that all of the various factions recognized and respected as the authentic thing.

There is, of course, an immensely talented cast, including Martin Sheen as an American newspaper correspondent who becomes intrigued by Gandhi's profound and surprisingly effective non-violent approach to social change. Gandhi's approach to using reason and morality to approach issues and perspectives, and these methods become the real star of the film as it builds slowly over the scope of this very literate and intelligent script. This is a wonderful motion picture experience for anyone willing to sit through the more than three hour extravaganza, one that guarantees Attenborough's prominent place in film history, and one that leaves this reviewer smacking his lips in anticipation of whatever other wonderful effort such as this may someday appear based on Attenborough's talents, visions, and moral sensibilities. Enjoy!

It all began simple enough with the purchase of a first class train ticket by Mr. Mohandas Gandhi, Esq., recently arrived in South Africa, and unaware that as an Indian, he was required to travel third class and not entitled to such a ticket. Literally thrown off the train for his transgression, the young attorney, embodied to perfection by Ben Kingsley, spent a full night sitting on the platform, musing how best to respond to such discrimination. Shortly thereafter, and after consultations with established members of his community, he wrote his first treatises and organized his first demonstrations. And when participants of a protest assembly stood up and proclaimed their willingness to die in the fight against suppression, Gandhi once and for all formulated his doctrine of nonviolent protest: "They may torture my body, break my bones; even kill me. Then they will have my dead body not my obedience."

Shot largely on four Indian locations, Richard Attenborough's nine-time Oscar-winning biography of Gandhi is a sweeping epic that takes the viewer back to Britain's colonial past, covering all major events of Gandhi's political career from its beginnings in South Africa to the March to the Sea and India's independence, and contrasting the luxurious lifestyle of the foreign rulers with the poverty of those they governed; that India which, as Gandhi soon realized, not only the British didn't understand, but whose population also could not have cared less about the activities of the Indian Congress Party, at the time little more than a group of well-to-do city dwellers mentally and socially almost as far removed from the rest of their country as the British. Twenty years in the making, the movie is clearly reverential of Gandhi's genius, and of the man whose symbolic growth was reverse parallel to his retreat into simplicity, and who for that very reason, and because of his unfaltering commitment to nonviolence on the one hand and India's independence on the other hand, accomplished what only few people would otherwise have thought possible: to convince the world's biggest colonial power to give up the crown jewel among its colonies; and to do so in a gesture of friendship and without civil war. The one aspect of Gandhi's life that falls a bit short here is the effect that his overbearing symbolic status had on his family life, which necessarily had to suffer as a result (unable to cope with his father's fame and chosen lifestyle, Gandhi's eldest son, for example, threw himself into a life of alcoholism and prostitution). But Gandhi is not depicted as a saint, and particularly during his early years, we learn about the struggle that went into the formation of the man who later earned the title "Great Soul" (Mahatma). Even anticipating that he might be killed by an assassin's bullet, Gandhi once said that he would only deserve that title if he could accept that bullet with Rama's (God's) name on his lips: fittingly, the movie begins with his assassination and comes full circle at the end, affirming that Gandhi truly was a Great Soul throughout.

Attenborough found his perfect Gandhi in Ben Kingsley, who not so much plays but truly *is* the Mahatma; from his appearance to the inflection of his voice, attitudes and gestures. Over the year-long struggles to finance the movie, Attenborough's first choices for the role had grown too old to convincingly play the young Gandhi in South Africa, but eventually Michael Attenborough pointed his father to Kingsley, then with the Royal Shakespeare Company, who reportedly won the role by meeting Attenborough in full Gandhi makeup at their first get-together, thus instantly convincing him that he had found his man. Yet, despite his gift for mimicry and his part-Indian heritage, Kingsley nevertheless turned to his Indian costars, particularly Rohini Hattangadi, who plays Gandhi's wife Kasturba, to fine-tune his portrayal; and he recalls in an interview for the movie's DVD release that the skill he found the most difficult to master was to spin and to talk at the same time. The use of the actual British newsreels covering Gandhi's visit to England adds to the movie's sense of authenticity and emphasizes yet again Ben Kingsley's achievement in transforming himself into the Mahatma.

In fact, his awardwinning performance so overshadows every other actor in the movie that it would be easy to overlook the fine performances of his costars, all of whom contributed to the movie's unique quality to name but a few, Sir John Gielgud, whom Kingsley praises as "a national treasure" (British viceroy Lord Irwin), Roshan Seth (Pandit Nehru), Martin Sheen (NY Times reporter Vincent Walker), Candice Bergen (People Magazine's Margaret Bourke-White), Ian Charleson (Gandhi's early friend and colaborator Reverend Andrews), Edward Fox (General Dyer, the man responsible for the massacre at Amritsar, who testified at his court-martial that his intention had been to "teach a lesson that would be heard throughout India"); and Trevor Howard as Judge Broomfield, who had to sentence Gandhi to prison for his outright admission that he was guilty of the charge of advocating sedition because of his belief "that non-cooperation with evil is a duty and British rule in India is evil," and who nevertheless rose at Gandhi's entrance into the courtroom instead of making the prisoner rise for him, and commented on the sentence he had to impose that "if ... his Majesty's government should, at some later date, see fit to reduce the term, no one will be better pleased than I."

The movie ends with Gandhi's affirmation that when he despaired, he remembered that "all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers; for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of this: Always." Such a belief may be difficult to hold on to, particularly for us who are so much more fallible than the Mahatma. Yet, this movie eloquently pleads that it is, at least, worth our very best effort.

Also recommended:

Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth

The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas

Gandhi: The Man, His People, and the Empire (Philip E. Lilienthal Book in Asian Studies)

HALFWAY TO FREEDOM In the Words and Pictures of Margaret Bourke-White

The Last Emperor Criterion Collection

Kundun

Anne Frank The Whole Story

Henry David Thoreau : Collected Essays and Poems (Library of America)

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I watched this movie years ago having not seen it since I was a kid. After watching it I decided to write my senior research paper about him, as I wanted an excuse to not just read and absorb him, but gush about him to someone.

Gandhi was a great man. What a tale it is, from being a reletively simple, unknown attorney to becoming one of the greatest world leaders in history. His turning point moment came when he was thrown off a train for sitting in the first class car in South Africa. He would not allow for Indians to be treated like third class citizens anymore and moved towards equality. Not only did he achieve the smaller equalities, but he overthrew the British Empire's occupation and at long last freed India.

I will spare the blow by blow of this movie, as it tells his story so well (if just glossing over just a few of his major points and good works for people). But this movie, as well as his written work, taught me how to be a better person. Despite how corny and silly that may sound of me, I learned not to complain. Even the scummiest of jobs (ex. rake and cover the latrine) you do with joy. People lash out at others when they are angry and unhappy, and yes they hurt you, but you will not be beaten down if you realize that happiness is not handed to you but earned by our own efforts. I always remember his words in my darkest hours ...

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderes, for a time they can seem invincable but in the end they always fall. Think of it. Always."

If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes, then nothing will.

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Students of history and film alike can well appreciate this great piece of filmmaking about a truly great historical figure.

It took Director/Producer Richard Attenborough 20 years to put the life work of Mohandas K. Gandhi on film. The picture among it's many international awards was also winner of 9 well deserved Academy Awards. Among them, Best Picture(1982),Best Actor(Ben Kingsley),Best Cinematography,Best Screnplay, and Best Director.

The "Mahatma"(Great Soul) as Gandhi was called by his followers,devoted his life to secure freedom for the people of his country, India. From the time as a young attorney, traveling through S. Africa, where he was literally thrown off a train due to his race, until his death by assassination,he led his people with hope and strong beliefs.The British Monarch ruled the nation of India, and treated the citizens as second class. Gandhi would change all that through the means of peaceful civil disobedience, often leading to beatings, imprisoment or both for all that particapted in these demonstrations.In one particular case, even more tragic, gunfire was opened on 15,000 men women and children gathered in rally, many were killed.Gandhi's answer was not revenge however, he felt that if "every man took an eye for an eye, the whole world would be blind."

The film also depicts the famous "March to The Sea", when Gandhi led thousands, to show the British that the salt(an important commidity to them) belonged to everyone,the hunger strikes he went on, and finally the respect earned him by even the British.

Reporters from around the world eventually learned of this great man and flocked to get his story.It follows through on the time after India gained it's Independence from England, and began to have civil probelms of it's own, with conflicts arising between the Muslims, and the Hindu. Again Gandhi would go on hunger strikes to bring peace to his nation.And finally his assassination which stunned the world, that this great man of peace would have his life ended so violently.The funeral scene is a sight to behold.

The film is extraordinary. The cinematography(Filmed mostly in India), the costumes designs, the acting, will all keep you totaly involved with this story of historical importance. Performances by Ben Kingsley, Martin Sheen,Candace Bergen, Sir John Gielgud, Trevor Howard and Edward Fox were all a stroke a brillant casting.Also look for a very young Daniel Day Lewis early on in the film. The music by Ravi Shankar and George Fenton(also given a nod by the academy) encompasses the true culture of India.

The DVD enhances all of the terrific qualities of the film. The widescreen(2.35:1) is perfect. The picture quality and colors clear and vibrant. Sound and dialouge excellent as well. Columbia/Tri-Star has given this important film the treatment it deserves. There are also some great extras. Ben Kingsley talks about Ghandi and how he got into character, there is some original newsreel footage of Ghandi(watch this and you will realize what a remarkable job Kingsley has done), there's a photo montage, and several langauge subtitles(No Indian languages though,.. hmmm???).All together a great DVD.

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We are not perfect, but if we decide to do better than what has been the norm for humanity, we can. Gandhi chose to be a better man than he was and through his will power, guided but not blinded by his convictions, he embarked on a life that led him to challenge accepted notions on many aspects of our lives. He was creative, asking questions others did not ask and inventing answers others did not offer, with respect to problems we still face. And then he lived by what he discovered. He did not let his fears control him, but rather experimented with his own life to try out those answers. He sought the "truth" and tried to live by it. Above all, he tried to be honest with himself and with others. He tried not to inflict suffering, while also not allowing it to be accepted.

He was not a supreme, magical being. He was not a saint. He was one more human being. He just slowly, sequentially, and then decidedly chose to find and follow whatever the truth may be, within a path of love and acceptance for fellow human beings.

Most of us focus on the negative side of human nature. Most have no real faith in humanity. Here, though, is proof that we can do better.

There is hope for us. But hope exists only if there is willingness to steadfastly, stubbornly, but DEFINITELY NOT CLOSED-MINDEDLY work for it.

I recommend this movie for teenagers and young adults, after an introduction to the history that led to the conditions in Ganghi's India, and the ideas permeating Western politics and ethics in that era.

To anyone wishing to understand his psyche more fully, I'd recommend his autobiography:

THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH

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Forrest Gump (Chocolate Box Giftset) (1994)

Forrest Gump is a rare movie that succeeded on all levels. It was a box office smash ranking among the top five highest grossing movies of all time. But it was also a critical darling, garnering across the board praise and a truckload of awards. The movie became a cultural phenomenon, spawning cook books, quote books, a top ten soundtrack album and lines like "stupid is as stupid does" and "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" have permeated our dialect. The movie has a nostalgic, feel good vibe thanks to the dimwitted Forrest's trek through 60's and 70's touchstone events. Underneath all those warm feelings lies a darkness. Bad things happen to just about everyone Forrest comes in contact with. His best friend Bubba is killed in Vietnam, his other friend Lt. Dan loses both his legs, his mother dies of cancer and his beloved Jenny dies of AIDS. Even the famous people Forrest comes across meet with disaster, President Kennedy & John Lennon are assassinated, George Wallace is shot and Elvis Presley dies young. There are superb performances all around. Sally Field is feisty as Forrest's mama, Mykelti Williamson is funny as Bubba, Gary Sinese as Lt. Dan is a perfect rough edged foil to Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny portrays the confusion that young people of the times felt perfectly. While all those performances are of high quality, Forrest Gump is Tom Hanks' tour de force. He is utterly brilliant as Forrest. He is in virtually every scene of the movie and never once does he fail to astound. He becomes Forrest and makes you care what happens to him. Mr. Hanks deservedly won his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for the role and cemented himself as the best actor of his generation and one of the best of all time.

1994 featured the two most interesting central characters to ever grace the silver screen. They were Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption) and Forrest Gump, played respectively by Tim Robbins and Tom Hanks. Both films from which the characters originate I consider to be in the top five best movies of all time and it's the actors that makes the characters come to life that makes the films so magnificent.

Forrest Gump is a drama and a comedy. It tells the tale of a mildly retarded man who becomes involved accidentally in the biggest events of the sixties, seventies, and eighties. All throughout his life since he was a child, Forrest has been in love with a girl named Jenny (Robin Wright Penn). However, she refuses him only because she loves him too much and doesn't want to hurt him.

Underrated by audiences, Forrest Gump is simply an amazing film. I was surprised by how hilarious and moving it was. The film generates many big laughs that involve how Forrest initiated and inspired many events in recent history such as how he was the one who taught Elvis Presley to dance and the time he unknowingly ratted on the Plumbers of Watergate.

The performances are what make this film memorable. Tom Hanks gives one of the best leading performances of the decade (and possibly of all time). Coming in almost as good is Gary Sinise as the misanthropic lieutenant whose life is changed after becoming involved with Forrest in the shrimp business. The supporting cast which consists of Wright Penn, Sally Field, Mykelti Williamson, and Haley Joel Osment (of Sixth Sense fame) also deliver good performances.

Forrest Gump is a great film that has to be seen to be believed. Cynics might find some problems with this film but they would just be missing the entire point. This is essentially a film about how the most innocent and kind person on Earth has a low IQ and how he views the world. His journey is simply breathtaking.

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Forrest Gump is one of the best film of all time. Definitely the best Zemeckis's work so far and he has put so much soul and depth to this 1994 Academy Award winning Best Picture. This movie portrays the life of a slow-witted character who gets embroiled in various ridiculous situations. He was a Vietnam war hero, received a congressional medal of honour, shook hands with many US Presidents and was a successful owner of a shrimp company. We get to see many world events through the eyes of a supposedly "dumb" character. The flow and pace of the movie was perfect as we ride through various historical events like the Vietnam War, assasination of JFK and the Watergate Scandal. Tom Hanks gave an undeniably wonderful performance as Forrest and truly deserves the Oscar that he earned. Gary Sinise gave a superb performance as Lieutenant Dan in the movie. Even though he was only nominated and did not win anything, I felt he really deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The scene where he pulled Forrest down from the bed and cursed him for saving his life, just simply blew me away. Sally Field is also wonderful as Forrest's mother and deserves the Oscar as well. The line "Forrest, you have to do your best what God has given you. Be brave Forrest, be brave in everything you do. Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get." really moved me and brought me tears. No movie had bring such emotion in me. Robin Wright did her role well as Forrest's love interest and complements well to Forrest's life. The actors truly brings the characters to life and I must salute Zemeckis for choosing the perfect cast. The technical aspect of the film is just excellent. The visual effects is unlike anything we have seen before. Many movies have not fully utilised the CGI effects to complement it. Nowadays, filmmakers just want to show what special effects they can do rather than what the special effects can do for the film. In Forrest Gump, visual effects are utilised to their best to create unbelievable scenes. Scenes like the flying feather, Lieutenant Dans' missing legs, Vietnam War, meeting of the president is just incredible. This is what visual effects is all about. To create impossible scenes to the big screen. Alan Silvestri's film score is one of the best scores I have ever heard. From the touching piano piece at the beginning feather scene to the uplifting tune of Forrest hugging Jenny at the Washington square scene, Alan's award-winning score truly brings the perfect mood and emotion to the film. Every aspect of this movie is simply excellent from the eye-popping special effects, film editing, wonderful score, sound, to the theme of the movie. This movie makes us realised that we all have a purpose in life and that we all have the ability to do the impossible. Forrest Gump tells us that we all should have strong principles and beliefs to succeed in life. Forrest only believes in 3 person. He believes in God, his momma and Jenny. Nothing can go past them. Just look at what Forrest has achieved. He is the President of a shrimp company, a war hero, a Ping-Pong champion, and a happy father. Forrest Gump simply tells us that we can achieve anything in life as long as we put our best effort and believe in everything that we do. Forrest Gump is no doubt one the best films I have ever seen. It changes my perception of life and makes me realised that we all have a purpose in this world. We probably won't be seeing anything like this forever. A true masterpiece.

Read Best Reviews of Forrest Gump (Chocolate Box Giftset) (1994) Here

Forrest Gump is a very hard movie to watch since I am an autistic physically disabled black dude who grew up in the racially charged 1960's. I had always heard so much about Forrest Gump that made me not think it was the kind of movie I'd like watching so I usually avoided it with a passion. Suddenly this Christmas friends of mine roped in into sitting through Forrest Gump and I was shocked by how much I absolutely loved this movie.

The movie is vivid fictionalized but oddly realistic life seen through (disabled kid) Forrest Gump's eyes. Forrest Gump's perspective on life was weird but strange as he was the movie felt real in the oddest ways I could imagine. It is true watching life unfold through Forrest Gump's eyes offers a perspective that leaves you altered for the better if you have any heart and soul at all. I owe this movie a huge appology because for years I just knew in my heart I'd hate Forrest Gump yet I ended up loving that it was so much like my own life experience growing up disabled in the 1960's when you got very little encouragement and help as a special needs kid.

I suspect I disliked Forrest Gump because it came way too uncomfortably close to being exactly like my own life growing up disabled labelled the dummy or my neighborhood retard by grown ups and peers alike. Like Forrest I had family members (grandparents mainly) who loved me and fought hard, long and tirelessly to be sure I had the same opportunities for advancement other kids had. I saw the park bench scene in the movie trailer and felt it was acted way too simplistically almost as if the movie was poking fun at or making light of the disabled so I never wanted to watch it. Forrest Gump threatened to reopen many painful memories from my own past growing up disabled and those sores were still sensitive in my heart so why watch it.

I am much stronger as a disabled person now than I have ever been before so I let myself be roped into watching Forrest Gump. I liked and understood myself now so I risked veiwing Forrest Gump this Christmas Eve surrounded by friends. Anyways this Christmas Eve friends wanted me to see the Forrest Gump DVD after hearing I had still never seen it so I saw the movie from beginning to end. Watching Forrest Gump was still very painful because, I experienced personally so much of the torment Forrest did going to regular school as a disabled kid in the mid 60's myself. More than a few times I wanted to leave the movie and just go sit in a corner, retreat into my own autistic world to cry tears of solidarity for Forrest Gump in a place where my heart was my only witness but I did not. I stayed the course and watched the whole Forrest Gump movie despite my own pains being vigorously stirred. I gave my word to friends I'd watch to all of Forrest Gump and a Wolf without honor is no Wolf at all.

Yes Forrest Gump stirred up some real painful experiences in my past but that said the movie answered some real unresolved questions I had leaving me much stronger, secure and prouder as a disabled man for my Forrest Gump experience. In my eyes a truly good movie uses fiction to teach truth in ways that leaves an audience stronger better and more enlightened and in all these measures Forrest Gump excels so completely as to have no equals in its job of putting 1960's life with disability in honest perspective. My grandparents used to insist I never see myself as disabled I was expected to do everything the normal folk did and for years I thought my grandparents were cruel almost to the point of being sadistic. I had started to know my grandparents loved me. Watching Forrest Gump showed me that expecting your disabled child to make his own way in normal society coping using tools he developed alone was the most difficult way to love a special needs child in the 1960's but it was the only way to encourage success back in those days when ignorant hostile cruelty about disabilities was rampant.

I am successful today exactly because my grandparents pushed me forcing me to cope in the world of normal people until I got it right. In my case it took me 41 years to get it right and it is still a daily struggle to live among normal folk but I do it. I had hated and avoided watching Forrest Gump for the same reasons I love and highly reccomend buying it from AMAZON.COM now. The Forrest Gump experience as wacky and off beat as it appears was really how it was to be cognitively and physically disabled in the 1960's. For a long time Forrest Gump was too real. Forrest Gump's message hit me way too close to home reminding me of things I'd rather forget and for those very same reasons I most highly recommend that you please buy Forrest Gump on DVD from Amazon.com because the story might be fiction but the 1960's disabled experince it shares is so REAL it can not honestly be deniedtake it from one who lived it! This I know.

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Forrest Gump is a tale of America's culture from the 50s through almost the present day, and it is brilliantly done. Tom Hanks' performance as Forrest Gump is quite simply flawless as an idiot savant who comes into contact with most of the significant events and people of his day. I have always liked Hanks as an actor, and here he puts in an unusual and yes, a brilliant performance.

But the real star of the movie is America of the 50s through the early 80s. The portion of the film that dealt with the Vietnam conflict was unforgettable, as we see large numbers of ordinary American boys swept into a conflict that they little understood. Gary Sinise puts in a very creditable performance as Lt. Dan, Forrest's platoon leader in Vietnam for whom the war is a personal tragedy.

The film hilariously shows Forrest Gump navigate through many of the key events in history during the periods. He meets Elvis and influences his style. He meets President Kennedy. He has a ringside seat in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. He is caught up in the Vietnam War. He meets President Nixon and inadvertantly triggers the Watergate scandal (this part is really a hoot). The film's portrayal of the hippies and radicals of the 60s is particularly funny and in fact rings true.

This is a film that almost everyone will like, and which will touch even the most hard-boiled viewer. The DVD is a terrific value, and most viewers will enjoy watching this one many times.

Solomon Kane (2009)

The hero, Solomon Kane, is an early 16th century Puritan who roams the earth fighting evil. The character was introduced in 1928 by Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan.

This movie is a wonderful sword and sorcery story. It's not quite true to the Solomon Kane stories as written by Howard, but it's a very exciting and entertaining origin story for the Kane character. Purists may complain that it's not verbatim Howard, but it is well written. Presumably now that he has been given a back story, he can go forth in sequels vanquishing evil in true Howard fashion.

The film introduces Solomon Kane as a murderous privateer who one day discovers that his wicked past has caught up with him and the devil is ready to claim his soul. A near escape from the devil's own reaper is enough to set Kane on the path to righteousness. He forsakes his violent past to become a man of peace but, as they will do, circumstances conspire against him.

James Purefoy is marvelous, as always, in the Kane role. He is one of those rare actors who can deliver pages of exposition with a well timed facial expression. Max von Sydow and Pete Postlethwaite are excellent in their supporting roles. Rachel Hurd-Wood is luminous as the young Puritan girl whose rescue becomes Kane's mission.

As sword and sorcery should be, this film is quite dark...figuratively and literally. Dark magic, demons, ghouls, witches, bloodletting, murder, and torture are portrayed against a background of dark, dreary, icy winter days not to mention the somber dress and sober speech of the Puritans as Solomon Kane seeks redemption for his past transgressions.

This movie was originally premiered in 2009 and went into release in Europe in 2010. US fans of Kane and Howard have had to wait until now for a domestic release. It's a mystery why this film didn't find a US distributor until now, but the long dry spell is over. It's terrific! I have one of the region 2 DVDs, and was pleased to see the HD instant video rental is better quality. I'm looking forward to a Reg A BluRay release in the not too distant future, too!

Highly recommended!

Can a person who has sinned truly be redeemed, and if so, how can he do it?

That question is at the heart of "Solomon Kane," a grimy, rainy story focused on a man who has done horrible things, and now desperately tries to redeem himself. But despite a lack of real setting, Michael J. Bassett's dark fantasy is a strangely compelling, haunting one, and James Purefoy's lean, desperate performance fits his character beautifully.

For many years, mercenary Solomon Kane (Purefoy) killed and stole without regard for anyone. But in one raid in Africa, he found the Devil's reaper waiting for him -and only barely escaped. Terrified by the prospect of hell, Solomon devotes himself to peace and God at a monastery. And after the abbot sends him out into the world, Solomon befriends a family of Puritans, particularly the pure-hearted Meredith (Rachel Hurd-Wood).

But when the family is slaughtered and Meredith is kidnapped, Solomon throws aside his vow of nonviolence, believing that saving her from death will save his soul from hell's grip. So he sets out to rescue her from the evil sorcerer Malachai, his skin-masked swordsman, and his hordes of cursed soldiers but he has little idea of what they're planning for him.

I honestly didn't expect to like "Solomon Kane" as much as I did -most movies that try to combine action with theological/philosophical stuff fail miserably. But somehow it just clicks in this movie, especially since the main character truly believes himself to be destined for hell, but he tries to do the right thing anyway.

And Solomon's world is suitably bleak: a gritty, muddy, rain-soaked, grey-skied world, where witches and black-eyed soldiers wander around killing people. There are some filler scenes (like the crazy priest tossing Solomon to a zombie pack), but the story feels almost like a spiritual journey that happens to have a lot of hack'n'slash gore and forbidding dark castles in it.

But it does have some flaws -there's a lot of theological sketchiness, and apparently one of hell's best minions is a... wingless Balrog. And the whole crucifixion scene felt unnecessary and a little silly ("GOD, GIVE ME STREEEEEEEEEEENNNNN...").

But James Purefoy gives a really powerful performance, giving Solomon a raw, hungry energy and a dark-light duality that is very compelling -he's a natural warrior, but craves peace and justice. It's also rather refreshing that he doesn't have any romantic tension with Rachel Hurd-Wood's wide-eyed Meredith -Solomon just admires and treasures her for her innocence and kindness.

"Solomon Kane" is a movie I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did, especially since I'm still scarred by the horrors of "Jonah Hex." But it ends up being a gritty, gripping quest with some very strong acting.

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This is an Awesome Movie! I am a bigtime REH fan and although this might not be word for word Howard text, personally I believe it accuratly embodies the spirit of Solomon Kane. I love it.

UNFORTUNANTLY!!! For whatever lame reason this has not been released in Theaters or on DVD in America. So what do you do?

I bought the UK version trying to be legit and all, and although its real nicely packaged, it is no better than any of the high quality Peer to Peer versions available for download. The disc itself is a little less than 4 gigs and the bitrate is unimpressive.

My advice is to either wait till someday it does come out in America and then buy it (hopefully a better copy) or buy the Blu-Ray Disc for twice the money and assume that its of better production quality.

I dont fault the seller, but the manufactuer.

Read Best Reviews of Solomon Kane (2009) Here

When I was growing up, it was through Robert E. Howard's Conan and the Lord of the Rings that I got introduced to Fantasy. As much as I enjoyed Conan, I actually found Solomon Kane to be a superior character created by Howard, although there were fewer stories and since I don't think Frazetta ever did a cover for the paperback reissue, it did not nearly approach the popularity of at least many of the Conan stories in the 70s.

That said, when I encountered this on rental with Amazon, I had to check it out for old time's sake, and thoroughly enjoyed the production values, the acting and direction of the film, and its overall faithfullness to Howard's original character and to the ambience (moody, dreary, winter) of some of the Solomon Kane stories. Solomon, as I recall, was a Puritan swashbuckler who dedicated his life to finding and fighting demonic evil. He is not a "fun" character, but the religious underlay of his motivation in the film is relevant without being cloying. Quality of the rental and streaming on the XBox360 was excellent.

The story is fast paced, and the back story is quickly and effectively delivered. I watched in HD, and the special effects were mostly quite good IMO, although I found the fleet battle in the beginning not very convincing -but it can't be on more than thirty seconds. Dialog drew a good balance between avoiding obvious anachronisms while avoiding pedantic fidelity to the language of the day. Likewise, fighting and stunts were also generally plausible. There is no fencing per se in this movie -rather there is sword "fighting". It's about survival. I had never seen a demon quite like the CGI demon who comes after Solomon in the climax, but it was very effective. The supporting cast (Von Sydow and Postlewaite and others) are excellent.

How disappointing that this was not released at all in the USA in theaters. I really hope there will be a sequel.

RECOMMENDED: No sexual content or language, but considerable graphic violence and blood.

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I have been waiting for Solomon Kane to arrive in the US for quite some time. The title has languished, sadly labeled "unknown release" at the bottom of my Netflix queue for over a year. And then, lo, Amazon offered a "pre-theater release rental."

The film was a delightful dark fantasy romp with stunning visuals provided by effects master Patrick Tatopoulos. Filled with action and adventure, the movie did a good job of representing the spirit of Howard's classic Solomon Kane. It weaves together incidents that could be the subject of Howard short stories into a strong storyline and pays homage to the original fantasy witchhunter. With good pacing and a tip of the (large, Puritan) hat to classic adventure films, the movie actually provides a far more entertaining experience than many recent, more lauded fantasy adventure films.

The format currently offered by Amazon (pre-theater streaming) is absolutely brilliant. I wish more companies would release films this way. I was able to thoroughly enjoy the film in the comfort of my own home on my own system. This distribution model is wonderful, and I hope more follow it. I, for one, am more than willing to pay a few dollars more for the opportunity to avoid the theater experience and its added costs.

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Close-Up (The Criterion Collection) (2010)

A man on a bus gets mistaken for the famous Iranian filmmaker Mohssen Makhmalbaf, and he pretends to be him for a while, ingratiating himself into the life of a family by speaking of a project he is working on. He's not in it for the money, though he borrows taxi fare and is given food. It's the sense of being someone, someone who matters, someone who these people he has come to care about will look up to. When another Iranian filmmaker hears about the trial for this alleged conman, he asks permission to film it and follows up by reconstructing elements of the case, using the actual perpetrator as his main actor.

I don't want to give away more of the situation, captured here in a unique blend of documentary and fiction. What I do want to give is a personal account of my experience with this film, that I hope will motivate a few to take a look -and to be patient. The film doesn't work its magic right away -and in fact the beginning of the film can be somewhat disorienting.

Kiarostami has a way of finding the fantastic in the mundane. Somehow, he sets up his films in such a way that I can find myself for the most part merely interested wondering what it is all about, and then suddenly surprised to find myself overwhelmed, surprised by an emotional response that was not manipulated from me with music but somehow, mysteriously. This happened to me while watching ABC Africa, and even more powerfully during this film. His style, the way he achieves this, can almost be thought of as an anti-style -I know that may not make a lot of sense, but it would take longer than I have here to make clear what I am thinking when I say this. It seems like he is doing very little, but the effect is (in my experience) magical, unexplainable and overwhelming. (For those familiar with Paul Schrader's provocative work on "transcendental style" in Bresson, Ozu and Dreyer, I'd suggest Kiarostami as another who works in this vein -but whose work is quite distinct from these three).

I'll admit, I'm biased. I've become fascinated by the work of Kiarostami in the past few years. Plus, I am very much drawn to films where reality and fiction intersect and overlap in interesting ways. Still, I'm convinced that with a bit of patience -if you just give yourself the time to let the film work on you without bringing to it expectations that it won't fulfil -anyone would be overwhelmed by the marvelous simplicity of this film.

I'm very excited to hear that Criterion is re-releasing this film, and hope that it manages to receive wider attention and acclaim. Here's what to expect on the Criterion dvd release:

-a new, restored high-definition digital transfer

-an audio commentary by Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa and Jonathan Rosenbaum, authors of Abbas Kiarostami

-The Traveler, a notable early feature by director Abbas Kiarostami

-"Close-up" Long Shot, a forty-five-minute documentary on Close-up's central figure, Hossein Sabzian, five years after Kiarostami's film

-a new video interview with Kiarostami

-A Walk with Kiarostami (2003), a thirty-two-minute documentary portrait of the director by Iranian film professor Jamsheed Akrami

-a new and improved English subtitle translation

-and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Godfrey Cheshire

Shot in 40 days, using courtroom footage and reenactments with people playing themselves, this "new wave" film by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami is an absorbing journey into the nature of identity. What does an ordinary man become when he is assumed to be someone famous? The answer can be poignant, as it is in this film, and surprisingly complex.

Moved by director Mohsen Makhmalbaf's film "The Cyclist," a divorced and unemployed printer's assistant pretends for a moment to a fellow bus passenger that he is the director himself. Suddenly becoming the object of respect and admiration, he allows himself to be drawn into a ruse involving an entire family, who believe that he wants to make a movie about them.

Legally, he admits in court, he is guilty of fraud. But morally, he argues, he has not done and never intended any harm. He has the heart and soul of an artist, which the limited circumstances of his life have never permitted him to be. Respected and admired, taken seriously maybe for the first time in his life, he is lifted out of his suffering. How this is all played out before the cameras makes for a fascinating study of art, imagination, and self. This film is both wise and touching and a worthy addition to the Criterion collection.

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This brilliant dramatic re-creation of an unusual case of criminal impersonation examines the conceits of cinema on one hand, but also the state of post-revolutionary Iranian society, where dire poverty and lack of opportunities can crush aspirations, artistic or otherwise. The writer-director, Abbas Kiarostami ("A Taste of Cherry"), read about Sabzian's predicament in a magazine article, decided to film the trial, and then asked everyone involved to play themselves. A fascinating mash-up of reality and artifice, "Close-Up" is a minor miracle of engaged storytelling whose compassionate final minutes will leave an indelible impression.

Read Best Reviews of Close-Up (The Criterion Collection) (2010) Here

Like other movies by this director, Close-Up moves slowly but somehow develops a quiet momentum that continues after the screen goes dark. I think this is partly due to Kiarostami's sincerity. He feels a genuine interest and affection for his characters, and his movies can give you a powerful sense that yes, their lives are really like that, revealed in repetitions and small struggles.

The New Yorker excerpt quoted above suggests that Close-Up contains a protest against religious authority in Iran. I don't see this as a main theme. There may be some subtle reading on which post revolutionary Iranian society is criticized, but the Islamic judge in the trial appears as a fair minded man and not in the least a zealot. He helps bring about a satisfying resolution. Of all the characters it's the journalist who comes off looking most like a shabby opportunist.

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Elegant, mystifying, sad, beautful, these are just some of the words and feelings which come to mind having watched Close Up. The mixing of genres; is it fact, is it fiction etc. all leave you wondering afterwards, asking yourself what is reality, what is fiction?

That a movie as deceptively simple as this one has the power to stimulate one's mind in such a profound way is a great tribute to the filmaker. It also goes to show that there is a part of our brains, by-passed by almost all contemporary, Western cinema, which is open to simple stories about humble humanity and it's wayard dreams.

If all this sounds a little bit o.t.t., then watch the movie for yourself, allow it wash over you and I guarantee you will get an itch somewhere deep in your head, the part which actually makes you human.

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Escape (2012)

I wasn't really sure what to anticipate from the Norwegian film "Escape." The marketing artwork, packaging and description make it seem like this might be a cheesy kid's adventure film. So I strapped in and hoped for the best. And as is often the case with relatively low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. There isn't a whole lot of plot in this spare 80 minute film, but the action sequences were well executed and the movie held my interest throughout. The title really explains the entire film premise. It's about an escape with not much back story or explanation either before or after the event. By keeping things simple and straightforward, however, the movie succeeds in telling a concise little story. It may not be a great movie, but it is entertaining. The DVD/Blu-ray has the option of an English dubbed soundtrack, but I watched the film with subtitles. I can't, therefore, comment on the quality of the dub which is oftentimes distracting and annoying to my personal taste.

The movie is set ten years after the Black Death has decimated the population. A lone family traveling the desolate countryside is attacked by a gang of outlaws. After the bloody encounter, the teenaged daughter is taken back to the savage's camp and kept as a prisoner. She forms a tentative bond with another young girl, but her fate seems all but sealed unless she can take matters into her own hands. What must she do? She must escape, you guessed it. Never mind where she's going, she has to assert independence, courage, and ingenuity if she plans to survive this ordeal. Most of the movie has our hero on the run, and her pursuers following closely. That's about it!

The look of "Escape" is quite impressive. The scenery is spectacular and the action sequences are well done. For a low-budget endeavor, the filmmaking is quite accomplished. Young actress Isabel Christine Andreasen is believable and appealing, but it is Ingrid Bolsø Berdal who gets the film's showiest role as villainous Dagmar. I would love to have seen a movie about her character, she seems like a fascinating subject! In the end, you're not particularly connected to the fate of any of the characters but that didn't bother me. Because the movie had such a limited scope and modest ambitions, it worked just fine. I'm not particularly raving, but I enjoyed myself. Overall, about 3 1/2 stars. I'll round up for Berdal's work as Dagmar. KGHarris, 4/13.

I usually don't bother writing reviews, but I do like to leave at least some feedback when I come across that rare budget movie that actually turns out to be fairly good. Well, this is one of those diamonds in the rough even though the plot was simple. The acting was good, and the script was well written. I was pleasantly surprised :) Sorry for the simple review, but again I don't usually care to write reviews.

Cheers!

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It's not the best cinematography ever, it is a foreign language film with English subtitles. A very good story, actors were good (especially the two young lasses).

I'm surprised to find this gem hidden back on page one hundred something. It should be up front, at least ahead of "I spit on your grave" & "Godzilla vs Megagodzilla"

Hunger Games, Hanna type movie, action, drama. Dagmar is Hawtt! In a Johnny Winter sort of way.

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This is one great and awesome movie ... you WILL have to remind yourself to breath for your stomach muscles are tight for the whole part of the movie (and it hurts after a while). Awesome and INTENSE story plus superb acting. Awesome and superb video and audio quality throughout the whole movie. I just had my Pioneer Kuro elite plasma calibrated 2 weeks ago and this Bluray simply showed off its prowess.

I chose the Norwegian/Swedish version with English subtitles version since it was in high definition audio (DTS-HD MA). The English voice over version is stereo which I didn't like. Subtitles didn't bother me one bit and probably heightened the movie experience.

By all means ... this movie is extremely and highly recommended. You will NOT regret it one-bit! Excellent example of good triumphing over evil in the end ... but at a great cost indeed!!!

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