Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011)

In their newest direct-to-video movie, the classic cat and mouse cartoon team of Tom and Jerry are inserted not merely into the beloved L. Frank Baum story of "The Wizard of Oz", but the full-on MGM feature film version, complete with the styles and songs seen in the original film, though completely redone here in traditionally animated format. As Dorothy ends up in the magical land of Oz and on her quest to see the wizard and return home to a farm in Kansas, Tom and Jerry try their best to catch up with her (which they quickly do) and get home too, having made a promise to Auntie Em that they would look after Dorothy and Toto. But, the Wicked Witch of the West is hot on their trails and wants revenge on Tom and Jerry as much as on Dorothy and Toto themselves!

WB's original movie, "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz" has been high on my wish list ever since I first saw the cover art here on Amazon. As a huge fan of both animation and the original MGM Oz film, I've been patiently but eagerly waiting for it to come out, and now I finally have it in my hands on Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo, and I'm so glad! Is it a perfect production? No, a direct-to-video budget probably would never allow for that, but it's very good in a lot of ways. One of the best things about it is, for certain, the art and animation. The film does a great job replicating the visuals of the classic MGM movie here in cartoon format. It's really neat to see. The animation is just as direct-to-video animation should be. It's not quite theatrical quality, but it's close. I haven't seen any of the other Tom and Jerry direct to video movies yet, so I can't really compare them, aside from the Nutcracker one they did. I would put this on par with that one, though it's been a while since I've seen it. I think the earlier ones might not be as good. Like the Tom and Jerry Nutcracker program, this one has a touch of that Spumco look, but only in the best ways, like how they draw gorgeous girls. Dorothy is an absolute goddess here, which was a big deal for me since Dorothy from the original film was my first crush ever, and one of the best things about animation is the potential to bring drop-dead gorgeous, absolutely perfect female characters to life. They did a fantastic job here, and the women of the Emerald City are jaw-dropping as well, if too briefly seen (you can probably guess where this is; the bit when they are sprucing up the gang before going to see the wizard).

There are basically two sides to this story. You are getting an animated version of the classic MGM Oz film, and you're getting a Tom and Jerry adventure (one that is far better and truer to the characters than "Tom and Jerry the Movie", but then maybe all these direct-to-video features fit that bill). With that in mind, sometimes you feel you are watching something in the vein of "Lion King 1½", and sometimes you feel like you're watching an Animaniacs parody. In truth, this film probably SHOULD be more like the latter in terms of the writing. That is where it lets you down a bit. Maybe it was a budget issue that sometimes things seem a bit rushed story/humor wise, but I do feel that some more playful humor should have been worked into the many scenes that are taken directly from the movie. Much of it is nearly word for word, while a bit more spoofing might have worked better to keep the Tom and Jerry story and the original film's story feeling like they were ONE story. There is some of this, thankfully, especially in scenes with the villains, and it's enough, but more would have been better, I think. I also can't help but feel that maybe they should have used a Garland recording for the performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", because how can you really replace her for that? But I guess that is being a bit nit-picky. Over all, this is an excellent direct-to-video film, and I just wish it was longer. It clocks in at just under an hour (59 minutes, according to the cover), and that's a bit short for a 20 dollar flick. Plus, a lot of scenes that weren't shown (from the original Oz film) were very missed. We don't even see Dorothy meeting any of her Oz friends. The group is assembled by the time Tom and Jerry catch up to them. It might have been better to lengthen the film by just keeping Tom and Jerry at Dorothy and Toto's side from the beginning instead of having to catch up with them late after the tornado, but actually, I think the scene that, for some reason, I missed the most here was the one at the beginning in Professor Marvel's Wagon. It just seemed like it was supposed to be there. Oh well. Aside from the shortness and times when I felt the writing could have been more clever, I was very pleased with a lot of the humor that WAS included and that felt very true to the classic MGM cartoon spirit, like the bit where Tom meet's Tuffy and gets hit with the frying pan, and when he and Jerry encounter Droopy and do one of Droopy's best routines with an Oz flare. No, this film isn't perfect, but it's still a big win that was well worth waiting for, and as others have said, it's worth owning for the visuals alone! The voice cast, though not the best sound-alikes I've heard, were also great (okay, Tuffy's a little annoying though; I prefer the sweet, French-accented Tuffy), and thank you so much for keeping Tom and Jerry silent, as they should be for the most part!

As for the Blu-Ray itself, it's a little disappointing that there are only 2 bonus features, and one is actually not a bonus feature but an alternate version of the film. I'm so glad that alternate version was included though. It SHOULD be the primary version of the film, because it is the way you SHOULD watch "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz". It's a version of the film with the beginning and ending in sepia tones, as in the original MGM feature. It IS cool to have the full color version as well, but THAT is the version that should be in the special features section. As for the other bonus, it's a little science lesson of 3 activities that are Oz related. Making your own tornado in a bottle, making a rainbow, and how a hot air balloon works (which could have been demonstrated better, I think), they're cute and probably fun for kids, but where are the classic MGM shorts as bonus features? That's what you SHOULD have here, or a little making-of documentary.

All in all, "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz" is a great little movie, though it may seem a bit pricey for being just about an hour and so light on bonus features. Still, if that is how they keep things at this quality, I'll pay it. Some of the writing could have been snappier, but it was still great and worth the purchase, especially if you're a fan of Oz and/or Tom and Jerry! Now, if they would just release that Saturday morning animated series that was based on the MGM Oz film. I think it was on in the early 90's, but not certain about that.

Cartoon Network telecast this on August 14, which is what prompted me to write this review. I only caught bits and pieces of it. The animation alone is worth getting the DVD for. It's crisp, colorful and very much like old school MGM Hanna-Barbera, Fred Quimby, etc. Plot, character and set design seems to follow the 1939 movie almost exactly, which is nice. If you are a fan of classic Tom and Jerry, you'll like this. If you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz, you'll think this is an interesting point of view on the story. This needs to be telecast every holiday season along with the movie.

Buy Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011) Now

My 3 year old loves Tom and Jerry and caught part of this on tv and asked me for it. I really didn't expect much. Figured it would be a second rate straight to video watch a few times then toss. This is actually a really good retelling of the classic story. My son is 3 and can't watch this enough times and I actually enjoy when it is on.

Read Best Reviews of Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011) Here

Great movies for kids introducing them to Wizod of Oz and not scaring them Tom and Jerry add so much fun to movie great laughs for young children

Want Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011) Discount?

While classic cartoons from Bugs Bunny to Garfield the cat are busy getting (largely unwelcome) 21st century makeovers, it's comforting to see MGM allowing Tom & Jerry to pretty much remain themselves in a series of direct-to-videos features. Even as the stories are getting more ambitious (such as in the duo's previous release Tom & Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes [Blu-ray]), the beloved cat-and-mouse team has remained mostly unchanged.

So here we find them inserted into one of the most-loved stories of all time. For longtime fans like myself, the very title alone brings shivers of anticipation. Tom and Jerry combined with the Wizard of Oz? How can you go wrong? And as others have pointed out, this is isn't simply the L. Frank Baum "Oz" story, it's the defintive MGM film version that is being utilized.

Right there at the Gale farm among Dorothy, Toto and those hired hands, we find Tom and Jerry. And they're not just tagging along; Auntie Em tells the pair to be sure and "look out for Dorothy" right before the tornado strikes. From there, the story unfolds almost exactly as it does in the film version. This is both a great asset AND a bit of a liability, however. The only real problem I have with this otherwise entertaining and very well-animated film is that things happen a bit too fast. It's as if the writers are saying "OK, we all know what happens in Munchkinland, so we can just skip over that." And Dorothy's journey down the yellow brick road is also very abbreviated; indeed, the cat and mouse (who've picked up a Munchkin mouse, the only other real deficit here) arrive too late to see Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.

The voicework and animation are all top-notch, especially for a made-for-video feature. And if you overlook the stuff I mentioned above, you'll likely to have a good time. Like all the previous Tom & Jerry features, it's perfectly safe for kids. There's even some kid-friendly activities in the bonus materials. Oh, and be sure to watch the film with the sepia-toned opening scenes (listed here, oddly, as a bonus feature) to get the real classic Wizard of Oz effect.

Recommended for fans of T & J and The Wizard of Oz.

Save 22% Off

Fight Club (10th Anniversary Edition) (1999)

When I'm looking at the Top Ten list's of America's critics and the nominations of the DGA,WGA and all the other guilds and press associations, I terribly miss David Fincher's outstanding film "Fight Club", which is possibly the best film of 1999.

Not only is the film visualy stunning, it is also very thought-provoking, wickedly funny and, above all, extremely entertaining. Only few films managed to be so many things at once. David Fincher, in my opinion one of the most exciting directors of the decade, fills his movie with so many ideas that it would be sufficient for three more movies, and they are not just gimmicks for their own sake, they all mean something. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are brilliant in the leads and the soundtrack by the Dust Brothers fits perfectly to the images.

Many reviewers thought the film was fascist. I think you can only call this ridiculous, since that assumes Fincher sympathizes with Tyler Durden's project mayhem. In fact, he invites us to form our own opinion, like Stanley Kubrick did in "A Clockwork Orange". "Fight Club" hands over the resposibility to the viewer. This may be uncomfortable to some, others (like myself) will embrace this.

FIGHT CLUB arrived in the US with a blaze of publicity stressing its violence and nihilism; some critics (and those close to the production) countered this with the suggestion that it was an anti-materialist jeremiad. On a second viewing, it seems like neither -it's easier to see it as a smart, committed and complex piece of filmmaking. David Fincher once again dazzles with his direction, which is as intelligently energetic as the acting of Brad Pitt and, especially, Edward Norton. What's really impressive, however, is the way that the film manages to flirt with an anti-materialist, hyper-masculine primitivism even as it suggests that we're all a little too sophisticated to buy it (as it were).

FIGHT CLUB may hold that we're not the clothes we wear, or the credit cards in our wallet, but it's savvy enough to realise that our paths of thought and modes of organisation are almost entirely contaminated by the world we've created. Is the solution to destroy that world? Well, that's an option - but watch closely in the movie's second half and see how subtly and hilariously Fincher undermines this: the anarchists begin to chant management-speak, to dissolve into a collective identity, and to form franchises as if they were selling frappucino rather than revolution. Norton is especially horrified at all this, and his wonderful reactions to the disintegration of 'Project Mayhem' are the calm (and moral) centre of the film. Rather like ANIMAL FARM, Fincher tells us that we can have our revolution, but it's going to cost us dear; perhaps even the individuality and reason which we'd hoped to gain from our actions.

Buy Fight Club (10th Anniversary Edition) (1999) Now

I didn't see this movie in the theaters because it had gotten very mixed reviews from the so-called professional movie reviewers. But, when it hit the local vidoe store, I thought I would give it a try. WOW, what a kick in the teeth, interesting, and fast moving journey into one man's mind. The path this movie takes is fantastic.

Norton and Pitt are perfectly cast, and supported by a crew of fight club members that make for a well-acted show. Meatloaf, Ed Gil, Jared Leto, et. al. are great in support as the members/followers of the leads. Helena Bonham Carter has the only real female role in this film and is perfectly cast. But as much as the acting, this movie is made by the story. Unconventional, with a great twist at the end, the whole movie kept me on the edge of my seat. As with many great movies, it is hard to classify the genre (action, comedy, drama), as there is a sampling of all in this film. In the end, I would just classify this as a great film.

Much was made of the violence of this movie when it first hit the theaters. Those critics overstated the case. There is blood and violence in the movie, but it is not excessive and it serves the plot well.

If you missed this in the theater, see it now. If you saw it once, see it again. I will.

Read Best Reviews of Fight Club (10th Anniversary Edition) (1999) Here

It's a number. A star. A rating. Tyler knows that. He doesn't care. He's just pleased to know that in a world where even God doesn't know most people's name, there's another man who knows who Tyler Durden is.

Tyler Durden lets Big Lou punch him repeatedly in the jaw, while laughing maniacally, mocking him and infuriating him. At the end of the scene, Tyler seems to make the point: Real men don't always beat the crap out of other men, Real Men laugh silly at other men who try their best to make them feel pain, but only fail repeatedly. How would you feel if you sucked in all the power you had, landed a blow on a dude, and he laughed in your face as if to say, "That's your best shot?" Not very good, I think.

Tyler Durden [Brad Pitt] is the manifestation of every man's fantasy. Good-looking, brash, arrogant, fights like a tank, takes a beating like a tank, ****s like a machine and doesn't do any REAL work.

The Narrator [Ed Norton] is the manifestation of most modern men's reality. Plain-looking, dead-end job, no stable relationship, a decent collection of lifestyle accessories and sheer boredom.

When the two meet, you might expect the movie takes the usual route where the two men get to learn from each other, and find that each person's life has as many highs as pitfalls, and that your life is what you make of it. Err...no. Tyler is an enigma. A revolutionary of sorts. Hell, he isn't here to "learn" about the Narrator. He's here to "Jack" his life!!! Tyler Durden is a bigger, larger-than-life figure than James Bond, the Terminator or even Neo. He could easily steal any one of Bond's potential bed-mates from right under his nose. He could easily program the Terminator to believe its existence was useless and that it should self-terminate. He might even make Neo give-up and dump the whole "Because I choose to.." talk.

This movie may not "change" your life, but it will affect it. You will develop a liking for red leather. You will start working on a new walk. You will start sizing people up everywhere you go. You will stop caring about the fact that you're a 6-foot 120-lbs weakling with 13" biceps. You will start to think, "I'm sure I could throw ONE good dislocating punch at a 220lbs biker even after I take 4 punches to my face". You will want to be in better shape. You will cringe at the idea of a woman having any kind of control over your life. You will want to learn the art of dead-pan sarcasm that scares your boss out of his/her wits. Watch this movie, and you will wish that someday, people will ask, "Say, Who is (insert your name)?"

One of the better "mainstream" movies to have come out of Hollywood in recent years. Unless you exclusively like movies with a "Made for Oscars" plot [Disabled dude learns to appreciate life, WWII/Vietnam Veteran learn the value of human life,Gay Dude stands up against the system, etc.], you will have a hard time wondering why this movie didn't win a few dozen awards. In Tyler, You Can Trust.

Want Fight Club (10th Anniversary Edition) (1999) Discount?

Many of the people I know who didn't enjoy this movie simply didn't get it. Some were threatened by the attitude towards consumerism. Others found the violence too much, or even worse, over done. But no one came out of that theatre with something they'd expected or something they could forget about. Those who went in for an action flick were forced to watch a literate, existential, art film with violence that they couldn't get excited about because it had meaning. Those who wanted to see Brad Pitt saw Brad Pitt and paid little mind to the brilliant story brought to us by one of the finest new American authors, Chuck Palaniuk. And the rest were offended by the negative attitude toward their favorite coffee chains, clothing stores, and/or furniture outlet. I say good.

Some wonderful things about this movie, not giving anything away, are that the characters that are fighting the above mentioned institutions are also willing participants in making them as successful as they are, and the body count is as low as a big budget Hollywood film has been in years. Don't believe me? Check it out.

As a film, it stands out as one of the most creative and beautifully shot movies this year. David Fincher, not being bound by convention, made one of the best adaptations from novel to screen ever with Fight Club.

This film will speak to everyone. To some it will say horrible things they do not want to hear. To others it will touch a place you never knew you had in you. Read the book if you want to really know the philosophy. See the movie for a demonstration.

Save 60% Off

Animation - Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (Uchu Senkan Yamato 2199) 1 (BD+BOOKLET) BCXA-485 (2012)

Space Battleship Yamato has been around for nearly forty years. There's a fine line to walk when you're reintroducing the original storyline to new and old fans alike. The production team working on Yamato 2199 deserve all the praise they've been getting. They've done a wonderful job by keeping the original sound effects, the musical score should be familiar if you've seen the tv show, the updates to the mechanical (ship) designs are eye candy (it's very detailed), and the character designs have been updated with a military flair but still retain that Leiji Matsumoto flair.

Please keep in mind that this first volume only has the first two episodes. Future volumes should have four episodes per BD/DVD disc. Oh, it also comes with English subtitles. I can't help but recommend this series to fans of classic anime. You won't be disappointed.

Space Battleship Yamato 2199 is a remake of the almost 40 year old Japanese Anime, Space Battleship Yamato. For those in the know, this original series, which was actually 3 series total, was what was made into the US and Australian release called Star Blazers. That "little known" series, Star Blazers...

Story goes that the Earth is in its death throes, as the planet is being attacked by Gamilians, an advanced race of beings similar to humans with the exception of their skin color. The Earthlings have been instructed by Starsha, who has sent her 2 sisters to Earth, to use the Wave Motion Engine to journey to her home planet, Iscandar. There they will supposedly find the means to restore the decimated planet Earth to its former glory.

Thus begins an epic journey that includes great space ship battles, great character building and romance.

Something I found awesome is that I compared some of the ship battles from the first episode of 2199 to the old Yamato series and they did a great job keeping similar ship formations, attacks and so on. It's a loving nod and acknowledgment to the old series.

To help those that aren't Japanese readers/speakers, to turn on subtitles you can do it 2 ways.

1) Wait for the main program to start

2) Press the subtitle button on your remote and switch on English

The other way:

1) wait for the main program to start

2) Press your Pop Up Menu option

3) Press DOWN on your remote (ON, which appears on the pop up menu, should turn GREEN)

4) Press ENTER on the remote

5) Press Pop Up Menu again and you should have subtitles

BLU RAY REGION ENCODING: from all my testing, all of the Yamato 2199 discs released so far are Region Free and should play in any player.

Video:

One thing you can hand to just about any Japanese release is that it will have the highest quality possible, even if it might be something you wouldn't notice in practice. Yamato 2199 is no exception.

The video is encoded in AVC. The bit rate sits strong at 35 39 mbps. Given the audio is in LPCM at 2.3 mbps constant bit rate, this is about as high as I've ever seen in video bit rates.

This translates into rock solid video quality, with no compression problems to be seen. Anywhere. Ever. Simply looks amazing.

Audio:

LPCM audio running at a constant 2.3 mbps. This is a Japanese audio track only. Music is clear. Dialog is clear. Stereo separation is very good as well and they use the sound stage well.

If you are looking for English audio, similar to what Gundam Unicorn has, you will be disappointed. This disc is Japanese spoken language only. There are English subtitles, which I discuss below.

Subtitles:

I don't usually rate subtitles, but since this is a Japanese release, I felt it a good idea to add to my normal BD review format.

The subtitles are well done. White subtitles. The translations, for the most part, are spot on. They do a good job trying to capture English idioms with the translations, much the way localization generally happens when an Anime is licensed for US release. I believe the subtitle company is actually NYAV Post, which is also the company doing subs on Gundam Unicorn, which are also very good as well.

If you don't mind reading subtitles, you should have no problem understanding what's going on.

Extras:

The extras are, unfortunately, Japanese dialog only with no English subtitles. This is kind of disappointing since you pay so much for the discs, but they ARE targeted at the Japanese audience first and foremost.

On this disc, all that is included as video extras is a creditless opening and audio commentary for episode 1. The audio commentary is NOT subtitled at all either. There is also a commercial for Yamato Resurrection Director's Cut (or something like that), another series I believe that was released in 2009 or 2010. I think it's just an OVA, but not positive.

You cannot turn on the audio commentary through the audio button on the remote, it has to be done in the extras menu. If someone needs help figuring that out, leave me a comment in my review and I'll do what I can to explain how to get there.

In terms of other extras, there is a nice printed booklet included. Inside are character and mechanical designs and a synopsis. If you can't read Japanese, you can just appreciate the nice design artwork.

Packaging:

If you were lucky enough to purchase this disc during the First Run, you would have gotten a nice cardboard slip cover. Otherwise, you get the cover artwork you see in the Amazon listing above. On the back is a synopsis, disc stats and a hand full of screen captures from the included 2 episodes.

Over all:

Yes. For two episodes, this is very expensive. The thing is, the video quality and audio quality are blisteringly high. The animation quality is high. The production value is high. And it is a domestic Japanese release, where DVDs and Blu Rays cost between $25 for mainstream releases, all the way up to $100 for niche releases. This is kind of a niche release, thus the price.

And the show is... amazing. Absolutely one of the best Anime series I've seen in a long, long time. They did a fantastic job of following the old series but injecting newness into it. For me, the price was worth it (I actually ordered from Amazon Japan and got a few of the 2199 releases to save on shipping).

If you have the means, this is HIGHLY recommended. If it is ever licensed for domestic US release, buying it should become a no brainer.

Buy Animation - Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (Uchu Senkan Yamato 2199) 1 (BD+BOOKLET) BCXA-485 (2012) Now

Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2

I picked up this set yesterday. I felt I paid a decent price for it when I compared it to buying the movies separately. I haven't actually watched any of the discs yet but I'm sure they'll be fine. I liked the first Cars and love Michael Caine so I'm looking forward to the sequel. Mater's Tall Tales should be cute as well, it was really just a bonus anyway, it was the other two that I wanted. What I was not happy with was the packaging. It looked nice enough in the store but upon getting home with it and opening it, its a super cheap way to package this 11 disc set. I assumed the cardboard would house some sort of container inside that would hold the discs. Nope. Once you open the box, there's a flimsy piece of packaging plastic that sits on top, it is in no way anchored or attached, of a piece of foam that has slits in it to hold the discs so that they don't rub against each other. That's it. No blu-ray cases or anything else. Wow, Disney, you would think with an $100 list price (I got it for $75, Best Buy had it for $80 plus I had a $5 off coupon) they could come up with something a little sturdier. Plus if you have kids and they want the car that's included, your going to have to tear open what packaging you do have to get it out and then how will your discs be kept? Really pretty disappointed here. I would have taken it back and bought the individual discs if not for the digital copies, I wanted them and you only get them for all three in this set. Bad form, Disney. Bad Form!

We're Disney fans, and already had Cars (1), but not the other two, so we opted for this set. It's a bit of overkill, but we have extras for all the different devices. Plus a couple of "oops, the kids scratched the heck out of this disc somehow" copies.

The kids enjoyed the movies. Since they're the intended audience, I'm not going to review the scripts/movies. I'm going to specifically talk about the packaging.

I'm all about reducing my plastic consumption. But I do NOT like the storage box these are in. I wish they had sleeves or something. The foam block inside the box holds all the discs (the silver box with the checkerboard "top" to it. The checkerboard thing is actuall a flap of fabric). Anyway, this foam cheapens it. And this was not a cheap set. The foam has slits cut in in to store the disc. I suppose they're supposed to be kept pristinely apart from each other, but when I opened the box, they were all rubbing against each other. Also, the notches are all deformed, so it's not as if I can somehow "fix" it. I can get every disc but one in the box without touching its neighboring discs.

Buy Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2 Now

I really enjoy the Cars movies and loved the idea of having them on blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy. You get a lot for your money in the end but if I were to do it over I would have bought them separately just to have them in better cases. Once you get into the box you find out that they are stored in a little box with soft foam that is shaped to slide the discs in and out of. It is not very user friendly, especially if you have little ones. The so called lid doesn't stay secure or really even fit for that matter. It is bulky and really a pain to try and fit it in with the other movies on the shelf. I say buy them separately and avoid the hassle of having to buy cases later.

Read Best Reviews of Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2 Here

Bought this as a gift for my grandson, and he loves having the whole set. The little car is fun for him to play with, and is packaged so that I can put it back in place when he's finished, thus saving the 'collector' aspect.

Want Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2 Discount?

My son got this as a gift for his birthday and he loves that it's every Cars movie especially the Cars Toons! However, just as stated with most other reviews, the packaging is really lousy. I can't even put the dvd's in correctly in that little soft foam holder.

Save 47% Off

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane: 50th Anniversary (2012)

I decided to include this description in case Amazon doesn't put it up right away. Here is what is included on the new 'Baby Jane' Special Edition DVD due out May 30th, 2006!

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) The legendary dispute between rival divas Bette Davis and Joan Crawford fuelled the fire both onand off-screen in Director Robert Aldrich's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Its Grand Guignol story of an aging ex-vaudeville child star (Davis) waging a psychotic reign of terror over her crippled ex-movie star sister (Crawford) became a smash hit and nabbed Davis her 10th Academy Award nomination for her acid portrayal of the title role. Nominated for an impressive five Academy Awards (winning for Best Costume Design), Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? is a mirthful masterpiece of the macabre.

DVD Special Features:

New 16x9 digital transfer from the original camera negative and restored audio elements (Enhanced for widescreen televisions)

Commentary by author and film historian , Charles Busch and film historian John Epperson (a/k/a "Lypsinka")

3 fabulous documentary profiles of the movie and its 2 immortal stars:

Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition (A new making-of documentary)

All About Bette, Biographical profile, hosted by Jodie Foster

Film Profile: Joan Crawford

Vintage featurette "Behind the Scenes with Baby Jane"

The Andy Williams Show

Theatrical Trailer

Languages: English & Français

Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

Oh yeah! I've been waiting quite awhile to partake in this slab of metaphysical weirdness! Needless to say, "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is everything you've heard and more. People went back and forth, frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a Freddy Krueger versus Jason Voorhees duel in "Freddy vs. Jason," but if you want the real deal all you need do is check out Joan Crawford versus Bette Davis. By all accounts sworn enemies in real life, "Baby Jane" finally brought the two powerhouses together for a knock down, drag out fight of epic proportions in a movie that is so utterly insane it really does defy description. Every thing I will write about the film below won't do it justice. I imagine this movie is a lot like the Taj Mahal or the Grand Canyon--you can look at pictures and say "Wow! That looks incredible," but a two dimensional photographic image won't give you the full effect. You've got to go there to appreciate such natural wonders, and you'll have to rent or buy this DVD to appreciate the wonder of Bette Davis on autocamp as a former child star grown up into, well, read on and see.

Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) had it all when she was a child. A hit song insured that big audiences turned out to see her perform on the stage. Unfortunately, little Jane suffered from an ego the approximate size of Wyoming, an ego that resulted in temper tantrums with her parents and her sister Blanche (Joan Crawford). Eventually her raging sense of self torpedoed her career even as her sister's began to soar when the film industry blossomed. Jane Hudson sank into obscurity, liquor, cigarettes, and a monstrous case of mental illness that greatly accelerated when a tragic accident put Blanche in a wheelchair for life. Now the two sisters live together in a decrepit house reminiscing about the old days. Well, at least Blanche reminisces. Jane Hudson spends her time stalking around the house in pancake makeup and a gossamer gown now tattered and spattered, spewing sarcasm and veiled threats at her sister, the neighbors, and the maid who arrives once a week to see how things are going. Hudson still thinks it's possible to resurrect her long dead celebrity if only she can figure out a way to rid herself of the onerous burden that is Blanche. Obviously, she finds a way. She begins tormenting her sister by placing disgusting things in her food and making her sound crazy to outsiders. When that fails to work fast enough, she resorts to out and out physical violence.

With Blanche under lock and key in a bedroom upstairs, Jane begins the rigorous training all performers undertake to return to greatness. She hires a down and out musician by the name of Edwin Flagg (Victor Buono) to drop by the house for voice and dance lessons. Now the real insanity starts as Hudson rapidly devolves back into her childhood persona. She prances about the house singing her old musical numbers, giving it her all without realizing how incredibly grotesque the idea of an elderly woman imitating a child is. Flagg thinks Jane is crackers, and he's right more than he could possibly know, but a paycheck is a paycheck. Until he finds out what is going on in a bedroom upstairs, that is. Faced with the distasteful presence of the local constabulary and the probability of a lot of probing questions about what's been going on between the two sisters, Hudson packs Blanche in the car for a trip to the beach. I won't spoil the conclusion of this cult classic for you, but let's just say a startling revelation at the seashore proves to be the straw that finally pushes poor Jane Hudson over the edge. The denouement is upsetting, the sort of ending that has you putting your hand to your mouth in a "oh my" gesture.

"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is a masterpiece of casting, directing, and performing. The idea of putting these two lionesses of the silver screen in the same picture was a stroke of genius on the part of director Robert Aldrich, although many questioned his sanity for making such a decision. Wouldn't the two actresses tear each other apart on set? Apparently not, but there were a few confrontations--including a thrown back and some real kicks delivered in a certain scene--and sniping that hinted at the turmoil just under the surface. Aldrich moved forward, crafting a film that is both claustrophobic in its set pieces and one that uses the black and white photography to great advantage. The film really succeeds, however, because of Bette Davis. She blows Joan Crawford out of the water in this movie, although to be fair Davis from the start had the meatier role. Her garish appearance and screeching voice deliver the chills to the nth degree, and her progressive decline into total insanity is shocking and absolutely convincing. Davis was nominated for an Academy Award for her disturbing portrayal of Jane Hudson, and rightfully so. She should have won. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of horror films, and Davis's Jane Hudson ranks as one of the most disturbing characters I have witnessed in any of them.

Sadly, the DVD doesn't give us much in the way of extras aside from cast and crew biographies and a few pages of text describing the production. Then again, it's unlikely we would hear about the movie from the primary figures involved in its production since they are all long dead. Perhaps a commentary track with a film historian or a similar person could have been put on the disc; I know of other films that do this. Anyway, if you haven't seen this film you've got to run, not walk, to get a copy. It's that good, it's that disturbing, and it's that memorable.

Buy What Ever Happened to Baby Jane: 50th Anniversary (2012) Now

This is one great movie! "What Ever Happened to BabyJane?" is, as stated in Amazon's description, the story of twoaging sisters, each in her own way connected with show business.

Now the good stuff. The sisters are played by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford (the only time the two ever acted together) to absolute perfection. Crawford is wonderful in the role of crippled sister Blanche, but Miss Davis absolutely walks away with the show as the former "Baby" Jane Hudson. The role is meatly and she revels in it! It is obvious that Miss Davis held the philosophy that, if you are going to go over-the-top, don't apologize. And she doesn't. She goes WAY over-the-top with a gleeful abandon that is infectious.

The way she taunts her wheelchair-bound sister (the title quotes one of Jane's best lines), serves her meals of dead rodents and ex-pets, kicks her in the gut, mocks her ever-so-proper speech, etc. It's all so delicious. And check out the ballet that she does to one of the songs from her childhood vaudeville act. Bette Davis was obviously having the time of her life, and so do the viewers of this classic.

For the DVD edition, there are disappointingly few extras, but Davis is credited with developing the absolutely hideous hair and makeup combinations she sports while slouching about the house in her scuffs and house coat (Director Robert Aldrich said that, while he loved the look, he never would have had the nerve to suggest such a thing to Bette Davis).

Joan Crawford was in fine form, as well. But for Jane to be able to be credible doing the things she did, Blanche had to be the "straight man". Crawford or Aldrich knew this and Blanche behaves accordingly. Consequently, it is Bette Davis' Jane who has the best lines and the showier part in general.

If you have never seen this movie, get it. If you have, go back and visit the Hudson sisters again. Then you might want to write a letter to YOUR daddy.

Read Best Reviews of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane: 50th Anniversary (2012) Here

Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" opened the floodgates for low-budget black-and-white psychological shockers in the early 1960s. William Castle's "Homicidal", Hammer Films' "Paranoiac" and "Nightmare", and Francis Ford Coppola's "Dementia 13" were just a few of these gritty and grisly films. Robert Aldrich, known for making rather macho films such as "Kiss Me Deadly", decided to produce a film based on Henry Farrell's book "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and had a gimmick of his own that gave Hitchcock and Castle a run for their money: he cast 2 legendary Oscar-winning actresses whose "glory days" were, for the most part, behind them...Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Davis' and Crawford's careers had fallen on hard times, and the two, to put it mildly, detested each other. Who better to play a crippled, former glamourous movie star and her sister, an alcoholic, demented, former vaudeville child star? Miss Davis gives one of her most outrageous performances as Baby Jane Hudson, chewing the scenery with relish and looking almost unbearably ugly (Miss Davis, in her own words, "Laid the makeup on with a shovel"), wears unflattering, grotesque outfits (deliberately made a half-size too small to emphasize her dumpy figure) and a blonde Mary Pickford-style wig, which, unknown to her, had been worn by Miss Crawford in one of her early MGM films! Miss Crawford plays her role of Blanche Hudson with equal gusto, suffering and emoting grandly, as if her very life depended on it. This is a grande dame battle royale, there's no mistaking it! "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" became a smash hit, garnered Davis an Oscar nomination, and launched a new trend of films which starred older actresses in a variety of low-budget shockers. DeHavilland, Stanwyck, Fontaine, and Tallulah Bankhead all went the "horror hag" route. Warner Brothers has reissued "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" in a special 2-disc edition, and is a real treat for Davis and Crawford fans. The film itself looks wonderful, with excellent picture and sound quality. The extras? They are a-plenty, tho THIS hag wishes there had been even more! A new documentary entitled "Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition", features interviews with various film scholars and biographers, including the brilliant drag artiste/playwright John "Lypsinka" Epperson, and actor/playwright Charles Busch. The other features include the Turner documentary "All About Bette", hosted by Jodie Foster; a segment from "The Andy Williams Show" featuring Miss Davis singing "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" (in which she looks like female impersonator Charles Pierce!); "Star Profile: Joan Crawford", an interview for British TV filmed at the time Miss Crawford was filming "Berserk!"; and a short feature entitled "Behind the scenes of Baby Jane", made during the filming. Also on the DVD is an audio commentary by Mr Epperson and Mr. Busch, who provide a lot of witty and interesting anecdotes concerning the film. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were larger-than-life ladies who had long careers in a male-dominated industry. They had drive, talent, and b***s. And so, my hat's off to both of them, they should be happy to know that they're still famous, and people are still watching their movies and getting immense enjoyment from them...and that's not even including the "straight" people!

Want What Ever Happened to Baby Jane: 50th Anniversary (2012) Discount?

In "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" you really DO find out, indeed!

But what horrors you have to endure to see the truth and consequences! With twists, turns, torture & anti-climactic scenes all played to the hilt by the Miss Hudsons (Bette Davis and Joan Crawford), respectively, you will never be able to look at your pet parakeet the same way again.

Miss Baby Jane Hudson, played with great, grotesque gusto by Davis who was once the belle of the ball. Kind of a Shirley Temple of her era. Baby Jane was daddy's girl and Jane, therefore, has quite an Electra complex that is and has been exhibited her entire life.

Her sister, Miss Blanche Hudson, played "aptly and sapply" by Crawford, has a long and lasting career as an adult movie star but is now wheelchair bound because of a little "accident" betwixt the sisters many years back. Jane is the caretaker of Blanche since the "accident" and they both live off of the residuals of Blanche's long and prosperous film career before she became crippled.

After a local California TV station decides to run summer afternoon, back to back Blanche Hudson films, Baby Jane gets that ol' jealous feeling brewing again and wants desparately to revitalize her childhood career. Baby Jane hires pianist from the classifieds, Mr. Edward Flagg, played in a great understated role by Victor Buono, who has his own Oedipal yearnings and problems. They make a great and perfect pair of drunks and crazies, let me tell ya.

Jane is certainly unstable and is likened to a gin and vodka guzzling 60 year old broad with a six year old spoiled brat mentality. SCARY combo, right there! Let alone Jane's guilt of the "accident", her shameless jealousy, and her expressions of the antithesis of "SISTERLY LOVE".

Filmed in glorious black and white, it lends itself to the dark, somber and horrific things that happen to Blanche vis-a-vis Jane...

"Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?" is a cult classic and a true and genuine classic in it's own right.

Happy Watching!

Save 23% Off

Emperor (2012)

"Emperor" (2013 release; 98 min.) brings the true story of how General/Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces MacArthur (played here by Tommy Lee Jones) was sent to Japan following Japan's surrender to end WWII, to assess which top ranking officials from Japan, including possibly Emperor Hirohito, should be brought to justice and stand trial. MacArthur enlistens the help of General Fellers (played by Matthew Fox) for the actual investigations, focusing on the Emperor, the Prime Minister and a few other top Ministers. The problem is that Washington demands a conclusion in only 10 days. The movie's script (based on the book 'His Majesty's Salvation' by Shiro Okamoto) intertwines the political and military aspects with a romantic involvement by Fellers with a Japanese woman whom he gets to know in the 1930s in the US, but who eventually returns to Japan without telling Fellers. Fellers is determined to find her now that he is back in Japan. Will Fellers find his former flame? Will Fellers and MacArthur conclude that the Emperor of Japan must stand trial? To tell you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several thoughts: director Peter Webber (best known for directing "Girl With a Pearl Earring") does a nice job in bringing the necessary historical background and further perspective, so as to appreciate the task at hand for Fellers and MacArthur. Even though Tokyo was not hit by the atomic bomb, it nevertheless was severely shelled and bombed, and we get a glimpse of what that must've felt like. Tommy Lee Jones does the most with the choice role of MacArthur, including adding some much needed occasional humor. The meeting between MacArthur and the Emperor towards the movie's end is by far THE highlight of the movie. Kudo also to Alex Heffes for scoring a beautiful soundtrack for this movie. Last but not least, at the very end of the movie, we get to see several still pictures of the actual events, which really add to the poignancy of the movie.

The screening I saw this at in my local art-house theatre here in Cincinnati a few months ago was (to my surprise) very well attended and tilting heavily towards the seniors, so this movie might have some legs on DVD (it played quite some weeks in the theatre), not unlike that other recent historical movie "Hyde Park on Hudson". Bottom line: if you like historical drama, you will be well served by "Emperor".

At the conclusion of the War in the Pacific ("V J Day," for those of us old enough to remember), the Allied forces had a dilemma: Should the Emperor of Japan (the Emperor of the Chrysanthemum Throne) be tried (and hung) for war crimes? Few of us gave it a moment's consideration at the time, but here is a thought-provoking drama that examines the issue.

It stars:

* Tommy Lee Jones ("Lincoln") as General Douglas MacArthur, tasked with reconstructing Japan, writing a constitution and restoring the economy. (Plus MacArthur really wants to run for President of the United States.) Is Jones getting all the good parts lately, or does he just make his parts seem that good?

* Matthew Fox ("Alex Cross") as General Bonner Fellers, the guy who understands that if Emperor Hirohito is hung, an insurrection will be inevitable and the war will NOT be over. Fox does great suppressed rage. Watch for it!

* Eriko Hatsune ("Norwegian Wood") as Aya, the sweetheart Fellers met in college where she was an exchange student, but now long missing in the tumult of war.

The political issues are clearly stated, the situation is engrossing, the PG-13 dialogue is realistic, and a key statement in Japanese, by a Japanese official, has very legible captions in English. I'm sure the DVD from Amazon will have everything with captions. Whew!

Buy Emperor (2012) Now

I saw emperor shortly after it was released. I went to see it not only because I am interested in Japanese culture and history, but because I wanted to see the renowned Japanese actor and singer Masatoshi Nakamura in one of his rare appearances in an, American movie. He had a small part in it, but in my opinion he did a wonderful job. He had about a 5 minute speech which was quite powerful and moving. Mr. Nakamura has a long list of accomplishments and is very well known in Japan, so I am very happy that he had the opportunity to play an important role in an American movie.

Overall I think the movie was very well done. I would recommend it to anyone especially those who are interested in American and/or Japanese history.

Read Best Reviews of Emperor (2012) Here

Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) (1954)

As a huge fan of older films and music, I am very aware of the many attempts of studios and record companies to reissue and re-market a previously released product in a new and improved format. While many of these reissues are often superior to their previously released counterparts, I have never been one to buy into the "upgrades". I feel that you don't need to have the best sound, the crispest picture, or the excess of supplemental materials in order to enjoy a film and have it affect you. In all my years collecting music CD's (particularly jazz) and DVDs, I think I've upgraded no more than three items from my collections.

I had been hearing for a while now about a new version of Seven Samurai coming out on Criterion that was supposed to have a brand new transfer from a recently discovered source that was to be greatly improved from any other previous edition. Being one of the most beloved films of all time (and one of mine as well), this has been creating alot of excitement in the world of film lovers. Being perfectly satisfied with my version of the Seven Samurai DVD from 1998, I had no plans to upgrade, but a side by side comparison on an internet site peaked my curiosity. And yesterday, being at a local retailer, I saw it on the shelf and decided to spring for it.

Let me tell you....if ANY of you are on the fence about this one, particularly those of you who are big fans of this amazing film, I advise you to go for it. The difference between this edition and the previous edition is so drastic that I could not believe my eyes and ears. I have never had this experience with a DVD before, but the improvements in picture and sound quality are SO great that I actually felt like I was watching Seven Samurai for the first time. The clarity of the picture is absolutely amazing. The glorious black and white tones are much richer, but what's most impressive is how nearly all the imperfections, scratches, and blemishes that were so prevalent on the previous edition have been removed. You can tell why this edition took so long to get released....Criterion obviously took alot of time with this one. Their efforts paid off. Also, the sound has been greatly improved as well. Not only have they cleaned up the original mono soundtrack, but they've added a stereo surround track as well. Normally, I cringe at these "new and improved" soundtracks on old films, but this track does not sound artificial at all, but rather more like an enhanced version of the mono track. The stereo surround track together with the gorgeous new picture made for a unique experience watching the film. You are still watching the great Kurosawa classic that you know and love, but at the same time it seems that even more life has been breathed into it. Didn't think that was possible for such a perfect film, but Criterion proved any doubter wrong.

Please keep in mind that I haven't even gotten to the bonus materials, the commentary tracks, nor the very attractive book yet. And there isn't much more that I can say about this amazing film that hasn't already been said. Just based on the presentation of the film itself in this new package from Criterion, I would highly recommend to everybody who loves this film and is thinking about upgrading their version of the film, that you do so. Its beautiful. And remember, this is coming from someone who doesn't generaly care for "upgrades".

Akira Kurosawa made "Seven Samurai" because he wanted to make a real "jidai-geki," a real period-film that would present the past as meaningful, while also being an entertaining film. Kurosawa considered "Rashomon," the film rightfully credited with making the West aware of the Japanese cinema, with being neither. But in his attempt to make a truly "realistic" film, Kurosawa redefined the conflict at the heart of Japanese films. Before "Seven Samurai" this conflict was that of love versus duty, where the central character is compelled by fate to sacrifice what he loves in the name of duty. In "Seven Samurai" the focus remains on duty, yet the conflict is now between the real and the pretended. Calling yourself a samurai does not make you one, something proven time and time again in the film, from the test of skill turned deadly between Kyuzo (Seiji Miyaguchi) and the tall samurai to the first appearance of Kikuchiyo (Toshirô Mifune), with his stolen pedigree. Like Katshushiro (Ko Kimura), the youngster who wants to learn from the master, Kambei (Takashi Shimura), the audience is educated as to the true nature of the samurai.

For me this film deals with the heroic, albeit in realistic terms. I have shown the film in World Literature classes, after students have read Homer's "Iliad" and as they begin reading Cervantes' "Don Quixote." Within that context, compared to the brutal arrogance of Achilles and the gentle insanity of Quixote, the heroic qualities of the seven samurai become clear. Their inspiration extends to some of the villagers. Manzo (Kamatari Fujiwara) is crazed with fear over the virtue of his daughter, Shino (Keiko Tsushima), and Rikichi (Yoshio Tsuchiya) fights to avenge the disgrace of his wife and his precipitating the death of Heihachi (Minoru Chiaki), but it is the comic Yohei (Bokuzen Hidari), who finds within himself the ability to fight, a die a tragic death, who is the true barometer for what the samurai mean to the village. But the greatest tragedy is that despite this most noble effort and the bodies buried in honor at the top of the village cemetery, this has been but a temporary union between the villagers and the samurai. When Kambei declares, "We have lost again," he redefines the battles: it was not to kill all the bandits, it was to find a true place in the world. Yet we should have already known this, for the painful truth was driven home when Kyuzo, the master swordsman, is gunned down from behind. No better proof is needed in this film of the bitter truth that the world is not fair.

Mifune is the maniacal spirit of this film, as the faux-samurai Kikuchiyo, the dancing whirlwind whose emotions overwhelm everything including himself. But it is Shimura as Kambei, who embodies the mentor mentality with a minimum of effort, evoking more by rubbing his hand over his shaved head or giving a single piercing look than by any spoken dialogue. Even in a strong ensemble these performances stand out, for clearly different reasons. To fully appreciate Kurosawa's mastery in "Seven Samurai" you need to watch the film several times to better appreciate the way he constructs scenes, using contrasting images, evocative music and varying the length of cuts to affect tempo. For example, look carefully at how the early scene of the farmers searching the streets for samurai and the later sequence where Katsushiro watches Kyuzo and Kikuchiyo waiting for the bandit scouts to return to their horses. Both of these scenes are superb primers to Kurosawa's style.

For years we had to put with the 160-minute version of the film that was made for export, which was actually called "The Magnificent Seven" until John Strugis's Western remake. Fortunately, "Seven Samurai" has been restored to full 208-minute glory, saved from being a lamentable cinematic tragedy on a par with "Greed," "The Magnificent Ambersons," and "Ivan the Terrible." There is a sense in which "Seven Samurai" is truly my favorite film, because it was the one that instilled in me a love of cinema, of the craft and art of movie making, of compelling me to understand intellectually how Kurosawa was skillfully manipulating my emotions. The final battle sequences, fought and filmed in a torrent of rain, exhausting characters and audience alike with its increasingly relentless tempo, is given its potency because of the human elements that have been established in all that has taken place before hand. "Seven Samurai" is a magnificent film against which the vast majority of epics pale in comparison. Not even Kurosawa scaled these heights ever again.

Buy Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) (1954) Now

After many years of only seeing this timeless work on VHS tape, to finally have and to own " The Seven Samurai " on DVD presented in 1:33:1 format, presented by the reknowned Criterion Collection...it is indeed a true pleasure for this film fan. Plus the bonus of the additional audio commentary by the Japanese film historian, Michael Jeck, provides a much deeper insight into the history of the production, it's messages and themes, Akira Kurosawa's directorial style, and the attitudes of Japanese film making in the early 1950's.

From the very first time I watched this film I was spellbound by it's power and glory....Kurosawa painstakingly assembled a team of actors with wonderful synergy and expression that are at the core of this unforgettable tale of hopes & dreams, death & revenge and honor & trust. Kurosawa's explosive and dynamic battle sequences, some filmed in driving rain, are equally balanced within the films context by the sadness and emotion of the heartfelt scenes, such as where Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) reveals his upbringings to the rest of the Samurai.

This moving, provacative and challenging film is an epic that still stands head and shoulders over many others nearly 50 years after it's initial release...and a film that you can watch time and time again, and uncover another gem within it's rich tapestry upon each repeated viewing. I've shown this movie to many friends who were either not interested in older black and white productions...or not keen on subtitled movies...and they have all enjoyed it and remarked how they never knew that they could relish a 50 year old movie so much !!

This film truly belongs in any persons movie collection who considers themselves a true afficiando of cinema...an experience in emotion, energy and vision that will not be forgotten by those who view this wonderful work.

Read Best Reviews of Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) (1954) Here

To get this out of the way right now, "Seven Samurai", as a film, is a 5-star picture. Provided the audience has an inkling of what they're getting into, this movie can be easily considered one of Akira Kurosawa's best efforts. The expert directing, multi-layered story, and mounds of social commentary make for a film that sits up there with "Citizen Kane" at the top of many critic's "top 10" lists. It's a truly outstanding film, and one that holds up to many repeat viewings and careful analysis.

As an aside, this movie will be quite lost on those raised on modern-day Hollywood films. Anyone going into it expecting a shallow, sword-swinging thrill ride will come away confused (and probably angry) at the "slow" pace, the three-hour runtime, the subtitles, the fact that it's in black and white, the fact that it's not particularly violent, the fact that they talk so much, etc. etc. ad nauseam. I'd figure this would go without saying, but there it is again, just in case: If your idea of a fantastic movie is "The Fast and the Furious", run away right now; what you're looking at now is the movie version of Kryptonite.

Assuming the audience has some depth perception, this becomes THE film to own, and should be a cornerstone in any great DVD collection. Fans will recognize the label of the famous Criterion Collection displayed proudly across the disc case, and under normal circumstances that's indicative of a DVD packed to the gills with extras for the real film fan. The only issue with this disc (and hence the 4-star rating) is that the DVD is VERY slight on the extras, essentially giving you the film and that's it.

Normally, this wouldn't be worth docking a point, given that this is both a very early DVD, and also given that this is the only place to get the genuine, 3+ hour Japanese version of the film. When it was picked up by RKO for it's first U.S. release decades ago, the film had been greatly reduced in length, and there have been various other cuts throughout the years. This version is easily the most complete, and that alone is quite substantial.

In all honesty, it's BECAUSE of the importance of the film that I feel like I got a little cheated with this disc. Were this a film of any lower calibur, I think I'd be fine, but this is SEVEN-FREAKING-SAMURAI we're talking about! If you're a Kurosawa fan, you really, really want to get as much as possible out of this film. As it stands, a real fan is forced to go to external sources on the film (not hard to find) to get all the juicy extra information that compliments it, which really isn't so bad, but the thought of what could have been had this film been released a year or two later on DVD makes me winsome.

What's crucial to point out, however, is that this shortcoming is really in no way the fault of Criterion, who have always had the utmost respect for the films they produce. It's much more a time factor: This is disc #2 in the collection (they're well beyond #200 by this point) and at the time, the special editions as we know them did not exist. Packing the entire film onto a single disc was a feat in and of itself, and taking into account where the technology was at the time, this really is the best the fans could have hoped for: Seven Samurai, uncut, looking and sounding as good as it was ever going to.

So, think of the 4-star rating as a time-adjusted thing. This movie is still required, but know what you're getting so there's no dissapointment.

And Kurosawa fans, take heart: Criterion's putting out a fantastic-looking version of "Ikiru", which is arguably the best Kurosawa film ever, and they're bringing all the fans' expecations to bear. It looks like it's going to be perfect.

In the meantime, Seven Samurai is a no-brainer for any film fan.

It's an honest-to-God classic, and one of the best films ever made.

Want Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) (1954) Discount?

This short review is on the 2006 edition and not the 1998 edition issue by Criterion. The 2006 edition issued by Criterion proves to be a highly improved version of the Seven Samurai. The first thing you will discovered when watching this edition over the 1998 edition will be the image, vastly improved and enchanced. While its not perfect like what you might see with very recent films, this 2006 issue will probably be close as you can get with the Seven Samurai.

After all these previous reviews, I am not going into the plots and additional praises. A person who buy this DVD knows the quality of the work. I won't be redundent with the usual mantra.

While the 1998 edition only had a screen commentary which proves to be interested and its still with us in the 2006 edtion, the new edition also got more supplements that should please any fan of the film. The two hour "My Life in the Cinema" should proves most educational to any Kurosawa fan and 50 minute "Making" of the Seven Samurai gives a great insight into how the film developed into the masterpiece that it is. Another great supplement titled: "Seven Samurai: Impact and Influences" reflects on the influences this movie had on other directors in other countries as well as what influenced Kurosawa himself while making this film. Once more, this supplement help the buyer gained more insight and understanding of the film and its filmmaker. To those who like film commentary, there also an additional one by various American film scholars.

Finally the DVD come with a booklet that contained various short essays written by American film experts on this film. Toshiro Mifune's essay was included as well that reflect his insight on the film.

While a great set all together in three DVD disks, I only wish Criterion packaged it into a sturdier plastic container as the 1998 verison instead the cardboard container which looked bit on the weak side.

Overall this is a very expensive DVD to buy but in all reality, if you are a fan of the Seven Samurai, buying this DVD should be a no-brainer. The improved soundtrack, improved images and the great supplements make this almost mandatory buy for any real fan of the movie.

Save 44% Off

Roadracers (2012)

I have seen this movie more than ten times and I never tire of watching it. It's got everything: humor, action, romance, Blaise Pascal's pensees (remember Nixer's French Fry/Human Condition analogy), and most of all, red hot rock and roll music. Rodriguez's films were lost on me after El Mariachi, but this little gem I cannot praise highly enough. Anyone looking for the songs from the film, check with Norton Records (their 1980s re-issue covers are all over Dude's garage).

This wasn't a movie to change your mind or broaden your horizons. This was a great butt-whoopin of a good time! Robert Rodriguez is my all time favorite hero of a director, and I can't do anything but be wowed by his movies....

Buy Roadracers (2012) Now

Rebel Highway was a short-lived revival of American International Pictures created and produced by Lou Arkoff, the son of Samuel Z. Arkoff and Debra Hill for the Showtime channel in 1994.

The concept was 10-week series of 1950s "drive-in classic" B-movies remade "with a '90s edge".[1] The impetus for the series, according to Arkoff was, "what it would be like if you made Rebel Without a Cause today. It would be more lurid, sexier, and much more dangerous, and you definitely would have had Natalie Wood's top off".[2] Originally, Arkoff wanted to call the series, Raging Hormones but Showtime decided on Rebel Highway instead.[3] Arkoff and Hill invited several directors to pick a title from one of Samuel Arkoff's movies, hire their own writers and create a story that could resemble the original if they wanted.[3] In addition, they had the right to a final cut and select their own director of photography and the editor.[4] Each director was given a $1.3 million budget and 12 days to shoot it with a cast of young, up and coming actors and actresses. According to Arkoff, the appeal to directors was that, "They weren't hampered by big studios saying, 'You can't do this or that.' And all the directors paid very close attention to the detail of the era. We want these shows to be fun for the younger generation and fun for the older generation".[3]

The series premiered with Robert Rodriguez's Roadracers on July 22, 1994.

If Echobridge Acquired all these films from Miramax It would make one hell of a collection to own!!

(*)Girls in Prison Directed by John McNaughton and starring Anne Heche and Ione Skye.

Dragstrip Girl Directed by Mary Lambert and starring Mark Dacascos and Natasha Gregson Wagner.

Shake, Rattle and Rock! Directed by Allan Arkush and starring Renée Zellweger and Howie Mandel.

(*)Runaway Daughters Directed by Joe Dante and starring Julie Bowen and Paul Rudd.

(*)Roadracers Directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring David Arquette and Salma Hayek.

Reform School Girl Directed by Jonathan Kaplan and starring Aimee Graham and Matt LeBlanc.

Motorcycle Gang Directed by John Milius and starring Gerald McRaney and Jake Busey.

Jailbreakers Directed by William Friedkin and starring Antonio Sabato Jr. and Shannen Doherty.

(*)Cool and the Crazy Directed by Ralph Bakshi and starring Jared Leto and Alicia Silverstone.

Confessions of a Sorority Girl Directed by Uli Edel and starring Jamie Luner and Alyssa Milano.

FILMS WITH A (*)NEXT TO IT ECHOBRIDGE EITHER HAS RELEASED OR WILL BE RELEASING SOON

Read Best Reviews of Roadracers (2012) Here

Robert Rodriguez shows the masses of raw directing talent he has in this made for TV movie. The directing is energetic and stylish and even more impressive when you realise that it was shot in only 13 days! On top of this Rodriguez also wrote and directed this mini masterpiece. A brilliant homage to the 50's drive in teenage angst rock and roll movies. It succeeds where Walter Hill failed with "Streets of Fire". David Arquette is perfect as Dude but Nixer, played by John Hawkes, is a scene stealer as the geeky guy we all knew in high school.

Want Roadracers (2012) Discount?

A fun flick about a nutty kind of Dude who always goes for broke in everything he does/wants. No PC moments in this film, and maybe that's what makes it fun to watch. Not a great film, but plenty entertaining. You'll recognize most of the cast from appearances with Tarantino and Rodriguez. Video is fine, audio so-so. Not alot of punch with the car and gun sounds.

Save 25% Off

Encounter: Paradise Lost

This film is the sequel in a new series from PureFlix.

Bruce Marchiano reprises his Role as Jesus in this film.

So what happens when complete strangers end up in a hotel on the brink of a Tsunami.

Each one has their past and their angers and in the midst walks a stranger.

He seems to know all about each person.

He is Jesus.

What could be a very 'touchy' or even quirky film turns out to be very enjoyable and real film.

Jesus explains how he feels their pains, and knows them.

How do you deal with explaining deep issues of the faith?

This is a fine line that can be preachy, or heretical, or even just come across as forced like those old 2 person plays that you wrote in elementary school.

Yet PureFlix does a great job of dealing with the views of those who are seeking and doing it with care.

Bruce plays Jesus in such a real and loving way that helps you love and cherish his words.

I highly recommend this film!

I was seriously anticipating the DVD "Encounter Paradise Lost" because the first movie "Encounter" was so fantastic. In fact, I liked the first movie so much I pre-ordered (without a drop in price I might add) Paradise Lost.. I've watched the first Encounter no less than 20 times and it's still good every time I watch it.

The second movie in the "series" (I hope) was about 20 minutes too long and not nearly as well thought out as the first. The dialogue was difficult and strained, and the characters never really developed enough for you to actually feel like you knew them.

Don't get me wrong, Encounter Paradise Lost is still a great movie and one I would recommend to anyone looking for a good Christian film. The content might make it difficult for a person under 12 to view it with understanding, but a 'mature' 12 year old might be able to follow it OK.

Overall, I was a little disappointed after seeing the first movie especially so many times. It just keeps getting better each time. I can't say that for the second Encounter.

I hope they are hurriedly at work on a third "Encounter" that will return to the themes and character types of the first movie. I will be in line to purchase it as soon as it is announced!!!

Buy Encounter: Paradise Lost Now

This sequel, although, different from the setting of the first movie, The Encounter, still portrays Christ in a true light. Bruce Marchiano does another execellent job in showing the love and mercy of Christ in a such a biblical manner. This movie took a different twist in that instead of dealing with the more simple everyday issues of life facing ordinary individuals such as the desire for prestige and power, the ugliness of child abuse, and marital conflict, it took a turn to show us an encounter from inside the world of drugs and violence, while still remaining tasteful and not too graphic. You were able to see how Christ can save anyone, no matter how far into sin they fall. Christ Jesus is the answer for a lost and confused world!

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to more encounters. I hope they will remain as true to the Bible as this one and the first one.

Read Best Reviews of Encounter: Paradise Lost Here

Wonderful to watch how Pure Flix deals with certain issues. Great how they portray the violence, but downplay the intensity.

Want Encounter: Paradise Lost Discount?

I own the first Encounter movie and I was looking forward to Encounter Paradise Lost. I was not disappointed. I think it was uplifting like the first one that answers the question WHY? It is amazing that people would meet Jesus and not accept Him, but I quess it happens all the time,what a shame.

Save 31% Off

Devil (2010)

People trapped in an elevator...with Satan! Does it get anymore freaky than that? M. Night Shyamalan conjoured up a suspenseful premise and let Director John Dowdle (Quarantine, Poughkeepsie Tapes) dance with the Devil. The result is a simple but effective thriller that is sure to horrify.

An unsettling suicide in the City of Brotherly Love seems to open the gates (or elevator shaft) for The Dark Lord to impose his will on a group of sinners. Police are baffled as they watch from the outside, trying to identify the culprit for these brutal crimes as they occur.

Is Hollywood finally discovering that less is indeed more? Don't be expecting lots of action here--it's a slow burner, taking place almost entirely in one confiscated setting. It's not especially gruesome either, but it's sure to butcher your brain trying to pinpoint the murderer. Many of the kills happen quickly when the lights conveniently flicker.

DEVIL is very well written and acted by a group of up-and-coming actors. It stops well short of the potential shock factor it could have obtained, but it's no slouch in the scare department either. Part one of the Night Chronicles trilogy.

M. Night's Back in the game in his tale of evil whacking the passengers of Elevator Six of a Philadelphia high rise building.

Beginning with the mysterious suidicde from the 35th floor, Detective Bowden (Julie and Julia's Chris Messina) is dragooned to become a sinister force's latest audience as it picks off an ecclectic passengers of express elevator six and to defining the metaphysics of evil after his family's killing at the hands of a hit-and-run driver.

From the disorienting opening sequence to the final narration by Jacob Vargas' Ramirez, M. Night continues to bring his audience through the screen to his world with clarity and stregnth reminding us why we go to the movies. Devil's plot races forward like a controlled explosion, never boring the audience (which, when I saw it, was me.) And while the tale may seem tired, the presentation was not.

I enjoyed Mr. Messina and the Elevator Cast's performances. The terror for the passengers is felt clearly with each time the lights go out and the reactions become more and more irrational and hysterical, just as it would become for any of us trapped in similar circumstances. Mr. Messina's detective follows a clear path from logic to faith which inspires those who have none. I enjoyed his journey and his presence in this picture. I last saw him in Julie and Julia and dismissed his performance in favor of his co-stars. However, after Devil, I will watch more carefully for anything with him in it.

The onion peel, when the connections within the elements of a story unravel to reveal something, was executed routinely but brilliantly. Even I, a jaded film watcher, was surprised when the core came out. This is the mark of a great writer, as M Night is, despite Hollywood's need to define greatness with financial success.

Bravo, guys!! This one's a keeper!!

Buy Devil (2010) Now

So far, I've liked all of Night's movies so I went into this one expecting some of his trademarks. The plot twist at the end was the big Kahuna, and in this movie, it was there, but I'm sure there were plenty of people who had it all figured from the opening scene. I didn't because I don't try to look that far ahead. I'd rather have the story carry me there. In this case, I was at first surprised, but not shocked after I thought about it. I don't know if that's a bad thing, but it was nothing like the surprises of his earlier work. Maybe because there is expected to be a plot twist, no matter what he does, it is no longer a surprise.

The movie has a decent if unknown cast and takes place in Night's hometown of Philadelphia. I'm guessing the building used doesn't really exist, but either way, the structure looked good.

For anyone with a phobia about being trapped in an elevator, this takes things to the next level with the uninvited guest. During the whole movie, I tried to figure out which character is the real bad guy. From every one of the elevator passengers to the cop to the Hispanic security guard (who I think was narrating the story), they were all suspect. There were plenty of red herrings thrown in to keep things interesting and when we finally find out who the real bad guy is, I was at least a bit surprised, though my wife wasn't. The other twist was with the cop but I don't want to spoil that for anyone else, despite what others may have said in their reviews.

The film didn't get too excessively bloody or gory, and most of that was implied more than shown graphically. In this case, it worked just fine.

I do not regret spending the money on this rental. Recommended for thriller/horror fans.

Read Best Reviews of Devil (2010) Here

DEVIL

When I first heard about this film I was excited because I have always found these types of movies entertaining. M. Night Shyamalan was on board here as a producer and also came up with this I believe so I was interested to say the least. I heard many things about this movie, some good some bad so I had to check it out. After watching this I have to say I liked more than I thought but it wasn't what I expected. I was actually expecting something a little more, scary I guess. But still for a pg 13 film it was good.

A man has committed suicide by way of jumping out of a window of a building; of course the police are called in. while there it seems there is a problem in the same building, an elevator is stuck with a group of people stuck on it. The thing is something wrong is going on, like people getting killed inside the elevator. As the police and security look on from a security camera they try to figure it out and stop what it going on. The thing is an evil presence may be inside that building and it just may be the devil, here to punish the wicked.

The idea behind this film is great and really had me hyped about this movie; I always seem to like these types of flicks. I must say that the atmosphere here is nice but this movie reminds me of the Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside, Tales from the Crypt and stuff like that. With that said it feels as short as one of those episodes, really it feels really short. The acting at least is good especially those in the elevator, pretty much every one here does a good job.

This film is far from the best ever and that is a little disappointing, it had the potential to be a classic. Still this is not as bad as some think and is worth a rental at least, it has some good special features so that is always a plus. Also while it may be a little predictable it does not try to over do anything, like that they did that.

Want Devil (2010) Discount?

When a movie can seize our attention during the opening credits and maintain it throughout--well, we're in for something good. An impressive score, ominous but beautiful cinematography and exquisite camerawork transform this movie from "decent" to a very different and enjoyable experience. It strikes me as well-written and well-acted by a team of underrated actors. It's not gruesome or horrifying, but it kept me on my toes and, more importantly, kept my attention continuously. This expanded one-act is a gem in an era where moviemakers place more attention in trailer-editing than movie production. [B+ ]

Folks, let's give credit where it's due. If you skipped this movie just because Shyamalan's name was attached to it then you made a mistake. I'll start by pointing out a key difference between this Shyamalan movie and all others: Shyamalan wrote it but did not direct it. All of his other movies, which admittedly went downhill after The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, were both written and directed by him. I'd also like to point out that the ideas for all of his movies had the potential to be great--really great. But for any movie you need not only a proven director, but the right director for the movie in question. I think they got the director right on this one: John Erick Dowdle, who directed Quarantine, the American adaptation of the Latin phenom [REC].

The movie opens with a cautionary tale about the Devil, who occasionally gathers a group of ill-fated humans to torture them one by one before stealing them away to Hell. Cut to the opening credits we see an impressive metropolitan cityscape showcased in a distorted, upside down view to set a mood of unease--or excitement for movie thrill-seekers. The score, as if architected to accelerate heart rates, complements the visual overtones well. I am immediately on my toes, waiting to pick out the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing before a single hits the screen.

The characters include a bereft, alcoholic detective who doubts his ability forgive, two elevator-surveillance security guards, two attractive twenty-somethings (a man and a woman), a floor security guard, a testy old woman, and a well-dressed mattress salesman. The game starts when we see the latter five step onto the elevator. From this moment on, a talented movie analyst might be auditing each character's wardrobe for red or anything "diabolical". But red is found on the attire of a few of them, as well as hints of red on the fabric walls of the elevator, one character's hair, the lit buttons and the digital floor number display. Nothing is obvious, which makes random suspicions free game!

Interspersed with the director's attempts to bait us into snap judgments as to who is "the Devil" are elevated shots of the city, some with views looking straight up or ominously down the side of their reflective, windowed surface and others shuttling through the elevator shaft. The devout, Latin security guard (who has been doubling as an effective narrator) chimes in with his theological fears or additional details to the story which opened the movie. As tension rises, we are left to wonder if the five on the elevator are the only people gathered by the Devil, or if the detective and surveillance security were carefully chosen as well.

Suspicions shift readily and regularly. We periodically learn new details about the characters which could be hints or red herrings. Expressions of fear, accusation, anger and disgust festoon the faces of our elevator players. In screenwriting they say that you don't put a gun on the wall in Act One unless it's going to fire in Act Three. Let's just say it feels like this wall belongs to the NRA president.

This movie was fun and unique. As serial-moviegoers isn't that what we want? Something different and enjoyable? Something that doesn't feel like a recycled idea with a new director and different actors? If you feel the same way, then give Shyamalan a mulligan and try this movie out!

Save 46% Off

Lincoln (Four Disc Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) (2012)

I saw the film when it played in the theater last year and was riveted to my seat. Even nature calling me to visit the rest room had to wait. It was Daniel Day Lewis's presence, Tony Kushner's words and , Steven Spielberg's direction that kept me there for nearly 2 ½ hours. This film is in my opinion a masterpiece and, like Spielberg's earlier film "Schindler's List", this film will serve for years (even generations) in teaching student about an important moment in history. But there are already 155 reviews of the film posted here (and I don't want to repeat what others have said.) I'll concentrate on the DVD and Bluray releases of the film.

Amazon has a general policy of grouping ALL the reviews of a film together and displaying them under all the formats. Reviews start when a fil plays in theaters and then often goes to the Amazon Instant (streaming version). So I often recommend when posting my reviews that you sort by "most recent" first and then look to see which version the reviewer is discussing. This is a review of the 4-disc Blu-ray+ DVD+Digital Copy, but it should guide you in your purchase, I hope.

Disney (the distributor of the home video) is issuing it in three different "formats". The single DVD contains the film and 9-minute "featurette" titled "The Journey to Lincoln" with the major "players". The 2-Disc Blueray+DVD just adds another (4-minute) featurette this one on how they filmed in Richmond Virginia. The only advantage to this version is that you will get higher resolution image. The FOUR-disc version adds a digital copy but more importantly adds a "Bonus Disc) with four more featurettes which add still another 53 minutes of background to the film. The longest (at 27 minutes) is "Living With Lincoln" where we follow the filming from beginning to end with interviews from every one of the major actors plus the producer and Spielberg. "Crafting The Past" (10 minutes) covers production design and makeup) while "In Lincoln's Footsteps" (!6 minutes) all too-briefly covers the score but have a great section on how the sound designer located just the right pocket watch to record for the sound of the ticking in the film (I won't spoil the surprise by revealing the answer. These featurettes tend to overlap, slightly, and though each plays as a separate "feature" as a whole they provide lots of great info after you have seen the film. And I highly suggest that after watching them on the separate Bonus Disc, you click on the last "option" called "Credits". You see the credits but the visuals on the screen are a nice extra bonus.

So, If you just want to see DDL's Academy Award-winning performance, you can just get the single-disc DVD but if you want to delve deeper into the film, you'll want the 4 Disc "Combo Pack Super Set" (Disney's words; not mine).

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful!

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

Not when there are already dozens of reviews, some excellent, some abysmal. Not when the subject involves so many antecedents and complexities. I couldn't imagine doing the film, or myself, justice within the scope of a few hundred words. However, an amazon friend, a citizen of Germany working in China, has sent me a request to explain why I found this film so successful. Here's my answer, which I might as well share:

"You might need to have spent some of your youth celebrating Lincoln's birthday, or noticing Lincoln's picture on the penny, or reading some of the pop boys' books about the War. You might need to have read Walt Whitman's Civil War poetry, especially "When Lilacs Last etc", and more than once. Lincoln is a powerful shamanic totemic figure in the American mind, and seeing him made human by DDL is like being told yes, there is a heaven for pets or yes any child can become president. But the film handles the assassination with the greatest cinematic subtlety. Of course I've know about the assassination in great detail all my reading life. Of course I know the Gettysburg Address by heart (though generations younger than I am probably don't). Well, there came that moment in the film when the capstone had been placed, when the passage of the 13th Amendment had been achieved -and any blathering fool who still argues that "the War was not about slavery" should have his mouth taped shut as teachers used to do in the USA in 'the good old days' -that moment when in effect Lincoln had become immortal morally, and at that moment I sat in the theater agonized by foreknowledge, horrified by anticipating the next scene, which could only be the assassination. Oh no! No! Not now! let the Glory wave a short while! I'm not a guy who cries in cinemas, but I couldn't stop myself from bawling as if a close friend or sib were dying in my arms. Lincoln's death became a personal tragedy for me, for the first brief time, at that moment in the film. My dry historical awareness of the tragedy will never be merely intellectual again. Wait! Not yet! Spare me the scene of his death! I WANT HIM TO LIVE!

And the film did spare us. The indirect treatment of the assassination was superb, humane, decent film-making. Proof, I'd argue, that "less" is sometimes "more", that dispassion can be more poignant than blaring cinemascopic 3-D amped-up violence.

Perhaps not everyone in the audience was as affected as I was. There are people who quibble with DDL's portrayal of Lincoln as insufficiently awesome. There are people who ardently despise Lincoln as a tyrant and desecrator of "our" Constitution. My response to the film was personal and private, linked to my own life experience in the Civil Rights movement. But that response was more intense than I expected when I bought my ticket. More intense than at any film I've seen in many years."

Buy Lincoln (Four Disc Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) (2012) Now

Historians will enjoy. Fictional portrayal as real as it can get. Lincoln, the man & his troubles in the last days. Spielberg sprays his magic wand glitter over every aspect of this film.

Cast is outstanding;

cinematography is spellbinding in itself,

the music period precision,

costuming exacting right down to the sweat and body odor.

Story is compelling and edgy.

However, I found myself laughing heartily during strange moments at very funny lines mixed into the dialogue of late Civil War days. It points to just how much of the black prejudice story has remained constant. Congress fights with words and actions, with little based on ethic . . . sound familiar. I don't know if the screen play/book writers deserve that credit or did Spielberg touch those aspects too?

I'll refrain from reviewing the book here. This is the film/DVD listing. This film adaptation will be a blockbuster.

DVD SUBTITLES in English, Spanish, and French.

Much will be said of the near perfection in stature and acting of Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of Lincoln. He plays the statesman, the angry husband, Christian, a manipulator, and a heart-wrenching depiction of loving father. Crawling on the floor to his sleeping son before the fire hearth brings a near tear.

Sally Fields gives what surely will be a nominated performance as Lincoln's wife, elevating her acting career to another new height.

The list of stars and significant performance highlights is endless. It's impossible to cover all that happens in this 2 ½ hour film that moves with such suspense and action that it seems less than half that length. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll beg for more when the credits roll.

Set in 1865, almost 150 years ago, but this film puts you right there in Lincolns chair, his office, his boots and hat, most convincingly. Lincoln will win you over, even if he has to pay for your support. He's obsessed, just like I am at now wanting to OWN this production, even though I watched it just yesterday in the opening theater matinee. It's that good.

If you liked WAR HORSE, you'll like LINCOLN.

Different wars, same director/producer. This historical drama is a heart drama, and regardless of age, your heart will be touched in some way.

Read Best Reviews of Lincoln (Four Disc Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) (2012) Here

Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner made some interesting and difficult choices in Lincoln that I think have succeeded in making a brilliant film about one of the most written about historical figures ever, and certainly the most written about and familiar American historical figure. And yet despite a billion words written about this man he still somehow remains an enigma with something withheld and unrevealable about the man. No doubt that is his continuing fascination to us and I have no doubt many more millions of words will be written, again vainly trying to get at the essence of the man. It is far easier to gaze in wonderous respect at the marble statue in his unmatched Memorial than to try to find the human being within the marble.

Spielberg and Kushner have done their best to try to find the man with the inestimable assistance of Daniel Day Lewis' genius. If they haven't succeeded completely, well they are in good company with a thousand other biographers. I liked the closeness and intimacy of the film. I liked the quiet. I liked the touching, beautiful and subtle small details: Lincoln lying down on the floor next to his sleeping son, the ever present shawl on his shoulders, the often stooped gait, Lincoln's ready reach for the illustrative yet sometimes illusive joke or story told with great good humor, Lincoln holding hands with Stimson as the war news comes in, Lincoln's fondness for and engagement with his young aides and soldiers, his gentle touches and the incredible mastery of his emotions, his rectitude and subtle manipulation of the obstreperous, passionate, often obtuse political allies and foes.

Throughout, Day Lewis is masterful in his delivery, conveying the homeliness of the man and yet the incredible strength and the sorrow that was with him every day of his Presidency that brought many of his detractors, especially Seward and others in the "team of rivals" to come to respect and love the man. He's got not just the look, the voice, the walk and movements of the man down, he has the gentleness, and the innate dignity of the man as well. This is Lincoln at the end of the war and his soul-aching weariness coupled with his steely resolution is evident in every frame. He's superb. The rest of the characters in the drama have been cast carefully with wonderful actors who actually often resemble the real men they're playing. I could single out Tommy Lee Jones, David Straithairn, James Spader etc., but frankly everyone is marvelous in this cast down to every one of the maddening and quarrelsome Congressmen.

And I thought Sally Fields was a fine Mary Lincoln. Their scenes together played very well and conveyed in a few brief lines the struggles, regrets, tragic losses and difficulties that divide and also unite a long married couple who have weathered many travails. I found it convincing.

And finally, I am glad the focus of the film was the struggle to pass the 13th Amendment. Unless you're a history buff, I imagine this will come as some surprise to many and I found their handling of the politics and personalities at play both fascinating and engaging. I was absorbed and I imagine others will find revelatory the difficulty of passing this crucial legislation. And why not focus on this often overlooked struggle? As the film carefully explains, the whole moral purpose of the war, abolition, could have been undone postwar without it.

Some may find this narrowing of the events of the film to the last 6 months of Lincoln's life and the struggle to legislate a disappointment. Not me. As mentioned, we have had millions of words and many films and documentaries covering the overview of Lincoln's life. I applaud Spielberg and Kushner making an intimate film closeup and intense and, yes, full of dialogue and argument as the framework to illustrate an exceptional man in unimaginably difficult and tragic times, and finding within this closeup a glimpse of the man and his relations with wife, children, and friends and foes. It is a brilliantly acted and directed illustration of democracy being tested to its limits, ornery and contentious even within the midst of Civil War, and human beings at their most venal and at their most noble.

Many insights and much of this history is conveyed in dialogue (Lincoln's admission of his assumption of powers not necessarily granted him and ignoring of the law when he deemed it necessary is a prime example) and a potent line here and there speaks volumes about the war, the law, the Presidency, his marriage, his sorrow, his guile, and his steadfastness. Nicely done and will promote repeated viewing.

As expected from Spielberg, the production values are marvelous. Well done in all departments.

Want Lincoln (Four Disc Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) (2012) Discount?

Lincoln isn't a perfect movie (what is?) but it is extremely impressive. It only suffers in comparison to what a "perfect" movie about Lincoln would be. In comparison to mere mortal movies, it gets 5 stars. I can't believe that it would get any competition for a Best Picture Oscar from silly films like Django Unchained. Argo was good, but not nearly as good as this one. Lincoln will enthrall those who are interested in this dramatic, amazing time in US history. Yet it's not a war movie, it's a look at Lincoln the Man and how he navigates his role as US President, masterfully.

Daniel Day Lewis is wonderful as Lincoln. For an Englishman to play Lincoln so masterfully, he deserves the Oscar for Best Actor. The look and feel of the movie is amazing. You believe that you're in a time machine and that you're really THERE, in Washington, in 1865. The portrayal of Lincoln's political infighting with an entrenched and arrogant Congress to get the 13th Amendment passed, is intriguing and intelligent. Day inspires as Lincoln throughout. One really gets the feeling of a storm of swirling voices in a desperate time of war, crying to be heard and followed, while Lincoln is the Man of his time, calmly staying strong and resolute in the midst of this chaos and grinding out his policies. If Lincoln hadn't show great Leadership and pushed the 13th Amendment at the time he did, who knows when the country would have gotten up the courage to abolish slavery again?

The secondary performances are great, including Sally Fields as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as the Abolitionist Congressman Stevens, James Spader as a shifty Republican operative, David Strathairn as Secretary of State Seward, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Lincoln. Fields in particular played a very difficult role (of the suffering and neurotic Mary Todd) very well. ALL the performances were so well played -like I said -you think that you're really there in 1865.

Lincoln, the movie, doesn't pull punches. I hope that the producers made sure that they researched their material well and stayed true to the facts, because it makes SUCH an impact. Film-goers who always thought that the Democrats were for freeing the slaves will be surprised to find this truth out: Demos in those days were absolutely for slavery and it fell to the Republicans (split into two camps: the Abolitionists and the Conservatives) to push the 13th Amendment through. The sentiments of the anti-13th-Amendment crowd in those days is also portrayed with shocking candor. Racial fear and hatred is expressed openly in the movie. It's hard to swallow at times: was this really the mood of the people, or was this played up by Spielberg artificially? Let the viewer watch it and decide! I'm personally going to read more first-person accounts of that time of history.

I have a few "small" criticisms of the movie: some of the scenes where citizens seem to me to be insolent in front of the President were hard to take. (An opening scene with some soldiers talking to Lincoln in a very familiar and non-respectful way; a scene where Lincoln bursts in upon a lobbyist who exclaims, "Well I'll be F****ed!") I would think that coming before the President would cause 99.9% to be utterly respectfull if not petrified! Also, the opening scene of black Union soldiers hand-fighting & killing Confederates up close & personnal, is disturbing for those not thick-skinned. I'm really not sure that that scene needed to be in there as it was. But if the viewer can suffer these small annoyances and look at the overall magnificence of this film, I believe that he/she will be impressed with Lincoln's intelligence, power, realism and emotional impact.

Save 24% Off