Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert (2012)

If you want a one word review of this concert video the word would have to be "FUN" no question about it. This video captures a Pogues show quite well showing the band and the crowd having a raucous good time! We were lucky enough to see the Pogues here in Chicago about a year ago and this truly does capture the energy in the room during a Pogues show.

For those of you that follow the Pogues you'll know that frontman Shane MacGowan likes to have a little bit of the whiskey before the shows, sometimes causing him to miss the performance and sometimes making him pretty incoherent on stage. While all of that adds to the charm and the mystique of the Pogues if you ask me here, for a night in Paris, Shane is in fine form. There are times during the show where you catch another band member's reaction to what Shane is doing on stage and there are smiles all around.

The picture quality is excellent and the shots and cuts all make sense. We have all seen concert footage where the director thinks his job is to jump from camera to camera with no apparent rhyme or reason and that, thankfully, is not the case here. Even with this video being pushed out the door a few weeks after the concert the end result is a quality product. The sound quality is excellent and should be turned up until it is making your speakers shake.

The crowd shots here are a whole lot of fun. If you've never been to a Pogues show you might be surprised that a mosh pit is a regular sighting at the front of the stage and here in Paris is no different. The crowd is banging around, people are crowd surfing and overall having a damn good time. The Pogues music is all about fun and the fans react to it.

The musical selection here is pretty standard for a modern Pogues set, it really plays as a greatest hits type of show and I think that is exactly what the fans want. Shane gives up the mic for a few songs giving Spider Stacy and Andrew Ranken a chance to lead the best Irish Punk band in the land.

Overall I have to highly recommend this to anyone that likes the Pogues and to anyone that likes good music whether it be Irish Punk or anything under the sun. I love Shane and I love the Pogues and this video had me smiling from beginning to end. This concert video is a whole lot of fun and shows the absolute joy the Pogues have making their music and their fans have listening.

If ever there was any doubt that the Pogues are one of the all-time great live bands (not to mention all time great bands, full stop) then this is the final proof. If you've ever been to a Pogues concert then this does an amazing job of recreating the experience bettering it in some ways, since Shane has rarely, if ever been so... coherent. The first time I ever saw them he could sing ok, but otherwise stood vacantly on the stage, whirling his mic around in a daze. Here he is on top of his game and clearly having fun. But no one goes to a Pogues concert for the vocal abilities (throughout the show we also get Spider, Terry and Andrew all crooning, and none of them are going to win any awards); the Pogues have always been about the energy, skill and sheer exuberant joy of the instruments, and it is so good to see that, 30 years on, they can all still produce in abundance. Even Phil Chevron, who is obviously suffering from his cancer, is channeling everything he has into the performance.

The Blu Ray is verging on perfection. My only regret is the absence of White City, one of their best songs and a true live classic, and I wish I could switch that out for Bottle of Smoke. But that's nitpicking. It's almost impossible to watch this and not find yourself jumping around with a huge smile on your face, reveling in one of the truly great songwriters of the 20th century.

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My husband enjoyed watching this blueray very much. I bought it with the CD and it turned out to be a great buy.

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Obsession (1976)

After attending a showing of Hitchcock's classic "Vertigo" director Brian De Palma and writer Paul Schrader were inspired to come up with a film of their own mirroring Hitchcock's classic film but taking it one step further. Schrader wrote a script that had three parallel stories running simultaneously; one set in the past, one set in the present and one set in the future. Forced to trim the film, De Palma cut the future sequence at the suggestions of composer Bernard Herrmann and retitled "Deja Vu" to "Obsession".

A clever, well constructed romantic thriller "Obsession" remains one of De Palma's most fascinating films and while some of the plot twists and themes were borrowed from "Vertigo", De Palma takes them a step further here.

Recently released in the UK on a no region Blu-ray the film looks much improved by comparison although this is never going to be a demo quality Blu-ray; De Palma and Vilmos Zsigmond chose to shoot the film in soft focus with lots of difusion filters as part of the lighting scheme. As a result while the film does, indeed, look lovely, it's not going to feature the strong deteail that you might seen with a more contemporary film. De Palma and Zsigmond were going for creating a layered textured look and they largely succed with the film. "Obsession" has received a nice restoration at the hands of Arrow Films (or, perhaps, it's Sony who did the work for them--I'm not quite sure). Either way, the film looks exceptionally good for its age.

Arrow films has done a terrific job with the film using a high bit rate transfer on a dual layered disc to try and capture as much of the natural look of the film as possible; "Obsession" has always been somewhat grainy to begin with and Arrow films stays true to the original look of the film.

The audio sounds quite nice with a new 5.1 mix

The special features are quite nice as well. We get a 35 minute documentary on the making of the film featuring De Palma, Zsigmond, Cliff Robertson, Geneviene Bujold and editor Paul Hirsch discussing the making of the film. Paul Hirsch relates a story about a very frail Bernard Herrmann weeping after seeing a screening of the finished film. He was weeping because he couldn't recall writing the main theme for the film although he recognized it as his own. MIA is writer Paul Schrader presumely because he is still unhappy about the changes that De Palma made to his screenplay by dropping the last third of the story set in the future. De Palma was wise in cutting the last section of the original script because it would have stretched the credability of the story even further.

We also get the original trailer and two De Palma shorts from De Palma's personal collection--"Woton's Wake" made in 1962 and the documentary short "The Responsive Eye" from 1966. Both are fascinating glimpses into De Palma's early technique.

We also get a replica of Paul Schrader's original script (which differs from the finished shooting script)AND a critical essay on the film itself. It is housed ina slip case with the Blu-ray and there are replicas of the original posters as well as a new (ugly)commissioned fold out poster included as well.

I'd order it via amazon's UK site as it is less expensive.

Arrow has done an outstanding job of putting together the Blu-ray.

DiPalma's riff on Vertigo? No! Obsession stems from the passion of a true devotee, not an imitator. As in Vertigo, there is so much more than meets the eye with repeated screenings. DiPalma has suffered the slings and arrows of critics and sketch comedians for his Hitchcock obsession; Obsession is sometimes put-down as little more than a spin on Vertigo. Look again! DiPalma's mastery of the medium is evident in every sequence. Though Carrie, The Untouchables, Blow-Out and Scarface garner more praise in his body of work, this may be my favorite DiPalma; it holds one of Bernard Herrmann's most intense, evocative scores. High marks to Arrow Video for making this available.

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Some great Blu-Ray discs have been premiering overseas, and many of them don't require region-free players to enjoy, either. At the top of the recent list is Arrow Video's tremendous Blu-Ray package of Brian DePalma's 1976 "Vertigo" homage OBSESSION.

"Obsession" stars Cliff Robertson as a New Orleans real estate developer whose wife and daughter are killed in a kidnapping plot; decades later, he runs into Genevieve Bujold in Paris, who's the splitting image of his late wife. Is he going mad? Seeing double? Or is there a conspiracy plot at the center of DePalma and Paul Schrader's screenplay?

Despite its obvious, and intentional, similarities to "Vertigo," "Obsession" isn't a great movie, with a somewhat icky story by Schrader and DePalma making for one of those films they could've only made in the `70s (and still netted a PG rating, no less!). Though Bujold is appealing, and John Lithgow serves up sufficiently slimy "good o'l boy" charm, Robertson's character often registers blankly at the events going on around him he's certainly no Jimmy Stewart-everyman, at least and the film's outcome strains credibility.

That said, there's still much to savor in DePalma's low-budget film, which was independently produced and later picked up by Columbia Pictures (who insisted that filters be used to suggest the movie's love sequence was a dream and with good reason given the film's ending). Bernard Hermann's score is simply breathtaking a flowing, mysterious, gorgeous work that ranks with his best and Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography is likewise memorable, utilizing the full Panavision frame as so many of DePalma's early works do. As a result of their efforts, the picture feels like a much more polished, elaborate production than it really was.

Arrow's UK Blu-Ray offering of "Obsession" is region-free and comes highly recommended for any fan of the film. Though the disc defaults to its original mono track upon playback, you'll want to access the full-bodied, remixed 5.1 DTS Master Audio soundtrack that spectacularly reproduces Herrmann's brilliant score. The 1080p transfer boasts a natural (DNR-free) image, though with so much of the film's cinematography being soft and/or filtered, there's little surprise that the print still looks a bit dirty at times. Supplements, meanwhile, include Laurent Bouzereau's documentary produced for Sony's old DVD release (which include some moving anecdotes about Herrmann's work on the film), the trailer, and a pair of early DePalma shorts, "Woton's Wake" and "The Responsive Eye." A reversible cover sleeve, meanwhile, houses international artwork for the film, while an extensive booklet features Schrader's entire first draft screenplay (under the original title "Deja Vu") with commentary from critic Brad Stevens that seems to completely misinterpret the meaning of the film's ending.

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After years of enduring the unimpressive DVD transfer for OBSESSION, one of De Palma's most impressive films, Arrow has finally released this spectacular Blu-Ray release. This transfer finally does justice to Zsigmond's hazy cinematography, which was too washed-out and dull on previous releases.

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This is not a new film. For its time it was done satisfactorily. I enjoyed it more when I watched it several years ago. Today, I see there was room for improvement in the script. The cast was good and the background music is similar to that in Vertigo, which I liked very much.

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The Punisher / Punisher: War Zone (Two-Pack) (2011)

The movies come as two fully cased movies wrapped together with cellophane. I expected two disks in one case. This is not a big deal, but good information to know (especially if you are running out of room in the media cabinet, like I am.)

1. This was great how they put both Punisher movies in one Blu-Ray pack!

The PunisherIt my been a little too slow at parts, but it was well filmed and when the action starts it's really hardcore! Especially the fight between the Punisher (Thomas Jane) and the Russian (Kevin Nash)! It's one of the goofiest and violent fights you'll ever see! Plus the movie has a great cast with John Travolta as the lead villan! Over all; this movie was a great story about death, grief, revenge, and lots of guns! My grade; B+ ,or; four stars!

The Punisher: War ZoneThe kept true to the comic books for the most part, but the movie went a little too over the top with the violence, to choppy with the story's pace, plus Ray Stevenson had little more to do than look gloomy half the time! But the action is a little more hardcore than the first movie, a most of the characters are memorable! My grade; C ,or; two stars!

Bottom line: if you are a Punisher fan, this Blu-Ray is for you!

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Both movies are great but I enjoy the first a little more. Definitely films I will watch again and again.

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"Punisher" was really good (four stars). It had action and decent story-telling. I would call it superior by far to the one that starred Dulf Lundgren that came out several years ago. Would suggest it to comic book fans and fans of good action films.

"War Zone" wasn't as good (2.5 stars) It had a different actor and the storytelling was lacking, and it also didn't really transition from the first film. Although the action sequences were ok, I would only suggest it to die-hard fans.

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This movie is really fun to watch and I like the part where he punishes people severely hurting them for their injustices.

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Circus World

The copy of Circus World I had taped off the air more than 15 years ago was really starting to wear out and I was really glad to find this DVD. When I got it, I noticed the Chineese text underneath all of the English on the cover. I found the DVD had sub-titles you couldn't turn off, only an OK picture and sound that was out of phase. At times the audio sounded like it was at the bottom of a barrel. Since I can't find anything better out there, I'll keep it, but "let the buyer beware" on this one. It's really only better than no copy at all of what is otherwise a really good John Wayne movie.

Circus WorldThis dvd isn't even worth the small amount of money I paid for it. I would have paid a better price but this was all that was available to me. The quality of the sound, plus the speaking was out of alignment with the mouths moving. Over all I was displeased with this product. What is so terrible that we here in USA have far more ablity to re-product such great classics but don't. It makes no sense to me that we can't buy GOOD quality producted dvd's of great movie classics. How about doing much more about this! We are going to loose such fine entertaining movies such as this one! K. M. Kemp

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From all of the complaints about the quality of THIS Korean import release, may I suggest you check Amazon for availability of the alternate Korean version. I just purchased it, and it has an excellent fully synchronized clean sound track, presented in its original wide-screen cinamascope, and transferred from a fairly clean original print. I only saw some minor dust during the opening credits. Maybe some day Hollywood will do a much deserved full restoration on this circus classic, throw in some bonus features, and even English sub-titles for the hearing impaired and those who have a problem with Claudia Cardinale's Itallian dialect. But until then, the alternate Korean version is probably your best way to view this classic! Region "0" NTSC is playable in US and Canada.

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The DVD of Circus World sold by KNS MEDIA was the best quality I have seen for this movie. The shipping was really fast, and the DVD was accurately described. The DVD is 16 x 9 Enhanced for Widescreen TV's which is a plus and the audio was Dolby Digital 4.0 surround sound and it sounded great. There are Korean subtitles came on at first, but they were easy to turn off. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this DVD.

Circus World (1964) John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale[All Region, Import, NTSC]

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This DVD was everything it was described as. I normally don't write any reviews, but felt compelled to do so here. This is a real good John Wayne vehicle and is unreleased in America. This is a mint print of a seldom seen movie in his catalog, and I highly recommend buying this particular copy if you're interested.

Holy Matrimony - Blu-ray (1994)

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

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

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

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

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

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Spring Breakers (2013)

A true modern exploitation masterpiece, Harmony Korine delivers on every single level and then some. Great performances all around... yes even from James Franco. His character is so vile and outrageous, definitely a career best from him in my opinion. The green band trailer really does not do this film justice, what's offered here really is a tour de force. I can't wait to buy the DVD and watch this over and over again. By far the best film of 2013 so far. Highly recommended!

I suspect that young people old enough to see this movie, thinking it was another "Project X" or something like it, were in for a surprise. Sure the movie starts out with all the "B's", i.e. booze, beer, bongs, babes and boobs. And make no mistake, there are plenty to each to go around. But there some shockers on the way.

The story has 4 extremely bored small town coeds focused on getting to the sugary beaches of St. Petersburg, Florida. Running short of cash, three of the girls (Vanessa Hudgens, Rachel Korine wife of director Harmony Korine and Ashley Benson) decide to knock over the local Chicken Shack. It works and later they reunite with the fourth girl, Faith (Selena Gomez) whose name is consistent with her religion. Off they go and when they get there, its party hardy with Faith pulling back a bit and Cotty (Korine) at the other extreme.

In a night of debauchery, the cops haul the young cuties in to the calaboose still in their bikinis. An observer from the beach scene earlier, "Alien" (James Franco) bails the ladies from the grips of the man. Franco in full-on crazy complete with cornrows, a grill and a pimped out Z-28 Camero is quite the character. Raised in the hood, he's all that, just white. He's also trouble, but the visceral excitement he brings is an aphrodisiac to 3 of the girls. Faith, the early focus of Alien's interest has the good sense to head back home.

Sometimes ultra-violent, always sexy, often comedic and usually campy, "Spring Breakers" takes a Tarantino-like turn that takes 2 of the more frisky gals (Candy and Brit) into new territory. Certainly not for everyone, I found the movie exhilarating, highly entertaining and way out of the mainstream.

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This is one of the best movies I've seen in the last few years. A strange, bizarre fever dream. Bright and colorful. It scares and arouses you. Franco has never been better. Make sure you catch this in the theatre.

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I can see why Spring Breakers is meeting with the greatest financial success of anything Korine's done-well, aside from the fact that the title and poster gives it a built-in "confused audience" who will go in thinking this film is something that it is not. All the revenue-friendly acres of skin totally aside, the film is just plain more slick and mainstream-friendly in its overall look and feel than most of Korine's earlier efforts.

Korine's made mostly uncomfortable films, but in Spring Breakers, most of my discomfort stems from the fact that the main characters (save Alien, whom I never would have encountered on campus to begin with) are the very same types of people I went out of my way to avoid back in college. This film is as close as I ever want/wanted to get to the real spring break experience... and particularly on the big screen, it's close enough, thank you.

But while the slo-mo party sequences seem believable enough to me, my biggest problem with Spring Breakers lies in its believability. Practically out of the box, we see the girls engaging in a criminal act that would be well outside the behavioral scope of 99.999% of college-enrolled millennials, no matter how totally self-absorbed.

That act, as it turns out, is needed groundwork for what happens later in the film, after the four girls meet with James Franco's Alien character for the first time. Alien is a "street entrepreneur." He acts not so much as a devious corrupting influence on the girls, more as a natural catalyst for bringing out their barely-hidden inner sociopaths. If not for the early crime the girls took on of their own volition, we'd never be able to buy what happens after they meet Alien.

Franco's portrayal of Alien is really, really great and truly believable, at least to the point of what he's given to work with in realizing the character. But therein lies the problem: again, in the real world, a foursome of college-enrolled girls would tolerate Alien's creepy advances for about five minutes before bolting, no matter how deep-running their bad-girl streak. Instead, they inexplicably stick around and ultimately help him form a merry, scantily-clad band of gangstas, leading to the film's admittedly fun and totally absurd third-act climax, none of which ever would have happened in a million, billion years in reality.

There are other believability problems with Alien himself which aren't Franco's fault. Namely, we are supposed to believe he's a big / rising player in his local underworld, requisite for the plot to advance as it does. Alien's definitely not the sharpest razor in the pack. If this were the real world, he'd have ended up popped from one boneheaded move or another before advancing past the corner-dealer stage. But answering deeper questions about his actual suitability as a major criminal force on-screen would definitely cause the desired plot trajectory to come completely apart, so we're just shown a bunch of dope / guns / cash and asked to buy in.

This film moves surprisingly slowly. The slowest-moving section is the first act, the process of the girls figuring out how to get out of Dodge, slow / overdone to the point where when they finally get to meet Alien roughly at the film's midway mark, it already felt like third-act time to me.

Maybe Korine wanted us to get to know these characters in detail, but there's simply not enough to them as people to get to know. The four central girls are purposely one-dimensional characters with nary a personal thought or genuinely reflective tendency in their heads, and I'm quite sure that's by Korine's design, so he should have known better than to try and explore what simply isn't there.

Adding to the pacing issue is the repetitious, heavy-handed editing. In addition to repeating scenes as flashback fodder, Korine is fond of playing snippets of the same dialogue over and over during montages to "make points" about the characters or over-explain their motivations. It's irritating and unnecessary. I can't emphasize enough how much better the film would have been without this eye-roll-generating dialogue-looping. I was reminded of The Room's endless "transitional" shots of the Golden Gate Bridge except that I rolled my eyes *less* at that.

I strongly disagree with a read of Spring Breakers as some kind of "cautionary tale." To do so would be pure cynicism about millennials, borne of the perpetual generation gap. I don't think much of what happens in this movie could possibly apply or happen to real people resembling these archetypes. I left the theater saying, "So... what was the point of all that?", which is something I sort of expected going in based on past exposure to Korine's work.

Still, the film did stick with me somehow. The visuals / cinematography make up somewhat in terms of realism for the aforementioned problems with plot, dialogue and character development/interaction, giving the film a distinctive, palpable vibe.

This is a guilty pleasure movie, not even so much for the copious amount of flesh on display, but just as a pure escapist / style flick that does have just a little more brains, soul, and squirm-in-your-chair to it than the average mainstream escapist flick.

Is it an arthouse film? If so, barely. Is it a must-see? I definitely wouldn't say that either, but at the very least it should make for interesting water-cooler discussions with the fellow indoctrinated.

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I am probably just as surprised as you are: Spring Breakers is actually a really good movie.

It follows a deceptively simple plot, of a Good Girl and her longtime friends, three Bad Girls, who are bored in their university setting and are desperate for any kind of change. Their solution is to go to Florida for a wild and unforgettable Spring Break. Even after saving money for months, they are unable to afford this excursion, prompting the Bad Girls to rob a local eatery.

The bad behavior continues at the Spring Break resort town, eventually landing them in a local jail and involved in a greater crime ring. One of the drug lords is played to over-the-top perfection by James Franco, who delivers a chilling yet comical portrayal.

The story is told with an engaging intensity unique to films of this genre; we've seen plenty of movies like this before, of young girls gone wild, so the direction doesn't waste time on the narrative. What's interesting is how the story is told, through lucid montages flashing around through time and space, often with disembodied voice-overs describing the sequence we are viewing, as told by characters before or after the incident actually takes place.

Take one scene, for instance: We know the girls are going to get into trouble. We knew that from the movie poster. So for the scene in which they get arrested, we get flashes of the different girls in police cars with red and blue lights shining on their faces; then we return back to the incident in which they get arrested. This constant back-and-forth makes this movie, whose narrative is otherwise simple, consistently compelling.

But it's not just the storytelling that makes Spring Breakers a fascinating work, but the story and theme itself. Simple, yes, but also profound. This is a twisted representation of the American dream, almost a contemporary remake of Where the Boys Are, of young women rejecting mainstream society and opt to make a life for themselves in any way they can. The plays of power move so instantaneously and so driven by individual initiative, that one can't watch without the unsettling feeling that power, and perceptions of it, are so fluid.

On its surface, Spring Breakers is a sticky, neon trip of house music and marijuana smoke but at its heart (or lack of one), it is a disturbing and revealing look at what we value in our American life, and how far we will go to achieve it.

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State of Grace

New York City's "Hell's Kitchen" is always a great setting for mob movies (for obvious reasons), and here it is used to perfection by director Phil Joanou. Add to that an impressive cast (Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, and John Turturro) plus wonderful music by one of the world's greatest composers, Ennio Morricone, and you've got a gripping character-driven mob story. By the way, has anyone noticed that Morricone's score for State of Grace is amazingly similar to his score for Oliver Stone's film U-Turn? Oh well, who cares, I love Morricone's music!

Terry Noonan (Sean Penn), an undercover cop, has just returned to his old Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. His goal: infiltrate Frankie Flannery's (Ed Harris) Irish mob and find enough evidence to put him and his murderous gang behind bars. But there's a problem, Frankie's younger brother Jackie (Gary Oldman) is an old close friend of Terry's, having grown up with him in the tough streets of Hell's Kitchen. Jackie is hot-tempered and is second-in-command with Frankie's mob, a fact that makes Terry's job much harder for him as time goes by. Terry's job becomes even harder when he begins seeing an old girlfriend (Robin Wright), who is the sister of Frankie and Jackie. Terry's love for her and his close bond with Jackie eventually leads to betrayal and murder, culminating in a bloody showdown between Terry and Frankie (and his mob) on a St. Patrick's Day.

Because this type of story has been overdone so much by Hollywood, the story is a little predictable. However, the top-notch cast puts a whole lot of energy and effort into the acting. Previously, I'd thought Ed Harris (with those fierce, piercing blue eyes) couldn't play a more unlikable character than the German sniper who kills a child in Enemy at the Gates, but as you'll see he's even more brutal in this well made thriller. Sean Penn and Robin Wright had great chemistry together and both delivered intense and convincing performances. Gary Oldman was very good at playing a psycho mobster, but maybe a little too extreme at times. Anyway, fans of mob movies will definitely enjoy this underated film. Highly recommended.

Phil Joanou had an incredible palette of talent to work with in creating this dark and troublesome work of art. Even the lesser parts are filled with personalities such as John Turturro, Robin Wright (then without the Penn), RD Call, John C. Reilly and Burgess Meredith. The score composed by Ennio Morricone has a haunting, eerie saunter, infected with an obvious full note that jerks you out of its hypnotic trance. Watching this film in 2005 takes one back to a number of other great and powerful films of the early 90's that used the noir anti-heroes as their central character. Comparing State of Grace to Abel Ferrara pieces such as Bad Lieutenant and King of New York would not be far-fetched.

Penn's performance as Terry is wrought with inner turmoil, culminating in his bedside confession to Wright's Kathleen. While explaining Hell's Kitchen and it's irk to Turturro he wanes "we're Irish, all we know how to do is drink," a telling testimony that typifies the culture soon to be taken over by the newly christened Clinton inner-city development. His inward reflection is mirrored by the exuberance of Jackie, played with perfection by Oldman. With his cavalier swagger he seems to lack the part of the genetic code that relays fear. Jackie takes risk to new levels while seriously jeopardizing older brother Frankie's (Harris) plans to form an alliance with elements of the Italian mob. Harris's taught composure throughout the film is a fine study in character definition; a true Jeckyl and Hyde persona, playing the suburban family man by day, and slitting the throats of childhood friends by night.

We've seen little in the form of feature offerings from Joanou, aside from U2's Rattle and Hum and Heaven's Prisoners. It is interesting to note his continuing contribution to U2's music video collection, as well as a number of TV commercials. His close association with the mega band lent a big break in acquiring music rights for his 2000 production Entropy.

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I think that this is one of the best movies ever made. The elegance of cinematography, a perfect performance of director Phil Joanu, a great casting (Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, John Turturo), a complex story, and a very fine ethical dilemma. All these components, in a equilibrated mix, with a perfect result: a masterpiece.

I triend to record it in several times from cable TV, but it's time is over 2 hours, and I forget it every time, and never had a complete record. Often, the TV version it was translatedd to spanish, losing a part of actor's performance.

I don't understand why the DVD wasn't released before 2005. I expected it long time ago.

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This is a great film about rival gangs in NYC's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Some of the later revelations are easy to pick up on early in the movie, but, all-in-all, it is very entertaining. Sean Penn is pretty convincing in his anguish over playing both sides. Of course, Gary Oldman is fabulous. When is that not the case? He is so charismatic that I sometimes cannot take my eyes off of him, even when he is not the central character in the scene. Of course, Ed Harris really makes you hate him in this movie, which, in my opinion, is a sign of a really great actor. This film is highly engrossing and entertainig. Give it a view. I watched it once and had to make it part of my collection.

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Three visions ; three gazes , three generations , three points of view . The Yuppie Generation who live in The Kitchen's hell ; a police and a mobster .

The cop -Sean Penn is sent to New York and will meet again with his childhood friends but the life has invited them to complete the circle of the life .

A stunning film where the job , the feelings , the duty , the betray , the honour and the merciless violence intersect searing the screen. Full blooded film but filmed with superb good taste .

Arresting angle shots where you remember some bits of The Citizen Kane , superb illumination , and solid script make of this one of the three best mob films in 1990 with Goodfellas and Crossing Miller .

The cast is fine but Gary Oldman shines with the light of a Supernova in this case . His role is the most complex to follow due the multiple spirit states demanded .

Phil Joanou is a gifted director who should be kept in mind for next releases .

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory[Region Free]

I won't bore you with yet another "review" of this film or my personal opinion of it. You want to know what I think of the BD version, right?

My short answer: This BD looks and sounds so good that I've already given away my DVD of it.

The Blu-ray Disc of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is the best I have ever seen of the film. Image quality is sharp & clean and the colors stand out like candy. The DolbyTrueHD sound is excellent allowing all the dialogue and songs to come through crystal-clear.

This BD case is like a book with many pages for the fans. My ONLY (small) regret is that the back cover containing all the BD information is not printed on the book, and instead is merely a printed page that eventually comes loose and detaches after a short while (whereas my "Easy Rider" BD is the same type of book and the information is printed on the back cover much better!).

If you like (or love) this movie and are wondering if the BD is worth the money, wonder no more. You will be pleased with your decision to make the switch to Blu-ray for Wonka.

WOW, I can't believe how long ago this film was made and how wonderful it is even today! It really doesn't seem like it's from 1971. I have probably seen this film over 500 times by now, since the 80's and I still am not the least bit bored of it. At 28 years old, I still totally love this film!!! The characters, especially Gene Wilder who plays Willy Wonka, who is THE Willy Wonka, who could never be topped EVER (yes I've seen the 2005 film!), the music, the setting, the songs, and especially the Oompa-Loompa's! Everything in this film is so wonderfully done and everyone who hasn't seen it yet, needs to as soon as possible!!

My favorite place or scene in the whole film has to be the big candy and chocolate room where Willy Wonka sings "Pure Imagination." Not only for the song but because I can see how much work the director put into this film. All the candy and chocolate looks so real and alive and the whole room looks so beautiful the way everything is set up! I also love that teacher, Charlie's teacher that you see a lot until they go into the chocolate factory, he is so funny! And it's set in London, an added bonus!! I just cannot get enough of this film or recommend this film enough!! It's a masterpiece!!! It's definitely one of my favorite movies of all time!!!

Who could not love Veruca's "I Want It Now" performance? That whole scene was totally brilliant!

The Special Widescreen Edition DVD has tons of extras. There is commentary by the kids who got to go inside the factory. You'll also learn that Gene Wilder wouldn't play Willy Wonka unless he was able to do that somersault that he does before letting the kids through the gate. There is an interview with Gene Wilder from 2001, The Making of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, four sing along songs, a 1971 behind the scenes featurette, and a photo gallery.

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Well, not exactly... Some here have complained that the widescreen version is simply a matted version of a full screen print, and that the widescreen presentation chops off part of the image at the top and bottom. Well, according to my copy of the DVD, that is only half correct. I own the 25th Anniversary 1996 release of this film on DVD, which has both the widescreen and full screen version on one DVD. I compared numerous scenes in freeze-frame between the widescreen and full screen versions. In widescreen, sure enough, a bit of the top and bottom of the image seems to be cut off when compared to the full screen version. But I also noticed that when viewing the full screen version, an equal bit is missing from the left and right compared to the widescreen version. So no matter which version you watch, you aren't seeing "everything". But which is proper? After comparing many images, I conclude that the widescreen version is what we are supposed to be seeing. Consider the beginning of chapter six. If you watch the widescreen version, you see a news anchor sitting at a desk. the bottom of the image is framed with his name plate on his desk, and the right side of the screen says "Evening Report" on the back wall. Watch the full screen version, and you will see a bit more blue background on the top, and more of the desk below the name plate on the bottom, but the right side of the image now reads, "Eveni Repo"! Folks, you ARE missing the left and right sides when viewing the full screen version, and from what I saw, the little bit of information that is missing from the top and bottom of the widescreen version generally was inconsequential. Every scene I watched and compared looked better composed when watching the widescreen presentation. Just FYI...

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The film is based on a much-loved children's book, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', by Roald Dahl. Dahl wasn't always happy with the changes made between his book and the film, and wasn't always consulted on them. Today probably more people are familiar with the film sequence of events than the book. Charlie is a down-on-his-luck boy who is nonetheless optimistic and happy. He and his mother work to tend for their bed-ridden family members, all living together in a one-room home.

One day there is an annoucement that Wonka is going to open his factory to visitors, to be chosen more or less at random through finding the Golden Tickets, contained in Wonka bars (a brilliant marketing device back then). Scenes of shoppers' frenzy are shown all around with world, including a Wonka delivery van shown arriving at the White House.

The five golden tickets are found all around the world the first one in Dusselheim, Germany, by the fat boy, Augustus Gloop (played by Michael Boliner, who is now a tax accountant in Munich, and is still rather large). The second ticket was found in the UK, by spoiled brat, Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole, the only Wonka child still acting), whose father, Roy Kinnear, is a well-known actor in British cinema. The third ticket was found in the USA, by gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson, now an accountant at a nuclear plant in Colorado), whose used-car-salesman father was played by Leonard Stone (who was selected over Jim Bakus). The fourth ticket was also won in the USA, by Mike Teevee (Paris Themmen, considered a real brat by most of the cast and crew); his frantic mother was played by Dodo Denny (later Nora Denny), who was one of the few minor characters in the film to consistently act after this film. The final ticket at first is reported to be won by some shady businessman from Paraguay, but in the end, that is proven to be a forgery. Of course, Charlie buys a Wonka Bar expecting nothing, and gets the ticket.

An ominous figure, Slugworth (the arch-enemy of Wonka who knew chocolate makers also made arch-enemies?), appears to each of the winners, whispering in their ears. Charlie is also confronted, and promised a reward should he bring Slugworth an example of Wonka's latest creation, the Everlasting Gobstopper. One wonders why (a) any candy maker would make a candy that never wears out (thus defeating re-sales), and (b) why Slugworth can't just buy one himself when they are released, analyse it and ruin his own factory the same way? But I digress... Gunter Meisner, a very prolific German actor, played the villain, who wasn't in the book (nor was the 'gobstopper plot').

The grand day of the event, the winners enter the factory with great fanfare, meeting Wonka (Gene Wilder) for the first time, and get the first taste of his bizarre sense of theatre. (It is reported not only Wilder's idea for the limping/somersault introduction to the crowd, but also a condition of his accepting the role.) From that point on, what was truth? It is ironic that Wonka's entrance doesn't occur until the film is half over. What we remember of the film comes after this, but over half the film is actually set-up. This is rather like the Wizard of Oz, where most of the film is done before we see 'the major character', although admittedly Wonka is far more prominent than Oz's balloonist.

Wonka, the man of mystery, only ever became even more of a mystery as the tour progressed. He is constantly switching his words ('we have so much time and so little to do'), and there are surprises at every turn. Wonka borrows a lot of his key phrases (Ogden Nash, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde) and there are a lot of fantasy-inspired elements (Alice in Wonderland, Lord of the Rings).

At each major scene, something ghastly seems to happen, but in epic-fantasy form, it doesn't seem to matter to the majority, who proceed onward with their quest. In the chocolate room, Augustus Gloop meets his untimely exit from the factory by falling in the chocolate river. Violet turns into a blueberry by chewing experimental gum, and has to be squeezed (squoozed?). Veruca, in the room with the geese who lay the golden eggs, turns out to be a bad egg herself, but has a sporting chance of going down a chute with an inactive furnace. Mike Teevee shrinks in the Wonka version of the Star Trek transporter beam, leaving in the end only Charlie, who is denied his prize of a lifetime of chocolate for a minor infraction.

It would seem that Wonka had a sinister side in many ways the boat that carries the prize winners only seated eight, implying that Wonka knew someone would be missing. The Wonkamobile only had seats for four guests. Of course, the children apparently all had sinister sides, too, including Charlie, until the end. None of them let Wonka know of their Slugworth contact.

In the end, we never know what becomes of the fallen questers we are led to believe that in this candy factory they got their just desserts. The Oompa-Loompas put the moral to each downfall in song, with a 1970s karaoke-type presentation of the lyrics as they sing. In the end, of course, goodness and justice win out, as the factory is given to Charlie after his act of unwarranted kindness toward Wonka.

Director Stuart always saw this film as a 'realistic' fantasy film. Those things that are not over the top are very ordinary. The people are not superheroes, and the situations, while fantastic, are not beyond the credible. Stuart also did his best for 'real' reaction the kids had never seen Gene Wilder before his appearance at the door, the chocolate room in the factory, or the Oompa-Loompas prior to the first scene, either, so their reactions are more natural.

A great film for children and adults!

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The famous/infamous Boat Ride Scene in this movie is probably the most talked about piece of film in these reviews, so I thought I'd spill my thoughts about it. To be honest, I love it. It represents a speck of horror, a dark flaw in the sparkling crystal of the movie, and more macroscopically, our lives... that somehow makes the crystal so much more mysterious and fascinating.

The entire movie crescendoes to the moment when Charlie lays down the Everlasting Gobstopper on Mr. Wonka's desk, which he does despite such potentially intimidating things as the boat ride and the also famous "You LOSE!! Good DAY, sir!" tirade. I think Charlie does this because he has carefully paid attention to the fact that Mr. Wonka, despite some threatening stuff, is fundamentally good, and has only illustrated some of the consequences of not listening to him to some people who really should pay attention. "Why don't they listen to Mr. Wonka?" Charlie asks plaintively at one point... but then at another, he himself and Grandpa Joe don't listen and go floating up via Fizzy Lifting Drinks.... even they are sinners... but can be and are forgiven. In a nutshell, I think Mr. Wonka represents God, the chocolate factory represents Heaven, and Charlie represents how one has to behave to get there. The boat ride represents what could happen to us if we don't listen. We are all ON that boat ride right now... the rowers keep on rowing, and they certainly aren't showing any sign that they are slowing. Throughout my life, I plan to do my best to give back the Everlasting Gobstopper... but sometimes I am probably gonna have a few hits of Fizzy Lifting Drinks even though Mr. Wonka told me not to. : ) S

The World's Fastest Indian (2010)

Never, that's what Burt Munro has to say to us.Wow! This is a great flick and Anthony Hopkins is at his subtle best!Way more than 5 stars.The synopsis:Burt Munro, a Kiwi from far south New Zealand has been building and rebuilding his motorcycle for the last 40 years, dreaming of the day when he and the bike can go to Bonneville Salt Flats,USA and see what they can really do. When Burt's heart goes bad on him, his dreaming is threatened to come to an end. Burt is not ready to stop dreaming. He decides to mortgage his house and bring his dream to life. He and the motorcycle head for American and the Bonneville Salt Flats,Utah to participate in 'Speed Week'. When they land in in the US the fun begins. His journey from Long Beach to Utah brings him through a cross section of American 'characters'. Each recognizes in Burt, that burning desire to achieve a dream and each helps him in the way that they can to make that dream happen. There are so many funny and beautiful moments but one that come to mind is when Burt meets Tina, the transvestite motel clerk...that whole interaction is so beautiful. Or when Burt finally stands on Bonneville Salt Flats, by himself thinking of all the greatness that has transpired here and now he, Burt Munro, can at last test himself on this 'sacred ground'. Man! it brings shivers to see Anthony Hopkins do that moment.While the film is about motorcycles and fast cars, it is not a movie about motorheads. It is a story we can all get something out ofeven your Grandma will love it. Don't hold back-go see it now. A Cultural Sidebar:I happen to have been in New Zealand when this film started it's world release in it's home country..Oct. 2005. The Kiwis, normally a reserved and sober lot, were crazy on this movie. For a week that is all the entertainment news there was, end to end on both islands. Munro's actually Indian Scout motorcycle made the rounds of movie houses, sort of a hero's artifact for theater goers inspection. In general, the Kiwis felt that Hopkins and Donaldson had really nailed the Kiwi national 'character', straight talking but not offensive, a master of '#8 wire' ingenuity, reserved but determined. All this allowed Munro to build his bike to it's peak,get it to America, and rise above the better financed competition. Hopkins was given accolades for nailing a South Island,New Zealand accent.People that had known Munro claimed Hopkins had portrayed Munro as they knew him. As an American I like they way Donaldson portrayed Americans.I found the movie to be a classic American dream tale. Go see the movie, you won't be sorry.

Burt Munro was a man who had many loves: women, speed, things mechanical, tinkering, life itself and perhaps most passionately and enduringly his ancient Indian motorcycle. This film lovingly chronicles Burt's pursuit of the seemingly impossible dream inspired by his Indian, and the amazing quest which took him from the village of Invercargill, New Zealand to the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah.

Director Donaldson tells Burt's feel good story in a straightforward and unemotional manner, with many of the scenes being filmed on location in Invercargill and at Bonneville. Anthony Hopkins is so perfectly cast that he seems to become Burt. His interviews while promoting the film made it clear how much he enjoyed the role and respected Burt's achievements; the Kiwis who knew Burt were very pleased with his faithful portrayal in his film. The supporting cast also does an excellent job, although in all probability the only other individuals recognizable to most moviegoers will be Diane Ladd as Ada and Bruce Greenwood as Jerry, who helps Burt overcome the resistance he encounters when he arrives at Bonneville with a vehicle which breaks all the safety rules. In addition, deserving special mention in a brief appearance as Tina is Chris Williams.

The director very intelligently decided to provide several humorous moments and a lot of casual humor to keep the approximately two hour long movie moving at a reasonable pace. The natural tension inherent in several obstacles Burt had to overcome (e.g. his lack of financial resources, the aforementioned mentioned problems before being allowed to race his vehicle, a heart condition which landed him in the hospital) are wisely handled in a summary way; after all, everyone in the audience already knows the reason why the film was made is because despite his limited resources and working entirely on his own Burt was successful in converting his motorcycle which was originally not built to exceed 54 MPH into THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN.

My five star rating for this film is not based on the fact that I think it is a great movie; in fact, it left several unanswered questions to which I hope that further research will provide some answers. And I certainly wish it had managed to incorporate more of the wonderfully scenic New Zealand countryside where Burt lived. Rather, my rating is based on the engaging manner in which this film tells Burt's tale; he captivated me just as he eventually managed to captivate almost everyone with whom he came in contact, even those individuals who didn't share his belief in himself or perhaps considered him a little crazy. In summary, I highly recommend this story of perseverance and achievement for everyone willing to spend a few hours with Burt as he pursues his dream to its satisfying and highly emotional conclusion. (The director's genius was in recognizing that the story itself would provoke most moviegoers into cheering wildly or crying tears of joy with Burt before his time in Bonneville is finished, no cinematic tricks or artificial plot devices were necessary.) It is truly awe inspiring to realize that many of the records which Burt set still survive today, and thus his machine is not only still THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN but remains unbeaten by all engines in its category.

Tucker Andersen

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"If you don't take any risks in life, Thomas, you might as well be a vegetable."

"A vegetable? What kind of vegetable?"

"I don't know. Let's say a cabbage. You'd be a cabbage. Yes, that's it. A cabbage."

The Boston Globe review from Feb. 3 called "The Fastest Indian" a fish-out-of-water story, but I would never call it that. Based on a true life story, Anthony Hopkins does a convincing job capturing Burt Munro, an 60-something New Zealand tinkerer so incredibly devoted to making his Indian Scout run faster that he sleeps, eats, works and lives in a cement bunker of a workshop tool shed he calls home. The opening scene makes you love the movie instantly. ... A dolly shot that follows shelves upon shelves full of cast-off pistons. Handwritten in white chalk on these dark alters are the words "Offerings to the God of Speed".

This is a road trip movie combined with high speed thrills and characters that leap off the screen. You find yourself rooting for an old man's ambition to realize a dream and to fight the authority figures that always seem to thorn his side. That's the thing about authorities. They are kill joys.

Burt Munro was as frugal as the late Fred Tausch. A guy who'd use a cork from a bottle of brandy to plug his tank. Unlike the Globe review, I won't spoil the movie for you by telling you too much. The paper gave this movie only 2½ stars, but I'd give it top rankings because the movie breaches the full arc of human emotions: there's plenty of humor, anger, love, surprise, suspense, fright, defeat and triumph. There's also some adrenalin. Never a dull moment, any non-biker can relate and will love this movie too.

Burt's lifelong dream is to get to America for Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah -"holy ground" -as Burt calls it. For Burt, this place is Mecca. He just wants "to see how fast she'll run flat out."

The time is in the late `50s. Enough entertaining events take place before the movie starts picking up speed when Burt arrives in Los Angeles, where he gets more than his fair share of culture shock. The high contrast between Burt's down-home New Zealand nature and the harsh and seedy qualities of "Hollyweird" clash head-on, with colorful characters leaving no room for doubt.

From the first step Burt makes into the U.S. on his road trip, all the way to the movie's feel-good resolution, Burt is hampered and hooked and hung up with a chain of authoritarian impediments. You feel his grave disappointments and you feel his resolve to not let anyone stop him from seeing "how fast she'll run". His machine is ancient. It cannot pass inspection. The laughing officials doubt that Burt's bike will reach 70 mph. "Your suspension was old 20 years ago." He's got no `chute', no brakes, no fire-retardant suit, no high-speed tires.

Finally, it's Burt's kind Down Under charm, his mechanic's smarts, and sky-wide determination that thaws the officials and wins the day. Maybe every 25 years a movie this meaningful to motorcyclists comes along. A movie so good, it's worth seeing over and over again.

As Burt says about riding fast, "You live more in five minutes going flat out in one of these things than most live in a lifetime."

Victor Cruz

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If this movie had been released by a major studio, Anthony Hopkins would have received an Academy Award nomination. It's like he crawled inside Burt Munro's skin and made the character his own. Rather than a simpleton, as some reviewers have characterized Munro, you have to see the man in the context of the 60s. He came from a relatively unsophisticated country where there are more sheep than people and where people are supposed to care about their fellow man. And it was that willingness to accept his fellow man (or transvestite as the case may be) and the expectation that his fellow man would extend the same courtesy to him that makes this movie work.

I found it completely plausible that the motorcyle gang that would want to test their mettle against Burt in one moment, would be the first in line to donate 'beer money' when they learned he was off to Bonneville to race his bike.

Similarly I could see that the well-financed commercial team members would look upon Burt as a pitiful figure, but also see in him a reminder of why they got involved in time trial racing at places like Bonneville in the first place. There is a difference between innocence & naivete and being a simpleton, and IMO Hopkin's character never crosses that line.

The movie is as much a characer study than an action movie, so while it takes a bit to get moving, it's worth the wait. And certainly I'll never be inclined to tell a neighbor to mow the lawn again.

This is a damned good movie, that even non-bikers will appreciate.

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Unfortunately this movie had a small distributor in the Dallas Fort Worth area, it was only on 4 screens. I saw it the day it came out and the theater was packed. Mostly with biker types. 2 months later I went to see it again with a friend, same story!

This is a very inspirational story, my real love is building homebuilt airplanes, but I completely sympathized with Burt Munro. I loved his intuition that he displays all through out the movie. I would also recommend the book "One Good Run" by Tim Hanna, I must say that the movie is very true to the episodes in Burt's life, but due to cinematic restrictions the story was told over 1 year vs. the 14 years it actually took.

Great film, good family movie. Funny and interesting.

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Kalifornia (1993)

Not only is this a completely entertaining flick, but I just discovered a cool tidbit. Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes stop at several points on their crosscountry tour, and the movie provides little "captions" ala "X-Files" from time to time. Six minutes in, they arrive at BRADbury Textile Warehouse in PITTsburgh, Pennsylvania. Twenty-seven minutes in, they're at Novak Farm in FORBES, Tennessee. Then at one hour and six minutes they get to LEWISton Abattoir in Mt. JULIET, Texas. And my favorite, one hour 22 minutes in, they finally arrive at DAVIDson Mine in DEW COVE, NEvada. I know this isn't really a review, but it is so damn cool that I just had to share. Enjoy!

If you come upon this movie after seeing Brad Pitt play one gorgeous leading man character after another and you think he wouldn't have had a chance in Hollywood without his looks, this movie will change your mind. In fact, I wonder whether his great looks have kept him from getting the deep, dark roles he is well capable of playing. Pitt plays a low-life, red-neck, serial killer who is presently living with Juliette Lewis in his hovel of a trailer. He includes the trailer park owner in his long list of victims and then pulls up stakes to leave for California. His way of getting there, with Lewis in tow, is to share travel expenses with two yuppies, a couple, driving there. At this point, the movie adds black comedy and satire to its orginal mix, which lifts it quite a bit above the standard serial killer plotline we've grown accustomed to seeing. David Duchovny is the male yuppie driver and he is a liberal writer who wants to write a book about serial killers. He even has stops along the journey at different crime scenes of various serial killers. The supreme irony is that he doesn't realize he has a serial killer in the back seat of his car while he pontificates endlessly about his book in progress. I know this actor is a big tv star now and one can see by watching this film why one actor became big in tv and the other big in film. Pitt simply eclipses everyone in the movie as far as acting talent with only Juliette Lewis coming close to him in total impact. If you are looking for the typical sexy Brad Pitt movie, this isn't it. If you are looking for Brad Pitt, the actor, this is the movie to see.

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In 1953 Ida Lupino directed a noirish black-and-white road thriller titled *The Hitch-Hiker*. If you want to know more about that movie go here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6305636486/104-2636360-7886367?v=glance

Forty years later Dominic Sena directed the neo-noirish color road thriller *Kalifornia*. The bare-bones plot basics of the two movies are the same: a couple of folks driving through the desert on their way to California give a ride to a stranger who turns out to be a serial killer. But Sena and his crew build upon the simple though effective *Hitch-Hiker* plot to construct a complex, bleaker and more chilling vision of a carload of people on their way deeper and deeper into hell.

Usually David Duchovny's acting fails to move me. But in *Kalifornia* he's perfect as laid-back magazine writer Brian Kessler, wannabe author of a book on famous American serial killers. Kessler embraces a liberal, pop-psych, sympathetic view of the monsters in human form who murder again and again. Always ready to argue that serial killers can be understood if we lay aside our prejudices and try, Kessler aspires to be counted among the few rare intellectuals who really do understand them. I liked the line Earlie Grace says about how "Brian" becomes "brain" if the i and the a are switched. That sums up Kessler well--he floats through life like a brain-shaped balloon filled with helium. Earlie seizes Brian by his string--his ambition to become a famous author--and drags him into a liberal intellectual's worst nightmare.

Kessler's girlfriend, a mannish yet insecure art photographer in black leather named Carrie, is a stand-out role by Michelle Forbes. The relationship she and Duchovny play out is postmodern in a very believable way. Cool, sexy...yet empty.

It's a cliche to use the word awesome, but it's the only one that does justice to Brad Pitt as Earlie Grace, the killer on the road whose mind is squirming like a toad. He's a jaguar. That's what I thought of: Earlie is a big jungle cat, watchful of everything around him with his fixed, glittering eyes that betray no emotion except when the urge to kill is upon him. Earlie's tone of voice falls somewhere between a growl, a snort, and an edgy cat's howl. He's usually hulking and lazy, yet when he needs to be, he's blindlingly swift. When he strikes, it's not with the object of enjoying the violence. His goal is to make his prey dead as fast as he can. Yes, just like a big cat that bites its prey once, hard, on the back of the neck to crush the spine. Yet Earlie can be friendly, even kind. But the people around him, no matter how close he seems to them, are never far from the category of his prey.

Earlie's white trash girlfriend Adele is played convincingly by Juliette Lewis. She's simple, kind-hearted damaged goods with a need to be protected and to see the best in people. That's why she's with Earlie. The friendship that forms between Adele and Carrie is touching.

*Kalifornia* is the kind of thriller that spills over into a horror film. Whenever the plot comes to a point where "either this or that could happen," what usually happens is the worst thing. Earlie tells the nice guy attendant in the gas station he robs that he has to kill him. The guy is so polite that Earlie changes his mind. But then the poor guy has to go and ask Earlie to hand him his Bible from behind the counter. Bad move. Why, we don't quite understand, since Earlie professes belief in God himself. But that's Earlie. You can't predict what a jungle predator will do next.

There are some clever, even symbolic touches in *Kalifornia*. It's interesting that the action culminates in Dreamland, where atom bombs were tested in the Nevada desert. Carrie, the feisty postmodern woman, all attitude with very little substance, ends up like one of the mute test dummies frozen in time, its only purpose being to get blown to pieces. Notice what she does when, at the end, she makes her move against Earlie.

I rate *Kalifornia* 5 stars because 1) it's an improvement upon an earlier great film, because 2) Duchovny got through to me for once with his performance, and because 3) Brad Pitt scares the hell out of me as Earlie Grace.

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Yeah I guess when people think of Brad Pitt they think of the pouting dope in films like Troy, mumbling his way through lines and generally acting like a complete prat. In this film though, he does a real good job.

Like in True Romance where he plays a drugged out bum he does a great job in playing a deranged hick killer. You always know when an actor has done a good job when you forget who he is and just watch the character he plays. Juliette sadly just plays the same role she plays in every other film she does. Nice but dumb hillbilly while the guy from the X files needs to stay there because he really is a bit of a plank in this film.

The basics of the film are, writer with an interest in serial killers decides to take his girlfriend across country searching out the places where some of the most brutal murders in American history took place, picks up smelly hillbilly and girlfriend for the ride (who just so happens is a serial killer) and well.......you can guess the rest.

Good film, worth a look.

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This movie haunted me. Yes, there's Brad Pitt playing against type. David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes are excellent too. But Juliette Lewis is a standout(as usual), and it is her character of Edele who broke my heart; her simplicity, impossible innocence, and sad fate are brought to excrutiating life by a wonderful performance. Despite the fact that she's never caught a break in life, Edele gets up every morning with a sweet disposition, never suspecting that she was born to lose. So sad!

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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)] (2009)

My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

There are a large number of out of screen effects that extend 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer. 6 OOS effects reached 25%. The best two for Longevity & Depth are Skrat and his lady friend in tar bubbles reaching 25%, lasting for about a minute and very short lived anteater punching bag reaching an impressive 40%.

*** Funny with an enjoyable story line. Excellent graphics add to the 3D ***

MY 3D RATING = EXCELLENT (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes are different. What I see at 25% you may see at 15% or 35%. To fully realize how far something is out of the screen for you, pause on an effect and direct a partner with an extended finger to the tip of what you are seeing. You may be surprised.

Click on `' for the lowdown on other 3Ds

I have to disagree with reviewers who try to "see" too many things in a movie made mainly for (young) kids. This movie made my child and me laugh many,many times. In fact I think it is even funnier than Ice Age 1+2. It is just "clean" family fun. In this age of over-hyped animation from Walt Disney and Pixar, how refreshing to watch something without too many pretensions and not too much relation to today's world. Let the kids be kids,please.

Buy Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)] (2009) Now

My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

There are a large number of out of screen effects that extend 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer. 6 OOS effects reached 25%. The best two for Longevity & Depth are Skrat and his lady friend in tar bubbles reaching 25%, lasting for about a minute and very short lived anteater punching bag reaching an impressive 40%.

*** Funny with an enjoyable story line. Excellent graphics add to the 3D ***

MY 3D RATING = EXCELLENT (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes are different. What I see at 25% you may see at 15% or 35%. To fully realize how far something is out of the screen for you, pause on an effect and direct a partner with an extended finger to the tip of what you are seeing. You may be surprised.

Click on `' for the lowdown on other 3Ds

Read Best Reviews of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)] (2009) Here

Given the uninspired nature of it's predecessor, one would be surprised to discover how delightfully solid Ice Age's third (and, hopefully, final) "dawn" really is.

Although the number of prominent characters crowds the film, often resulting in a depressingly slow crawl as the directors attempt to keep screen time balanced, the film, as a whole, is undoubtedly a more realized product that enjoys it's new reptilian elements.

Simon Pegg is a surprisingly wise addition to the family, delivering the most consistency in terms of humor. The old trio, consequently, takes a backseat to the new stars, sadly being of little significance in the overall plot and it's eventual resolution.

Still, the animation is satisfying, even in the wake of Pixar's "UP" and the primordial squirrel scenarios are as hilarious as ever.

Want Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)] (2009) Discount?

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" marks the third CG animated film for 20th Century Fox via Fox's CGI division Blue Sky Studios and the third "Ice Age" film directed by Carlos Saldanha (also directed "Robots" and "Gone Nutty"). The film is co-directed by Mike Thurmeier ("Horton Hears a Who", "Robots", "Gone Nutty") and a story by Jason Carter Eaton and a screenplay by Pete Ackerman, Michael Berg (both worked on previous "Ice Age" films), Yoni Brenner and Mike Reiss ("The Simpsons", The Critic", "It's Garry Shandling's Show"). Music is composed by John Powell ("X-Men: The Last Stand", "United 93", "Kung Fu Panda").

Back in 2002, the original "Ice Age" film focused on the friendship between creatures Manny the woolly mammoth (voice over by Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond"), Sid the weird looking, not-so-bright and clumsy ground sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo, "ER", "Miracle at St. Anna", "Titan A.E.") and the saber-toothed tiger (aka smilodon) named Diego (voiced by Denis Leary, "Rescue Me"). Also, seen outside of the main core of the group is side-story featuring a squirrel known as Scrat who has a passion towards acorns.

With the first film focusing on the migration to avoid the Ice Age and the main character's friendship, the second film "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (2006) features the melting of the ice and focuses on Manny finding another woolly mammoth named Ellie (voice by Queen Latifah, "Mad Money", "Chicago").

This time around for the third film "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs", Ellie is now pregnant and is soon to give birth. Being the worried and concerned father, Manny is highly anticipating the birth of his child and each kick, he often accidentally tells the whole herd that Ellie is about to give birth.

Meanwhile, his friends are not in a better place. Diego is getting older and feels that he is not the agile fighter as he once was as he now gets dizzy and can't even chase after his prey like he once used to. So, Diego feels as if he has to leave home. Sid feels alone now that his best friend has other responsibilities. As for the nutty squirrel known as Scrat, upon discovering his beloved acorn, he becomes smitten with a female squirrel named Scratte who is also passionate for the acorn.

Manny creates a playground for his upcoming child and surprises Ellie with it. Meanwhile, Sid feeling that he has no one ends up falling through a hole and discovering three eggs. Wanting to be a parent himself, he brings the three eggs to the village. Because of the size, Manny tells Sid to return the eggs back to its mother but Sid of course has other plans. Not wanting to be alone, he ends up sleeping with the eggs and when hatched, three baby Tyrannosaurus Rex's come out and Sid becomes the designated "mother" for the three which he names Eggbert, Shelly and Yoko.

Excited about being a parent, he tries to introduce to his new children to his friends but instead brings the three to Manny's playground (which was supposed to be for Manny and Ellie's child). The kids of the village then join in on the fun and because of the Tyrannosaurus Rex's nature, they begin to roughhouse the children and end up swallowing a few of them. Also, in the process...the three young dinosaurs end up destroying the playground.

Manny and Ellie arrive to find the destruction and Manny is upset that Sid didn't listen to him and now the playground he built is destroyed. To make things worse, the true mother of the three baby Tyrannosaurus Rex now wants her children back and leads the huge dinosaur right into their village.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex ends up getting her children back but with Sid not willing to give up the children, he is taken as well by the dinosaur.

Now Manny, Ellie, Diego along with the two weasels Crash (voiced by Seann William Scott, "American Pie" films) and Eddie (Josh Peck, "Drake & Josh", "The Wackness") end up going after the dinosaur to find Sid and find themselves away from the ice and into a new land where there is no snow and dinosaurs exist. Not knowing how to survive around the dangerous dinosaurs, they run into a one-eyed weasel named Buck (voiced by Simon Pegg, "Hot Fuzz", "Sean of the Dead", "Star Trek") who knows his way around the area.

So, the group try to survive the dangerous dinosaurs, tough terrain but most importantly trying to be careful for the nastiest dinosaur of them all...Rudy.

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" on Blu-ray comes with three discs. The original Blu-ray is accompanied with the movie on DVD and also a digital copy.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" looks absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray. Presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1, AVC@36 MBPS), I'm always impressed to see how hair/fur continues to look better and better via CG and the sheer detail found in each character and its surroundings are much more evident now than ever. In fact, this is probably the most vibrant "Ice Age" film due to the fact that the film is taken outside of its ice habitat and into the land of the dinosaurs where there is a lot of lush plant life, sunlight, etc. Overall, CG animated fans will love the picture quality of this film. Sky Blue Studios did a fantastic job!

As for the audio, the film is presented in English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (also, Spanish, French and Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital) and as fantastic as the picture quality was, the audio quality is just as magnificent. Talk about an immersive soundtrack, dinosaur growls all around you and how its utilized through the surround and rear surround channels are nicely done. Front and center channels feature the dialogue and the music which are crystal clear. Also, good use of LFE during the action sequences.

Both video and audio quality for "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaur" receive high marks! Fans of the film will definitely enjoy this Blu-ray release.

As for subtitles, subtitles are provided in English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese and Mandarin.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" comes with the following special features:

* Audio commentary A commentary featuring Director Carlos Saldanha, co-director Michael Thurmeier, producer Lori Forte, John C. Donkin and many more from the Bly Sky Studios crew. Entertaining commentary with some interesting tidbits of behind-the-scenes making of the film.

* Ice Age Storybook Maker Using your remote, you can create a storybook for ages 1-5 (Bronze Age), 6-11 (Stone Age) and 12 and up (Ice Age).

* Evolution Expedition Featurette (18:24) A tour through the George C. Page Museum at the Los Angeles LA Brea Discovery featuring Trevor Valle, Assistant Lab Supervisor. Introduction to the predators at the zoo and how they relate to the characters in the film.

* Buck: From Easel To Weasel Featurette (7:12) The creation of Buck and how his character became to be. And the various designs to create his character and more.

* Unearthing the Lost World Featurette (8:39) Behind-the-Scenes of "Ice Age". Interviews with cast and crew for "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs". The sketches, the character designs, 3D animation, the voice acting and more.

* Unfinished Deleted Scenes (4:33) Featuring unfinished deleted scenes for "Mission" and "Headbutters". Although, the voice acting is heard, these are unfinished and are still in their B&W sketched out format with some animation.

* "Walk the Dinosaur" Music Video (1:32) A short music video clip of the characters performing to the song "Walk the Dinosaur".

* Fox Movie Channel presents Making a Scene (Ice Age: The Meltdown) (9:20) Behind-the-scenes on the making of "Ice Age: The Meltdown" featuring interviews with the crew.

* Fox Movie Channel presents In Character with John Leguizamo (2:48) Interview with John Leguizamo about doing the voice of Sid the Sloth.

* Fox Movie Channel presents In Character with Ray Romano (3:22) Interview with Ray Romano about doing the voice of Manny the Mammoth.

* Fox Movie Channel presents In Character with Queen Latifah (3:06) Interview with Queen Latifah about doing the voice of Ellie the Mammoth.

* BD LIVE Live Lookup as powered by iMDb (5:24) Scenes from "The Third Man" left untranslated to show Holly Martin's confusion of the surroundings of postwar Vienna.

* The Scrat Pack (2:22) Included are the following shorts: "Gone Nutty: Scrat's Missing Adventure" (4:44) and "No Time For Nuts" (6:50). Both shorts are CG animated.

* Scrat Featurettes

The Sabre-Toothed Squirrel: Nature's Nutty Buddy (1:46) A parody of nature films feat. Scrat.

Scrat: From Head to Toe (Drawing Tutorial) (8:22) Peter De Seve teaches you how to draw Scrat

Scrat: Breaking Story -(1:50) A film-like featurette showing scientists discovering a million year old Ice Age animal known as Scrat.

Scrat: News Report (2:28) A continuation of the "Breaking Story" and featuring a news cast interview with the scientists about their discovery of Scrat and more.

Falling For Scratte (8:29) Crew talk about Scrat and why people love the character and why the creator's created Scratte.

DVD:

The accompanying DVD comes with the filmmaker's commentary featuring Director Carlos Saldanha, co-director Michael Thurmeier, producer Lori Forte, John C. Donkin and many more from the Bly Sky Studios crew. Entertaining commentary with some interesting tidbits of behind-the-scenes making of the film, trailers and a Marley meets Puppy Chow commercial.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I was actually quite pleased with "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs". A fun screenplay, top notch animation and audio and voiced by an all-star cast, this is my favorite "Ice Age" film yet! Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah do a fantastic job as they have in previous films. But also, Josh Peck and Seann William Scott do a hilarious job as Eddie and Crash. And Simon Pegg as the one-eyed weasel known as Buck does a fantastic job as well!

I was really impressed of how much detail was in the actual film. To have the characters in a new setting outside of just ice was great and it really showcased the animation due to the fact that more colors and different characters can be utilized. Blue Sky Studios did a fantastic job on this release.

As for the Blu-ray release, this is where Twentieth Century Fox also receives big kudos. Similar to what Disney has done for their films, Twentieth Century Fox also included a DVD (for those long commutes for your children) and also a digital copy. Also, there are plenty of special features and CG shorts included as well. In fact, if you are a big fan of the character of Scrat, you are definitely going to enjoy this film!

Overall, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" is the best film of the series yet and an exciting and hilarious CG animated film to own on Blu-ray. Highly recommended!

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Across the Universe (2007)

Julie Taymor once again uses her considerable innovative magic to create a film that not only is mesmerizingly beautiful to watch, but also a 'semi-documentary' about the world changes that occurred in the late 1960s and early 1970s as young people for the first time spoke out against the war in Vietnam, the death of Martin Luther King, and the senseless mayhem that extended from the battlefields of Vietnam to the streets of America, all set to the significant, timely music of the Beatles. It sounds like an impossible juxtaposition of themes and ideas, but in Taymor's hands it succeeds.

Opening in Liverpool, England (where the Beatles began their impact on music and thought) we met Jude (Jim Sturgess), a working class boy with the gifts of an artist who decides to set off on a sea journey to meet the father he has never known. Once in New York he meets Max (Joe Anderson) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) who represent the wealthy class, but who both show roots of rebellion against the comfortable norm and an objection to the war that is festering like an abscess in the rice paddies of Vietnam. Jude meets his janitor father in a union that is anticlimactic, and in disappointment he falls in with Max, living the artists' life in the Village with free-wheeling singer Sadie (Dana Fuchs), her beau/guitarist JoJo (Martin Luther) and their newest tenant Prudence (T.V. Carpio), an Asian girl trying to find her place in a confusing world. The group eventually bond with music and rebellion mixed with free love and the passion that they can make a difference, while around them racial crises are at a peak and the draft tags many of the young men (including Max) for the war they cannot condone. From all of this turmoil the story builds to a climax leading to some very touching scenes that convey the spirit of the times and the overriding importance of love and understanding in a world torn apart by political and racial crises.

The cast is strong with each of the actors singing their own versions of various Beatle songs very well (the division between singing and spoken dialect favors the former). But the real magic comes from Julie Taymor's mixture of hallucinogenic visuals, wonderfully choreographed crowd scenes, and ingenious movement from reality scenes displayed on the television to the reactive scenes of the world as viewed through the eyes of the youths and the lyrics of the songs. It is at once touching in its ability to recreate a particular period of history and wholly entertaining in the inventive use of music/dance/visual effects/drama. This film is important now and will only increase in stature as a document of that troubled but exciting time in the history of the world. We can only wonder why the youth of today are not responding to the Iraq War in a like manner, or, more uncomfortable to consider, why we, now as adults, can't muster the same degree of distress about the myriad traumas that are still happening 'Across the Universe'. Grady Harp, April 08

If it were possible to go into the mind and film the imagination, if one could actually get a glimpse of a creative spark and present it as a movie, the end result would look something like "Across the Universe." Here is a film so vibrant, colorful, and imaginative that it practically flies off the screen. It's not something you simply watch; this richly detailed musical fantasy is something you fully experience, from the stunning visuals to the brilliant soundtrack. Few films have successfully incorporated previously written song material into an original story; one notable exception is Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge," in which songs by Elton John, David Bowie, Madonna, The Police, and many others were interwoven. "Across the Universe" gets its inspiration from the music of The Beatles--every song fit the story so naturally, it's almost as if they were specially written for the film.

But as much as I enjoyed it, I can't help but feel that I'm the wrong person to review it; not only have I never listened to the music of The Beatles, I also never lived through the 1960s. "Across the Universe" explores the dynamic atmosphere of that era, from the artistic movements to the social unrest to the turbulent political climate. I can't pretend that I know what the filmmakers were saying or why they were saying it, and I certainly don't know what point The Beatles were trying to make. But I can still appreciate this movie. And I do; "Across the Universe" thrives on energy and ingenuity, and it isn't afraid to tell a simple yet effective love story through music.

The plot focuses on Jude (Jim Sturgess), a young dockworker and artist from Liverpool. He travels to America in search of his father, who was stationed in England during the Second World War. Jude is led to Princeton University, and it's there that he meets Max (Joe Anderson), a freewheeling college student with no apparent goals and no apparent desire to reach any goals. The two instantly click, and for a while, they have a lot of fun. So does Max's sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), a college freshman whose clean-cut appearance masks a progressive mind. As soon as life in New Jersey gets boring, Max and Jude decide to leave for New York, where the Bohemian life can be lived to the fullest. They take residence in a small apartment, already inhabited by Sadie (Dana Fuchs) and her band.

After a while, Lucy joins the group, much to the dismay of her conservative parents. She and Jude quickly fall in love. But as the social climate gets more intense, their relationship gets more complex. The Civil Rights Movement is in full swing, as is the Vietnam War; such unrest cannot be ignored. Ever since losing her high school sweetheart to the War, Lucy's political views have taken a sharp turn to the left--she's now a militant activist, dedicated to bringing about social reform and an end to war and violence. Her feelings only grow stronger when Max is drafted and shipped off to Vietnam. All this puts a strain on Jude and Lucy's relationship, and it only gets worse when Lucy begins collaborating with a radical organization. Can their love survive this turmoil?

Woven all throughout is a myriad of songs, all of which perfectly capture the emotional impact of a given scene. When Max and Jude first meet, "With a Little Help from My Friends" accentuates their high-spiritedness. The drama of "Let It Be" overflows during a race riot, in which a young boy is killed. Confusion and frustration overwhelm as Jude and Max sing "Strawberry Fields," and images of dripping strawberries make an especially strong impact. A love-struck cheerleader named Prudence (T.V. Carpio) sings "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" with regret, knowing that the girl she's dreaming of will never feel the same way. The power of "I Want You" is felt as Max is dragged through an army recruitment center; dancing, squared-jawed soldiers are prominently featured, as are half naked draftees. At one point, they forcefully carry a miniature Statue of Liberty into the jungles of Vietnam.

The four most creative song-numbers feature cameo appearances. Joe Cocker sings "Come Together" just as a guitarist named JoJo (Martin Luther McCoy) enters the city. It's a highly choreographed sequence, featuring a chorus line of prostitutes and office workers. "I Am the Walrus" is a psychedelic trip featuring Bono as the leader of a busload of hippies. Eddie Izzard plays a showman named Mr. Kite, whose circus--"The Benefit of Mr. Kite"--is a bizarre mixture of the fantastic and the frightening, featuring a cast of blue-skinned performers that are anything but human. Salma Hayek appears as a nurse during Max's rendition of "Happiness is a Warm Gun." As he lies on a hospital bed, he tries to get a handle on the fear, anger, and physical pain that have been holding him back.

By the time we hear "Hey Jude" and "All You Need Is Love," the sentimental side of the story hits us like a ton of bricks. And that's exactly what we want. One of the simplest pleasures imaginable is to be young, in love, and free; this movie does a masterful job of giving the audience that same feeling, if only for a little while. "Across the Universe" is one of the most delightful, inventive, and refreshing films of the year, a perfect blend of music, story, and character. To see it is to be emotionally rejuvenated.

Buy Across the Universe (2007) Now

There have been several movies that have tried to make the music of The Beatles a central focus of their reason d'existence. Some like The Beatles' own A Hard Day's Night and Yellow Submarine are perfect, some are not (the dismal "All This and World War Too"). Even the camp classic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was so bad it was worth seeing because of the music. Heck, even the forgettable I Am Sam raked in a killer soundtrack thanks to John, Paul, George and Ringo.

But they've got nothing on "Across The Universe." Taking the turmoil and tumult of the sixties and re-imagining it through the lyrics of Beatle's songs, it is a trippy, hallucinogenic ride that is a visual and sonic feast. Jude (from Liverpool, naturally) comes to the US to find his American soldier dad (Robert Clohessy, a regular from Oz The HBO prison drama) only to collide with rich kid renegade Max and then to fall for his sister, Lucy. Suddenly, they find themselves in NYC with a Janis Joplinish landlady, Sadie, and her Jimi Hendrixian boyfriend, Jojo.

The sixties then take their turn into the war, and the drama unfolds as Jude falls for Lucy ("I've Just Seen a Face"), Max finds himself drafted ("I Want You") and Lucy falls under the spell of the anti-war movement leader. Each point is often brilliantly illustrated, and director Julie Taymor tosses subtlety out the window for several of the film's best sequences. In particular, when Prudence sings "I Want To Hold Your Hand" as a lament for a love that can't speak out loud, football players fly through the air and collide as she walks through them. When Max gets to his indoctrination and the exaggerated GI Joes march in "stomp dance" style to "I Want You," it's breathtaking. While the narrative occasionally falters, the visuals and set pieces never do.

Of course, there is the music. While there's nothing earth-shattering here, all the actors acquit themselves just fine. The small handful of cameos are great, especially Joe Cocker singing "Come Together" as three different characters, and Bono playing the Ken Keasey Electric Kool-Aid guru Dr Robert on the magic bus, promoting his new book titled (heh heh) "I Am The Walrus." (I could have done without Eddie Izzard's "Being for The Benefit of Mr Kite," even if the sequence is sufficiently madcap.) But this isn't a sloppy kaleidoscope like the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1978 Soundtrack was; other than the three men mentioned prior, there are no stars here. In particular, Sadie (Dana Fuchs) and Jojo (Martin Luther McCoy) give dynamite performances, and other than Evan Rachel Wood, the cast is relatively unknown.

I really can't say enough about the pleasure I got from "Across The Universe, and it may be the first time you walk into a theater humming the songs. I was skeptical at first, because many of the reviews I'd read were not kind. But I have a feeling many of them were written by folks of a more tender age, lacking the comprehension of the times portrayed on screen. One of the most fun things about this movie was catching the goofy Beatles' homages sprinkled in the film's dialog (favorite, when Prudence sneaks into the Sadie's communal apartment and someone asked where she comes from, Jude replies "she came in through the bathroom window").

This is also a recommendable movie for one other reason. It isn't. When I say 'it isn't,' I mean, not a sequel, not a rip-off of a TV series (old or new), not a remake and some lowbrow teen sex-romp. There isn't anything cloying or coy, and while the movie is certainly political, the politics you get from it will be what you read out on your own. "Across The Universe" is as relevant today as it was when when The Beatles sang "But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow." Grab your popcorn, sit back, relax and float downstream.

Read Best Reviews of Across the Universe (2007) Here

As someone who was literally a child of the mid late 60's & and a student of the time period, I first want to thank everyone who had anything to do with the making of this film! Your timing could not of been better! You helped me to remember the fervor, passion and idealism that made up the mid-late 60's. It's been many years since I have burst out sobbing in a movie theater! Thanks for helping to lift the fog a bit! As an activist, you have collectively given me some badly needed renewed vigor!

I also feel so very, very sorry for all the critics of this movie who don't have a clue about what all this means, or whose hearts have grown so hard with such bitterness, cynicism or despair; or have just simply sold-out; or plain no longer care! All your ranting and raving and nay saying won't do a thing to take away one moment of the adventure, creativity, experimentation, excitement or passion that made this time in history so great!

I also what to thank the brilliant filmmakers for paying homage to so many important cultural icons, organizations and events of the period: Walter Cronkite, the greatest broadcaster of the 20th century. Baba Olatunji, the Nigerian Drummer and social activist, his double looked like he came right off the Drums of Passion album cover! I can now see him smiling from heaven! The tremendous scene with Bread and Puppets, a living, breathing, direct link to 1960's radicalism, warmed my heart! You even went up to their stronghold in Glover, Vermont, to film part of the scene! Bravo! The SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), which did not advocate violence, and the much smaller splinter-group that morphed into an organization advocating extreme measures, called the Weather Underground. The brave Martin Luther King, Jr. and his intervention in a labor dispute, which cost him his life. The historic occupation of the Ivy League, Columbia University by its students protesting both the Vietnam war and the intense poverty that surrounded the school. Ken Kesey and his legendary bus. The Jimi Hendrix & Janice Jopplin characters who show such dignity, and a passion for music. And, of course, the Beatles! Their music reaches deep into my soul. You gave me insights into the meaning of their tunes that after all these years never crossed my mind!

I also enjoyed being bathed in all the very colorful special affects. The 60's and early 70's were a time of outrageously bold colors and design. Something brilliantly portrayed in Across the Universe! The only film I intend to purchase on DVD that has been released this year!

Rehearsing With Gods: Photographs and Essays on the Bread & Puppet Theater, Bread and Puppet Theatre (Theater) Volume 2, The New Radicals in the Multiversity and Other Sds Writings on Student Syndicalism (Sixties Series), Drums of Passion

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)

I love music, and I love the Beatles. I also love movies, even the sometimes pretentious art movies. But I'm really picky when it comes to musicals, and generally don't like song remakes that don't add something new. So where does that leave me with "Across the Universe?" I love it and hate it all at once!

The Good

The music in this movie is mostly really good semi-acoustic versions of late Beatles songs. And believe me, the music is really good. If you love the Beatles, even purists may appreciate the updated versions to many of these songs. Some (such as Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds) were better off the first time. Across The Universe [Deluxe Edition]

This movie was nominated for Costume Design at the Academy Awards, yet it could have gotten a bunch of technical nominations including Art Direction, Cinematography and Sound. While most people ignore those categories, I think they all matter a lot. Technically this is a very hard movie to make. It sounds great and looks great.

The Bad

The story and the songs have almost no relationship to the original songs that are used as the skeleton for the movie. Musicals are hard enough to like. Even though the music is very well done as far as adaptations and remakes go, the transitions can be annoying with dialogue taken from song lyrics. And the way some of the characters are flatly filmed singing / talking will make you remember those terrible Gap commercials. So while there are some cool elements, the end result feels somewhat cheesy sometimes.

Also, some of the people here seem to have been chosen for their singing more than their acting, because the supporting cast is spotty.

Not to mention, for those who don't like art movies or the Beatles, I can see how this could be annoying.

Somebody like me should have seen this in a movie theatre, because as a DVD the grand scale of some of the scenes seemed lost on my very modest sized TV.

Conclusion

If you like art films, musicals, the Beatles, or lust after one or several of the stars, you will like this. If you like movies that have a logical plot and great acting you may have trouble with this one.

This movie very much seems like it was made to be watched while high. It got better towards the end and earned an extra star for creativity. It's still very good in certain ways but it's bound to annoy some people.

Check it out!

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