Killer Movie (2011)

It looks like other reviewers here are probably involved with the film. I am not; I just watched it. This movie is the average slasher fare with a reality show spin on it. Even though the storyline is not so original, I still found the movie likeable all the way to the end. It has the cheesiness but doesn't look cheap, some humor, decent kill scenes, and good music scores. Slasher movie fans would particularly find this film entertaining.

I saw Killer Movie in a film festival a couple of months ago. It was so funny at times, and really creepy at others. The acting was great, and the characters were so interesting and multifaceted. The dialogue was witty and fresh, and Kaley Cuoco's one-liners had me laughing out loud. But even with all the humor, you never forget that you're watching a horror movie. The gory details are horrifying and the murders creative and original. I won't spoil anything, but it'll leave you thinking, "I never would have thought to kill someone like that." You really have to see for yourself. I strongly recommend this movie for any horror or comedy fan.

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KILLER MOVIE is the silly, creepy, gory tale of documentary film-making gone horribly awry. We follow a film crew as they work on a doc about a small town's high school hockey team. Of course, there's a masked maniac at large, and people begin dying awful, squishy deaths. Said maniac is an interesting fellow, w/ his own unique take on reality TV. KM has gallons of blood and several dismemberments, yet manages to remain fun and interesting. The characters are solid, especially Kaley Cuoco (tv'S BIG BANG THEORY) as a total wench of an actress who gets a much needed attitude tune up by movie's end! So, if you enjoy comedic horror w/ extra sauce, KILLER MOVIE should slake that thirst...

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A slasher gem for the new generation. A very good direct to dvd movie. I would kind of compare it to the scream movies just a little for its comedy moments but just your typical slasher movie, a good plot, good acting, and good kills. I would recommend it to slasher fans.

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Killer Movie, as the title foreshadows, is an intelligent, witty mix of horror and satire. It's a movie within a movie, a dark and cuttingly humorous inside take on the world of reality TV, written and directed by Jeff Fisher, an actual reality TV director. The horror is especially chilling, and the humor rings particularly true, because the reality TV material is based on the director's real life reality TV experience. Thanks to the wicked, cutting edge, deliciously twisted imagination that inspired the script, you can't predict what's going to happen -and that's what makes Killer Movie a truly refreshing departure from all those horror movie cliches that have already been done to death.

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Cold Mountain (2003)

"Cold Mountains", one of the best films of the year (it's a crime it wasn't nominated for Best Picture), is beautifully crafted, stirring, poetic tale of love, loss, and the will to survive. Directed and adapted to the screen by the wonderful Anthony Minghella and boasting a stunning cast of Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Jack White, Brendan Gleeson, and Donald Sutherland, this film is truly a force to be reckoned with.

"Cold Mountain" tells the story of Inman (Law), a carpenter working in Cold Mountain, North Carolina in 1861 when the alluring, elegant, and well-educated Ada (Kidman) and her father, Reverend Monroe (Sutherland), move to the Blue Mountains from the city. Inman and Ada, in true Hollywood fashion, are instantly taken by each other and engage in restrained flirtation, Ada's preacher father and their different social classes being the bulwark from romance. Soon the Civil War begins and the entire young male population of Cold Mountain departs in eager anticipation of glorious battle. Inman and Ada engage in one fleeting, hungry kiss before he rushes off to join the departing procession.

During battle, Inman is wounded and, after reading Ada's numerous earnest letters imploring him to return to her, deserts the Confederate army and embarks upon an Odyssey-like journey back home to his true love. Meanwhile, Ada's father has died, leaving her helpless and alone on their 300 acre farm. Soon Ruby (Zellweger) arrives and offers Ada her services in exchange for food and shelter. Realizing that she simply cannot manage on her own, Ada agrees. The rest of this spellbinding film flashes back and forth between Ada, being "all that keeps Inman from sliding into some dark place" and Inman, being Ada's "last thread of courage". Though these two souls barely know each other, they both remarkably become the single thing in each others world worth living for, worth fighting for.

When boiled down to it, "Cold Mountain" is simply a beautiful testament of the human soul's fierce will to survive and, as corny as it sounds, the power of love. If it weren't for their love, neither Ada nor Inman would have found the will and courage to survive after their lives had been shattered by the brutalities of war.

The seamlessly intertwined music plays such a large emotional role in this film. From Gabriel Yard's haunting score to Alison Krauss' tender songs, the music in this films helps to create an absorbing atmosphere that sucks you right into the Civil War. In addition, John Seale's breathtaking cinematography complete with sweeping views of the snow-encrusted Blue Mountains makes this a film you simply must see on the big screen.

This has been a very difficult review for me to write. Upon first seeing "Cold Mountain", I was pleased with the film, but definitely not as taken with it as I soon came to be. That all changed in the weeks following. I simply cannot get this film out of my head. The hope, the sacrifices, the pain, the loss, the love. It really sticks with you. It's hard to put my feelings into words and I sincerely hope that this review has given you the incentive to go see this film, and by doing so, embark upon an unforgettable journey.

Cold Mountain is a beautiful movie set during the American Civil War. A North Carolina town of Cold Mountain has sent it's beloved sons to war leaving behind Mothers and Lovers. Our two main characters are Ada (Nicole Kidman) and Inman (Jude Law) two Cold Mountain residents dedicated to there reunion after the war, but the war drags on and there correspondence is the only thing that unites them in a terrible time of American History.

The movie tells of Inman's journey back to Ada and the parrallel story of Ada trying to survive on her fathers farm. Both characters take a journey in spirit and determination to survive the horror that has become there existance during the war.

I loved the intertwining of music and drama in this movie. Anthony Mingella did, as expected, an excellent job etching the powerful feelings of hope and dismay with haunting music written by Sting and performed by the clear voice of blue grasses own Alison Krauss. I am from North Carolina am familiar with the native music of the area and thought the music in the movie very similar and so wonderful.

Although, this is a Love Story more than a movie of the American Civil War it stirred the feeling of my Southern Roots. The movie did not contemplate the reasons for the Civil War but it was a vehicle for ours lovers seperation. I found the depiction of the Petersburg battle flawed not entirely accurate to history but then again the war is not the focus in the movie.

I was in aw of the cinemontography of this movie, magnificent. A gorgeous movie that needs to be seen.

Perhaps I am biased, since I am a North Carolinian, but I thought this movie excellent, bittersweet, wonderfully acted, and crafted by the best in the movie business today. I would recommend this movie.

I was so touched by the Lovers' correspondence between each other the quiet love between two people spelled out in words. You hear Ada reading her letters to Inman on his journey back to her and your heart aches for the both of them......sigh.

girldiver:)

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"Cold Mountain," Anthony Minghella's film of Charles Frazier's novel, is a mournful, beautiful and occasionally profound film about the futility of war, the persistence of love and the desperate attempts of people to survive in wartime. The quiet, delicately nuanced performances of Jude Law and Nicole Kidman in the lead roles are deeply moving, and Renee Zellweger brings much-needed comic relief as Ruby, a plain-spoken farm worker. The film's episodic structure may distract some viewers, but the vignettes are extremely powerful per se, and they allow for some wonderful supporting performances--by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Eileen Atkins, Kathy Baker, Donald Sutherland, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Lucas Black, Brendan Gleeson, Ray Winstone, Jack White, Ethan Suplee and others--to be placed strategically in the movie like jewels in a crown. "Cold Mountain" makes the sad but undeniable point that at times of national tragedy, all the survivors can do is pick up the pieces, rebuild their lives as best they can, and find joy wherever they can. With fine performances, excellent music (by Sting, Jack White and others), and exquisite photography by John Seale, "Cold Mountain" lingers in our minds and hearts long after the closing credits roll.

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"Cold Mountain," directed by Anthony Minghella, stars Jude Law as Inman, a Confederate soldier during the U.S. Civil War, and Nicole Kidman as Ada, the minister's daughter he loves and longs for when he leaves to fight. Renee Zellweger costars as Ruby, a feisty farmhand who works with Ada on the homefront.

This film is a period piece that has a true epic sweep, yet never loses an intimate connection with the main characters. The production design is full of fascinating and thoughtful details that make the film a joy to watch. But it's also often harrowing and graphically violent--Minghella does not flinch at exploring the injustice and brutality of humankind towards itself.

The performances are all superb. After having distinguished himself in a number of noteworthy supporting roles, Law really proves himself a great leading man here. Kidman brings both delicacy and steel to her role--a southern belle faced with daunting wartime challenges. Zellweger delivers a rich, earthy, zesty performance; she is a perfect foil for Kidman and their characters' relationship is one of the great highlights of the film. The three main actors are superbly supported by the rest of the cast.

"Cold Mountain" is often quite grim and brutal, but is leavened by earthy humor and irony. Ultimately I found the film to be life-affirming. It's a love story and a war story, but regardless of genre it's a superbly crafted and genuinely moving film.

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COLD MOUNTAIN by Charles Frazier is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. It is a heart-wrenching story about Inman, a soldier fighting for the South in the Civil War, his desertion from the war, and his subsequent journey home. But it is also about Ada, the spoiled and impractically raised preacher's daughter who is left to fend for herself after her father dies. It is touching to watch Ada grow before your eyes as she learns to work and take care of herself for the first time, and becomes selfsufficient. When I discovered they were making it into a movie, I was ecstatic. I recently saw it, and I give it 3 stars out of 4. It was a good movie, but not great-(let LOTR win this year!)

First, I wanted to write this review because **I feel as though everyone is missing the point of the story somehow**. Some have stated they couldn't feel sympathy for Inman because his character was cold, and it glorified a deserter in some way. Others felt Ada's relationship with Inman was superficial and trite. It's very important to understand Inman's motivation for leaving the war in order to understand Inman as a person, and his relationship with Ada.

In my opinion, Inman is one of the bravest and most human characters any author has ever written. In the novel, Inman's inner turmoil is more evident than in the movie, so readers will find themselves better able to sympathize with him than viewers. Frazier's novel shows Inman is becoming dehumanized by his experiences in the war. He has seen too much. He has watched his friends murdered, he has taken lives with his own hands, he has done what he can to survive, and it is not honorable. It reminds me of the Wilfred Owen poem "Dulce Et Decorum Est" or Randall Jarrell's "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner", because those poems get across to readers there is nothing glorious about war. What the book gets across beautifully, and where the movie fell short, is the effects of war on the human soul. Inman's spirit is being BROKEN. There is a black place inside him he does not know if he can ever recover from. This is why he knows he must leave.

Inman doesn't know if he can ever recover from what he's been through. He has been irrevocably affected by what he's been through, this horrible tragedy that is war. He sees Ada as his salvation; she is the light at the end of his tunnel, the only possible chance for hope. Even in the novel, they didn't have much interaction before Inman left for war. It seemed as though there was much more left unsaid between them than was ever actually put into words. However, Ada and Inman saw something in each other that was enough to sustain them.

There were many good points about the film. Beautiful scenery and cinematography....fabulous costumes...rich characterization. The two main characters were well cast with wonderful chemistry. After thinking back on Kidman in "Far and Away", I knew she could pull off Ada's character, which is supposed to be cold and somewhat haughty. Jude Law is a perfect Inman. I especially enjoyed the moments between them when they said nothing, yet you KNEW some sort of understanding had passed between them. Their love scenes were passionate and tasteful. I loved Donald Sutherland as Ada's father. Kathy Baker captures the stoicism and stalwart nature of Ada's neighbor Sally Swanger. I loved Giovanni Ribisi as the money hungry Junior, and Natalie Portman will bring tears to a few eyes as the lonely young widow trying to survive a hard winter with her baby. Philip Seymour Hoffman is an excellent Veasey, a priest Inman meets on the journey to Cold Mountain. When Inman meets him, Veasey is attempting to dredge up the courage to kill his pregnant lover--whom he has drugged and stolen from her home in the middle of the night-so the townspeople won't realize what a lecher he is.

There was one thing that threw the movie off for me. Renee Zellweger plays Ruby, a strong young woman who comes to help Ada gain control over the house (she's being terrorized by a rooster when Ruby shows up). Ruby becomes Ada's teacher in all things pertaining to country life and running a farm. Zellweger did a nice job getting across the conflicted way Ruby felt in regards to her father, the fiddle playing Stobrod, who abandoned her repeatedly when she was a child. Their relationship was touching. But while Zellweger provided some much-needed comic relief, her acting was COMPLETELY OVER THE TOP. She did not so much "steal scenes" as she hurled herself into them and shoved everyone else out of the way. I did see a few reviewers (a precious few-most people seemed to think she was brilliant and deserves an Academy Award) who felt less would've been more. The movie is not meant to be hilarious, and her scenes felt too contrived--every time she came onto the screen, people would start to chuckle, knowing something "amusing" was going to happen. To me, she wasn't amusing so much as just overreaching her role. I was especially frustrated when she RUINED the moment at the end of the film when Inman is finally expressing his feelings for Ada.

One of the most touching aspects of the film is when you think about the spirit of the characters in it. No one was rich; they all struggled to make it through a horrible experience with few resources of their own. Yet they were still willing to give food off their own tables (and out of their children's mouths) in order to keep some stranger from going hungry. That kind of attitude and camaraderie was simply unforgettable. Go see the movie, but don't miss out on reading the book.

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Freedom Writers (2007)

**A few spoilers in this review**

Amazon's has it all right in their comments on this underrated, wonderfully acted, and fair treatment of our current education system that all too often gives up on what it considers the "undesirables" present in every school, the teachers who think that they know it all (both villain and heroine in this film), and the kids who believe that they have no reason to even try to prove others wrong.

The dialogue is blisteringly realistic, sensitive, insightful, and painfully honest most of the time. In many ways there are no real villains in this film although there are two specific teachers who attempt to give Swank's character difficulty either because she is attempting to succeed where others have failed, or because she thinks she is better than others or has the key to her students' success if others would just get out of her way. It's easy to see the veteran teachers' resentment for Swank as Gruwell. She is brash, naive, overconfident, obsessive, and appears to want to outshine her colleagues although that really isn't her intent, but one can see how a veteran teacher would see her as a threat to their status which they feel, and rightly so to some degree, have earned. Simply because these older veteran teachers may not be as "on fire" as Gruwell, who is new to the profession, doesn't mean they aren't still dedicated. In their defense, Gruwell really does just dismiss their experience, expertise, and dedication to the education profession because they have become a bit more jaded by their life experiences in this profession. She does come off rather self-righteous at the wrong times such as when she's actually seeking help. Talk about ironic.

As a 17 year veteran teacher myself I understand those veteran teachers in the film, but I also recall being Gruwell's age with all its enthusiasm, shakey confidence, and out to prove something mentality. I have greatly learned to appreciate and love the new teachers that come into my school because they have the opportunity to succeed where I may have failed and the students will benefit from that, but it does have its pains too. I know that that glorious time is somewhat behind me now and passing the torch is hard. It's also hard to see one's own light diminishing while another is being lit. I think younger teachers need to be sensitive to that and Swank's character, Gruwell, is rather harsh and judgmental to those that don't "get" her style. In fact, she is so harsh that her single-minded focus doesn't let her feel others' emotional pain that her success is causing. She appears to only be focused on her mission and her kids and while that can be praiseworthy, it can be narrow-minded and heartless too. Sadly, her obsessive nature causes her marriage to collapse. She NEVER sees that coming and that is all the more sad as it shows how clueless she is regarding her own actions while so easily condeming others. In the end, neither Gruwell or her husband really comes off as the "bad guy" at the end of that relationship although people are bound to take sides. I think he's pretty shallow and weak for not standing up for himself or his marriage more until it hits a point of no return. There is plenty of fault to go around.

This is compelling film making and my wife and I talked for hours after viewing this film as she recalls my early days in education and how I am now after years of battling and bowing to belligerent parents who never believe their kid could do any wrong, abusive and manipulative students who know the system is mostly on their side now, condescending administrators who believe they have the answers when they are no longer even in the classroom environment, and demonizing politicians who always see us as the reason for all the ills in society. To add insult to injury after many years of dedication, new young teachers often come in displaying little respect to veterans as they see others not giving us respect. It's sad that they so often don't see their futures in us.

I praise new young teachers like Gruwell and world experienced but new teachers like Jamie Escalante (Stand and Deliver) and all such teachers who battle the odds to make a difference in the lives of their students. If anyone gets anything out of this film, I would hope it's a sense that all deserve respect. Films in this genre all too typically demonize the veteran teachers as has-beens who have just given up, praise the young upstart regardless of their flawed attitude at times, and put students on the same playing field as adults which they are not. This film breaks this genre's stereotypes quite a bit. I felt sincerely sorry for the disenchanted and disrespected veterans even though they were combative and jealous. I felt great respect and empathy for the young new teacher, Gruwell, for trying to make a positive change, but upset with her condescending and self-absorbed, callous attitude at times toward her colleagues and husband. I, lastly, felt great compassion for the students portrayed in this film who all too often society feels are "throwaways."

This is the kind of film that lingers in your mind long after the viewing of it is over. This film is worth renting if not owning. Enjoy.

I don't know about anyone else, but I went through a lot of tissues in this movie. Not because it's sad (although there are a few sad parts here and there), but because it's so moving and heart warming. It took me too long to get around to watching this and I'm sorry for that, but now that I've seen it, it's definately a new favourite of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's based on fact and what a teacher, Erin Gruwell, does to turn around a class of kids who seem helpless. It's far better than Higher Learning or Dangerous Minds. It's got a fantastic cast in it and they all did such a great job. Hillary's character starts out a little niave because she thinks from the start that it's going to be a piece of cake to teach this class English. However, soon after they arrive at the first lesson, she sees it's going to be an uphill battle. A little on in the movie, after she sees a drawing someone drew of a black student, she begins to get them thinking about how these actions can take their toll, by refering to the way Jews were drawn in newspaper cartoons back in the beginning of the Nazi uprise. These kids have never heard of the Holocaust and she overtime, helps them see what Jews faced when the Nazi's took over Germany and other parts of Europe (she takes them to the Simon Weisenthal Museum of Tolorance) and she plays games with them where they divide into two sides of the room and come to the center of the room for each thing they have in common (such as whether they've lost someone they love in gang violence, or whether they have the same music taste). Soon they see that it doesn't matter if they are Black, White, Hispanic or Cambodian they are all so similar in so many ways and they shouldn't let race divide them.

You HAVE to see this brilliant movie. It's so uplifting and moving, that you'll no doubt love it as much as I did. It's such a powerful movie and ALL school kids across the world should be made to watch this in classes at school. I love it.

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We loved this movie, it is a very inspiring story of a young teacher with difficult teenagers, it is very well acted and directed, and by the time it ends we are feeling moved, uplifted and with faith in the future of our children!

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Hillary Swank plays the part of Erin Gruwell, a new teacher starting out in Long Beach, California teaching a freshman class of students that have suffered many difficulties in life so far. Each of them in the class has already been subjected to violence in school and in their communities and they also confront peer segregation in the form of cliques or `tribes' as described by one student.

Erin Gruwell, new to teaching and on unfamiliar ground, starts out by absorbing the abuse given by her students and eventually finds ways to break down the racial tension and communicate with them. She is able to accomplish this even with the school principal and department head of English are not supporting her methods or acknowledging her successes. On her own, Erin Gruwell works two extra part-time jobs to help pay for school books and other materials that she cannot get from her own administration. So much of her time is spent on bettering her students that even her marriage begins to deteriorate.

Beginning a new class project where everyone is to keep a journal and make daily entries, Erin Gruwell eventually reads the journals, with the approval of her students, and begins to connect with them even more in that she now understands the pain in their lives and hardships they have faced. This also drives her to become even more influential in their education and give them hope and inspiration in becoming what they never thought they could. The students in her class, some being the first in their families to ever graduate high school and then go to college, do just that. They eventually call themselves Freedom Writers and they also put their journal entries together to create the `Freedom Writers Diary' which was published in 1999.

I can remember 2 distinct movies before this that employed similar kinds of themes and they were `To Sir With Love' and `Dangerous Minds'. The formula certainly worked back then and it works this time too, maybe even more so. There is no mistaking that this is a very well made film and it is well acted. The story is inspirational, uplifting and definitely worth watching.

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I read a few reviews of this movie, and I realized something that I thought was pretty well presented in this film: not everyone's reality is the same as mine...you might not see the same movie I saw. First, this is based on a true story. A teacher inspires a class to believe in themselves and change the attitude of a hopeless community. I don't think there is a situation in the film where people feel sorry for each other, they learn to understand and accept each other. Which is probably the worst thing that could happen to the human race as a whole (that's sarcasm). Ummm...this wasn't merely another film from a specific genre, it's based on a true story and dedicated to one of the students from the actual class who was killed in a gang-related crime. Ultimately, the movie is about doing the right thing, and how the people in charge often hide behind a system to prevent change. Now go read all the redneck 1-star reviews, and count how many admit they didn't watch the whole film.

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King Kong (2010)

From the Warner's press release

Three editions:

The King Kong: Two-Disc Special Edition (SRP $26.99) will include the 104-minute restored and remastered B&W film on video in its original full frame, with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Extras will include audio commentary (by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack, Ruth Rose, Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong), the 2005 I'm Kong: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper documentary, a gallery of trailers for other films by director Merian C. Cooper, the new RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World documentary by Peter Jackson (featuring the following featurettes: The Origins of King Kong, Willis O'Brien and Creation, Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder, A Milestone in Visual Effects, Passion, Sound and Fury, The Mystery of the Lost Spider Pit Sequence and King Kong's Legacy) and Creation test footage (with commentary by Ray Harryhausen).

The King Kong: Two-Disc Collector's Edition (SRP $39.98) will include all of the above in limited tin packaging that also features a 20-page reproduction of the original 1933 souvenir program, King Kong original one-sheet reproduction postcards and a mail-in offer for a reproduction of a vintage theatrical poster.

The King Kong Four-Disc Collector's Set (SRP $39.92) will include the King Kong: Two-Disc Special Edition along with The Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young. It will NOT include the extras in the Collector's Edition tin.

Fortunately, The Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young will also be available separately (as will The Last Days of Pompeii, also by Kong directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack) for an SRP of $19.97 each.

The Son of Kong will include the 70-minute restored B&W film on video in the original full frame, with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Extras will include the theatrical trailer.

Mighty Joe Young will include the 94-minute restored B&W film on video in its original full frame, with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Extras will include audio commentary (by Ray Harryhausen, Ken Ralston and Terry Moore), 2 new featurettes (Ray Harryhausen and The Chioda Brothers and Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young) and the film's theatrical trailer.

As a young child in the nineteen fifties, I used to watch this film whenever it appeared on TV on "Million Dollar Movie". I loved it then. I love it now. Time has not diminished the capacity of this film to mesmerize and hold the viewer in its thrall.

The story line is basic. Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), a filmmaker and entrepreneur, leads an expedition to Skull Island where he discovers its deep, dark secret. It is a land where time has stood still, and prehistoric monsters still hold sway over the island and its inhabitants. There, the natives pay homage to the one whom they revere as "Kong", and who is, indeed, king of the island.

Denham, together with his beautiful, budding starlet, Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), as well as with the crew of the ship that brought him to Skull Island, investigates the strange ritual being performed on the island by its native population. Before she knows it, Ann finds herself captured by the natives. She is to become the bride of the mysterious "Kong".

When Ann discovers who the mysterious "Kong" is, she starts screaming and doesn't stop. The ship's first mate, Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot), who happens to be in love with Ann, manages to rescue her from the clutches of "Kong". Notwithstanding the fact that "Kong" has taken a shine to her, Ann is relieved to have been rescued by the man whom she loves.

Denham then arranges to capture the creature, whom he calls "King Kong" and takes him back to New York with them on the ship that brought them to Skull Island. There, King Kong makes his debut, one that movie lovers will long remember.

The special effects of this film were superlative for its time and still pass muster today. The relationship between the beauty and the beast still makes the viewer sit up and take notice. This is an attention grabbing film that is as exciting today, as when it was first released over seventy years ago. It is a truly timeless, cinema classic. Bravo!

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I have always loved the 1933 King Kong for its life-like special effects created by Willis O'Brien. It would be very difficult to reproduce a period piece such as this, yet that's exactly what Peter Jackson is attempting to do. I hope he succeeds, I really do, but...

You just can't beat the original. And it's not just the FX (spectacular for its day), but the slow build up to Kong and Kong's appearance in NYC...all just fantasic.

Here is some important news below! Warner and HP are digitally restoring King Kong for a new theatrical release followed by a multiple DVD release. This couldn't be better news for Kong fans! Since I'm sure Warner wishes to cash in on Peter Jackson's new magnum opus, we'll probably be seeing the DVDs at Amazon within the near future.

Warner Bros. Studios and HP breathe new life into classic motion pictures

Warner Bros. Studios and HP also announced that they have teamed to restore the 1933 classic motion picture "King Kong." One of the American Film Institute's 100 most beloved films and named to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, the original camera negative of "King Kong" has long been destroyed, leaving only elements and prints that have been deteriorating over the years.

Warner Bros. Studios has brought the best elements and prints from all over the world and has scanned them into a 4K digital file. Using HP's "dirt and scratch" technology, which was developed by HP Labs, the 72-year-old classic will be digitally restored to its 1933 brilliance. A new camera negative as well as new archival elements will be created so that the film will be saved for generations to come. This new, restored version of "King Kong," as it was originally released, will be screened theatrically and broadcast on television, as well as released on Warner Home Video.

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Warner is without a doubt, the finest home video label in the industry. No doubt about it. Not even the commendable, but ultimately conventional Criterion label comes close.

So now, 8 years into DVD-dom, WB is finally giving us KING KONG. One of the greatest motion pictures ever made. One of the most popular. One of the most successful.

So why hasn't it been on DVD all this time?

Because Warner wanted to do it right.

Warner owns the RKO library (although the previous owner, General Tire (no I'm not kidding) sold of foreign rights for several years in various countries for various periods of time) and although the foreign labels that have rights to these films quickly released them, Warner didn't.

They knew the RKO library was in terrible shape, and with their near-perfect record of perfection on every release, they sought to find the best original film negatives and create the best extra material.

Many RKO films have finally started to be available from Warner over the last two or three years. In every instance, the Warner RKO DVDs have been heads-and-tails better than those released by the international companies who hold rights in their respective countries. I say this only because I've seen comparisons online between what WB has dome, and what was out previously overseas.

Looking at WB's track record, we can expect a magnificent Kong transfer, the 8th wonder of the world! But there is more, this "collector's tin" comes with something I have always dreamed of seeing, but never have. A reproduction of the lavish opening night souvenir program from the premiere at Grauman's Chinese back in 1933. I read about it and the cover was reproduced in Ronald Haver's great book about David O. Selznick.

Also, the tim comes with postcard sized renderings of original Kong posters, and best of all, you get a mail-in card that gets you a true theatrical-sized (27x41) reproduction of one of the original 1933 posters. Yes, these are reproductions, but considering the original Kong poster goes for I think 100K, an authorized, full-sized repro will look cool in my house.

I am also excited to see the special features I've heard about. Apparently, Peter Jackson (who has remade KONG for release at Xmas) is the original's biggest fan, and contributed to the special features. In addition, Kong's creator, Merian C. Cooper, is also given his own documentary here, and although he may not be a household name(by a longshot!), this guy not only created KING KONG, but also collaborated with John Ford on some of the greatest films ever made, and then went on to be the chief architect of Cinerama. The Cooper documentary has been made (so I've read online) by none other than Kevin Brownlow, who is, without question, the finest cinema documentarian of all time.

The wait is over. Now we just count the days. This tin is mine!

I'll also be buying the other related Cooper movies like LAST DAYS OF POMPEII, THE SON OF KONG, and the original MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (with a tounge in cheek, and a very beautiful Terry Moore).

So the ultimate question is, what will be the greatest DVD classic of 2005. This seemingly magnificent uber-KONG from Warner, or the new Ultra-Resoltion 3 Disc mega set on WIZARD OF OZ. Likely it will be a tie. Admittedly, I'm a huge fan of Warner. 3 years ago, there were very few Warner DVDs on my shelf, as they seemed to ignore their library. Since then, it's been Xmas almost every month. Those folks sure do a great job, and I'm sure their KING KONG, in that irresistable tin, will be worth the wait.

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The video quality of this _King Kong_ (1933) DVD from Cheezy Flicks Entertainment is about the same as the NTSC VHS source from which it appears to have been copied. The DVD has a pasty looking picture which suffers from a total lack of contrast and there are occasional VHS-style video dropouts. The picture is off centered to the left and has excessive overscan. The "deleted" scenes are all way too dark. The crude cover art is composed of fuzzy screen shots. The ONLY advantage to the Cheezy Flicks _King Kong_ DVD is that it has reasonably good audio and the movie is presented in its original, 100-minute length, not the 96-minute length of sped up PAL versions. This alone makes the DVD worth keeping.

This Region 1 NTSC disc was made on a DVD burner. It has an English soundtrack, no subtitles and comes with a printed label. The package is an Amaray-style case with an insert sheet that lists the 13 chapters, but the chapters are not numbered.

There are persistent rumors that Warner Bros. will be releasing a superduper Region 1 DVD of the original _King Kong_ (1933) by the end of the decade. In the meantime, this Cheezy Flicks NTSC version sounds better than a sped up PAL version and, for those who really love Fay Wray, it is definitely better than no _King Kong_ at all. Hearing Fay Wray scream on key is what it's all about.

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Dragon (2011)

*This is not a review of the content of the film*

I thought it would be prudent to post this disclaimer on Amazon as it directly effected my decision to NOT buy this version of this movie.

THIS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL VERSION, but rather one that has been edited and shortened by the American Studio handling the domestic release.

Also, changes have been made to some of the music as well.

Now, I'm sure some people don't care about this sort of thing, and you who don't will get an acceptable movie if you decide to buy this. Personally I am a bit of a purist and get offended when some Suits who had nothing to do with making a movie suddenly start cutting bits out and generally messing it about.

If you've got the scratch to spend, you can get the undiluted Chinese release here: Wu Xia Blu-Ray (Region A) (English Subtitled) Donnie Yen

That is all, and may you get much enjoyment out of this film in whatever form you acquire it.

*Unhelpful side note for the curious*:

I am also annoyed by the rebranding of this film as "Dragon." While Wu Xia does technically mean dragon, that is not the context of the title. "Wu Xia" is also the term for the sub-genre of story telling that this film is an example of. Hence, renaming it "dragon" is like renaming a Film Noir titled "Noir" to "Black" for a foreign release, which doesn't make any sense and is stupid. :p

Imagine my shock as I watched this DVD and found out that I was not going to get the normal run-of-the-mill martial art movie. This story actually has layers and depth. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of action, but it interspersed with great acting and a solid, realistic storyline. I even found a few plot twists that were totally unexpected. A definite must see.

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My wife and I saw this on Vuudo last night. We loved this movie!. It's a great Kung Fu movie, but it also has a great story to it also. I'm going to add this to my collection, so I will be buying this as soon as its out..

Read Best Reviews of Dragon (2011) Here

love this movie. amazing storyline. would recommend to everyone.

wish it was in English so I didn't have to read the sub titles but other than that I love it.

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I am a huge fan of Chinese Films , if you expected the usual martial arts film you will be surprised as this turns out to be a csi investigation. Donnie Yen gives a terrific performance unlike the last couple of films where he seemed to be acting by numbers. The detective also gives a terrific performance with soul. Lookout for Jimmie Wang Yu's performance I hardly recognised him . Highly recommended

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The Girl Next Door (Unrated Edition) (2004)

There is a point in "The Girl Next Door Unrated Edition' (which I received and promptly devoured, extra's and all, in one sitting) where the movie is in danger of changing in tone and focus from American Pie to Showgirls, but luckily for the movie and viewers it recovers itself and ends in a definite teen comedy spirit.

I never saw this movie in the theater so I cannot comment on what has been added to this "unrated edition" but there is certainly quite a lot of nudity, but nothing involving the main actors. There are some graphic scenes at a strip club (including lap dancing) and we get shots of one of the main actors watching a porn video at home. There are some nude scenes from behind of both principal actors Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert, but as Hirsch points out on Side B of the disc (where most of the extras are located) the movie used a stand-in for those shots.

I have a word of caution regarding the list of extra's on the Amazon page. One is titled a scene specific commentary by Hirsch and Cuthbert. What we have here though is not a commentary for the whole movie from the two stars, but rather several scenes on the flip side of the disc in which the two actors both give separate commentary.

Largely (and unjustly) ignored at the box office this teen comedy starts of really well and within the first few moments had me rolling with laughter. The movie starts with a montage of sorts, we see the jocks, brains and cheerleader-types all stating, for their entry in the yearbook, what they "will always remember."

Then there is Matt (played by Hirsch) who is pondering this question. Sure, he has had a successful academic career as illustrated by his acceptance to Georgetown but he really hasn't done anything memorable in his senior year of high school.

That's about to change for Matt though with the arrival next door of Danielle (played by Cuthbert), who plays a breathtaking beauty house-sitting for his neighbors.

Entranced by her Matt is unable to stop himself from watching Danielle undress in the window opposite his bedroom but he is spotted. From that moment he is on a rollercoaster ride. Danielle, amused and evidently attracted to Matt, shows him the excitement of living on the edge, from running naked through the streets to moonlight skinny dipping in his school principal's pool.

Just as everything seems to be going so well between Matt and Danielle, Matt is shocked when one of his best friends Eli (who is a connoisseur of porn movies and full of in-experienced sex advice) shows one of his porn movies in which Danielle is the main star.

Foolishly following some of his friends advice, the two part company and moments later the movie changes tack and takes on a decidedly darker and more serious tone as Matt becomes sucked into the shadowy world of the pornographic movie industry.

What follows is both inventive and highly amusing. How will Matt afford to get into Georgetown? What will become of Danielle? These are just some of the questions in this entertaining movie that borrows heavily and liberally from a number of the John Hughes movies of the 1980s and the AMERICAN PIE movies of more recent years. The movie ends on a high note in a conclusion that is both satisfying and enjoyable.

Now onto the part that most readers of this review are more interested in the extra's. On Side A of the disc we have an OK director's commentary from director Luke Greenfield and an at times amusing and at other times fascinating trivia track.

Then on Side B of the disc we have the aforementioned seven to eight scene specific commentaries from Hirsch and Cuthbert (Hirsch curiously has one more) and deleted and extended scenes with optional directors commentary. None of these scenes are of any particular value to anyone but completists or fans of the movie. They add nothing to the feature, but do have a curiosity factor to them. They also chose the better of the two endings also.

Of more interest is an amusing featurette in which actor Chris Marquette (who plays Eli in the movie) poses as a porn producer and lures in all too interested men (there'e a cute blonde on the bed afterall) who get decidedly less interested (for the most part) when the girl is replaced by a big burly guy.

We are also offered a stills gallery and a VERY short gag reel as well as trailers for a couple of other like-minded movies in addition to one promotional trailer for several other Fox titles. There is also a trailer for THE GIRL NEXT DOOR with the subtitle `Dirrrty,' which in reality isn't really that much of a big deal.

All in all, this is a good and entertaining movie, it seems to lose its footing half way through but successfully and engagingly returns to top form before the final credits roll. This is a definite must-buy for fans of the movie and the genre and certainly great entertainment

The honest answer is no.

And that is extensive to the unrated version of the movie.

Why? Ok let me se...

For a movie that is only 5 or 6 years old, the transfer shouldn't look older than it does. The transfer is just a modest upgrade of the less-than-reference quality picture included on the original DVD.

Too much noise/grain and inconsistent color levels are the main offenders here, with the occasional edge enhancement creeping in as well. Night time and indoor scenes have the most issues, but our first reveal of Cuthbert in a wet, white shirt looks near-perfect, picture-wise. Colors are mostly set to a permanent dull hue, and in some instances are muddy, which is surprising given the quality of most Fox offerings. Trust me, this isn't blu-ray quality.

So if you have the DVD version of it, stick to it and don't change it for the Blu-ray version, you can even find a DVD unrated adaptation of it, plus you won't loose money on it!

As for the extras and unrated part:

The 16 Deleted or Extended Scenes are definitely worth watching. You have a play all option with commentary from director Greenfield. One scene featured actress Amanda Swinton losing it when she had to put a condom on Klitz, who wore a fencing mask to do the scene. She struggles to keep a straight face and loses it at the end. Most were cut for pacing purposes, which is a shame, because a lot of these scenes had moments of genuine emotion that really humanized the movie. We also get the original ending that get this Greenfield cut because people at the test screenings thought Matthew was in the White House when he's standing in front of the Capitol Building...anyways...

The movie's first trip on Blu comes with most of the bonus content present on the unrated SD release.

* Audio Commentary by Luke Greenfield

* Scene Specific Commentary by Emile Hirsch

* Scene Specific Commentary by Elisha Cuthbert

* "The Eli Experience" Featurette

* "A Look Next Door" Making-Of Featurette

* Gag Reel

* Deleted and Extended Scenes (Including the Original Ending)

* Theatrical Trailer, "Dirty" Edition

The only extra missing from the previous SD release is the Pop-Up trivia track, but viewers aren't missing much. The stand-outs here are the director's commentary and "The Eli Experience" featurette. The unrated version is nine minutes longer, but they are nine minutes that do nothing for the movie but increase its running time, and pad it out with an extra few seconds of nudity. So for you people, that means the disc gets the DVD equivalent to a Cable Ace award.

"The Eli Experience" is a riot. Chris Marquette, who plays Eli, goes to the Adult Industry Expo, held during CES, and mingles with the porn stars. In a Howard Stern moment, hulking ex-pro wrestler Matt 'Horshu' Wiese walks up to men at the expo asking them if they want to make out with him. Man this has to be seen!

As for "A Look Next Door" is a standard making-of EPK, and the Gag Reel runs three minutes long as features many on-set screw ups. It's funnier than most gag reels, but it's not worth a repeat viewing.

The movie isn't awful, but you would think the Blu-ray version is better than it really is. The direction is component, but unremarkable, the performances are fun but not unified, and the Blu is one of the weakest catalog titles Fox has released on the format so far. Watch the movie; it's acceptable rainy day entertainment. But don't trade in your DVD for the supreme BD experience, because it is not there. Ironically, most of us wouldn't have seen the movie in the first place if they didn't agree to casting Elisha Cuthbert.

Buy The Girl Next Door (Unrated Edition) (2004) Now

Teen comedies always turn up big business at the box office, this is generally due to the fact that the creative forces behind these movies include plenty of crude humor, sex, and nudity as can be allowed under the MPAA ratings system. Most of the time these teen comedies are a dime-a-dozen, opening big and fading shortly thereafter, with little lasting appeal with audiences. However, there have been some successes in the genre that have had more staying power than others, examples would be "Animal House", the `Scary Movie' franchise, and the `American Pie' series. With those examples of successful teen comedies, they all have some common traits in which they share, basically they are packed full of sex, nudity, and crude humor and language. However, one thing these examples of successful teen comedies, and even the unsuccessful ones lack is any amount of heart or soul in the story. In 2004, Fox Studios produced yet another teen comedy to appease the masses for a short while, "The Girl Next Door". Starring Elisha Cuthbert (TV's "24") and an unknown lead actor named Emile Hirsch, "The Girl Next Door" would stand out from the other teen comedies that have come before it or even after it, for this movie contained the one thing that I said was lacking in those others, that is heart and soul.

"The Girl Next Door" is the story of 18-year-old Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch), a straight-laced, overachieving, good boy who has never really lived life to the fullest. That is, until he spies his incredibly sexy neighbor (Elisha Cuthbert) changing in the window, and finds that through his desire to be with her, he will do anything and everything to be with her. But, Matthew gets thrown for somewhat of a loop when he discovers that his perfect `girl next door' is actually a former porn star, who is trying to forget about the life she used to lead. Now, Matthew's sheltered life quickly begins to spin out of control as he attempts to help his new girlfriend leave the life she knew to embrace the life she longs for.

The reason I feel this movie is far and above those other teen comedies I listed, some of which I enjoyed by the way, is like I said earlier "The Girl Next Door" contains plenty of heart and soul in its story. This movie isn't simply about having sex, yes there is that obligatory teen comedy element in this movie, but this movie is actually about the discovery that sex isn't the only thing to look for in a relationship with someone. To prove that point the main character in the story, Matthew, who by the way is played perfectly by Emile Hirsch, is forced to learn that to have a true meaningful relationship with a woman, he must get past his lustful desire to only want the physical body, with no regard for the emotional side of the woman. A lesson he has to learn the hard way, and it forces his character to mature throughout the story, until finally he is able to have a committed relationship with this `girl next door', as he discovers that she is more than just a beautiful woman, and former porn star, and in fact that she is a person with real feelings. And all she asks of Matthew is that he move past her former life and see her for who she truly is.

The writing in this story is better than most contained in this type of movie, generally the story is fairly thin, and is pretty much there to link each crude joke to the next or to bridge the gap between sex scenes; however, in this movie the story is the main focus, yes there are the crude jokes and a couple of sex scenes, but the story isn't simply a minor plot device to get the audience to these obligatory teen comedy sequences. The actors all do a very good job of bringing their characters to life, and appear to be enjoying themselves immensely with the roles they've been given. Elisha Cuthbert and Emile Hirsch share a great chemistry that helps to elevate this movie to almost a romantic comedy level, instead of just teen comedy. Timothy Olyphant ("A Man Apart" and "Scream 2") makes several appearances throughout the film as a shady porn producer, and he manages to steal almost every scene that he's in, and actually provides Matthew with some rather sage advice, though inadvertently I might add.

If you are a fan of teen comedies, but are perhaps tired of the same old thing, then check out "The Girl Next Door", I promise you it is more than your average teen, gross-out sex comedy.

"The Girl Next Door" is available in both rated R and Unrated editions, both contain language and sexuality/nudity.

Read Best Reviews of The Girl Next Door (Unrated Edition) (2004) Here

this movie is the perfect blend of teenage immaturity and perversion we have all come to love thanks to movies like american pie and likes. it has your average high school student makes good grades, president of the student council, etc. who falls in love with the lady who is housesitting his neighbors house...he falls in love with her only to find she is a porn star, and things go downhill for him from there. this is a movie to be watched not as a teenie bopper flick but seriously, it has a perfect blend also of comedy and drama. fans of the american pie type of movies, and fans of porno both should love this one, it will go down in history.

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Before I saw The Girl Next Door, I expected it to be a typical raunchy teen sex movie. After watching it, it has become one of my favorite movies, if not my favorite. It is a love story and a comedy rolled into one.

Emile Hirsch plays Matthew Kidman, a high school senior who is an excellent student and all-around nice kid, but he's kind of nerdy and hasn't really done anything memorable all throughout high school. This changes when he meets his new next-door neighbor Danielle, played by Elisha Cuthbert. Danielle is gorgeous and Matthew instantly falls for her. Soon after spotting her, he sees her undressing through his window and can't help but watch. Danielle catches him watching her and becomes angry at first, but soon it seems as though she has fallen for him too.

Danielle is a former porn star, which Matthew does not find out until his friend Eli (played by Chris Marquette) shows him a video with her in it. To further complicate things, Danielle's former producer/ex-boyfriend Kelly (played by Timothy Olyphant) shows up one day and wants Danielle to return to the adult film business. Kelly and Matthew get along well at first, but this changes when Matthew tries to get Danielle to leave the porn industry, which Kelly does not like one bit.

Eli and Kelly are two characters that really steal the show in this movie. Eli is Matthew's nerdy high school friend who is horny all the time and obsessed with sex and hot women. He had some of the funniest lines in the whole movie. Kelly (the porn director who used to work with Danielle and also used to date her) is the cool, wise-ass guy who cracked me up in just about every scene he was in. I couldn't decide whether to love him or hate him-he is a cool, funny guy when him and Matthew are friends, but when Matthew makes him angry, he becomes psycho and violent.

I do not want to give too much away in this movie, but Danielle gets Matthew to do things that he never imagined he would do. It really is a case of opposites attracting: Matthew falls for Danielle's wild adventurous side, and Danielle falls for Matthew's innocence and purity. In several scenes, you can tell deep down that Danielle really is a good person, she doesn't really want to be in the porn business, and she really cares about Matthew. Matthew feels the same way about Danielle and puts himself in many risky situations for her. This movie was so touching that I cried in a couple parts, and I don't cry easily. Yet there were also parts so funny I couldn't stop laughing (mainly the scenes with Eli and Kelly.) Definitely worth watching and way under-rated.

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Death Wish 3 (1985)

I know that Michael Winner got his start making comedies, then turned to making blunt and chilling action movies such as The Stone Killer, The Mechanic and the first Death Wish. However Death Wish 3 is so over the top that I have to wonder if Winner wasn't winking at the audience and one or two scenes seem to be making some kind of satirical statement about this kind of entertainment catharsis. Paul Kersey returns to New York City to visit an old war buddy, but finds his friend dying from a beating given by the local thugs. Kersey is arrested and, while in the local jail, has a run in with the gang leader, a psychotic named Fraker (played with just the right amount of swagger by Gavan O'Herlihy). The police chief (Ed Lauter) is so frustrated with Fraker's gang running (and ruining) the neighborhood that he releases Kersey and wishes him happy shooting. "You're turning me loose?" Kersey asks. "I'm turning you loose." The cop replies. What follows is a series of action set pieces that build to a riot in a payback hungry world gone mad. As many others have noted, this movie is utterly over the top and quite laughter inducing. I cannot tell if it is truly meant to be a subtle parody of Death Wish/urban warfare movies or if it is so stupid that it just plays that way. Did Michael Winner not do his job, or did he do it too well? Watch, enjoy, and decide for yourself. Highly recommended and an essential for both Bronson and/or bad movie fans everywhere.

DEATH WISH 3 is, for its time, an extremely violent movie. Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is a seemingly placid soul who goes about killing several hundred thugs and crooks in 1980's NYC. The "plot" finds Kersey returning to NYC where he visits an old war buddy, whom Kersey finds dying on his apartment floor, a victim of intruding gangs. Having lost his friend, Kersey decides to move into his buddy's old apartment and take up a war against the gangs overrunning the neighborhood. I wouldn't even say this is a tale of revenge, because you never get the sense that Kersey gives a damn about his friend's death. It's basically an invitation to kill, something Kersey accepts when a police commissioner asks for "help" in thinning out the criminal herds.

Kersey, a character born from the "silent majority" of the Nixon Era, has no character arc, no narrative, no place to go where he will eventually find peace. This movie is a showcase for violence-funny, absurd, over-the-top violence. Whether on purpose or not, there are several classic moments that make this movie worthwhile. And Bronson's deadpan delivery makes his sparse dialogue memorable. This is crude, terrible filmmaking that I greatly enjoyed to the very end.

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... for messing up such a great movie! Movies like this one need special treatment. Putting this out in fullscreen is like giving it no attention at all. It's a shame because today even ultra-low budget films are being properly remastered for DVD releases. It seems that MGM does not realise at all the cult status of this movieI mean there are countless people out there who have been waiting for a decent release of this movie. I don't consider this an upgrade to my old, fullscreen VHS so I won't be buying it.

As for the movie itself... no words could possibly describe it. It just reaches perfection.

Read Best Reviews of Death Wish 3 (1985) Here

A discussion of Charles Bronson that fails to mention the "Death Wish" series isn't really a discussion at all. The first entry in this seminal series arrived on the scene in 1974 during a period in American history when all types of crimes skyrocketed. We can thank the moral laxity inflicted on the rest of us by the Counterculture for the increased numbers of murders, arsons, burglaries, robberies, rapes, and countless other forms of physical and mental assaults that soon became common occurrences on every street in the country. A large percentage of the population, referred to by Nixon as "The Silent Majority," ached to find a way to fight back against the vermin committing these atrocities. Since our embrace of vigilante justice faded away due to the abuses of lynching in the South, and our legal system began letting the scum back out on the streets, only Hollywood seemed to offer refuge to the growing number of victims. Enter the revenge and vigilante genre, the most notable entries of which consisted of the Clint Eastwood "Dirty Harry" pictures. In these films, a cop or outraged citizen would hunt down criminals outside the law, meting out a savage brand of justice we could all cheer about. Enter the "Death Wish" franchise.

The sequel to the first film, 1982's "Death Wish 2," apparently earned enough money that the folks at Cannon followed up with a third entry. B-movie fans will give thanks for this decision for centuries to come because "Death Wish 3" is one of the greatest schlock action films ever made. Paul Kersey (Bronson), apparently finding some time between losing family members, decides to visit an old war buddy named Charley who just happens to live in a slum that resembles in no small way Beirut at the height of its civil war. Unfortunately, a gang of vicious killers led by the nightmarish Fraker (Gavan O'Herlihy) runs the neighborhood, and they deliver a savage beating to Charley mere minutes before Kersey arrives. To say Charley doesn't pull through because of his injuries shouldn't be necessary. Unnecessary to say too is that Kersey is about to go on another rampage. He teams up with several of his late friend's neighbors, including an elderly Jewish couple, a Hispanic couple (Marina Sirtis plays the woman!), and Bennett (Martin Balsam) to throw back the forces of darkness. Fortunately for Kersey, the local cops are sick of all the gang activity, so precinct chief Shriker (Ed Lauter) gives our hero free reign to murder and mutilate at random. An overworked public defender by the name of Kathryn Davis (Deborah Raffin) serves as Kersey's potential love interest.

Kersey sets up little tricks to bait the gang. He buys a car and purposefully places it outside to draw thieves. When he hears the windows breaking, he goes outside and guns them down. Paul also helps out his neighbors by placing traps underneath windows that puncture feet and knock out teeth. His biggest contribution to neighborhood safety comes when he and his buddy Wildey (watch and see) put a guffawing mugger by the name of Giggler out of business for good. Fraker attempts to crack down on the neighborhood by killing a few of the residents, blowing up Bennett's small business, and trying to assassinate Kersey. Nothing works, however, so Fraker calls in reinforcements in the shape of a biker gang. All heck breaks out as the neighborhood turns into a war zone. Kersey jogs around the streets toting a machine gun Charley kept hidden for just such an occasion. The cops join in the fun too, but aren't nearly as successful until Shriker joins Kersey for a series of scenes that resemble an arcade shooting game. Oh, I can't forget about the neighbors; they all grab weapons and head out to kick some serious you know what. The violence in the last part of "Death Wish 3" is so over the top as to defy description. Bodies topple off of buildings, people run around on fire shrieking at the top of their lungs, and explosions rock the neighborhood.

A short review simply doesn't do this film justice. It's so ridiculous in every aspect that one could write a book about it. It's also, however, stupendously entertaining. I howl at the top of my lungs every time I see the scene where Fraker calls for help. He says something along the lines of "Hey, this is Mandy Fraker. I'm going to need some guys up here." MANDY? His name is MANDY Fraker? What are the names of his top lieutenants, Murray and Maurice? Oh man! Another gut buster is what happens to Kathryn Davis. In true "Death Wish" form, the plot requires her to perish horribly just as she and Paul strike up a relationship. Never mind the fact that the Davis character is young enough to be Kersey's granddaughter. It feels like the filmmakers just threw this subplot in because someone recalled that Kersey lost important females in his life in the previous two pictures. But the best part of the film occurs when we see the gang members sitting around after the demise of the Giggler. One of them says with all the gravitas of a Royal Shakespearean actor, "They killed the Giggler, man. THEY KILLED THE GIGGLER!" This is the most brilliant piece of dialogue I've ever heard in a B-movie.

The only extra on the disc is a trailer, and the transfer is only fullscreen, but it's enough to have this classic on DVD. By far the most entertaining entry in the "Death Wish" series, Bronson followed "Death Wish 3" with another one in the eighties and one in the nineties before the series finally folded. Charles Bronson passed away in 2003, perhaps never fully knowing his importance to the low budget action potboiler genre. Those of us who love the "Death Wish" films can only rewatch them and dream...

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"This time it's war" is the slogan for Death Wish 4, but I think that would really apply to this one. When you hit the last twenty mintues or so of this film, it does turn to all out war! This has got to be the most blown-out-of-proportion sequel of all time next to the second Rambo film. Bronson's no longer prowling the streets and taking out punks here and there-This time he literally has an all out war with them! Coming back to NY, he finds his Korean war buddy murdered. This is the catalyst for another bloodbath, but he gets the green light when this "dude" talking cop tells(actually he threatens) Bronson to start up again. The neighborhood is completely overrun by gangs with reversed mohawks. In fact, this neighborhood makes south central LA look like Beverly Hills. But Bronson's in town now! Well, these schmucks should know by now that you don't mess with this man. Bronson goes toe to toe with the gang leader who likes to get "High! High! HIGH!", along with other assorted punks including Bill S. Preston-Esquire from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. By the last act, the neighborhood turns into a war zone between punks and apartment residents. Considering the place looked like a war zone to begin with, the surrounding communities don't seem to take notice. This film is pretty outrageous. It's like a comic book or a video game put on film. It's wild. It also has one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen in a film: Bronson buys a junker car, then parks it in front of his apartment and waits for someone to mess with it. He 's invited to dinner at the neighbor's house, and while eating he hears someone messing with the car. He goes outside and blows away the two guys stripping the car, then just walks back in and sits down to dinner. That is the definitive Bronson moment. So, read all of the reviews here, especially the bad ones, then run out and watch this, pronto! People seem to hate this movie for the same reasons it's so entertaining. Come on, there wasn't supposed to be any kind of message to this film. This is 100% junk food entertainment and should be taken as such. The positive reviews "got it" if you know what I mean.

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Macbeth (1948)

I wrote a review of the Korean import a few years ago that was all we had available until this year when Olive released a beautiful Blu-Ray edition of Welles' 1948 Macbeth. I thought I'd hop on here, tweak my original review and let you know this blu-ray is AWESOME! Well worth the upgrade.

Be warned, you'll need some tolerance for Brecht-meets-Ed Wood-style details never meant to be seen presumably at this level of clarity -such as dirt on the edges of the sky --you can see the fingerprints of stage techs on the foggy moor sky backdrop, mismatched painting in an upper corner of the set; the rear projection and shadows and so forth all have an extra Guy Maddin / Ed Wood / Godard style unreality, but as a Welles fan you should relish that, and now we can look into the deep shadowed faces and see the full beauty of the characters' beards, mouths, eyes, and so forth. You wont regret it--

as to the film itself, here's my old review --

...if you've never seen it, Welles MacBeth is like a crazy 1930s German Expressionist bad acid trip, with Welles in florid ham actor mode, his Irish brogue soaring like a hawk. If you love cinema though, you will love crazy Welles drunken sweaty rampaging through his cheap papier mache caverns with his weird statue of liberty crown way more than you could ever love similar more "perfect" adaptations like say, Olivier's HAMLET which came out that same year. That film is amazing, but Olivier is just too graceful, too perfect and measured and his horrible blonde bangs. Let's put it this way, Olivier's film is much better, but Welles' is greater. Olivier is the piano prodigy who plays for the old ladies and gets all the grant money; Welles is the rebel down at the jazz joint, tearing it up in a threadbare tux with a wailin' bebop trio. Who would you rather hang out with, even if you didn't know where your next meal was coming from?

This movie is beautifully restored visually and has a fairly good reconstruction of the audio track. A shining counterpoint to the awful vinegar washed copies of "Mr Arkadin" and "The Stranger" you see available from various hack-restoration companies. This edition is a "Director's Cut" that brings the movie back from the mutilation at the hands of Republic Pictures. Its an important piece for people who appreciate the work of Welles, like myself. Welles always liked doing Shakespeare and other classic novels. Some of his unfinished or rejected ideas included "Moby Dick", the "Merchant of Venice" and "Heart of Darkness". Ironically, 35 or so years after Welles's idea to make "Heart of Darkness" into a movie was rejected, it was made into a movie, the classic "Apocalypse Now". Much of what he accomplished was far, far ahead of its time...or perhaps far, far behind the times. Either way, this cut of MacBeth shows the fecundity of Welles vision and not the slashed and burnt profligacy that was attributed to him in his lifetime. For Roddy McDowell fans, you get a glimpse of him years before "Planet of the Apes".

Drawback: No English Subtitles, only Korean ones. I guess its not a drawback if you read Korean well enough. I don't, so...

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Any film directed by Orson Welles is engrossing and worth the time. MACBETH is no exception. For those of you familiar with the 1971 Roman Polanski version, Welles brought to the screen a darker, more nightmarish world than Polanski could envision. The lighting is stark and the shadows ominous. Macbeth's madness increasingly pervades the atmosphere of the entire film, making the viewer unwilling to view this film with the lights out. The restored version presents Welles's original conception; the actors speak their lines with authentic Scottish burrs (Welles was forced to redo the soundtrack by the studio brass). A fascinating journey and imaginative interpretation of Shakespeare, Welles's MACBETH remains a major additon to American cinema and reveals the classical literary talents of one of the US's greatest visual artists. END

Read Best Reviews of Macbeth (1948) Here

The good news? For his last Hollywood film of the 1940s, Orson Welles delivered a low-budget, inventive, expressionist Shakespeare adaptation that served as a template for his experimental European films. The bad news? Welles perhaps captures the eerie mood of "The Scottish Play" all too well; the film is an unrelentingly dark and often uncomfortable experience. The lugubrious pacing and indifferent acting offer little respite from the play's fatalism.

A little background helps one better appreciate this film. After a string of box office failures (including "The Magnificent Ambersons" and "The Lady from Shanghai"), Welles signed on with Republic Pictures to do a low-budget "Macbeth," hoping that he could popularize Shakespeare on film as he had done on radio and in the theatre. His actors rehearsed the play on tour, and painstakingly pre-recorded their dialogue in Scottish brogues. Welles then shot the film in 23 days, some kind of record for him. Well, you can guess what happened: The studio hated it. They forced Welles to cut 20 minutes from the film, and made the actors re-dub their dialogue with "normal" accents wasting all that time they spent in pre-production. The film bombed on release and Welles spent the next 10 years working in Europe.

Years later, the original prints were found and released as another "Lost Welles Classic." Unfortunately, time has devalued that label; "Macbeth" doesn't quite meet the standard set by "Othello" or "Touch of Evil," two other films that were restored after Welles' death. While the Scottish accents are a nice touch, the extra running time actually robs the film of some momentum. Welles did wonders with the cheap Republic sets; the film is a masterpiece of expressionist set design. The same can't be said of the costumes, which make Welles look like the Statue of Liberty at one point. Constrained by having to sync their movements to pre-recorded dialogue, the actors deliver wooden performances (only the soliloquies, delivered in voice-over, resonate). Fortunately, the last twenty minutes are visually captivating and offer enough Wellesian moments to make the viewing worthwhile.

If Welles fails to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear as he would later do with "Othello" and "Chimes of Midnight" he succeeds in developing an expressionist style that he would later perfect with his bizarro masterpiece "The Trial." "Macbeth" isn't exactly an enjoyable movie experience; indeed, "returning were as tedious as go o'er." But for the Welles aficionado, "Macbeth" provides an essential link between Welles' Hollywood years and the independent style of his European work.

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Bloated budgets and smooth edges are not prerequisites to good filmmaking. No one knew this better than the perpetually money-strapped Orson Welles. Once he'd been ostracized from the studio system, the faded Wunderkind spent the majority of his career making pseudo-masterpieces from funds scraped together by the odd acting job. Despite the monetary constraints, Welles proved that a little imagination and visual verve can make up for a tight purse.

"Macbeth" was produced on the relative cheap (about $500,000), filmed at a breakneck pace (about twenty days), and the result is a haggard, stylized tone poem. This is Shakespeare as lurid film noir. The messy quality somehow makes it more compelling, mostly because Welles' unsurpassed visual imagination compensates for the low-end production values. He embraces the supernatural aspects of the play: stylized sets serving for blasted heath and dank castles are blanketed in fog and lit in high contrast B & W. Askew angles and Welles' signature deep-focus photography make for bold, innovative compositions. Gothic flourishes like the silhouetted Weird Sisters seem fever-dream induced. Plenty of sound and fury to be found here. Even a master stylist like Kurosawa borrowed liberally from Welles for his own Macbeth adaptation, "Throne of Blood." Check out both films' "Not 'Til Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane!" sequences and see how Kurosawa compared notes with Welles.

The performances follow Welles' film noir aesthetic. Jeannette Nolan understands Lady Macbeth is among drama's ultimate femme fatales, and plays her like a vampish shrew with a boot of a face but a killer body. She always seems to tower over her whipped husband in the early portion of the film. Welles proceeds to diminish her place in the frame as her power wanes and she descends into despair and madness. Nolan's strong performance and Welles' equally solid turn in the title role are the foundation of this movie. Their theatrical Scottish brogues are occasionally cringe-inducing, but the intense love their characters have for each other is palpable.

Though both leads are solid, the main interest here lies in the hallucinatory intensity of the images. The nightmarish world Welles creates, a world of overt nihilism oddly coupled with doomed fate, makes the skin crawl. Though the text is gutted and some of the acting too shoddy to make this anywhere near a definitive version of "Macbeth", Welles' endless sense of invention carries him through. This is a must-see for anyone with more than a passing interest in Orson Welles or Shakespeare's most feverishly intense play.

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kimi ni todoke -From Me to You- Volume 1 Premium Edition (2012)

I didn't think I would ever see this title released for US sale. Shoujo titles rarely get exposure in the US market, where action oriented supernatural shows and mecha shows dominate. I'm glad NIS America took a chance and released Kimi Ni Todoke in the US. It's a sweet, funny, and honest show that tackles friendship, first love and loneliness.

Dub fans: sorry, but this is subtitle only. I know some Kimi Ni Todoke fans are unhappy with this decision, but I don't think any other anime publisher would've brought this title to the US and I'd rather it was available as a sub than not available at all. Who knows, if the sales are large enough, a dub version might be made.

As for the item itself, I'm very happy with the disc quality for both the blu-ray and dvd. The blu-ray picture is bright and vivid; a far cry from watching pixelated, low quality, streams on the web. The subtitle translations seem to be more accurate and written more clearly than the online streaming translations.

I do wish this had been released with fewer extras. I didn't really need the extra book, magnet, etc. A normal boxed set, with a lower price, would've been fine (keep the blu ray and dvd though). I don't know if this publisher will ever release a "normal" edition without the extras. If you can't wait for a "normal" version and you can afford this limited edition, buy it because owning a high quality copy of this anime is worth it.

This anime has to be one of the most captivating slice of life animes I have seen to date. The first half of the series I could not keep my eyes dry. If you are looking for action you will not find it in here. It is a heart warming story of one young girl's personal growth which inspires those around her. The series is completely subbed. If you happen to shy away from subbed series this is one not to pass up!

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"Kimi Ni Todoke" as a series is absolutely amazing! It is a definite must watch.

But, I really dislike how NIS is packaging some of it's titles.

This KNT Volume is only Part one of the first season. So, therefore you have to buy all four of these Premium Editions to have all two seasons. Which is very unpleasant for you wallet. Since each one costs roughly $6070.

Also, I'm not a fan that it comes with Blu Ray nor does it have the option to just get a Standard Edition instead of the Premium Edition. Even though the art book that comes with each one is very nice.

But, it's just very inconvenient to buy all four volume for $60-70 each.

I am truly thankful that NIS actually got this title though. And even though it costs a lot, I'm still going to be all four because this series is amazing.

Read Best Reviews of kimi ni todoke -From Me to You- Volume 1 Premium Edition (2012) Here

Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) is one of the best romantic comedies out there. Sawako (the main female character)adorable for her kindness and honesty, despite the fact that she has always been feared and looked down upon by her fellow students, who believe that she can see spirits, place curses on people, and that being near her brings bad luck. It's wonderful to see how she grows after she meets Kazehaya, the first person to treat her like a normal person. Anyone who likes romcoms should watch this series!

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I watched Kimi Ni Todoke English subbed online, and I liked it. The show follows a shy and introverted high school student called Sawako. Sawako doesn't have any friends because she looks like Sadako (horror character from movie). Everyone in class is afraid of her, and they call her Sadako and avoid her. However Sawako is actually a very sweet girl with a beautiful spirit, who always does the class duties that nobody else wants to do. She always tries to be as helpful as she can, as she quietly tries to fit in. She is also very funny, and cute, in her naivety.

Enter Kazehaya, a friendly, handsome, and popular boy in her class. He notices Sawako and sees the lovely girl that she is. He slowly befriends her and quietly tries to give her the courage to try and make friends. Soon enough Sawako has made two female friends (Shizuru and Yano), both girls are also sort of outcasts. Shizuru is an air-headed tomboy, while Yano is said to have had a lot of boyfriends. Through Kazehaya, Shizuru and Yano, Sawako also meets Ryu. Ryu is the epitome of silent and cold, but also cares deeply for Shizuru who is oblivious to his feelings. He also has a really hard time remembering names.

This anime shows Sawako's journey as she learns to make friends, tries to overcome obstacles, and goes through the experience of falling in love for the first time with Kazehaya (he himself is going through that experience with Sawako because she is his first love). Here I have to say that the emotional dance they do around each other can get a bit tedious, I thought it took them too long to confess.

I liked that all five charactersour H/h and our three major supporting characterswere well drawn out, likable, and had their own quirks. This show is slow, but it keeps the viewer engaged throughout.

In conclusion this is a heartwarming show that is funny and moving. This is an anime that can be easily enjoyed, even though I'm just a casual anime viewer I enjoyed it.

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Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

This is one of those simple movies that is so deceptively good, you don't realize how good it is. I have probably unintentionally seen this movie 30 times. Every single time it is on TV, I end up stopping whatever it is I was doing and end up watching it to the end, even though I know who the bad guys are and how it ends.

Murphy is Axel Foley, a Detroit police detective. His boss, Inspector Todd, is portrayed by real life Gilbert Hill, a semi-famous police detective in his own right. "Mad About You" creator and star Paul Riser has a small role as Foley's fellow detective. Todd is always threatening Foley with termination due to his costly methods of crime busting.

When his friend Mikey Tandino (James Russo) arrives from Beverly Hills to Detroit to visit with his childhood friend, Foley, Mikey gets murdered. Foley is hit on the head during the hit on his friend, but is otherwise unscathed.

Because of his relationship with Mikey, a guy with a lengthy record of minor petty thefts, Todd assigns another detective to the murder and orders Foley to stay away. Lacking confidence in the skills of the assigned detective, and determined to get justice for his friend, Foley takes a "vacation" and goes to Beverly Hills to see if there is a connection.

The plot is more than just some laughs and gun fire you truly feel like you are part of Team Foley, investigating the case. Does the murder involve the German Bearer Bonds that Tandino had on him when he was murdered? Is it about U.S. Customs? Is it about cocaine? Is it about expensive art? There are so many different aspects interwoven, a first time viewer is really taken for a ride.

From the get-go, you know who the bad guys are but will they be caught, and why did they kill Mikey? This film, released in 1984, seemed to recognize the unique nature of the 80s and rather than some dated film with neon socks and big hair, it seems to make itself into a time capsule. Foley's hair and clothing are timeless for any decade from the 70s to today, so it's almost like he's a time traveller, laughing at some of the styles, cars, & habits of the rich & famous in the 1980s in California.

The music is also excellent and fits the mood for each scene. The main theme, "Axel F," a techno-type of instrumental, was on Billboard's top 10 for weeks on end and is often heard as a polyphonic ring tone on today's phones. One of Murphy's all-time best second only to his role as "Donkey" in the "Shrek" franchise.

Although his present career may be waning Eddie Murphy will always be remembered for his role as Axel Foley, narcotics detective. Sadly it may also be due to films such as this that the paying public will never see him as a serious actor. Despite these negative aspects Murphys performance in this rip roaring satire on the Beverley Hills lifestyle never fails to raise a smirk and possibly a little envy. To remind those readers who may have forgotten the plot Murphy plays an out of state detective, Alex Foley, who travels to Los Angeles in his leave time, and against his superiors direct orders, to suss out the suspicious death of a close friend. Inevitably he meets up with his dead mates former associates and along the way uncovers a drug smuggling ring. Enough said.

Although Eddie is the star of the show and does a good turn he is unforgettably upstaged in two memorable scenes. The first is with "the banana man" at the hotel, Damon Wayans in a brief but comedic cameo. Thank God he went on to better things. The second is with Bronson Pinchots character Serge, the gallery assistant. For the life of me I couldnt fathom his accent or his gender, but it will never be forgotten. He had so much potential. Oh well. It is also where Judge Rheinhold makes his big supporting actor debut. I always found it amazing how two straight actors like Stephen Elliot & John Ashton managed to keep such straight faces working with such characters as Murphy & Rheinhold. Lisa Eilbacher also gives us a solid performance as does Steven Berkoff as the arch villain. A role he seems to have been typecast in to. The upbeat pumping soundtrack also deserves honourable mention. I never bothered to view the sequels because I knew they would be disappointing, and they were if one believes the reviews. Eddie Murphy may never top the success of BHC but even if he does I will still always remember him for this film. Not a bad first time effort for a 23 year old black comedian.

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Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is in Beverly Hills for a few days to investigate the murder of an old acquaintance. Axel assumes the suspect is a local tycoon, but no one seems to believe him including the police force, being semi-run by Ronny Cox (in one of his rare good-guy roles).

Axel comes into trouble with the law his first day on the job after getting thrown through a glass window by some thugs. He is arrested, and when released finds himself hounded by a pair of inept police officers around the town for a few days. After outsmarting them (in one of cinema's most delightful moments ever) Axel gets hooked up with an old friend and manages to roam the streets looking for clues which, of course, he finds very easily.

Before this film Eddie Murphy had starred in one film that had launched his name into Hollywood: "48 HRS." But by all reasonable comparisons this is a much, much better film, and it's also much, much funnier, too. What's most refreshing is that it doesn't fall back upon the stereotypes of African-Americans inherent in so many mainstream motion pictures the role of Axel Foley was originally written for Sylvester Stallone (who was actually attached to star early on in pre-production before dropping out of the project) and it's quite clear that Foley was intended as a white character. Although massive rewrites were employed only two weeks before shooting, script flaws can still be spotted the heroine of the story is a white businesswoman, for example, and we expect some sort of sexual tension between them but there is none. We begin to question the very presence of the female lead because in essence it leads nowhere. We can imagine how it might have developed into a love story, but Murphy works against the flow, awkwardly treating her as nothing more than a friend.

These sorts of things sometimes bring out the occasional odd touches in the film ironically they unintentionally set the film apart from other such movies of the genre because it's not typical in any sense. Sure, it has the routine shoot-outs but there is no romance subplot, no pointless racial comparisons (more of which would be seen in the two sequels), etc. The movie greatly benefits from this because it seems so fresh, and far more believable after all, rarely are romances developed in two days. The action genre always seems to end with the hero sending off the crooks to jail, and finally getting a long-awaited kiss from the leading lady. "Beverly Hills Cop," to its credit, manages to avoid this and the result is a far more enjoyable film, even if most of its sequences are far from being 100% realistic.

The film's director, Martin Brest, has a clear handle on the buddy genre and would go on to direct the immensely successful Robert De Niro / Charles Grodin road-buddies-comedy "Midnight Run," one of the most popular (and best) of the genre. Beverly Hills Cop works just as well it's funny when it needs to be, thrilling when it wants to be, and features a stellar lead performance by Murphy in his most unusual role.

Murphy is the driving force behind the film, presenting us with a truly likable character the most likable character he's ever played, as a matter of fact. Axel is unorthodox but a generally good guy Murphy is sometimes typecast into playing roles similar to that of which he played in "48 HRS." (being the loud, obnoxious racist who's got it all together), but here he plays someone we actually want to root for. At one point in the film he manages to get a couple of police officers in trouble with their superior but he takes all the blame, and actually fabricates a lie wherein they were heroes doing their job, despite the fact that they were all actually hanging out at a strip club. Axel is tough, cool, quick-witted, nice, sarcastic, and likable one of cinema's most enduring characters, and proof that African-American cinema heroes don't always have to be loudmouths in order to succeed as characters (pay attention, Chris Rock and Chris Tucker).

The now-famous soundtrack (including 'Axel F' by Harold Faltermeyer) is a great blend of techno-pop and electronic rock the movie's theme is bouncy, rambunctious and fun: a good parallel to Axel himself.

Overall "Beverly Hills Cop" exceeds exceptionally well, even if a great deal of the film's success itself derives from pure accident and chance. I don't think anyone can say that those involved in the production knew exactly what they were doing at the time (DVD supplements include anecdotes about hectic filming and the project almost falling through at one point) -but as luck would have it everything turned out fine. "Beverly Hills Cop" is an immensely enjoyable film, and one of the best examples of the cop-comedy genre executed properly.

Read Best Reviews of Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Here

Starring in arguably his most memorable role, Eddie Murphy lights up the big screen with his 1980's blockbuster hit Beverly Hills Cop. Showcasing the unique comic talents of a young career on the rise, the former Saturday Night Live cast member's smiling humor and charismatic onscreen presence take an adequate screenplay and turn it into a smash film. Appearances by Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot (as the trendy 'Serge') combine with Murphy's antics to make Beverly Hills Cop a hilarious and highly entertaining movie...

Eddie Murphy plays the role of Axel Foley, a freewheeling Detroit police officer who witnesses the murder of a close friend on the force during a botched drug bust. Linking the murders back to Beverly Hills, Foley takes an extended vacation from his job in Detroit. But rather than relax, he makes his way to Beverly Hills where he plans on conducting his own investigation.

In pursuit of the murderers, Foley uncovers a massive drug smuggling operation run by one of the elite socialites of Beverly Hills. Digging for the truth, the Detroit cop is forced to butt heads with the Beverly Hills police department and confront the drug ring's various henchmen. Despite direct orders from their superior, Beverly Hills cops Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) eventually change from adversaries of Foley (attempting to halt his illegal investigations) to willing participants in his uncovering of the illegal drug ring. In the end, Foley finds the murderer, but will he get his revenge? Will the Beverly Hills police arrest him before he does? You'll have lots of fun finding out...

Complimented by a hit soundtrack which features four smash hits (Glenn Frey's "The Heat Is On," The Pointer Sisters' "Neutron Dance," Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude," and Harold Faltermeyer's breakthrough hit "Axel F"), the film's action and suspense sequences play out to the backdrop of adrenaline pumping beats and synthetic keyboard sounds. The music itself provides a small glimpse in the musical experimentation of an age that witnessed the convergence of high technology and sound. In a way, Beverly Hills Cop typifies the decade of the 1980s, but it does so without being so overly engrossed in the cultural fads of the day as to be outdated and ridiculous in the eyes of a modern audience. This is one of the core strengths of the film and one of the reasons millions of fans enjoy watching reruns of the movie on cable.

One of the more unique films of the 1980s, Beverly Hills Cop created a new sub-genre of film by splicing the serious action/suspense genre with the comedic personality/comedy genre. As a rare talent, Eddie Murphy is uniquely positioned to pull off the coup, carrying the film on the back of his personal likeability and hilarious brand of comedy. Performances by Judge Reinhold and John Ashton serve to compliment Murphy, and together, the three form a relatable, "average guy" click that audiences feel inclined to root for. As a result, the viewer is never bored, whether being entertained by mere suspense or hilarious comedy. Without a doubt, Beverly Hills Cop is one of the top ten comedies of its decade, and that's why it's a definite must-see movie...

The DVD Report

Want Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Discount?

"That the film turned out to be coherent is a miracle. That it is successful proves there is a God." -Martin Brest on his own movie.

It's easy to understand his feelings when you consider the endless changes made to Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr's script. They got an Academy Award nomination, but the final product is a million miles away from what they originally conceived.

Axel Foley was originally written for Mickey Rourke, then it was geared around Sylvester Stallone, who significantly rewrote the script further before abandoning the project a couple of weeks before shooting was scheduled to begin. Eddie Murphy was brought on board at the last minute, and the script was re-written yet again to form the movie we know today. Bizarrely, all of the work Stallone did on the script was recycled into his reprehensible 1986 action movie Cobra, which, on top of being nothing at all like Beverly Hills Cop, called itself an adaptation of a novel called Fair Game by Paula Gosling (which it also bore little-to-no resemblance to). Nine years later, that novel was once again made into a movie of the same name starring William Baldwin and Cindy Crawford, which bore no resemblance to Cobra. When I say that Beverly Hills Cop had the biggest hodgepodge of a shooting script ever, you better believe it.

The story could not get any simpler. Young renegade Detroit cop Axel Foley, forever tormenting his no-nonsense boss with his reckless antics, meets up with a childhood pal only for him to be murdered that very night. Axel follows the trail and travels to Beverly Hills in his crappy, banged-up sky-blue Chevy Nova. It's a world away from the streets of Detroit. Even the patrol cops look like soap opera actors. Axel's fast and loose work ethic, barely on the good side of the law, doesn't sit well with the Beverly Hills police department. Detectives Taggart and Rosewood (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold doing a Laurel and Hardy routine) are assigned to keep an eye on Axel as he very quickly discovers the bad guy.

No twists, no surprises, and barely a couple layers deep, it's amazing that a story so superficial is able get 105 minutes of mileage. The film works thanks to Murphy's cheerful, upbeat performance and Martin Brest's ability to keep it light. Beverly Hills Cop would not have worked as a dark thriller. Harold Faltermeyer's iconic score and world-famous Axel F theme tune certainly help the happy-go-lucky nature.

There are certainly shortcomings. Steven Berkoff, as Victor Maitland, is completely unconvincing as the villain. In fact, with the exception of Bennett from Commando, he's probably the least threatening/most campiest villain I've ever seen in a movie. And, as I have mentioned, the story is very straightforward. Taggart and Rosewood do virtually no police work and are just bystanders watching and reacting to Axel's hustles. Apart from one cruise along Rodeo Drive, we never really see or feel the glamor of Beverly Hills to juxtapose it next to the grime of Detroit. There are just too many interior scenes.

But it never fails to entertain and is truly the highlight of Murphy's career. Once, long before he sold out to family audiences, his R-rated movies were huge business, and Beverly Hills Cop showcases his leading man ability at its very best.

The Blu Ray sports a fine 1.78:1 1080p picture with DTS HD-MA sound and a slight amount of old, recycled extras. Unfortunately, it also comes in a cheap, flimsy, easily broken eco-case.

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