Road Trip (2013)

Definitely an OUTSTANDING COMEDY, Road Trip, brings to the screen exactly what the title implies: the story of four college students who end up driving from NY to TX in an effort to prevent a mailed videotape from reaching one of the guy's girlfriend. Along the way, they get into all sorts of trouble resulting in one of the best movies in recent years!

Breckin Meyer, Seann Willliam Scott, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least. All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide more than just a few laughs. Road Trip is simple enough, but does a great job of describing people's (in this case college kids') every day lives and the problems they face. It just goes to show that simplicity is often far better than complexity, when trying to present issues of a human nature.

Strongly recommended along with Old School, the Girl Next Door and of course (!!!) the American Pie trilogy.

In short, Road Trip is a movie definitely worth watching, and actually one to seriously consider adding to your collection!

I expected this to be a stupid movie about four stupid guys who go for a drive, with Tom Green making appearances throughout. But fortunately I was wrong about this hilarious movie. Road Trip is about an average college guy, Josh (played by Breckin Meyer), who chases down a videotape recording of him cheating on his girlfriend (Rachel Blanchard) with the beautiful Beth (Amy Smart). This video is accidentally sent to his girlfriend, who goes to school half-way across the country, thus inspiring a road trip to retrieve the tape before his girlfriend views it. While Barry (Tom Green) stays back at the dorms to feed a live mouse to Rubin's pet snake, Josh and his three friend Kyle, Rubin, and E.L. embark on their long trip. As Josh and his hilarious friends travel across the country to save his long-distance relationship, they have many laughs and adventures, and along their journey they all realize important things about themselves which makes this movie end with a sort of reassuring, happy sigh. Some of the deleted scenes are really funny. They feature more of Barry giving his campus tour, Rubin's cool dance beats, and Josh's run-ins with cops and Barry's grandma who's "seen it all before."

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Picture this, you are leaving the safe surrounds of high school to enter the unknown realm of university, being wise you decide to visit what could be potentially be your place of study, partying and security for the next three years, so you take the campus tour to get acquainted with the grounds as well as meet some new people. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong! Your tour guide is non-other than MTV shock jock and crazy man Tom Green, who in this case is actually named Barry Manilow. What results is the telling of a tale of the most time honoured campus tradition, the ROAD TRIP. So begins the story of four guys who embark on a three-day ROAD TRIP to retrieve a video containing highly sensitive material before it lands into the wrong hands and creates total havoc. Their journey is riddled with numerous encounters of both strange people and incidents that will ultimately affect/scar them forever, even if merely on a superficial level.

Whilst the film is aimed at a predominately teenage audience, it will prove to be thoroughly enjoyable to an audience of 15 to 50years of age. However those offended by course language, sexual references and gratuitous female nudity are advised to steer clear, as the unrated dvd edition of ROAD TRIP goes that little bit further than its theatrical version.

On that note, let me give you a rundown on the dvd itself. The film is featured for the first time in its complete uncut, uncensored and unrated edition, which basically breaks down to a few scene extensions and alternative shots not contained in the theatrical release actually incorporated into the movie itself. As this is the US import, you have a choice of either a DTS 5.1 soundtrack or the standard Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (my preference as I got a DD 5.1 set-up at home). The picture remains in its original theatrical ratio of 1.85:1, which some will consider to be quite a bonus during one particular sequence in the film (ie. the obligatory shower scene). In terms of special features, the disc contains seven deleted scenes aptly titled `Road Kills', a behind the scenes featurette hosted by Tom Green called `Ever Been On A Road Trip', a music video by the Eels `Mr E's Beautiful Blues' and two theatrical trailers, all this in addition to the standard cast & crew bios and production notes. An audio commentary by with director Todd Phillips, executive producer Ivan Reitman and comedian/star Tom Green would have been awesome but you've to be grateful for what you get and all in all its an awesome package.

Film: 8/10 Extras: 8/10 Overall: 8/10

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If you're into party movies, go ahead & add this one to your DVD collection. It has everything you want in a party film: an outlandish plot, funny scenes, Sean William Scott, the classic "nerd" character, some gorgeous babes, male fantasies and lots of gratuitous nudity. Of the latter, seeing Amy Smart take her shirt off is worth the price of the DVD all by itself!

Party movies are not the types of movies where it is productive to go into plot analysis. Let's just say that we have to track a group of college guys who have to make a trip cross-country to the university of Texas. Along the way, just about every zany thing that can go wrong does go wrong, and the result is a movie that is way fun.

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It was pretty damn funny!

This movie was recommended by my good friend, Bobby Asslong. In most cases his recommendations are a bunch of , but he hit it right on, with this one! I detest Tom Green. He is one of those guys, who that when he fails at something (Talk Show, most of his movies, life) I actually feel happy. And this is actually contrary to my normal personality. I normally automatically love all Canadians. Just kidding. I normally want people to succeed, and feel bad when they fail.

But Tom Green is so annoying.

Great news! He is in only about 4 or 5 scenes in this whole movie, so you should be able to get through this movie, with little to none hatred for Mr. Green.

I love all the characters in this movie, especially the main protagonist, who accidentally sends the videotape to his girlfriend at a far away college. He is very likeable, and you're pulling for him the whole time. Another thing I like this movie, is that it pulls a lot from other "gross out" teen and college flicks, but it doesn't go overboard in the gross out department.

Tom Green plays the Voice Over explainer in the movie, and he actually does a pretty good job, without appearing stupid.

I give this high reviews!

MC White said: Check it out!!!

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Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers / Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later (Miramax Double Feature)

I've long waited for the release of the orginial Halloween series to Blu Ray, if this is any indication of what the quality will be for all of them you'll be disappointed. The picture quality is terrible. I have H20 on DVD and the picture is better on that! It's a dark transfer and very grainy, nothing looks high definition about it whatsoever. It also has no special features, not even a trailer.

No time and effort has been put in to clean up the picture, don't wast your money.

Well as a huge fan of the Halloween series i must say this is a terrible quality blu ray.i dont get how they can even call this a blu ray.i think what they did was got the dvd and made it look like a blu-ray.well scratch that the dvd has better quality.so if your a fan and expecting to waste your money too get quality out of this dont.its not worth it..

ps the menu for the blu ray looks way better

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I picked this up at Walmart today for $5, for the price it was a good deal. I have read everything negative about H20's transfer to Blu, so I will check it out. So far Halloween 6 looks pretty decent. For $5, even if H20 looks terrible, it isn't a huge waste of money.

(CONCLUSION)

OK, so lastnight I watched Halloween 6 and today I watched H20. What are people complaining about? H6 looks pretty good, and H20 may be dark in some spots, but I think it looks pretty decent. I am glad I made my own decision because each of these films looks pretty good. Better than they have. So for the price, I say it's not a bad deal. B-

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Awesome glad I got this item it works great it does the job great. I received this item so quick I was blown away.

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I wanted to try it in Blu ray. I thought the resolution was really good but I cant see that much difference from DVD.

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Goon (2012)

I am a semi-recent hockey fan, female, from California, and also a big movie fanatic in general, and I found this movie to be entertaining, funny, fun, not too gory or anything... The main character was consistently charming and endearing in a sincere way... The pace was good. As a "puckhead," I know what details are a lil bit exaggerated, but as a movie fanatic, the narrative was engaging, fast-paced, not too formulaic, adventurous, and simply sweet in all regards!!! I wish there were more movies like this out there! GO DOUGIE!!!!

This film one-ups the relentless verbal crudity, testosterone-fueled raunchiness, and bone-crunching violence of the legendary ice hockey movie "Slap Shot," combining it with the dry wit and doltish characters you may know from SCTV's "Great White North" sketches. Based on a memoir by hockey pro Doug Smith, it mixes in broad jokes about beer, women, Russians, and Québécois to make something quintessentially Canadian, yet it's also accessible to those of us who did not grow up with Molson running through our veins and visions of the Stanley Cup haunting our dreams.

"Goon" features an excellent cast of Canadians led by the winning Seann William Scott, perhaps best known for his role as Steve Stifler in the "American Pie" films. Scott plays bouncer Doug Glatt, a sweet-natured, dim-witted man-child who just happens to be very good at beating the crap out of people. After a fracas at a hockey game leads a local team to hire him, his thuggish efficiency on the ice gets him promoted to a minor-league club, the Halifax Highlanders. Coach Ronnie Hortense (Kim Coates) assigns him the task of protecting the team's high-scorer, Xavier Laflamme (Marc-Andre Grondin), a former prodigy now less interested in hockey than he is in cocaine and strippers.

Eugene Levy (also in "American Pie") is Doug's father, a doctor ashamed of his son's job as a hockey enforcer; Jay Baruchel (one of the screenwriters) is Doug's friend Pat, a rabid fan who hosts an amateurish cable program devoted to the sport; Alison Pill (Baruchel's real-life fiancée) is Doug's crush Eva, a "puck bunny" with a thing for hockey players; and Liev Shreiber (the only major star in the film) is renowned enforcer Ross "The Boss" Rhea, who becomes Doug's nemesis in the arena.

Since it's a comedy, "Goon" gives us a happy-if-cockeyed ending in which Doug gets the girl and his underdog team wins redemption in the final showdown. But that's not really the point: this is an over-the-top love letter to the rough-and-tumble culture of hockey and of Canada itself, as well as an excuse for boys being boys, with all of the aggressive idiocy, drunken profanity, and bloody brutality that involves. Entertaining stuff. I recommend it.

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Warning This film has very over the top dirty language. If that's not your thing don't post a review about this movie. On to the movie: I watched the movie with my wife who is not a huge sports fan at all. Neither does she like blood much. This movie had pretty much everything a man loves about a movie Action, Sports, Fights, Overcoming bull crap in your life. Then it throws in just enough of a romance to keep anyone else with a pulse interested in the rest of the movie. It's not too long, it's gets to the point and it pulls you in from the start if you're a hockey fan.

Just remember it's rated R.

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Who doesn't love a good underdog story? Add in the fact that this is based on a REAL person (man i love that guy)... and especially when he's hot and he gets the girl in the end... and along the way he beats the holy crap out of everyone who deserves it... the fight scenes were AWESOME and the story was memorable...the characters are absolutely irresistable. It makes me want a hockey guy of my own. In the meantime I'm going to rent this again and watch it a couple more times! He was totally blessed by the fist of God. :-)

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What is cool is this is based on a true story of a guy who used to box and who is now currently a police officer (seek out the documentary short about this guy). Also do not miss the end credits to see the real Doug fight it out!! :)

Had to watch this a 2nd time as I was laughing too hard and missed some of the jokes. Great movie! Can't remember the last time I wanted to see a movie twice but will buy for sure when it is released on Blu Ray (mabye latter this year?)

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Predator Trilogy (2010)

If you're looking at this item, odds are you already know whether or not you like these movies, so I'm not going to waste time talking about the artistic merit of them. While I enjoy them quite a bit, Predator is essentially 2 hours of Arnold screaming, Predator 2 is Danny Glover and Gary Busey chasing a Predator that's also maybe chasing them and oh man drug wars, and Predators is Adrian Brody trying to be Not Adrian Brody while things die horribly. These movies shouldn't be nearly as enjoyable as they are, really.

Anyways, the picture quality and audio quality is what you would want from a blu-ray collection. Everything looks quite nice, and the sounds, while not superb, do have some high points, such as the sheen of a sharp object being thrown.

My reason for purchasing this was to have a matching set to the Alien Anthology. While it has nothing on that in terms of the sheer volume of content, it is definitely a serviceable companion, albeit one that clearly had next to none of the love that AA had put into it.

As for the negatives, the digital copies that are included of all three films are troublesome. For one, they're practically advertised to you even though you've already purchased the product. Half of the back cover for each individual case is dedicated to the digital copy, and each case contains a second disc. Make sure you are strapped in, folks, because this might just blow your mind.

If you put the second disc into your computer, a window opens that lets you enter in the serial code for that films digital copy.

Of the 6 discs in this set, 3 of them are simply another layer of DRM. On the plus side, you now have three discs you can try to make a Predator Disc out of once you've redeemed all your digital copies.

The larger issue with the digital copy is that most people are going to try to redeem it through iTunes. Well, unless you live in the UK or Ireland, where this is originally sold, you can't. The discs are region free, but your codes won't be region free if you use them with iTunes. I went through Fox customer service and they were actually pretty easy about the whole thing. My suggestion is to redeem the code for the Windows Media Player copy, which IS region free, and use a program of your choice to convert it to a format that plays on your device of choice.

To be clear, this review is for the white set with the cover art depicting the sideshot of a Predator mask.

Must have for any sci-fi/predator fans. Great price! The product arrived on time with no defects. Purchase this product today!!

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I bought this set mainly because i had just purchased the Alien Anthology(import). I had seen Alien Vs Predator also but still did not see the first 2 Predator films. I stumbled across this trilogy and it had a beautiful price so i decided to pick it up. The first movie Predator staring Arnold Schwartzenegger was a pretty fun movie. Arnold leads his team of elite soldiers into a jungle for a rescue mission. needless to say it does not go as planned. The second Film was not nearly as fun in my opinion. Don't get me wrong though there is plenty of shooting and lots of awesome predator kills. however it turns out all the action in this movie didn't make it as desirable as the previous film. The third film is the second best watch although to some it may be the best one. full of great actors. but the story has something to be desired. If you read other reviews you may see that people are having problems with the Digital copies of these movies. This particular feature does not really do anything for me since i never watch movies in my laptop because its a piece of junk, if you are somebody who uses digital copies often when they are provided then you may want to skip this set. If you are someone like me and only watches their movies on a TV then i would highly suggest getting this. Overall the movies score a 4/5 the cover art is very cool and the digital copies don't really carry any weight to make me drop my overall score.

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Skip 2, someone should be punished.

This euro set plays great on my PS3 and other Sony Blue Ray player.

Great extra features, def a great set.

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AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!! Best Blu Ray DVD I have bought in a while! Satisfied fully with this purchase! Thanks a lot y'all!

Wayne's World (1992)

Wayne's World is directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization.) The film stars Mike Myers (Austin Powers), Dana Carvey (This Is Spinal Tap), Tia Carrere (Jury Duty), Rob Lowe (St. Elmo's Fire), Brian Doyle-Murray (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation), Ed O'Neill (Married With Children), and Donna Dixon. The film is based on the classic series of Saturday Night Live sketches of the same name, also starring Myers.

Wayne Campbell (Myers) and Garth Elgar (Carvey) are hold-over would-be rockers from the eighties. Wayne still lives in his parents' basement, and hosts his public access television show, Wayne's World, from there a strange show that isn't afraid to poke fun at its guests. A television executive (Lowe) intends to acquire the rights to the show, so that he can exploi t it and make big bucks from the production. Along the way, Garth will pursue his dream woman (Dixon), Wayne will meet a rock star girlfriend (Carrere), and the twosome will hear plenty of bizarre theories and experiences from a psychotic donut shop owner (O'Neill.)

Wayne's World is a classic because it succeeds on so many levels. In addition to giving us interesting, funny characters, the movie throws comical scenes at us at lightning speed and they succeed more often than they fall flat. Additionally, the film manages to make fun of just about every angle of the movie industry without ever losing its heart. Despite some harsh language here and there, it manages to succeed as a film without being explicit. Yes, it's a little bit dated almost two decades later. But when so many catchphrases from one movie become part of everyday American culture, you know the film has succeeded and cemented its own place as a classic piece of cinema (even if it goes against everything I usually call classics.)

There aren't enough good things to say about this movie. There is no shortage of stuff that will make you laugh here. In just over an hour-and-a-half, the movie pokes fun at the entertainment industry, product placement, alternate endings, public access television, and other films and genres yet at the same time manages to tell an effective, comical story that, unlike so many other comedies, actually has a heart. Wayne's World may not have the impact it did during its initial release two decades ago, but there is no denying that this is a great little piece of cinema. You'll laugh until it hurts and then you'll laugh some more.

Image and Sound:

You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll Hurl! And this time around, you'll be doing all three in 1080p and TrueHD! The transfer here is a bit underwhelming, but this was never really much of a "visual" movie. This transfer is a slight step up in detail from earlier DVD incarnations of the movie, but it's not a massive improvement over them. Where the disc really shines, though, is its TrueHD audio track, which really gets a chance to shine in loud scenes, and features improved clarity over earlier DVD counterparts. However, if you own the older DVD, there's really not much of a reason to upgrade. This is a good-looking and sounding disc, but it's not that much of an improvement over an upconverted DVD.

Special Features:

There are no new special features here, just stuff ported over from the previous DVD release. First up is a Penelope Spheeris commentary track. No fan of the movie will be disappointed in this commentary it goes into quite a bit of detail on the movie, and she has no shortage of info to share. Still, you'll wish Myers and Carvey had been on board. The other major feature is Extreme Close-Up, your standard obligatory "making of" featurette. Like the commentary, there's a lot of interesting information here, and fans won't want to pass it up. Closing out the features is the original theatrical trailer. All in all, these are nice little bonuses, I only wish they had included some new stuff here instead of just porting over (what few) bonus features were on the DVD.

Final Words:

It's Wayne's World! Wayne's World! It's party time! It's excellent! And it's on Blu-Ray at long last! The film is an undeniable classic, even if it breaks all the rules for what I usually call a classic. If you already own the old DVD, this isn't worth the double dip since the upconverted DVD comes close to the quality of this disc anyhow. But if you don't already own the movie, this disc is a good bet. Get out of your parents' basement, get in the Mirthmobile, and head down to the store and pick up this disc. No fan should be disappointed, though only die-hards (who surely already own the film) need apply for this double dip.

Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) have a television show on a public access station that they film in thier basement. A producer (Rob Lowe) buys the show and puts it on his network. But little do Wayne and Garth know that he plans to exploit the show and takes Wayne's girlfriend Casandra (Tia Carrere).

This is the best SNL movie ever and is filled with lots of memorable lines and scenes. This was filmed on a small budget but was a major sucess. There are plenty of famous people in small roles like Chris Farley, Laura Flynn Boyle, Alice Cooper and Ed O'neil to name a few.

The DVD is presented in widescreen and in DD 5.1 surround. It also contains a featurete filled with interviews and clips from the movie and the theatrical trailer.

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We all know that Austin Powers was a funny movie, but the way the press prattles on and on about it, you'd never know that there was life before Austin. Let me take you back to 1992 B.A.P (Before Austin Powers): Mike Myers takes a "Saturday Night Live" sketch to the big screen. The sketch was called "Wayne's World", and the movie version was greeted with major box office and critical praise (Excellent!). This movie kicks serious a--! The jokes are funny, even after you've seen it 50 times! The performaces are wonderful! The lines are classic! It's just such a great movie! It'll bring you up when you feel down! So, in conclusion, this movie sucks...NOT!

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1992. "Saturday Night Live" was on fire with its current comedy lineup and one of the show's more popular sketch was "WAYNE'S WORLD" which featured Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), two rock n' roll fans who host a cable access show in Aurora, Illinois.

The film featured an all-star cast with Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, Lara Flynn Boyle, Robert Patrick, Alice Cooper, Ione Skye and a several more notable talent and was commercially successful as it made $121.5 million in the US and on various online polls, has been selected in their top 100 comedy films of all time.

Because of the film's tight schedule as both Mike Myers and Dana Carvey had to film during the summer vacation and then head back to New York City for rehearsals for "Saturday Night Live", Producer Lorn Michaels tapped producer and director Penelope Spheeris ("The Little Rascals", "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years", "Dudes", etc.) who knew how to shoot an entire film in slightly over a month's time but most importantly, her background with working on music videos and the top rock bands.

"Wayne's World" is a hilarious film with many jokes, multiple endings and various film parodies and overall, trying to find out if both Wayne and Garth's relationship as friends can last and how they can take back their show.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"WAYNE'S WORLD" is featured in 1080p High Definition and overall, it's an OK but not a vibrant looking transfer. At times it seems a bit soft but it definitely looks cleaner and better than the original DVD which I did comparisons with.

After watching "WAYNE'S WORLD 2' and seeing the disappointing picture quality of the sequel, I wasn't sure how the first film would turn out on Blu-ray. Fortunately, the picture quality of the original is much better than the sequel. Where the sequel had plenty or dust particles and the white speckles, there are very few on this transfer.

As for audio, "WAYNE'S WORLD" features a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack (as well as French 2.0 Dolby Surround and Spanish Mono).

The film is primarily dialogue but it happens to be a film also strong when it comes to the utilization of music. There is a lot of music being utilized throughout the film. And I can tell you that the audio is quite clear but if I had one disappointment, the soundtrack of the overall film is primarily front channel usage. In fact, I don't think I've even heard my subwoofer being utilized during the whole film. If any bass was coming out, it was coming out through my two fronts.

Even during certain sequences that would utilize low frequency sounds, no subwoofer usage. I did hear my rear surround at work a few times, especially during the airplane sequence but overall, the soundtrack is also OK. Was hoping for better directional usage of audio throughout the whole 5.1.

But overall, picture and audio quality were average at best.

As for subtitles, subtitles are presented in English, English SDH, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Wayne's World" comes with the same features from the original DVD release. Primarily the one commentary and one featurette.

* Audio Commentary by Director Penelope SpheerisActually, a very cool commentary by Director Spheeris. She comes off as a rock n' roll, free and anything goes kind of director. Laughing and just having fun as she talks about working with the guys, making sure she was strict to the schedule but allowing various scenes that she wanted, what Mike and Dana wanted and then working with the best footage during post-production. A lot of behind-the-scenes information from how Mike Myers was initially against the headbanging scene for "Bohemian Rhapsody" because he felt it wasn't funny to why she was happy that Tia Carrere was cast for the role and how her rock n' roll and SNL experience helped her for this film. I also found it interesting as Spheeris talked about how Lorne Michaels promotes this competitive nature for the comedians on "Saturday Night Live" and thus, this film that did feature a lot of improvisation, was about the characters utilizing their surroundings and what they would do on the scene when the camera was on them.

* "Wayne's World Extreme Close-Up: Exclusive Cast & Crew Interviews" (23:14) This featurette features interviews with Director Penelope Spheeris, Producer Lorne Michaels and the cast of "WAYNE'S WORLD". You also get interesting tidbits of information about the screen testing of the film from the "Cream of Some Young Guy" scene, the headbanging scene and how Mike Myers neck hurt from reshooting that scene over and over, Dana Carvey forgetting the words to "Bohemian Rhapsody", the laughing scene of Wayne and Garth under the airplane, the friendship of Mike Myers and Rob Lowe began with this film, how Dana Carvey based Garth's way of talking from his brother and much more. (In Standard Definition)

* Theatrical Trailer (2:03) The original theatrical trailer in HD.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I absolutely enjoyed "WAYNE'S WORLD" when it came out on film. The way it was cut and the overall wackiness and improvised scenes, the parodying of other films and TV shows and of course, the multiple endings. Everything seemed to work perfectly.

Mike Myers and Dana Carvey do a great job with their characters. The guys were in their element and of course Mike Myers improvising especially the Wayne and Cassandra bedroom scene was hilarious! Both men did a great job in making the audience feel these characters and just laugh with them (or at them).

I also believe that part of the benefit of this film's success is due to Director Penelope Spheeris's extensive music and rock n' roll background. She knew what she wanted to capture on film, she knew she wanted the rock music to be integral to the film and even learning from the Director's commentary of how the talent didn't feel certain scenes would be funny, but she insisted for the talent to do what she instructed (unfortunately, it's been reported that because of this, she was not tapped to direct the sequel which was a shame). But you have to give Spheeris some major credit, to cut a film in 32-34 days is just unheard of these days and even at that time but because some of the cast and crew were used to the quick schedule workaround from their years at "Saturday Night Live", everything came together.

But there were so many memorable moments from the film that will always stand out, most importantly the "Bohemian Rhapsody" scene with the guys singing the QUEEN song which probably, many people not familiar with QUEEN may have never heard of until it was shown over and over on MTV. If anything, music played a major role for this film and it was fun watching how it was utilized.

As for the Blu-ray transfer, definitely much better than the sequel but picture and audio quality was average at best. Special features were quite slim and it would have been awesome to see some sort of gag reel or deleted scenes.

For those who own the DVD and wonder if it's worth double dipping and repurchasing it on Blu-ray, it's up to you. If the 1080p High Definition transfer is important to you. The audio quality is not exactly reference quality and for special features, there really is nothing added to the Blu-ray version of this release. So, in comparing both the DVD and the Blu-ray, it all comes down to if you want the film on High Definition.

From a sketch on `Saturday Night Live' and becoming a full-feature film, 16 years later, `Wayne's World' is definitely a unique, hilarious and crazy classic comedy film worth watching!

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The ultimate hang out and rock comedy, Wayne's World! This ia one of the really good SNL spinoffs that I personally was very glad that it hit the screen. Mike Myers (Wayne) and Dana Cravey (Garth), are hilarious in this and it shows that this sketch was easily one of the best on SNL ever!

It's a non stop rib shattering comedy from start to finish! Myers and Carvey are totally awesome and let's face it, Tia Carrera is hot! PLus with a little bit of parody (T2) and making fund of themselves a little (the sponsor scene).

WAYNE'S WORLD is totally excellent and of course having a pretty good soundtrack doesn't hurt either. This is really funny. You'll be laughing the whole way though! Pick this up and also heck out WAYNE'S WORLD 2 nad from Myers, check out the AUSTIN POWERS series. Enough said, it's Austin Powers! And if you're looking for any other good SNL spinoffs, check out NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY, CONEHEADS and BLUES BROTHERS.

At Long Last Love '75 (2013)

One Sunday, in Cleveland, Peter Bogdanovich came for a talk to the Cleveland Public Library downtown. It was about a book he'd just written. This had to be about twelve or so years ago. I brought my original movie poster of At Long Last Love & my original LP soundtrack of Paper Moon. I not only wanted to get his autograph on both (which I did), but I just wanted to tell him EXACTLY what I thought of At long Last Love. I said how this film was a brilliant amalgamation of both the RKO-Pandro S. Berman musicals of Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, and relations between the sexes circa the sexual reveloution of the 1970's. This film is one of the best I've ever seen about intrapersonal communication between and amoungst the sexes, using the lyrics of Cole Porter (a brilliant composer and closeted homosexual who had lyrics with hidden meanings rampant throughout his entire career--lyrics designed to express true feelings and yearnings without being too too literal). In spite of this, the film appears to be, superficially, a light and frothy period piece. I love all the performances, but, let's be frank, they are uneven at best. There are those who feel Cybill Shepherd can sing and dance, and those who do not. There is NO inbetween! I feel she can...As I do about Burt Reynolds--but he really can't. I feel his charms work in spite of this, some people do not (I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder)...The rest of the cast I feel is stellar, in particular the byplay between Eileen Brennan & John Hillerman. Brilliant! Madeline Kahn is her usual magnificent self. And, about Mr. Bogdanovich's brave and foolhardy decision to spend approx. $6 million of 20th Century-Fox's money to film his cast LIVE singing and dancing before the camera...? In hindsight, I will forever be sorry it changed his career the way that it did, but I always felt, and will always feel, it made for a more real and feeling finished product. I hope this will be revisited and re-evaluated now for the great auteur piece this truly is, but I'm sure there will be those who will find it the ghastly mess that history would like them to believe it is (like "Cleopatra"...?). That's ok too...I'm just happy it has a second chance...

At long last, At Long Last Love! This hugely under-appreciated gem is finally released, on blu-ray. Unseen by millions, an absolute joy, with a superb cast, stunning production design, and of course, Cole, all the way. Long before all the fuss about Les Mis and the 'groundbreaking' live musical recording, Bogdanovich used this method for absolute spontaneity, employed in the earliest musicals. In his own words, taken from the movie soundtrack album, he states 'I didn't want to make a musical that was about singing and dancing: I wanted to make a musical about some people who sing and dance instead of walk and talk'. What a fantastic movie, and i can't wait to recapture the excitement, on seeing it several times on its original release. The LP soundtrack album has kept the memories alive since 1975!

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I love this movie! It introduced me to Cole Porter. I wore out the album and still have two LP's left. Of all the movies I have had on my list to get since DVD came out, this is the only one that was not released. I could understand why at the time it wasn't attracting audiences. Musicals where dead. They sung live! The only other time that was ever done was in Les Miserables (fortunately they had much better equipment to use for that). I feel bad the director never got to know how many people actually loved this movie. I can't wait to finally see this in widescreen! Burt Reynolds was a hoot singing and dancing. Cybil Shepard was absolutely adorable. There aren't too many movies with the late great Madeleine Kahn, so that alone is worth the watch. Eileen Brennan with that deadpan delivery priceless! "Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love" is on my list of all the great movie showstoppers. "But baby if I'm the bottom, you're the top". I had no idea what that meant at 11, but it started a life long love and admiration for one of the great composers of all time and all the shows and movies that showcased his work. This gem deserves to be among them!

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Obviously, I was of the first of the two opinions in my title. I saw "At Long Last Love" in its premier at Radio City Music Hall, and again in my then home town of Jacksonville, Florida, a few weeks later.

I've been following the progress of this Blu-ray release for about 18 months now, and word on the street was that it is a superior cut and has been restored the "right" way. Having just watched it, the transfer is not pristine, but it does match up to a number of Blu rays I own, for example "The Man from Snowy River" and "Stardust", both of which show a lot of grain and actually look better if I don't wear my glasses when watching them. LOL However, once the horrible looking 20th Century Fox intro is done, nothing about the look of the film will distract you from enjoying the story.

The soundtrack is nothing special. In fact it is apparently Mono (listed as 1.0). Once again, while it does not have the full, rich sound that we've come to expect from most DVDs and Blu rays, the charm in this movie is in the acting and the story, and you won't be displeased.

This Blu ray version runs 123 minutes, which is 5 minutes more than the theatrical release (according to IMDB.com). Most likely an extra song sequence was added back in.

The story essentially relates one long social engagement concerning the four stars. It is light-hearted and cheerful, and filled with great Cole Porter songs. It has a wonderful throwback look to early 30s style, with highly artistic use of stark black and white in scenery and costume, accomplished with an excellent flair. I've always thought that was an homage to black and white films of that era without actually presenting the film in black and white.

Contrary to what some have written about this movie, none of the stars do embarrassing work with their singing. Reynolds certainly isn't known for singing, but he is certainly competent in this film, as is Cybil Shepard. What you absolutely DO get here are the actors "acting the songs", and in a very entertaining fashion. It adds an air of authenticity and charm that doesn't come across in absolutely flawless dubbed performances.

Madeline Kahn was of course a wonderful singer. Eileen Brennan and John Hillerman not only sing well, but provide unforgettable stretches of comedy ... she as Cybil Shepard's maid, and Hillerman as Reynold's chauffeur. Duilio Del Prete is charming and amusing as the romantic foreigner with a bit of a gambling problem.

One thing that disposes me towards good memories of this film is that I had a fun date with a great looking young lady when I saw it in Jacksonville ... a girl named Anita (So for any of you Anita's who saw this that spring in Jacksonville with a freshman from Ga Tech that year, Hi Anita!).

Letting actors with no "singing chops" do their own vocals had not been done a lot by the time this film was made ... "Paint your Wagon" comes to mind ... so maybe that was one of the reasons that critics panned this LIKE the gold pans in "Paint Your Wagon" when they came up all sand. It has been done a LOT more since this film, and with many more misses on the singing quality.

As my wife and I watched this Blu ray, we found ourselves frequently chuckling at both clear dialogue and physical bits, especially from Burt Reynolds, who has always been adroit at mugging and showing off for the camera in amusing ways.

If you don't like light romantic comedies which segue into song from time to time, just don't buy or watch this film. Otherwise, it is definitely worth taking a chance on. Cybil and Burt never looked better. John Hillerman gives you a peek at what would become the role of his career on "Magnum PI". Madeline Kahn is simply the great Madeline Kahn, and Eileen Brennan is a riot.

Highly recommended.

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Talk about "At Long Last"! I saw AT LONG LAST LOVE in the movie theater when I was a junior in college in 1975. And I have been waiting years for it to come to video. (Was it ever released on video tape?) And now it's available in, not only Blu-ray, but in the Director's Cut! Up to now, all that's been available has been pirated copies. It's wonderful to have the real thing. It will look great next to my vintage soundtrack recording (which, incidentally, is in stereo).

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The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi

Kitano's remake of the popular 1960's "Zatoichi-the Blind Swordsman" series (there were probably over two dozen of the original series) takes big risks but largely succeeds. Kitano is a darker, more sinister Zatoichi, and the action is a lot more Tarantino-esque. The sword action is first class but extremely violent, unlike the original series which, like the vintage Westerns, were mostly bloodless affairs. Blood squirts everywhere on the scale of "Kill Bill."

This is not the 1960s Zatoichi, who was a more light-hearted character who often avoided conflict and was even prepared to play a buffoon to avoid violence. Not so here Kitano stalks his prey relentlessly, like the former Yakusa he was. There is a very adult story spliced in here about the two gisha runaways (one is not who s(he) appears to be) so forget about pre-teens watching this one. Unlike many Samurai period pieces, there is a plot here which is serious and sad.

The unexpected bonus to this movie is the excellent musical soundtrack consisting of Taiko drumming and dancing, well worth cranking up on a home theater system. Peasants threshing rice beat out a syncopated background to a scene, and there is a big Taiko musical send up (not too different from some of the 1960s Zatochi musical numbers) at the end.

OK, let me get this straight: the disc comes with a documentary where the director of photography EXPLICITLY details how and why the director agreed to go with a desaturated color palette for this film. Unfortunately for him, the American version of this disc simply chose to ignore their wishes, saturating the color to make the film look "normal" for American audiences (since we are a bunch of neophytes who could not understand that the color was desaturated on purpose). Joe six-pack apparently also wants films that have been oversharpened, distorting the original film look. This, and not providing us with a high quality version of the original Japanese soundtrack (naturally that is reserved for the dubbed English version, since, again, American audiences cannot bother to read subtitles or care about hearing the original language of the film) make this version of the film on Blu-Ray a slap to the face of any discerning film lover.

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Blending period drama, Shogun Assassin-style ultra-violence, comedy and Stomp-esque musical interludes, Takeshi Kitano's "Zatoichi" is probably the most audacious film to have come out of Japan so far this decade. Kitano a former comedian who divides his time between gameshow appearances and producing violent gangster flicks plays the eponymous hero, a blind but deadly samurai who gets off on gambling, chopping wood and putting wrongs to right. It's a masterful turn, and one that Kitano clearly relishes, twitching and chuckling to himself before dispatching enemies with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it flash of his blade.

The plot centres around Zatoichi's battle against the local yakuza and their formidable samurai-for-hire (Ichi the Killer's Tadonabu Asano). There are showdowns aplenty and, when they do come, they're nothing if not spectacular. Digitally-enhanced, cartoony and extremely violent (think: severed limbs and gallons of blood aplenty), the fights are likely to polarise audiences almost as much as the film's climactic, er, tapdance sequence.

In between, we get a revenge drama involving a cross-dressing geisha, a wannabe samurai who charges around wearing little but armour and what looks like a nappy, slapstick galore and numerous musical interludes. In a similar vein to Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, Kitano draws his soundtrack from ambient noises as Zatoichi wanders, sightless, through the fields, the sounds of workers' hoes builds up into a natural rhythm. It's a cute effect, and one that's deftly employed here, compounding the sense that Zatoichi though blind is catching something that everyone around him misses.

What impresses most is how Kitano manages to draw such unlikely elements together and, moreover, make them work so well. I can think of few directors capable of flitting from slapstick to bloodbath, or domestic tragedy to musical setpiece, as convincingly or effortlessly. Even the aforementioned tapdance number, and a lengthy flashback/musical piece midway through, make a curious kind of sense on a second viewing.

Being a Japanese-language film, this one will inevitably get only a limited audience. Those who do make the effort, however, are in for a treat. It wouldn't be overstating the case to say that you've never seen anything quite like this before.

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ok, to be honest, i have not yet watched Zatoichi. i'm not here to review that. judging by the reviews of the others on here, you can see that you either love it or hate it. i'm here to recommend SONATINE.

people seem to overlook Sonatine. to be honest, that was the reason i bought this DVD. Sonatine was previously not available on DVD, and you could only get it in a full screen VHS. now it's here in all it's glory. don't expect a crazy action movie like Zatoichi, Sonatine is more akin to Hana-Bi (aka Fireworks). very slow paced, but still very good. this double feature is worth it just for Sonatine.

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This is the type of Beat Takeshi film I have been yearning to see for a decade. It is a Japanese period film stylistically similiar to Kurosawa's Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Takeshi however has modernized the genre with the utmost taste and care. The music, the acting, the swordfights, the tap dances, the camerawork, the plot, the computerwork... all utterly amazing. Takeshi set out to make a "Big Screen" work to entertain the masses and he has far surpassed any expectations.

I cannot believe this hasn't exploded onto the big screen in America. This movie can be enjoyed on a number of different levels by an extremely wide audience.

If you haven't seen this movie go out and rent it, you will not be disappointed.

Godon Sensei would be Proud!

Kansas City Confidential Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack (1952)

For years Kansas City Confidential has languished in the Public Domain Hell. Released in a woefully substandard version from Alpha (watch the video wiggle at the bottom of the screen every 10 seconds), and a much better, but still flawed version from Image (the picure is just a bit too dark and has some minor print damage), along with several "dollar" DVD versions that were even more flawed than the Alpha and Image releases, Kansas City Confidential was a movie that most Film Noir fans thought would never see an "official" DVD release by MGM (owner of the master print, and presumably the negatives).

But here it is MGM is actually releasing (or has released, depending on when you read this) the "official" DVD for this fantastic Film Noir. Based on their track record of releasing official versions of movies previously relegated to public domain releases (see He Walked By Night as an example MGM's DVD is flawless!), this should see a drastic improvement in both image and sound quality over all of the previous versions released to date.

The movie itself is tightly written, well acted (John Payne is fantastic, and the supporting cast of Preson Foster, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Jack Elam, and Coleen Gray are all near perfect in their roles), and extremely well directed by Phil Karlson.

This is a classic crime/wrong man framed and sets out for revenge movie. For fans of Film Noir this is truly a, "Must Have," DVD.

Update The DVD is, as expected, a HUGE improvement over the Image release, which istself is much better than the Alpha version. MGM/Fox have done a very nice job on the quality of this release the print used is excellent. Even if you already have a previous version of Kansas City Confidential you still may want to get this one for the much improved picture and sound.

Nobody played the accused innocent any better than John Payne. Tall and good looking, Payne exuded a quiet moral strength combined with an ability and willingness to mess it up with the bad boys whenever the situation dictated. An Eagle Scout with a merit badge in bar brawling.

KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL is a smart little crime drama that features Payne as the unluckiest of flower delivery drivers in motion picture history. It seems that Mr. Big, bad guy Preston Foster, has been meticulously plotting a bank heist, and an integral part of his plan involves using an exact duplicate of Payne's truck as the getaway vehicle. Nothing personal, John. The bad guys don't even know you.

Mr. Big has recruited three thugs (Jack Elam, Lee van Cleef, and Neville Brand) to pull off the heist, taking the precaution of insisting they always wear masks while in each other's presence. That way, if things go wrong, nobody will know who his accomplices are. For a good part of this movie the only one who has anything going wrong is poor John Payne, who is promptly fingered as one of the bank robbers. In this movie, Payne seemingly can't walk into a room without getting pounded by some burly cop or surly con.

KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL is briskly paced and offers enough small surprises to keep us on our toes. Phil Karlson was a great director, under-appreciated in his time and relegated almost exclusively to B-movie duties. KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL is one of his best. Strongly recommended.

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"Kansas City Confidential" opens with the declaration that it is about a hypothetical "perfect crime" that has never existed in the history of any law enforcement agency. The crime is a $1.2 million dollar bank heist orchestrated by Tim Foster (Preston Foster), a disgruntled ex-cop forced into retirement. Foster bullies three hoods into doing the job, using their criminal records against them and promising an equal split of the dough. Pete Harris (Jack Elam), Tony Romano (Lee Van Cleef), Boyd Kane (Neville Brand), and Foster hold up security guards as they transfer money to an armored car. Foster has insisted that everyone wear masks at all times so that his 3 accomplices cannot identify one another, making them "cop-proof and stool pigeon-proof". After the job, they go separate ways to await the pay-off. Meanwhile, the police pick up Joe Rolfe (John Payne), the driver of a florist delivery truck that looks like the crooks' getaway truck, and accuse him of the crime. Unable to beat a confession out of Rolfe, the police are compelled to release him, leaving Joe Rolfe angry, without a job, and hell-bent on finding out who framed him.

John Payne reminds me very much of Jimmy Stewart in this role. Although he was a lesser star than Stewart, Payne shares Stewart's versatility and ability to be a sympathetic, idealized everyman, but edgy and a little dangerous at the same time. Joe Rolfe is a good guy, but he's angry, frustrated, and fully capable of matching his enemies' ferocity. Neville Brand plays a thug, as he always did, in direct opposition to his real-life stature as a World War II hero, for which he was decorated 10 times. "Kansas City Confidential"'s most striking quality is its archetypally film noir fatalism. Joe Rolfe and Tim Foster's destinies become powerfully interdependent, even though the men do not know one another. As Pete Harris says to Joe, "We didn't have nothing against you. We didn't even know you. It just fell that way." Elam gives a stand-out, though brief, performance as a twitchy, menacing, loser of a criminal. "Kansas City Confidential" isn't relentlessly hard-boiled, but it has enough menace and confusion to gratify film noir fans.

The DVD (Image Entertainment 2002): This print is watchable, but it's grainy in the grays and noticeably speckled. Bonus features include: "Cast & Crew", which is text biographies and "noir filmographies" for 6 members of the cast plus director Phil Karlson. "Stills & Lobby Cards" includes 9 black and white movie stills and 8 color lobby cards. "Coleen Gray Interview" (9 minutes) is a recent interview by author Eddie Muller with actress Colleen Gray, who plays the movie's "good girl". Gray talks about her role in the film, the other actors, and the qualities of film noir. There is also a trailer (1 ½ minutes) for the film "5 Against the House". No subtitles.

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Being a huge booster of Blu-Ray as the ideal (so far) medium for improving the sight and sound of older movies I was fairly disappointed with this and HD Cinema's concurrent release, "The Stranger". While Blu-Ray transfers typically make details sharper, shadows blacker and faces more detailed, these two films' details seem softer and less focused despite the BD transfers.

Ironically, this can be proven by watching the short side-by-side comparison each disc offers as an extra feature. The non-Blu-Ray half of the screen looks sharper with more relief. First time I've seen that.

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A great, great noir film starring John Payne(HELL'S ISLAND, 99 RIVER STREET). But the cast doesn't stop there! It also stars Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam and Neville Brand. This really is a gritty little crime caper flick. If you watch it, it will be difficult to ignore how the film might have influenced a guy like Quentin Tarantino in the conception of RESERVOIR DOGS. Great dvd!

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In Bruges (2008)

Martin Mc Donagh's "In Bruges" proves at least one thing once and for all: Colin Farrell is a thoughtful, emotionally open, soon to do very great things on the screen, actor...something that anyone who has seen "Tigerland" and "Home at the End of the World" already knows despite evidence to the contrary: "S.W.A.T," "Alexander," "Miami Vice," etc. etc.

'If I'd grown up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me. But I didn't, so it doesn't" says Ray (Farrell) to his fellow hit man, Ken (burly Brendan Gleeson): both sent to Bruges, Belgium to cool off after a bloody hit that unfortunately went woefully wrong.

This is McDonagh's first film as Director/Writer and it is evident that he has a great eye for detail both in the sparkling, smart-*ss dialogue as well as with the stunning visual vocabulary of movies. Bruges is a beautiful city: ancient, redolent of the many lives lived there with its cobblestone streets, masonry buildings and outdoor plazas. As such, staid, old lady of Belgium Bruges stands in vivid contrast to the Irish duo of middle-aged, seen-it-all, supposedly Gay, interested in the sights and history of the city Ken and the emotionally over-wrought, painfully sensitive Ray: nervous, anxious, wanting to party, sporadically breaking out in sobs...literally an open emotional wound desperate for succor, blatantly remorseful, seeking redemption in all the wrong places.

"In Bruges" roils over with goofy, silly dialogue (mostly spoken by Farrell who proves very adept at delivering it in droll, wry, ironic style) and profanity, violent bursts of gunfire, and jokes at the expense of dwarfs and Americans. Screenwriter McDonagh steers his odd couple Irishmen through a series of strange/odd situations in which questions of honor, friendship and mortality are mulled. The older Gleeson also proves to be the grounded one: good at what he does (that is kill people) and able, by his very presence to calm Ray down.

Ralph Fiennes is also on hand here and plays Ray and Ken's boss, a mean-spirited bloke who talks in Michael Caine-Cockney cadences and arrives in Bruges to make sure that a hit, assigned to Ken is carried out without fail.

"In Bruges" shares many of the surface traits of such films as Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" but, though great as "Pulp Fiction" is, it doesn't have the heart and soul of Mc Donagh's "In Bruges": a film that satisfies the thriller/action genes of us all but also digs very deep below and reveals the true natures of its very conflicted, ultimately very human characters.

How to describe this deceptively simple film is the hardest place to begin. The plot's fairly simple: Two Irish hit-men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), are sent to Bruges (in Belgium) to wait out the consequences of an assassination gone terribly awry.

The younger of the two, Ray, is bored and angtsy with the whole place. He's got a guilty conscience, having been the bloke who totally screwed up the hit. Ken, older and more sanguine about the whole matter, is the total opposite. He's enjoying the sights and quiet cadence of the city, seeing it as a brief respite from what he knows is a powder keg about to blow up in both their faces.

Without giving away key plot points (all brilliantly revealed as the beginning of the end begins to play out toward its tragic conclusion), all I can say is WOW! Though I have never been a huge Colin Farrell fan, I found the actor to be an absolute revelation. The man can actually act, excellently conveying Ray's guilty conscience with a manic, twitchy angst that practically sets the screen on fire. When Ray's mistake is finally revealed in all its heartbreaking glory, Farrell manages to portray Ray's guilt and attempt at redemption in a scene that awes as well as chills the viewer. This is definitely an Oscar caliber performance, and one would hope the actor will continue to make such smart choices in future roles. The fact that Farrell gets to use his actual Irish accent is definitely a plus for the character. His Ray is a charming, annoying, childish, totally screwed up nut about to crack.

Gleeson, too, is equally convincing in his quiet, calm portrayal. His Ken, world weary and tried of the whole business of death, nevertheless knows he's got to pull back his shoulders and soldier on--even if it means he has to face the bad end of a gun himself from mob boss, Harry (an excellent Ralph Feinnes channeling an evil more vicious than even Lord Voldemort). Harry's riff on the Uzi he is offered by a gun supplier is hilarious, as is Ray's in run with a racist dwarf, among others as he ambles through Bruges seeking a solace neither drink nor drugs, or even a pretty girl, can offer.

The end for these three men is tragic, but totally fitting. I thoroughly enjoyed In Bruges and watched it several times just to soak in the early subtle clues leading up to Ray's mental meltdown. I admit that I had to watch the film with English subtitles on as I couldn't understand the actor's thick accents, but that wasn't any distraction or detriment.

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Two hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are on a sort of makeshift holiday in Bruges, Belgium after a hit gone wrong. While awaiting word from their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), Ken is interested in sightseeing and the history of the place, while Ray couldn't be more unimpressed and can't wait to escape.

After hearing so many wonderful things about this film I was absolutely prepared to be let down. Movies rarely live up to the hype for me, but I am happy to say this one did and then some.

In Bruges had me laughing out loud, hard and repeatedly, as the political incorrectness and the way Ray and Ken play off each other is hilarious. It had me sobbing big ugly girly tears as the emotion that pours from Ray, his guilt, his sadness, is absolutely palpable and heartbreaking. This movie had me gasping at the violence, on the edge of my seat and on an emotional roller coaster from one minute to the next. It was great.

The performances are grand by all three main characters and the supporting cast lends equally wonderful and interesting performances. I found this to be a multi-dimensional and complex film filled with irony, humor, action and sadness. I was really stunned at the power behind Colin Farrell's performance. He goes from a sort of spazzy, funny, slightly inept and combustible sidekick to a sensitive, deeply tortured soul in about 2 seconds and every facet of his character is believable and brilliant.

In Bruges is one of those quotable films with a billion awesome one-liners and moments. This is easily one of my favorite movies this year and definitely upon my list of all time favorites. I loved every fricken minute of it.

5+ stars

Cherise Everhard, August 2008

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Much like a comedian, "In Bruges" is a film that uses humor to mask pain. It tells jokes and we laugh at them, but it's by no means a comedy; the story is deadly serious and at times downright shocking, and we're ultimately left in limbo about what we should and shouldn't find funny. This is actually one of the film's greatest strengths, simply because life itself is often hilarious in the face of tragedy. Writer and director Martin McDonagh seemed to know that all too well, which is good because it made for a unique and surprisingly engaging film. But be aware that not everyone will be this receptive: the subject matter is anything but light; most of the characters inhabit that massive gray area between decency and amorality; the ending is appropriate but definitely unconventional, leaving us unsure as to whether or not everyone got what they deserved.

The film opens with two Irish hitmen--Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson)--arriving in Bruges, a Belgian city that's known for being the most preserved medieval village in all of Europe. They were sent there after a job in England went horribly wrong. I won't say what happened, but I will say that Ray is now an emotional wreck, unable to forgive himself for what he has done. Anyway, both men are told to wait in Bruges until further notice. In the meantime, they might as well enjoy a little sightseeing, and indeed, Bruges is a beautiful, picturesque place. While Ken is more than willing to take everything in, Ray behaves like an immature teenager, shooting his mouth off about how awful Bruges is. He even gets into hot water with tourists, especially the American ones--it seems he's still bitter over the Vietnam War and the murder of John Lennon.

But it's much more likely that the past few days have taken their toll on him, with the incident in England weighing heavily on him. His only outlet is beer, cocaine, and Chloë (Clémence Poésy), a young woman working with a film crew. They share a fascinating if odd relationship, him being a hitman on the brink of suicide, her being a drug dealer and occasional robber. It's through her that Ray meets Jimmy (Jordan Prentice), a dwarf acting in the film being shot in Bruges. They, too, share an interesting relationship, not only because both are pent up fountains of anger, but also because of how they express that anger. Here's an example for Jimmy: there's a scene in which he's high on cocaine, ranting about how there will eventually be a race war between the blacks and the whites, and he feels that every ethnicity from the Vietnamese to the Pakistanis will side with the blacks. "What about black midgets and white midgets?" Ray asks. "Yes!" Jimmy emphatically responds. "Now there's a movie!" chuckles Ray, who quickly notices how offensive Ken is finding this conversation.

After a few days, Ken in finally contacted by Harry (Ralph Fiennes), who gives specific instructions that I won't reveal. I will say Harry is probably the film's only evil character, despite the fact that he has strict principles about who and who not to kill. He apparently first saw Bruges when he was only seven years old, and he loved it so much that he wanted both Ken and Ray to experience it. Bruges is like a city in a fairy tale, Harry says, and woe to those who don't feel the same way--one gets the sense that, in his eyes, disliking Bruges is akin to disliking the air we breathe. As irrational as this line of thinking is, Ken goes along with everything Harry says and always obeys. But then the next hit is ordered, and at that point, Ken reconsiders the life he leads and why he leads it. This, in turn, forces Harry to come back to Bruges.

All this paves the way for the final sequences, which are cleverly written to say the least. They serve as brutal counterparts to many earlier scenes, many of which have Ray and Ken discussing the existence of heaven, hell, and purgatory. They also wonder what it means to be a truly good person; Ken feels that he's generally a nice guy, yet he's well aware that he has killed people. He also asserts that, with one exception, his victims were all bad people who deserved to be killed. This begs the question: Where is the line drawn, since justified murder is still murder? Ken and Ray grapple with this, knowing perfectly well that their feelings could mean the difference between life and death.

There's a scene that sees both men in the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which displays a fragment of cloth said to have been soaked with the blood of Jesus Christ. Ken wants to see this cloth while Ray is desperate to leave, and that's an interesting duality since both men are sinners and unsure about what the hereafter has in store for them. Ray believes that hell is an eternity in Bruges, which is the only reason why he doesn't want to die there. Ken eventually believes that his purpose is to send Ray off to find his own purpose. Both have a lot to pay for. Whether or not they actually do pay, I'm not sure; much like the film's overall sense of humor, the ending of "In Bruges" is ambivalent, leaving us in a thick fog. But at the very least, it's a lovely, almost magical fog, much like the one shrouding Bruges every evening.

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Another delightful little British black gangster comedy. Think of: Sexy Biest (w Ben KIngsley). Snatch (w Brad Pitt, Benicio dT ...). Layer Cake (w Daniel Craig). These guys have figured it out. Usually high class actors (here R.Fiennes, who is much more convincing as a bad guy than otherwise, and the quite capable Colin F., who had been a bit overrated for a while, but he really is quite talented).

A basically simple plot (a hit man has screwed up, causing collateral damage; the boss needs to remove him, orders the partner to get it done, which turns out a problem...) runs into obstacles because the protagonists develop unexpected attitudes. Slapstick with guns.

(Disclaimer: let me add that the headline is not my opinion, but a quote from Colin Farrell's character Ray, who thinks that Bruges is a s-hole; I fully disagree with that crass opinion, Bruges is as nice a place as you are likely to find in the whole of Belgium. On Tottenham I am not an expert.)

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Body and Soul (1947)

Don't let the stars fool you, I love this movie and if I were reviewing the movie itself on its merits alone, it would get 6 stars. My love for this classic is the reason I can give this DVD version only two stars. The print is very poor the lighting in some scenes is too dark to pick up some details. There are skips and jumps in the frame. The sound transfer is also very uneven. In fact my 20 year-old VHS tape is STILL better quality than this DVD. But all those technical faults could be forgiven were it not for the most egregious cut of all a few lines of dialogue. In a pivotal scene where the grocer delivers to the Davis house, Charley has just told Peg that he needs his money to bet on the fight. The grocer comes in and talks about everyone betting on the fight Charley says anyone who bets is foolish. The grocer disagrees. The words that were cut out of this print, essentially the heart of why the neighborhood loves their champ, are very simple "In Europe, the Nazis are killing our people, but here Charley is Champeen! No, it's not about the money." I have no idea why these lines are missing, but it was the final straw before I returned the DVD for a refund.

Unfortunately us movie fans lose out again. We can't get a decent transfer or an unedited copy of a great film. Many lesser films released in the last 5 years have several editions available, with added footage, interviews, alternate endings, "director's" cuts and other gimmicks to drive sales. It's a good thing I haven't given away my VHS tape or dumped my VCR, otherwise I'd never again see this movie in a facsimile of its intended presentation. I guess the simple grocer was wrong, it's always about the money.

When actor John Garfield wanted to make a boxing movie, Abraham Polonsky came up with this story on the spur of the moment. "Body and Soul" found great popular success and went on to garner Garfield an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Polonsky a nod for Best Screenplay, and win the 1948 Oscar for Best Editing. In addition to being one of John Garfield's most popular roles, "Body and Soul" is remembered for its realistic depiction of boxing matches, filmed by cinematographer James Wong Howe, who had been a professional boxer in his youth. It probably didn't hurt that John Garfield had been an amateur boxer when he was young also, although he had to be doubled in some of the fight scenes due to his heart condition.

"Body and Soul" begins the night before World Boxing Champion Charley Davis (John Garfield) is to defend his title. He's supposed to throw the fight and make a bundle for the promoter, Mr. Roberts (Lloyd Goff). He's uneasy, can't sleep, and wanders around town seeking comfort -or somethingin friends and family with little luck. Right before the fight, Charley drifts into sleep, murmuring "It's all gone down the drain" as he begins to dream. Most of the film is in flashback. Charley recalls his humble beginnings as an amateur champion and the pride of his old neighborhood. His mother (Anne Revere) disapproved of boxing, but Charley wanted to break free of the Lower East Side's violence and poverty. He wanted success more than anything in the world. With the help of his old friend Shorty (Joseph Pevney) and his manager Quinn (William Conrad), Charley became a pro with a promising future. But he sacrificed control of his career in a corrupt partnership with Roberts in order to get a championship fight.

John Garfield is too old for this role, but it's still perfect for him. He excelled at playing barely working class tough guys who are foolish and self-destructive, but somehow lovable and sympathetic. Perhaps because Charley came from a life of deprivation, he thinks of nothing but money -making it and spending itto the detriment of his relationships and his integrity. "Body and Soul" is elevated from conspicuous morality tale to classic film by virtue of its supporting cast. William Conrad is terrific as the gruff, two-faced, but somehow sympathetic Quinn, even though he has few lines. And Charley's gold digging mistress, Alice, an even less prominent character, is played memorably by Hazel Brooks. Charley's fiancée and beloved Peg, an art student and aspiring painter played by Lilli Palmer, is an odd character. She's intelligent, articulate, and temperate -in contrast to Charley. But her European accent and refined demeanor make her seem as out of place in the film as in the Lower East Side. Somehow, this works in the film's favor by putting Peg on a moral pedestal. "Body and Soul" is an entertaining film, a must for John Garfield fans, notable for being one of the first boxing films and one of the last "social conscience" films of the classic era. In fact, the film is plainly about the 1930s even though it takes place in the 1940s.

The DVD (Republic/Artisan 1999 release): This is a good print of the film, without serious flaws, but it's not actually restored. I counted 2 momentary audio problems. The single bonus feature is "Production Notes", a 7-page essay that discusses the film's inspiration, how Abraham Polonsky came to write it, some anecdotes about filming, and an alternate, more cynical, ending. No subtitles.

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Charlie Davis grew up poor but proud, a brash young kid with fists of stone and an appetite for the better life. John Garfield plays Davis in BODY AND SOUL, one of the starkest morality plays Hollywood has ever produced.

BODY AND SOUL is deeply cynical and enjoys a pessimism untainted by many promises of redemption. People don't fall in love in the world Charlie is so eager to join they negotiate angry contracts with each other. William Conrad plays Charlie's manager who at one point loses his girl to Charlie. In a happier moment Conrad once told her, "Remember, first mink and then ermine." It's a constant theme in the movie everything is for sale, and the more of you you shell out the better the reward. The girl's bitter fall from Charlie's grace takes her back to Conrad and his rabbit fur territory. Conrad welcomes her back with a snarled "Looks like you're back in my league." "I don't know," she says, "you're getting kind of old." Conrad ends this little woo-pitching session with the pleasant observation that "You could use a new paint job yourself." This is a Social Darwinism without much sociability and one where all the predators are keeping score.

About the only light radiated in Charlie's life come from girlfriend Peg and his mother, both long-suffering forgivers. But the lure of the Damned overshadows that of the Graced. The former dress better and have bigger toys. Besides, we imagine Charlie tells himself, I can always step away when I've had my fill....

BODY AND SOUL was custom made for its star and plays to all his strengths. John Garfield shines in this career defining role that fits him like a glove a pugnacious and cocky kid from the wrong side of town chases the brass ring and stumbles when he runs into something tougher than his fists and immune to his wise cracks. Garfield's other great acting asset was his ability to explore the dark corners of his soul and take the audience along for a melancholy tour. Garfield is corruptible, but incapable of being corrupt. His mortal attempt to reclaim his soul is announced with one of the greatest tough guy lines in movie history: "What are you gonna do, kill me? We all gotta die."

An essential movie.

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John Garfield offers one of his most memorable roles in this thrilling boxing expose. He's up and coming fighter Charley Davis, a tough kid being pulled in opposite directions by his family and by the local mob kingpin. Academy Award-nominated script from Abe Polonsky (who'd collaborate with Garfield again in "Force of Evil"), the directorial debut of Robert Rossen, and the usual stellar photography from super-D.P. James Wong Howe. Great support comes from Canada Lee (like Garfield, a victim of the Blacklist) as a fellow fighter.

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Body and Soul gets my vote as the best boxing film ever. This dark film noir masterpiece is still hard hitting (If somewhat dated)in the new millenium. Abraham Polonsky hit his zenith with this one as did Robert Rossen, and James Wong Howe's innovative photography (He filmed the fight scenes in the ring by wearing roolerskates with a camera attached to his chest) has yet to be equaled for it's graphic realism. However, it is John Garfield's riveting and desperate performance as The Champ pressured by mobsters to take a dive that is the real gem in this one. I feel that this was Garfield's finest ever characterization, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Charlie Davis. Garfield's dark and brooding, rugged good looks are magnified ever the more so by Howe, and he physically looked the part of the prizefighter. The close up shots of the star are outstanding. The film is edited brilliantly, and the life and death battle at the film's climax is particularly brutal and exciting. If your'e a boxing and movie fanThis one is a "Can't Miss". The tough guy ghetto riser played by Garfield is so convincingly portrayed because it somewhat mirrored his real-life circumstances and upbringing. Five Big Stars!

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