Heaven (2002)

What is true love? What would we do to keep it, once we find it? Is this what it is like to find a true soulmate? What is wrong and right if we seek redemption, but are dragged down by a lust for justice?

Few filmmakers could address such questions with any kind of depth without relying on schmaltz, but one such was the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, who brought us such beautiful films as the Trois Couleurs Trilogy. But when he died after beginning a new cycle of films, Tom Tykwer stepped in to finish Kieslowski's final work -and the exquisite result is a light-filled hybrid of both their styles.

In Italy, young schoolteacher Phillipa Paccard (Cate Blanchett) sneaks into drug kingpin Vendice's office and plants a bomb in his trash, not knowing that the trash is about to be collected. The resulting explosion kills the cleaning lady, a man and his two children. When Phillipa is arrested and told this, she is aghast. She only intended to kill the kingpin, because his distribution of drugs has been killing her pupils, and killed her husband. She has asked the cabinieri to help, but no one has answered. So she took justice into her own hands.

A young Italian cabinieri, Filippo (Giovanni Ribisi), serves as a translator for Phillipa, and he is struck by her self-recrimination and sorrow. When her evidence is destroyed by a spy in the police, Philipo creates an elaborate escape plan, then helps her kill Vendice. From there, they escape into Tuscany, where their bond grows deeper. The soul mates live in what seems like a paradise, shaving their heads and wearing identical clothes. But Tuscany is not heaven, and they are still not safe.

Tom Tykwer gave the film its focus (lovers in jeopardy) and unearthly direction, but Krzysztof Kieslowski provided the heart and soul of it. In that sense, it is wholly his movie. Themes of guilt and redemption, love and salvation, punishment and forgiveness run deep in "Heaven." Symbolism clings to it like ivy (the white shirts, the bright lights), and there are definite religious tones to it -Phillipa's confession to Filipo in a church, the wistful watching of a wedding, and the ascension into the skies -not the triumph of law, but the triumph of love and forgiveness.

The handling of Phillipa and Filippo is exquisite, such as the scenes where they shave their heads and wear identical clothes, run and walk in unison. He was born on the day of her first communion, and their names are male and female versions of each other's, yin and yang. Not exactly subtle, but convincing. The direction is otherworldly, even in scenes like Phillipa shooting Vendice. In the latter half of the film, this dreaminess pervades everything -the trees, sky, ruined stone churches and the tiny running figures.

The main problems, it seems, would be the ocasional clash between Tykwer and the late Kieslowski's style. Some parts are more Tykwer, some are more Kieslowski, so it seems sometimes that the focus is less on the storyline and more on the lovers (which is more Tykwer). Additionally, when the lovers arrive in Tuscany the tone changes to a less hard-edged, more romantic one. Some viewers may find this disconcerting, but I found it a natural progression as the two grew closer and sought some kind of haven, even if Phillipa doesn't want to go unpunished.

Cate Blanchett is in amazing form here, expressing grief, love, pride, and anger with only a slight change of expression. Giovanni Ribisi is almost as good; he's a little stiff in the beginning, but loosens up and becomes fully believable as a very young man who is very deeply in love. Remo Girone appears in only a few scenes as Filipo's dad, but is heartbreakingly good.

With the best of Tykwer and Kieslowski carefully woven together, "Heaven" is a quietly passionate, deeply romantic movie. An amazing, heartbreaking movie, and not one to be missed.

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Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day Blu-ray (2012)

I LOVED this movie, saw it with my mom back in April. I can't wait to own the DVD. Sharon Leal does as excellent job, Blair Underwood does too of course but I especially loved her portrayal of a mom grieving for her child, and working through her past issues. You will watch this more than once. I know I will be. TD Jakes really has a good thing going. I hope to get to his conference in October!

My friends and I watched this movie tonight and oh my... It kept us on the edge of our seats, had to back up a few times because we thought we'd missed something. All I can say is this movie was totally on point, absolutely loved it. T. D. Jakes gets 2 thumbs up for this one, it was so unexpected but a great movie overall.

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This movie tells a very good story. T.D. Jakes is a brilliant story teller. I didn't get to see it when it was in theaters due to limited distribution. I heard T. D. Jakes speaking about it on a radio program. My friend purchased the DVD as soon as it was released and was good enough to share it with me. Sharon Leal is so beautiful. She always brings her best to a project. She didn't disappoint. Blair Underwood also is always masterful. I am glad we live in a time that movies are made where these people can showcase their talents. I loved it.

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Kari Ames is happily married. She loves her husband. She has a daughter whom she loves dearly. She lives in a big house. She does well as a real estate agent. But none of these things has helped her to stop dwelling on her past mistakes. Kari has secrets.

Movies about abducted children and serial killers aren't easy to watch, but this is a T.D. Jakes film and Blair Underwood (David), Sharon Leal (Kari) and Nicole Beharie (Beth) are in it I wanted to see it. It turned out to be a good mystery/ suspense/thriller with a twist ending that made me talk to the screen just a bit.

The thoughts that came to mind as I watched:

1. Keep the windows locked and get an alarm system.

2. Les gets on my nerves.

3. Be sure you know who you're chatting with online.

4. David, you are really disappointing me right now.

5. Christians will attend church services. We'll say we love our heavenly Father. We'll say we know He is always there to help us in our times of need. But when trouble comes, instead of calling on Him and trusting Him to work things out, some get angry at Him. Some can have all the faith in the world when things are good, but when things get bad faith wavers or faith is completely lost. Some feel like God is no longer with them, so they get discouraged. It's good to keep in mind that Christianity `is not about feelings'. God says He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6), so He will never leave nor forsake us.

6. Love. People claim to know what it means, but when that love is tested, the truth is some have no clue.

7. No matter how much a person tries to be better, some just have to keep bringing up the person's past mistakes. That's sad.

8. Who's that playing the FBI Agent? I need to find out what other movies he was in.

My favorite lines:

1. You just can't keep stuffin' down life.

2. God, where are You?

3. When you begin to forgive and build your faith, nothing's impossible.

And my favorite scene was the conversation between Kari and Will in the kitchen. Woman Thou Art Loosed On the 7th Day (story by Cory Tynan & T.D. Jakes) is an entertaining, inspirational film forgiveness is the main theme.

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The movie had such a positive message and the twists were captivating/thrilling. Not to mention Blair Underwood was eye candy! I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

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Cherrybomb

If you love Rupert Grint for his fabulous sense of humor in the Harry Potter films, you may be a bit thrown off by his fowl-mouth, his crazy awesome accent and his determination to get a girl who, lets just say, is No Emma Watson. Nonetheless, he is brilliant in this film, and his friend, James Nesbitt isn't so bad either! This movie is like Rupert Grint's Driving Lessons in a sense that it is a coming of age story.

CherryBomb is a really cool movie though. Like nothing I've ever seen. There are many parts where you don't know which character to like, because of all the dirty rotten tricks being tossed around just to get this no good, troublemaking girl. The end is a bit shocking. I can usually predict the endings to most movies I see, but this one threw me for a loop.

Overall, very good film.

Don't let the apparent German disc fool you. The movie can be played in original English language. It should play on all Blu-Ray players as well. It was impossible for me to find this in the USA. Rupert Grint (known as Ron Weasley to most) is sexy as hell...and SHIRTLESS in this tantalizing movie. The movie is exciting and on Blu-Ray the picture is excellent. I highly recommend it!

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As hard as it was to watch Rupert Grint play a kid who is every parents nightmare, I'm glad I did. He's brilliant and has bright future ahead of him given half the chance. The other 2 actors are equally as good. Intense and difficult roles to play but they were all up for the challenge. The movie is about 3 teens growing up. I know doesn't seem like much of a stretch, but these characters couldn't be further from who these people are, as I would imagine, in their real lives. Two of them, Luke and Michele, do not have ideal situations. Luke's brother is a thug and his father is a drug addict. Therefore leaving him on a constant quest for trouble and a reason to act out. Michele's father is banging her 16 year old best friend and an all around nutter. But Malachy (who is played by Grint) it would seem is just in it for the drugs, looking to get laid and an all around good time. Which is sad, because it appears he's in a loving family and one that he loves as much. But he can't see further than his troubled friend and a girl they both just met. Which makes his role complex and even more difficult to figure who this kid really is. The movie is troubling in so many ways and your heart really goes out to Luke because on top of everything else he has to deal with, his friend Malachy lets him know after crashing his fathers car (because of Luke) why Luke is the way he is, the look on his face having his besty just tell him what a loser he is and why no one cares (not Malachy words exactly) about him, makes me sad just thinking about it. Tragic story with even more devastating and unexpected ending. I recommend this movie to any Rupert Grint fan and for your Rupert DVD collection because we have not seen the last of him and if that be the case it would surely be a waste of talent. This is a not a movie for children, especially who are Harry Potter fans, due to foul language, drug use and sexual situations. Grint is at is finest acting to date, besides the last 2 Potters. Cheers!

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I love Rupert Grint which made me watch this movie and even though I live in the US and had to watch it on my laptop I still loved it! It really interprets teenage life and how one mistake can get you in a lot of trouble. 5 stars

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This is perfect if you live in the US and want to see this movie. Just change the language to English, and there's no problem.

Exotica (DVD+Blu-ray Combo) (Blu-ray)

While Canadian writer-director Atom Egoyan may be best known for his sweeping, 1997 adaptation of Russel Banks' novel The Sweet Hereafter (for which he was nominated for a best directing Oscar), Exotica vastly surpasses Hereafter in its deeply layered secrets and complexity. "You have to convince yourself that this person has something hidden, that you have to find yourself," states a character at the beginning of the film. Each of these characters--the DJ of Club Exotica (Elias Koteas), the pregnant owner of the club (Egoyan's wife Arsinee Khanjian), the mysterious, school girl dancer (Mia Kirshner), her most frequent customer (Bruce Greenwood), and the lonely owner of an exotic pet store (Don McKellar)--has something hidden, deep within the interactions between each other and the non-linear storytelling of Exotica, which multiple viewings enhance to even greater detail.

After winning many Genie Awards (the Canadian equivelant of the American Oscar) including best director and picture, as well as being hailed as a "Miramax Classic" on the box, one would think that the DVD would be filled with lots of added bonuses, and at the very least: a theatrical trailer. Alas, the Exotica DVD boasts no special features, if you don't count the gorgeous widescreen transfer, much to my own dismay.

Since many critics praised the film when it was released in 1994, especially Roger Ebert, there is hope that a new DVD will be created. The Criterion Collection includes numerous foreign, avant-garde, cultish films on DVD, most all of them boasting quite a few, excellent special features (especially the sadly-out-of-print Sid & Nancy DVD; but not for the feature-less Night Porter disc). One would hope, with the support of a few major critics and strong following, that Mirimax (or Criterion) would release a new version of this DVD, featuring all the added features, commentaries, bios that the film rightfully deserves.

I like movies that reveal their mysteries gradually. Films like Mullholland Drive, Memento, Following, etc. Like a good postmodern novel (no that's not an oxymoron there are a few [Paul Auster comes immediately to mind]) these films are non-linear and one is kept guessing about not only what will happen, but whethere central characters are crazy, evil, benign, etc. The audience is kept intentionally in the dark, and thus on edge, and sometimes (as is the case with Mullholland Drive) there is no clear resolution, no tidying things up at the end. Egoyan seems to be operating in similar territory.

Another characterstic that these directors share is that often their characters are not what one would call likeable. This is the case in Exotica. A Canadian Customs Inspector (David Hemblen) is assigned to audit the books of a nervous Toronto exotic pet shop owner. From the outset, we see that this is not going to be your typical CPA/customer relationship. Things get more intriguing when the inspector finds a pistol in the pet-shop owner's drawer and reacts enigmatically.

As the film progresses, the inspector's psyche gradually disintegrates, until finally there is a denouement of denouements at the end of the film. Finally, Egoyan lets the audience in on the source of the inspector's descent into emotional breakdown. No spoilers here, but suffice it to say that the ending provides resolution, without relying on clichés.

Another satisfying Egoyan film. Thoughful script. Uniformly excellent acting, cinematography, direction. Worth re-viewing.

BEK

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CAUTION-SPOILERS AHEAD-EXOTICA has been overwhelmingly praised by the critics. I think the Tomatometer is at 95% favorable. Here is my take on EXOTICA-maybe it will help some viewers to appreciate this fine film.

The film is very much a paradox, sensual but sterile, intense but distant, hollow but haunting. It is a complex story with a relatively simple theme. The characters include Francis (Bruce Greenwood) as a Canadian government revenue auditor who is auditing the financials of an exotic pet store (whose owner Thomas is played by Don McKeller) while trying to exorcise his demons at a strip club called EXOTICA. During his nocturnal visits to the club he pays his niece Tracey (played by Sarah Polley) to baby-sit his seemingly absent daughter. The viewer gets to know the strip club DJ, Eric (Elias Koteas); a stripper, Christina (Mia Kirshner) who dances for Francis and happens to be Eric's ex-girlfriend; and the very pregnant (by Eric) club owner Zoe (Arsinee Khanjian) who is having an affair with Christina.

The plot is an example of elliptical storytelling in that it moves in a purposeful ever-circling way to slowly reveal the connections between the worlds of each character. There is enough misdirection to keep the viewer wary of their perceptions. They must pay complete attention and remember what they see.

There are significant technical reasons to like this film. It is first and foremost a director's film and Adam Egoyan's directing is amazing. A director is responsible for both casting and for directing their cast. For Exotica Egoyan added to his cast of regulars two of the best young actresses (Kirshner and Polley) in Canada. Kirshner's performance provides an extremely unusual combination of sensuality and thinly masked pain. Polley is simply the most subtly expressive actress in film today. They are world class talents who seem to deliberately stay away from mainstream films but have little trouble getting lots of work. Greenwood, McKellar, Koteas, and Khanjian, are likewise excellent. Egoyan kept all six reined-in so that their performances are low-key and restrained. While there were many stylish and beautiful camera shots he mostly keeps the characters at a distance. Exotic décor, busy sets, atmosphere, restrained acting, minimal tight shots, and frequent plot misdirection keeps the viewer from bonding or strongly identifying with the characters. He did not want the viewer getting into the heads of the characters, he wanted us to internalize the theme and to take it into our heads. This way if we pay attention we will learn as much about ourselves as we will about the characters.

The theme is substitution, how the process of living is simply a process of substitution. We grow out of things and find substitutes for them. We lose something precious but we carry on by finding a substitute. We expand our horizons and find substitutes that we did not know about or that we thought unattainable. We need something we can't have so we find something that works as a substitute. Sometimes the substitutes are an improvement on the original, sometimes they are a better match with a new stage of life, sometimes they are an imperfect substitute but the best that we can manage, and sometimes (certainly in this film) they are an addictive trap that keep us from moving on or growing.

Most people's dreams don't come true and they settle for a substitute, often without really noticing. The most compelling scene in `Field of Dreams' is when Burt Lancaster is talking about what it was like to give up his dream of playing major league baseball. He says: `It was like coming this close to your dream and then watching it brush past you like a stranger in a crowd. At the time I didn't think much about it. We just don't recognize the most significant moments in our lives when they happen. Back then I thought: there will be other days, I didn't realize that was the only day'. While his character accepted the end of his dream and substituted a life as the town doctor, in Exotica the substitutes are dysfunctional because there is no acceptance. That is why so many of the substitutions involve payment, a transactional substitution is a temporary event and allows the illusion to stay alive.

Exotica focuses on the substitutes used by its central characters. Francis substitutes Christina for his daughter and Tracey for Christina (when she was his daughter's babysitter). Eric substitutes his club DJ job for the career he wanted in radio, he substitutes his voyeurism in the club for his inability to have a lasting relationship. Zoe substitutes for her dead mother and continues to run the club, instead of a husband she has Eric contractually substitute so that she can have a baby. Thomas substitutes his opera liaisons for a real relationship and substitutes an incubator for the eggs he has taken from a nest. Christina substitutes a protective Francis for her uncaring and probably abusive father. Voyeurism substitutes for interaction.

Eric's voyeurism eventually leads him to the conclusion that the Francis-Christina mutual dependency has gone from a temporary coping mechanism to an addictive trap. He elects to destroy that relationship by convincing Francis to touch Christina. Eric knows that the relationship must end once this occurs, no matter how Christina reacts. Either she will no longer be able to use Francis because he betrayed her trust or Francis will no longer be able to use her because he can no longer maintain his illusion of protecting her purity. Then they will both have to move on and seek new and hopefully more positive substitutes.

Contrary to some who have commented on this film I did not see any real `plot holes'. Almost every detail is eventually explained and if anything Egoyan made the plot a little too predictable. But at least this was balanced by some interesting misdirection-like having Tracey live above a shabby strip mall so you jump to the conclusion that she is a child prostitute and that Francis has a thing for young girls. Certainly on the second viewing it is clear that many clues are provided and that the outcome is being subtly telegraphed throughout the film in a kind of mental striptease.

As already mentioned, the really unique feature of this movie is that the viewer does not really connect with the characters but instead connects with the substitution theme. The audience is given a new perspective from which to think about their own substitutions. Perceptive members of the audience are forced to be more than observers. This is powerful stuff.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

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In my opinion, Atom Egoyan's EXOTICA is one of the best movies of the last decade. Those of us who had the opportunity to watch in the eighties Egoyan's first movies such as THE ADJUSTER or FAMILY VIEWING are not surprised by the nowadays international recognition of the armenian-canadian director. With EXOTICA, he has joined the very small guild of the writer/directors whose name will be remembered in the future.

Atom Egoyan is treating such universal themes as Redemption, Guiltiness or Desire, mixing them in a puzzle of images and subplots that leave us petrified by the beauty of the movie and the deepness of the feelings experienced by the characters. EXOTICA, like a book you cherish, must be seen several times in order to appreciate the complexity of the screenplay. Don't hesitate to buy it, you cannot be wrong with this movie.

There are alas no bonus features with this Disney/Buena Vista DVD, a company that prefers present extra long documentaries about the making of some infantile movie rather than contribute to the nobler but less profitable effort to help true artists reveal their work. Shame.

A DVD zone your library.

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This is an undiscovered gem of a film with an incredibly inventive and powerful script that is sure to suprise and please. 'Exotica', a "Gentleman's Club", is the focal point of a world in search of meaning. Men come not just to watch beautiful women sensually dance in various stages of undress. They come to forget, however briefly, the pain and suffering they have experienced in the world outside.

Christina (Mia Kirshner) and Eric (Elias Koteas) work at the club, Christina as a dancer, Eric as the DJ. As the customers watch the enchanting Christina perform on-stage and privately, Eric watches the customers watch her. As you might have guessed, while moods and emotions are generally muted and controlled within the confines of Exotica they are forever on the verge of breaking through the illusory nature created and sustained by alcohol and sexual stimulation. There are untold stories to be brought into the light of day and only when the truth is known will the many tangled relationships and reasons for being there finally make sense.

Director Atom Egoyan has conjoured up a place outside of time and space, a purgatorial oasis where all regrets, memories and hopes converge into the incessant drone of the music and the tantalizing movements of the dancers. Truly a stunning vision that will stay with the viewer for quite sometime. Definitely not a film for everyone, 'Exotica' deals with adult situations and contains numerous scenes of nudity and some mild homosexuality. However this thoughtful, probing tale ultimately transcends most of the dark, depressing elements and offers a ray of hope and forgiveness. If you're the adventureous type who is looking for something different 'Exotica' is definitely the film for you.

Mia Kirshner and Elias Koteas (two of my favorite actresses/actors) are fantastic. Also wonderful performances by Bruce Greenwood, Don McKellar, Arsinee Khanjian and a young Sarah Polley.

Sympathy for Delicious (2011)

A powerful magical realism exploration of the power of healing. Chris Thornton wrote an amazing story here! While the plot centers on a paraplegic struggling with his disability, the themes are universal. After his accident, Dwyer faces alienation, limitations, fear and anger as he watches his life slide into desperation. After discovering he has the power to heal, he's exploited by those he once relied on. In an attempt to regain what he's lost, he sells his soul and his gift to rock stardom. In the end, he learns healing is not about walking again, but is instead a complicated internal process... a very intense journey that leaves you thinking...

On a side note... as a paraplegic, I get sick of able-bodied actors playing disabled roles. Thank you Chris!

This movie is gritty and harsh and yet also beautiful. It explores fascinating themes about how grace might work and the ways that human beings try to manipulate and buy one another. Great performances from some wonderful actors. I'm new to Christopher Thornton, but was so impressed that I'll have to look at what else he's been in. It is absolutely a movie worth watching.

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"Listen please, you don't know what you did, you got the healing touch." After being shown the power of faith healing, Delicious decides to use what he has learned to become a world famous DJ. When fate steps in and allows him to heal everyone's problems but his own he must decide if he will use his gift for someone else. This is not a bad movie at all. Without being in your face with it, this is a fairly religious movie. This also presents a great question. If you had the power to help everyone but yourself could you do it or would you be to jealous? Great acting by everyone makes this an enjoyable movie to watch. Orlando Bloom is great in a wide departure from what he usually does. The fact that the lead actor is actually paralized gives his performance a dimension that would be lacking if the actor was only pretending. This is a pretty slow moving movie, but very much worth watching. Overall, a very good movie filled with great acting. This is another movie you must be in the mood for though. I liked it. I give it a B-.

Would I watch again? I don't think I would

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it is a beautiful film, skillfully executed. Christopher Thornton is a revelation! Lewis is purely authentic, as usual; Bloom carries off one of the most intense characters, in the most beautifully perfect way, ever.

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I think the movie strayed quite a bit from the true story but can't say for sure. Too much of the F word for me... like every other breath and it is rather vile how this healing gift was supposedly given to someone who wasn't even a believer and then .... you might say prostitued for money... yet in the end I guess he got his attitude right anyway. Kind of wierd.

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Awakenings (1990)

Based on the real life story of Dr. Oliver Sacks, 'Awakenings' ranks as one of the best movies I've seen. If features a terrific screenplay that was adapted from the book and a memorable directing job by Penny Marshall. But the most suprising thing to me was the choice of actors to play the two main roles in the movie. Robin Williams was pretty much known as the slightly insane comic genius from the 1980's, and Robert DeNiro was playing such hard-hitting, aggressive characters in films like 'Raging Bull', 'The Untouchables', 'Taxi Driver', and 'The Deer Hunter'. Both actors turn in career performances, and play parts that totally will smash any preconceived notions you had of them up to that point.

The film is based on Dr. Leo Sayer(Williams) and his work with people who have come down with a mysterious sleeping-sickness in 1918, which has left them in a catatonic state. Dr. Sayer is a shy person who is not comfortable conversing with others, but is also a very dedicated neurologist. He starts to work with these "sleeping" people and thinks that he senses something in them that is alive deep inside. He begins to work with a man called Leonard Lowe(DeNiro), and takes a special interest in him. He reads up on the drug L-Dopa, which had helped people in similiar states as his patients, and tries to convince the hospital and Leonard's mother to try the drug on her son. They allow the test to happen, and Leonard wakes up from his "sleep". The drug is then tried on his other patients with similar results. You would think that it was a happy story from thereafter, but life is not full of Hollywood endings, and the story does not take the easy way out. It won't leave you depressed or exhilarated but somewhere in between, like life is most of the time.

Definitely one of the best films to come out in the past 12 years, and should be in any serious movie buff's collection. There are no extra's on the DVD, but the quality of the picture is pretty good. But in the end, isn't it about the movie, not the extra's(by the way, I love the extra's just as much as everyone else). Marshall, Williams, and DeNiro have made a special film that they should be proud of and will be watched by generations to come.

I am an enormous fan of Robert DeNiro's. He is one of the greatest actors of all time, in my opinion. However, sometimes both that reputation and the showiness of a particular part overwhelms all the other performers in a particular film, robbing those performers of notoriety that is well deserved.

This is especially true in Awakenings. DeNiro plays Leonard Lowe, a man who awakens from a 30 year coma, experiences life in 1969 New York, then tragically slips back into that coma by the end of the film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences loves to nominate performances like DeNiro's -namely those where the actor has to simulate mental retardation, physical disabilities, fatal diseases or other handicaps. Some of these nominated performances are truly deserving of recognition, such as Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot, Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Tom Hanks in Forest Gump. However, many of these performances are not, such as Jodie Foster in Nell (Janeane Garofalo did a devastating parody of her performance on Saturday Night Live) and Ali MacGraw in Love Story. DeNiro's performance in Awakenings is much more of the former than the latter -he is always good and his performance in this film is no exception. However, to me, the truly great performance in Awakenings is by Robin Williams.

Williams plays DeNiro's physician, Malcom Sayer, a dedicated caring doctor who nonetheless is a shy, introverted loner who admits to Leonard at one point that he is "not good with people." In real life, Williams is so extroverted and so manic that in many of his performances that personality leaks out and intrudes on the characters he plays on film. In Awakenings, however, he completely submerges that persona and is 100% believable as the almost hermit-like Sayer. The central theme of the film is that Leonard Lowe, who has lost so much because of his affliction, is nevertheless living his life with ten times the gusto that Malcom Sayer, who has no afflictions other than his shyness, is living his life. If Williams is not absolutely believable as Sayer, the film falls apart, no matter how believable DeNiro is at portraying his character's illness. Williams is a wonderful actor who uses his comic gifts and manic personality to great advantage in his best work -e.g. The World According to Garp, Good Morning Vietnam, Good Will Hunting and Insomnia. However, this is Williams' first peformance where he is forced to completely submerge his own character and he succeeds brilliantly.

However, when the Oscar nominations were announced for 1990, DeNiro was nominated and Williams was snubbed. Indeed, when the film was released, all the friends I spoke with marveled at DeNiro's performance but didn't say anything about Williams. It's too bad. To be sure, DeNiro is excellent in Awakenings, but Williams' performance is a revelation.

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I don't know how this wonderful movie ever got made. It's not a feel good movie. It's got Robert DeNiro but he's not playing a tough guy. It's got Robin Williams but he's not being funny. But I'm glad that whoever pushed for it did so. And I'm glad Hollywood relented. AWAKENINGS is a quietly powerful movie of enormous depth and passion. Anyone who has seen the movie has been affected by it.

Based on Oliver Sack's book, AWAKENINGS recounts the story of a miracle that occurred in a New York hospital during the mid-1960s. Bucking the system and believing in his theory, Williams' character brings back a dozen patients who appear catatonic--DeNiro being one of them. Through massive applications of the drug L-Dopa, the patients revive and take sheer joy out of just simple tasks. Although the sad ending has been given away by others, I feel the film remains a positive story. It is about human endurance and also about the joys we some times take for granted.

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After viewing this film over fifty times since its release I would say this film is my absolute favorite. It belongs at the top of my list. From the first moment of the movie, you understand that you are in for the emotional roller-coaster ride of your life! Robert de Niro and Robin williams, are so passionate and give their absolute greatest performances. By some standards this film would be considered slow if you solely like all the other films I have reviewed (Click my name). But to say that is a slander to the film, the writer Oliver Sacks (The book) , Penny Marshall the Director, and all others involved. It will give you a more wholesome outlook on life and appreciate what you have. Some things are down-right halarious, while other moments make you think (And believe me the moving Film-Score will make you think!) Don't get me wrong, some of you will not like this movie, because it takes a certain taste to like it...But for the chosen-few who will give this film a shot and go with it, you will be blessed beyond measure. "Its just the simple things...You have to be reminded...The meaning of Life...The Wonder of life...The Freedom of life...!"

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I still remember this film, so many years later. AWAKENINGS made me realize that Robert De Niro had the talent and the ability to portray a deeply human and profound character, Leonard, a man who has lived in his own world for many years, in a very sensitive way. He wasn't just a hit man or a thug! This role solidifies his depth as a performer and was worthy of much praise. Dr. Malcom Sayer (Robin Williams) a shy man, decides to test the effects of the drug L-Dopa on catatonic patients in his hospital--Leonard being one of them. It is a miraculous feat that he seemingly brings those under his care "back from the dead." The transformation is astonishing. It's also amazing that this was based on a true story that occured in the life of Dr. Oliver Sachs. The film also stars Julie Kavner (best known as the voice of Marge Simpson on THE SIMPSONS), as Dr. Sayer's devoted nurse. The film has moments of tremendous joy and heartwrenching setbacks. It doesn't have the 'typical' Hollywood ending, but that doesn't take away from the feeling that awakens in you upon watching AWAKENINGS. Powerful and very memorable.

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Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)

I'm not going to summarize the story. Plenty of that already out there. My thoughts about the movie are that if you like movies that focus on the characters and their relationships rather than a linear story, this movie is a rare treat. Extremely well thought out. Bad title almost kept me away. Glad I took a chance. I thought it was fantastic in all areas. Interesting relationships with likable people, many life lessons mostly well presented, good production value, score was beautiful, smart character studies, perfectly understated delivery by the actors. Found myself pausing to think about what was presenting at the moment. Clearly the best of the current bunch playing.

I think that it's become my mantra--"quirk is the curse of independent cinema." In an effort to be cutesy and/or clever, films have been systematically stripping away genuine warmth and humor by presenting character types and sitcom contrivances instead of mining what is really funny in our everyday foibles. It becomes a fine balancing act, then, because a good quirky film can be both hysterical and touch your heartstrings. However, one that goes over the top can be painfully unreal and hard to sit through. And, in my opinion, there is very little middle ground. Josh Radnor's (How I Met Your Mother) debut feature "HappyThankYouMorePlease" cues you in right away with its title to its eccentric feel good nature. But after a pretty painful beginning and one incredibly off-putting storyline, Radnor's film overcomes its cliches with a likable cast selling even its most awkward moments.

Radnor, who also wrote and directed the film, stars as a typical commitment-phobic man/child. A New York writer (who supports himself with absolutely no discernable source of income), Radnor engages in an appropriately zany new romance with a very appealing Kate Mara. In addition, he encounters a little boy on the subway that seems to have nowhere to go. While I won't divulge much here, what Radnor does with the boy is so outrageously improbable and illogical--it strains every notion of suspension of disbelief. As a central plot line, you have to give up all reason and just go with it. But it seriously almost completely derails the entire film. Much better are the other two story lines--co-workers Malin Akerman and Tony Hale beginning an unlikely romance and couple Zoe Kazan and Pablo Schreiber entering a new dimension of their life together.

Aside from Radnor, the other main characters seem much more grounded and relatable. As their relationships evolve, there is a tender believability that can be quite engaging. And Mara, despite the script's uneven tone, brings real warmth to her role as a struggling cabaret singer and waitress. But the film still relies on some unnecessary quirks to make it utterly irresistible (but trust me, I resisted!). Radnor is apparently supposed to be so winning that everyone forgives his eccentricities and irresponsibility, but he doesn't come off very well. Akerman's character has alopecia (isn't it wacky that she's bald?), but far worse is the fact that she has a party to lecture all her friends about her condition. What--didn't they notice when she lost her hair? Seems the subject probably would have been dealt with on an individual basis, but it's so much more eccentric to have a party! Of course, the soundtrack is also littered with expected indie artists delivering heartfelt songs that parallel the plot--Radnor really followed the play book. Yet, the film still had a sweet tone and some nice moments. For lighthearted escapism, it works fine. About 3 1/2 stars, I'll round up for the extended cast and two of the three central stories. KGHarris, 5/11.

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Sam Wexler is a lonely, struggling writer living in Manhattan. While rushing to make it on time to an interview with a publisher, he rescues a cute orphan boy, Rasheen, who is lost on the subway. The interview is ruined. To complicate matters, Rasheen won't allow Sam to take him to the police. Sam falls in love with Mississippi, a gorgeous waitress who is a struggling singer. Sam's best friend, Annie, has low self esteem because of an autoimmune deficiency that has left her bald; she is attracted to losers like a magnet but has been deflecting the advances of a successful, kind-hearted lawyer, Sam 2, who works in her company. Sam's other friends, Mary-Catherine and Charlie, who live together, are afraid of taking their relationship one step further to the marriage altar.

An evangelist once taught me that Christians should have an attitude of gratitude. In other words, we should always be thankful for what we have been given. When Annie once stepped into a cab, the Indian driver told her she had the potential to be very happy if she always said "Thank you" and followed it with "More please." Charlie once told Mary-Catherine that LA was a blank canvas that reflects one's attitudes. If you believe you're going to love LA, then you'll see it as the best city in the world. From watching "HappyThankYouMorePlease," I've learned that, in order to achieve success, love, happiness, and all the other good things in life, one must believe in oneself and have a positive attitude that one will obtain them. This is a spiritual concept that is prevalent in most religions.

"HappyThankYouMorePlease" is a sweet, quirky, uplifting film that is fun to watch. It will encourage the lovelorn not to lose hope in finding someone special and eventually having a family. I believe that Sam's reluctance to surrender Rasheen to the authorities is the product of his subconscious desire to have a family. He is pushing thirty and his biological clock (men also have them) is probably screaming for him to begin reproducing. As soon as Sam finds the adorable surrogate "son", he finds the adorable surrogate "wife", Mississippi. He barely knows her when he practically begs her to move into his apartment. Mary-Catherine and Charlie are close to the altar but are having commitment issues. Several surprises help spur them onward. I think Annie is extremely attractive (I love her wardrobe); unfortunately, she doesn't. She soon learns after dating the witty, sincere lawyer that true beauty comes from within.

The soundtrack is excellent. Much of the music, provided by singer/songwriter Jaymay, contains lyrics that complement the film's drama. The DVD contains a short featurette that focuses on Jaymay. Also, the DVD has deleted scenes that further explain what is transpiring in the film; they are essential viewing. They include one disturbing scene in which Rasheen kicks and beats on a boy who purposely walked into him. When Sam scolds him, Rasheen asks him if he's going to beat him. This scene hints at the abuse the little boy must've suffered at the hands of his foster parents and why he doesn't want to return to them. Without this scene, the film does not contain any violence. Neither does the film contain graphic depictions of sex. There is only the frequent use of the four-letter "f" word, which gives it an R rating.

Anchor Bay Entertainment has provided an excellent presentation of "HappyThankYouMorePlease" on DVD. As mentioned before, it has a featurette on Jaymay and deleted scenes; it also has a theatrical trailer and audio commentary provided by Producer/Writer/Director/Actor Josh Radnor (star of the hit television series "How I Met Your Mother") and Producer Jesse Hara. The film is presented in its theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and has English and Spanish subtitles. Thank you Anchor Bay for providing subtitles for those of us who are hearing impaired.

"HappyThankYouMorePlease" is not a raunchy, hormonally driven sex comedy. It is an emotionally uplifting, inspirational, teary-eyed romance that gives people like me, who've been single for a very long time, hope that there is someone out there for them. Though it is not totally realistic, it does, however, provide excellent advice on having a positive attitude towards one's self image and self worth. In order to be loved, one must first love oneself. Remember Whitney Houston's hit song, "Greatest Love of All." The greatest love of all is learning to love oneself. How very true. In conclusion, I must state that this film has made me very Happy. To Josh Radnor, I must say, "Thank You." Furthermore, I beseech him to please make more movies like this one. "More Please."

Joseph B. Hoyos

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This movie has a "little engine that could" feel about it: it wants to be better than it is. And it's trying very hard. The actors are talented, the script has potential, but the characters could be more interesting than they are allowed to be, and somehow it never quite pulls together.

A slice of life movie, there is no great plot twist or even much of a character arc-it's just a few days in the lives of young adults finding their way in New York City. Which is part of the problem: too many other (better) films of this genre come to mind. This film adds nothing new to the genre. And the ultimate fate of the characters is just too neat and nice.

Even though parts of the film really made no sense (the main character doesn't seem to have much of an income yet maintains an apartment alone in NYC; he essentially kidnaps a child, but that's somehow OK because he means well-even though he leaves the child alone in his apartment?) there's an overarching sincerity about the production that makes it hard to completely dismiss.

The supporting couples played by Zoe Kazan and Pablo Schreiber, and Malin Akerman and Tony Hale are actually more interesting than the lead couple, Josh Radnor and Kate Mara. The movie would have been better if those characters could have been developed more.

The movie tries hard. I suspect director/writer Josh Radnor learned a lot while making this film, so his next effort will be even better.

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"What if you don't know whats best for you?" After struggling writer Sam Wexler (Radnor) takes in a small child who is left behind on a subway he begins on a course that will change his life. Stuck in a posisition of what's more important between the kid, his book or love life, Sam is left trying to find out who he is. This is the type of movie that I have talked about before, a movie that because of no CGI and small budget gets forgot about by the studios and does not get the advertising it deserves. This is one of the best movies of the year, and will continue to be one of the least scene. Very dissapointing considering more people have seen and will continue to see movies like "Drive Angry". Taking away the fact that Radnor both wrote and directed this, Malin Akerman is a huge surprise in this one. Much like Milla Jovovich in "Stone" she is the definate break out acting star in this one. In a drastic change from her usual choice she far and away steals the movie and proves that she is a joy to watch even with her clothes on. Besides Akerman, the acting all around is excellent, but the fact that the budget is under $100,000 and no comic book hero or a car that becomes a robot this will not be seen by the audience that it deserves. This is the type of movie there needs to be more of, but because of greed the studios refuse to take a chance on interesting movies like this one in favor of the next comic book hero, or the next sequel that doesn't seem necessary. Overall easily one of the top ten best movies of the year so far. I give it an A.

Would I watch it again? Yes, I would.

*Also try Garden State & Jolene

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A Time to Kill (2009)

John Grisham novels are difficult to rate as movies. On one hand Grisham's work translates to well to pop culture that his books are almost cinematic. On the other, the "book-is-never-as-good-as-the-movie"-ism applies. Some of Grisham's books have been quite good"The Firm" was a terrifically exciting movie (Tom Cruise was letter-perfect for the role of Mitch McDeere), and "The Rainmaker" (which gave Matt Damon his start) certainly surprised me with a touching story of an underdog who upsets the system. Some have been mediocre to bad"The Pelican Brief" and "The Chamber" fit the latter category, "The Client" the former. "A Time to Kill", in my opinion, is the best of them all because the author gives his audience a tough choice to make about what justice is. Pack in some sterling acting performances and this is one pretty darn good movie.

The plot? After his young daughter is viciously raped and assaulted by rednecks (no, John Rocker doesn't have a cameo), Samuel L. Jackson guns down the two assailents on their way to court. He is subsequently put on trial by the local DA, and defended by an idealistic white attorney. Jackson's trial becomes a swirling tempest for local hatreds to be aired.

Director Joel Schumacher certainly surprised me with good work, despite being the man who made "Batman & Robin". It helps to assemble some serious acting talentSamuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey (the DA) are both recognized actors (Spacey having won an Oscar for "The Usual Suspects", and Jackson is *long* overdue for getting one himself), so the big surprise was Matthew McConaughey's sterling performance as the idealistic, passionate attorney who defends Jackson. McConaughey is a terrific actorlaid back, easy-going but with just enough passion and intensity. This movie put him on the map and it is easy to see why he is a talent in demand. Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd have roles here but don't make much of an impression. Donald Sutherland and Keifer both have parts toothe former as Matthew McConaughey's mentor (a role he's quite good in, incidentally) and the latter as a local redneck.

Finally, a word about the plot: the best movies give us a sticky problem that can't be resolved easily. The tricky choice in "Crimson Tide" is a beautiful example of a decision that could go either way and gives the audience something to debate about afterwards. Here we're given a tricky choice vengeance or justice? Do we acquit Samuel L. Jackson because in our hearts he did what we all would do in his place? Or do we punish him for taking the law into his own hands? It's a rough choice to make, and the movie refuses to give us an easy answer.

Well done.

John Grisham's tale of justifiable revenge was one of the best films of 1996. When a black man kills the two white rednecks who brutally raped and beat his daughter it seems his conviction of the murders will be cut and dry. So when the small town's lawyer is asked by the man (played with masterful skill by Samuel L. Jackson) to defend him it seems a hopeless cause. But when the klan gets involved the case becomes personal.

This film is entirely unsettling because it makes us realize that events like this still happen in small towns throughout America, especially in the South. The themes of racism, of overcoming racism, of justifiable homicide, of justice outside the law are so superbly represented in this film that it seems impossible to me that this movie wasn't nominated for many Academy Awards. But alas, the past is the past. Chock full of great performances (especially Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kevin Spacey) and masterful direction by Joel Schumacher, A Time to Kill is one heck of a movie. A true classic.

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Okay, here's the deal: I love this movie. "A Time to Kill" is one of those flicks that I can watch over and over, so when I found it marked down on DVD at a local store, I bought it. I've long since spent more than the purchase price on renting it in VHS.

Matthew McConaughey is incredibly hot, and almost a decent actor. Samuel L. Jackson is fabulous, as usual (ohmigod). Sandra Bullock, I love Sandra Bullock (got a girl-crush on her a mile wide), and I love, love, love Oliver Platt in this movie. There's a moment when Sandra Bullock's character is frustrated at not being able to find the information she needs, and she says to Platt's character (a cheerfully shameless divorce lawyer named Harry Rex), "I've asked myself, 'What would Lucien do?' and 'What would Jake do?' and "What would my *father* do?' but I just can't figure it out."

And Platt's character says, "Well, there's your problem right there. You need to ask yourself, 'What would Harry Rex do?'"

"Okay, what would Harry Rex do?"

"Cheat. Cheat like crazy."

God, I love him.

And it's great having the movie on DVD. It makes it easy to fast-forward through the horrific scenes of the little girl being attacked at the beginnng of the film. There's no reason for anybody to have to sit through that more than once. ::shudder::

But there's a problem with this DVD. A big problem, that I think people should know about before they buy it. I wish I had known. I probably would have bought it anyway, but I'm still frustrated.

The movie is continued on the back of the disk. It's a two-sided DVD, and the first half of the movie is on the first side, and the second half is on the reverse.

Yes, you have to get up halfway through the movie, go over to the DVD player, and turn the disk over, just like this was 1975 and you were still playing records on vinyl LPs.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out what in the everloving HELL they were thinking about, doing this. The movie isn't that long. There's not that much in the way of extra features on the disk. I feel like sending them an email, letting them know what I think about it, but there have probably been plenty of people who have already done that. I'll spend the time warning other potential buyers, instead.

Caveat emptor.

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What would it take to duplicate the cast of this film? Made only eight years ago I'd think today you'd break the bank putting together:

Matthew McConaughey

Sandra Bullock

Samuel L. Jackson

Kevin Spacey

Oliver Platt

Charles Dutton

Donald Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland

Patrick McGoohan

Ashley Judd

Chris Cooper

The story is in some ways rather straightforward. Samuel Jackson's 10 year old daughter is raped and tortured by two rednecks in the opening minutes. Mercifully, the girl lives through the event and the two rednecks are arrested. Thinking that in Mississippi they're going to be acquitted "like them boys raped that girl last year" Samuel's Carl Lee Haley asks Matthew's Southern Lawyer Jake Brigance if he'd "help him out if he got into some trouble", then takes an M-16 and shoots the rednecks on the way to a court hearing, destroying Deputy Chris Cooper's leg in the process.

The rest of the movie seems pretty straight-forward, almost predictably so. Jake is tasked with defending a black man in Mississippi of murders which were committed in full sight of many people, including Jake himself and several law officers. Kiefer Sutherland, as the brother of one of the rednecks, enlists the assistance of the Klan to make sure that Carl "gets it" and to make sure that anyone attempting to help Carl is also intimidated (killed.... houses burned.... etc....) In this movie the Klan is a living, breathing entity with apparently much leeway to conduct its nefarious business.

Donald Sutherland is the alcoholic lawyer mentor of Jake disbarred for some police violence during some political activism. Kevin Spacey is the ambitious District Attorney with a nomination for Governor in his back pocket. Charles Dutton is the black sheriff who doesn't hesitate to stand toe to toe with the Klan the scenes where Klan members are in any way subdued are due to this strong character. Ashley Judd is Jake's pretty Mississippi Sorority-Belle wife who initially thinks that Jake accepts Carl Lee's case to "prove what a big-time lawyer" he is. When the Klan tries bombing Jake's house Ashley packs up their daughter and heads to the grandparent's house. On the first day of the case a hotshot law student comes wheeling into town, played by Sandra Bullock, wanting to make her name stamping out the death penalty.

The story is told in a linear fashion, but the performances make this compelling stuff. The NAACP come to town to provide for Carl's defense, and the scene where Carl tells them "thanks but no thanks" brings a new closeness to Carl and Jake. The movie provides for some riveting moments from Jackson as Carl and McConaughey as Jake. I've read that Mr. McConaughey delivered the summation scene in a single take. It is an astonishing piece of acting. There are several shots of extras crying, and I can't help but wonder if this wasn't an honest response to his performance.

There is a scene before the last trial scene where Carl tells Jake that he has hung onto him as his lawyer because "you one of the bad guys, Jake. I needs the jury to see me like you see me". If there is a weakness in the way that the story is told, it's that the whole movie is told the way the all-white jury would see it. The other black characters are brief and one-dimensional. Carl Lee's wife is in several scenes looking concerned but with almost no dialogue. Since her daughter is raped and tortured and her husband is on trial, shouldn't we care as much about what SHE thinks as Jake's wife? We spend a fair amount of time watching what the Klan is doing. Shouldn't we be at least as interested in what the black community is doing?

Jake sets out to "prove a black man can get a fair trial in Mississippi". But can he prove that vigilante justice is ok even if everyone in the community knows that in race-hate-crimes in the world of this film black people can't expect fair treatment?

The movie reverberates with echoes of "To Kill a Mockingbird". Or at least it wants to. For a film of this type I can't think of a more admirable goal.

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Modern-day Mississippi, where segregation has ended, the Klan is dead, and blacks and whites are looked upon as equals . . . or are they? Under the brilliant direction of Joel Schumacher and based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham, A TIME TO KILL digs hard and deep into some of the most sensitive and controversial issues of our time.

After his 10-year-old daughter is raped and beaten by two local rednecks, Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) guns down the guilty men on their way to court. Matthew McConaughey comes to the rescue as the white, Southern attorney who defends him. With the help of a young, ambitious, brilliant law student (played by Sandra Bullock, who surprisingly received top billing for her small, but memorable role), a close friend and colleague (the always comical and entertaining Oliver Platt), and his disbarred mentor and teacher (the classic Donald Sutherland), McConaughey stirs up a lot of hatred and puts everything on the line to defend a black man. The film addresses racism, the Klan, vigilante justice and all the issues we commonly associate with "the south."

Another perfect role for McConaughey. He charms and captivates the audience as well as the jury. He's not too tough to look at for 3+ hours, too! Samuel L. Jackson . . . what can I say . . . one of the greatest actors in our time, he seems to effortlessly convert himself to any role he takes on. Sandra Bullock shines on screen, as always, with her lovable and down-to-earth personality. I don't see Oliver Platt enough, but when I do, I'm always pleased with his "fun" performance.

In this 1996 film, other supporting actors are also perfectly cast. In an earlier role, Ashley Judd plays McConaughey's wife. Keifer Sutherland plays a local redneck, brother to one of the rapists and Kevin Spacey is the local DA who prosecutes Carl Lee. You may also recognize two stars of TV's BOSTON PUBLIC, Nicky Katt and Anthony Heald. Excellent southern accents by all (Platt, Spacey, both Sutherlands). However, McConaughey's own Texan accent needed no alteration here.

Not having read the book, I'm not making a movie/book comparison here. Just a truly great movie with superb actors by the fist-full. A must-see film that easily earns 5-stars.

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Hondo (1953)

I have certainly seen much worse Western movies all ready out on DVD. I wish this great one was available on DVD (When I wrote this it wasn't). I caught it on TV this weekend during a John Wayne marathon of movies. The acting, sets, directing, scenery, and music all stand out on this one. Many critics think "The Searchers" is great but although I think it is a wonderfully shot movie I don't think the interaction is as believable as "Hondo". The cast here does a wonderful job of making me believe what is happening and that I'm with them in that time period. John Furrow must have worked hard directing to get such results.

The attitude towards Indians is much more appropriate as well. The camera work is excellent. Especially good with wide scenic shots and close-ups of the actors. The directing as I said before is excellent, and the scope of acting in this movie is some of the best I have seen in a John Wayne movie or any Western for that matter. Geraldine Page is great as the Duke's love interest. She does a magnificent job portraying a pioneer woman. Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness, and the rest the cast do a fine job supporting. I hope you get the opportunity to see it. I'm sure you will agree it is a top notch Western and it should be on DVD.

As an addendum I want to thank the studio for finally releasing a wonderful quality DVD with several extras. This is a personal favorite and I want to thank those of you nice enough to vote for my review. It is people like you showing an interest in these classics that prompts the studios to do a proper job of restoring the movies and releasing them on DVD.

John Wayne stars as Hondo Lane, a half-Indian message carrier and gunslinger in New Mexico. He first shows up at the ranch of Mrs. Angie Lowe after getting away from Apache attackers. This takes place in the ending days of the "Indian round-up" years, when only a few bands of Apache were left. Hondo takes a liking to Angie and her young son, but soon heads out to deliver the message.

In the meantime, the Apache have always been fond of Mrs. Lowe and had a good relationship with her and the chief takes a personal interest in her son. He tries to convince Angie to choose a new husband from amongst his braves. She insists that her husband will be back soon to stay on the remote ranch with her.

Hondo runs into the wayward husband in a bar, only learning his name after punching him out. In an attempt to get the husband back to his wife, Hondo takes the man's horse and says that Mr. Lowe can retrieve it at the ranch. Angry, Lowe pays a guy to go with him after Hondo. Apaches attack and kill the paid bodyguard, and Hondo shoots an Apache to save Lowe's life. Lowe repays Hondo by attempting to shoot him in the back. Hondo is forced to kill him. He takes Lowe's tintype of Lowe's son to bring back to the mom.

Along the way, the Apaches find Hondo and are about to torture him to death when the Apache chief recognizes the tintype. Hondo still has to fight and triumph over the brother of the Apache he killed. The Apache chief brings Hondo back to Mrs. Lowe, who claims Hondo as her husband in order to get him in away from the Apaches. Hondo tries several times to tell Angie what happened, but each time she doesn't want to hear it. She does end up hearing the truth from someone else, but when Hondo then attempts to tell the boy, Angie refuses to let him do it. She scolds Hondo that his need for the truth is so great that he'd damage the boy's sense of well being and security to achieve it.

The movie is a rather complex story, based almost exactly on the story by Louis L'Amour. John Wayne loved the story so much that he specifically hired a favorite script writer to adapt it into a movie for him. It was filmed to be watched in 3D, so there are several scenes with knives poking at the screen and people standing in the foreground. You might think this would make the movie look cheesy, but really you're normally lost in the storyline or the gorgeous landscapes.

This movie came out in 1953 and for an era that saw many "slaughter the Indians" movies, it's pretty impressive in its even handedness. Angie likes the Apaches and has been friends with them since childhood. Hondo is a half Indian, and had an Apache wife while he lived with them for 5 years. You get treated to many scenes with Apaches speaking in their native Apache tongue. Hondo makes it pretty clear that the only reason that the Apache are rising up are that the US government has been actively deceiving them and betraying them. He explains that the Apache are very much against lying, and that he is the same way.

Compared to many other westerns, this does a reasonably good job of showing shades of grey, not just 'Good' and 'Bad'. The Apaches were pushed into the war, but they're prepared to kill an innocent woman who has lived on this land from birth. The settlers are sometimes obnoxious about their desire to get rid of the "natives". In the end, Hondo says that he imagines this will be the end of the Apache way of life, and that it's a shame.

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HONDO is a solid Western in the best tradition of the genre. Based on the story "The Gift of Cochise" by Louis L'Amour, John Wayne brings the character Hondo Lane to the screen juxtaposed with his familiar screen presence yet true to L'Amour's spirit of the literary "Western." James Edward Grant's script is impressively sympathetic to the American Indian given the period when this film was produced. Geraldine Page as Angie is perfectly naïve as the homesteader living alone with her son in the open wilderness of rock and dust (artistically captured by Robert Burks' cinematography). However, it is John Wayne's portrayal as the enigmatically tough yet unemotionally tender survivor of this barren country that is the strength of this film. The music for HONDO is credited to both Emil Newman and Hugo Friedhofer and their impressive melody for HONDO majestically reflects the honorable and brave stature of the man.

Read Best Reviews of Hondo (1953) Here

I was going to wait until this was available on widescreen until I did some research on the web and found out that this DVD is in the original aspect radio of the film, so this is "as good as it gets".

I couldn't find anywhere, where Amazon indicates this.

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Customer reviews of Hondo seem to bounce from "great" to "poor." It appears that most of the criticism, other than some editing, is caused by the fact that this is an early 1950's western. Come on folks, of course the Duke is freshly shaven all the time, Page's cabin looks spotless, etc. It was made in the 1950's!!! This sort of "lack of realism" complaint could be directed at virtually every western made up to the time and of many others after. .... The action is excellent, even for a Wayne action movie, certainly better than some of his higher profile "Indian" westerns such as Ft. Apache and even Rio Grande and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. The tension and suspense waiting for the Apaches to come over the rise is palpable thoughout the movie. .... Acosta succeeds in this film as one of the most convincing of evil villains ever to appear in a western. .... If you don't have it, get it. You'll enjoy it a lot.

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The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/

This review is not about the Blu Ray, which is outstanding in both the picture & sound. Instead, the review is about the packaging of the 2 bonus DVD's. Disney decided to go with a double case instead of a triple case. This resulted in the 2 bonus DVD's being stacked on one spindled on-top of each other, resulting in the top DVD being scratched. Surely Disney could have spent a few more cents & gone with the proper case to accommodate the 2 bonus DVD's & the 1 Blu Ray. A little disappointing for a company that always stood for quality.

WHAT'S MISSING from the original DVDs?

The Rescuers' biggest casualty is the loss of a 15-page Scrapbook holding concept art, character designs, behind-the-scenes production photos, and publicity artwork. Also dropped, and of lesser interest, is "Under the Hat Villains", a 90-second Toon Disney short celebrating the studio's animated villains (including Medusa) with clips and some animator comments. The last omission from the original movie's DVD is "The Ultimate Case" set-top game, which let you sleuth around rooms to find Penny's missing teddy bear (with the Devil's Eye Diamond inside) à la Bernard and Bianca with clues from "Orville."

Lost from The Rescuers Down Under's original Gold Classic Collection DVD are its original theatrical trailer, a virtual DVD storybook, and a 16-question trivia game. And expectedly not resurfacing from inside its case are an Animals of the Outback booklet and chapter insert.

You may want to hold on to your original DVDs and sell off the bare bones DVDs included here.

Buy The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/ Now

The Rescuers was the last feature produced by Walt's legendary team of animators (the nine old men) and is easily their best since Walt's death in 1966. Released in 1977, The Rescuers is a delightful and heartfelt story full of adventure, poignancy and great characters. Both Bernard and Miss Bianca are wonderful creations that compliment each other. Madame Medusa may seem like Cruella De Vil but is not at all forgettable. The voice cast is spot on with Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page and the rest giving memorable performances and bringing unforgettable characters to life. The story of these two mice rescuing a little girl keeps you invested the whole time and you care for them very much. The Rescuers may seem a like a little obscure film but the truth is that is a Disney classic through and through.

Released 13 years later in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's first official sequel produced by the main studio (not to be confused with a cheapquel). With high production values and using the CAPS system for the first time, Down Under is a breathtaking adventure. Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor reprised their roles as Bernard and Miss Bianca as they now are headed to Australia to rescue a little boy from an evil poacher. While I like the first film more, the sequel stills has a lot going for it. Again the voice cast is wonderful, the updated animation looks amazing and the flight scenes are absolutely mesmerizing.

Both The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under offer high quality entertainment and they're sure to delight the entire family.

Video & Audio

First, I have to say that The Rescuers DVD was one of the worst DVDs I'd ever owned. That being said, this BD is a very solid upgrade. The picture is clean for the most time although some tiny specs appear from time to time. Detail and clarity are strong and artifacting is nowhere to be found. A nice job done by Disney.

The Rescuers Down Under looks brighter and more striking than its predecessor. Detail and clarity are spot on and colors are bright and bold. It's not a CAPS transfer and some light grain permeates the picture but it gives it a nice filmic quality. A nice transfer all around.

Both films have 5.1 DTS-HD MA and while both get the job done, Down Under has a better use for it than the first film (due of course to inherent limitations). All in all, both are adequate mixes.

Bonus Material

This is the most disappointing part of the set. Being its 35 anniversary and being such a great film, I expected more and more substantial bonus material for The Rescuers. Anyway, this is what was included:

"Peoplitis" is a recently found deleted song from The Rescuers. Introduced by director Ron Clements, the song is nothing extraordinary and it is better that it was cut off.

"Water Birds" is an episode from Walt Disney's famous True-Life Advetures

"Three Blind Mouseketeers" is a silly simphony featuring mice.

"Disney Song Selection"

"The Making of The Rescuers Down Under" is a promotional piece that came around the same time the film was released. It's a very short piece but at least is something.

A DVD copy is included for each film.

Final Thoughts

The Rescuers is an absolute Disney classic. The Rescuers Down Under, while not as good as the first is still highly entertaining. Both films offer nice transfers, good sound and a slim amount bonus material. Anyway, buy this set and you won't be disappointed!!

Read Best Reviews of The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/ Here

For those of you interested in the technical reality of this new Blu-ray release... Rest assured, this collection belongs on your movie shelf! I have always thought The Rescuers looked horribly bad on home video, from the VHS tapes to the DVD's, so I was very intrigued to see what this Blu-ray release would turn out. I was absolutely blown away by the level of quality showcased here! Crisp, clear, and beautifully rendered... The opening charcoal paintings in the credits have a real vibrancy to them, almost as if the viewer is looking at the original drawings. Bernard, Bianca, Penny, and the rest of these timeless characters literally jump off the screen, and I have no qualms saying that they have NEVER looked more alive than they do here on this release. I bought this title solely for this movie and I consider my money well spent. On to The Rescuers Down Under! Initially, I was more underwhelmed with this transfer than the original Rescuers. The overall picture looked bland and some scenes are not nearly as crisp as I saw in The Rescuers or other Disney Blu-ray releases. However, after viewing standard def 90s 'documentary' (featured as an extra on this release) on the making of this sequel, I realize what a stark upgrade the high definition transfer gives us! Yes, the palette is mostly in the realm of neutral colors with vibrant hues being a rare occurrence, but I doubt the video quality will ever look better than it does here without a complete overhaul of the original source elements. The worst the film looks is in the first five to ten minutes. Once Bernard and Bianca are on their journey to Australia, the quality most certainly improves. If I were to give out ratings based solely on the visual appearance, The Rescuers gets 5/5 stars and its sequel, 3.5/5 stars. However, fans of either or both movies will not walk away unimpressed! Buy this today because it deserves its home in your Disney Blu-ray collection!

Want The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/ Discount?

My kids, who are 3 and 6, like to watch a bunch of goofy movies that I find to be pretty boring. But when I showed them The Rescuers they loved it and I enjoyed watching it too. Lots of action, drama, and humor. A great story line and positive family friendly fun. When we have a chance to watch a movie, I always encourage them to choose The Rescuers! The Rescuers Down Under is okay, but we love the original movie best.

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Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011)

*No spoilers*

Prom is from Walt Disney Studios, and is rated PG. That should have conveyed a lot of information to prospective viewers. You can't expect the characters to reflect the darkest depths of any high school population--no cussing, no sex, no drinking, and no drugs. And you'd do well to be prepared for some corny and idealized moments.

But, considering this movie's upfront identity and obvious target audience, people are unjustifiably harsh towards it. This movie knows what it is, and what it is is nothing to be ashamed of! It's cute and fun and still manages to possess relatability and discernible depth.

The fact that this movie doesn't delve into the truly bad and ugly doesn't make the characters that ARE presented any less real. We all know/knew the star athlete and the "it" girl, the loner and the oddball, the stellar student and the awkward kid, the gossip and the forever couple. They're all there. I love every character because they're relatable, and those meant to be likable are. It doesn't hurt that I think the newcomer cast is excellent. I especially hope to see more from the actors playing Lloyd, Nova, and Jesse. The parents are represented here, too, and we know them as well: the protective dad, the mom who works her tail off to support the family, and the open-minded, uncritical mom...Parents being given presence and some substance in teen flicks is rare and refreshing. The movie even got the clothes and music right. (And the soundtrack is great!) I can't say the same about others of its kind, whose crew didn't seem to have stepped foot in a high school of today.

I liked what critic Leonard Maltin had to say about the movie: Teen feelings aren't trivialized in this film. And, I might add, they're not dramatized, either. It's not as simple and artificial as, "OMG, Johnny is so hot. He should have asked me to prom, not Melissa! How dare he?!" Nova combats her preconceptions about what defines a person; how far she is or is not willing to go to adhere to her image, one her father supports; and how well she can take others at face value. Jesse fights taking after a detrimental role model, works on containing his rage, and tries to shed his bitterness from being judged. Jordan chooses between having the night she's built up in her mind falling flat, and taking on the less perfect night her self-respect demands she take on. These are meaningful emotions and conflicts, and they lead to as many warm moments as there are funny ones. Sure, maybe it's on the messagey side, but do I need to remind you this is from Disney?

So, ultimately, this movie isn't about prom. It's about what prom stands for in the lives of each of the characters, and it's the setting for the culmination of every student's four-year journey of personal and social development. This isn't some empty Cal sweet treat: it has some substance, too!

Prom. The anxiety of trying to find a date, going with your friends to get a tuxedo or a dress, renting a limo and finding out what to do later in the night.

And when it comes to movies, there have been a good number of prom films in the '80s from "Footloose" and "Pretty In Pink", the 90's with "She's All That", "American Pie" and "10 Things I Hate About You" but lately, prom films have become more horror-driven, and in recent memory for non-horror prom film's in recent years, the only thing that comes to mind is the 2004 film "Mean Girls" and the 2008 film "High School Musical 3'.

But in terms of a film that primarily focuses on a high school prom, I guess America's due for a new prom film.

And so we have Disney's "Prom" directed by Joe Nussbaum ("George Lucas in Love", "American Pie Presents the Naked Mile") and written by Katie Wech.

The film focuses on a group of teenagers from the same high school preparing for the prom.

VIDEO:

"Prom" is presented in 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:78:1). For the most part, "Prom" is a beautiful looking film. Because there are so many characters, various locations, outdoor, indoor, you get a wide range of colors featured throughout the film. Colors are absolutely vibrant, black levels are nice and deep and you can see actually see the detail on the faces of the characters as well.

Picture quality is very good!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Prom" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit), French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. The film is primarily dialogue and musically driven. So, dialogue and music is crystal clear and when it comes to surround usage, its pretty much the music that envelops the soundscape. From Katy Perry's "Firework", Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" and plenty of Indie music playing throughout the film, definitely makes the film upbeat. But aside from that, I don't recall any major use of the surround channels. "Prom" is pretty much a front and center-channel driven film.

Subtitles are in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Prom" comes with the following special features:

Last Chance Lloyd (10:18) Scenes featuring Lloyd trying to ask a girl out for the prom and his younger sister Tess trying to help him out.

Putting On Prom (5:58) Producer Justin Springer, writer Katie Wech and director Joe Nussbaum talk about how they cast the characters for the film and the cast talk about working with each other.

Bloopers (2:34) Outtakes from "Prom".

Deleted Scenes (7:44) Featuring an introduction by Director Joe Nussbaum and producer Justin Springer for each of the four deleted scenes.

Music Videos (24:16) Featuring the following music videos: All Star Weekend Not Your Birthday, Neon Trees Your Surrender, Moon Time Stand, Nolan Sotillo We Could Be Anything (English Version), Nolan Sotillo Junto Lo Havemos Bien (Spanish Version), Those Dancing Days I'll Be Yours and Girl in a Coma Come On, Let's Go.

EXTRAS:

"Prom: 2-Disc Combo Pack" comes with the Blu-ray and DVD version of the film. The DVD is presented in widescreen (1:78:1) Enhanced for 16×9 Television, English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 DVS Dolby Digital and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish. Also, a slip over case is included.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Prom films are not the easiest films to create especially if you incorporate many characters to the film.

Back in 1999, "She's All That" incorporated a lot of people but opted to include Hollywood's up-and-coming stars such as singer Usher and Lil' Kim, actor Freddie Prinze , Paul Walker and actress Rachael Leigh Cook, Gabrielle Union and Anna Paquin. But what made the film work was how you have high school life outside of the prom and everything leading to the prom as the climax.

We have seen the efficacy from that formula for prom films such as "Pretty in Pink", "Footloose", "Mean Girls"...you have to showcase the high school life of these characters and then lead to the prom.

And sure, you have the banality of the dance scene, the fight scene that you typically get from prom films but with "Prom", the problem is that there is too much focus on different characters, there is not enough story development to make you care for them. The only couple you are emotionally invested in is Nova and Jesse. Two people who are opposites but are attracted to each other.

But when it comes to the other characters of the film, you just don't care. Mei and Jared, we assume they a long time couple but there was no plot device to setup the friction between the couple until later into the film. The same goes with the love triangle between Tyler, Simone and Jordan. Jordan's character wasn't really explored. She shows up earlier in the film and disappears until prom day.

There is so many of these situations where you felt blocks of story may have been edited out for time, that it's unfortunate. In fact, there are deleted scenes that probably shouldn't have been cut out at all. And this is sad, considering Joe Nussbaum mentions it right after his commentary for the deleted scenes, in which he tells viewers "hopefully, you agree that these scenes should have been deleted"...but unfortunately, some should have stayed in.

"Prom" is a film that feels incomplete because the pacing of the storyline for the characters outside of Nova and Jesse is off. I liken it to a child's first try at connect the dots. When the child forgets to follow the correct order and miss a dot, the picture doesn't seem right. It's the same thing with "Prom" and how it introduces so many characters without building the storyline around those characters.

But Aimee Teegarden and Thomas McDonell do a wonderful job playing the main couple of the film. For those who grew up in the '90s, it was quite interesting to see Christine Elise (who was the spunky teenager, Emily Valentine on "Beverly Hills 90210') playing Jesse's mother and also a brief cameo by actress Faith Ford ("Murphy Brown" and "Hope & Faith") as the mother of Nova.

As for the Blu-ray, there a quite a few special features and its cool to see a good number of music videos included on the Blu-ray. The only thing that I wish was included on the Blu-ray are the web episodes of "Corey & Lucas For the Win" featuring "Prom" Sophomores Cory (Cameron Monaghan) and Lucas (played by Nolan Sotillo).

Obviously the purpose was to show how different types of students deal with prom and also, its target audience are more than likely tweens and teens who probably are not going to delve so much into how deep the story is. If anything, it's a safe film as well, so parents wondering if there is going to be any hanky panky teen sex ala "American Pie", they need not worry about that with "Prom". There is a fight scene and teens ditching class but nothing else beyond that.

Overall, "Prom" has its fair share of fun moments but also is hurt by its missed potential. If you are a tween, teen or a parent looking for an upbeat prom film, then Disney's "Prom" is definitely for you!

Buy Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Now

I really liked this movie. It is a classic teenager movie about relationships, cliques and going to Prom. The characters in the movie all have their own relationships and problems, but Prom brings everything together. The main characters though are a classic good girl and bad boy, but there are many other great characters that surprise and make you laugh! The movie doesn't have any sex, bad language or anything inappropriate so it is really good for any ages. I think teens and pre-teens would really like this movie, I mean I did and I'm way to old for it! I really like how the characters deal with going away to college issues, cheating, being a third wheel in a relationship, being dateless for Prom, and most importantly not judging someone without getting to know them. It does have some great lessons in it. The music is fun and modern, I actually think I'd like the soundtrack too! The Blu-ray combo set is probably the best bet too since it comes with the Blu-ray and DVD discs.

Read Best Reviews of Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Here

A lot of people are going to give this a bad review over the hokey status this movie. I simply went into this film with no expectations rather than a simple clean family film. It delivered. I think this film was great fun and in this day in age it was great to just watch a film like this!

Want Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Discount?

Prom

Rating: 5 Stars

Grade: A+

I loved this movie!

My description to my father was "guys want to ask girls to prom, and girls want to be asked by guys. And the guys and girls end up going together!"

For a movie with such a simplistic summary, it was spectacular.

The jokes were funny, the characters were sweet and likable, the plot had no holes, and throughout the movie I just had a string desire to say "YAY!"

If you like rom-coms, this is for you. You won't be disappointed.

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