A Perfect Getaway (Unrated Director's Cut) (2009)

"I'm just difficult to kill, I guess..." as soon as one of the main characters of A Perfect Getaway utters these words, you KNOW someone will try to prove him wrong. And they DO (try ;o) ). The story seems simple at first: a couple is honeymooning in Hawaii, while news spreads thru the Islands of a brutal murder of another newlywed couple. The suspected murderers, a man and a woman, are still at large and likely still in Hawaii. As our city-dwellers hike thru the Park, alone and out of their element, can they trust the strangers with whom they inevitably cross paths? (OF COURSE, NOT!) And that's when an interesting twist takes this story from predictable to... well... no spoilers here! ;o)

I did not have high hopes for this flick...I went to see it mainly because I have a secret crush on Milla Jovovich (if I were a lesbian, Milla and Mariska Hargitay from Law and Order would be my dream dates ;-P...). Was the film perfect? No. Nonetheless, to my utmost surprise, I enjoyed this thriller far more then I did many supposed "blockbusters" this year. It had some laughs, but was also quite unnerving, tense, and creepy with a light sprinkling of gore: everything a good thriller should have on offer. There were signs from the audience that I was not alone in my enjoyment. However, the film did develop its creep factor slowly as the initial 45 minutes were devoted mainly to character development. The story needed time before it graduated from "fluff" to "nail biter". It worked for me. In the end, I felt the super plot twist more then made up for the wait!

Two names are worth mentioning (in addition to Jovovich): it was the first time I saw Steve Zahn competently playing a complex "grown up" character, a role totally different from the usual "doofus" types he seems to favour. Also, Timothy Olyphant surprised me with his performance. His acting skills often leave a lot to desire. Not here. He was PERFECT as the perennially confident and "difficult to kill" owner of a metal plate in his head...

PS: David Twohy, writer/director, also directed Pitch Black. Watch the chase scene at the end of A Perfect Getaway. It is identical in style to one of the chase scenes in Pitch Black...

I have watched this movie 4 times now and always catch something I missed the previous time.

When I heard there was a twist I guessed it just by watching the Trailer.

That being said ,it didn't matter it was still a great action film.Nick played by Timothy Olyphant being the stand out with the most interesting character. His famous line "Outstanding" is priceless as is his girlfriend Gina played by Kiele Sanchez's "WooptiTa".Whether they're catching and gutting wild goats for dinner or taking a relaxing nude swim under the waterfall while sharing Nick's wild stories of survival that sound like they could be from an Indiana Jones movie to Nick pretending to leave his drink in a jewelery store so he can go back and buy an engagement ring for Gina,I fell in love with them.

A first rate thriller with a first rate cast,Mila Jovovitch always shines and Steve Zahn is cast against type but pulls it off really well.I think the reason I am able to watch this movie so many times and not get bored or it become mundane, is because I feel as I made a friend in a couple of the characters and want to revisit them and this of course is the only way for me to achieve this.

The battle for survival at the end of the movie is edge of your seat tense and exciting.Even if you guess the twist there are still some surprises they pull out,so just when you think you know how it will end ,you don't.

All in all a winner for start to finish.

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At first I was worried about the gore level (not for me, for the rest of the audience) as hinted at by other reviews, but it's really minimal. And this is a fun thrill ride of a film, with a doozy of a twist. I guessed it halfway through, but you might enjoy it more if you don't and even if you do, the exposition is still interesting. Likeable characters you can root for, a decent script, better acting than you might expect, a twisted plot and great action towards the end make this a movie to enjoy.

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Beautiful locations highlight this modern "whodunit". With a good cast and this kind of scenery, you can't go wrong. I like this movie a lot, but I figured out "whodunit" about 30 minutes in to the film.....although I wasn't completely sure for another 10 minutes, so it held my interest because the cast was fun to watch. It's not the best film of this nature, but it is certainly worth seeing. It's kinda like a thriller romance film! :-D

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Being that I like Tim Olyphant I put this on my list and I'm glad I did! The movie moves slowly to build the suspense of who the murderers are. It introduces several couples that you think might fit the bill then at the end, whoa! It kept me guessing and changing my mind and even after the movie was over I kept going over some scene's! My husband and I really enjoyed this one!

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The Downfall Of Berlin - Anonyma

This is a bit difficult movie to review. Honestly, I was expecting a movie about the street by street or building by building fight between advancing Russian army and defending Germans, along with occasional views of civilian horrors. Instead, the movie centers on a detailed dairy written by a German journalist woman who witnessed and suffered Russian occupation of Berlin during last days of WWII. Overall, the movie is a major achievement. In my opinion, it accomplishes three main points: (a) civilians suffer and pay a major cost in all wars, particularly elderly, women and children; (ii) Russian soldiers acted not differently from any other invading army when they find defenseless civilians, and most interestingly, (iii) relationships between civilians of defeated Germany and invading Russian troops may not have been just about hate, rape and killings. I highly recommend this movie if these topics interest you and if you wish to see them well treated. The DVD transfer is pretty good, with some nice extras (Director's interview and others), Widescreen presentation, English subtitles forced on Russian and German spoken audio.

Too many foriegn war movies are not coming out here in region one on blu ray.

This is playable though on our blu ray players , in fact of all the recent blu ray foriegn language war themed blu ray releases only max manus is not compatible with our blu rays. This movie is a great movie because it really shows how people can adapt to terrible situations that are beyond imagining. This is a absolutely true story true. By the time of the russian entry into berlin , the battle that killed hundreds of thousands of people; berlin was in ruins, people stood in line for food, and if people were blown up they'd take their place in line covered with blood and guts, just to get something to eat. That's a desperate nightmare even before the russian troops entered the city. Most germans too knew that The axis troops had engaged in a orgy of death and rape and extermination on the eastern front and the russian troops were out for revenge. However as this movie makes clear the average soldier usually wasn't there to exterminate the germans. They did rape every woman in site though including elderly women. There was random kilings though of people , but mostly it was rape and this movie shows that women were forced to survive those terrible days that many women had to adjust to this and try to find a russian soldier that they could have as a protector. After all after the fourth rape or much more it would be in your best interest to get someone to keep the others off you.

Some women killed themselves , others went mad, but most just tried to survive and remained strong. They adjust and shockingly discuss their different rapes and how they were treated by different soldiers raping them in groups. They must adapt and if they must sleep with the russians to get food so be it. The men sit around helpless why the women accept things as they are. This story came from a autobiographical book that shocked and angered people in the late 1950's. Noone wanted to accept that women would just deal with the horror of this and do the best they could to survive. The authors name is still not given even after her death. But history is filled with women shacking up with former raping conquerers. It's about survival after all and war drags things down to primitive level. Noone who wasn't there in these situations can judge the women. This movie isn't a great movie like 'downfall' which you can get on blu ray too, but it's a good and important movie about the human condition. It has bloody fighting in the first part as the russains fight their way in and then begin to take their lustful revenge. Even so they are not depicted as mindless beasts but angry wartorn men who feel that true justice would be extermination. That being said the russian leadership did kill several million germans when they forced them out of what is now western poland.

The deaths from the war continued long after the fighting stopped. In fact with many people deported throughout eastern europe to siberia only to die there over the next ten years the true death toll of the war is far greater than anyone wants to admit. This blu ray looks great with a great print , it's in german with english subtitles and that's fine because reading is good for your brain. The acting is very good and the story true and true stories that stick to the facts are the best kind. History isn't boring it's a slaughter really with times of peace inbetween.

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Dealing with the taboo subject of the rape of German women by Russian troops entering Berlin in the final days of WWII, no matter how it is dealt with, Anonyma is never going to be easy viewing, so although Max Färberböck's film is very much a palatable mainstream cinematic viewpoint like Downfall and Sophie Scholl, it's a subject that need to be confronted and does indeed need to be brought out into the mainstream.

Anonyma is based on the first-hand account of a woman who experienced rape and abuse at the hands of Soviet troops, progressing their way through the capital towards the Reichstag. One battalion occupy and hold control of the street, ruthlessly wiping out the last elements of resistance, using the few ruined buildings that remain in the destroyed city as little more than makeshift brothels in which the surviving female population are held in fear, and raped at will by as many soldiers that want them. To survive and try and regain some control over what happens to her, one German woman, the proud wife of a loyal Nazi officer, determines to obtain the favour of a high-ranking Soviet official, become his woman alone and thereby avoid a worse fate at the hands of dangerous unknown men.

The film certainly captures the sense of fear for what lies in store for the women, the early part of the film showing them cowering in darkness in ruined basements fearfully waiting for the torches to highlight their faces and drag them outside, but the horror of what they endure is not shown in any graphic detail mercifully, some might feel, while others might find this is avoidant and misrepresents the reality, but it's hard to imagine how the film could otherwise be watchable and reach a necessary wide audience. This is an important factor, since the film is based on the original diaries of the only woman to write about the abuses in any detail, which when first published in 1959, were met with outrage and denial and have subsequently remained out of print, only reappearing after the woman's death, and even then, still anonymously.

What the account and the film confirm however is the same as Rainer Werner Fassbinder covered in his astonishing film The Marriage of Maria Braun, one of the few other films to bravely confront the immediate post-war years and beyond, both of them showing (Maria Braun through the forming a bond with a black American soldier) that it the rebuilding of a destroyed nation was largely built on the strength and determination of the German women, the men living in denial and shame of the defeat that they had suffered. It's there in one particular moving scene of Anonyma where one of the women whispers to the husband of a wife seen dancing with the German troops "We must be practical. Things will get better", only to go and weep behind a closed door for the sacrifice that must be made. The husband doesn't have the same strength to endure it.

Although Nina Hoss is excellent in the central role, one would perhaps have liked to see Färberböck approach Anonyma with the same sense of fearlessness that Fassbinder would have approached such controversial material (the presence of Irm Hermann here, one of Fassbinder group of actors reminding us occasionally of his ability to push buttons and reveal uncomfortable truths about the German character), but even so, the topic of Anonyma needed to be confronted and it makes a strong impression regardless.

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This is a movie that ranks among the best. It is a story of woman living in the hardest times.

Based on the memoirs of a woman who wished to remain nameless it is different in that appears to be as honest as they come. Her book was first published in German in 1959 and received a critical public responce, feeling that the author brought shame on German women and German way of life and watching the film one can see why. For not only does it describe the atrocities that happend in the final days of World War 2 Berlin but it is also critical of Germans and has a spark of life that goes some way in explaining how people survive. There are even moments of humor in those bleak times and the Soviets are described not only as brutes but survivors of their own kind.

All of this makes for a very powerful film and Max Färberböck has done great justice to the story by lavishly constructing large sets and doing his outmost to bring Berlin in April 1945 back to life. In fact I was pleasantly impressed by the scale of things having watched similar films before I have never before seen so many people and Soviet soldiers in each scene before, before everything has been done on a tight budget but Max Färberböck has managed to bring the film to epic proportions. Any history buff with attention to detail will appriciate the work put into the film and the detail that the Red Army receives.

I still consider Downfall (Der Untergang) superior but I feel the two films compliment each others.

Recommended.

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This film is the adaptation of the famous "Woman in Berlin" diary, written from April to June 1945 by a woman from Berlin, who decided to remain anonymous (for quite obvious reasons). The book, which shows the fate of German civilians (mostly women) in Berlin conquered by Red Army, is a very disturbing but brilliantly written thing. To make a movie of "Woman in Berlin" was a very great challenge and after watching the film it is my opinion that the director/writer and the actors rose up to meet it succesfully.

In case you are not familiar with the book "Woman in Berlin" and didn't see yet the film, two precisions are important:

1. Do not expect a war movie. In the film there is ONE short fighting scene and it is all. The film is first about the civilians hiding in basements during the fighting and then trying to survive once the fighting is over and the Red Army occupies Berlin.

2. This is a very dark, violent and disturbing film, which includes scenes of rape. I think that the rating "15" is too liberal for thid film I would really say that it is not for people under 18. This film can also be particularly shocking and disturbing to women, especially considering that it tells a TRUE story!

"Downfall of Berlin" contains many elements which didn't figure in the book, but many of them were at least slightly suggested in "Woman in Berlin". The director also added an element which didn't figure in the book at all, showing that Red Army brought with it not only rape and abuse, but also the omnipresent shadow of totalitarian fear, symbolized by the Soviet political police NKVD, which in a matter of days substituted itself to its Nazi equivalent, the Gestapo. Also, the relation between the Anonymous Woman and the Soviet major is somehow amended here and slightly less unequal than in the real story (in her diary the Anonymous Woman never left even an ounce of doubt, that she was a sexual slave, "owned" by the Soviet officer).

The film also doesn't show the last chapters of the book, after the departure of most of occupying troops (the hunger and forced labor), which are in fact maybe even more shocking than the description of "women hunting" and rapes.

Nina Hoss, who plays the Anonymous Woman, did an amazing job in this film. After reading the book and watching this film I can say that she really, REALLY entered the skin of the author of the diary and played her to the perfection. All other actors did also a great job and I think the director/writer Max Farberbock should be praised for pushing them sometimes to the limits and obtaining the best performance possible.

Bottom line, even if the 5 stars rating maybe just a little too generous (4,5 would be just perfect), I think that considering how hard it was to make a film out of this particular book all the team in charge of "Downfall of Berlin" deserves the highest praise. I watched this film with a mixture of horror and interest and even if there were maybe some weaker moments, I still found it a very good thing.

I do not think that it is possible to actually enjoy "Downfall of Berlin" due to its nightmarish topic, but to anybody interested in World War II this is a definitely recommended viewing, as it shows aspects of this conflict usually never shown or even spoken about.

Twilight Samurai

This Japanese film, directed by Yoji Yamada, won many awards in Japan. I can certainly understand why. It breaks the mold of films usually associated with Samurai warriors, and instead shows us the human side of a man who lived for his honor and who also wanted to just simply live.

The time period is 19th Century Japan. The strength of the Samurais is fading. And our hero, played by Seibei Iguchi, is a recent widower who is trying to support his two young daughters and aging mother. Yes, he's a Samurai, but of a minor caste. This means he works a day job, the equivalent of bookkeeper, along with a group of other men. He's a sad man, ignoring his personal hygiene, which embarrasses his boss. And he always goes straight home after work, never accepting the invitations of his co-workers to go out for a drink.

His relatives want him to marry again but he rejects the marriage broker who comes to visit. And then a lovely woman does come into his life. She's a childhood friend who has married badly. Because she was so mistreated, she has come home to live with her family. She's beautiful and kind and gentle, ad the sad Samurai's children love her. Later, he shows his valor with some swordplay with her abusive husband.

But as the story continues, and a romance blossoms, the man feels unworthy, even though it is clear that he and this woman would make a good match. And then, suddenly, the head of his Samurai clan calls upon him to commit a murder for the honor of the clan. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he accepts, understanding that it is likely he will die.

I learned a lot about Samurai life and the details of living in a harsh environment every day. I felt I was right there, in a culture that is indeed different from mine. And, as I absorbed the atmosphere, I also felt the plight of a very troubled human being who had to make a hard choice about what he personally felt was right as compared to what his culture demanded of him.

This is a really fine film. The acting is extraordinary. The directing is flawless. There is romance, action and adventure. There's a serious glimpse in the world of the Samurai. And, most of all, there is a human story that tugged at my heartstrings. Highly recommended.

In "The Twilight Samurai", director Yoji Yamada conceived a more realistic interpretation of life in 19th century Japan than is often seen in "samurai films". The result in a genuine period film that spends time on the daily struggles and family life of its protagonist, Seibei Iguchi, without adrenaline-pumping swordplay. Yamada based the film's screenplay on 3 stories by novelist Shuuhei Fujisawa. The story is told partly from the point of view of Seibei Iguchi's daughter, Ito, who is 5 years old in the film, but provides voiceover narration as a grown woman.

Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a low-ranking samurai of the Unasaka Clan, living under the Shogunate of mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration. Already the days of the samurai seem numbered, which casts a certain fatalism over the events of the film. Iguchi's wife has recently died after a long and taxing illness, leaving him to care for his two young daughters and senile mother with insufficient income. Iguchi actually enjoys the life of a farmer and watching his daughters grow, but his poverty leaves him without even proper clothing to fulfill his professional responsibilities. His spirits are lifted when he learns that Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa), a woman he has adored since childhood, has received a divorce from her abusive husband. But when his clan's leader dies, the ensuing struggle for power may prove fatal for many samurai.

"The Twilight Samurai"'s success depends upon the performance of Hiroyuki Sanada, who makes Iguchi's humility, heartbreak, and eccentricities convincing. Mutsuo Naganuma's delicate, subtly hued cinematography draws our attention to character development and small gestures. This is a period drama, not a martial arts film. There are only one and a half sword fights, which director Yoji Yamada uses to impress upon the audience that samurai didn't conquer one another with quick fatal cuts, as we so often see in movies, but normally delivered and received many cuts and subsequently bled to death. "The Twilight Samurai" is slow and probably a bit too long at 2 hours and 9 minutes. But it is a lovely film of one man's acceptance of the difficulties his life has brought him. Japanese with English subtitles.

The DVD: Bonus features include interviews with director Yoji Yamada and actor Hiroyuki Sanada and 3 theatrical trailers, one of which is for "The Twilight Samurai". The interview with Yoji Yamada (10 minutes) is dubbed in English. The director explains why he wanted to make a realistic period film, why it was well-received by Japanese audiences, and casting actors Sanada and Min Tanaka, who fight in the movie. Hiroyuki Sanada speaks English in his interview (17 minutes). He talks about the character of Seibei Iguchi, his acting career, and his work on the film "The Last Samurai", in which he had a supporting role. The English subtitles for the movie cannot be turned off.

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Growing up with a first generation Japanese father and a second generation Japanese-American mother, and being very American the Japanese culture is very close and dear to me. Ever since I can remember, films like Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Kwaidan, Ugetsu Monogatari, Sword of Doom and Seppuku [Harakiri] have shaped my view of Japanese cinema. I've also watched more Japanese TV historical drama series than I can remember in the last 35 plus years.

A few weeks ago, I happened upon Tasogare Seibei [Twilight Samurai] very much on accident and can't stop thinking about it. It's affected me that much. And more than anything it has opened my eyes to my ignorance regarding modern Japanese cinema. Sure I've enjoyed movies like Shall We Dance and Ringu, but only because they both had releases in the US. Tasogare Seibei has made me realize that modern samurai era films can be very very good, and don't necessarily need names like Kurosawa, Inagaki, Kobayashi or Okamoto attached to them to be good.

This film reminds me very much of Seppuku in that the central character is a devoted and loving father that makes great sacrifices for his family. Unlike the emotional and explosive battle climax that takes place in Seppuku the duel here is taken on reluctantly by Seibei with a heavy heart, yet equally heroically. This reluctance to violence by Seibei is similar to that of William Munny in Unforgiven. But while both are family men and farmers, they have very different character at their core.

Violence and the understanding of it is not what makes this such a great movie. Devotion to his two daughters and aging mother, undying love for a childhood sweetheart, the daily struggle of supporting loved ones on a measly clerk's salary while balancing massive debt is something most 21st century Americans can relate to. What makes it so easy to like, admire and sympathize with Iguchi Seibei is his humble and self-sacrificing approach to life. Compounded by "giri" [duty and obligation] to his clan this creates almost unbearable responsibility and leads to a heart-wrenching decision.

Tasogare Seibei is based on several short stories by Fujisawa Shuhei, and until recently I had no idea my father was such a fan of his. Fujisawa's stories focus on the trials of everyday low-ranking samurai living in the strict feudal world of the samurai. It's no surprise the film's director Yamada Yoji known for his long running Tora-san series is also a fan of Fujisawa's.

Growing up I often wondered if non-Japanese could appreciate or see Japanese cinema the way I do. When I read reviews on Amazon.com for Japanese movies, I have no doubt they can, and I'm frequently humbled that their insights are often more Japanese than mine. But that may also prove that cinema has no cultural or language barrier, so that a person in Moscow can see Gone With The Wind as the classic struggle of Russian women, or Twin Peaks can become a cultural phenomena in Japan. And part of what might make foreign films so special is that they present familiar situations in an inherently culturally unique way.

Twilight Samurai does that, and will hopefully help people realize that no matter the place or the time, we are all the same.

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This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. Sanada's performance as the reluctant warrior at the beck and call of lesser men who are his social seniors draws you into his world. This man is a fighter who has no real interest in fighting. He has children whom he loves and he aspires to nothing greater than caring for them. When he gets a second chance at a love life you hope he can pull it off but circumstances seem to work against it...

This isn't an "action" movie per se. It is definitely a love story; between the man and his family, between the man and his childhood sweetheart. But the lack of action filled fight scenes doesn't mean that you aren't aware throughout the film that this man is "special". As a martial artist and swordsman I felt that the two fight scenes that were in the film were really excellent in terms of technique and drama. Every time I watch this film, I enjoy it more and more.

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This is a beautiful film from Japan that was nominated last year for Best Foreign Language Film. It is the story of a poor samurai who takes care of two adorable little girls and a senile mother while facing troubles at his job and the turmoil of his time. The film's emotional force lies in both the nuanced, delicate direction and Hiroyuki Sanada's amazing performance that would undoubtedly be nominated for, or even win the Oscar if the Acadamy members and voting actors were to see the film. It is that good. Apart from Kate Winslet, there has not been a better performance this year (in fact, the two are about tied in that respect). Sanada perfectly and precisely crystallizes every bit of complexity his character has to offer into a sympathetic man we care about and feel for throughout the entirety of the film, which is crucial to its success. There was also a notable performance from Min Tanaka as a dangerous, but deeply sad samurai cornered within a decrepit home. Tanaka managed to key in on the underlying depression and insanity of his dark character. You feel for him, and his presence adds an important sense of gravitas to the conversation both men have before the film's controlled, nerve-wracking climax. This is not your usual samurai film, and proves to be something revelatory, memorable, and, above all, satisfying.

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Quantum of Solace / Casino Royale (2013)

This set is fantastic if you don't already own the blu ray editions or have the Bond 50 set. I like the fact you can buy the Daniel Craig movies seperate from buying the whole package at this value price. The quality of the transfers is great. They basically put the Bond 50 editions in this package of two disc. This would have been nicer if it had Skyfall with it like the Overseas versions I have seen. I would also like to see them issue a set for each Bond individually like this instead there is only standard DVD sets available here in the US.

This is an outstanding set of Danile Craig's two best outings as James Bond. CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE are fantastic Bond films. Since QUANTUM OF SOLACE is a direct squeal to CASINO ROYAL this makes this set all the more advantageous and attractive. The transfers are quite good, especially QUANTUM OF SOLACE. The colors on QUANTUM OF SOLACE are just gorgeous and incredibly sharp and quite pristine.

I was also amazed at the extras that are included with the CASINO ROYALE disc. Basically, most of the extras from the CASINO ROYALE collectors edition (on DVD) from the 3rd disc are included here and they do look excellent. I was very pleased.

I highly recommend this Quantum of Solace / Casino Royale [Blu-ray] edition.

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Daniel Craig is great as Bond; rather like Fleming intended (I bet): part rogue, thug, and patriot. Thoroughly entertaining films. the price for this set is great. I recommend without reservation.

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There is something alluring about the new 007 approach, that I can't stop watching. The set allows me to catch the drift of the new 007.

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I have truly enjoyed Daniel Craig's Bond character. He is handsome, athletic and witty. Casino Royale is my favorite Bond movie. This bluray set also includes Quantum of Solace, the sequel to Casino Royale. Both movies are action packed with gorgeous scenery. My husband and I just love watching them with full surround sound, a martini at hand (shaken not stirred) and some popcorn. Love it.

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Total Recall (1990)

I have to take umbrage at the person who made rude comments about how all the martians mutants with their foam latex appliances looked fake and lowered the quality of the film. I am part of the team that made all those crummy appliances. You can find my name in the credits under Rob Bottin. Actually I agree with you and I also think the scene where everyone decompresses and their eyes pop out on stalks then pop back in again when air pressure returns was totally preposterous. Total Recall was one of the last big films where effects were still done with rubber and mechanical animatronics pulled with cables. Many people thought the fat lady head slice gag was done with computers but it was a fiberglass head enlarged many times by soaking a silicone casting of the head in kerosene. The head was sliced with a special saw and a special array of slide bearings rigged with cables were pulled to open the slices. Makeup artists spent hours between shots filling up the gaps in the slices with wax so you could not detect them until the head was pulled apart. We were very proud of that effect and got applause from the crew when they saw it for the first time. Other effects did not go so well. Johnny Cab (Bob Picardo) was supposed to be very animated. His mouth was designed to open wide and form shapes but the servos would not work properly so in the film you see him mostly just bounce his jaw up and down with some minor lip movement. The guy in charge of repairing Johnny Cab stayed up four sleepless days and when it still didn't work was yelled at and mercilessly berated by the FX supervisor and later that day almost died of a bleeding stomach. On the good side Bennie the mutant cab driver has a mutant arm that is a beautiful thing to watch unfold and easily missed if you are not paying attention. You probably won't hear these uglier stories on the supplemental disc but if you are a fan of Total Recall and like to hear interesting background stories, this is certainly the version of the disc you should buy. Paul Verhoven with his deep German accent and extreme personality combined with Arnolds thick Austrian accent and ego should make for one of the most incomprehensible commentaries in the history of DVDs. Just kidding. Both are dynamic guys and present the material in an interesting fashion.

Total Recall is about a miner named Quaid (Arnold Schwartzennegger at the very peak of his career) who seemingly has a beautiful wife (Sharon Stone)and a nice home. He has a fascination with Mars that disturbs his wife to distraction. One day he decides to take a simulated vacation from Rekall where memories are implanted in your brain to make you feel you have been on an extended vacation. What Rekall does not know is Quaid is not who he appears to be or who he thinks he is. Something goes wrong when Rekall unknowingly plants Quaid's own real memories of being a secret agent on Mars into his brain. Quaids brain is temporarily fried and he has to quickly rediscover his true identity before a team of counteragents kill him for what he knows.

Total Recall was originaly intended to keep the audience guessing about what was real and what was only imagined. However this was dropped with the exception of one memorable scene. From what I could observe on the set I think Paul Verhoven realized the effects had taken over the movie and there was no point in making this a psychological action thriller. So he resigned himself to play it as a straight up Arnold vehicle packed with slam bang effects and some wicked Verhoven humor. This was too bad because I think many people feel it could have been a much more of a movie than what it was. Instead this is wild mindless action, violence taken to excess and effects for pure escapism purposes . If this is your cup of tea, than Total Recall may be the thrill ride you are looking for.

I Love Total Recall as a movie hence the reason I've bought it for a 3rd time, after VHS and DVD. I must say I was very disappointed with this transfer, why when films can be cleaned up prior to transfer do they make us buy such a crap transfer!? I mean I bought the Rambo1 Blu Ray from Lionsgate/ Studio Canal which is now 25 years and that is a superb transfer, even the French HD of Basic Instinct is a Cracking transfer by Studio Canal, In Comparison Total Recall is a let down, and to be honest when we fork out our hard earned cash for movies we love on HD formats we expect a marked improvement, why should we make excuses that this film is old, what 1990 is old! When film companys that do spend the money get results, have you seen the Bond Remasters on DVD, some of these are over 40 years old and look better then ever (cant wait for the blu rays of them!) Overall Buy this if you must have it, but be prepared for a let down visually!

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"Total Recall" is, quite simply, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best action flicks and quite obviously, one of the ones that helped build his super star status at the time of its release. When this outstanding Sci-Fi action/thriller was released, it was right in the middle of Arnold Schwarzenegger's run of films where he could seemingly do no wrong. After watching the "Imagining Total Recall" documentary, it's even more surprising to find out that the original director wasn't Paul Verhoeven and the original Douglas Quaid wasn't to be Arny but Patrick Swayze; now that would've been an almost entirely different movie. Despite the exceptional script, I doubt Patrick Swayze would've garnered the attention that Arnold did for this memorable flick.

One of the most interesting aspects behind the script of this film is the overall theme behind it, was it "real" or was it Douglas Quaid's Total Rekall experience? Another highly interesting aspect of this film is its supposed sequel which may have been scrapped for Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for and election as the Governor of Kalifornia! If you pull up the Cast and Crew Information under the Special Features section and click on Arnold's screen, you'll see a listing for Total Recall 2 (2002), something that obviously hasn't happened but who knows what will happen in the future!

Credit goes to Arnold for his performance in this film, which was an exceptional display in that his acting skills were only getting better and better; granted, he's not the best actor in the industry, but for his type of movies, he was at the top when this film was released. Sharon Stone puts on a wonderful performance in this film and this film can most certainly be directly attributed to being the one that led to her super stardom and being cast for some of her bigger roles. Ronny Cox also does another superior job of being the villain in this movie, a role he has always done well in. For Star Trek Voyager fans, it's interesting to note that Robert Picardo does the voiceover for the Johnny Cab.

"Total Recall" is just another in a long list of outstanding and somewhat gory action flicks for director Paul Verhoeven. In this genre, he can most certainly be counted among the best directors to ever take up the mantle. Phillip K. Dick, the author of the short story "We Can Remember it for You Wholesale," the story that "Total Recall" is based upon, also wrote the story that "Blade Runner" was based upon and many more; just showing what a talent this writer has been.

The Premise:

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wakes up to find himself lying next to Lori (Sharon Stone), who he believes to have been his loving wife for the last eight years. Quaid expresses that he wishes to go to Mars but Lori doesn't want anything to do with it. As Quaid is coming home from work, he sees an advertisement for Total Rekall where he can take a virtual vacation and decides to try it. Not long after his virtual vacation begins, this action flick takes off on a breathtaking wild ride that doesn't slow down until the credits start rolling...

I highly recommend this film to any and all who're interested in seeing one of the best Sci-Fi action movies ever made. One note of caution though, this film is not for the young, faint of heart or weak of stomach as is the norm with a Paul Verhoeven film. To achieve the film he's looking for, he doesn't spare the gore at all! {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

-Audio Commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Director Paul Verhoeven

-"Imagining Total Recall" Documentary

-Rekall's Virtual Vacations

-"Visions of Mars" Featurette (This is especially interesting considering we have a rover on Mars right now)

-Visual Storyboard Comparisons

-Conceptual Art

-Photo Gallery

-Production Notes

-Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots

-Cast and Crew Information

Read Best Reviews of Total Recall (1990) Here

I'm not a big video geek, and before when I saw people complaining about a horrible dvd transfer, I chalked it up to little details I couldn't see. *This* I could see. I liked _Total Recall_ the first time I saw it, and it is still a good movie. However the film quality on this DVD is really grainy and the color was off -like they mastered it from a five year old video that had seen wind and weather. Just get the video.

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I got a BD player a year after they came out while the format war was still going on and I read reviews of the discs. They always said that this one was not too great but acceptable. Some how, some people rate The Terminator (first 2) discs as poor when they are not. Total Recall is by far THE worst BD disc ever!

This one gets the same type of review as Robocop from the reviewers. It is no wonder why these discs are $10 or less! This is a very poor representation of Blu-Ray or even HD. I am good at spotting resolutions with my eye and I can tell that this is not an HD master. It has to be a 480I give or take a few lines!

This is nothing more than an upconverted picture, but upconverted DVD's look much better in most cases. From the moment the credits roll, there is severe crushing, noise and low resolution. The picture quality is so bad that it looks like analog cable with a damaged cord THAT bad! The noise (it can't be mere film grain alone) is so horrible that the film grain has noise that moves and changes colors!

The colors were bland and there was NOTHING HD about the picture in any way. There was no 3D effect when looking at the picture. No facial details. No stitching in the clothing nothing. The sound was weak as well since it was in DTS-HD, not Master Audio. Hey, it was one of the early BD titles.

Instead of steady re-releasing Terminators, they need to remaster this! I avoided it out of fear of the reviews, but the reviewers were too soft on this one. Do not get it if you are looking for HD picture.

On another note, it was weird (I know) to see so many tube TV's 100 years into the future. Even 2001: A Space Odessy predicted flat screens.

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Fly Away Home (1996)

The multiple chords struck by Carrol Ballard's heartbreaking work "Fly Away Home" are so universal, it is difficult to imagine a person of any gender or any age not being touched in some way by this genuine family film. Make no doubt, "Fly Away Home" is a true classic, timeless in beauty yet timely in theme. So many subjects are tackled, from estranged family dynamics to environmental messages, it is difficult to fully grasp this film's important impact from just one viewing. Each time I view this movie, I come away with new ideas, and a new hope for our common man and woman.

Film director Carrol Ballard has achieved such lofty heights before with his debut film "The Black Stallion" and his stunning follow-up "Never Cry Wolf." Amazingly, he has once again climbed to the top of a very high mountain with "Fly Away Home." The story is anything but simple, but its a tale of a mother, lost in a car accident, thereby forcing the reunion of a daughter and estranged father. He's an eccentric Canadian, living in the country, working on multiple sculptures and experimenting with flying machines. She's a lost soul, seemingly homeless without the guidance of her late mother. Yes, father (Jeff Daniels) and daughter (Anna Paquin) bond, but it's due to the nature which surrounds their rural homestead. In this case, an orphaned flock of geese Paquin raises from birth after the destruction of their natural habitat by encroaching development.

Paquin's character becomes a surrogate mother for these geese, and eventually she must learn to fly to enable the lost birds to travel south for the winter. Daniels accompanies his daughter out of love, and eventually understanding that this has become a rite of passage for his budding, maturing teenage girl. And somewhere along the way, a girl becomes a woman, and a father becomes a man.

Much of the credit for "Fly Away Home" goes to the brilliant cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, who also worked with Ballard on "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf." Certainly the musical selection of Mary Chapin Carpenter's haunting "10,000 Miles" is an inspirational if not brilliant choice. But the story is the key, and during a time of changing family dynamics amidst a society of shrinking nature, I can't imagine a film utilizing both themes with such skilled and relevant ease.

"Fly Away Home" is such an important film, not only because a female protagonist breaks away from traditional bonds to find herself (no boy and his dog here), but because a self-centered man/father overcomes his weaknesses to find not only himself, but the person/daughter/child who defines his soul. "Fly Away Home" is about us finding our spirit during a trying time of divorce and misguided independent values. By bonding with the land, and as importantly with our family, we find our true spirit.

And finally, "Fly Away Home" will bring a tear to the most hardened spirit, causing us to hug the ones we love, human or animal. Is that not the purpose of art film, book, music or otherwise? I have applauded Carroll Ballard before. After "Fly Away Home," I not only applaud this extraordinarily gifted director, I salute him.

There's not a bad character in this movie, except for the animal control official who persists in locking up the geese. And Anna Paquin just keeps getting better and better and better. She's definitely a child actress who will NOT fade away as she matures.

Story (inspired by an autobiography) is based on a girl who, recently left motherless, is shopped to live with the eccentric dad (Jeff Daniels) she hasn't seen in years. And then she becomes surrogate mother to a flock of motherless goslings who insist on growing up into a flock of geese. Comes time for them to migrate south, and they won't go. The rest of the movie is the harebrained scheme of how the geese are taught to follow `Mom' in an ultralight. Beautifully and astonishingly photographed, this movie is an all around delight, a coming-of-age, a father-daughter bonding, a feel good story that is way more than the sum of its parts.

Ya gotta see it.

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Before "Winged Migration", there was "Fly Away Home". A 1996 film which was loosely based on the 1995 autobiography "Father Goose" by Bill Lishman.

The film received positive reviews from many critics and audiences as the film would showcase a heartwarming tale primarily about family but something different was that this became the first Hollywood film to show the latest efforts in migration for birds and also introducing audiences to the concept of "imprinting". In other words, humans forming a bond with birds, geese when they are born and then raising them somewhat as a parent and then teaching them how to migrate and eventually increase their population away from harm.

Taking on the directorial role for "Fly Away Home" is Carroll Ballard, known for his work with films such as "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf" joins writing team Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan" and "The Patriot") along with Vince McKewin (television writer for many series such as "The A-Team", "Knight Rider", "Dallas"). Carroll Ballard known for his previous films that involve animals was back to directing a touching film about family, overcoming challenges and sticking together.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Fly Away Home" is presented in 1080p High Definition and with an aspect ratio of 1:85:1. As with most film created in the early-t0-mid-90's for Blu-ray releases, there is this softening effect that many tend to suffer from. With "Fly Away Home", one of the positive aspects of the picture quality is that the film is shot outdoors and thus, you get a sense of the beauty of nature with the lush green and red trees during the fall, the green scenery while the aircraft is in flight. Also, being in the air while the geese are flying. Very good outdoor shots and vibrant colors.

There is little softening effect during the indoor scenes but overall, picture quality is beautiful during the outdoors and many of the shots of the film are outdoors.

As for audio, audio is presented in English and French via Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Spanish 5.1 (Dolby Digital). The film is primarily dialogue-based as the film is about conversations between father and daughter and daughter with family members. But one of the biggest showcase for "Fly Away Home" is the music from Mark Isham. Definitely creating a mood and the feeling of flight and beauty. Definitely well-incorporated to the Blu-ray and sounds great.

There is also good use of surround audio with the noise of the geese but overall the film is primarily a dialogue-driven film and the sound is quite clear coming from the front and center channels.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

For the special features included on the Blu-ray for "Fly Away Home", the features are in standard definition with English (stereo) audio with optional Spanish subtitles. Features included on the Blu-ray disc are:

* Director & Cinematographer Commentary Commentary track by Carroll Ballard and Caleb Deschanel as they talked about the filming of the geese in flight. Definitely a complicated film to shoot and finding the various locations to shoot the film and the ultra gliders was a challenge. A very good commentary for those interested in learning how everything came together for the film.

* Operation Migration: Birds of a Feather Featurette An 18-minute about Operation Migration. A company founded by Bill Lishman and Joe Duff in 1994, a non-profit charity organization and how they are migrating rare and endangered species in order to grow the population. The featurette introduces the various staff members and also, unlike the film and other countries which the birds are introduced to humans, the organization now wears costumes, so the birds will not think they are human. Very informative.

* The Ultra Geese Documentary A 49-minute documentary which the film "Fly Away Home" is based on. The documentary features Bill Lishman and Joe Duff testing to see if they can treat geese new migration routes through the use of their ultralight aircraft. Their goal is to restore the population of birds through new migration routes and showing us what actually really happened in their experience vs. what actually happened on the film. The experiences that Lishman and Duff faced such as imprinting, the use of the ultralight aircraft, having 18 birds with its leader Igor and losing Igor, having to contend with the Wildlife Bureaucratic Service and more. Very entertaining as Lishman and crew actually had a lot of footage of training the geese to flying with the geese and more.

* HBO Making of: Leading the Flock Featurette This 13-minute featurette showcases interviews with the director and the many talent involved in the film. Especially how everyone were quite impressed with Anna Paquin's performance in the film.

The Blu-ray is also BD-Live enabled.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Fly Away Home" was definitely an enjoyable, heartfelt family film that touches upon the real life activity of Operation Migration and what they are doing to help restore endangered species of birds and helping them migrate. But what was even more remarkable was watching the cinematography of showing birds in flight and being so close to them. Granted, bird cinematography has since evolved since this 1996 film with the 2003 release of "Winged Migration" and also "Planet Earth" but considering the challenge of filming this scene, Director of Photography Caleb Deschanel successfully pulled it off. If anything, the nomination for "Best Cinematography" was definitely warranted.

As for Carroll Ballard, his name is known for hits such as the 1979 film "The Black Stallion" and 1983 film "Never Cry Wolf", films that deal with animals (which he followed up with his 2005 film "Duma" about an orphaned cheetah) and sure enough, a good director to take on the challenge for "Fly Away Home" and trying to create this bond between a young character with an animal, in this case, geese.

For younger talent, "Fly Away Home" definitely was a film that showcased Anna Paquin's talent as an actress. Having won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11 (for the 1994 film "The Piano"), Paquin definitely brought a character with a lot of layers. A character having to deal with this new life, this father who she has never seen for years and then ultimately finding common ground thanks to her geese.

Jeff Daniels does a great job portraying Thomas, this inventor/naturalist with his shaggy beard and long hair but doing a great job of portraying a father who is not too sure if he can take care of his daughter. Credit to the writers who portrayed this family who really had nothing in common at first but eventually finding the common ground and eventually bonding through Thomas' love for flying and Amy's love for her geese and eventually, her becoming a pilot and sharing her father's enthusiasm.

The film also stars Dana Delany. Over a decade before her role currently in the TV series "Desperate Housewives", Delany was definitely known for her Emmy award winning work in the critically acclaimed Vietnam War television show "China Beach" during the late 80's and early 90's and a lot of her voice work for the Batman and Superman animated series.

Some may feel that Delany was under utilized in "Far Away Home" but nevertheless, despite a short role, an important role of portraying the girlfriend of Thomas and for her character as Susan trying to get close to his daughter Amy (Paquin).

If anything, the supporting actor who did shine in this film and definitely caught my attention was Terry Kinney as Thomas's brother David who brings a certain humor into the film as the uncle who is laid back but eventually comes up with major ideas to help the Thomas and Amy but most importantly, the geese.

"Fly Away Home" is a film that manages to hold up nearly 13 years later as a family film. On Blu-ray, for those interested in migration of birds will love that the Blu-ray does features two featurettes and one lengthy documentary on the actual story that the film is based on.

Especially knowing that certain things that happened in the film, happened in real life. For Bill Lishman who co-founded Operation Migration (and in real life was the man piloting the ultralight aircraft with the geese), the leader of the pack for his geese was Oscar and similar to the film, Oscar was separated from the pack and was lost but eventually found. But unlike the film where Oscar has a prominent part of being there with Amy during the flight, in real life, Oscar's return back to the pack of Geese was not an exactly enthusiastic return as the geese that he once lead turned against him. So, it was an interesting segment in the special feature showing the relationships of the geese.

So, my highlight was the documentary and also the informative special features included in this Blu-ray disc release and for those who enjoyed the 2003 film "Winged Migration", "Fly Away Home" was a film that definitely introduced many people to imprinting and new migration techniques. In fact, "Winged Migration" on Blu-ray is being releaased on the same day as "Fly Away Home" and Bill Lishman had some involvement with that film as well.

If I had any problems with the special features on the Blu-ray disc is that it doesn't include the isolated 5.1 Music Score with Composer Mark Isham's commentary which was included in the original 2003 DVD. The music was an important part of the film and I felt the DVD showing a tribute to Isham's music was awesome. But I was surprised it was omitted on the Blu-ray release. But regardless of the special feature not included, for Blu-ray fans, it's all about the picture and audio quality and "Fly Away Home" looks and sounds so much better via high definition that the Blu-ray version is the definitive version to own.

Overall, "Fly Away Home" is a touching, moving and enjoyable film about family and overcoming challenges. And the film manages to accomplish portraying the family bond between estranged father and daughter but also showcasing beautiful cinematography that really makes this family film worth watching.

Read Best Reviews of Fly Away Home (1996) Here

"Fly Away Home" tells the story of Amy, a girl from New Zealand who has to stay with her father in Canada after her mother dies. During her time there she finds some goose eggs that later hatch. As soon as the geese hatch the first thing they see is Amy and so they imprint on her, thinking she is their mother. Due to the geese natural instinct to fly south, and the fact that they don't have their real mother to lead the way, Amy with the help of her father attempt to lead the geese south in their own hang gliders.

This is a very simple story done well, helping to create a pretty much perfect family movie. Jeff Daniels as Amy's father and Oscar winning Anna Paquin as Amy are equally fantastic, and I'd also like to give a shout out to Terry Kinney as Amy's uncle who is really quite funny. The directing by Carroll Ballard is brilliant and the cinematography is breathtaking and makes you feel like you are flying with Amy, her Dad and the geese. Not to mention the truly inspirational score by Mark Isham that is helping us along on our journey.

The DVD special features which although not necessarily entertaining are appropriately informative. And also, "Fly Away Home" has been digitally remastered and is presented in widescreen, so it's the best you'll see this movie. I suggest you fly to the store or internet terminal so you can buy this, before it flies off the shelves.

Want Fly Away Home (1996) Discount?

Excellent family film, with comedy and excitement mixed with emotion. The music score of Mark Isham really captures the feelings and moods of the story. Great cinematography

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Good Night and Good Luck (2006)

This movie will be attacked, and for all the wrong reasons. It will be interpreted as a piece of leftist agit-prop. It will be attacked for being filmed in black and white and entirely indoors. But these complaints should not make the potential viewer think that this movie is not worth the watching. That is incredibly wrong.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK captures a piece of time which is rapidly moving from current events to history. This is sad. The great Edward R. Murrow's meritorious dedication to the integrity of journalism is fast fading from the American memory. And while GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK only examines one aspect of his long career, what an aspect it is! Murrow's pit-bull grip to bring down the infamous Joseph McCarthy was probably the highlight of his career. (Unfortunately, it also relegated both men to the "back row" of their professions, in the long run.) Some people have read about how political cartoonist, Thomas Nast, brought down Boss Tweed in the 19th Century. Some people remember how Woodward and Bernstein were an integral part of forcing Nixon out of office. But this journalist's contribution to restoring sanity to America during the 1950s is hardly remembered, and not at all talked about in schools (unless you take a journalism class--and that's maybe!)

The performances are wonderful. Strathairn IS Edward R. Murrows: remarkably understated and still very intense. George Clooney, as Fred Friendly, is his perfect foil--very extroverted and constantly joking. It was good to see Robert Downey Jr. take such a serious role, again. His portrayal of Chaplin is the last serious thing I think he did. Jeff Daniels was perfectly cast as the tooth grinding stuffed shirt, and Frank Langella was on-the-money as the powerful William Paley, owner of CBS.

My only negative comment concerns the amount of time spent on the love affair between Downey and Patricia Clarkson. It really leads to an anticlimactic conclusion. The time would've been better spent helping younger viewers with some more exposition and gathering more sympathy for Ray Wise's Dan Hollenbeck, who was as much a target of the McCarthy sycophants as anyone else. (I would have also enjoyed more time watching McCarthy being brought down.) Still, this should BY NO MEANS prevent from watching this important film. It may not fit into your political views, but GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK will definitely fulfil the film lover in you.

One of the great things about George Clooney's "Good Night and Good Luck" is that you need not know anything about Senator Joe McCarthy or Edward R. Murrow to appreciate the importance and drama of their 50 year old conflict played out on TV in the every home, every night here in the US and around the world a half century ago.

Gloriously shot in evocative black and white and expertly directed by George Clooney with a sensitive eye towards the 1950's milieu of this story: stock footage of McCarthy is seamlessly and cleverly blended with new, "GNAGL" is made as contemporary and palpably current as this morning's newspaper.

David Strathairn plays Murrow as a conflicted man: inexorably drawn to the pursuit of truth and the uncovering of those that would attempt to obscure it yet always aware that his position as television's conscience requires of him a certain amount of decorum. His portrayal is marked by both a frantic restraint and a quiet passion that speaks to the very best in all of us.

"Good Night and Good Luck" is a daring, sophisticated movie that holds its audience in the highest regard: never once dumbing down its cogent story in order to win us over. It is a film that demands a lot of us, but our payback is in the invaluable and irrevocable currency of understanding and tolerance.

Buy Good Night and Good Luck (2006) Now

Black and white, and set in 50's America, "Good Night and Good Luck" is the sign off slogan of one of America's greatest journalists and early television pioneers, Edward R. Murrow. Murrow made his bones in WWII as a correspondent, and continued with a distinguished career as a journalist and radio/television newsman at CBS in the 50's and early 60's.

"Good Night and Good Luck" is a jewel of a film for the history buff who still shakes their head at the paranoia and all encompassing aspects of the McCarthy witch hunt in the 50's. I think you just had to be alive then, and feeling the fear we all felt of the Cold War and the specter of Communism, to understand how this land could have been misled and led by the nose thanks to the "junior Senator from Wisconsin".

Some reviewers say that the clash between Murrow and McCarthy, between a free television press and television that is simply an entertainment venue, is as engrossing for those who aren't fully aware of that era of our history, as it is for those of us who lived then. Perhaps, but I think not. Part of what makes the film a success is the director's infallible instinct in recreating the 50's...from the prevalence of smoking to the clothes, sets and dialogue of those who lived through the era.

What a marvelous piece of imagery it was to utilize only filmclips of McCarthy in the movie, instead of getting an actor's portrayal. With this film, Geoge Clooney fully establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with, in filmmaking. Directing, assisting with the script, and acting the part of Edward R. Murrow's boss, Fred Friendly. The film is terse and pointed, perhaps more suited to a venue like HBO than it is to the movie house, and while it boasts a strong message in today's media bashing climate, and some incredibly strong performances, it still lacks that indefinable something that makes a fine film a great one.

Perhaps it is the lack of the human spark in the characters. The romance of two of CBS' staffers, the Wershbas (Robert Downey Jr. and Patricia Clarkson) is little more than a sidebar. And while the faceoff between CBS' owner, William Paley (Frank Langella in a dynamic return to drama) and Murrow is not for the faint of heart, it is still cold and calculated. Some of the emotion is missing. Thus, the suicide role for television announcer Don Hollenbeck (Ray Wise) is more matter of fact than heartbreaking.

Clooney is fine in his role and the supporting cast, including television actors Tate Donovan and Reed Diamond, do excellent work. But any review of this film pales without the mention of David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow. Deciding, at the risk of his own career, to take McCarthy on, Murrow was a quiet symbol of what is great in America. As Murrow, Strathairn is eerily a recreation of the man himself, with the quiet, convincing style that belies a man of impeccable reputation. Strathairn is a bit of a journeyman, with a long history of memorable small parts. You may not even remember him in L.A. Confidential, in The Firm, in The River Wild, or over the course of a 25 year film career. You remember you've seen him before, but you can't remember where. Less easy to forget is his memorable turn as Robert "Bob" Wegler, A.J.'s guidance counselor in the 2004 run of "The Sopranos". As Bob, Strathairn was far less interested in helping A.J. than he was in bedding Carmela, which he did in a delicious turn of events on the show.

As Murrow, Strathairn has come into his own as an actor; he is a quiet force on the screen, the reincarnation of the newsman. Affable and steely, he makes you believe in his cause, which is not bringing down Joe McCarthy, but rather bringing up the quality of the television industry, to make it more than just another entertainment venue. Clooney chose well when he chose Strathairn, and the actor's passion and intensity shines through in the role. I suppose there may be a better turn in a leading actor's role in film this year, but at this point, I have not seen any.

For the serious film buff, "Good Night and Good Luck" is being shown in limited release around the country, and will not win the hearts and minds of many who go to films to be strictly entertained. The message is too intense, the film too understated for most. However, it is among the very best in films released this year, and while somewhat emotionless for the audience, one can tell that it was a labor of love for the filmmakers.

In a sidebar, the clips of songstress Diane Reeves singing 50's jazz between interludes was incredibly enjoyable!

If only they could have found a way to include my favorite Murrow quote about television:

"If we were to do the Second Coming of Christ in color for a full hour, there would be a considerable number of stations which would decline to carry it on the grounds that a Western or a quiz show would be more profitable."

Read Best Reviews of Good Night and Good Luck (2006) Here

Unlike many films that build off biography and the events of the past (e.g., "The Aviator"), "Good Night, and Good Luck" tries scrupulously to reproduce the events it protrays, down to using many of Edward R. Murrow's exact words and cutting in real footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his Senate hearings. This approach moves it far closer to a documentary than other Hollywood productions. The long-lens black and white photography, which brings the foreground into exquisite relief while blurring the distance, also helps to create an atmosphere of grainy verisimilitude. True to history, the newsmen all smoke, creating a swirling haze that contributes to the photographic effect. Really dazzling.

The meticulous acting of David Strathairn, a brilliant casting choice for Murrow, and George Clooney's restrained and ironic presentation -both as co-director and in his part as Murrow's producer Fred Friendly -give this film emotional subtlety and intellectual power. I'm so pleased to see Strathairn in a part really deserving of his considerable talent. And I have to say that the mobile face in black and white of Robert Downey, Jr., as Joe Wershba (one of Murrow's colleagues), is a feast for the eyes. McCarthy, of course, plays himself in newsreel footage, which is also an intelligent decision, explained in the commentary on the film, because it keeps his character from toppling over into caricature and allows the film to explore journalistic ethics without being too heavy-handed about its moral position. Of course, that position is there, but as Murrow advocated that journalism has a role in public argument, it's only right that this film take a position too.

Because the film so scrupulously reflects history, the storytelling is not as tight as it might be. The romantic "subplot" between Wershba and his wife the commentary says the backers told Clooney and his co-director Grant Heslov that they needed a woman in the newsroom feels like a distraction, and since no "actor" is playing McCarthy, there is a lot that cannot be done in the way of direct confrontation between the principal characters. Suspense is a little lacking also, chiefly because any educated person knows what really happened. But Clooney and Heslov do a good job of working around these limitations.

In addition to directors' commentary, the DVD also includes an excellent companion piece, which interviews Murrow's and Friendly's children, as well as surviving Murrow colleagues. Dianne Reeves' singing (the film imagines her as a kind of Greek chorus) is also highly enjoyable -I'm planning on buying this film's soundtrack too; can't remember the last time I wanted to do that!

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George Clooney has come into his own as a writer and director. His attention to detail and realism, rivals almost anything else I've seen out there in years. It's almost too much like watching a documentary. A bit talky for its 93 minutes, but should be seen by Americans as a reminder of modern-day witch hunts, and how the lives of innocent people are sucked-in and destroyed. The real star of this film however, is David Strathairn's effective portrayal of Edward R. Murrow. One of the better biographical characterizations by any actor. This is not a film I'll be watching over-and-over again though.

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Dirty Dancing (Limited Keepsake Edition) (1983)

In Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey stars as Frances "Baby" Houseman, a girl who goes on vacation to the Catskills with her father, mother and sister in the summer of 1963. She meets the handsome dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), who works at the lodge where they're staying, and is smitten with him. When she volunteers to fill in for Johnny's dance partner, Baby experiences love and life firsthand from the free-spirited Johnny.

The DVD version of this movie is terrific. The clarity is amazing, the sound is crisp & clear and the bonuses are wonderful. With the bonus features, you get commentary from the movie's creator, a behind-the-scenes featurette (with no audio), the videos for "She's Like the Wind," "I've Had the Time of My Life" & "Hungry Eyes," biographies about the cast & crew (Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston, the director, the producer, the writer and the choreographer), a short "Reliving the 60s" documentary, the theatrical trailer and a concert featuring the music from the movie.

If you love Dirty Dancing, I highly recommended getting this DVD. It would be a great addition to add to your collection!

I give this movie and the DVD package 4 stars. The music was powerful and the love story between Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze was a powerful one and the acting performances by all involved were completely believable.

Now for the DVD itself. If you own the Collectors Edition and you're wondering whether or not you would want this version there should be only one thing to take into account....how good is your home theatre system?

If you have a 5.1-7.1 home theatre system then I would highly recommend buying this version, the DTS:ES 6.1 discreet audio track is more visceral than the Dolby Digital 5.1EX track and with almost twice the bit rate you're getting nearly twice the information. This means that you're listening to something that's more accurately reproducing the original studio masters of the audio with less compression than the Dolby track.

If you already own the collectors edition and you're watching your DVDs through either just your television, a two channel stereo or with a receiver that only supports Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic/Pro Logic II then I would say to be sated with the version you already have. There is not much more that this DVD covers with the interviews and features that, after watching the collectors edition, you would care to see.

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It is awfully hard not to get swept up into the nostalgic heat and sentiment of this unabashedly, and well-done, teen romance. It is, by turns, sexy, funny, melodramatic, jamming (what with that soundtrack chock full of some of the best pop hits of the 60s mixed with a few great new songs) and campy. Yet the overriding feeling of melancholy and wistfulness, portrayed with real talent by Jennifer Grey, as the perfect Baby, transforms this movie into something lasting, something to really love. Cynthia Rhodes is absolutely riveting -as usual -in the second female lead; she is a spectacular dancer and electrifying whenever she is on the screen. The aching feeling of first true love/lust/whatever, here directed at hunky Patrick Swayze, who is by the way an excellent dancer, comes to full flower at a Poconos resort. As all manner of soapy subplots move through their predictable paces, we are treated to the transformation of our young heroine and any number of delightful musical numbers, capped off by the irresistably romantic Time Of My Life -that feeling of moving through a romance that has somehow changed your life is captured with a rare sweetness, and it stays with you.

Read Best Reviews of Dirty Dancing (Limited Keepsake Edition) (1983) Here

For a PG-13 film, this has got to be the sexiest film I've seen. This movie is a typical love story: girl and guy are different "classes"...girl and guy get together anyway...people object, etc. However, this film manages to get, and keep, your attention through several plot twists. Jennifer Grey stars as "Baby" a spoiled daddy's girl. Baby goes with her family to a resort for summer vacation. There, she meets Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), the defiant and seductive dance instructor. Even though Baby is encouraged to learn "lady-like" dances and crafts, her heart's desire is to be a rebel for once in her life & dance like the staff...dirty dancing. When Johnny loses his dance partner, Baby takes over...even though she's never danced like that before. It is obvious that Johnny is not pleased with the arrangement, but decides to endure the torture. During Baby's private dance lessons, the music is great and the chemistry between the two actors is absolutely sizzling! This is very much a "coming-of-age" film. We get to see several characters grow up and learn life lessons quickly in this movie. Although this movie appeals to a younger crowd, my best friend's mother is one of the biggest fans I know!! I was somewhat disappointed with the ending, but overall, this is one of my favorite films of all times. This is a must see & a "must buy"...you'll want to see it again and again.

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I had high hopes for this Bluray as I love this movie. I figured a new AVC transfer would bring this disk back to life after suffering the SD DVD bad transferrs I already have.

It was not to be. The movie is soft and washed out. There has been a large amount of electronic grain reduction undertaken that has bascially destroyed the PQ by sofetning the entire image and crushing the blacks in some scenes to the point where the picture look posterized.

While still better than a DVD it is a disaster. Lionsgate should chastised for failing to use this bluray as an opportunity to present this movie as it should have been.

If you take a look at the deleted scenes, you will see how good the transfer could have been. These are much better than the movie itself as the intense video processing to remove grain hasnt been done.

Liongate, You wrecked this movie and are now on my watch list for future transfers which I have to investigate closely before spending my money on your product. You should be ashamed.

On an up side note. The Audio quality is excellent with the PCM sound track.

It worked first time in my Samsung 1200 Bluray player.

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Carmen (1984)

Much has been written in these reviews regarding the great performances and fine quality of filmmaking in Francesco Rosi's film of Carmen. Here I am only going to comment on the new Blu-Ray edition.

The Olive Films Blu-Ray disc of the 1984 film of Bizet's Carmen, featuring Julia Migenes and Placido Domingo, arrived today. I just finished watching it, then compared it to the Columbia-TriStar DVD version.

Columbia's DVD had virtually no extras, just a couple of theatrical trailers, one being for this production of Carmen. It did have a choice of subtitles: English, Spanish, French, or none. It also had 24 scene chapters.

The new Blu-Ray disc form Olive has a magnificent picture with great detail and the stereo soundtrack is wonderful. But it has absolutely no extras, just the film. The English subtitles are permanently on, as though it was like an old videotape where you cannot switch the subtitles on or off. There are no other choices no Spanish or French titles, just English, British English it seems to this Yank, with spellings and phrases I am familiar with from watching BBC shows.(The "passers-by" are translated as "a rum bunch".) The scene chapters are also reduced to only 8, which makes it a bit tricky to find certain arias or music without having to shuttle the FWD-REV keys, again like the old tapes.

I have no regrets in getting the Blu-Ray because of the outstanding high-def picture and sound, and I do need the Engish subs, even if I can't turn them off to practice my French. I just wish they could have provided a better overall product with at least as many chapters, at least as many subtitle languages (including "none"), and at least an extra or two, like Columbia did with the DVD.

By the way, the Columbia DVD said the image was "presented in the originally filmed aspect ratio of 1.66:1" The new Blu-Ray says it is in 1.85:1. I looked for some corner details in the projected images of both versions, but they appear to be almost identical. My old VHS of Carmen is full frame and actually shows more picture information above and below the same picture on disc versions, indicating to me it must have been shot in 1.33:1. The IMDB lists 1.75:1 for camera, and the 70mm blowups as 2.20:1.

This film production of Bizet's Carmen, shot on location in southern Spain, is magnificent. The singing and acting are first rate, as are the sound and picture quality of the DVD. Carmen, like Don Giovanni, is a complex, multi-faceted character that can be played a variety of ways. Julia Migenes portrays Carmen with raw sensuality, and it works, as we see her opposite, Don Jose (performed brilliantly by Placido Domingo), unable to escape her womanly powers. The film uses dialogue rather than recitatives, as that is what Bizet intended--Carmen is an opera comique, which means that spoken dialogue (not recitatives) are employed between the singing. The dialogue definitely heightens the drama of Carmen, and it was only after Bizet's death that sung recitatives were unfortunately used in in this opera. Because this is a film version of Carmen, there are many creative and symbolic options that couldn't be done in the opera house. The use of a live bull in the ring is extemely effective, and it is the first image we see in this film. We see how beautiful and noble the bull is, how strong and free spirited he is. This powerful and tragic image will stay with us throughout the film. The use of such symbolism allows us ultimately to compare Carmen to the brave bull who would rather die than surrender its freedom, while don Jose is the bullfighter who must kill the object he lives for and loves most. There is real frisson between Domingo and Migenes as they heat up the screen--Domingo gives an amazing performance of don Jose's gradual fall and ultimate self-destruction. There are no disappointments in the entire cast. The final act is most effective as don Jose essentially is transformed into the matador while Carmen represents the courageous bull--refusing to back down, she must die, just as the bull must be sacrificed in the ring. While they are performing their "dance of death" we are shown clips of Carmen's new lover, a matador, in the ring facing a real bull--this is a powerful juxtaposition that could obviously only be done on film. This is a striking film, one that captures the very essence of Carmen and her world, and it only gets better with repeated viewings.

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I've watched this version of Carmen several times and like it more and more each viewing.

This is the first opera I've watched as a movie and the effect is certainly different than before a live audience. I don't think any movie can compare to having the performance done in the intimate setting of an opera house: and this is the reason it took me a while to appreciate this work. Having said that, this production does please the visual and auditory senses. The scenes are beautiful with a pastel quality to them: just enough color for warmth and atmosphere to complement the locations. Some of the views are panoramic while others a close-up.

The roles of Carmen and Don Jose are done by Julia Migenes -Johnson and Placido Domingo respectively. It is hard to imagine two better people for the leads.

Although Julia Migenes-Johnson has a wonderful husky voice that complements her part, it is her acting that is truly outstanding. Swiveling hips, swishing raised skirts, ringlet hair and the look that absolutely makes her the genuine temptress and seductress that her part calls for. How could poor Don Jose not fall for her?

Placido Domingo's interpretation of Don Jose is stellar. Handsome with a voice to die for! Watching his downward spiral as his relationship with Carmen deteriorates is, from a male perspective, hard to watch. The begging and pleading are heart wrenching and you cannot help feel sorry for Don Jose while at the same time wishing he would stand up for himself.

My two favorite scenes are the beautifully choreographed and sung "Habanera" and the finale "It's you! It's me!"

All in all a wonderful production of Bizet's Carmen in movie form. Highly recommended if you don't mind losing the stage effect of a live production

Read Best Reviews of Carmen (1984) Here

Julia Migenes-Johnson is the most wanton, flirtatious, outright outrageously sexual Carmen I have ever seen, or listened to, in Francesco Rosi's lush 1984 film adaptation of Georges Bizet's opera, "Carmen," filmed on location in Andalusia. The casting of the fiery femme fatale is essential to the success of the opera, because the diva must be able to project femininity, defiance and sensuality, as well as a phenomenal mezzo-soprano voice in order to be believable. After training for ten months to adapt her natural soprano to the mezzo range, Ms. Migenes-Johnson brings Carmen to life in a manner which I have never seen. Opera purists may quibble because she was cast in a mezzo role but why not, if she can sing the part? And her singing and acting are exciting...brilliant, actually! She really makes one understand the tremendous erotic attraction between Carmen and Don Jose, and why the honorable soldier fell so tragically in love with her.

Italian tenor, Placido Domingo, excels as Don Jose, the sincere army corporal who becomes obsessed with love for the feckless gypsy woman. Domingo's voice is in top form here, and he is convincing and absolutely dashing, in what I believe is his finest screen performance. The supporting cast is superb especially bass Ruggero Raimondi, who plays suave Escamillo, the toréador who competes for Carmen's affections; and Faith Esham, as Micaëla, Don José's lovely and loyal hometown sweetheart. Those who act the parts of Spanish peasants and gypsies, really add to the illusion of reality. The music, performed by the Orchestre National de France, conducted by Lorin Maazel, is first rate, of course.

This famous nineteenth-century opera was originally based upon a novella by Prosper Mérimée. The story is about a poor and honest soldier who is seduced by a sensuous gypsy. His love for her becomes his eventual downfall when she abandons him for a lauded toreador. The opera was looked upon as scandalous, tres risque, for the period. When it premiered, it was called "sordid" and "unmelodic."

"Bizet's Carmen," (as this film is titled in the US), is first and foremost an opera film and so much more than a live recording of a static stage performance. This highly energetic production was shot almost entirely in southern Spain. The real sceneries, (no artificial stage sets), are shot outdoors and feature beautiful pastoral landscapes, as well as those drenched by the southern sun, the bull fight arena, and colorful gypsy camps, lending an extraordinarily rich and open atmosphere to the movie. Pasqualino De Santis' cinematography captures the settings perfectly and his opening shots of the bull fight are exquisite and powerful. Also, Bizet's original dialogue is used, as he meant it to be, (and is well translated with English subtitles), which makes the opera more accessible to audiences. For a period, after Bizet's death, recitatives were written and commonly used in the opera's performances rather than dialogue.

One does not need to be an opera aficionado to appreciate this compelling film and become caught up in the drama and the glorious music. This is one of the first operas I watched all the way through, and I found myself riveted to the screen. I became motivated to explore other operas after enjoying this one so much, and bought the VHS tape back in the mid-1980's. I recently purchased the DVD. The only extras are two trailers. The first is of "Carmen" and the second, "The Dream Life of Angels," which is an excellent film, but I don't understand its relevance here. I'm not complaining, mind you.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough. The performances are outstanding and extremely realistic. This is a work of art to be enjoyed by the novice and opera connoisseur alike.

JANA

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This production of Carmen is superlative by any measure. The casting is perfect, with all characters entirely believable in their roles. Julia Migenes is an excellent vocalist whose lovely singing voice is packaged with a first-rate acting and dancing ability. She truly brought Carmen to life in a way that the typical stage production cannot. Her attention to details such as gestures and eye movements were astounding throughout the production. I am amazed that she has not been more visible since this film because she is a real treasure. The quality of acting and singing by all of the characters, even the secondary ones such as the soldiers, the bandits, and Carmen's gypsy friends, was excellent with all players entirely credible in their roles. Ruggero Raimondi is perfect as Escamillo and of course Placido Domingo may be the best Don Jose ever. Faith Esham is a lovely Michaela with a wonderful voice more than equal to her part.

And the scenery! Ravishing. No stage production can ever transport one to Andalusian Spain like this film. Beautifully photographed with the scenes and action perfectly coordinated with the flow of the music.

Are there faults with this production? Yes. The greatest is that the charming trio and chorus "Quant au douanier," has been excised from the 3rd act. M. Bizet I am sure would not approve of that. The disc tracks are often inconvenient. For example, one cannot cue to the beginning of the 4th act, one must cue to the fight scene in the third act and fast forward. Occasionally stage direction is sacrificed to the director's vision as at the end of act 2 when the bandits are singing to the lieutenant to move along "sans vous faire prier" all the while tying him up in a chair. I always love the pomp and circumstance of the parade in act 4 but in this version the picadors, matadors, etc. simply pull up to the bullring in carriages and walk in the door. A bit disappointing.

That said, it all amounts to nitpicking when taking the grand view. This production brings a new standard of realism and depth of emotion to Carmen, which I hold to be the most beautiful of operas. If you love Bizet's masterpiece, you will certainly treasure this presentation, and Leonard Maltkin should stick to reviewing Jim Carrey flicks, because he is way off on this one.

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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star trek III is widely considered to be an infinitely inferior sequel to The Wrath of Khan, yet is in fact a more complex film and has a much more difficult task set in front of it. Although not perfect, it is an engaging story filled with a number of excellent reversals and has some of Shatner's best acting.

Montalban is the absolute driving force in Star Trek II and much of that film relies on this fact. Christopher Lloyd does a fine job as a merciless Klingon, yet it is up to Shatner to carry this film. And he does an great job. His stealing of the Enterprise gives Kirk back the initiative in the entire series, and is one of the all-time great moments for the original cast. Why this sequence, and so many others, is not given more credit is beyond me. One gripe: As usual, Kirk gets a LOT of screen time, cut-aways shots etc. at the expense of the other cast members.

Mired in some necessary exposition, The Search for Spock effectively navigates its way through Klingons, Vulcans, the tragic genesis project, Starfleet regulations... no easy task. The finale is lovingly presented, and tests the depths of not only the crews's emotions but that of the audience and fans. Nimoy did a fine job with this film, and it led the way to the unprecedented Star Trek IV.

Star Trek III The Search for Spock is a wonderful, middle movie to the more or less trilogy of II, III and IV. I was a little disappointed that Kirstie Allie couldn't pick up where she left off in the role of Saavik. Robin Curtis does do a very good job though. Christopher Lloyds Klingon Commander is absolutely Klingon through and through. All of the original cast members are true to their characters. Overall, Star Trek III is not the best of the original six, but it's most certainly not the worst either. A wonderful story that, like all the rest, I've watched more times than I can remember.

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Though lacking the philosophical depth of The Motion Picture, and the heart-pounding action of The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ultimately succeeds because it's primarily a character driven story, which recalls the best episodes of the original series. Spock's resurrection is handled convincingly--no magical regeneration with a shiny blue animated line here. In all aspects, Leonard Nimoy does a fine job in his directorial debut--he can clearly handle a camera and brings forth strong performances from his actors. Robin Curtis more than holds her own in the role of Lt. Saavik, originally portrayed by Kirstie Alley. The consistently underrated William Shatner shines here, giving a performance which is by turns somber and impassioned. DeForest Kelley also deserves praise as the Spock-possessed McCoy.

Most of the special effects have held up well over the years, and the few that haven't are not overly distracting. Star Trek has never been beholden to special effects, but has generally relied upon character development and story--and this emphasis has served it well over the years.

The picture is identical to the first DVD issue, which improved on both the VHS and Laser Disc issues--the colors are more vibrant and crisper. The sound also has more impact than the earlier versions.

This is one of the few films where the theatrical cut WAS the director's cut, so there are no added scenes here. The commentary by Nimoy and the rest is interesting and informative, as is Michael Okuda's text commentary. The cast interviews, as always, are entertaining, although I would have liked to have heard more of what REALLY happened during the infamous 1983 fire at Paramount studios. Less entertaining are the featurettes on terraforming, the Klingon language, and the visual effects, which contain almost no behind the scenes footage.

Read Best Reviews of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) Here

In the footsteps of "The Wrath of Khan" Director's Edition DVD comes the Special Collector's Edition of "The Search For Spock", in my opinion the best Star Trek movie of all. The writers held nothing back, giving us an ingenius way of bringing Spock back. Though definitely no among the most exciting of the series, it does the best job by far of illustrating the eternal friendship of the Enterprise crew.

It also sprouts first-rate preformances, notably Christopher Lloyd as Commander Kruge, who perfectly personifies the ultimate Klingon. Robin Curtis, replacing Kirstie Alley as Saavik, makes a more traditional Vulcan, showing hardly any emotion whatsoever (the way Vulcans are supposed to). The entire Enterprise crew is in top form. And, of course, Spock; Leonard Nimoy's screen time, no matter how limited (only a couple of minutes), makes you want to stand up and cheer.

The special effects more than match up to (and at times surpass) those of "The Wrath of Khan". And James Horner once again engorges himself, providing a haunting and incredibly beautiful score that perfectly captures the sense of Vulcan mysticism (as well as everything else in the movie). All of which is displayed very nicely on the DVD.

I've been waiting for this new two-disc DVD for well over two months, but it was worth the wait. The picture quality is nothing short of spectacular. The cast and crew interviews are once again very interesting and funny (William Shatner is utterly hillarious). I have not yet seen the "Terraforming & The Prime Directive" or "Star Trek Universe" documentaries, but you can bet your *** that I will.

Now I just can't wait for the two-disc edition of "The Voyage Home" to be released. If it's half as good as the Special Collector's Edition of "The Search For Spock", I'll gladly pay my money for it!

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If anyone is wondering where the Klingons of the later Star Trek movies and television series' came from, this is it. Christopher Lloyd's "Kruge" is the defining character after which all the later ones were patterned.

This movie also dramatically introduces the much used Klingon Bird-of-Prey that turns up frequently in later movies and on TV.

In my opinion, this is the best movie after "The Wrath of Khan" and keeps the drama and action moving quickly along.

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