First Knight / A Knight's Tale (2010)

Excellent value considering it was an after thought. Two quality movies on blu ray at such a bargain price how could can I go wrong. That was my reason for the impulse purchase, and I couldn't be happier. Keep it up, the more specials like this the better. Thanks again.

We love this movie it has so many really funny aspects to it!

If you haven't seen it you are missing out!

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This combo was a gift for Christmas. Pleased with the quality of items, the shipment time and packaging. Will use this service again when the need comes.

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needed to upgrade to digital format from video of our families old time favorites! Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger is brilliant for laughter.

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This combination pack contains my favorite movie of all time, A Knight's Tale, and First Knight, a decent though not great King Arthur movie.

I will comment simply on the quality and the extras, as you either like the movies or you do not.

The video and audio quality is excellent and pulls you into each film. These are not at the same level as newer movies will be in this area (audio tracks are 5.1 instead of 7.1 and are in older formats), but you will not care as these movies were not about bleeding edge technology even when they were released.

Having said that, my only gripe with these Blu-Ray releases are the lack of extras on the discs themselves. I have not owned First Knight previously, however A Knight's Tale on DVD had a number of extras including a stellar director's+cast commentary that was hilarious, deleted scenes that added to the film, and other extras that added value for true fans of the film.

Because of that, and the lack of extras on First Knight as well, I will dock a single star, as with how much data Blu-Ray discs can hold, it isn't unreasonable to ask for the director's commentary to be present at minimum, even if it has to be compressed a tiny bit to fit. Truly in the majority of cases, all extras from a DVD version should fit on a Blu-Ray version.

I do not regret this purchase in the slightest, despite my small griping. These movies have never looked or sounded better, and that is what is most important.

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NEW C.r.a.z.y. - C.r.a.z.y. (blu-ray) (Blu-ray)

I had the pleasure of seeing this award-winning French Canadian film at the 2005 Toronto Film Fest. I would dearly like to see it again -even at the exorbitant price of $45 -but I have to refrain for the time being. The reason: the details don't specify whether or not this film has ENGLISH SUBTITLES, and I strongly suspect that it DOESN'T. (It's been my experience with Quebec DVD films in the past that if they don't specifically MENTION subtitles, there ARE no subtitles.) I've inquired about this to Amazon, but have not received the courtesy of a reply yet. So, much as I would like to recommend that you check out this amazing character-driven film right away, I can only suggest that you hold off for the time being, until the issue is cleared up. (Unless you SPEAK French, of course ... then go for it!)

* Update: Thanks to another Amazon user, I found out that the DVD was available from an alternate source for a lot less money and definitely DID have English subtitles. I strongly believe that it's the same version that Amazon is offering. Why they refuse to update the details is a mystery, but you can now consider it safe to purchase if you don't speak French.

I rarely review items on Amazon, but I just saw this film and believe it deserves far more attention than it is getting in the U.S. If you like movies about people, family, and relationships and don't like Hollywood's oversimplified characters and facile plots, this film is for you.

The story in a nutshell: lower middle class parents raise 5 sons in suburban Montreal from 1960 to the present. There are 2 main themes: the father's relationships with his sons, and the struggle of one of the sons to reconcile his identity with his parents' expectations.

While I was watching this film, I kept waiting for one of the usual missteps: a character simplified to keep the story moving, an action or phrase that isn't genuine, an actor briefly stepping out of character. It didn't happen! This 2 hour movie was flawless in how it portrayed this family and the times they lived in. But don't get the idea this is some french version of Forest Gump. This movie encapsulates a time and place by focusing on the individuals and letting their unique lives tell the story of the generation.

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the superb acting from this cast you've probable never heard of (I sure hadn't). If this film was in english the actor playing the father would be a slamdunk for the best supporting actor Oscar. The portrayals of the mother, the eldest son as an adult, and all the sons as children were superb. Finally, I would call the lead character's performance a Tour de Force if it weren't for the fact that this somehow implies it was overdone. It wasn't it was just perfect!

A word of warning. These characters speak Quebecois. Don't expect your high school french or even your college french/english dictionary to let understand the dialogue without subtitles. This is a shame because the color imparted by language is part of the story, especially the French Canadian swear words based on the Catholic liturgy.

Go out of your way to see this film. It's a gem.

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It's already Canada's official entry at the Oscars and has been distributed in 50 countries. It also boasts one of the most enthusiastic ratings response on the IMDb () and it's just been made available on DVD on Amazon. See:

It's a coming-of-age story set in Quebec in the 60's, 70's and 80's in a suburban family of five boys. It's been variously acclaimed as the "Best Canadian Film ever" and the "Best Quebec Film of the past 20 years", which is not surprising as the best Canadian films are almost invariably from Québec.

I personally think it deserves all the accolades. On top of good acting, a gripping story, gut-wrenching situations, a wonderful recreation of the era, and a very real Québec atmosphere, it offers visual explosions of pure cinematic genius. It it doesn't get the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar let alone the nominationthere is something seriously wrong with America!

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C.R.A.Z.Y. is a rare film. Wonderful, comic, beautiful, poetic, tragic, and moreit effectively captures the cultural norms and social atmosphere of Montreal in the late 70s. More importantly, it tells the story of a suburban, working class family and their confrontation with the most formidable of challenges that could threaten any family's stability.

Brutally honest, morally visceral, and cleverly presented, C.R.A.Z.Y. will alter the meaning of the word, permanently, for anyone who is willing to accept that the most important foundations of family are love and acceptance.

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This could be the best foreign film and for my money one of the best films at the 2005 Oscars.

My wife and I still talk about the film. It is a story about a Quebec family (French) with the focus on the coming of age/coming out story of one of 5 boys. Well done and sensitive, it follows the boy from birth to middle age providing a real insight into what it was like for this person discovering his homosexuality. While the story focuses on his relationship with his father, his mother's role is priceless and the music was exceptional.

A French Canadian masterpiece.

Mars Needs Moms (Two-Disc Blu-ray / DVD Combo) (2011)

I believe that the critics were all wrong about "Mars Needs Moms". My four year old granddaughter and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was cute, colorful, funny, and very entertaining. We both smiled and laughed all the way through. Plus the main characters were warm, loyal, resourceful, and caring--good role models for the little ones. I intend to buy it as soon as it comes out in DVD so that my granddaughter and I can enjoy it all over again!

We all know how well Mars Needs Moms did at the box office. Sometimes, I think you really need to send in a kid to do a kids' job particularly in reviewing a movie made for kids. Adults just don't get it. Here are video reviews by 2 of our 8 -year-old youth film critics reviews and, believe me, they loved it!

The DVD comes out this week so don't pass it by, give it the good old family try.

"This movie is out of this world literally, because it takes place on Mars, A.K.A The Red Planet. The movie is about a little boy named Milo voiced by Seth Dusky, who says some pretty mean things to his mom. Before he has a chance to apologize, she is Martian-napped and taken to Mars. He has 6.93 earth hours until sun rise to save her. Does he make it in time!

My favorite part is when Gribble, voiced by Dan Fogler, saves Milo's mom with the helmet that was meant for his mom. I thought that was very thoughtful. My favorite characters are Gribble, because he's just simply Gribbletastic. Ki, because she helps Milo, and she does something that no other Martain has ever done. She stands up to the supervisor. Head of all Martians, Milo, because he realizes that he needs his mom and is determined to do whatever he needs to save her.

I rate this movie 4 out of 5 stars because the Martains are a little scary, especially the supervisor. So for this reason I recommend this movie to kids ages 7 and up." Reviewed by Ny'Asia Bell, age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

"I just finished watching an excellent movie called "Mars Needs Moms." The movie is about a boy named Milo who goes on a big adventure to help save his mom from aliens. The aliens that live on Mars are not very good mothers so they look to Earth to find good mothers to steal.

My favorite characters are Milo, Milo's mom, and Gribble. I liked Gribble because he helped Milo get his mother back and he helps Milo to see how important his mother truly is. My favorite part of the movie is when Milo has to save his new friend Gribble from the aliens. Gribble gets captured and the aliens are going to shoot him. Milo swings in to save the day and it is awesome.

This movie does have some characters that are bad and try to stop Milo from saving his mom. The aliens in the uniforms are bad because they listen to the Supervisor. The Supervisor controls everyone and wants everyone to do what she says.

I would recommend this movie for ages three and up. I think depending on what age you are is how you will see this movie. For example, my brother is 5 and he didn't think the movie was scary at all. I am 8 and I found the movie to be a little scary because it made me think about how sad I would be if I lost my own mother. But don't worry everything turns out ok in the end! Go out and buy this movie when it comes out on Disney DVD and Blu Ray.

Reviewed by Anthony A, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

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I'm giving this movie a full five stars right off the bat because when my 5 year old daughter and I saw Mars Needs Moms in a completely empty theater on opening weekend, I cried my eyes out at the ending. No, this movie is NOT a dedicated version of the Mars Needs Mom storybook; nor was it a B-grade movie in the style of the sci-fi classics Mars Attacks! and Mars Needs Women. However, it isn't the utter travesty critics and nay-sayers claim it is.

Once you get over the 'weird' CGI images of the actors, and you ignore the blatant ploy to make this a hit with the 8-year-old-boy crowd, you can't help but really appreciate the details in the landscape and backgrounds (the Red Planet, the garbage 'under world', the otherworld beauty of Ki and the Martians, etc.). And the story itself really resonates with all ages courage when everything else seems lost, the support of friends, even hunger for political power, and the love between a mother and child. Yes, this movie could have been much better (by Disney standards); on the other hand, it could have been MUCH much worse if released by another studio.

No matter what your opinions of Robert Zemeckis' work, Mars Needs Moms deserves at least one viewing before you make your final judgement.

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"Mars Needs Moms" relates the adventures of Milo, a boy who seeks to rescue his kidnapped mother from Martians . Based on a children's book by the famous comic strip author Berkeley Breathed, this animated film, while uneven in certain respects, excels in its depiction of sacrificial family love. Milo is truly heroic in his single-minded determination to free his mother despite insurmountable odds and even a powerful temptation to give up. I also found the Martian settings to be artistically imaginative, fascinating, and impressive.

The film's portrayal of the relationship between an American mother and her son was not only realistic but profoundly moving. Young Milo attempts to deceive his mother. Like all good mothers, she catches him out and holds him accountable. Like all disobedient children (which covers most of the human race at one time or another), Milo angrily lashes out at her. In a moment that rings true with my own childhood and with our own children on occasion, Milo's mother is reduced to tears by her son's cruel words. Milo tries to go to sleep but the guilt over his response to his mother troubles him. He gets up to apologize, only to discover that he is, in one sense, too late. His mother has disappeared. In another sense, he arrives in the nick of time, just able to follow after the strange beings who have kidnapped his mother. Love for his mother stoked by his remorse for his meanness fuel an unquenchable determination in Milo to rescue her. Within a fast-paced, wildly fantastic and carelessly implausible animated movie, this true-to-life family relationship comes as somewhat of a surprise. But the film succeeds brilliantly because the filmmakers remain true throughout to the theme of love between a mother and son.

Milo's mother has been kidnapped by a radical feminist Martian society that has all but destroyed maternal love in its elevation of power and technological progress. The Martians abandon their males at their planetary dump and leave their females to be raised by robot nursemaids. But little ones, even in a twisted society, need more than a robot to be cared for properly. Presumably unable and/or unwilling to provide quality maternal nature themselves, the Martian supervisors spy out likely outstanding mothers on planet Earth and kidnap the best candidates in an evil plan to enrich the maternal behavior of the robots.

In his quest, Milo meets Gribble, a fellow human stranded on Mars with his own tragic story and Ki, the Martian who has rebelled against the oppressive Martian society. The events that bring Milo and his new friends to the film's final climax uncover Mars' own dark secrets about motherhood and the family.

It is unfortunate that "Mars Needs Moms" was a dismal flop at the box office. The film's odd mix of a relatively serious theme in a wacky action-adventure animation vehicle may have hurt its reach. Some may have been repelled by its central theme of the importance of motherhood and the natural family. Surveys at a leading film website indicate that this film splits its audience, with people either loving or hating "Mars Needs Moms," with relatively few in between. Such a divergence indicates that people's fundamental views on life dictated their response to the film, not less weighty matters such as the animation style, humor, music, or plot devices.

It is my hope that the mostly brilliant folks at Disney made a few marketing errors and missed their target audience. If you believe that the natural human family is a fundamental, even divinely ordained social unit with motherhood being one of its key components, please give this film and the dvd a chance. You may find yourself not only entertained, but surprisingly moved.

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This movie held the interest of my elementary age students. Late elementary children and older may not enjoy this film as much (my older child refused to watch it at all.) The film had a great message about appreciating your mom and all she does for you. We have been having an issue lately with a case of the "I wants" and not wanting to follow directions as the holiday season approaches. This was a great way to remind the boys to behave without having to nag them. It was funny and heart-felt. The graphics were good and the target audience was children. I gave it four-stars instead of five on advice of the children as it left out the importance of Dads. The boys felt it should have taught more about appreciating both parents.

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Special Forces (2011)

Good military thrillers are hard-to-find, and that's probably because the field of cinema has long cultivated lesser soldier pictures masquerading as something bigger or grander than what they truly are. For example, a reviewer for the Hollywood Reporter draws a light comparison to the Rambo films ("a body count that rivals any of the Rambo films"), and, to be honest, I think that does a disservice to SPECIAL FORCES as well as it does Rambo. Rambo is clearly a fictional creation; sure, he's entertaining and a crowd-pleaser, but the men who make up true-life Special Forces teams have very little in common with and how Rambo goes about his job. Rambo is bigger-than-life. He's over-the-top. Real soldiers lie low much of the time, and they only rush into combat when either ordered or find it absolutely necessary.

It's a fine-line distinction, but it's one that should be made when discussing competent military thrillers like SPECIAL FORCES.

(NOTE: The following review may contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and character. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come,' then read on ...)

Elsa Casanova (played by the lovely Diane Kruger) is a war correspondent caught behind enemy lines in Afghanistan when she's taken hostage over some very unflattering pieces involving a local Taliban chieftain. Her captors take her deep into their Pakistan-stronghold, and the French call in a squad of Special Forces led by Kovax (Djimon Hounsou) to rescue her. A botched helicopter extraction leaves her and the soldiers with only one grim option: to brave this wild frontier on foot, trek across the mountains, and hope for friendly aide in Afghanistan!

To its credit, SPECIAL FORCES is a smartly made military thriller. There's a political undercurrent, as well, that for the most part supports the primary plot of good soldiers doing a dirty job, but the politics of the film put so much of the story in jeopardy. For example, the Taliban chieftain would appear to be exactly what the Taliban would want from a leader (he's ruthless, forcing Elsa to watch helplessly while they strangle a man to death in front of her), but we quickly learn that the man lacks the respect of the local Taliban elders. There's an interesting parallel running through the motion picture about how the press apparently doesn't respect the French government or its military, but, in the end, we pretty much find out that it's all been done for the sake of `character development.' Unfortunately, there's no way to make sense of what director Stephane Rybojad was trying to saw about the world and these people, but I've no doubt Stephane thought it was all pretty high-brow.

Those quibbles aside, a large portion of the rest of SPECIAL FORCES is extremely well shot, expertly choreographed, and quite thrilling. The rescue goes mostly textbook, but the extraction leaves these folks stranded behind enemy lines and needing to salvage a botched operation. As soldiers would, they comprise their own `game plan,' which leads to some solid action for fans of this genre. The last quarter (or so) of the film veers into some pretty dire circumstances for all involved, and, while I'd no doubt this is the story Rybojad wanted to tell, it's all pretty downright depressing for my tastes. Kudos for opting for realism, but, if it's realism you want, then I'd seriously question the logic of the skinny blonde waif with no body fat lasting as long as she did.

SPECIAL FORCES is produced by Easy Company, Studio Canal, Canal+, TPS Star, Banque Postale Image 4, A Plus Image 2, and Sofica Manon. DVD distribution is being handled through Entertainment One (E One). For those who might be wondering, this is `technically' listed as a French-language film which is a bit of a misnomer: yes, there's a wealth of French spoken in there, but there's an awful lot of English, as well. There is an English-dubbing track (2.0 only) available, if you don't want any French; I watched it in French with sub-titles, and I was surprised how much English there was. As for the technical specifications, it looks and sounds magnificent very clear and crisp images, excellent sound mix, and there's some wonderful John-Ford-esque vistas throughout the film. As for the special features, there's a handful of deleted scenes (nothing grand) and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it three minutes feature on a real-life Special Forces soldier who participated briefly as a character in the film. (My press materials indicates that the Blu-ray release includes an additional `making of' featurette.)

RECOMMENDED. Look, I love my patriotism just as much as the next patriot, but SPECIAL FORCES ain't no recruiting video for the French that's for sure. Also, it ain't any work any miracles for Pakistan's tourism business. It's a well-made, well-constructed military/political thriller for about 80% of the time, which ain't bad. However, its politics are all over the map (Are the Taliban bad guys? Are they good guys? Are they just misunderstood? Or is it the press who are our bad guys?), and the lack of a coherent message (not the story, which is all well and good) slows the picture down a bit. It's full of good performances and some very curious editing (way too many meaningless dissolves), but the script could've used a rescue mission itself in the last 30 minutes.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Entertainment One (E One) provided me with a DVD screener copy of SPECIAL FORCES for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

As I sat down to watch the French film "Special Forces," I was poised to enjoy a complex story of tactical operations and international politics. And in the opening scenes, that's just what the movie seemed on the precipice of serving up. However, as the primary story line came into focus, it was clear that "Special Forces" really wasn't about an elite military squad in anything other than title. We see a couple of missions, but nothing of any real strategy is presented. I would have enjoyed these scenes a lot more if the screenplay had delineated just what made this squad so spectacular from a technical, intelligence, or stealth point of view. But as I said, this action endeavor isn't really about a special forces team per se. It is rescue picture. If you remember the tag line for Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan," it stated that "the mission was a man." Here, the only objective is the rescue of a woman who happens to be a French war correspondent. In other words, the mission was a woman.

The terrific Diane Kruger (generally underrated) seems a bit out of place as the central character. A seasoned news vet, she attracts the attention of local Taliban leaders in Afghanistan as she pursues a very personal story. Soon, she is abducted by the subject of her story (Raz Degan) and put in harm's way. This rallies the French government (we're not given too much detail behind her import) to enact a daring rescue attempt at any cost. That's when our group of heroes (led by Djimon Hounsou) arrive on scene and get her out within a couple of minutes. No big deal. The rest of the movie plays as an extended chase through the desolate country as the squad and Kruger try to evade capture and death. Along the way, we'll learn a bit about all of them, but the harrowing journey will surely promise a death toll. Who will make it out alive, if anyone? That is the central question as Degan's men are relentless.

Much of "Special Forces" works better on a visceral level than on an intellectual one. The film's screenplay makes some dubious choices to enhance your emotional commitment to the material. The Taliban are faceless enemies represented solely by Degan. It seems surprising how personally invested in the pursuit he is, but the filmmaker is convinced the audience needs a big final confrontation with the symbolic face of evil. The men form a grudging respect for Kruger as well, but she never plays an active role in her own survival. As people are being brutally annihilated, they think she's a trooper for walking on battered feet. She never takes up a weapon and ends up being carried. She never comes across as heroic to me. And let's not get started on an ill-advised romantic connection. "Special Forces" was designed to be an epic and devastating war story. And some of it works, it's hard not to be swept up into the nightmare. The cast is strong but, in the end, too many false moments hamper a story that should have been absolutely unforgettable. Not a bad movie, but had so much more potential. About 3 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 2/13.

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Talk about a surprise. Amazing movie!!! Cinematography and acting, all top notch. Ok, I admit...the storyline has sort of been done before but, how could anybody bash a movie that is ultimately meant to honor fallen soldiers? Bottom line you can't (or at the very least, show respect). Thank You.

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As I sat down to watch the French film "Special Forces," I was poised to enjoy a complex story of tactical operations and international politics. And in the opening scenes, that's just what the movie seemed on the precipice of serving up. However, as the primary story line came into focus, it was clear that "Special Forces" really wasn't about an elite military squad in anything other than title. We see a couple of missions, but nothing of any real strategy is presented. I would have enjoyed these scenes a lot more if the screenplay had delineated just what made this squad so spectacular from a technical, intelligence, or stealth point of view. But as I said, this action endeavor isn't really about a special forces team per se. It is rescue picture. If you remember the tag line for Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan," it stated that "the mission was a man." Here, the only objective is the rescue of a woman who happens to be a French war correspondent. In other words, the mission was a woman.

The terrific Diane Kruger (generally underrated) seems a bit out of place as the central character. A seasoned news vet, she attracts the attention of local Taliban leaders in Afghanistan as she pursues a very personal story. Soon, she is abducted by the subject of her story (Raz Degan) and put in harm's way. This rallies the French government (we're not given too much detail behind her import) to enact a daring rescue attempt at any cost. That's when our group of heroes (led by Djimon Hounsou) arrive on scene and get her out within a couple of minutes. No big deal. The rest of the movie plays as an extended chase through the desolate country as the squad and Kruger try to evade capture and death. Along the way, we'll learn a bit about all of them, but the harrowing journey will surely promise a death toll. Who will make it out alive, if anyone? That is the central question as Degan's men are relentless.

Much of "Special Forces" works better on a visceral level than on an intellectual one. The film's screenplay makes some dubious choices to enhance your emotional commitment to the material. The Taliban are faceless enemies represented solely by Degan. It seems surprising how personally invested in the pursuit he is, but the filmmaker is convinced the audience needs a big final confrontation with the symbolic face of evil. The men form a grudging respect for Kruger as well, but she never plays an active role in her own survival. As people are being brutally annihilated, they think she's a trooper for walking on battered feet. She never takes up a weapon and ends up being carried. She never comes across as heroic to me. And let's not get started on an ill-advised romantic connection. "Special Forces" was designed to be an epic and devastating war story. And some of it works, it's hard not to be swept up into the nightmare. The cast is strong but, in the end, too many false moments hamper a story that should have been absolutely unforgettable. Not a bad movie, but had so much more potential. About 3 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 2/13.

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An article is written by a French journalist named Elsa (Diane Kruger) with the intention of exposing the Pakistani warlord named Zaief (Raz Degan) for what he really is. Seeking retribution for being called "the butcher of Kabul," Zaief captures Elsa and her friend Amen (Mehdi Nebbou) and holds them both hostage. A French Special Forces team lead by Kovax (Djimon Hounsou) is sent in to rescue them, but when a stray bullet severs their only means of communication they find themselves journeying back to Afghanistan on foot.

The French war adventure film opens with what is quite possibly the most ridiculous music to try and accompany soldiers or a war. There are helicopters flying in the air, soldiers scouting out the landscape, and this extremely serious tone but it doesn't feel sincere because Big Audio Dynamite is blaring in the background. It just doesn't seem to fit the tone of the film at all. In the meantime, the rest of the score is completely generic. There's this guitar heavy piece that's used literally every five minutes or so. If the inadequate music wasn't enough, the film is edited like a bad music video with constant quick cuts, flashes of light, and even slow motion.

The first half of the film is nearly unbearable; there's no character development and these really lame attempts at humor. "We need to be set up at the landing site in an hour and a half." "Oh, no time to go shopping then?" It seems like "Special Forces" is just going through the motions at first. It's a rescue mission with no depth, but things begin to turn around once they reach the village. The action picks up and suddenly everyone realizes that, "Oh crap, we should actually be trying to invest in people's emotions here!"

Diane Kruger has the most draining performance. Elsa is put through hell and you can see the toll it takes on her both physically and emotionally. What's unfortunate about her is that she's so stubborn that it completely voids out rational thinking the majority of the time. She is given at least half a dozen signs and told just as often to leave the country, but decides to stay to try and protect her informer Maina (Morjana Alaoui) even though she never sees her after the opening scene. She's also given a gun by Lucas (Denis Menochet) and is told something along the lines of "just in case" and "you'll never know." Even when things go south, she's never seen using it. Instead she's given another gun later, which she also doesn't use. So Elsa can be a successful journalist and gain worldwide attention, but can't use basic logic even though her life in addition to eight others depends on it.

Djimon Hounsou has a really passionate performance, as well. He's so devoted to his mission and his men. Benoit Magimel as Tic-Tac is able to add some awkward charm. Raphael Personnaz is the biggest bad ass. The sniper exchange at the village is just insane. Raz Degan is fairly impressive as Zaief. While the character is pretty flat, it does seem like he does the best he can with what's in front of him. His cold eyes accompanied by his loathsome actions cause him to stand out in a sea of mediocrity.

"Special Forces" is incredibly similar to "Act of Valor" in story and tone. On the positive side, "Special Forces" doesn't feel as force fed as "Act of Valor" and has better, more emotionally charged performances in its second half. It could have been so much more though, especially if the first half of the film was written better and had more depth. You might actually care about the events that unfold in the process. "Special Forces" isn't very special at all. Predictable and run of the mill with terrible music and the most generic editing around, "Special Forces" feels like it lasts the 11 days it chronicles.

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The Punisher (2006)

And someone somewhere calls "The Punisher" a box-office failure, because it does not hit the number 1 spot, both Daredaevil and Hulk were #1 in the Box Office. I paraphrase Thomas Jane when I say that the film industry is in a sorry state if this is how we gauge a successful film...

I have been a Punisher fan since 1986 (thanks to my best friend Morris Koplow. Morris, if you read this, Thank you. I can never repay you for the enjoyment this Comic has brought me.).

After lagging book sales in Marvel's Punisher, Punisher: War Journal and Punisher: War Zone, executives at the comic powerhouse decide to follow a sad trend at the time and "redefine" the Punisher Character. Simply put, Marvel wrote Frank Castle into a depression and left him with no alternative but to end his own life, something DC did with it's own vigilante, creatively titled "Vigilante". The results was a rippling sense of betrayal for the fans, who felt that Castle was never written to be so weak as to suicide.

A few years later, Marvel breathed life into the Punisher through one of the classicly odd returns. Castle was resurrected by angels. This, too, did not fly (imagine a tank with little butterfly wings). Then Garth Ennis took over.

Ennis's work with the Punisher has brought back the grit and out and out nastiness that Frank Castle has always had. It was this work that the movie has been based on.

Yes, there has been "creative liberties" taken with "The Punisher", but they have been, for the most part, all for the better.

In the Comic, Castle loses his wife and two children to a mafia hit crew. While a justifiable reason to enter a world of vengence and punishment in comic books, film-goers wouldn't justify Castle waging a never-ending one man war on crime for that easily. Thus, wiping out his entire family was the key.

The Crime family (Make no mistake, Travolta and company were 100% unadulturated criminals, all businesses were fronts/laundering for their activities) in question certianly never appeared in any issue of the Punisher comic, but when the hero's "Rogue Gallery" is largely the cast of the Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, Resevior Dogs, etc, etc..., then a specific villian is not necessary, especially since most Punisher fans cannot name the Mafia Family that called the hit on Castle's family in the original comic. No, I don't remember who it was, either... The inclusion of "The Russian" was certainly a treat for any one who has read Ennis's "Welcome Back, Frank" and I hope that they can find a believable way to bring him back for the sequel (maybe get Nash some lessons in Russian and accents so we can get some of "The Russian's" fantastic dialogue).

Castle's Neighbors were taken DIRECTLY out of the Comic. Bumpo and Spacker Dave were near perfect castings and the only real difference with Joan in the film vs. the comic was that Rebecca Romijn-Stamos is more attractive, less mousey and attempted to be Castle's love interest. Like the comic, they proved that Castle was not completely devoid of humanity, nor unredeemable.

The Hero: Tortured, depressed and he enjoy's his Whiskey... Sounds about right for a man who just witnessed his entire family slaughtered and his wife and son run down by a pick-up truck loaded with "Goomba's". Thomas Jane's portrayal of Frank Castle is everything you expect it to be, if Castle was a real person driven to extremes. Jane captures to essentials of the character, and like Christopher Reeves, Ron Pearlman, Brandon Lee, Tobey Maguire and Hugh Jackman in their respective comic book films, molds the details to himself, making himself a living breathing Frank Castle. Jane is superb. He does what many thought was impossible, that being making himself into a live-action comic book character, without benefit of additional makeup or masks, and makes us believe that Frank Castle roamed the earth.

The Villian: Travolta is always a wonderful villian. Normal he "chews scenery" left and right and the audience is right with him. Not in "The Punisher". Travolta was still excellent and quite a urbane and sophistcated villian, but he was not the madman that most people expect from Travolta (IE: Face/Off and Broken Arrow). Will Patton was the "Mad Dog Villian" in "The Punisher" and while I would have preferred his end go differently, it was still satisfying to watch and his performance was certainly fun.

The action, overall, fed the story, as it should have. I personally would have liked to have seen a little more action from Castle, but I certainly wasn't disappointed in what I received. Many fans of the comics have commented that the violence in the film did not match that of the comic (the comic being more graphic). According to Thomas Jane, the plans for the second Punisher film will take the violence up a notch, almost as if (to my mind), that Frank Castle's morality was slipping away from him during the first film and the second will show the grotesque that Castle has become with the death of his family.

Overall, "The Punisher" 2004 film is as accurate and true to Punisher canon laid down by Marvel and Garth Ennis as Sam Rami's Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 films have been to the "Webbed Wall-Crawler's" own canon setup by Stan "The Man" Lee and Steve Ditko. I cannot recommend this film enough, especially to fans of Comics, High-Action films and "The Punisher" himself. It truly is under appreciated and one of the best and most accurate comic films ever.

I also have this movie both standard and now the blu-ray version I'm sure most people know about the storyline of this movie if not read the Amazon info about it an that is the jist of what the movie is about. I just want to say to people that if you already have the standard dvd version thats all you're going to need. The video and sound quality are not much better than what you got with the standard dvd since this is one of the earlier blu-rays to come out and they haven't fully mastered the video and audio yet you won't see any clearer or sharper details or better sound quality with this blu-ray version. So again if you have the standard dvd Punisher just keep that one and wait until they come out with a remastered blu-ray version or just pass this one up..

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In the world of super-heroes and evil villains, the Punisher rests squarely in that gray area between the two. He does exhibit a sense of justice akin to that of a hero, but he bears no remorse with regards to killing, as his wraith is only suffered by those who truly deserve, those who the law cannot, or will not touch. Revenge, justice, and retribution are his motivations, and he is judge, jury, and executioner. The Punisher (2004), directed and co-written by Jonathan Hensleigh, who also wrote Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) and Jumanji (1995), stars Thomas Jane, who bears a remarkable resemblance to actor Christopher (Highlander) Lambert, and who I've seen before, but couldn't place until I remembered him from the film Deep Blue Sea (1999), and John Travolta. Also appearing are Laura Herring, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos (does she still carry the Stamos since their divorce?) and Roy Scheider.

The film, based on a Marvel comic book of the same name, tells the story of FBI agent Frank Castle (Jane), an FBI agent, who, during a sting operation that results in the death of a suspect, finds himself at odds with a powerful crime family, lead by Howard Saint (Travolta), as, it turns out, the dead suspect was his son. In retaliation for his son's death, Saint orders a hit on Castle and his entire family, but Castle manages to survive, and, seeing that nothing has been done to apprehend those responsible for the deaths of his family, he decides to take the law into his own hands (something Doug Llewelyn from The People's Court always advised against) and bring his own form of justice to those who sought revenge against him. Do two wrongs make a right? No, but they sure make for a fun movie...

This actually wasn't the first screen adaptation of this comic character. There was a film, of the same name, released way back in 1989, which starred Dolph Lundgren, which was panned by both critics and fans. It wasn't that great, but I did enjoy it somewhat, and didn't think it was as bad as everyone thought. This latest incarnation is certainly better, benefiting from a larger budget, better writing, and a bit more star power, but still has minor flaws. I'd read many a comic book back in my youth, and The Punisher was one of them. At that time, he probably had three of four different titles, being a very popular character, and Marvel Comics had a real penchant for milking any bit of popularity for all they could, often exhausting the potential way too soon in their search for the almighty dollar. I haven't read comics in a long time, and given the nature of comic characters and their constant evolution, I was unsure how the story would be played out. I was unfamiliar with Thomas Jane, but I thought he did a wonderful job, really embodying the essence of the character I knew well way back when. The look, the feel, the attitudes, marked a vast improvement over the last film incarnation of the character. I was a bit apprehensive about John Travolta being cast as the lead bad guy, as of late, when playing similar antagonistic roles, he often ventured into the realm of hamminess, but his performance was really grounded here and lacked the over the top element inherent in some of his past roles, thankfully. The action elements in the film were done very well, bordering between the realistic and unbelievable nicely, and I really enjoyed the use of all different kinds of weaponry from hand guns, machine guns, anti-personnel mines, knives, to the bow and arrow. Jane's character showed adeptness and a proficiency one would expect. Some elements and scenes seemed a bit off...the plot point where Castle basically lets everyone know he didn't die in the massacre seemed illogical, as I would think the advantage of your enemies thinking you were dead would far outweigh whatever could be gained by them knowing you're alive, especially if you were planning to go after them. Also, the complete lack of any police involvement, even after Castle began his war on Howard Saint and his organization seemed unrealistic. And I would have expected Castle to find a secluded place to hole up, one where he could come and go as he pleased, and not a run-down apartment building with a few neighbors, including the character played by Romjin-Stamos. The purpose was to sort of create a surrogate family for Castle, but it just seemed strange that he would choose the location he did from which to wage his war. Finally, I have to mention the scene with the Russian assassin played by pro-wrestler Kevin Nash. I thought the fight scene was very exciting and fun to watch, but why did the Russian show up in a red and white striped shirt, looking like a huge, lumpy candy cane? It really disrupted the dark and gritty feel built up in the movie, as he reminded me of a lacky henchman from the 60's Batman television series. All in all, I thought most of the movie worked well, with a few plot areas that didn't, but the positive points out-weighed the negatives, in my opinion, and I enjoyed the movie as a whole, right up until it's satisfying conclusion.

The widescreen print here looks beautiful, and there's a good helping of useful and informative special features including featurettes on the stunts within the film, origins of the The Punisher character from his first appearance in a Spider-Man comic back in the 70's, a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, an interview influential cover artist for The Punisher comic book, a music video for a song within the film by the group Drowning Pool, a trailer for The Punisher video game (but not a trailer for the film itself?!), a commentary track by the director, two deleted scenes and a mini-comic.

Cookieman108

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This cinematic version of "The Punisher" is based on Marvel Comics' most recent incarnation of the vigilante anti-hero, as written by Garth Ennis in the "Welcome Back Frank" series. Although his ability to survive the most violent circumstances is extraordinary, the character has largely been removed from the world of superheroes. He's human and imperfect. The Punisher's backstory has been changed for the film to better integrate it with the narrative. A backstory that is not directly related to the present could never be successful in a film. Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is an undercover FBI agent looking forward to the time with his family that his imminent retirement will allow. Those plans come to a horrific end when organized crime boss Howard Saint (John Travolta), whose son was killed in a gun running bust, takes revenge on Castle's family. Devastated, angry, and with nothing left to lose, Castle sets out to return the favor by destroying Saint and his criminal empire.

"The Punisher" is filmed in a dark, gritty style that seems to have been inspired by the work of cover artist Tim Bradstreet and the cinéma verité of the 1970s. The lead-in that describes how Frank Castle becomes The Punisher is lengthy, but that's to be expected in the first film of a potential franchise. The violence is pretty graphic in places and probably not for the weak of stomach. For an "action film", "The Punisher" isn't especially active. The action is intermittent, builds as the film progresses, and tends to avoid grand gestures. Perhaps that's appropriate, as the violence is of a personal nature. The cast is consistently interesting. Thomas Jane does a solid job as The Punisher, a shattered man who never claims any moral high ground. John Travolta is particularly entertaining as the ruthless, petulant crime boss Howard Saint. Travolta gives a palpably restrained performance, playing Saint just slightly over-the-top and imbalanced to great effect. Will Patton is also notable as Howard Saint's sociopathic right-hand man, Quentin Glass. And Rebecca Romijn-Stamos has a supporting role as one of Frank Castle's dysfunctional neighbors, who provide a little comic relief. An interesting piece of cast trivia: Howard Saint's sons, Bobby and John, are played by the same actor, James Carpinello, and originally were intended to be twin brothers. When Carpinello was in make-up and costume, he looked so dissimilar as the brothers that director Jonathan Hensleigh decided that they shouldn't be twins.

The most striking aspect of this film isn't at all evident: It was made for a paltry $30 million -unheard of for an action film. That it looks like it cost twice that much is a credit to the director, cinematographer, and art director. Also notable is that none of the film's stunts are CGI. They look real, and they are. "The Punisher" is entertaining and visually interesting. My only complaint about the film is its pace, which is brooding and too even for an action film. That makes the film seem longer than it is.

The DVD: This is a nicely loaded disc. Bonus features include 4 featurettes, 2 deleted scenes with director's commentary, a music video for "Step Up" by Drowning Pool, a trailer for "The Punisher" video game, and an audio commentary by director Jonathan Hensleigh. The first featurette, "Keepin' it Real" (25 minutes) is about the film's stunts. This documentary discusses the processes of designing and filming the stunts, through interviews with stunt coordinator Gary Hymes and director Jonathan Hensleigh, among others. It might have been better organized and more informative if the documentary had taken us through a few stunts in detail instead of giving an overview. The second featurette, "War Journal" (30 minutes) is a broad making-of documentary that takes us through pre-production, production, editing and scoring in post-production, and winds up at the film's premiere. This is a well-organized, comprehensive documentary that includes interviews with line producer John Stark and director Jonathan Hensleigh, in which he talks about the challenges of making an action film on a $30 million budget and shooting in only 50 days. The third featurette, "Army of One" (12 minutes) is about "The Punisher"'s comic book origins. The genesis and evolution of the character in Marvel Comics are discussed in interviews with Gerry Conway, who created "The Punisher" as a Spider-Man villain in 1972, Stephen Grant, who wrote the character from 1986-1994, current writer Garth Ennis, Marvel art director John Romita, and cover artist Tim Bradstreet, as well as Marvel CEO Avi Arad and Vice President Ari Avad. This documentary is very helpful to those of us who don't read comic books in explaining the character's origins. The last featurette, "Drawing Blood Bradstreet Style" (5 minutes) focuses on cover artist Tim Bradstreet, who also designed the film's theatrical posters and heavily influenced the movie's visual style. The film's audio commentary by director Jonathan Hensleigh is very good. He speaks clearly and doesn't meander when explaining the decisions he made concerning story, style, characters and cinematography. His comments are particularly interesting, because "The Punisher" is an admirable example of efficient, economical filmmaking. Subtitles are available for the film in Spanish and English.

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The Blu-ray disc of THE PUNISHER looks superior to the DVD version, but none of the extras from the DVD are included here.

The "studder" issue noted by other reviewers is present ONLY when selecting the DTS audio option (which is the default on the menu). To play the movie without any issues, simply choose the DOLBY DIGTIAL audio track and the movie will play back perfectly. This strange issue affects all 4 of the initial Lionsgate titles. Again, to get around it, simply choose the Dolby audio option.

Hopefully the Blu-ray camp will begin releasing better discs soon, but for the meantime, THE PUUNISER looks cool in HD.

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As Good As It Gets (1997)

"As Good As It Gets" is a rarity among today's movies, a truly witty and poignant romantic comedy with an unusual protagonist. That protagonist is Melvin, played with relish by Jack Nicholson. Melvin is a highly successful novelist who is also an abrasive misanthrope suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. (Not your typical hero for sure!)

As one would expect, Melvin is a recluse and resistant to any changes in his life until he is forced to interact with a down-on-his-luck gay neighbor, Simon, portrayed by Greg Kinnear, and Simon's perky little pet pooch, Verdell. Melvin also becomes reluctantly involved with the pretty and patient waitress Carol, played by Helen Hunt, who serves him breakfast every day at a local cafe. Other than Carol, none of the other cafe's employees will deal with the impossible Melvin.

When Carol abruptly quits her job, Melvin tracks her down and offers her financial incentives to return to her post. Melvin increasingly finds himself drawn into Carol's personal life, and he eventually falls for the plucky single mom.

"As Good As It Gets" is a quirky update of the fable "Beauty and the Beast". Gifted writer-director James L. Brooks has assembled a superb cast to re-tell this classic tale. Besides the pitch perfect lead performances by Nicholson, Hunt, and Kinnear, there are sparkling supporting performances by Cuba Gooding Jr., Shirley Knight and others.

Too many of today's so-called comedies are mindless, uninspired concoctions profuse with sophomoric vulgarities and sexual obscenities. "As Good As It Gets" reminds us that there are still a few determined filmmakers willing to bring qualities such as intelligence, inventiveness, sophistication, and charm back to the silver screen. It is a shame that there are not more artists like these to inspire and entertain much-deprived audiences.

Another reviewer comments that the events in this film conspire to make Jack Nicholson (or rather Melvyn Udall) a human being. On the contrary, this is a film where the central character, an obsessive-compulsive bigot, is human from the start: We just don't realize it. A key moment in the film is when Simon, Melvin's gay neighbour (Greg Kinnear), is telling the young male prostitute, Vincent (Skeet Ulrich), about his art, and comments that he likes to watch people because sometimes, when you look at someone long enough, "you see their humanity." At that point Vincent is momentarily enabled to see something beyond the seedy world of male prostitution; at the same time Simon gives us the interpretive key to the whole movie. It is a film about three very different people who discover their common humanity.

Melvin is a hateful and insensitive recluse with a debilitating mental disorder; Carol (Helen Hunt), a Manhattan waitress struggling with her son's chronic illness and finding her identity swallowed up in the process; Simon, a gay artist who loses everything when he is attacked and robbed in his own home. One by one they must learn to see the humanity in each other and, as importantly, in themselves ("Where'd I go?" asks Simon as he looks at the reflection of his battered face in the mirror). We, too, must learn to see the human being underneath the spiteful and vicious (if somewhat the "loveable rogue") in Melvin.

The theme is developed sensitively and beautifully throughout the course of the film (perhaps only slightly overlong at more than two hours), with help coming from a fourth character, Verdelle, a dog, whose pivotal role in the narrative is easily overlooked (standing in the same cinematic tradition as Toto of "The Wizard of Oz"). By the end of the film, we are aware that the big issues in the character's lives are still to be totally overcome, but the process of resolution has begun as it should, with the characters each recognizing the dignity and worth of the others (and themselves).

James L. Brook's delicate direction carefully avoids excessive sentimentalism and saccharine sweetness (though admittedly, it teeters perilously close to the edge at times), and results in one of the most charming and profound comedies of recent years.

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And that my friends is a rarity. I'm new to the 'As Good as it Gets' fanclub sort-a-speak since I, for the first time, saw it last night despite the fact that my wife HATES the movie and was pissed I rented it. I have always been a fan of Jack Nicholson for he has been on top of his game for YEARS and doesn't show any sign of letting up anytime soon (I mean, he's won 3 oscars and has been nominated 12 times). I've also always enjoyed Hunt and Kinnear so it's a shoe-in for me to enjoy this film right? I just for some reason have never had the desire to see it, and then there I was walking through the local blockbuster thinking, you know what, I'll just go for it, and I'm so glad I did. Right off the bat Nicholson is at his best playing the grumpy old man, but he always adds just the right amount of class and confidence to lift him from Walter Matthau status and place him in the Michael Caine league. Nicholson plays Melvin, an obsesive compulsive racist bigot sexist grump of a man who is hated by everyone and very well may like it that way. He lives in the same apartment complex as Simon (Kinnear) a gay painter who is the subject of Melvin's vented anger (which is displayed by his constant verbal battery of poor Simon and the abuse he inflicts of Simon's dog) but after Simon is beaten and injured Melvin is pusuaded (a bit forcfully) to take care of Simon's dog. Unexpectedly Melvin forms an attachment to the dog and is somehow changed by his experience and moved to be a nicer, better person. He starts by helping a local waitress Carol (Hunt) who may just be the only person who tolerates him. Carol & Melvin & Simon throughout the remander of the film form a bond that is both unexpected and remarkably beautiful. Helen Hunt is wonderful in this film, as is Kinnear, but it's Nicholson's show and there isn't a better man for the show. I have never watched a performance that made me more anxious then watching Nicholson say the WRONG thing everytime, but as Carol realizes, he has his moments, and those moments are about as good as it gets.

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I hate to admit it, but I've never been a fan of Jack Nicholson.

Also, I've never been smitten with the lovely Helen Hunt.

Lastly, Greg Kinnear has always been REALLY too smarmy for me.

However, somehow AS GOOD AS IT GETS has a special place in my heart.

Nicholson is absolutely fabulous as the neurotic writer who, due to circumstances wildly beyond his control, has to not so much step outside of his comfort zone as he has to destroy the barriers that have isolated him from society when the people that make up the routine of his life -eating at the corner restaurant, pestering the gay neighbors -start to come apart at the seams. The crusty exterior, we learn, is just a facade, and the man underneath -while not perfect -accepts that life is worth living ... as good as it gets.

Helen Hunt is absolutely radiant in the role as the corner shop waitress who's forced to deal with Nicholson's habits ... and, much to her surprise and the audience, she begins to experience true emotion for the man.

Greg Kinnear plays the struggling artist role to perfection. He has bouts of great self-esteem countered by comic moments of heightened anxiety, and the subtlety he brings to his portrayal is may be all-too-Hollywood but is surprisingly human.

A perfect mix, this film is about AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

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I'm not a fan of the romantic comedy genre, and I winced a bit when my wife suggested this movie, but I'd be lying if I said anything other than I very much enjoyed it.

I figured Jack Nicholson would draw me into the story. I can't say I'm a big Jack Nicholson fan, but I always seem to become quickly interested in movies that he stars in. Perhaps I'm just a Jack Nicholson fan in denial.

Helen Hunt to me is the driving force behind this movie. I do think I became a Helen Hunt fan. No denial there.

However, what makes the whole thing work is the supporting cast. Everyone is good. We've even got Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson! Then there's the dog; perhaps the cutest ugly dog ever.

Anyway, unlike others I doubt I'll watch this movie again, but I'm sure glad I saw it once. Not quite "as good as it gets" for me in terms of movies, but way way better than I thought it would be.

The Machinist (2004)

I have to say that "The Machinist" is easily the most unsettling, disturbing and bizarre film I have seen so far this year. I mean, you can tell from reading the back of the DVD cover and seeing how disturbingly thin Christian Bale in pictures from the movie that this is not going to be a very happy time. Yet, last night I was in the mood for something dark and uncompromising. I got it and then some with this cleverly haunting film that is unforgettable.

Bale plays "Trevor Reznik," a troubled and fatigued machinist who hasn't slept for a year. He lives his life in isolation, with the few minor exceptions such as a friendly prostitute who takes a liking to him and an airport coffee shop waitress he visits every night. Things take a turn for the worst when he meets a fellow machinist for the first time... but nobody knows who this guy is. They tell Trevor that he doesn't exist. The paranoia and confusion leads to a horrific accident on the job that involves his co-worker. And that's when he gets the strange notes in his apartment. Either Trevor is completely delusional and has lost his mind... or somebody really is out to get him.

What's really intriguing about the movie is that just like Trevor, we do not know exactly what is real or what is made up. There are times when we're doubtful of what we're seeing, and then we get roped in and second-guess ourselves. The movie is a non-stop dread fest that just speaks of loneliness and paranoia, and that's why it works. It looks and feels exactly like it should. From the very first few minutes, it's easy to realize that this is going to be one unsettling and dark experience. It is one that you may want to re-watch after you see it all. You'll definitely think about it for a while after it's all said and done, but personally I didn't think it was that hard to piece together after it was over. It made sense, and it made even more sense on the second viewing. Christian Bale is fantastic in this. I can't believe he dropped down to around 100 pounds for the role. Yes, you should be warned that Bale looks EXTREMELY skinny in this... almost like a walking skeleton, as was intended in the script. I think the movie was very well written and directed.

This isn't a movie for those who get easily disturbed or freaked out. It's a pretty uneasy movie to watch. Let's just say you won't feel extremely cheerful after you get done watching this. You may want to put on something funny after you're done, otherwise you're going to have this movie stuck in your head while you try to sleep. The DVD has a little to offer in the extra features department, such as commentary from the director, a making of feature, 8 deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer.

I really enjoyed "The Machinist." It surprised me and kept me hooked from beginning to end. I have to say that I kind of missed watching dark movies like this. Seems like there's too many "cutesy-wutesy" movies for the family, so it's good to see something so brutal, so raw and so in your face like this. If you want to be disturbed and see something that isn't your typical thriller, "The Machinist" is something to put down on your list of movies to see. As depressing and dreadful as this movie can get... I'm ready to see it again. -Michael Crane

There's so much I'd like to write about this movie, but I can't. I don't want to give even the slightest bit away. Yeah, it's cheap, I know, but I saw it with pretty much a blank slate and I think that's absolutely the best way to do. You must see this movie. Then come back and read some of these reviews, like I did (some of the reviewers give away WAY too much, I felt).

This movie is a feast for all the senses. Christian Bale plays a frighteningly emaciated industrial worker lives like an apparition in a washed out, grimy world. This reminds me of Orwell's vision of postwar England as portrayed in "1984" grim, bleak, washed-out, bleary-eyed, ephemeral and unreal, like being stuck in a perpetual hangover in an old war zone. For a while this movie was billed as a "horror" movie but it's really psychological horror that manifests itself in a few conventionally horrific ways. It does have similarities to "Sessions 9" as others have pointed out, by the same director. Internal angst and self-discovery juxtaposed against a decaying old backdrop.

This movie is like what Henry James might have written if he were alive today! The cinematography is great, the settings are excellently done and quite creepy and unsettling, even as they are familiar. And the music! The music is great, it's about time someone gave some love to the theremin again. The acting is top-notch from everyone involved, especially Christian Bale. A scene-grabber for sure.

Every facet of the movie was executed in a professionally frightening and somewhat hallucinatory manner. But don't be fooled by that term. There really is very little David Lynch and such style in this movie, in my opinion. It does more showing and less telling, yes, but it does so in a more straight-ahead approach with less cloying. If the movie has a weakness, which it may very well not, it's the ending; however, I congratulate the writers, because this was an extraordinarily difficult movie to write a conclusion to that doesn't cheat the audience or leave things too open-ended (the famous "draw your own conclusions" ending that give critics something to rave about and writers and easy out).

In conclusion, "The Machinist" deserves 5 stars on virtually every level, and as a whole. Watch it as soon as possible, I don't think you'll be disappointed, and I'd be surprised if anyone feels "cheated" like you do with some ambitious movies.

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no accident that the main character's named Trevor Reznik; the filmmaker, Brad Anderson, is a fan of Nine Inch Nails, fronted by Trent Reznor: the same dark gloomy kinda thing spills over from the Nine Inch Nails music into this film, with its dark gray washed out interiors and just as dank cloudy exteriors (but they appear only when Trevor's by himself--watch how, for example, when he meets other people, like his co-worker Miller and Miller's wife, the sky is a lot clearer).

Trevor, the ever-insomniac, not only evokes Trent Reznor but also Cesare from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari--the ever-present sleepwalker. Trevor is more of a walksleeper than a sleepwalker; he hasn't copped any zees in a year (not very credible, actually; if that were really true, he'd be dead a few times over), moving around in a paranoid daze with a number of flashes of rationality, and solace provided by either a friendly hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) or a comely waitress (a beautiful Spanish actress whose name escapes me).

The film is uncompromising and because of that no American production company would finance it. It was paid for and shot in Barcelona, Spain--which not too many people know about--and the director did everything he could to make the Spanish exteriors and interiors look American.

Trevor is played by Christian Bale, he of the formerly smarmy demeanor in American Psycho, but here reduced by 63 pounds from his former self to the aforementioned Cesare-like walking skeleton resemblance kinda thing. Watching him without his shirt on is truly painful. Disturbing. Which, of course, is the point.

Accidents follow Trevor wherever he goes. This is the core of the film. He's also followed by his own personal demon, Ivan, who's invisible to everyone else. Ivan has a severly deformed hand, like that of a thalidomide-afflicted person, and a grin that could slice your ear off. Bald, thickset, and a Southern accent to boot. Just as creepy as Trevor. Maybe more.

So what is this film about? It's really about guilt. That's it in a nutshell. Guilt, fear, and the persistence of memory, as our friend Salvador Dali would say. Not exactly a bouncy piece of work. Not something to watch with old Aunt Millie sitting next to you, hoping for Cary Grant to come on and say something utterly and stupidly charming.

Trevor's life is grit; he works in a machine shop factory kinda thing where the workers are all union members who live life day to day and stick up for each other and resent anyone who isn't just like them. So naturally, that leaves our anti-hero out of the picture. He forgets to pay his utility bill at home and his lights go out. Post-Its keep appearing on his refrigerator with a game of Hangman he never started but there's no way of knowing who's leaving those Post-Its there. Is there?

Not only is this about guilt, but also about karma. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. What goes around comes around. Stuff like that. You can't escape the past. You can try...but you can't. Ever.

That's what this is about. Dark, disturbing, deranged. The three D's. Also devilish, dank, dismal, defiant.

Definitely different.

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I see a number of essay-length reviews of this movie, which makes sense, as the movie is indeed deep and complex yet for the sake of those simply seeking a concise review, I will keep it brief.

The movie has a dark and uncollected tone. Christian Bale plays Trevor Reznick, a man who is unable to sleep and who has become malnourished and emaciated. His inability to sleep causes him great trouble and leads him in and out of reality until he is brought back to the source that which has caused his troubles and his insomnia: his guilt.

Bale gives an unbelievable performance in this film. I can't imagine it ever being worth what he did to himself physically, though. He simply starved himself for the role. You would think this would have horrible repercussions (and I'm sure it did), yet he seemed to have made a full recovery by the time he played Bruce Wayne in Batman.

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In 2004, writer Scott Kosar ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) and "The Amityville Horror" (2005) wrote a script titled "The Machinist". Director Brad Anderson (writer of "Transsiberian" and directed "Session 9' and "Happy Accidents") enjoyed Kosar's dark storyline so much but unfortunately, no American film studio was interested in picking the film up.

Fortunately, the film was picked up by Fantastic Factory of Filmax and Castelao Productions in Spain and the film known as "El Maquinista" was released and won multiple "Best Film" awards. The film although seems to take place in America was all shot in Barcelona, Spain and Director Brad Anderson who suffered a back injury during filming, directed the film while lying on a gurney.

"THE MACHINIST" would eventually gain momentum in the US and received rave reviews due to its dark storyline but most of all, the performance by Christian Bale who literally starved himself for four months going from 182 pounds down to 120 pounds.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"THE MACHINIST" gets its High Definition treatment via 1080p on Blu-ray. The film showcases the world of Trevor Reznick in a dark, muted pallete and showcasing a brooding, dark monochromatic life that he is living. This is quite important because we know that there is something odd with Reznick and it was important to showcase the film without its vibrant colors. In fact, you'll feel that you watching a film that is focused on more of the blacks, the grays and the darker side of the color spectrum.

As for picture quality, you do see a bit of spots and speckles on some parts of the film but you will also notice that the transfer to HD also brings out the grain. Overall, this is probably one of the few films where vibrancy of colors is not what I wanted to see. And the depressing shades of darkness is what is more pronounced.

As for audio, The film is featured in English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD (Also, French and Spanish 5.1) the majority of the film is all dialogue based. Front channel, clear and understandable. The musical score by Roque Banos definitely highlights the eeriness of certain scenes of the film. There are some scenes where you do notice sound effects especially during the scenes shot at the amusement park and then at a scene that displayed thunder.

Subtitles are presented in English, English SDH, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"THE MACHINIST" comes with the following extras:

* Commentary: Audio Commentary by Director Brad Anderson A very informative commentary by Brad Anderson as he goes into what he wanted to accomplish with the film, shooting in Barcelona, talking about the various talens and really dissecting the certain scenes. In fact, he's a brutally honest director that is not afraid to pick apart his film not for the positive but also some of the negative. Overall, informative.

* Manifesting the Machinist (23:00) This featurette is exclusive to the Blu-ray release and is in HD. We learn more about the narrative of the film, the performance by the cast including interviews with cast and crew and more!

* The Machinist: Hiding in Plain Sight (13:58) This featurette is exclusive to the Blu-ray release is in HD and features the major twist of the film and how they wanted to put enough twists that would fool the audience.

* The Machinist: Breaking The Rules (25:19) This featurette from the original DVD release features interviews with writer Scott Kosar, Director Brad Anderson and the cast. We learn about how the film came about, shooting in Spain and making people think it's America and a lot of informative information of the behind-the-scenes making of the film.

* Deleted Scenes (12:05) The following are eight deleted scenes. These are actually solid scenes that could have changed the emotional impact of the film. The deleted scenes are in standard definition.

* 1) Trevor Visits Mysterious Grave

* 2) Alternate Intersection Crosscut with Burning Paper

* 3) Pensive Trevor (Alternate Transition to Airport)

* 4) Stevie's Mysterious "John"

* 5) Alternate Chase Ending Revealing Chimneys

* 6) Trevor Tries To Skip Town

* 7) Trevor Confronts Mother at Cemetery

* 8) Alternative Version of Holding Cell

* Theatrical Trailer (2:32) The original theatrical trailer in standard definition.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"THE MACHINIST" is one of those films that you can look at it as quite a unique story. The film is a psychological thriller that has you on the edge of your seat at times, especially when you start to explore the psyche of Trevor Reznick and the dark and dreary world that he lives in. But what made this film believable was Christian Bale and what he put himself through to making his character seem real and odd.

Before the Batman films and "Terminator Salvation", we have always learned about how intense an actor, how dedicated Christian Bale was to character role. There are not many films that have featured an actor losing weight (the last major film which an actor had to gain and lose a lot of weight was "CAST AWAY" starring Tom Hanks) but for Bale to lose so much and look quite skeletal was shocking.

Having gone down to 120 pounds from 160+ pounds in four months is shocking and the pain and inconvenience he put himself to achieve the look for this role and still wanting to go down to 100 pounds is just amazing (and gaining it back with muscle for the following year with "Batman Begins"). And also a big applause to the make up crew who made Bale's character so eery with its dark shade around the eyes, knot on his forehead and blood scars throughout his face.

As for the Blu-ray release, although this is not a film that you want to show off for its picture and audio quality, the solid commentary and even for its few Blu-ray special features definitely make this Blu-ray release worth owning. If you owned the previous DVD release and enjoy the film, I can definitely recommend going for the double dip.

Overall, this is quite an intense psychological thriller that fans of films by Alfred Hitchcock can probably give a nod to. It's cleverly written and the challenges that the cast and crew had to go through (especially trying to make Barcelona, Spain look like a town in the US) to make this film possible was well-done. It may be a bit dark and eery for some but it was a film that definitely caught me by surprise at the end.

"THE MACHINIST" is definitely recommended.

Wonderland (2003)

This film gives you two points of view of the Wonderland murders. One from Dylan McDermott and one from Val Kilmer (as John Holmes). I think the sheer brutality of these murders are enough to captivate, but the film basically goes nowhere. You don't learn anything about Holmes other than the fact that's he's a major drug addict. The film has nothing to do with porn or sex. It's a true crime movie that just never really gets off the ground. The second disc is a documentary on Holmes himself. That is the better disc. It gives you an in-depth look at the life of a guy with a practical-joke sized piece of anatomy. This documentary is far more interesting than the film Wonderland.

There is a 25 minute crime scene police video included as well. It is as graphic as graphic gets. The bodies are still there as the police carefully document the bloody scene. I assume it's there for shock value. Don't let your kids anywhere near this.

There are two different releases of this out there. One is the movie (with, I think, a few extras) on one disc; the other is a two-disc set which includes the documentary "Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes". Watch the documentary FIRST, as "Wonderland" will make a lot more sense and be ten times more enjoyable if you do. That said, "Wonderland" is a fantastic, gritty film that I can count as one of my all-time favorites! Val Kilmer is so good as porn star John Holmes, you won't believe it. Lisa Kudrow, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, and EVERYONE in the cast is outstanding! Watch for a cameo by Paris Hilton as well. Everyone chews the scenery in this realistic film that went unnoticed in theatres but is becoming a cult classic thanks to the magic of DVD! I can't recommend it any more highly!

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I felt that this movie was unfairly bashed by newspaper critics. I got the impression that none dared venture anything positive once a consensus had been established.

I was so curious about this affair after reading the Rolling Stone article years ago that I saw this movie when it was first released in theaters; I wanted to see if it corroborated the article. So did it? That's the movie: two different versions of the heist are presented --John Holmes' and David Lind's. It's one thing to hear a story, but something else to see it enacted. John Holmes' version was amusing to see enacted because it made his lies obvious; some things could not have happened as he told them (ridiculous) and the audience laughed on those. Toward the end is a chilling Roman holiday of a murder scene that I believe, all things considered, is as close to the truth as we will come. For example, I believe it was Deverell who answered the door, and I am convinced that Holmes was there and probably coerced into participating in order to implicate him and thus prevent him from turning against Eddie again by testifying.

This two-disc set also includes omitted scenes, a Crime TV segment, and telling interviews with Sharon Holmes, Dawn Schiller, and people who knew Holmes from "the industry." There are photos taken of the victims when they were alive which I found very interesting, just to see what they looked like. The LAPD crime scene video was not as hard to take as I had expected, mostly due to the then-poor quality of video tape (it has come a long way since 1981 and this will jog your memory); three of the four just look like they're sleeping except that their hair is caked with blood. There are also interviews with some of the actors. I didn't know who Josh Lucas was before seeing this; his performance was outstanding.

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In the 1970s, when pornographic movies became increasingly available to mainstream consumers, John Holmes (1944-1988) parlayed his supersized endowment into stardom. Those who knew him well describe him as likeable but somewhat dim; when his stardom began to fade he had nothing on which to fall back, and he became just another drug-addicted has been, trading on what was left of his dubious celebrity for a line of cocaine here and a line of cocaine there. In 1981 Holmes tended to bounce between big-time drug dealer Eddie Nash and a group of smaller-time dealers who lived on Wonderland Avenue in Los Angeles--and found himself greatly over his head.

Police described the Wonderland murder case as the most gruesome murder scene since the 1969 Manson family killing spree. Although theories differ in details, they are consistent in outline: Holmes set up Nash for robbery by the Wonderland dealers; Nash responded by having Holmes set up the Wonderland dealers for a mass hit, carried off by people weilding pipes. Four people died, one survived with serious injuries and without memory of the attack. The 2003 film WONDERLAND attempts to portray both the crimes and the conflicting stories that Holmes, Nash, a Wonderland insider, and others gave during the course of the investigation.

Val Kilmer is unexpectedly convincing as the whining John Holmes, unable to focus beyond the next score, coming up with one silly idea after another. Lisa Kudrow is particularly memorable in the role of Holmes' estranged wife, Sharon; Kate Bosworth equals her as Holmes' current girl, Dawn Schiller. Although the movie is littered with cameos that actually tend to distract--Paris Hilton and Carrie Fisher, among others--the supporting cast is also quite fine. But the script, editing, and overall concept lets them down: it begins well and finishes well, but the middle portion of the film is weak and the overall movie lacks emotional or psychological depth.

WONDERLAND's characters are not likeable, and director and co-writer James Cox doesn't even attempt to find a means of bringing us inside their heads and lives in a way that makes them understandable, much less sympathetic. The film instead attempts to jump from character to character and idea to idea while also sliding back and forth in time--and in the process never quite stays in one place long enough for you get a firm grip. Everything does eventually link up, but all the same you'd better not blink too often as the movie plays out: if you do, you'll be lost when the final credits role.

The film is also plagued by a lot of hand-held-camera cinematography, presumably in order to convey the drug-laden atmosphere through which the characters move; there are also quite a few graphics, split screens, and so on. I find that a little of this goes quite a long way, and between the camera tricks and the constant shifts WONDERLAND looses focus and at times becomes a little wearing.

Even so, WONDERLAND still manages to be an interesting film, the sort of film that you wish had been undertaken by a great artist instead of director and co-writer James Cox, who would be most gracefully described as somewhat unpolished. There are at least two DVD issues of the film, one that is the film alone, another which also includes a documentary on John Holmes that is actually more interesting than the movie itself; if you have to pick between the two, go with the latter. Recommended, just don't expect too much.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Want Wonderland (2003) Discount?

I appreciate the guts of the producers of WONDERLAND to bankroll this movie, since it is not the kind of mainstream stuff Hollywood usually finances these days. Almost all of the characters are sleazy scumbags, drug addicts and criminals. The main character is porn's first superstar John C. HOLMES (convincingly played by Val KILMER)at the end of his career, a pathetic loser, manipulative, pimping his young girlfriend and due to his drug habits hanging out with the wrong guys.

It is a bit tricky to give a brief plot synopsis for this one without giving too much away, but I'll try it anyway.

WONDERLAND is a true crime story about the horrifying murders that occured on July 1st, 1981 in a house on Wonderland avenue in LA and left four people dead and one woman seriously injured. The victims were beaten to death with lead pipes. One of the residents, who was not present at the time the killings occurred, turns himself in to the police and tells the cops a story involving drugs, the robbery of a nightclub owner named Eddie NASH (terrific performance by Eric BOGOSIAN) and XXX movie star John C. HOLMES. Questioned by the cops, HOLMES gives his version of the story. Needless to say it is very different...

I won't tell more about the plot, just add that it is terrific.

All actors deliver powerhouse performances. Aside from KILMER and BOGOSIAN, I particularly liked Josh LUCAS as criminal Ron LAUNIUS. The movie is also exceptionally well shot. I also like to give kudos to the scriptwriters for their efforts.

The DVD also has great extra features. There are some brief interviews with actors Val KILMER, Josh LUCAS, Eric BOGOSIAN and Tim BLAKE-NELSON. There are seven brief deleted scenes, but none would have added much to the film had they been included. Another extra is a photo gallery, but it is nothing to write home about. Then there is a short documentary about the Wonderland-murders called COURT TV: HOLLYWOOD AT LARGE. As a true crime fan my favorite among the extras is the 20 minute original crime scene video from the LAPD. We see the horrifying crime scene, while a homicide detective comments ("We are now in the residence, the first level living room area, wherein the first victim was found. Apparent bloodsplatterings are evident on the walls and on the sofa located on the west wall of the living room.") Not for the squeamish!

The second DVD contains a feature-length documentary about John C. HOLMES, titled WADD. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN C. HOLMES. There are lots of interviews with XXX stars (Annette HAVEN, Kitten NATIVIDAD,...) and snippets from HOLMES films. (Note that it is the R-rated cut of the documentary, so the included scenes from HOLMES films are softcore.) Suffice to say, the documentary (as well as the WONDERLAND main feature) are not for the easily offended.

Two thumps up for this DVD!

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For a Good Time, Call... (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012)

"For a Good Time, Call..." (2012 release; 85 min.) brings the story of two girls down on their luck. Katie (played by Ari Graynor) lives in a fabulous apartment in New York which she no longer can afford. Lauren (played by Lauren Miller) has just been told by her boyfriend that he wants to "evaluate" their relationship and she needs to move out. A mutual friend, Jesse (played by Justin Long), brings the girls together and even though they have an unpleasant history together from their college days, they really have no choice but to try to make things work. And how they do! Lauren finds out that Katie, in order to make some extra money, works on the side as a phone sex operator. Lauren figures out that if they do this on their own, they'll make much more money.

While a heavy emphasis is made in the promotional materials for the movie (both on the poster and in the trailer) about the sex phone operation, the movie is in fact much more about how two girls who used to hate each other become unlikely best friends 10 years later. In that sense, the movie is the female version of a "brocom".

Lauren Miller, in addition to starring, also co-wrote and co-produced the movie. She is the wife of Seth Rogen, who appears in a short but hilarious cameo. I had first noticed Miller in last year's "50/50" movie, and with this she simply confirms that she is a rising star in the Hollywood indie scene. Kudos as well for Ari Graynor, who shines as Lauren's room mate and comes across like a Bette Midler reincarnated. But a special shout-out to Justin Long, who is just fantastic as Jesse. I also want to point out that the soundtrack plays a big role in the movie, and features plenty of indie talent such as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the Generationals, High Highs, and Los Campesinos!, just to name those. With its light-hearted touch, it is just the perfect Fall movie when everyone's grown tired of the summer blockbuster big budget action hero movies and never-ending explosions.

"For a Good Time, Call..." (2012 release; 85 min.) brings the story of two girls down on their luck. Katie (played by Ari Graynor) lives in a fabulous apartment in New York which she no longer can afford. Lauren (played by Lauren Miller) has just been told by her boyfriend that he wants to "evaluate" their relationship and she needs to move out. A mutual friend, Jesse (played by Justin Long), brings the girls together and even though they have an unpleasant history together from their college days, they really have no choice but to try to make things work. And how they do! Lauren finds out that Katie, in order to make some extra money, works on the side as a phone sex operator. Lauren figures out that if they do this on their own, they'll make much more money.

While a heavy emphasis is made in the promotional materials for the movie (both on the poster and in the trailer) about the sex phone operation, the movie is in fact much more about how two girls who used to hate each other become unlikely best friends 10 years later. In that sense, the movie is the female version of a "brocom".

Lauren Miller, in addition to starring, also co-wrote and co-produced the movie. She is the wife of Seth Rogen, who appears (uncredited) in a short but hilarious cameo. I had first noticed her in last year's "50/50" movie, and with this she simply confirms that she is a rising star in the Hollywood indie scene. Kudos as well for Ari Graynor, who shines as Lauren's room mate and comes across like a Bette Midler reincarnated. But a special shout-out to Justin Long, who is just fantastic as Jesse. I also want to point out that the soundtrack plays a big role in the movie, and features plenty of indie talent such as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the Generationals, High Highs, and Los Campesinos!, just to name those. With its light-hearted touch, it is just the perfect end-of-Summer/early Fall movie when everyone's grown tired of big budget action hero movies and never-ending explosions.

Buy For a Good Time, Call... (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012) Now

Great movie, very funny ...this movie is not for those who are prude or not into slightly dark humor ...folks need to be mindful this is just a movie and for entertainment

Read Best Reviews of For a Good Time, Call... (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012) Here

My husband is military and gone quite a bit. This was one of those nights I was bored and needed a movie to watch. I thought it was cute and held my attention most of the time.

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I knew from the commercials that this film would be a little on the funny and goofy side of things, even cartoonish, but this movie has a lot of heart in it and in the end is a story about more than just a friendship; it's about a sisterhood. Loved everything about it!

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