Fear (1996)

When you see a movie edited on tv and you say "I have got to own this movie!" then you know that it is really good. I was afraid to commit to it since it seemed like a CRUSH rip-off and I didn't want it to outstand my beloved favorite movie. It didn't. But, it's still a creepy little thriller about obsession, love and murder.

Meet Nicole Walker. A 16 year old girl with sex on her mind. Her father just married a woman and has a new stepbrother. Her girlfriend Margo Masse and her friend Gary decide one day, to be late for school and to go get some food at a gritty coffee shop. Nicole glances at David but doesn't really meet him until a party later that night. When the party becomes a riot, Nicole escapes with David to sit around and talk. It's love at first sight.

One night, Nicole tells David that she's ready to have sex. He says he's with some friends and has to do something. She tells him it's alright and to come over after and she tells him the code to the front door. Well, David comes in and they have sex. A day later or so, David goes to Nicole's school to pick her up, he see's Gary hug her. Not good in David's eyes. He goes over and beats the crap out of Gary and in the process, hits Nicole in the face, giving her a black eye.

Nicole's father is more than pissed. David seems to give him the creeps. When he confronts David, David says "You know, Mr. Walker-you really aren't a f***ot." Mr. Walker tells David to stay away from Nicole. After Mr. Walker leaves, David starts hitting himself in the chest. He tells Nicole that her father hit him. So she runs off with David, feeling sorry for him. He asks her if she wants to go to a party when he brings her back to her house. She tells him no. But after a few seconds, when he leaves, she decides to drive over herself. She goes there, and looks in a window to see Margo being abused and about to be raped by her "true love" David.

She now discovers David's true dark side. She won't talk to him so he "attacks" her in a bathroom at the mall. Mr. Walker's red car gets smashed up with a note on the broken window saying "Now I've poped both your ........!"....Mr. Walker finds out where David and his gang lives and ruins the place. When the group finds the place in ruins, David knows exactly who it is. And by their law "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a ...... tooth" they decide to pay the Walker family a little visit...

What worked in this movie was the psychotic attitude of David. He's a soid good actor and a damn good liar. You know he's bad but you really like him. He seems perfect. You try to like him after his accidently hitting Nicole but it becomes harder and harder.

RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:

Fatal Attraction (1987)

The Crush (1993)

The Stepfather (1987)

CAST

Mark Wahlberg...........David McCall

Reese Witherspoon....Nicole Walker

William L. Petersen.....Steve Walker

Amy Brenneman..........Laura Walker

Alyssa Milano..............Margo Masse

THE MOVIE: 3/4

THE PICTURE QUALITY: 10/10 Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 with only a very very very small amount of grain. Basically, perfect.

THE AUDIO QUALITY: 10/10 5.1 surround is perfect for my TV's sound system. No upping the volume for me! There is also a Dolby Surround French track.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES: Production notes on the film, cast & crew bios and film credits (Only pre-FEAR movies are shown), a trailer with a lot of grain and Universal Weblinks (basically pointless).

SUBTITLES: English and spanish.

You just know when you see photo booth snaps of Nicole and David (Reese Witherspoon and Mark Wahlberg) kissing and snuggling cleverly juxtaposed with David's jailhouse mugshot on his bedroom wall...this won't be a cinematic enigma wrapped in a riddle. Fear certainly doesn't require much thought on the part of the moviegoer.

But it isn't entirely bad though, if you are prepared for predictable teen angst and psycho boyfriend antics. Reese Witherspoon plays the virgin nymphet Nicole Walker, desperately pining for brooding bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks David McCall, deliciously played by Mark Wahlberg. With the help of "gets around" pal Margo (Alyssa Milano), Nicole soon begins to develop a close bond with David, and (surprise surprise) even loses her virginity to him.

But of course, no such plot would be complete without the overprotective father, played by CSI's William Petersen. Suspicious of his daughter's new boyfriend from the start, he forbodes their relationship from the very beginning. That's when things go "psycho"...

David quickly begins to sport the crazy-serious-insane-obssessed face whenever any other guy goes near Nicole or when her father tries to keep them apart. Where does this get everyone? In a whole mess of unbelievable trouble that will leave the moviewatcher saying "hello? this would never happen!" while watching the movie through their hands.

All in all, not a terrible flick. The ending definitely could have had better closure, but you can't expect too too much given the corny plot. Oh, and of course, you get to see Mark Wahlberg without his shirt on. That, in itself, makes the movie worth at least one look. :)

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This is a little known film from the early 90's. The movie takes it's time to flesh out the characters and to build some tension, but when it lets loose, it delivers! Mark Wahlberg gives a very chilling performance as a class 'A' nut job in this above average thriller. It smells like TV, but it's much better than that. Reese Witherspoon and the rest of the cast are very good as well. I rate it 3 1/2 stars.

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While this movie had mixed opinions from critics, I thought it was thoroughly underrated. I didn't really see what this movie didn't have to please people around the globe. It had a story, and an intriguing one at that, it had a lot of genres to mix its story up in, it had well-developed characters especially the character of the father and it had excellent direction, acting and a great script that explores further into the world of terror. The film succeeds highly because of its characters and the original bunch they are. Reese Witherspoon plays the short-skirt wearing, blonde-haired and extremely family-bound and nice young girl that gets involved with a psychopath and doesn't know how to take it. Mark Wahlberg plays this psychopath excellently, his character is someone obsessed with Witherspoon's character and we will go to any great lengths to protect her and assure that his and her relationship is safe. And then he gets violent, very violent, and the outcome is horrifying. The father is not the most original character in the film, but the most developed. He is the caring, brave and extremely clever dad who wants the best for his daughter but doesn't want to hurt her. Anyway, enough about the characters. The rest of the movie rocks too the script is surprisingly original for its premise, taking the boy-meets-girl, girl-dumps-boy, boy-gets-angry angle to new areas in psychological horror. The suspense scenes are incredibly tense and the movie has some gut-wrenchingly scary but incredibly good ideas. I really enjoyed the director's point of view and liked the way he built his film as each of the characters slowly drifts off. I appreciated this thriller a lot and think it is worth your time, but beware, you're in for a pretty darn scary and atmospheric ride!

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EThis was a good movie. It was very much full of suspense. Good story too. One thing it definitely supported was my strong conviction in the right to own a gun. This is a movie is a must see for a candy*** liberal do-gooder who doesn't believe in the private ownership of guns. That person might have a changed view on gun control after viewing this (I hope). I recommend this movie for Rosie O'Donnell and Michael Moore and other peeps of their ilk. This would be rather educational for them.

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Kylie Minogue - Kylie Live X2008

This review focuses on the BLU RAY transfer than on the actual concert. You can read the SD reviews for the overall quality of this concert. With that said this BLU RAY can best be described as a huge disappointment. For those of you expecting a transfer similar to Celine Dion's Live In Vegas tour, prepare to be disappointed. This transfer misses on all counts. Mediocre sound and an extremely soft, blurry grainy picture best describes this hot mess. I compared the picture of this BLU RAY against my SD copy of the Kylie Catch The Fever tour 2002 concert, and the picture quality of the 2002 concert just blows this away. The fact that the 2002 picture was nothing earth shattering should give you an idea of how bad this video looks. The Kylie X concert is watchable when the shots are distant and there are no close ups. But when a close ups of Kylie is shown, the picture gets so grainy that it looks like ants are crawling all over her face. The editors seem to have realized this because camera shots are all over the place. The camera will show a 6 second close up of her face, realize that the picture looks horrible then keeps panning out until it finds a decent show. When I watched this concert I felt like I was sitting in the nose bleed section than on the floor. The video and camera work look like the work of amateur trying to bootleg the concert. It is not BLU RAY quality, or even SD DVD quality. The picture quality is akin to a 1980's BETA movie. The sound is better although no different than sound quality of 2002 Catch the Fever tour.

If you like the CD and feel like you have to get the concert, save yourself some money and get the SD release. It can't be any worse than this hot mess.

I've enjoyed all of Kylie's concerts, especially Manchester and Showgirl; this one was nice to see because of the new songs and variety in staging and choreography. Compared to a lot of modern singers, one thing that's always impressed me personally about Kylie is the hard work she puts into choreography and staging. She's always been very conscientious about delivering a great show for her audiences, and this one is another winner. While to be honest I like her earlier concerts better, this one is still well worth getting, because she's evolved over time (like Sade, M, others), in a good way.

I just recently found out about Kylie Minogue a year or so ago, wish I'd found her years earlier, as she's one of the top female pop vocal performers ever. I watch her concert DVDs regularly and highly recommend all of them, including this one. Well done, and thanks for keeping the music coming, Kylie.

To the music,

Ken

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Let me start by saying that I love Kylie Minogue. Really, I do. Beautiful woman, a gracious smile, a great body and the voice of a princess. I have six DVD's from this girl who I deeply admire. She is my queen of pop (yes, I know all about Madonna since the 80's) and I don't have any blank spaces in my mind or heart for anyone else (in the pop world, I mean). But this Blu-Ray edition is really somehow disappointing. The image doesn't have the quality expected of a Blu-ray disc, maybe because it was poorly filmed or something went wrong in the editing process. My disc has the information that it is a PAL version, but plays without problems in both my (NTSC) blu-ray players. Nothing wrong with my queen or the concert itself. If you are a Kylie fan like myself, buy it. Don't have high expectations on the image, though.

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I do not have any other videos of Kylie to compare this to, but I really like it. She is a "new" addition to my media concert collection and I am happy with it. She has an awesome stage presence, she is just a beautiful woman, her stage rocks and her music is what we all know...great. Why 3 stars? Well, I would give it only 1 but her performance was a 5, the video quality was not blu ray nor was it dvd quality. It is poor, grainy, it leaves a lot to be desired. The sound is great but the video quality really was a flop. For those of you that don't agree, good for you if you are not experiencing this problem with this blu ray, mine was so bad that I stopped it, popped another blu ray in...similar in nature...a concert, to make sure my TV or player were not acting up. Right away I noticed the difference, the system was working fine, it was Kylies blu ray that was not up to par.

I would advise to buy the DVD instead

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Kylie Minogue's 2008 world tour is easily the envy of any pop music fan. As grand a spectacle as anything from Madonna to Lady Gaga...those ladies could learn a thing or two from Kylie. A great show and beautifully captured!

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Basket Case (1982)

'The tenant in room 7 is small, twisted, and very mad.' One of my favorite tag lines from a movie. This is a great, low bugdet shlock horror/comedy from the early 80's. It involves two brothers and their plot to get revenge. I hate to give anymore away, but this is a cult classic that has spawned a couple of sequels. I haven't seen them, but I have seen this one, and it's lots of fun. The story is definately interesting with its flashbacks and the actors will never win any Oscars, but they really help to make this movie. And then there's the seedy locations. Basically this type of film making is called "using what you got and making the most of it". And then there's the special effects....not over the top, but effective enough to fit nicely with the story. The stop motion animation was a little cheesy, but then that added to the fun of the movie for me. All in all, I had a great time watching this movie.

Something Weird Video (SWV) did a really great job with this DVD. I was a little disappointed that the movie was only available in full screen format, but the amount of extras included was truly amazing. I really enjoyed the piece where the director goes back and tries to locate certain locations from the movie. Great stuff, and pretty complete.

So, in closing, if you want to see a low budget, gory, horror/comedy schlockfest that was done really well, get this movie, if you've got the guts. And as an added bonus, get a glimpse of what times square used to look like before it got all cleaned up and 'disneyfied'. Not a lot of footage on this, but a chance to see how seedy and raw it used to be, with it's hookers, grindhouses, triple-X theaters, etc., compared to what it is now.

I'm giving the movie itself 5-stars (how could someone grow up in the 80s/90s and not rent it is beyond me!) but it's a great one. Henenlotter started strong and kept it going.

But the info I want to make known is that the transfer for BC is a brand new one coming from the previously-thought lost negative. Henenlotter himself has stated online at places like Facebook that he thought he'd lost it but came across it a couple years back buried in his storage. He is excited about this as BC has never truly been seen the way he intended it to look -transfer always came from beat up prints instead of the negative and never got the true attention he'd hoped for. This blu-ray will be a milestone for fans of Henenlotter, BASKET CASE, Belial and Something Weird Video. Here's hoping the BLOOD TRILOGY turns out as well!

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If you're looking for a bit of a change-up for your Friday Night Horror Movie Parties, try this one.

It's gory. It's got really cheesy 80's special effects. The actors ALL have bad hair.

However, it is an interesting idea. The two brothers are clearly deeply connected to each other (or, at least they were...). The emotional conflict between the two (particularly the more "able" brother's desire to date) is intense and understandable.

There were moments in this movie that were so funny (that I don't think were meant to be) that my husband and I just laughed and laughed. Some of the characters are over the top. There were some scenes (particularly the really bad stop-animation scenes) that made me wince in their low quality. I'm sure it was superb film quality at the time; but, now it's really bad.

Overall, it's one of those films that you probably should watch. Get a friend who won't hate you when it's over, come to an agreement that this is intentionally quite trashy, and have fun watching a truly original, truly bizarre flick.

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Basket Case is WAY out there and so sick that the mouths of those watching it fall open in disbelief. This movie was made outside of Hollywood; the sets consists of a seedy flophouse (not a Hollywood soundstage designed to look like a flophouse), a 42nd street grindhouse movie theater, and what looks like an abandoned building that is supposed to be a doctor's office. The actors and extras look like they were not saleried but worked for a chance to be on film and/or a bottle of wine. There was not much money to be spent on this movie. Instead, this horror masterpiece relied on imagination and a twisted sense of humor to make it work. The story concerns a pair of separated Simease twins. Duane, the normal (normal as in being able to walk on his own and not scare people with his looks) carries his brother around in a wicker basket. The bother looks like a big glob of putty with claws and teeth. Their goal is to exact revenge on the doctor's who separated them. There is lots of blood shed, horrendous acting by non pros, and a femme fatale with the most ridiculous hairstyle ever put on celluloid.

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"Basket Case," directed by Frank Henenlotter, is one of my favorite horror films of all time. It tells the story of Duane, an ordinary young man with a bizarre secret: he carries his deformed, undersized former conjoined twin around in a basket (hence the film's title).

"Basket Case" has an appealing low-budget feel to it, and Kevin Van Hentenryck is very likeable as Duane. Belial, the deformed twin, is an oddly sympathetic character. Yes, the film contains some scenes that many will find sick and depraved, but it also contains some truly haunting images. Disturbing, sometimes funny, and curiously moving, "Basket Case" is a truly unique piece of cinematic art.

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Shogun Assassin (30th Anniversary Collector's Edition) (1980)

Unlike what some of the other reviews have stated, this is not spliced together episodes from a Japanese tv show. Actually, it is spliced from the first two (there are six in the series) Lone Wolf and Cub movies: Sword of Vengeance and Baby Cart at the River Styx. It is also not a kung fu film because for one thing, kung fu is a martial art form from China and this movie is from Japan and is involving samurai (who don't practice kung fu).

Unfortunately, taking two movies and cutting them down to one movie half as long hurts the story of the films. In the original films, the Shogun didn't just up and decide that he was threatened by Ogami Itto and decide to kill his family. The story is more involved and the viewer has a much stronger emotional connection with the characters of the story when watching the original versions of the film in two separate parts.

Also, the Lone Wolf and Cub series has seen a recent release onto DVD by AnimEigo and the picture and sound quality on these new DVD transfers is astounding when compared to this film. It literally looks as if it is a recent release instead of a film from the 70s. Additionally, these DVD releases contain the original Japanese audio tracks (matched with the AnimEigo's superb subtitles) not a horrible English dubbing as contained in Shogun Assassin.

All this combined, it is impossible for me to recommend this film over the originals to anyone. Granted, they both still contain ridiculous blood spurting and great swordplay and you'll still have a good time watching either Shogun Assassin or the original Lone Wolf and Cub movies but Shogun Assassin is just inferior. However, if (and only if) you really hate subtitles in your movies, then Shogun Assassin might be the way to go.

The Lone Wolf and Cub films themselves are based off of a classic manga; partly released by the same name in the US by Action Comics. More recently, Dark Horse Comics released it in its entirety in a 28 vol. (8,000+ pages) series. The story is more fleshed out and much more involved in the manga and the artwork is incredible. Anyone who enjoys the Lone Wolf and Cub films would be doing themselves a favor by checking them out. It should be noted to anyone who has seen the movie series to its "conclusion", that the manga does has an appropriate ending unlike that of the film series and its conclusion is more than satisfying.

"Shogun Assassin" is a great film. Much "controversy" has arisen over the years regarding this film having been cobbled together from two other films in the Lone Wolf series. I think that what has been achieved is an extremely entertaining, fast-paced piece of action. By eliminating non-essential story lines and including a voice over narration, the action moves at break neck speed. The amount of blood spilled is so over the top as to be cartoonish, which only adds to the uniqueness of the movie. The DVD transfer is excellent and the restored picture is high quality. Some reviewers have complained about certain scenes being unrestored, it is actually only two shots totaling maybe five seconds in length. Both shots are of a castle and the excuse for not restoring them was that they were stock footage with no original element available. I do not know why the company had to place the disclaimer of this fact on the film, as I doubt anyone would have really noticed anyway. An added bonus on the DVD is the inclusion of the trailer which, I had never seen before. I can only imagine an audience seeing this trailer and somehow not wanting to see the film, it is awesome. Anyway, if you have never seen "Shogun Assassin" or have seen it a thousand times, buy this DVD, it is well worth it.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)I am not usually a fan of dubbed versions of Japanese films. Most of the time, they are so poorly done I don't know why they even bother. But somehow, I find "Shogun Assassin" to be not only forgivable, but an awesome flick.

Maybe because this is more than just a dubbed version of the original film. The director, Robert Houston, spliced together the "good parts" of two films, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance and Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx into a single story. He then hired deaf lip-readers to help him create an English-language script that was synchronized to the mouth movements, and Mark Lindsay from the band Paul Revere & the Raiders to lay out a funky synthesizer track for a score. It reminds me a bit of the animated series Robotech or even Woody Allen's What's Up, Tiger Lily? which both created new stories out of Japanese material.

Or maybe it is because "Shogun Assassin" is just so cool. The story is a simplified version of the original Lone Wolf and Cub series. You still have the wandering swordsman with his killer baby, but this time they are only fleeing from "The Shogun" instead of any complex story of clan rivalry. They are pursued by endless squads of "ninjas" which are handily and bloodily dispatched in grand style. That's about it. This is definitely the "good parts" version, and the fun comes from the endless swordfights and syntho soundtrack.

The violence here is over the top. There is one scene where a female ninja proves her prowess by fighting a battle with the Shogun's top fighter, and she slowly slices him to pieces, first fingers, then ears, then feet. It is a visual demonstration of the famous "To the pain" scene from The Princess Bride. All of the scenes go like that. No sword is drawn but body parts go flying. Good times indeed.

The entire series has been released by Animeigo in the Shogun Assassin: 5 Film Collector's Set. Chances are if you see the first one, you are going to want to see them all.

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This review is for; Shogun Assassin: 5 Film Collector's Set

I just wanted to point out some of the new special features in this new set that wasn't available in the individual releases. Besides being released in the new box that takes ups less space than the original five snap cases, audio commentary is provided by Ric Meyers (a film scholar) and Steve Watson (a martial arts expert) as well as a video interview with Scott Houle who did the audio dubbing for parts 3, 4 & 5. Note the commentary and video interview is only on part one (Shogun's Assassin). The video interview is about 31 minutes long as Scott Houle answers a series of questions about the technical aspects of film dubbing. The other four discs in the set appear to be indentical to the individual releases the were released earlier. Also, a 26-page booklet featuring an essay, making of interview, liner notes, cast bios, black & white photos as well as "where are they now" information. Any special features from the previous released discs are still in the new boxed set such as all the trailers, photo slide shows & production notes. All of the discs are stored in a five-fold cardboard insert that slides into the outer box (similiar to typical TV series DVD sets).

Great boxed disc set to have if you want the new special features on disc one only and the booklet! Otherwise it is very identical to the prior individual releases.

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My introduction to these characters was via the outstanding Lone Wolf and Cub series. I have 5 Lone Wolf films in DVD (not Blu-ray). But I have to say, those DVDs have better resolution and color than the Shogun Assassin movies in this collection. That's my technical complaint.

As for movies, any potential buyer should be aware that these movies are intended for those who love cheesy dubbed Asian action movies. There is no Japanese audio track. There are no subtitles. Shogun Assassin was a recut/reinvention of two Lone Wolf and Cub movies, made for the American audiences. We're talking B movies way way way down in the Bs. If you like samurai movies, like the Samurai Trilogy, Yojimbo, Hari Kiri, 47 Ronin, Zatoichi movies, then this collection is NOT for you!

I regret buying this collection mainly because I didn't realize what I was getting. That was my mistake. However, I am surprised at the lower quality of the film footage. One would expect a Blu-ray mastering to have better results than older DVD transfers of essentially the same footage. I suppose the SA films are already 2 or more film generations from what might be available for LWAC, so maybe this is the best they could have done. At any rate, it's very disappointing to me.

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Fistful of Dollars (1964)

I think people are missing the point of this film when they focus on the action sequence. The underlying theme of the entire movie is one of self sacrifice for what is right and just. It is wrong to conclude that main the character (clint eastwood) pits the two gangs against each other for the money. If that is the case, then why does he give it ALL away to Marisol, to whom he owes NO obligation or favors, at the risk of his own life? Fortunately for the viewers, Marisol does ask why. His answer is "..because...I used to know someone like you..and there was no one to help.." (probably referring to his own mother whom he was powerless to rescue from the raping bandits). That one line says EVERYTHING about his past, his motivation, and the theme of the movie. The director goes to great length to convince the viewer the "man with no name" has no morals. In fact, he seems downright evil and greedy, as he constantly says "I don't work for cheap" and seems to be ready for hire for any sordid duties asked of him for the right price. Only in the very brief and defining moment of the movie (when he rescues Marisol, her son, and her husband) we see him as he truly is. Unlike most westerns, the man does not waste words preaching righteousness, he lets his actions speak for themselves. It is the moral subtlety of this movie which makes it great.

In the small dusty border town of San Miguel, two gangs of "criminals and smugglers" are both trying to take over the town and be the "bosses". Out of nowhere enters our hero, the very dangerous(but very cute) gunman with no name(Clint Eastwood). In this first of the trilogy directed by Sergio Leone

Clint decides to play the rival gangs against each other, first working for one then the other. Why? Because there's money to made here. In the process, there are deadly shootouts, Clint saves a family,gets his face bashed in (I hated that part) and well I wont give away the end.

This film was followed by "A Few Dollars More" and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". All three a must see's for the Eastwood fan. This one was based on the Japaneese film "Yojimbo" and was also the basis for the more recent "Last Man Standing" starring Bruce Willis.

Billed as "A New Breed of Western" (more commonly called spaghetti westerns, although it was shot in Spain), it is a cinematic treat you wont want to miss. The actors performances are terrific and the scenery stunning.

The DVD(by MGM) is a must have. The picture is crisp, the colors are sharp and the widescreen excellent. The sound is Mono,(only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5) but it still sounds good, the horses and guns are crisp and the dialouge is fine.(The film is nearly 40 years old )

Not a whole lot of extras, but for me This movie was the extra!

What the DVD has is the Original Theatrical Trailer, Scene Selection, and a very informative booklet that talks about the making of the film. It also has subtitles, English and French which could be helpful for hearing impaired viewers, and a standard film format on the other side for those who might prefer it to the widescreen.

If you have never seen it and you like westerns, you'll love it. If you have already seen it and know you love it, you will enjoy the DVD.

thanx-Laurie

more clint stuff:

Paint Your Wagon

Music for the Movies of Clint Eastwood

Eastwood on Eastwood [VHS]

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(This review refers to the new 2-disc "collector's edition" released in 2007.)

A Fistful of Dollars kicked off a new era for the western, a tried and true--and, by 1964, almost exhausted--cinematic genre that needed a fresh start. Audiences had grown cynical and tired of the white-hat/black-hat simplicity of most western classics and, as with the waning war-film genre, were looking for something different.

Enter Sergio Leone and A Fistful of Dollars, a gritty "Italian western" shot in Spain on a shoestring budget and starring an up-and-coming--but still virtually unknown--television actor named Clint Eastwood. The movie was a huge international hit, launched Eastwood into stardom, and spawned two subsequent "Man With No Name" westerns and dozens of imitations.

MGM's new release of this classic "new western" is outstanding. In recent years, I've been pleased every time MGM has issued a new release of a classic from its library, as every new edition has improved vastly upon those previous.

Picture quality: Excellent anamorphic transfer, diligently tidied up and restored. Outstanding.

Sound quality: Includes the requisite original mono track and an excellent new surround-sound mix.

Special features: Very good. An informative commentary track by film historian Sir Christopher Frayling is accompanied by a second disc including several nice featurettes, none of which are boring and none of which are so long that they wear out their welcome. I watched most of them while getting ready in the morning.

If you've been waiting for a good edition of A Fistful of Dollars, this is it.

Highly recommended.

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Astonishing remake of Akira Kurosawa's YOJIMBO, FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, directed by italian director Sergio Leone, deserves to be in every movie lover's library. In Toshiro Mifune's role, Clint Eastwood gave a performance that established him as one of the greatest american star of the next forty years.

With an international cast of german, italian, spanish and american actors, FISTFUL OF DOLLARS could have been only an ordinary B-movie of the early 60's. On the contrary, this movie has become the symbol of the revival of a dying Hollywood genre the western and will be followed by dozens of imitations until the definitive burial of the genre by Clint Eastwood with the masterpiece UNFORGIVEN.

The villain, played by Gian-Maria Volontè, is so terrific that Sergio Leone will hire this wonderful italian actor to play the role of Indio, the bad guy of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, with the result we all know.

I was a little bit anxious before playing the DVD ; the bad quality of the image of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE was still on my mind. But, don't worry be happy, the copy was in almost perfect state and the transfer well done. Subtitles and a trailer as bonus features.

A DVD for your library.

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I had been waiting a long time for this to finally be released and in DVD format I was not disappointed. Picture quality was excellent. Sound quality was ok but I wish it would have been made in Dolby Surround 5.1 channel. It was in Dolby Mono. Still, this is a great film. A classic action western.Clint is the best in these films,and his Dirty Harry movies. It's what made him a superstar. And with DVD technology, it's like as if this was a new movie. Simply amazing! If you love Westerns and Clint Eastwood, then this is a must buy for the collection.

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The Art of Getting By (2011)

"We all die alone, so why am I supposed to spend my life working, sweating, struggling...I have better things to do with my time." George (Highmore) is a high schooler who has pretty much given up. Bitter with the world and his mother he refuses to do anything and hasn't done a real day's work in his entire senior year. He meets Sally (Roberts) who sees the same thing in herself. This is a very good movie made better by the acting. Highmore, in a departure from his usual disgustingly good boy roles is excellent in this. Roberts, who is fast becoming a better actress then her aunt is, is also fantastic in this movie. The role of George is written to be a total jerk to most people he meets, but Highmore has enough "baggage" with him that even though he is not nice to almost everyone in the movie you still wind up rooting for him and wanting him to succeed by the end. That is a rare thing for an actor that young. While this is a very good movie that forces you to keep watching it does tend to drag in a few places, but not enough to be boring. If that makes sense. Overall, a very good movie with great acting that is a definite watch. The type of movie that all high schoolers should watch. I give it a B+.

*Also try Happythankyoumoreplease & It's Kind Of A Funny Story

I saw this movie in theaters and i really connected to it. The characters are smartly written and in every moment you've been that person, especially in high school. made me nostalgic for times past. The two leads are so on point you cant help but notice they stand out. Hopefully we'll be seeing more of highmore and roberts in the future.

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THE ART OF GETTING BY didn't get much attention in the theaters, but once the word is out by those who have elected to use View On Demand on television it just make a resurgence. Gavin Wiesen both wrote and directed this updated existentialist story and cast it with a very solid crew of actors. The result is a movie that is both nostalgic and heartwarming.

George Zinavoy (Freddie Highmore as a very fine developing adult actor) is a lonely and fatalistic high school senior who believes `you are born alone, die alone and everything else is an illusion'. Despite the fact that he is very intelligent and artistic he fails to complete any class work assignments, failing to see the point of doing such mundane tasks if we are all going to simply die anyway. His mother (Rita Wilson) and father (Sam Robards) are at odds: his father's business went bankrupt and he spends his time in the park and in coffee shops to hide the fact that he is unemployed (George sees this unbeknownst to the parents). George finally makes a friend in Sally (Emma Roberts), and develops and attraction for clueless George. The school's principal (Blair Underwood) and art teacher (Jarlath Conroy) introduce him to an alumni, and successful artist, Dustin (Michael Angarano continuing to be one of the most interesting young actors on the screen today), who can help guide George along life's path, but other distractions start surfacing, and George might not even be able to graduate from high school. How George discovers his feelings and his options is a well played out ending.

There are some fine cameos by Alicia Silverstone, Ann Harada, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ann Dowd, Elizabeth Reaser among others. But the significant satisfaction is the privilege of watching Freddie Highmore graduate into more adult roles: he is becoming a very fine actor. Grady Harp, December 11

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THE ART OF GETTING BY didn't get much attention in the theaters, but once the word is out by those who have elected to use View On Demand on television it just make a resurgence. Gavin Wiesen both wrote and directed this updated existentialist story and cast it with a very solid crew of actors. The result is a movie that is both nostalgic and heartwarming.

George Zinavoy (Freddie Highmore as a very fine developing adult actor) is a lonely and fatalistic high school senior who believes `you are born alone, die alone and everything else is an illusion'. Despite the fact that he is very intelligent and artistic he fails to complete any class work assignments, failing to see the point of doing such mundane tasks if we are all going to simply die anyway. His mother (Rita Wilson) and father (Sam Robards) are at odds: his father's business went bankrupt and he spends his time in the park and in coffee shops to hide the fact that he is unemployed (George sees this unbeknownst to the parents). George finally makes a friend in Sally (Emma Roberts), and develops and attraction for clueless George. The school's principal (Blair Underwood) and art teacher (Jarlath Conroy) introduce him to an alumni, and successful artist, Dustin (Michael Angarano continuing to be one of the most interesting young actors on the screen today), who can help guide George along life's path, but other distractions start surfacing, and George might not even be able to graduate from high school. How George discovers his feelings and his options is a well played out ending.

There are some fine cameos by Alicia Silverstone, Ann Harada, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ann Dowd, Elizabeth Reaser among others. But the significant satisfaction is the privilege of watching Freddie Highmore graduate into more adult roles: he is becoming a very fine actor. Grady Harp, December 11

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The Art of Getting By is a wonderful coming of age film. Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts turn in wonderful performances and carry this film.

George is bored at his expensive New York City prep school. He sees Sally across the rooftop of the school smoking. When a teacher steps out onto the roof, he takes the blame for smoking. He's so used to be being in trouble, what's one more problem? At a very simple level, the film is about Sally and George being friends, and maybe being more than friends which will it be?

This is a wonderful small independent film that focuses on emotions and the two lead characters. The writer and director, Gavin Wiesen, develops the romantic tension between Sally and George without being heavy handed. This is Wiesen's first feature length film. Freddie Highmore (August Rush, The Golden Compass, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) turns in another great performance. I believed that he was that artistic, smart, and that bored. But yet he always seemed to do the right thing, even though he could have done the wrong thing. Emma Roberts (Lymelife, Nancy Drew, Hotel for Dogs, and Scream 4) was radiant as the quirky, bohemian girl that confuses and attracts George. The rest of the cast was quite good; they truly supported these two main characters.

The film is not perfect. Somehow these two seventeen or eighteen year old kids end up with beers in front of them and in bars in New York City a little more often than they should be. Maybe this is classic well to do children in prep school in New York City it certainly wouldn't play that way elsewhere. The teachers weren't necessarily represented in a positive light. George was a little bit too friendly with the principal. The three week ultimatum was a bit odd. These were minor flaws for me, I hung much more on what George or Sally would say. I cared more about those two characters and could overlook the flaws.

This is a short film at an hour and twenty three minutes. Wiesen did an excellent job with pacing; the film did not drag at the usual middle point. I loved the color of this film. For a first time feature length film, this was an impressive film.

The film is rated PG-13. There is underage drinking in the film for those sensitive parents. The f bomb gets tossed once and other strong language is used (all television appropriate language). George and Sally discuss sex. What makes it appropriate is the reaction they have to the discussion. There is a very brief scene where George is seen lying in bed with a tent pole under the covers (it is brief, embarrassing for him, but very natural and appropriate in the film). I'm very happy this film didn't get bumped to an R rating, it is a really fine coming of age film that thirteen year plus viewers should see.

This was a wonderful small independent film that was a surprise. Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts are worth the price of admission.

Freddie Highmore:

August Rush

The Golden Compass

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Emma Roberts:

Lymelife

Nancy Drew

Hotel for Dogs

Scream 4

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Blindness / Proof (2012)

Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released this Miramax set of two really awesome movies in hi-def. I was really excited to see Blindness, but Proof ended up really blowing me away. Both films were creative, smart, and equally moving despite their very different stories. Blindness, making its Blu-ray debut, is a dark epidemic flick while Proof is an intelligent tale of a young woman's conflicts with herself and others as she copes with living in the shadow of her brilliant yet insane father. Both films in my opinion are underrated and deserve a lot more attention. The one star deduction is due to the release lacking subtitles (as most Echo Bridge titles do).

Source: criticnic.com 3-October-2012

Disclosure: Films sent by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment

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Catch Me If You Can (2012)

"Catch Me If You Can" is the story of real-life con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr. who, in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when he was between the ages of 16 and 21, wrote $2.5 million dollars in bad checks and became one of the most notorious con men in American history. The film follows Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) from his early high school pranks to his check-printing operation and eventual capture in France five years later. FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) doggedly pursues Frank as he successfully impersonates an air line pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, living the life of a playboy and cashing ingeniously forged checks all along the way.

"Catch Me If You Can" was directed by Stephen Spielberg and, along with Minority Report, signifies a revival of Spielberg's directing talent after fifteen years of mediocre-at-best filmmaking. This film is fairly light fare, but it is immensely entertaining, funny, touching, and impeccably cast. Frank Abagnale, Jr. is a perfect fit for Leonardo DiCaprio, and is probably his best role since "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". Tom Hanks seems to have abandoned his typically saccharine roles this year -much to his creditand puts in a wonderful performance as sympathetic geeky G-man Carl Hanratty (along with a terrific showing in "Road to Perdition"). Christopher Walken was the only actor to receive an Oscar nomination for "Catch Me If You Can". His performance as Frank Abagnale, Sr., our protagonist's down-and-out father, deserved the honor. Frank Jr.'s awkward combination of admiration and pity for his father seems to have been a key motivator in his illustrious life of crime, and Christopher Walken really helps us understand that.

The real Frank Abagnale, Jr. is a successful security consultant these days, protecting businesses from white collar crime. He cooperated with and bascially likes the film, but is quick to point out that "Catch Me If You Can" is based on his biography of the same name that was written about 25 years ago. Mr. Abagnale says that some aspects of his experiences were exaggerated in that book and some have been altered for the movie as well. Whatever the inaccuracies, Frank Abagnale, Jr.'s immense intelligence, ambition, and guts are the most striking elements of the film. It's the rarity of finding all of these qualities in such abundance in one person that make Frank's character so fascinating, and make him one of cinema's most lovable antiheroes.

I highly recommend "Catch Me If You Can" for its great performances and its extremely entertaining story of an ingenious con man and his noble pursuer...made all the more interesting because the story is largely true.

and the message is, "Sometimes, I'm gonna do a film where I just try to entertain you". And entertain it did!

Reviewers of the movie are at odds, either giving it high praise, when they recognize that it is just there to entertain the filmgoer, or calling it dreadful, when they expect every Spielberg movie to be a momentous event of special effects and storytelling. "Catch Me If You Can" is based on the life of a con man, who pulled his crimes as a teenager, and then reformed for the rest of a long life. The story engrosses the watcher, and Spielberg gives the film a light touch, a terrific cast, and fits it all into the eerily real culture of the 60's everyday life with costumes (wardrobe is outstanding), period sets, and a general feeling of wonder (Remember "The Wonder Years"?) that was the true 60's feel, devoid of momentous political events and the inevitable strife caused by war.

DiCaprio is featured as an odd duck, an obsessive compulsive trapped in escalating acts designed to make his father feel that his life is successful. He shows some great naivete, especially in the scene criticized by many with Jennifer Garner, and displays the genial and engaging manner that the real Frank must have had to get away with what he did.

Hanks is another believable work obsessive compulsive who chases him down and forms the nucleus of the nonviolent criminal teams that solve financial crimes in this country every day. Bringing Frank to the FBI feels a little unbelievable, but it DID happen, and it was based on Hanratty's understanding and faith in not only the genius, but also the need of Abagnale to outsmart the world. I'm sure it was a huge

financial success for law enforcement in the real world.

Many seem surprised at the fine flair that Christopher Walken displays as Frank's father, but Walken's career is full of moments like these, where he has flashes of a true craftsman, then does an over the top performance in his next role...kind of a roller coaster ride with this fine performer, you never know what to expect.

The audience clapped in the film I saw, enjoyed the music, had a great time...now that's entertainment! Catch Me If You Can blends light comedy with a background edge of why things turn out the way they do when families dissolve. It may be the most entertaining movie (short of My Big Fat Greek Wedding) of 2002; and although it doesn't deserve to win any awards....



sometimes Spielberg should just entertain us! He's earned it.

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Steven Spielburg's second 2002 film is a dinosaur. It's an anachronism. It belongs to the time period in which it's set, a more innocent America where Charles Manson had not brought violence to the wealthy and Vietnam was still a winnable (and profitable) war. It's Catch Me If You Can, the story of con man Frank Abagnale, Jr., who may very well be the world's foremost expert on forgery and fraud. If that doesn't sound like a complimentary introduction, fear not; Catch Me a film's film and a throwback to the cinema of yore, when audio and video combined to make an experience rather than an assault on the senses.

Imagine a mixture of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and To Catch a Thief. Catch Me has the slow pacing and careful cinematography of Hitchcock at his finest, and Spielburg has forsaken his recent effects-laden shots for straightforward storytelling. Every individual shot is deliberately framed, with a care for detail not usually seen outside of a Lynch film. There are no explosions to distract the eye from character interaction, and the overall effect is that of an effortless and immersive film.

Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of his best (and best-developed) roles since Gilbert Grape, plays Frank Abagnale, a teenager growing up outside of New York. His father (played by Christopher Walken) is being investigated by the IRS, and Frank Jr.'s idyllic American life full of apple pie, WWII vets marrying their sweethearts, and large-finned cars is about to come crashing down. When he finds that what he's left with isn't to his liking, Frank embarks on a career of impersonation and fraud. He passes himself off as an airline pilot, a Harvard-educated doctor, an assistant prosecutor, and a recruiter for an airline stewardess program all before his 19th birthday. When he starts passing bad checks to the tune of four million dollars he attracts the attention of straightlaced FBI Agent Tom Hanks, who manages to avoid his Hanks persona in favor of actual acting.

Catch Me is a character story, told through a series of events in Abagnale's life. It's funny at times, but the portrait that develops is of a sad, lonely, and almost pathetic child who runs and hides because he doesn't know what else to do. Hanks is like an automaton, relentless in his pursuit, and his grip on Abagnale only grows tighter with each narrow escape. It's not a deep meditation on a philosophical subject, or an artistic look at some overused postmodern cliché. Catch Me aims to entertain, nothing more, and succeeds admirably.

Without effects, a blazing soundtrack, and fast-paced action to drive the story, Spielburg ekes the most from Hanks and DiCaprio without resorting to hammy overacting. This, combined with the easygoing plot and fantastic camerawork, lend Catch Me an unusual amount of verisimilitude for a modern film: it's something to lose yourself in, where you no longer think "I'm watching a movie." That is an accomplishment worthy of note.

Final Grade: A-

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There is something truly exhilerating about convincing people you're something you're not, about the freedom that comes with giving yourself any identity you chose. I know the feeling: When I was kid I managed to pass myself off as twins for my whole seventh grade year and once invented a religion I had several people actually interested in. People believed me, because I believed me. Stern parental lectures eventually cured me of this tendency, but poor real-life con-artist Frank Abagnale had no such luck. "Catch Me If You Can" is based on his life from the age of 15 to the age of 19, during which he flew Pan Am as a co-pilot, was the Supervising Doctor in a Georgia ER, and Assistant Prosecuter in the State of Louisiana. The fact that he did not actually attend school for any of the above occupations had no effect on his activities whatsoever. He also forged checks to the tune of almost three million dollars; his forging so flawless even old time master forgers were in awe. And when it all finally came to an end, as of course it had to, he even managed to turn the end into a kind of triumph.

The film is based on Frank's autobiography, with Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale. He is absolutely terrific, radiating a kind of giddy joy he hasn't shown us in a long time. His Frank is good-hearted, good-natured, charming, but most importantly, fearless . People believe him, because he believes him. My favorite scene with him comes early: Starting a new school, Frank walks into his first class and on a complete whim pretends to be the substitute teacher. He is cheerfully holding parent-teacher conferences and planning field trips when he is finally found out.

Co-star Tom Hanks does a solid job in the role of the determined FBI agent who chased Frank obsessively for years. Tracking him down evolves into a kind of thrilling chessgame for the two of them, and there is a great running gag about their always talking on Christmas Eve. (The agent is at work because he has no outside life, and Frank calls him because he has no one else to call.) Dicaprio also has a strong chemistry with Walken, who plays Frank's father and subtle enabler.

The direction of Speilberg is typically superb, and the snazzy art direction and playful score contribute to the overall excellence. Chalk up another for the master.

In conclusion, all I can say is that this is one of the best movies I've seen this year, and certaining the funnest. I walked out of the theater feeling satisfied and happy, and, I admit, a little envious. Frank Abagnale led quite a life. He paid for it in the end, but still. My hat's off to you Abagnale, wherever you are.

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Having seen Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes in The Aviator(a role which I think will win him an Oscar), I checked out the DVD of Catch Me If You Can. Leo plays con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., who in the '60s successfully passed himself off as several other people, among them airline pilot Frank Taylor, Secret Service man Barry Allen, and doctor-turned-lawyer Frank Connors, and wrote fraudulent checks totaling millions of dollars while he was using his various identities. As Frank Connors, Frank Abagnale Jr. was a doctor, a prosecutor, and an Attorney General candidate for the state of Louisiana. As the movie(which is based on Frank's memoirs) shows, Frank pulled off his act so successfully that it was four years before the FBI caught him. He was finally apprehended in France, where the bogus checks were printed. After getting out of prison, as seen in the movie, Frank went to work for the FBI's Check Fraud Unit, where his supervisor was Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent who pursued him. Tom Hanks plays Carl, the FBI man, and Christopher Walken has a fine performance as Frank's father, Frank Sr. Martin Sheen also is solid, playing Frank's future father-in-law, Roger Strong. Frank proposes to Roger's daughter, Brenda(Amy Adams), whom he meets while working as a doctor, but Frank abruptly runs out of his engagement party when he realizes that Carl and his fellow FBI agents are after him and that he couldn't get rid of his Frank Connors identity if he stayed married. Soon after, when he's conducting another ruse, this time training stewardesses, Frank flies off to France, where Carl catches him. In the movie, Frank escapes briefly after Carl brings him back to New York, but he is again caught, this time outside his mother's home. The movie doesn't give us just one reason why Frank turned to crime, but we get a few clues: his dad's problems with the IRS, the breakup of his parents' marriage(which resulted in his running away from home), and his need to make money really fast in order to survive. Also, Frank's mom, Paula(Nathalie Baye), as depicted in the film, did a little manipulating herself--for instance, she told Carl that she'd help pay the checks Frank had bounced. The movie also is a redemption story. Carl, who is wrestling with his own personal problems(his own divorce, not having seen his daughter), becomes a sort of father figure to Frank--and, as stated earlier, he ends up being Frank's supervisor at the FBI. While Carl uses a ruse to get Frank to open up to him(giving Frank permission to call his father while, unknown to both of them, Frank Sr. had died), he eventually earns Frank's trust. As the ending shows, in real life Frank helped the FBI crack numerous check fraud cases and formed a lasting friendship with Carl. To the impatient movie watcher, Catch Me If You Can seems overly long(two hours and 21 minutes, not including the extras), which I think drags it down to "only" a four-star rating. However, I think producer-director Steven Spielberg wanted the movie to be a character study of Frank and not just another Star Wars-type action flick--and in this regard, he does well. Leo's portrayal of Frank--the charming con artist who at the same time is very human--is believable, and Tom Hanks gives a commanding yet sympathetic performance as Carl. The bonus material on the second disc is excellent. In addition to interviews with cast and crew members and the story of how the movie was made, the material includes Frank Abagnale Jr.'s own discussion of how he became a con artist, his various occupations, how he was apprehended, and how his work with the FBI influenced banking practices. Frank himself served as a consultant on this movie, and his input helped give the film its early '60s authenticity. This movie has a great story with some interesting characters. You have to "catch" it.

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Blue Streak / National Security (2010)

These Martin Lawrence movies will leave you in stitches!! The differenct characters, jokes, stunts.. are so funny!! These are 'Gotta have' movies!!

When I opened the package, my blue-ray cover for National Security was heavily heat damaged with plenty of wrinkles. Disk worked fine, but no Blue-ray live content accessible. It seems as though Sony has removed support for the Blue-ray Live feature for the disk.

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Ships quick, and product is in good condition. Overall a good buy. Both movies are pretty funny and worth watching.

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This is definately one of the funniest movies I have ever seen! Definately one of the best movies of Martin Lawrence's career! This is definately one of our family's favorite movies.

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The Birds (1963)

Hitchcock's macabre classic finally gets its due on this DVD Collector's Edition. The film, which by turns thrills (the various bird attacks) and amuses (the frequently bantering dialogue), is presented in all its widescreen glory -an important consideration for Hitchcock enthusiasts, given the director's meticulous planning of his films' visual compositions. "The Birds" features some great cinematography, a nerve-wracking soundtrack, and some finely wrought performances (particularly those of Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Ethel Griffies); all are well-served by the film-to-DVD transfer. There are a wealth of bonus features, including newsreel footage of Hitchcock and Hedren publicizing the film, an extensive stills gallery, and a fascinating behind the scenes production documentary. Especially intriguing are the ad-libbed screen test clips pairing Hedren with "Psycho" player Martin Balsam while Hitchcock provides verbal instructions off-camera! All in all, a most welcome addition to my DVD collection, and one I'm pleased to recommend for yours.

The Birds is Hitchcock's masterpiece. It is my official selection for the best Hitchcock movie EVER...It is so much more than just a horror movie especillay when you start asking yourself why the birds attack. Could the bird attacks be fueled by female sexual hysteria and competition for the only virile male (Rod Taylor) in the film? Or could it be just mankind's payback for abusing the fowl of the animal kingdom? This film is loaded with haunting images and symbolism which deserves multiple viewings and discussion among serious film buffs. Not only is the film worth 5 stars but there is an impressive flock of DVD extras. The film itself is a beautiful widescreen presentation with very nice sound; the extras should thrill Hitchophiles with a "making of documentary", vintage newsreels of the film's theatrical release, a very witty original trailer, deleted scenes, and Tippi Hedren's original screen test. YES!

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Although I don't think that The Birds is Alfred Hitchcock's greatest film, it is probably my favourite of his movies. I've seen the trailer for the film, and it's very humourous, and obviously Hitchcock wanted to have a lot of fun with his audience. The trailer suggests that the birds attack as a response to all that man has done to them over the years. It's an interesting idea, especially since the reason for the attacks is omitted in the film, which is one of the things that I like about it. I like the way the film looks at the reaction of people to bizarre events, especially as some of the townspeople connect the arrival of the birds with the arrival of Tippi Hedren as though she somehow brought this on them. I didn't even notice that there wasn't a musical soundtrack the first time I saw the film, because the sounds of the birds attacking amidst the silence is really effective. The performers are good, especially Suzanne Pleshette, and although I don't think Tippi Hedren was the greatest actress to appear before a camera, I think she's better than most people give her credit for, especially considering that the actors are secondary to all that is happening in the film. She looks great, and projects a certain detached coolness, which is appropriate for the character. The special effects are good (condsidering the time), and the tension slowly builds with each attack. I particularly like the scene where Tippi Hedren waits outside the schoolhouse, and the birds slowly gather behind her without her knowledge. For me, this is a fun movie to watch, well made and very effective for its purpose. I've seen a lot of other suspense and horror films and they generally don't stay with me. But I have to admit that there have been a few times when I have gone by a large group of birds perched somewhere, and I've flashbacked to this movie and walked a little faster!

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If you remember seeing this movie at your theatre or on television a long time ago then you should have this DVD in your collection! It is still one of Hitchcock's masterpieces after 42 years. It has a quiet beginning but picks up the pace later on. Good entertainment!!

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THE BIRDS has always been my favorite Hitch film. All the wonderful traits we've come to love and expect in a Hitchcock film are here: suspense, moments of terror, and counter-balancing those, needed moments of humor. The plot has been outlined many times already in other reviews, so I'll skip that. What I do need to point out concerning this Collector's Edition DVD version is the outstanding "extras" that come with. Included is the telling of Hitchcock's original ending, an example of Hitch's story-boarding a scene, Tippi Hedren's screen test, and the inclusion (via photos and commentary) of a deleted scene.

The highlight of the entire DVD however, is the most superb "Behind the Scenes" documentary of the making of this film that I've yet seen on a DVD release. Almost everything you want to know about the making of this film, including how all the bird attacks/tricks were done, comes from interviews with Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Veronica Cartright, Patricia Hitchcock (Hitch's daughter) and many others. Simply a fantastic documentary. Even if you might not consider purchasing the DVD because you don't really care for the movie, the documentary alone makes it worth the price. Never before have I learned so much about the making of a movie, and in particular, one of Hitchcock's. Not to be missed.

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The Princess Diaries: Two-Movie Collection (Three-Disc Combo Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (2

To start off I have to say that I enjoyed watching these movies when they first came out in watching these again brings back great memories. These Blu-rays are wonderful and provide a great quality experience for the viewer and on top of this they also have put together a great list of bonus features that my kids really enjoy. Both of these movies are definitely family-friendly and ones that I would highly recommend anyone to watch. The movies are light, fun and offer a great time for all.

Both blue ray movies on the same disc and two separate discs for the DVDs allows us to have the movie in multiple places. Also let the family move right on from the original to the sequel. Great story, characters and family friendly movie!

Buy The Princess Diaries: Two-Movie Collection (Three-Disc Combo Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (2 Now

The recent reissue of both The Princess Diaries: 10th Anniversary Edition and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement on a new Blu-ray/DVD package may have been due to nothing more than the titles coming up on the "to be Blu-rayed" list. It may only be coincidental that producer Whitney Houston passed not long ago -or that Princess Mia, in the second film, wields a bow and arrow (suggesting the upcoming Brave), but that's probably reaching.

According the the generous audio commentaries on both discs (recorded several years ago on previous DVD issues), The Princess Diaries book was purchased by Houston's company and brought to Disney. The wisdom of casting Julie Andrews as the Queen (her first Disney film since Mary Poppins) and Garry Marshall (he of the modern-day Pretty Woman fairytale rom-com) cannot be underestimated.

Marshall has a talent for talent -casting Anne Hathaway while she was still in her late teens and a movie unknown. His movies have a stock company that stretches back as far as his days with The Dick Van Dyke Show, not to mention Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. His commentary on the first film, likely supplemented by copious notes, is a wall-to-wall comic monologue of moviemaking technique.

Julie Andrews, ironically, takes the Henry Higgins role in transforming awkward Mia into a princess. To me, she's really training Hathaway to be Julie Andrews, since Dame Julie has made a fine art of presenting herself as the gracious magical movie icon that she is. The first film was also shot at what is now the Julie Andrews stage -Stage 2 on the Disney lot, the same one where Mary Poppins soared.

Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway share a high tea in their previously-released commentary on the first film. It's especially interesting to hear Hathaway's ambivalence to film acting and her reluctance to wear a swimsuit -little did she know what stardom (and love scenes) were ahead for her.

The second film is perhaps not as cohesive as the first, but how can it be -how do you follow up a Cinderella story? With a courtship and wedding, in this case, with another "newcomer," Chris Pine, as the garden-variety rom-com guy.

Julie Andrews returns with Garry Marshall for the commentary on the second film, also from an earlier issue. Marshall is less meticulous in his spoken details about this film, but no less enthusiastic. Princess Diaries 2 is more of a children's film, even including a song sung by Dame Julie!

Marshall's directing skills and his ability to surround himself with some of the best production people in Hollywood is evident as you savor the fine photography and staging made more clear on Blu-ray. While both films are frothy confections, they're also beautifully rendered and a joy to experience again.

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This is a good movie, but it is not similar to the book series. For those of us who read the novels, then watched the movies, most of us were disappointed. It is a good movie and they did a good job, just I'm upset because they changed everything from the book including they eliminated characters and events. They should remake this series.

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In 2000, the first volume of Meg Cabot's epistolary novel series, "The Princess Diaries", was released. A year later, "The Princess Diaries" was released as a film and achieving commercial success as it grossed over $165 million in the box office.

The film was produced by singer Whitney Houston and directed by Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman", "Beaches", "Runaway Bride") and the success of the first film would ensure a sequel in 2004 titled "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement", the sequel would feature a screenplay by Shonda Rhimes (best known for creating and producing "Grey's Anatomy", "Private Practice" and "Scandal").

The two films would star Julie Andrews ("The Sound of Music", "Mary Poppins", "10″), Anne Hathaway ("The Devil Wears Prada", "Alice in Wonderland", "Get Smart") and Hector Elizondo ("Pretty Woman", "Runaway Bride", "Chicago Hope"). "The Princess Diaries" would be the first feature film debut of Anne Hathaway.

And now, both films will be released in a 10th Anniversary Blu-ray+DVD combo pack, courtesy of Disney.

VIDEO:

"The Princess Diaries" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" are presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). The video quality on both films is much better than the original DVD release and while the first film does show its age during the title credits and stock footage of San Francisco, the actual film is looks very good on Blu-ray with the additional clarity and more emphasis on colors. Especially detail on closeups of the characters faces. Skin tones natural on both films, black levels are good and there are no video issues that I spotted during my viewing of the film.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

As for audio, "The Princess Diaries" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. While both films are dialogue-driven, there is also quite a bit of music featured in the films and also scenes that utilize the ambiance of various moments. Such as the first film which features Mia in a rainstorm or the sounds of crowds, but for teh most part, both films are front and center-channel driven as expected. Not exactly immersive but for both films, the lossless soundtrack is appropriate.

Subtitles are provided in English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES

"The Princess Diaries" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" is quite interesting when it comes to special features as Disney has elected to not include the special features on the Blu-ray release (only the "Royal Bloopers"), while most of the special features can be found on the accompanying two DVD's.

The Princess Diaries

Royal Bloopers (4:20) Outtakes from "The Princess Diaries" (featured on Blu-ray and DVD).

A New Princess (24:19) A featurette hosted by Anne Hathaway with interviews with director Garry Marshall and the cast of "The Princess Diaries".

Audio Commentary Featuring an informative audio commentary by director Garry Marshall.

Audio Commentary A second audio commentary featuring Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway.

Deleted Scenes Featuring an introduction by director Garry Marshall and eight deleted scenes.

Livin' Like a Princess (3:27) Featuring animation on a princess' life.

Music Video "Miracles Happen" (4:18) Featuring "Miracles Happy" by Myra

Music Video "Supergirl" (3:54) Featuring "Supergirl" by Krystal Harris

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Royal Bloopers (3:56) Outtakes from "The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement" (featured on Blu-ray and DVD).

Deleted Scenes (4:21) Featuring an introduction by director Garry Marshall and eight deleted scenes.

Games & Activities: Find Your Inner Princess A game/quiz for those to find their "inner princess".

Making a Return Engagement (15:37) Director Garry Marshall and cast talk about working on this second film.

The PD2 Makeover (11:07) Featuring Anna Curtis, Anne Hathaway's stand-in for the film.

Music Video (4:02) Featuring "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson

Audio Commentary Featuring audio commentary by Julie Andrews and director Garry Marshall.

EXTRAS:

"The Princess Diaries: 10th Anniversary Edition" Blu-ray comes with a separate DVD for each film.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"The Princess Diaries" and its sequel "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" are two-lighthearted, fun and delightful films that would appeal to young ladies but also with director Garry Marshall, the film also appeals to people of all ages, especially with the older crowd as the film also pays a little homage to his 1991 film "Pretty Woman".

First, lets discuss the storyline. While the first film is much more enjoyable than the sequel, part of the enjoyment of the first film was seeing new and older faces. When "The Princess Diaries" first came out, I actually saw star potential within actress Anne Hathaway and as Lindsay Lohan at the time, was the up-and-coming star in films such as "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" and would later incorporate this bad girl image, Anne Hathaway is an actress who came out of nowhere but yet had this pure image in which she fit into the heels of Princess Mia quite perfectly.

While Hathaway was a teen actress known for her role on "Get Real" (which she starred alongside Jesse Eisenberg back in 1999-2002), there was no doubt that this role propelled her career and would blossom into roles in "Nicholas Nickleby", "Ella Enchanted", at the time, she captivated audience with her quirkiness and felt that she fit the role perfectly as Mia.

And part of my enjoyment of seeing this film was watching Julie Andrews, who was still as charming onscreen since her classic films of "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music", and also carried the grace that she is known for, as grandmother to Mia in both films.

Going back to the Garry Marshall reference to "Pretty Woman", Marshall brings back his "Pretty Woman" actors such as Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller, but also brings back Allan Kent to repeat the same line "It Happens All the Time" in "The Princess Diaries" as he did in "Pretty Woman". In fact, the song "Sempre libera degg'io" from "La Traviata" featured in "Pretty Woman" is used once again in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement". So, there are "Pretty Woman" references in this film, which I found quite interesting.

So, for the first film alone, I enjoyed the "unpopular girl finds out that she is a princess" storyline, but the sequel seemed a bit out of the place as the goal was now "princess to become queen and must find a husband". While the storyline did work, I suppose that the rush into seeing the character of Mia needing to find a husband in order to become queen, just wasn't exciting enough. And as much as I enjoy Shonda Rhimes as a writer, this is one film that tried to capitalize on the success of the first film and to tell you the truth, I didn't think it was needed. Especially since the sequel has nothing to do with Meg Cabot's original novels (as the novels began to focus on Mia's teenage life and life in college).

As for the Blu-ray release, the Blu-ray definitely is a worthy upgrade for fans who own it on DVD. The video and audio quality is much better but for those who already own the DVD's, its important to note that Disney didn't even bother put the special features (except the gag reel) on the Blu-ray release, they are on the accompanying DVD's. So, unless you have never seen the films or enjoy the films and want in HD, if you own the older DVD releases, there is nothing new, in terms of special features, added in the Blu-ray release of "The Princess Diaries: 10th Anniversary Edition".

Overall, I still feel that "The Princess Diaries" is a fun and delightful film, the second was OK...for the value of both films on Blu-ray, it still makes this release worth owning (if you don't own the previous two DVD's).

For parents looking for a fun family film for their daughters (both films are "Rated G") or may you be fans Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews or simply love Garry Marshall films, for the upgraded visuals and audio in HD, "The Princess Diaries: 10th Anniversary Edition" is worth owning and upgrading to Blu!

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Created Cosmos - Special Edition - Blu-ray (2011)

I hope you can buy the Blu-ray version of this, it is INCREDIBLE! Jason Lisle is one of the most sound scientists in this era and this disc shows the planatarium show he created. Gather the family around the tube when you watch this one, all ages will enjoy this video.

I have watched this 20 minute DVD numerous times. It is breathtaking. It really gives an appreciation for the power and majesty of God. It places life in perspective by showing the contrast between this life and eternity. I highly recommend.

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I got this DVD after seeing the show at a planetarium. If you liked Powers of 10, this is in the same category. The scale of the universe is depicted in breathtaking detail, wonderfully illustrated. The DVD has a great commentary track describing some of the behinds the scenes work required to program the simulation. I showed this with a projector to a bunch of high school student, about 20 feet across on the side of a building and they were equally impressed. It is pretty short, though, less than 30 min.

Read Best Reviews of Created Cosmos - Special Edition - Blu-ray (2011) Here

This DVD is so awe-inspiring! Praise the Lord for the cosmos he created and the blessing this DVD will be to all those who see it!

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Devil (2010)

People trapped in an elevator...with Satan! Does it get anymore freaky than that? M. Night Shyamalan conjoured up a suspenseful premise and let Director John Dowdle (Quarantine, Poughkeepsie Tapes) dance with the Devil. The result is a simple but effective thriller that is sure to horrify.

An unsettling suicide in the City of Brotherly Love seems to open the gates (or elevator shaft) for The Dark Lord to impose his will on a group of sinners. Police are baffled as they watch from the outside, trying to identify the culprit for these brutal crimes as they occur.

Is Hollywood finally discovering that less is indeed more? Don't be expecting lots of action here--it's a slow burner, taking place almost entirely in one confiscated setting. It's not especially gruesome either, but it's sure to butcher your brain trying to pinpoint the murderer. Many of the kills happen quickly when the lights conveniently flicker.

DEVIL is very well written and acted by a group of up-and-coming actors. It stops well short of the potential shock factor it could have obtained, but it's no slouch in the scare department either. Part one of the Night Chronicles trilogy.

M. Night's Back in the game in his tale of evil whacking the passengers of Elevator Six of a Philadelphia high rise building.

Beginning with the mysterious suidicde from the 35th floor, Detective Bowden (Julie and Julia's Chris Messina) is dragooned to become a sinister force's latest audience as it picks off an ecclectic passengers of express elevator six and to defining the metaphysics of evil after his family's killing at the hands of a hit-and-run driver.

From the disorienting opening sequence to the final narration by Jacob Vargas' Ramirez, M. Night continues to bring his audience through the screen to his world with clarity and stregnth reminding us why we go to the movies. Devil's plot races forward like a controlled explosion, never boring the audience (which, when I saw it, was me.) And while the tale may seem tired, the presentation was not.

I enjoyed Mr. Messina and the Elevator Cast's performances. The terror for the passengers is felt clearly with each time the lights go out and the reactions become more and more irrational and hysterical, just as it would become for any of us trapped in similar circumstances. Mr. Messina's detective follows a clear path from logic to faith which inspires those who have none. I enjoyed his journey and his presence in this picture. I last saw him in Julie and Julia and dismissed his performance in favor of his co-stars. However, after Devil, I will watch more carefully for anything with him in it.

The onion peel, when the connections within the elements of a story unravel to reveal something, was executed routinely but brilliantly. Even I, a jaded film watcher, was surprised when the core came out. This is the mark of a great writer, as M Night is, despite Hollywood's need to define greatness with financial success.

Bravo, guys!! This one's a keeper!!

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So far, I've liked all of Night's movies so I went into this one expecting some of his trademarks. The plot twist at the end was the big Kahuna, and in this movie, it was there, but I'm sure there were plenty of people who had it all figured from the opening scene. I didn't because I don't try to look that far ahead. I'd rather have the story carry me there. In this case, I was at first surprised, but not shocked after I thought about it. I don't know if that's a bad thing, but it was nothing like the surprises of his earlier work. Maybe because there is expected to be a plot twist, no matter what he does, it is no longer a surprise.

The movie has a decent if unknown cast and takes place in Night's hometown of Philadelphia. I'm guessing the building used doesn't really exist, but either way, the structure looked good.

For anyone with a phobia about being trapped in an elevator, this takes things to the next level with the uninvited guest. During the whole movie, I tried to figure out which character is the real bad guy. From every one of the elevator passengers to the cop to the Hispanic security guard (who I think was narrating the story), they were all suspect. There were plenty of red herrings thrown in to keep things interesting and when we finally find out who the real bad guy is, I was at least a bit surprised, though my wife wasn't. The other twist was with the cop but I don't want to spoil that for anyone else, despite what others may have said in their reviews.

The film didn't get too excessively bloody or gory, and most of that was implied more than shown graphically. In this case, it worked just fine.

I do not regret spending the money on this rental. Recommended for thriller/horror fans.

Read Best Reviews of Devil (2010) Here

DEVIL

When I first heard about this film I was excited because I have always found these types of movies entertaining. M. Night Shyamalan was on board here as a producer and also came up with this I believe so I was interested to say the least. I heard many things about this movie, some good some bad so I had to check it out. After watching this I have to say I liked more than I thought but it wasn't what I expected. I was actually expecting something a little more, scary I guess. But still for a pg 13 film it was good.

A man has committed suicide by way of jumping out of a window of a building; of course the police are called in. while there it seems there is a problem in the same building, an elevator is stuck with a group of people stuck on it. The thing is something wrong is going on, like people getting killed inside the elevator. As the police and security look on from a security camera they try to figure it out and stop what it going on. The thing is an evil presence may be inside that building and it just may be the devil, here to punish the wicked.

The idea behind this film is great and really had me hyped about this movie; I always seem to like these types of flicks. I must say that the atmosphere here is nice but this movie reminds me of the Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside, Tales from the Crypt and stuff like that. With that said it feels as short as one of those episodes, really it feels really short. The acting at least is good especially those in the elevator, pretty much every one here does a good job.

This film is far from the best ever and that is a little disappointing, it had the potential to be a classic. Still this is not as bad as some think and is worth a rental at least, it has some good special features so that is always a plus. Also while it may be a little predictable it does not try to over do anything, like that they did that.

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When a movie can seize our attention during the opening credits and maintain it throughout--well, we're in for something good. An impressive score, ominous but beautiful cinematography and exquisite camerawork transform this movie from "decent" to a very different and enjoyable experience. It strikes me as well-written and well-acted by a team of underrated actors. It's not gruesome or horrifying, but it kept me on my toes and, more importantly, kept my attention continuously. This expanded one-act is a gem in an era where moviemakers place more attention in trailer-editing than movie production. [B+ ]

Folks, let's give credit where it's due. If you skipped this movie just because Shyamalan's name was attached to it then you made a mistake. I'll start by pointing out a key difference between this Shyamalan movie and all others: Shyamalan wrote it but did not direct it. All of his other movies, which admittedly went downhill after The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, were both written and directed by him. I'd also like to point out that the ideas for all of his movies had the potential to be great--really great. But for any movie you need not only a proven director, but the right director for the movie in question. I think they got the director right on this one: John Erick Dowdle, who directed Quarantine, the American adaptation of the Latin phenom [REC].

The movie opens with a cautionary tale about the Devil, who occasionally gathers a group of ill-fated humans to torture them one by one before stealing them away to Hell. Cut to the opening credits we see an impressive metropolitan cityscape showcased in a distorted, upside down view to set a mood of unease--or excitement for movie thrill-seekers. The score, as if architected to accelerate heart rates, complements the visual overtones well. I am immediately on my toes, waiting to pick out the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing before a single hits the screen.

The characters include a bereft, alcoholic detective who doubts his ability forgive, two elevator-surveillance security guards, two attractive twenty-somethings (a man and a woman), a floor security guard, a testy old woman, and a well-dressed mattress salesman. The game starts when we see the latter five step onto the elevator. From this moment on, a talented movie analyst might be auditing each character's wardrobe for red or anything "diabolical". But red is found on the attire of a few of them, as well as hints of red on the fabric walls of the elevator, one character's hair, the lit buttons and the digital floor number display. Nothing is obvious, which makes random suspicions free game!

Interspersed with the director's attempts to bait us into snap judgments as to who is "the Devil" are elevated shots of the city, some with views looking straight up or ominously down the side of their reflective, windowed surface and others shuttling through the elevator shaft. The devout, Latin security guard (who has been doubling as an effective narrator) chimes in with his theological fears or additional details to the story which opened the movie. As tension rises, we are left to wonder if the five on the elevator are the only people gathered by the Devil, or if the detective and surveillance security were carefully chosen as well.

Suspicions shift readily and regularly. We periodically learn new details about the characters which could be hints or red herrings. Expressions of fear, accusation, anger and disgust festoon the faces of our elevator players. In screenwriting they say that you don't put a gun on the wall in Act One unless it's going to fire in Act Three. Let's just say it feels like this wall belongs to the NRA president.

This movie was fun and unique. As serial-moviegoers isn't that what we want? Something different and enjoyable? Something that doesn't feel like a recycled idea with a new director and different actors? If you feel the same way, then give Shyamalan a mulligan and try this movie out!

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