Triple Dog (2009)

Cheesy and corny, I like! This movie is supposedly a horror movie, but its more like a Comedy-Thriller-Drama. I absolutely love Scout Taylor-Compton and she usually makes some good indie movies and I really liked this one. It's a very cheesy movie but I really enjoyed it. I recommend this one for tweens who aren't really into the Horror genre, this one is good fun!

Hilarious is a great word for this film. So many bad lines and confusing ones: one my favorites: "Yo would you guys Superman that Hoe for 20 bucks?" Midway through the film as one of the girls is doing the dare of urinating on the principal's porchmat the bad girl Chapin spouts out "Shes totally splitting the whisker!" What the hell does that mean? Lines like that make me think, do modern teenage girls actually say things like that? Probably not, but its very funny indeed. So heres my final thoughts about this: Its a stupid/very cheesy movie with lots of hilariously bad dialogue. Watch it with friends and beers and enjoy.

Buy Triple Dog (2009) Now

High school? Premise suburban high school age girls, bored. Let's play dare. One dominant girl, the rest subordinate, like sheep. No drinking nor drugs to induce this stupidity, but completely willing to make poor decisions anyway. I kept waiting for the movie to get better or remotely realistic. It didn't.

Read Best Reviews of Triple Dog (2009) Here

I hope this review doesn't damage my review credibility, I'm avid Movie Collector and collect all styles of movies, I some how came across the lone 5 star review on Amazon, went to Youtube checked out the trailer and was sold, there aren't many reviews online for (triple-dog) so I wanted to give this little gem Its due, I own a few cheesy quality Movies that flew under the radar that some men wouldn't want to be caught watching, (16 WISHES, WISH APON A STAR, READ IT AND WEEP) all made for Disney Channel Movies, but (triple-dog) has enough edge and fresh ideas that I can see grown men hiding this under there collection of Action Movies, I don't think it fair to judge this movie with Oscar level movies, like American Beauty, Slum Dog Millionaire, Titanic, its just too different, but if compared to modern teen or tween Movies I'll stand by the 5 star review.

This is a surprising rated R movie, I say 13+ is o.k, teens would see more Sexuality and Vulgarity in a episode of (Jersey Shore) than (triple-dog), the prevailing question is what really happened to the girl that jumped from the bridge ? and what does Chapin (skater girl with edge) have to do with it ?, who will get there head shaved ?, who will win the game of triple-dog ?, If you buy this movie for your teens,"Mom and Dad can be Cool for at least one night". A really good job by Brittany Roberts as the lead Chapin, a quality supporting casts, some amusing dares and it all will pay off in the end. really good Teen Drama for adults too.

Want Triple Dog (2009) Discount?

This was a great thriller! I love the acting and production of this film. I watched with my friends and it was a perfect way to end the night!

Save 51% Off

Mighty Aphrodite

`Mighty Aphrodite', written, directed, and starring Woody Allen seems to be the kind of movie Allen makes after he is worn out doing a strictly realistic, mostly serious movie such as `Crimes and Misdemeanors', `Hannah and Her Sisters', and `Husbands and Wives'. Unlike these excellent seriocomic works, `Mighty Aphrodite' flies off into a world of fantasy similar to the crazy / inventive situations in `Zellig' and `A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy'.

Allen brings along with him his usual band of big name actors taking off from more remunerative roles to have some fun with this lighthearted comedy. As usual, heavyweights such as F. Murray Abraham, Claire Bloom, Jack Warden, and Olympia Dukakis have such small roles that you hardly notice they are there until they are off screen. In the case of Abraham and Dukakis and Allen stock player David Ogden Stiers, this anonymity is heightened by the fact that they are playing masked members of a Greek chorus, filmed in a ruined Roman amphitheater, in Italy, according to the location credits.

This movie was done for Mirimax and a sizable number of new names appear among the film's executive producers, although I am certain Allen still has his hands firmly on the artistic reins for the filming of the movie. I have no idea which of these new names represents `Sweetland Films', but their only contribution seems to have been a slightly less austere credit crawl at the end of the flick.

Aside from Allen, all of the really heavy lifting on the screen was done by title character actor Mira Sorvino, and it is beyond me how she was nominated for the supporting actress Academy Award and not in the lead actress category, although I suspect it did improve her chances of winning in the lesser category, which she did.

Of Allen's two most important movie subjects, love and death, love is certainly the main issue in this movie, signaled by the fact that Aphrodite is the name of the ancient Greek god of love, represented in this flick by Sorvino's character who is a prostitute and pornographic movie actress who wants to get out of that life and settle down in a more normal setting.

Allen plays a successful New York City sportswriter who gets connected with Sorvino when he and his wife decide to adopt a baby boy, and Allen becomes obsessed with the identity of the real mother, who turns out to be Sorvino. While Allen tries to set Sorvino up with a farmer turned boxer turned farmer, his wife (Carter) hooks up with a business partner (Peter Weller) who threatens to break up their marriage.

While there are a few brief moments of apparent danger when Sorvino's pimp threatens Allen's life if Sorvino quits, the pimp is bought off with nothing more than a pair of courtside tickets to a Knicks game. While the main `realistic' plot is pretty improbable as it is, the real silliness is going on in asides to a full masked Greek chorus very similar to what you would find in productions of plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Thrown into this absurdity is Jack Warden playing a modern blind man named Tiresius encountered on the streets of New York. The joke is that Tiresius is the name of a character in Sophocles' `Oedipus Rex' who makes the prophecy that Oedipus will kill his father. In Allen's version, Tiresius simply clues Allen into the fact that his wife is fooling around with her business partner.

The invocations of the Greek choruses get even more silly as the movie progresses, with the chorus appearing in modern New York near the end of the film, bursting into renditions of Cole Porter and tunes from other modern composers.

Like `Zellig', there is no attempt to avoid straining credulity. Near the end of the movie, Sorvino is rescued from her life of sin by a totally improbable `deux ex machina', which Allen glorifies by simply describing it as such in the voice-over.

This movie is about as close as Allen ever comes after `Annie Hall' to returning to the silliness of early movies such as `Bananas' and `Sleeper'. Unlike the early gag fests, you really feel for the characters in this movie. You don't want Allen to break up with his wife and you want Sorvino to get out of her sex business. And, we are much happier at the end of the movie than we are at the end of `Crimes and Misdemeanors' where a killer escapes justice and the nebbish gets cheated out of his girlfriend.

This is not one of Allen's very best movies, but it is in the upper half. Sorvino's performance is definitely worth the price of admission.

There seem to be three camps when it comes to Woody Allen. (1) People who love his earlier works and villify his most recent films (2)People who love all of his films (3) People who hate Woody Allen, his films, and anything else related to him. I belong to the second group, and like most of his films. Mighty Aphrodite is a great movie, featuring the performance that put Mira Sorvino on the map. This film also contains a great performance by Michael Rappaport, who has gone on to do more stellar work with Allen. Every time I watch this movie I laugh. If anything, see this film for the Greek chorus led by F. Murray Abraham. Like most of Allens more recent works this film is funny and wacky, while at the same time you don't leave the movie feeling as if you've lost brain cells by watching it.

Buy Mighty Aphrodite Now

Woody Allen is a comic genius, and he outdid himself in "Mighty Aphrodite." But the real comic treat in this film is Mira Sorvino. Her role as the air-head porn star was hilarious -she was the scene-stealer of the movie and she deserved every bit of that Oscar.

There are very few movies whose comic timing is as precise as this one. This is a dark comedy that you wouldn't want to miss. It's one of the best I've seen in recent years.

Read Best Reviews of Mighty Aphrodite Here

Got the European version -- unplayable on U.S. DVD. No statement made of

a version that was unplayable. Not acceptable! I can't be bothered with returning

this. Better things to do. A clear warning should be there upfront no mistaking what

is being offered.

Want Mighty Aphrodite Discount?

I am a fan of Woody Allen films. Like most people, I got interested in his early comedy films and then appreciated his development into a master of serious film. Occasionally, Allen bring the serious and the comedic together in a film that simultaneously cracks you up while amazing you in his innovative method of conveying a message. "Mighty Aphrodite" is an example of this successful mix. I remember the movie from the 1995 Academy Awards when Mira Sorvino won the Best Supporting Actress Award (and her father's touching reaction). However, I never had the chance to see the movie until it was on the Independent Film Channel last night. I was surprised by the opening scenes but I quickly came to appreciate the somewhat wacky Greek chorus. As the movie moved along, I got a bigger and bigger kick out of the chorus's persistent reappearance.

The basic story line was about a couple who adopts an infant child. The reluctant father becomes more and more absorbed in the many fine qualities of his son. He becomes obsessively curious about the boy's biological mother and manages to track her down. What he finds destroys his image of what she should be. Nonetheless, he can't shake this obsessive involvement in her life.

Mira Sorvino truly earned her Oscar for her preformance. She was so uniquely inappropriate that the comedy had trouble keeping up with her. I usually disdain the profanities of modern cinema but I have to acknowledge that, in "Mighty Aphrodite", the profane and obscene really added to the story. Ultimately the movie comes to an end in which almost all is well. In the process we discover that it is best to leave well enough alone, you can't make silk out of a sow's ear, true love takes commitment, and a variety of other messages.

I rated this movie "4 Stars" mainly because most of Woody Allen's comedies are funnier and most of his serous films are more profound. However, this was well worth watching.

Wayne's World (1992)

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

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

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

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

Image and Sound:

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

Special Features:

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

Final Words:

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

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

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

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

Buy Wayne's World (1992) Now

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

Read Best Reviews of Wayne's World (1992) Here

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

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

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

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

VIDEO & AUDIO:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SPECIAL FEATURES:

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

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

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

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

JUDGMENT CALL:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Want Wayne's World (1992) Discount?

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

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

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

Miracle (2004)

As the Cold War fades into memory, it is hard to explain the on-going, almost mystical fascination with The Miracle on Ice; the defeat of the vaunted Soviets by a bunch of unknown American college kids. Yes, national pride plays a big role, and more generally everyone loves an underdog. But I think what has really made this event such a cultural touchstone is the pure joy that surrounded it. Across the nation, and the world, for a myriad of reasons, but distilled and purified in the players and coaches who pursued their dream not for fame and fortune, but because the only dreams worth chasing are the hard ones.

"Miracle" captures this spirit down to the smallest nuance; in a day and age when you are as likely to read about athletes in the police blotter as the sports page, it is refreshing to watch people play for the pure joy of sport and love of the game. The ability to capture this love of the game was made possible by the fact that every single one of the actors portraying a hockey player was first and foremost an actual hockey player. That's not to say they can't act, but they sought out the opportunity because they have scored Eruzione's game winning goal a thousand times on a rink or pond or even on asphalt and they wanted an opportunity to tap into a little bit of that magic. They didn't audition for "Miracle", they tried out for it, and once they had the job, they went to training camp to prepare for filming. This attention to detail comes through in spades; I know hockey, but you don't have to be an expert to realize these guys are in great shape and have been on the receiving end of a check more than once.

In contrast to these raw and unseasoned actors stands Kurt Russell, a Hollywood veteran (and admittedly a very big hockey fan). His portrayal of Herb Brooks is dead on; from the voice and mannerisms down to the single minded determination to beat the best team in the world. Moreover, his punishing conditioning regimen and mind-bending schemes are accurately portrayed without bogging down in details that would likely bore even dedicated fans. The supporting cast is likewise strong, and wisely limited in large part to just Brooks' wife and assistants. This focus mirrors the way Brooks lived the game and minimizes distractions.

So the film has real hockey players and fine actors in all the key roles but the most daunting task for the director still remained: how to portray a game where the outcome is know when the NHL hasn't found an entirely effective view for live games. The answer was to use as many ice level shots as possible, which serves a twofold purpose. The first is that it is much easier to follow the puck when it is the focus of the shot, and at the same time, when a hit or injury is the key part of the scene, the puck isn't a distraction. The other reason this approach is successful is because this player's eye view of the ice injects a sense of urgency that makes victory seem in doubt even when it is a known factor. A corollary to this approach is in the narrative of the game with the Soviets; the director wisely chose not to reinvent the wheel and used Al Michael's definitive call, which includes key commentary from Ken Dryden which can be informative for the non-hockey fan.

In the end, what this all adds up to is the perfect encapsulation of the joy I referenced above. The cold hard fact is that we are unlikely to ever see such joy in sport again, as professionals have come to dominate Olympic team sports and high schoolers join the pro ranks as soon as they graduate and middle schoolers go to strength and conditioning camps under relentless pressure from their parents. What "Miracle" portrays is a joy born of a love of competition, a love of sport and a love of teammates that has become all too rare. That's not to say that this movie only portrays sunshine and roses, but the ultimate goal transcended any one individual. Some of the best scenes in the movie have nothing to do with hockey, but rather the camaraderie that comes from sharing simple things with good friends.

Superb in its portrayal of perhaps the greatest sporting event of all time in every aspect from acting to wardrobe to the game on the ice, "Miracle" is an absolute joy to watch. It wisely frames the geo-political import of the game and then sets it aside, focusing instead on the beauty of sport and the satisfaction of hard earned accomplishments.

Jake Mohlman.

The first hockey games I ever watched were during the 1980 Winter Olympics and I know I was not alone in that respect. It took a while to understand what a blue line had to do with icing the puck and I have never gotten past the idea of what basketball would be like if it was played the same way as hockey (you are allowed to foul the guy with the puck/ball). But I remember watching the games the U.S. Hockey Team played against the Soviet Union and Finland. How big was the miracle that Al Michaels proclaimed during the final seconds of the semi-final match against the Soviets? Well, when "Sports Illustrated" came out the next week there was no need for a headline or caption on the cover photo of the U.S. team celebrating.

Knowing what is going to happen in "Miracle" is important because if we did not know that this team is going to win the gold medal then we might suspect the means that coach Herb Brooks (Kirk Russell) is using to achieve that end. Brooks is haunted by the 1960 Winter Olympics, when he was cut from the U.S. team a week before it won the gold medal. It was also the last year the Americans beat the Soviets on the ice and Brooks knows how to pull off the upset against the best hockey team on the planet. All it will take is a team that he handpicks playing the way he wants them to play.

The best part of this film is watching how Brooks does exactly that and then becomes basically a spectator and cheerleader when his team goes out and wins the gold medal. Director Gavin O'Connor hits a bulls eye with the casting of Russell, who should get serious Oscar consideration for his performance. The hard driven coach who puts his sport before his wife and family is something of a cliché, but what matters here is how Brooks' determination and intelligence comes through as he molds his team.

The production also scores because they went out and got hockey players to act instead of trying to fake us out the other way around. The only real professional actor on the team is Eddie Cahill, but he plays goalie Jim Craig. You can put anybody you want behind a mask in goal on the ice (former Edmonton Oilers' goalie Bill Ranford in fact) and because Craig was such high maintenance and high profile he was the one role where you needed to up the acting level. But Michael Mantenuto as Jack O'Callahan, Patrick O'Brien Dempsey as Mike Eruzione, Nathan West as Rob McLanahan, Eric Peter-Kaiser as Mark Johnson, and the other 15 players on the team are playing exactly what they are: hockey players brought together to create a team.

One thing I was surprised about in the film was that there is never an explicitly stated reason why Eruzione was picked as the team captain. Yet in the context of the film I was right in thinking that I knew exactly what Eruzione was going to do that was going to make him stand out as first among his teammates. (You will know what I am talking about when the moment comes).

The fidelity to recreating the moments we remember from the 1980 Olympics was quite impressive. You can check out the added features on this two-disc DVD set to see direct comparisons of the television footage from the actual games with the movie's re-creations as well as the techniques used to give you a dynamic feeling of being on the ice. Of course getting Al Michaels to "call" the games again was a necessity and it is not surprising that they worked in the original version of his famous line that gives the movie its title. You can re-create history but you cannot really improve on it, although this 2004 film does a nice job of trying to accomplish that particular feat. I just wonder if those who know nothing about what happened at Lake Placid in 1980 can appreciate that as much as those of us who do.

Buy Miracle (2004) Now

MIRACLE takes us back to a triumphant moment in American history just when Americans needed one--the miraculous win by the U.S. Olympic hockey squad over the vaunted team from the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. Framed by the traumas of Vietnam and Watergate that had settled onto our country like a malaise, the film ratchets up things even further by giving us glimpses of the Iranian hostage ordeal and the December 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets.

Stepping into the fray is Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), a veteran hockey coach who as a player came within one step of joining the 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey squad that handed the Soviets their last loss in ice hockey at Squaw Valley. As the film opens, in the summer of 1979, Brooks is given the task of putting a respectable hockey team onto the home ice in upstate New York for the Olympics. For Brooks, however, merely putting a respectable team onto the ice wasn't good enough for him. He wanted the best; and through his relentless drive and his not ingratiating himself to his players, he prodded them to put out nothing short of the best they had in them. The result was that miraculous 4-3 win over the Soviets in the first medal-round game that a few days after that propelled them to a Gold medal via a win over Finland.

Russell, never the showiest of actors but nevertheless one of the best, gives a superb performance as Brooks (who was killed in an auto crash shortly after filming was completed), a man who dedicated himself to putting a winning team into the history books and succeeded. As had been the case in THE THING, EXECUTIVE DECISION, TOMBSTONE, and BREAKDOWN, Russell shows us his professionalism by not necessarily being Mr. Nice Guy, but a man who strives to achieve the extraordinary in his players. Patricia Clarkson is good as his wife (in a too brief role), and Noah Emmerich does a good job as Brooks' assistant.

The gut-wrenching game between the U.S. and the Soviets is recreated in vivid detail with all the hard hits and chants of "USA! USA!" rumbling throughout. But MIRACLE is, thankfully, not about American jingoism and arrogance. It is about achieving the impossible, which is exactly what all Olympic games are supposed to be about. It is an incredible piece, well worth seeing more than once.

Read Best Reviews of Miracle (2004) Here

I am looking for the right ones". And that is really what this movie is all about: the power of people working together as a team instead of individually. Nowadays, we are tired of seeing superstars in different team sports that think that they are the greatest thing in the world and that their teammates are just the supporting cast. This is true in the US mostly in football and basketball, and in other countries in the word mainly in soccer.

I was born in Uruguay and lived there until the year 2000, and therefore am a big soccer fan. I am tired of seeing the players from my country excel in their European clubs only to see them fail miserably when they play for our country. The reason is that several of them think they are stars when they come to play for Uruguay and neglect to play as a team. They should all get together and give this movie a try!

Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) is the new coach of the US men's hockey team that will compete in the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid and has a huge task ahead of him. The Soviets dominate the world's ice hockey and US was embarrassed in their last attempt in the Olympiads. But this is not all that Herb has to face in order to succeed. Right from the start he has to fight against the politics surrounding hockey in order to be able to select the players he wants instead of the ones he is supposed to choose. Also, several players carry grudges from their college games and are unwilling to help each other.

The movie revolves around the challenges faced when trying to create an efficient team, the stress of competition and the spillover of work into one's personal life and the strain this causes. Of course, if you like ice hockey you are probably going to enjoy this movie a lot. However, if you do not like or understand the sport, you can still enjoy the storyline. In my case, working in a company that has season tickets for the current champion of the National Hockey League, the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was easy enough to start learning about the sport and loving it before watching this production.

Want Miracle (2004) Discount?

The producers of "Remember the Titans" and "The Rookie" are seeking to bring to the quasi-sophisticated American viewing audience, films that bring American values through sports stories to the forefront. In "Miracle", their latest and greatest effort, they've truly succeeded, not only in making their audience feel good, but also in presenting an amazing moment in our history that could too easily be forgotten.

"Miracle" tells the story of the US Olympic hockey team of 1980,

and their heart-stopping victory over the Soviet team, in winning the gold medal for the first time in decades. Set amongst the turbulence of the times, Miracle is beautifully filmed and edited, and succeeded in making the audience I viewed it with cheer for the team, perhaps nearly as much as we all were cheering at Lake Placid.

Raised on hockey in Minnesota, I'd seen Herb Brooks for years before the Olympics, and veteran actor Kurt Russell gives us more of what he showed us in "Dark Blue". His portrait of meticulous, self-reliant Brooks, is right on target, down to the plaids the coach was known for wearing. His is a dominant portrayal, although he's surrounded with young hockey players who are craftsmen, and supported by fine actors Patricia Clarkson and Noah Emmerich. Russell doesn't try to be popular with the audience any more than Brooks wanted popularity with his teams or his fans. He plays it much as the obsessive Brooks, "the 21st guy" on the 1960 Olympic hockey team, who was cut before the games, would have wanted it. Brooks died before he could see the film.

Although the movie is unabashedly formulaic, the combination of the dream, the reality, the beautifully filmed and tense hockey sequences, and the sheer joy of the team and the country, at a time when there was not much else to cheer about, has succeeded in a way that most sports films can't.

A great movie, sure to be full of great features on the DVD!!!!

Save 48% Off

Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008)

You know you're not watching a formulaic comic book film when one of the highlights is a drunken rendition of "Can't Smile Without You" by Hellboy and Abe Sapien. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is a more confident, assured outing than the first film and while it does not draw from Mignola's comics for its plot it is perhaps better off for it, lacking the usual burden of comparison and expectations. "The Golden Army" is more fantastical than the first film and is less sci-fi oriented but this is the sort of thing Del Toro does exceptionally well as a writer. He never lets the fantasy become the focus of the film, instead concentrating on characters and delivering action scenes that can only be described as, forgive the crass immaturity, kickass.

As entertaining as many comic book-to-film adaptations are it is a rare event when one can call one of these films a true artistic achievement. I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt that Guillermo Del Toro's entire career has been leading up to this film, particularly regarding his work as screenwriter here. The comedy feels less forced and is worked incredibly well into the script here, so much so that it doesn't feel remotely unnatural when the scene of comic drunken singing leads directly without a break into one of the film's most intensely dramatic sequences. Del Toro's handling of character has never been better, not even with "The Devil's Backbone", which is still my favorite of his films, and his sheer skill and ability when it comes to telling a fairytale-esquire fantasy is astonishing, as proved in the prologue to this film. In short this is Del Toro at the top of his game and providing artistry the likes of which we rarely if ever see in summer blockbusters. It's only fair that an astonishingly brilliant comic like "Hellboy" by an astonishingly brilliant artist like Mike Mignola is adapted this well and by someone as talented at what they do as he is.

How refreshing it is, a week after the release of "Hancock", which to me epitomizes everything wrong with action film-making today, that we get "The Golden Army" which features hands down some of the finest action scenes we have ever seen in this sort of film. Just stunningly beautiful, well-shot, well-crafted, the sort of thing that leaves one wondering how much time and effort went into it and endlessly thankful that some really talented people went to the trouble of making the film.

The film is generally just superb on a technical level. Why am I even saying this? Of course it is. Danny Elfman composing, Guillermo Navarro serving as cinematographer, top-notch editors, fantastic special effects wizards. It's a world-class crew that made this film. I shouldn't be surprised at its quality but "The Golden Army" really just floored and astonished me with how good it is. The cast is also excellent, proving once again that you don't need 'big names' to carry a movie. Just about everyone here is excellent, particularly Perlman with another excellent turn as Hellboy and the underrated Selma Blair as Liz Sherman.

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" provides essentially everything a Del Toro or Mignola fan would want. I imagine it will entertain and charm many outside those circles as well with its fantastic action sequences, engaging characters, and wonderful sense of humor. I would personally go as far as calling "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" one of the top five or so comic book movies ever made.

Guillermo Del Toro has become the new master of dark fantasy -first with the quirky clockpunk "Hellboy," then with the Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth." Not to mention forthcoming travels to Middle-Earth.

So you know he has the skills to pit Mike Mignola's scarlet anti-hero against an army of fairies and elves, and not make it silly. Instead, it's a spectacular dark fantasy full of humor, action, quirky appeal, romance, and some truly astounding special effects. But what really shoves this movie over the top is Del Toro's brilliant direction, and the stunning performance by Ron Perlman.

Decades ago, Professor Broom (William Hurt) told a small Hellboy a yuletide bedtime story about the Elf King Balor and his unstoppable Golden Army, and how the crown that controls the Army was split into thirds and divided among fairies and humans.

Well, you can't really expect that kind of power to never be revived.

Cut to current day. Hellboy (Perlman), Liz (Selma Blair) and Abe (Doug Jones) investigate a strange supernatural attack on an auction house, where the archeological curiosity known as the Crown of Bethmoora was being sold -only to be attacked by savage tooth fairies. Turns out the crown was stolen by Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), a resentful young elf who is determined to take the world back from humanity -using, of course, the Golden Army.

And while Hellboy chafes against strict new commander Johann Krauss (a suit filled with ectoplasm), Abe encounters Nuada's sister, Princess Nuala -who also happens to have the last third of the crown. But Nuada will not allow anyone to oppose him as he searches for the Golden Army's location, and Hellboy and his friends must venture into a strange, ancient kingdom to stop him from destroying all of humanity.

The worst you can say about "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is that it sticks to the formula of the demonic outsider with a dark destiny, and his continuing romantic woes. There's some retreading as Hellboy realizes anew that he'll never fit into the world of humans, because he's big and red and has horns and a tail. Okay, we got it. Next big psychological issue!

Fortunately those flaws are relatively minor ones. Del Toro is still able to spin a dark, twisted story with some truly bizarre creatures (the utterly alien, eye-winged Angel of Death), clockpunk robots, trippy underground goblin markets and a new BPRD agent who is basically ectoplasm in a suit. And for the action scenes, Del Toro does not pull punches when it comes to the smashing action scenes -giant thrashing vines and a one-on-one duel with Nuada are among the highlights.

With all this going on, it would be easy to neglect the characters. But Del Toro packs the script with solid snappy dialogue and some poignantly romantic moments -including some pretty startling actions from dear ol' Abe. And he also adds little moments to this epic story that remind us that these are supposed to be people -such as Hellboy's bickering with Krauss, or Abe and Hellboy getting drunk and having a little Manilow singalong together. It's just so cute.

But what really sets this movie apart is the "children of the Earth." No flitting Victorian sprites -these are creatures that are weird, grotesque, dangerous and immensely powerful, from nasty little tooth fairies up to vast rock monsters and plant gods. There's an alien, bizarre aesthetic to these creatures that feels wholly real, as if Neil Gaiman casually dropped a few sketches onto the drawing board.

But as amazing as the visuals are, Del Toro never neglects the characters. Perlman is perfect for the role of "big Red" -he's gruff, sarcastic, moody, but also endearing and self-deprecatingly likable. There are more hints of his potentially dark future, and he faces some delicately-handed temptations. But Big Red's good heart is still very much in the forefront, no matter how much human beings fear him.

Blair gives a more lively performance here as a spunkier Liz, who also has some surprising developments in store. Jones is pitch-perfect as the fish-man, who experiences the first pangs of young love for Nuala, while Goss gives a chilling, whispery performance as a rebel prince who is willing to do whatever it takes -even kill family -if it helps him restore the fey kingdom. Pretty good villain, since he clearly isn't trying to be bad.

There's also loads of extras in this particular edition of the movie -feature commentary with director Guillermo Del Toro, Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair and Luke Goss, as well as some deleted scenes also with commentary with Del Toro, a prologue to the movie, a digital script, image gallery, a "Puppet Theatre" for the opening sequences of the film, concept art, interviews, and other such stuff. Also making-of documentaries -seven mini-documentaries that visit the set, the "Troll Market Tour" in the movie's most memorable "faerie" setting, and the two-hour "Hellboy: In Service Of The Demon." Basically, it turns the film inside-out and lets you examine its guts.

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is a wild, darkly ornate ride through the world of half-forgotten gods and fey. While it has a few flaws, those are far outweighed by the brilliant of Del Toro's vision.

Buy Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008) Now

Fans of dark fantasy movies will definitely like this one. If you take Pan's Labyrinth and add more creatures, and then give it an injection of humor, and sprinkle some Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, some Fantastic Four, and a little Lord of the Rings, and last of all let Neil Gaiman put the finishing touches, you'll probably get Hellboy II or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):

1. Humans and mythical creatures are at it again

2. One crown rules an indestructible golden army

3. Uneasy lies the head that wants to wear the crown

4. All Hellboy breaks loose after a visit from the tooth fairies

5. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense sends a gasbag to lead the team into the bowels of New York City

6. Hellboy may be red and angry, but it's Liz (Selma Blair) who's the hottie

7. Big fights, big guns and big fun follows

8. `Twas beauty that tamed the beast

When the BPRD agents are called to take on the job of stopping rogue Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) they get a lot more than the main responsibilities listed on their job descriptions. Battling mythical creatures, disobeying direct orders, and generally tearing the place apart, our heroes never let a little adversity get them down on the way to a stellar showdown.

This is a fantasy, an adventure, a battle of good against not-so-good, and a love story, all rolled into one red hot package.

Rated: 4.5 stars

Amanda Richards, July 23, 2008

Read Best Reviews of Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008) Here

Outside of Ron Perlman's bravo performance as the title character, Hellboy, in the first film, what wowed me the most (as I stated in my previous Amazon review) was the deeply theological and emotional subtexts of that film. As much as I loved Ron Perlman's even more bravo performance in "The Golden Army", it took me a while to clue into the fact that some of the deepest subtexts in this second movie are a bit different than the first film.

I don't wish to indulge in any real spoilers this early in the game, but this new film has exchanged the theological subtext for a psychological one that is just as deep.

In the first film, the question was one of what made Hellboy a truly 'human' character. The answer was the right to choice based on free will. In this new film, the related question is whether or not Hellboy can ever truly fit in and should he even try. "The Golden Army", with the beneficial switch to Universal Pictures, makes a clever connection between Hellboy and Boris Karloff in "Bride of Frankenstein". Mr. Karloff's little cameo appearance as Frankenstein on one of Hellboy's many television sets in a significant scene with Elsa Lanchester as the titular Bride nails that subtext in just a few brief moments of film time in a way that a lot of surface action in the film never could have.

The father/son subtext of the first film is still here, but buried even more deeply as John Hurt's character of Hellboy's adoptive father, Trevor Bruttenholm, was murdered in the first film. We are reminded of his character by a cameo appearance of John Hurt as Trevor 'Broom' in a flashback to Hellboy's younger years; but hasn't anyone ever told Guillermo del Toro that, in the original comics, an eleven-year-old Hellboy would nowhere be as small as the character is portrayed in this flashback. In the original comics, once he get past ten years old, Hellboy is almost full grown physically, if not emotionally mature.

Yet, there is a further connection in the new film to that father/son subtext of the original film. It's too bad that it is one that will probably pass right over the heads of that portion of the audience who haven't see the first movie. In this second movie, both Hellboy and Prince Nuada are the sons of murdered fathers. Where the huge difference lies between these two characters is the identity of the villain who commited the murder.

Once again, we have a film of deep emotional, religious subtexts lurking under a fun, exciting, quip filled surface. Watch out for a drunken scene between Abe and Hellboy. I thought I'd die laughing; but it is those deeper subtexts that make me love Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy" movies and I can't wait for the third installment.

Want Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008) Discount?

It is good to see Mike Mignola's Dark Horse Comics working-class (SUPER) hero character return...along with most of the cast and original director Guillermo del Toro (now a bankable guy, thanks to PAN'S Labyrinth). Hellboy himself, again played by RON PERLMAN (TV's Vincent of "Beauty and the Beast" from back in the day), who has been under latex pretty much is entire career, infact, Hellboy maybe the closer to revealing his actual face than many of his other roles. But thankfully he returns to his greatest achievement to date...the gruff, working man archetype stogie and all. Of course he is nearly invulnerable, although that invulnerability is tested in the Golden Army as he faces plenty of Fairy folk, the supernatural and monsters for the Bureau of Paranormal Reserch and Defense (the bridge between the MIB and the Ghostbusters). RED is still a cat-lover and feeling under appreciated, ready to break into the public arena to receive to much deserved thanks for "savin' the world" on a daily basis. Selma Blair returns as Liz, the girlfriend who happens to be a "firestarter" aka pyrokinetic. Doug Jones returns as Abe Sapien's faceman empathic body (sounds like he is again voiced by David Hyde Pierce who refused on screen credit last time out of respect for Jones' impressive physical portrayal...so I think this is the case this time...) Abe is the smarts in the team and this time gets a love interest in Princess Nuala, which opens for so great scenes with RED giving advice while the pair get drunk and sing Manilow. Genus and worth the price of Ticket, rental or DVD, whichever the case may be. The great Jeff Tamor is back as the BPRD's resident "suit" New to the team is Johann Kraus a German...well poltergeist in a retro containment suit, voice by Seth MacFarlane, the doctor can inhabit objects and he is sent into BPRD HQ to tighted the reigns on HELLBOY who has blown his covert status and is known to the world now...thus the massive TV ad campaign featuring Big RED on with James Lipton and the Ghosthunters (beautiful, youTube it if you missed it).

The story goes like this, back when HELLBOY was a er...Hell Boy...his adopted father (William Hurt) Prof. Broom told he a bedtime tale about an Elf King Balor and his INDESTRUCTABLE ARMY of clockwork machine-men things....the flashback / story time imagery is lovely stop-action-style puppetry...the war against humans was ceased and the Army controlling crown, broken into three parts....never to be reassembled....buuuut....

The Prince, twin son of King Balor had other ideas....Hellboy and the team must stop him from regaining the crown and sending the Golden Army to destroy man. Beginning at an art auction where the Prince unleashes disturbing swarms of "tooth fairies" to regain part of the crown.

Like it's predecessor Hellboy 2, isn't heavy with computer monster...most of the creatures are amazing costumes and make-up, (overcoming the major flaw in many superhero movies...) The outsider protagonist motif carries well in this one and suits the theme with RED coming terms with what he wants his place in the world to be... while this film is unlikely to win director Guillermo del Toro another 3 Oscars, it is fun and visiually pushes the boundaries of what is the mainstream Superhero genre....much more than you would expect and I am not nearly as worried about Guillermo del Toro's upcoming HOBBIT production...if HB 2 is any indication it is in good hands and I think we may expect a 3rd Hellboy, too.

Save 50% Off

Au revoir les enfants (The Criterion Collection) (1987)

Louis Malle, one of the best directors to ever create film, gained his reputation through a series of semi-autobiographical films, films so heart-felt, so deeply emotional, so full of detail, they can't be anything but outstanding. "Au Revoir Les Enfants", recently released on DVD by the Criterion Collection, is my favorite of these films.

Julien (Gaspard Manesse) has a deep-felt affection for his mother (see Malle's "Murmur of the Heart" for more on this) but he understands he will be much safer at the French boarding school in the countryside. The school, run by priests, provides a safe haven for the children of well-off families during World War II. Returning from Christmas break, the new year is uneventful for a while. Julien is a bright student and the ring leader for a bunch of boys. Julien trades items with Joseph, a poor boy who works in the kitchen, more out of amusement than anything else, but also to supplement the meager diet served by the priests. One day, a new student arrives; Jean Bonnet (Raphael Fejto), a quiet boy the other kids make fun of: "Look at Easter Bonnet." Julien also begins to notice things about the new kid; he doesn't participate in the Catholic prayers the father's lead, he doesn't eat certain things, and one night, Julien wakes up to find Jean praying over some candles. Then, Julien's attitude changes and he forms an uneasy friendship with Jean.

Made in 1987, more than forty years after the events depicted, Julien is a thinly disguised autobiographical version of the director, as he lives a real life event from Malle's childhood. You might expect such a film to be filled with saccharin and sugar, full of fond reminiscences from his childhood. But the film is very astute at depicting the childhood as an observer might see it. We watch Julien observe things, react to things, but he is very adult for his age, giving us an adult view of the events. Because we are watching his reactions, we see his feelings, which are emotional but reserved. It is similar to a television show with a laugh track, the fake laughter cueing us to laugh. When the television show doesn't have a laugh track, they have to work harder to make us laugh. When we are watching the events unfold through Julien's eyes, Malle has to work harder to make adults feel for the characters. Because this works, every emotion is more resonant and the film is much more powerful.

Life in the school is depicted in such a vivid fashion, it instantly becomes clear someone really lived through this period, this tale is autobiographical. The boys live in an old monastery, with very little heat. Yet, they don't seem to notice the problem much. They have endured it for so long and have become used to it, playing outside in the frigid weather, wearing shorts and coats. The classes are also very different from what we are used to today; the teachers are strict and the children tend to learn despite the circumstances of their life. Even though these children are from rich families, living in this boarding school, and they are well-cared for, they still have worries. The war is ever present. Some of the students have lost brothers, father, uncles and more. They are better off than many of their countrymen, but that doesn't mean they are comfortable.

As the relationship between Julien and Jean grows and changes, their friendship becomes deeper. Julien is like most boys his age, anytime someone new enters the picture, they have to prove they can fit in. Jean doesn't really fit in, or for that matter, really try to. Yet, every time Julien is surrounded by a group of friends, Jean seems to long for the same camaraderie. He is better in most subjects than Jean and he seems to get the preferential treatment Julien once received. But as Julien realizes Jean is different, and begins to piece together why, he realizes Jean will never completely fit in and has to help him through this ordeal. They become friends. Thankfully, Malle also shows a lot of restraint in this area. The friendship is a gradual thing. It doesn't happen immediately, or completely, taking time to develop.

Because the film is set in the winter of 1944, the threat of German soldiers is constant. These soldiers have occupied the small town, changing everything about the people's lives. Yet, Malle doesn't paint them as the completely evil men we have come to associate with Hitler's persona. Yes, there is always a threat, but some of their human qualities are displayed. When Julien and Jean get lost in the forest, German soldiers find them and return them to the school. One of the teachers makes a remark about the "filthy" German soldiers. The soldier responds he would like the blanket the "filthy" Germans used to keep the children warm during the ride back. During a parent visit, Julien's mother visits and takes them to a restaurant. At the restaurant a French Collaborator gives a Jewish customer a hard time. A table of German soldiers notices this and chastises the French Collaborator, humiliating him, leaving the Jewish customer to reflect in silence. The German Soldiers acted out of irritation at having their dinner interrupted, but it is interesting to watch them take the frustration out on the right person. It would have been extremely easy to paint the German soldiers as the villains we know they were. This story is told through Julien's eyes. And at the time, he wouldn't have known the full extent of the atrocities inflicted by the German army. Therefore, Malle makes some of these men seem human, giving the entire film another layer of depth. Also, during the final moments, when the Gestapo arrives at the school to investigate claims of Jewish students, their leader seems to be fairly kind and nurturing, even towards the Jewish students he uncovers. Of course, this makes him all the more monstrous. We don't expect him to take one of the children and start reading him a bedtime story. We know the fate of these children. And it is chilling. We don't really need to know what happened to them, but when Malle provides voice over narrating what happened to Jean and the other Jewish students hiding in the boarding school, we learn their fate and it causes great sadness.

All of these different layers help to make the story seem more realistic. The boarding school is run by Pere Jean (Philippe Morier-Genoud), a strict missionary who puts up with little foolishness. But after Jean's arrival, Julien witnesses a different side of the headmaster. The fact that this Catholic priest would help Jewish children hide in his boarding school, putting him and the school at risk, is a truly courageous thing. This is yet another layer, another detail, giving the film great depth. Because no one is completely innocent, or completely bad, everyone is involved in the tale of wartime survival.

"Au Revoir, Les Enfants" is a heartfelt, masterful film everyone should witness for themselves. Description doesn't do it justice.

Malle also worked in American film, creating some interesting stories, the best of which is "Atlantic City" starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon in an early role.

If you haven't experienced the work of Louis Malle, now is the time. "Elevator to the Gallows", an early Malle film, was also just released by Criterion. Check it out.

This is a masterpiece of cinema, a work of genius by the late great Louis Malle. Would that we had another like him! As in Le souffle au coeur (1971) Malle (apparently) reprises part of his childhood for us, recalling everything with the barest touch, just the slightest emphasis, without rancor or any loading of the deck. He understates and plays fair always. He has complete control of his story as he gently guides the audience. He knows what they believe and what they expect. He respects that, but he doesn't cater, and he is very gentle about leading us to the conclusion. He makes it beautiful although it is horrible.

Gaspard Manesse as Julien and Raphael Fejto as Jean are unforgettable and a reminder that in film it's important to have a good cast. Yet, I suspect Malle could have made geniuses of any number of talented boys in their roles. This is your Catholic boys school coming of age film without lecherous priests or the brutality of children; that is, no more than is necessary, just what is real and seen in perspective, the context being the Nazi occupation of France in 1944. It is amazing how Malle manages to show the bestiality and brain dead stupidity of the Nazis by presenting them at their most gentle. If one can damn by faint praise, one can destroy by contrast. Compared to what is human and natural we see the Nazis, as their pretentious Reich is falling apart, chasing after children, obsessed with psychotic racist delusions. Through the objective eyes of the children we see the evil. Malle need only let the events speak for themselves.

I think artists working in any medium would benefit from a study of this film. (An excellent American film by Malle also worth study is the fascinating Atlantic City (1980) starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon.) What Malle's technique teaches us is to be honest, to be fair, and to keep it simple, but not too simple. Use not a brush stroke more than necessary, and pay attention to every detail, especially the small ones. But while we can learn from and appreciate, it takes genius to pull it off. It can't be done by connecting the dots.

I am struck by a little irony on the jacket of the video. It has an early Siskel and Ebert quote: "One of the year's best films." That's a little embarrassing unless the year is a hundred years long.

Incidentally, the sublime and beautiful Irène Jacob, who later became a protege of Krzysztof Kieslowski in La Double vie de Véronique (1991) and Trois Couleurs: Rouge (1994), made her debut here in a small part as a piano teacher.

--Dennis Littrell, author of "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!"

Buy Au revoir les enfants (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Now

Au Revoir les Enfants (Goodbye, Children) is a French film of profound sadness. The story is about Julien Quentin, a young French boy who must attend school in the countryside because Paris is not safe due to WWII. The opening scene with Julien saying goodbye to his mother says a lot about Julien's character. He can be mean yet at the same time, he shows incredible love and friendship to those dearest to him. While at the school, he meets Jean Bonnet, a mysterious boy who Julien cannot help but be curious about.

The title of the film says much about the themes present. As the film progresses, 12-year-old Julien learns about the tragic things in life. Unlike most other boys his age, the events surrounding the film cause him to grow up earlier than he is comfortable with. Childhood is an incredibly fleeting thing and to many of the characters in the film, it is even more so.

The strongest part of the film was the acting by Gaspard Manesse (Julien) and Raphael Fejtö (Bonnet). Julien initially takes a dislike to Bonnet, but they begin spending more time with one another, learning that despite differences in each other, they are able to get along and form a friendship that touches both of their hearts. A tragic yet innocent mistake late in the film leads to a heart wrenching and unforgettable ending.

Au Revoir les Enfants is one of the best films I've seen. It is intelligent and deep in its message. For me, the message is that war affects children unnecessarily and cruelly. Like the title implies, children are forced to grow up too quickly because of war. I do not know about other viewers but for me, childhood was a happy yet brief time. For children affected by war and violence, it is even shorter, and this film perfectly embodies the tragic consequences that follow. I cannot recommend a film more intensely than this film. See it and judge it for yourself.

Read Best Reviews of Au revoir les enfants (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Here

I couldn't review SCHINDLER'S LIST, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and THE GREAT DICTATOR (films related to some of the darkest saddest times in humanity, during Nazi rule) and pass up AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS (GOODBYE, CHILDREN). This is, in my opinion, one of the finest films made by the late, great Louis Malle. It is a semi-autobiographical account of a young boy living a sheltered life in a Catholic school and the chance encounter he has with his classmate, who is first a rival and then becomes a beloved friend. This friend is concealing a secret during a time when the Nazis were cracking down on and removing Jews from schools, among other places. I don't need to say too much for you to know the gist of the plot, the pressures that the young protagonists face and the brutal reality of life that hits them smack between the eyes. This film sensitively and honestly depicts their plight, during a very dark point in history. AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS is truly poetry for the eyes, and you will never be the same after viewing it.

Want Au revoir les enfants (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Discount?

Louis Malle has packaged a sensitive but ultimately brief and tragic friendship between a young parisienne at a Catholic boarding school and a jewish boy who is being hidden there by priests during the Nazi occupation. Malle, sensitively and realistically uncovers their triumphs, their foibles and shortcomings in a manner that will both move you and entertain you. The inevitible outcome weaves its way through the entire fabric of this production. Use the subtitles, have a hanky handy and be prepared for something very special.

Save 50% Off

Blu-Ray Race Across the Sky 2010 (2010)

I don't write reviews for items on Amazon (though I should, because I find myself reading alot of them.) I rarely participate in customer surveys or anything of the nature, but when I saw the fact that the DVD for Race Across the Sky 2010 had been released a few days ago and still didn't have any reviews, I thought I'd share my opinion of the movie.

I watched this film "live" during the simulcast back in the fall. Until then I had not seen the first movie, I'd only had it described to me by a fellow rider on a group ride a few weeks earlier. I have limited interest in mountain biking (I am an obsessive road bike rider), but the idea of watching a live simulcast on a weekday after work seemed like a good plan. My wife went along for the ride, and shortly before the movie she admitted that she was kind of dreading the idea of sitting in a movie about a mountain bike race for 2 hours (she's a recreational road biker who really dislikes riding off road) She would not regret her decision to tag along with me for this movie.

For as many times as I managed to catch her with a an awestruck look on her face and a tear in her eye, I found myself in the exact same predicament. This film is moving. Breathtaking, painful, and above all, inspiring. Unlike "Race Across the Sky 2009" this movie isn't as much about the "racing" as it is about the people who are riding in the "race". Yes, Levi is a cycling deity, you can guess he'll finish well. Dave Wiens is a staple of the race, so of course he'll be featured. What you aren't prepared for is the story of the people in the middle of the pack, or the heartbreak of the riders getting turned away at the 9 hour mark, and the triumph of the riders who roll in with just seconds to go on the clock. I have never been so moved by a sports documentary... and there are few films I can think of that have had such a positive effect on me.

On our way home after the simulcast (the theater let out around 10PM EST) my wife and I babbled manically about the movie until she finally made the statement that really sums up how this movie makes you feel. She said, "I just want to go home and pedal." As a sufferer of Juvenile Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis (on aggressive Remicaid treatment since she was 23), she can understand dealing with physical adversity and trying to maintain a positive attitude. The people in this film will inspire you, motivate you, and the visuals will leave you gasping for breath.

I don't review movies, nor do I spend much time typing out my thoughts, so I apologize if this review is a little amateurish. I primarily wanted to give my opinions on the film to try to help influence someone trying to decide to purchase, or at least watch "Race Across the Sky 2010" If you like being alive, watch this movie.

I have participated in the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race in 2003 as well as in 2011. This documentary, by Citizen Pictures, and the one done by Citizen Pictures in 2009 are both excellent films! I feel that the creators of these films come as close as one can to capturing the magnitude of this event. The 2010 edition is slightly longer than the 2009 version; this is a good thing as there is more of an emphasis on individual stories amongst the non-professional racers. I enjoy watching this with friends and family who were not able to attend the race when I competed, so that they may get a better idea of what it is like to be a participant in such an epic event!

The cinematography is excellent and the stories of the individuals are inspiring and well presented. My only nit-pick is with the soundtrack, but this is likely a personal taste thing as it is not terrible, just not what I would have expected for a film that is so well done in every other area.

If Race Across the Sky 2010 does not inspire you to get out and ride your bike or challenge yourself in some other way, you need some serious help!

Buy Blu-Ray Race Across the Sky 2010 (2010) Now

The video is an excellent work of art. Very high quality video work. The interviews and race footage are inspiring.

Read Best Reviews of Blu-Ray Race Across the Sky 2010 (2010) Here

epic race and the scenery is awesome this is a great way to spend a rainy day and get motivated to ride and train hard!

Want Blu-Ray Race Across the Sky 2010 (2010) Discount?

I like to watch this movie as motivation while riding my indoor spin trainer when the weather is too cold to get outside.

Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge

You know by the time you reach a Part 3 of a series, you'd better do something interesting with your concept to keep the movies from going down the tubes. Thankfully Puppet Master 3 does that. It's a prequel more or less and takes place in Germany during WWII. When the Nazis catch wind of Andre Toulon's anti-Hitler puppet show, they come-a knockin', but soon take a bigger interest in his puppets. Ya see, the Nazis are hard at work at trying to reanimate dead soldiers to give them the winning edge on the battlefield. Those wacky Nazi doctors are working on a way to do this and rejoice when they see Toulon's puppets. Toulon's wife is killed by the Nazis during the attempt to arrest him. Now Toulon is in full Bronson mode, so he gathers his puppets and wages war on the Nazis!! Fun stuff.

In this movie, the character of Andre Toulon is quite a bit different from the evil mad scientist we saw in Part 2. He's a more sympathetic and likable character. He's not interested in using his puppets for violence, but rather only to entertain children. The puppets themselves are more like good guys now(we find out they are all possessed by the souls of Toulon's friends who had been killed by Nazis), and seem to be creatures with a conscience rather than total killing machines. The familiar group of puppets are here including a new one in the form of a six armed gunslinger names Six-Shooter. The trademark Blade puppet is constructed in this film and is based on the appearance of Krauss, the evil Nazi who's pursuing Toulon. Toulon turns his dead wife, Ilsa, into the famous Leech Woman puppet.

Being set in 1941 Germany(even though Toulon commits suicide in 1939 in the first film) really helps give this movie an edge. It's easy to see the puppets and Toulon more as heroes now when their up against people like the Nazis. Though part of me really likes the evil Toulon and puppets from the first and second movies. Plus it now offers more of an explanation for the first scene in the original Puppet Master when some shady looking Germans track Toulon to his hotel.

Lots of cool cult actors are cast here as well. Toulon is played by Guy Rolfe, who we all remember from the William Castle classic as Mr. Sardonicus. His wife is played by Sarah Douglas, who is in a buttload of B movies, but will always be remembered as the evil Ursa from Superman 2. The evil Nazi Krauss is played by all purpose bad guy, Richard Lynch. Rolfe does make a good Toulon and Lynch is always reliable as a slimy, mean looking SOB.

Another good entry in this series. Unfortunately it wouldn't get this good again coz the series started to slip a bit after this.

Charles Band's "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" takes the series in an exciting new direction. Although there seem to be story contradictions, the third entry gives viewers the chance to see the events spoken of in parts one and two unfold before their very eyes. The puppets we've come to fear suddenly take a turn towards good as they become tools for taking out Nazi soldiers and officers. For a B-movie, the sets and locations used look and feel authentic.

In 1941, a doctor named Hess is attempting to produce a serum that will re-animate dead soldiers to march on the frontline and give cover for the live ones in battle. He hears about a puppeteer named Toulon who uses stringless puppets in his performances. Upon investigating, Hess discovers Toulon has generated a potion that brings inanimate objects to life. Toulon's wife is killed by the Nazis and the puppeteer uses his wooden creations to exact revenge on those responsible for her death.

You can see the care and love executive producer / creator Charles Band put into transferring this film for Blu-ray. He makes sure the B-movie tone isn't lost while cleaning up the picture and correcting coloring issues. It's safe to say you've never viewed "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" the way you will in its high-definition version.

The 5.1 surround mix is a definite improvement over the movie's original VHS and standard DVD editions. The musical score, dialogue, and sound effects burst out at the audience from all over a home theater setting. It really helps bring the movie to life and creates a new experience for those who grew up seeing the movie.

As usual for Full Moon Blu-rays, "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" is loaded with entertaining extras. The same special introduction from "Puppet Master II" is included with audio commentary by Director David DeCoteau and Writer C. Courtney Joyner. An original full length Videozone featuring the making of "Puppet Master III" is paired with a montage of killing scenes from the film and a rare 1997 "Puppet Master" action figure commercial. There's also Full Moon trailers contained within.

Any fan of the Full Moon films will want to pick up the remastered "Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge" Blu-ray. The movie looks better than it ever has before and is a fine example of classic visual and practical effects at their best. Although it holds some of the same bonus material as the "Puppet Master II" Blu-ray, the audio commentary and Videozone coupled with a great high-definition feature presentation make this a recommended purchase for genre fans.

Buy Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge Now

going back in time to the origin of the puppet master in the heart of world war 2..the sets are incredible adding a bigger budget look ,the puppets are in rare form with there stop motion mayhem ,classically trained actors adding a sense of taut drama with the likes of guy rolfe and richard lynch as a sadistic nazi...sadly this was the pinnacle of the series ..with slight mention to curse of the puppet master number 6 which is criminally underrated in this viewers opinion ..nice bonus features and picture quality that brought a tear to my eye after having to suffer through repeated viewings over the years in a poor dvd or vhs format that you could barely see..now its pristine from every sweat and stressed pore of the puppet master and his beloved wife to the fine detail in all the puppets..puppet master fans this is a must buy..kudos to charles band and full moon please keep cranking out this level of quality for dollman and demonic toys and other classics from your back catalogue !

Read Best Reviews of Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge Here

This movie is fantastic in every way. From the pretty well done acting and characters, to the plot, and the special effects with the awesome stop motion. If your a fan of the Puppet Master series then you probably have already seen this but if you haven't this is some of the best horror around about little crazy puppets running around killing people. The blu-ray looks and sounds fantastic so if you only have this on DVD then it's time to upgrade finally because it's well worth the money.

Want Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge Discount?

The Puppet Master series has been one of my all time favorite movie series since I was introduced to it back in the early 90's. Puppet Master 3 Toulons Revenge is my #1 favorite of the series. When I saw they made it on Blu-ray I just had to have it!

Save 16% Off

Terminator 2: Judgment Day / Total Recall (Two-Pack) (2010)

I was really disappointed with the Blu ray transfer of Total Recall. It's just like the first DVD I owned with many areas of grain and uneven pic. T2 is simply ok but could have been much better. If Red Heat and Running man can have good transfers I fail to see why they didn't care about this set. Time to stop ripping off customers. Very sad.

If you already have one or both movies on DVD, you do not need to buy this 2-pack on Blu-Ray. Each movies is on its own Blu-ray disc and the back of the box claims it is in 1040p. Maybe it is in 1040p, but high rez of a grainy, dark transfer is not worth looking at. If you like the movies enough to want to own them, avoid this collection.

Buy Terminator 2: Judgment Day / Total Recall (Two-Pack) (2010) Now

I generally try to resist rebuying updated special editions, or Blu-ray versions of a film that I already own, but once in a while I make an exception. In this case it turned out to be a pretty good decision, as the Terminator 2: Judgment Day/Total Recall Blu-ray two pack is economically priced, and features some decent looking transfers of two of Arnold Schwarzenegger's action classics.

Of the two films, the Blu-ray of Terminator 2 (1991) is more impressive, as the image quality is more vibrant and sharp. While the disc isn't loaded with extras, you do get a 2003 commentary by director James Cameron and William Wisher, as well as a cast commentary from 1993. This is the 137 minute theatrical version of the film, not the 154 minute extended special edition.

Rating: *****

The image quality of the Blu-ray for Total Recall (1990) is sharp at times, but there are also scenes that look dull, dark, or grainy. Looking at the film now, it may be hard to believe that Total Recall won an Oscar for special effects, as they don't seem that impressive today. Adapted from a story by Philip K. Dick, Paul Verhoven's futuristic adventure is still a very entertaining watch, but the spotty quality of the Blu-ray, and a lack of significant extra features, besides a generic featurette called Visions Of Mars, is a disappointment.

Rating: ***1/2

For those who do not already own these films, this a sweet deal at around $11.50. Even if you already own previous versions, the Blu-ray editions are still probably worth having, particularly Terminator 2. Don't get rid of your older editions though, as they may contain bonus materials not included on the Blu-rays.

Read Best Reviews of Terminator 2: Judgment Day / Total Recall (Two-Pack) (2010) Here

Arnold, what a guy. Just turn off your brain and enjoy. I mean you've gotta love a Martian atmosphere restored in a few minutes. Real or no real? Real good deal on these two fun films.

Want Terminator 2: Judgment Day / Total Recall (Two-Pack) (2010) Discount?

Arnold was me and my brother's favorite action star. I bought this for my son and he loves it. It's funny because who would think that we would both enjoy something from that many years ago? Looks better on the big screen TV then our small one but great quality either way.

Save 34% Off

Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock

I can remember when "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" was shown on TV in Japan back in 1993 the buzz on the anime BBS at the time was just message after message of excitement and shock by "DRAGON BALL Z" fans. That excitement was followed by the large attended screenings at anime fan clubs for "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS", the second special of "DRAGON BALL Z". Seeing the shocked faces of everyone who watched it will always be a lasting memory and this special would become a favorite of mine.

Now nearly two decades later, the first two specials have been released together on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.

VIDEO:

If there is one thing that is important to remind everyone is that these two animated specials are twenty years old. It's a general known fact that a lot of older anime films, specials and even TV series have not been preserved well. There is only so much that can be done with the original master source, so let's start with the good and the bad. The good is that this is probably the best we are ever going to see "Dragon Ball Z". It's on Blu-ray, hi-def and the picture quality was great for that time and the colors are nice and sharp with it's 1080p transfer. The video was remastered in High Definition and digitally restored and you get a nice wide screen 16×9 transfer. Colors look good for two anime films that are twenty years old.

With that being said, the good news is that the specials fared quite well in its translation to Blu-ray. Because these two were shown on television, you don't get as much scratches or dust. In fact, I saw very little of any scratches or dust which was great considering how old these two specials were. Also, the colors were quite vibrant and was very pleased with the video transfer.

AUDIO:

Like the treatment they have given to their TV season box sets of "DRAGON BALL Z", this Blu-ray disc features Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 with Japanese or U.S. Music and the original 2.0 Japanese track. I love having been given the choice and although I grew up watching "DRAGON BALL Z" with its original Japanese language, I have to say that the English dubbing for the US "DRAGON BALL Z" is terrific and perfectly cast.

The Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 track is where you are going to hear the difference because of the utilization of the rear channels during the battle scenes. So, it's great to have FUNimation really work the 5.1 track for the Blu-ray release.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Surprisingly there are no special features included on the Blu-ray but there are a good number trailers for a lot of the recent FUNimation DVD and Blu-ray releases.

I may sound a bit biased towards these two specials because I was there to see the excitement by anime fans not long after the special was shown in Japan and to see the anime club viewings in the US so packed with people watching it in Japanese (without understanding what is going on) and to see anime BBS message boards with long threads from "DRAGON BALL Z" fans just discussing their shock after watching the special. It was one of those rare times I can remember so many fans coming together to watch a film that was not subtitled in English (the other was the first "Street Fighter" animated film) and no one really knew what was going on but because the special featured so much action, it was just worth watching.

I've purchased many incarnations of "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" and to watch it on Blu-ray and to see how vibrant the colors were and how good it looked for an anime 16-years old, was quite nice.

The same can be said in regards to "BARDOCK, THE FATHER OF GOKU". A special that I watched nearly two decades ago and again, to really enjoy because rarely do the "Dragon Ball Z" storyline go outside of main core of characters and focus on another group.

Not much was known about Bardock but it was great to watch this special again. And again, for something that came out so old, and in this case 19 years ago to look so vibrant in colors and looking so great in Blu-ray is a major plus.

FUNimation Entertainment did another fantastic job on this Blu-ray and it may have a bit of the dust and scratches but it was very minimal. But as a longtime "DRAGON BALL Z" fan, "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" is one of those must-own releases. For DBZ fans, these two specials would be a fantastic addition to your anime collection and for a Blu-ray, the price for both one Blu-ray disc is great.

Overall, another action-packed release that is definitely recommended!

I highly recommend buying this. I enjoyed this movie the two movies plots are very well written. If you are a fan of DBZ you will love this.

Buy Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock Now

I'm not commenting on the quality of the 2 movies that come in this set that are totally awesome, but instead i'm going to talk about the presentation. It comes in a beautifully designed steelbox, that you will fall in love immediately, with two dvds of the 2 films and in the background comes a DBZ extraordinary art design.

Read Best Reviews of Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock Here

Any die hard DBZ fan will buy this movie; both features have a great back story and is nice to add to your collection... however:

This review is pretty much copy/paste on my review of: Dragon Ball Z Return of the Cooler / Cooler's Revenge (Double Feature) [Blu-ray]

"Unless you're upgrading it from VHS then don't worry about buying a blu-ray version if you already have the DVD.

Having watched the original DragonballZ on DVDs and despite their best attempts at restoring the original films, the blu-ray version doesn't seem to offer any real advantage to the DVD versions.

You will still notice the film grain throughout the film.

Another issue is given that the original version was made for 4:3 the up scaling to 16:9 didn't really do anything for the film and feels like a cropped/stretched version of the original."

Something I'll add to this review that I didn't mention in the other is as with the picture quality the audio does sound better, but like the picture quality it really isn't that noticeable.

Want Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock Discount?

History of Trunks is a great movie all around, a good tragedy ending in hope (or HOPE!! if you know what I mean). Bardock however seems to have been a subpar dub. I watched both and the details that were omitted or changed in his lines are quite unnecessary. This includes details about him talking about his son (changed to something unrelated like 'Oh I better not waste time'). That's coming from a long time fan of the dub, they just botched this one up. But the original is still there, so it gets credit where due. Oh again for the faint of heart: cropping unnoticeable.

Save 34% Off