Assassins (2011)

This was a very exciting movie. There was action from start to finish. Stallone,the top hit man in the world suddenly finds that he has competition. He battles all over the landscape against his new competitor Antonio Banderas. A woman comes into possesion of an article that the bad guys want. She then becomes a target for Banderas. It falls upon Stallone to defend her. Stallone has to fight for his life against his new younger competition. The battle is ruthless. Stallone and Banderas have a final showdown that is top notch. Be sure to see this movie.It is top of the line. You will not be dissapointed.

When I put this DVD in, and hit play, action started. The whole way through the 2 hour movie, there is action non stop, clear up to the end in the "No Goodbyes" scene. This is a great movie. My favorite part was in the taxi when Robert Rath (Stallone) And Miguel Bain (Banderas) meet.

If youre a fan of either Banderas or Stallone, then I strongly suggest this movie to you.

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A great movie .... has all the desirable features, impressive sound, 1080p picture quality, original audio (which was filmed), and Spanish subtitles. Recommended by 100%.

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Pleased to inform since the release of Laser Disc in mid nineties this is the only worthy transfer. The colours and sound are amazing. Great bargain if you're a Stallone fan.

A good blu ray movie.

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Assassins is a great action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas.

Richard Donner, the director of the Lethal Weapon Films, has done a fantastic job as always, creating a world with characters that you won't forget that easy.

Sylvester Stallone does a good job as a hitman who doesn't wanna kill anymore, but still gets new offers he doesn't wanna refuse. While Stallone's character is on the job, a rivale pops up: Antonio Banderas. Now Banderas is perfectly cast as the triggerhappy killer who only wants one thing: being number 1 in the hitman world. For that he has to kill Stallone's character.

Not the most original story in the world, but that doesn't matter: it's pure entertainment and it gives a lot of thrilling moments and action sequences.

From the moment the two characters meet in some of the most beautiful locations and thrilling situations, the heat is on. Gunfire, explosions, sweat, thrilling conversations between the two: the heat will come out of your tv set! The atmosphere that is hanging around in this film is truely fantastic.

The action has been filmed in a fantastic and professional way and it will keep you on the edge of your seat. There are a few flaws here and there, and a few things that you musn't take to seriously, but because of the fantastic speed and feel of the film, it won't spiol the fun for even one moment!

This film is truely underrated by the media, so my suggestion is: ignore the media and watch this thriller, cause it will entertain you!

If you are a fan of Stallone, Banderas, Richard Donner's work, or just in the mood for some fun action entertainment, I would highly recommend this film!

Good popcorn entertainment with a lot of thrills and chills.

So sit back, relax, put your feet up and enjoy watching this!

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Menace II Society (Director's Cut) (2009)

Menace II Society is the story of Caine (Tyrin Turner) a young man living in Watts, Los Angeles. From the very beginning of the movie we follow Caine with an early flashback to his childhood to start . Caines narrative voice is found all throughout this movie. Things start off violent, and never really stop, from beginning to end there is bloodshed, but theres alot more than just violence in this movie, Caine lives a day to day existence, and its only in the end that he realizes whats important to himRonnie (Jada Pinkett), her son, his family and living. Other main character is Caines best friend 0-Dog (Larenz Tate) who is young, black and doesnt [care], his presence in movie is really a powerful one, and his lack of conscience contrasts with Caines. Movie also stars Vonte Sweet, Samuel L. Jackson and Glenn Plummer. Produced by Darin Scott & the Hughes Brothers. Tyrin Turner a still virtually unknown actor is excellent in this movie, and in my opinion deserves alot more credit than he has gotten.To say this movie is just powerful is an understatment, and to compare it to Boyz N the Hood is wrong too. There are some similarities, but Menace II Society is alot darker, and wasnt made to please the masses. Maybe thats why I like it so much, because the story is realistic and the makers dont play down the violence to get mainstream appeal. Would like to talk about some of key scenes but you dont do that when writing a review for people who havnt seen the movie, all I will say is this movie is definetly worth watching, and if your like me and really enjoy it, its worth having in the collection.

Menace II Society. An odd name for a movie, you think on initial glimpse. Why II, and not to? Who's the menace? You pick up the box. There's a picture of two black kids on the front. OK, you read summary. It doesn't tell you much. So, by this point intrigued, you rent it. Good for you.

Menace starts out in a convience store. There's confrontation, and soon, two people are dead. The gunman is smiling and opening the register. His friend, Kane, screams at him and shivers with panic. We fade, and begin the story of Kane's life.

If you're the average white person living in America, what you hear in rap music and see on the news must be very distant from you.

Allen and Albert Hughes grapple us with their genius storytelling skills, and quickly, show us what we're so secure not to know. The daily living, the blood, the drugs, the not caring. What do these mean? The main character, Kane, is mixed up in all of it.

To himself, he wants outway outof his hoodlum life. Externally however, he wants in. He's never shot anybody, he's the clean one. But he sells drugs. He knows how to kill someone. He's been friends with people who have. Here we see his internal struggle to get out in stunning visual perspective.

The film itself has an expert way about it of opening our eyes to the culture, the environment, the lack of consequences, the police brutalityAll of it, while still maintaining assemblence of structure in where it wants to go.

Most of this movie is painful to watch. Seeing Kane fall down his path of righteousness and commit sins he scoffed his brethren for commiting just days earlier. Seeing innocent lives be torn by misunderstanding. Seeing utterly meanless death. It should hurt to watchthe directors made sure of itthat's why it's so poignant.

The aforementioned sins that Kane commits jump into his future as well. Every time he has a chance to escape, he's pulled right back into the circle by something he himself did. As Kane matures and finds his way, the circle flows into it. It's reminicent of Michael Corleone in The Godfather.

Some other noticible traits of the filmit's incredibly stylistic when it wants to be, but graphically gritty others. Also, it does a good job of displaying ironylike a scene when Kane and friend walk down the street speaking of how the Bible won't help themwith crosses dangling from their necks. The use of fades, especially toward the beginning of the film, is well-timed and welcome.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Menace II Society is a worthless piece of garbage about violence far from home. Maybe we don't need to see it. But that violence is realand it's not so far away. I don't think I'm wrong. I think, that after this movie is finished, you'll be very glad you rented it.

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Dang i remember when i first saw menace II society back in the day.lowriders were the thing having a set of daytons on your ride was the thing.this movie fit in perfect with that culture at the time.so i was so excited when this was released on dvd.what a letdown the most grainy mess i have ever seen and the sound was crappy.then here comes high def and blu-ray! now i finally got to see this movie the way i always wanted to it looks awesome! the soundtrack is rather subtle during dialogue but when called upon the gunfire music and sound effects kick your ass!it seems to me that they bumped up some of the gunfire and stuff on the original soundtrack and it sounds very natural.there seems to be a few video shots that didnt fare so well onto blu-ray but is very subtle and hardly noticable.so if you are a fan of this movie you are definatley in for a treat! the ending scene they really packed a wallop into the soundtrack and it is powerful as ever.you will not forget it.....peace

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A truly groundbreaking film about the harsh realities of life on the streets and hustling in the ghettos, 1993's "Menace II Society" gives us a poignant look at what can happen when wrong choices are made and when redeeming one's self is too late. This film also magnifies the pressures that many young African Americans must deal with on a daily basis.

Meet Caine Lawson (a brilliant performance from Tyrin Turner). As a boy in the Watts, California hood with his heroin addict mother and murdering drug dealer father Tat (Samuel L. Jackson), was it any wonder that Caine would become drawn to a similar lifestyle? When his parents die, Caine is sent to live with his grandparents. Fresh out of high school, Caine hits the streets as a drug hustler trying to make money for expensive cars to attract the ladies and to take care of Ronnie (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Anthony, the family of his childhood role model Pernell who is in prison. It is a struggling situation between family/role model man, and the lure of the streets for Caine. Despite the preaching from his grandfather, trouble is always around the corner for Caine, especially when he's with his best friend O-Dog (a very convincing performance from (Larenz Tate), who is basically a don't give a f**k ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Besides being involved in a fatal convenience store shooting and being stalked by the police, Caine also struggles to keep himself alive. When his cousin gets killed and he himself gets shot, Caine realizes after talking with Ronnie that he needs to make a fresh start in life before it's too late. Traveling to Atlanta with her and Anthony may be the only thing that would save him. But there's no fighting the lure of street trouble; selling drugs, getting into mischief of O-Dog and the gang, getting back at the guys who killed his cousin and possibly impregnating a woman. But by the time Caine decides to go away with Ronnie and Anthony, his mistakes may have stirred up a hornet's nest that will come back to haunt him in the most tragic of ways. For Caine, it may be too late to redeem himself for good.

This movie is an eye-opener and sends a very harsh and true message about upbringing, lifestyles and choices. Boozing, drugs, shooting, attacking, cruising and all the while trying to survive, get respect and rise above, not to mention being a role model. These are just a few of the things that mirror inner city life. You can run from the streets, but the streets will always be in you. This is what Caine must face. Awesome funky hip-hip soundtrack and some serious intense acting make this movie great. The street-wise lingo, the clothes, the attitude; all this pulls the movie together. Special features include an in-depth interview with the Hughes twins who directed the film, as well as the theatrical trailer, and more. Watch the film, get engrossed and recognize!

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Menace II Society was the debut film from the directing duo of the Hughes brothers, released in 1993 at the height of popularity of "hood movies". As most other reviewers have stated the film is an extemely powerful look at growing up in L.A in the early 90's. The movie grabs your attention straight away with the robbery of the liquor store and the controversial shooting of the Korean owners, and the pace never lets up throughout. Caine (Tyrin Turner) is basically a bystander in the opening scene as O-Dog (Larenz Tate) goes on a rampage, and this continues throughout the film, Caine is a good person but very much a victim of his circumstances, whereas O-Dog just "doesn't give a f**k".

Without going into plot details the events in the film all conspire against Caine and it all catches up with him in the inevitable ending. There are also good performances from Jada Pinkett and MC Eiht and a small role at the start from Samuel L Jackson as Caine's father. While the film is very powerful and a sad and realistic take on ghetto life, it is not without it's faults, the main one being the lack of depth of some of the characters. They never really explain Caine's relationship with Parnell, though he regularly refers to him as "like a dad" throughout the film. Also several of the other characters are hard to sympathise with as their background is never really explained (something I felt was done better in Boyz N The Hood),and I find it hard to believe Parnell would be cool with Caine's relationship with his girl. Despite these minor faults the film is still great though and the ending in particular was tragic and inevitable. One of the better hood movies of the early 90's, if your into them you should definetely check this out.

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Intruder (Director's Cut) (Blu-ray + DVD Combo) (1989)

I ordered mine from the Synapse Films website,for the work-print exclusive. Got it a whole month early. YAY!! This was a good blind buy for me, as I just discovered it when it was announced a month or two back. And when I saw it was made by Sam Raimi's old crew from Evil Dead, and Sam Raimi in a starring role, with a cameo by the Great Bruce Campbell, it was immediately an instant blind-buy.

A group of employees in a grocery store/supermarket works their final shift overnight,as the store is closing permanently. The main protagonist has a borderline ex-boyfriend obsessed with her. In a little while, people start dying in violent and graphic ways. The kills in this film are top-notch. Not all of them are creative, but the best ones, CAUTION:POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!,like an employee getting crushed by a trash compactor,and another getting his head sawed in half,are the stuff of a horror and gorehound fanatic's wildest dreams,or uhh,nightmares. The movie moves along at an adequate pace, the kills start shortly after the half-hour mark, and does not let up soon after. Both Sam and Ted Raimi of EVIL DEAD fame have roles, and Bruce Campbell makes a cameo at the end.

By the time this movie was made, the MPAA was already on their crusade against horror, esp. slasher movies, and were very strict, demanding severe cuts for so much as a few drops of red blood, at the risk of the old dreaded X-rating(now NC-17,same thing). And this movie was no exception. About 4-5 minutes were sliced out of this movie, rendering it neutered. It wasn't until many years later, that Wizard Video/Full Moon released this uncut in the U.S. on DVD, some more recent years back. I've never owned that, so I can't speak for the quality of that release.

Anyway, as always, Synapse Films has pulled out all the stops on this baby. The DTS-HD 2.0 Mono is clear, and about as sharp as any of the knives and gadgets in the flick. High volume is not needed to hear this well. The 1.78:1 Anamorphic picture is sprinkled with natural film grain throughout, but nothing that would deter enjoyment. In fact, it looks better than it probably ever has. Detail is accurate and on the mark, revealing a little more than seen before. Colors are vivid without being too bright or dark, just right. In other words, this may not be the best-looking blu-ray, but for a low-budget movie made in the 1980s, this is impressive. Very well done.

The extras are equally astounding. First, we got a fun audio commentary with writer/director Scott Spiegel and producer Lawrence Bender. It's not overly informative, but it's a good listen, as they recall their memories and enjoy and laugh with each other and the movie. They comment on little details in the movie, such as POV shots, how times have changed(price of cigarettes etc),filming etc. A good fun listen. Next, is a half-hour retrospective featurette, interviews with Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Scott Spiegel, Lawrence Bender, Elizabeth Cox, Danny Hicks and some others. Sam Raimi,is sadly,MIA. Some cool behind the scenes photos in between. The Outtakes from the lost short-film, Night Crew are def. worth a look. Then there's a brief interview with filmmaker and fan Vincent Pereira, it's brief but informative chat about how he discovered the movie through GOREZINE mag, and was let down by the censorship. And cast audition footage, worth a look.

Now the work-print footage comes from the bonus work-print DVD-R that I got with this set. Some slightly extended kills, that is very interesting and some other scenes and dialogue not in the final director's cut. The work-print version as a whole is very much worth a watch, as some other scenes and dialogue bits cannot be discovered in any other version. But for those who didn't get the bonus disc, the extended work-print kills are on on the BD and DVD as an extra.

Another slam-dunk release from Synapse. They are on a roll, and I hope they keep up the great work. Recommended to all horror/slasher/gorehound and Sam Raimi/Bruce Campbell fans. Cheers!

Since this is a slasher movie, I'll keep this short. Suffice to say, this film is utterly generic in all ways except that which I'm about to mention: Odd camerawork, and particularly gruesome violence. This isn't a great film, or even a great slasher film, but it's worth seeing.

This was directed by Scott Spiegel, famed for his connection to Evil Dead II. Clearly, some of Raimi's directorial tendencies have rubbed off on Spiegel, as he inserts lots of senseless, unusual camera-angles. He's not as kinetic, or as big on moving it around, but he actually tops Raimi in terms of sheer gratuity, as exemplified by the stangest shot of the film, which is within a telephone, looking up at someone through the holes in the mechanism.

This movie is most famed for it's gore, and not with out good reason. Though it's got a fairly low-body count, it's makes almost all of them matter, including a horrific eye-skewering, head crushing by trash compactor, a gruesome hook the the face, and a truly brutal scene of one character having their head sawed in half. The gore isn't up to modern, mainstream standards of realism, but it's really quite impressive for a very low-budget film from the 80's. Sadly, the kills are clustered together too closely, as they often are in slasher movies. Still, they deliver, even if they could be spread out a bit more.

This DVD is in fact available now, though I won't say where as this would doubtless be against Amazon.com policy. (It ain't at all tough to find, however. You don't need my help.) It looks more or less like crap, but it is uncut, so it's a vast improvement over any other legitimate American VHS releases.

Definitely a reasonable way to pass 85 or so minutes.

Grade: C+

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Although starts off slowly this above average b-movie really packs a gory punch in the last 35 minutes or so.. The acting is what you might expect from an 80's horror flick but, who is watching these movies for the performances? However, I think the girl that was killed should have taken the leading role. Now.. here is a little something that bugs me about alot of companies that produce films to dvd. Bruce Campbell is in this movie for two minutes and for some strange marketing reason he is listed as the star of the film. Why? I really hate that. I love Campbell but, i dont like when I am led to believe that he plays a significant role in a movie and he is in it for a two minute "cop" role at the end of the movie. Anyway.. if you havent seen "Intruder" it takes place in a supermarket while the 3rd shift crew stocks, changes prices and, cleans. They all get more than they "bargain" for when they are told that the store will be closing in a month and their jobs will be lost. On top of the bad news a psychotic killer is picking them off one by one. The deaths are gruesome. Especially two in particular. One involves a butchers electric meat cutter, the other involves a box recycling bin. Over all I give this movie 3 stars and a half.. definitely elevated by it's gory deaths!! Fun Stuff!

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Intruder is a "love story" about one cashier at a po-dunk supermarket and her ex-boyfriend/ex-con that still loves her. Sadly, she doesn't love him anymore. Maybe it has to do with the fact that she broke up with him a year ago and he just can't say goodbye? Its possible. That doesn't matter to him though. He goes to such lengths to prove he still loves her that he calls her repeatedly and gets in a brutal fight with her boss and co-workers while she is working...but not before socking her across the face. Ahh, young love.

On top of all of this she and her fellow employees find out their much loved place of employment is being sold to another company and the store will be shut down indefinitely within a month. While nowadays this would be met with as much concern by a supermarket employee as finding out your much hated enemy has contracted syphilis apparently jobs were so scare in 1988 that the girl's boss offers to give her a "recommendation for a job at another supermarket". As if this idea wasn't scary enough...somebody is stalking around the inside of the store killing each one of them off. Is it the ex-boyfriend???

Intruder is far from a masterpiece but is a good enough slasher flick to elicit shocks and laughs in abundance. While the "plot" isn't all that original there is a lot in Intruder that is. It is obvious that the director (Scott Spiegel, good friend of Sam Raimi and co-writer of Evil Dead II) was heavily influenced by Raimi. Some of the shots that he uses are totally bizarre (including the first ever shot up through the dial of a rotary phone!) and absolutely does not skimp with the gore. At least in this uncut version that is.

In many ways though this film is also a spoof of the slasher subgenre itself. 90% of the victims in this movie are male and I challenge anybody not to laugh as the "Mystery Killer" slowly drags off the screaming, writhing men to their ghastly fates. It also illustrates how nobody in slasher movies ever seems to attempt to defend themselves (except of course, for the heroine) even though their life is quite obviously about to be snuffed out in the grisliest way possible (a trash compactor and infamously, a band saw to name a few). If the movie played in total seriousness it would be funny enough as it is and just plain sad...but due to the over-the-top quality of the movie it all comes out as just plain funny. It is obvious the filmmakers just want to have a bloody good time and you can't help but be infected by it about halfway through the film.

The stand-out performance in this film belongs to Dan Hicks (and on a smaller scale The Brothers Raimi). Many of you will probably remember him for his role as Jake the redneck tow-truck driver in Evil Dead 2 ("BOBBY JOEEEEEEEE!!!"). After watching his totally goofy/fun performance it is an honest to god crime that he hasn't had bigger parts in more movies.

If you like absolutely ridiculous slasher films (and you can make it through some initial bloodless corniness) then Intruder shouldn't disappoint.

(NOTE: The back of the DVD refers to an "Ex-cop trying to figure out why these killings are going on" or something along those lines. This is totally false and I have no clue why this is there. The whole movie takes place in its entirety within the confines and surrounding areas of the supermarket and there is no ex-cop subplot. Also, on the back of the DVD there is a "still" of Bruce Campbell in one scene that is an obvious facsimile to make you think he is in the movie for more than 60 seconds. If you buy this movie because of any of the previous two misnomers you will be a tad ticked off. Other than that however...watch it.)

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Intruder should have been called Halloween In A Supermarket. It's a scary slasher movie from a time when slashers were fun and gory. The first half hour is kind of slow, not boring just slow. However, after that it's non-stop horror as a killer stalks the employees at a grocery store that is going out of business. The twist ending is clever and sets up a sequel. I don't understand why there hasn't been a sequel to this, considering that it's better than about half of the Friday the 13th series. If the flick had some nudity, it would a perfect slasher movie. As it is, it's an almost perfect slasher movie.

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Tromeo and Juliet (1996)

First thing you need to do before you read the rest of this review is read the title of the movie again...TROMEO and Juliet...it is a Troma film. Ok...now that we have that out of the way we can move on with the review.

This film is no Gone With the Wind, but then I say to you that Gone With the Wind is no Tromeo and Juliet either. Troma is not defined by your typical Hollywood rules where movies are concerned. Troma sits off in the dark corner of the big room where all the class clowns hang out and are just in their own world. Tromeo and Juliet does what Troma does best and does it better than ever before. I never really believed that I would enjoy something more than the Toxic Avenger coming out of Tromaville. This movie quickly took over the position as my favorite Troma film. The characters are over the top and fun. The script is funny and Tromeo's black fartin' dad is hilarious. A great cast of characters with an intelligent(as in Troma intelligent) script.

I personally thought the cook for the Capulets was far more sexy than Juliet, but what do I know. I will say one thing about some of the off color content...be warned if you are easily offended. There is plenty by which to be offended in this film. For instance, a freakshow who desires his sister in every way, a father who is freakishly attracted to his daughter, as well as plenty of other off color scenes. Did you expect anything less from Troma though.

Watch for the tons and tons of memorabilia from the other Troma films throughout this film as well as the party where you see a cast of characters from the other films to include Toxie himself.

I have to say that when the characters break into their "Shakespearean" dialog, it just makes me giggle. Very funny if you ask me.

Overall this is a pretty solid Troma film with a nice story done in vintage Troma style.

I've always had this fantasy that some thoroughly disreputable quick-buck movie would end up being brilliant. Like, what if some soft-core "Erotic Thriller" ended up having gutsy, breakthrough performances and a riveting plot? What if "Police Academy 12" was Oscar-worthy?

My fantasies came through with "Tromeo & Juliet." The very concept of a punk "Romeo" is brilliant they conceived this before Baz Luhrmann's movie but seeing as how this is Troma we're talking about, Lloyd Kaufman could have steered this in a very wrong (read: conventional) direction. Fortunately, they managed to find a young mad genius named James Gunn to write the script, and they found some hungry young acting talent who threw themselves into the project. And Kaufman, perhaps inspired by all this, finally directed like a man more concerned with making a good movie than cashing in on the quick-buck exploitation trends that nearly ruined "Troma's War" and "Sgt. Kabukiman."

Not that "Tromeo & Juliet" isn't a quick-buck exploitation movie. It is. It's also a hilarious and inventive comedy, an art film, a soft-core porno, a gross-out gore flick, a surprisingly moving love story, and best of all one of the most oddly faithful Shakespeare adaptations I've ever seen. Amazingly, it's all these things all at the same time, sometimes even in the same scene (check out Murray Que's final scene, in the tattoo parlor). "Tromeo" captures the spirit, the wordplay, and the abandon that so many staid Shakespeare movies completely miss. And it's one of the most energetic and creative movies you're likely to see.

I could gush on and on about "Tromeo," for it is my favorite movie. Now that James Gunn is a big-time although still delightfully weird Hollywood writer, I wouldn't be surprised to see a surge in "Tromeo" sales. This is a good thing. "Tromeo" is a completely unique and exhilirating movie, and it deserves a huge audience. It's not for everyone, I suppose (the close-up shot of the nipple being pierced will pretty much clear the room of those who should have stayed away in the first place). But if you like a little trash in your art, or art in your trash, give "Tromeo" a chance.

Oh and the budget for "Tromeo" was $350,000, or about what it costs to cater lunch for a week on your basic Adam Sandler movie.

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William Shakespeare's play Romeo & Juliet has been interpreted hundreds of times on stage and in films. Sometimes literally following the original text (which is, at times, vague in stage directions), sometimes in new interpretations where directors chose to show their own view on the piece. Some are good, many are mediocre. Lloyd Kaufman's film certainly stands out as one of the most original, modern versions of the bard's creation, It may be placed in a modern-day decaying New York and full of the modern-day anti-social behavior, body piercing, dismemberment and kinky sex (which, for the more than casual reader, Shakespeare himself wasn't shying away from), but at the same time it stays incredibly close to the overall feel and point of what the play is all about, which is quite an effort. Kaufman wrote the script with his co-director on the film James Gunn, who is now famous for writing two successful Scooby Doo movies, doing the impossible by making a perfect remake of an already perfect film with his script for Dawn of the Dead and directing one of the best horror-films of the year: Slither. Lloyd Kaufmans innovative directorial view alongside with James Gunns original and unrestricted writing make for an interpretation of Shakespeare's play that maybe not everyone will "get" immediately, but will certainly be recognized by a truly unique and highly important view on a classic play. With a script that is written entirely in iambic meter, appearances of Motorhead's Lemmy and an outrageous forceful soundtrack watching Tromeo & Juliet is something no one will ever forget. Apart from it's historical significance, Tromeo &

Juliet is a treasure for film-lovers of all kind. Not only for the script by James Gunn, now a good influence on Hollywood while working from the inside, but also because it features an early part of legendary actress Debbie Rochon. Well known by everyone familiar with films that are made on lower budgets. The 10th anniversary edition on DVD adds to all that by including so many as-yet undiscovered gems that not only all the information one could wish for about the film itself and the experience of making it is presented in ways that make it impossible to turn off the DVD, but also a very honest (and disturbing) look is given into the ways independent cinema has to surviver these days. In many ways the extra's on the disc are an invaluable addition to the already impressive amount given on Kaufman's film-school "Make Your Own Damn Movie". Furtermore historical items from the Troma vaults which include James Gunn, Debbie Rochon and other contributors to this masterpiece are included, and the film itself is, apart from looking better then ever, accompanied by no less than four audio-commentaries, each and everyone informative, excruciatingly funny and all done for serious addition to the film instead of the boring and nonsensical commentaries that are so common these days. There are new

commentaries (one with Kaufman and Gunn together), but also the one James Gunn did for the original release of the DVD but couldn't be included there for some of honesty he displays about some other people is present on this disc. With fan-recreations of a few of the scenes from the film, a video diary of Lloyd Kaufman's visit to the set of James Gunn's Slither and a visit the two brought together to Eli Roth's Hostel Birthday party and much more, this is the ultimate set everyone must own. Weather you are a film historian, someone interested in interpretations of the great Bard's work, a fan of great cinema, a fighter for independent cinema, a fan of James Gunn, interested in learning more on making films on a low budget, a fan of Lloyd Kaufman or whatever: this is the most important DVD-release of this millennium!

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According to the Troma website, this 2-disc edition of TROMEO AND JULIET is going to include:

*4 different audio commentaries featuring writer James Gunn (SLITHER), director Lloyd Kaufman (THE TOXIC AVENGER), actor Sean Gunn (GILMORE GIRLS), film editor Frank Reynolds (IN THE BEDROOM) and Troma staff editor Gabriel Friedman (TERROR FIRMER, CITIZEN TOXIE, POULTRYGEIST).

*2 hours of interviews with cast and crew including Debbie Rochon (Ness), Tiffany Shepis (Peter), Sean Gunn (Sammy), Valentine Miele (Murray), Stephen Blackehart (Benny), and Lemmy (of Motorhead).

*GETTING HOSTEL WITH HOLLYWOOD: James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman visit Eli Roth's birthday party.

*SLITHER-ING THROUGH HOLLYWOOD: A brand-new, expanded, uncut version of Lloyd Kaufman's video diary on the set of James Gunn's SLITHER.

*Deleted scenes, plus a featurette of James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman commenting on the deleted scenes.

*Exclusive never-before-seen rehearsal footage of Jane Jensen and Debbie Rochon.

*Willie Wisely music video, featuring Andy Dick and Kara Monaco

*Classic Troma movie introductions featuring the cast of TROMEO AND JULIET

And more.

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"Tromeo and Juliet" is to Troma fans what "Die Hard" is to Action fans, what "The Exorcist" is to Horror fans, and what "Tootsie" is to Cross-dressing fans.

The Bards Greatest Romance gets the Troma Treatment in the Grandest Scale. Lesbianism, Language, Gore... Everything is overdone Beautifully.

Its Storyline (and it's similarity's to the Real Romeo and Juliet) is pretty Inconsequential, but, as you've probably guessed, it's about Forbidden love between two teens whose Family's are Rivals. The makers cleverly (well, cleverly compared to a lot of their previous work) twist the more famous elements and make them more Modern, more Sick and more Funny.

The Acting is Oscar worthy, (keeping in mind I'm only comparing this to Other Troma films) Jane Jensen and Will Keenan seem to have a Genuine Attraction, which threatens to make the film... Realistic, a Realistic Troma film, Times really are Changing. The Rest of the performances bring the film back to the Troma Level we all know and love.

If you Know what you're getting in for, "Tromeo and Juliet" will Surprise with its Assuredness. If you are New to this sort of film, it Will grow on you... It always does.

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Yi Yi (The Criterion Collection) (2000)

Once in a while you walk out of the theatre and you find yourself giving a big sigh. When that happens, it's not because you're tired about a movie you just have seen. On the contrary. In my case it means that I just experienced an artform that cannot be compared with any other kind of art. Yi Yi is a good example of this. For those who watch carefully, they will discover that the story of Yi Yi is not more than a saga, perhaps even a soap plot of a ordinary middle class family in Taipei. But those who have patience to go beyond the facade of the ordinary, they will see a movie dealing about individualism, childhood, commitments, second chances, urban loneliness, broken promises, families, despair and death. But Yi Yi also shows us the small qualities of life: humour, laugther, life questions posed by a diligent and intelligent young kid, first love, courage, the meaning of life and the search for happiness. But Yi Yi is told without the explosivity of American Beauty. Instead, we witness (instead of watching passively) most of the narrative through windows and doors. Just as we're the neighbours of the protagonists of this film. Sometimes we will find ourselves shedding a tear. Sometimes we laugh. And that, my friend, is the reality of life. Shame that this one was overlooked by the Academy Award Association. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon couldn't be a match to this one.

Cinema doesn't get any better than this. If you haven't seen this film then don't hesitate buy the DVD right now, and play it when you're most in need of inspiration it will dispel any doubts you might harbour about the power of film, the worth of art. The ability of Edward Yang to fuse imagination with, it must be assumed, an amazing honesty in reflecting upon his own life, to share what he holds most dear, and what evokes the most wonder, is something we, as an audience, can only marvel at and give thanks for. To say that 'Yi-Yi' inhabits the points of view of a child, an adolescent, an adult, a parent, a matriarch, the points of view of both male and female, that of the earnest, the honest, the ironic and idealistic, is to say that it truly touches upon life's richness. At one point in the film a character comments that films allow us to live life three times over, that's to say, they show us three times as much life as we could live by ourselves most films give lie to this optimism, but 'Yi-Yi' itself makes such a statemest seem miserly. One of the best films I've ever seen.

Buy Yi Yi (The Criterion Collection) (2000) Now

"Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" has been getting all the attention with its high-flying kung-fu action, but "Yi Yi" may very well be the best movie to come out of Taiwan in 2000.

This movie reminded me a lot of Wong Kar-Wai movies (with the exception of "In the Mood for Love", "Yi Yi" is probably the most beautifully filmed movie I saw in the past year) but unlike Wong's movies which often place more emphasis on style than stories, "Yi Yi" has more accessible plot lines -half a dozen of them, in fact. It starts at a wedding and ends at a funeral, and packed in the middle is a story of a Taipei family, each reacting to different crises in their lives.

Clocking at almost 3 hours, you may find this movie a bit long and slow at times, but I absolutely loved every minute of this movie, because all the stories are told with such patience and subtlety. Edward Yang (the director/writer) also does a wonderful job with character development, and while you may struggle to figure out who's who in the beginning of the movie, you will no doubt get to know and care about each member of the troubled Jiang family by the end of the movie.

"Yi Yi" will make you cry and it will make you laugh. But most of all, it will make you glad that you didn't miss out on this gem of a movie.

Read Best Reviews of Yi Yi (The Criterion Collection) (2000) Here

OVERVIEW & STORY:

This review is intended to be part critical analysis and part celebratory love letter to a film that's a genuine modern masterpiece of cinema. Writer/Director Edward Yang's Yi Yi is as close to a "perfect" film as I've seen; warm, funny, humane, poignant, beautiful, evocative, and expertly crafted in every sense of the word.

For those who don't know, Edward Yang is a part of the New Wave of Taiwanese Cinema, along with other acclaimed directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Tsai Ming-Liang. These directors all share some similarities; One is a consistent use of precise framing and static long takes. This technique might be most famously utilized by legendary Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu. The comparison is even more apt than that as all of these directors applied their technique to subjects dealing with people in changing societies. Their films perfectly capture the zeitgeist and work equally well as social commentary, historical documents, and film-art.

At its simplest, Yi Yi is a portrait of a middle-class family in Taipei dealing with (as one reviewer stated) "romantic, economic and spiritual upheaval." But if the idea itself is simple and mundane, its execution is complex and incredibly rich. To even attempt a plot summary is difficult, though I will try.

The film opens with the marriage of Ah-Di to a pregnant Hsiao-Yen. This is interrupted by Yun-Yun, Ah-Di's ex girlfriend and current business partner. Ah-Di's brother-in-law is NJ, the central character, if indeed you can apply that title to any here a loving father and husband caught in a crossroads in his life; at his work when he is coaxed into befriending a possible business partner in Mr. Ota, and personally when he runs into his first love, Sherry, at Ah-Di's wedding. NJ's wife, Min-Min, is caught up in a spiritual crisis when after the wedding an accident sends her mother to the hospital, and eventually home with the family to take care of. This accident is even more distressing to Ting-Ting NJ's and Men-Men's teenage daughter who feels the accident is her fault for forgetting to take out the garbage. Ting-Ting becomes quick friends with the neighbor girl, Li-Li, whose family is having problems of their own, and whose boyfriend, Fatty, becomes a source of contention between the two girls. Finally, there's little Yang-Yang, NJ and Men-Men's young son, who provides a great deal of the humor and profundity throughout the film with his imagination and child-like honesty.

REVIEW:

If the above plot synopsis sounds convoluted and unwieldy, then place the blame on my summary instead of Yang's film. If I had to choose one aspect of this film which succeeds above the others it would be Yang's handling and crafting of the narrative which is so adept that the film never makes one feel it's as complex as it actually is. Though the film is constantly shifting between characters and storylines, the transitions appear seamless. Part of this can be attributed to the editing, which is smooth and extremely unobtrusive, and part of it is due to the aesthetic and emotional flow which perfectly connects scenes and characters together like a fine silk.

When looking at the narrative and characters as a whole it's difficult to find any negatives. Yi Yi is one of the greatest films I know of about ordinary people. It's not just the fact that Yang refuses to hype the characters or their reality, but it's the breadth and depth that's given to both in all the superficial simplicity. One review of Ozu's legendary Tokyo Story mentioned that it was "a film that encompasses so much of the viewer's life, that you are convinced that you have been in the presence of someone who you knew very well." and the same could be applied to Yi Yi. By the end, we get to know these characters almost as real people instead of fictional creations. The same could be said of the narrative which, despite the difference in societies and cultures features characters dealing with problems that plague us all; whether it's NJ's frustration with his failing job, or his nostalgic attempt to recapture a piece of his life that faded long ago, or Men-Men's frustration with her dull, repetitive everyday life that compels her to seek out spiritual fulfillment. Even the children are easy to relate to, with Ting-Ting decision of whether or not to sleep with Fatty for the first time, or Yang Yang's ability to capture a piece of childish imagination and innocence lost to us all. If I had to find a single flaw it might be that the Ah-Di, Hsiao-Yen, Yun-Yun storyline isn't as compelling when compared with the others. It's by no means "bad", but its weakness perhaps lies in the fact that they are the least developed characters in the lot.

Beyond the narrative and characters Yang's themes are as rich as anything else in the film. On the simplest level Yi Yi works to reveal the effect of society on modern people and families and vice versa. However, Yang is less insistent on the import of his themes compared to the likes of Hou Hsiao-hsien. If Hou's films actively explore the state of Taiwanese society, then Yi Yi seeks only to observe, but not comment too deeply. It's this lack of force that prevents the criticism of pretentiousness from ever applying to the film.

Yi Yi is also a film of wonderful moments and scenes. One such scene is of Yang-Yang in AV class, watching the girl he's infatuated with as thunder and lightning play on the screen behind her with the apt subject of "two opposing forces coming together". Another is the masterful montage of Ting-Ting's date with Fatty, paralleled by the dialogue and scene of NJ and Sherry's `reunion'. Yet another features NJ and Mr. Ota discussing their love for music. Other moments are so small they might go unnoticed, such as the simple shot of Ting-Ting entering her grandma's bedroom and grasping her hand, or the musical montage of a vision of Tokyo. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Yang-Yang's closing monologue. It's a scene so poignant and so perfect that it has instantly become one of my absolute favorites. In a film full of superb scenes it's a testament to Edward Yang's greatness that he was able to close on the most cathartic of all.

The acting is consistently superb. Even though Nien-Jen Wu (NJ) is perhaps the most accomplished, it's hard to find a weak spot in the cast. Issea Ogata (Mr. Ota) steals most every scene he's in with his exuberance. Elaine Jin (Min-Min) has a couple of tough, extended, emotional monologues and without the aid of editing she pulls them off marvelously and believably in a single take. Kelly Lee (Ting-Ting) brings a sense of subdued emotional subtlety that's indicative of skill far beyond her years. Jonathan Chang (Yang-Yang) practically steals the whole film with the straight-forward honesty he brings to the role of Yang-Yang. He's not adorable in the horribly fake, classic "precocious child" manner, but in a way that's much more truthful to the spirit and purity of childhood.

Yang's direction is masterful and quietly understated. He rarely attempts to draw attention to the camera, and it would be easy for the wealth of incredible shots to go unnoticed. One particularly unique technique is Yang's use of reflective surfaces. This has a remarkable effect of expanding the audience's field of vision, so often we're not only able to follow the story, but get a feel for the environment that's such a crucial aspect of any film. Other times it serves as a source of economy, allowing Yang to capture a scene with as little movement as possible. Beyond the mere shots, the editing is phenomenal. Yang expertly utilizes transitional devices to weave the diverging strands of his complex narrative together. One perfect example is the AV room "storm" film with Yang-Yang transitioning to Ting-Ting caught in a real storm. While devices like this may seem banal, it's the fact that they're never pronounced in a pretentious manner that allows them to serve the film and narrative rather than distract from it. One particularly brilliant narrative device is the comatose grandmother, which after being prompted by the doctors to talk to her the family takes turns revealing their innermost secrets and fears to her and the audience as well. Yang also puts a lot of trust in his actors by liberally utilizing long takes, such as NJ and Sherry's hotel meeting. Finally, Yang presents most of the film in a very patient manner. While he doesn't maintain as much narrative perspective distance from events as some of his contemporaries, he does often use a somewhat voyeuristic style that observes but doesn't attempt to actively involve. This often has the effect of capturing the environment which can speak as powerfully about a scene as what's happening in the story. Two obvious examples are Ting-Ting and Fatty's meeting at night near the road, and NJ and Sherry's meeting in the park. Yang's overall visual aesthetic of one of calm, meditative, and patient observance; certainly the opposite aesthetic of the common, modern ADD riddled Hollywood.

One final remarkable accomplishment I'll mention is how despite the near 3 hour runtime it almost feels too short. There are very few lengthy films I know of that have ever pulled of that trick; one is Kurosawa's incomparable The Seven Samurai, and that is indeed fine company to be in. As the credits rolled, I kept thinking how nice it would be to have spent more time in this world with these people. It's not that Yang doesn't provide a resolution; it's merely that the film is such a perfectly crafted world you might not want to leave.

Sadly, Edward Yang died June 29, 2007 from his long bout with colon cancer. He left behind a handful of masterpieces, including this film, A Brighter Summer Day and Mahjong. In closing I'll reiterate what I said in the opening: Yi Yi: A One and a Two is a genuine masterpiece from one of cinema's greatest and most unsung masters. All I can do is give it my highest recommendation and hope that more people discover one of the strongest candidates for best film of the 21st Century. It's one of those films that celebrates life, and will perhaps make you appreciative of the life you live and the people and places in it. Yi Yi has quickly become one of my absolute favorites and I only wish I could heap enough eloquent superlatives on it to reveal the greatness of this truly brilliant film.

DVD REVIEW:

As per usual, the Criterion edition is magnificent. After renting and falling in love with the film in the Fox Lorber edition I immediately bought the Criterion Edition and was stunned by the increase in quality. The visual transfer is pristine and perfect, but it's really the extras that should prompt a fan of the film to pick it up. The audio commentary by Yang and Tony Rayns is insightful and adds even more richness to an already gorgeous tapestry. The rest of the extras are equally welcomed, including Rayns's excellent interview where he discusses the New Wave of Taiwanese Cinema and Yang's importance in the movement as well as the extensive booklet essay.

Want Yi Yi (The Criterion Collection) (2000) Discount?

I will not plow the ground covered by others reviewing the substance of the film. Suffice it to say that Yi Yi is utterly compelling and merits five stars.

BUT -the Fox Lorber DVD transfer listed for sale here is unwatchable. This is not a video tech geek's mere quibbling over small details. I seriously mean unwatchable. The sound is garbled and distracting, even for those who rely entirely on the subtitles as I do. The image is dark, muddy and often so completely out of focus one cannot make out faces well enough to distinguish one character from another. Colors are garish and strange -in this version, much of the film seems to have been shot under cold blue buzzing fluorescent light. The rest -anything shot in subdued lighting -is a black hole without any visible detail.

I attempted to watch this DVD and gave up after about half an hour of frustration. This transfer never should have seen the light of day.

The Criterion Collection edition of Yi Yi is absolutely luminous and electric -and a sheer joy to watch. That's the one to buy!

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The Last Lions (2011)

This spectacular movie follows the life of one lioness as she finds a territory of her own, and deals with an antagonistic pride of lions and the massive (and deadly) prey animals in her territory.

The Jouberts capture the lioness' life like no other filmmakers have ever done. They document amazing details of her life, going far beyond the cliches of the average lion documentary. The story they tell is harsh, brutal, and HEARTBREAKING. If you have the fortitude to stick with the movie until the end, the story is ultimately uniquely uplifting.

The narrator's script delves deeply into what the pseudo-scientific types will want to dismiss as "anthropomorphizing", but if you can look at what has been filmed and not know that every aspect of this film is absolutely and beautifully true, including the narration, you're just not paying attention.

I know people who could not sit through the beautiful fable Two Brothers because they thought the tigers suffered too much in the story. This movie is reality, and it is far harder to take than the fable. But if you can take it, you will never forget it.

A very important movie.

A simply gorgeous and remarkable documentary about a lone lioness trying to survive and raise her cubs. Why she was not part of a pride of lions at the beginning of the story is never explained, but she is expelled from her territory by a large and aggressive pride, and must go to a island inside a river teaming with crocodiles, hippos, water buffalo, and other dangerous animals.

I don't want to "give away" the plot...this documentary DOES have a plot and one as riveting as any really good movie could be. Filmed by the husband and wife team of wildlife filmmakers, the Jouberts, scenes of real life in Africa unroll with beauty, cruelty, and intensity. As always, their documentaries seem to "get" the feel of wild Africa as if they were part of it, living and experiencing it.

I would not recommend it for young or very sensitive children/adults since the brutality of the real-life world of lions trying to survive is nothing like a Disney movie....but the "main character", the lone lioness, is one you will remember long after seeing this top quality documentary.

The background music, African in nature, is lovely, and Jeremy Irons does a good job narrating. I truly can't believe this was not up for some documentary award, it is, in my opinion, that worthwhile and well done.

Highly recommended as are any of the Jouberts' films for National Geographic.

Buy The Last Lions (2011) Now

Think about the phrase when describing someone who has "the heart of a lion". In The Last Lions, Beverly and Dereck Joubert aim to demonstrate this phrase, in the form of a quasi-documentary film.

The film is not quite objective in flavor as a real documentary, but is still filled with facts and observations from the eyes of the Jouberts. The very scientific types (as well as those who believe animals are beneath humans) may completely dismiss the film due to its anthropomorphic nature, but I believe this one should not be completely dismissed. You may ask, why not? The film is filled with details and observations that are telling; the award-winning duo, the Jouberts, have dedicated their entire lives to the study and preservation of cats. They have braved the volatile weather and forgone daily comforts to catch even a glimpse into the lives of these creatures. Their observations are detailed here, and narrated by Jeremy Irons using deeply sonorous tones evocative of the warm, rich colors of the film.

You are thrust head first into an intimate acquaintance with Ma Di Tau, the main lioness. A little background informationLions have a unique social structurethey group in prides, and are comprised of a single male and several females. The females hunt, and the males have to secure their lands, often against other male lions. When a male challenges another, the male either stands down (and is driven off), or fights. If the other male wins, it is in their instinct to kill any cubs from the previous male. Another option is for the female to take her cubs and run, hopefully joining another pride. This social structure places the female lions of prides with unstable factors (weak males, encroaching humans, etc) in particularly difficult situations. The instinct to survive, or to protect cubs, is a familiar scenario in nature, man included. Though this is not necessarily what the film is about, you will come to sympathize with Ma Di Tau, you will cry when she does, and you will roar when she does. The point of the film is that you will ultimately come to an understanding of Ma Di Tau, and come to celebrate what it means to have "a heart of a lion", or in this film, "the heart of a lioness."

The only part with numerical facts come spliced in the ending credits, reminiscent of the Jouberts' TedTalk, in which there are details about the dwindling creatures and mere minute shots on what the Jouberts went through in order to capture the footage found in the film. The fact that there wasn't even a human featured in the film should be telling enough of the subtle ways humans affects can wildlife, and the Jouberts have an intimate understanding of this. This film is their own message, their own cries, in hopes of an eventual triumph.

Read Best Reviews of The Last Lions (2011) Here

Wildlife photographers and documentarians Beverly and Dereck Joubert created the Big Cats Initiative with National Geographic to educate people about the declining populations of large felines in the wild and, hopefully, to save them from extinction. "The Last Lions" is part of that effort. The film follows the daily life and struggles of a lioness and her cubs in Botswana's Okavango Delta. Fifty years ago, there were about 450,000 lions in Africa. Now there are an estimated 20,000. It is the filmmakers' hope that giving people an intimate view of these animals, in a narrative form, will inspire the audience to want to protect them.

The filmmakers call the lioness Ma di Tau (Mother of Lions), and actor Jeremy Irons narrates her story. Ma di Tau has a mate and three cubs but is forced to flee her home territory across a perilous river, when another pride of lions in search of new territory invade hers. She and her cubs take refuge on Duba Island, in the middle of a swampy river. When a herd of buffalo take up residence, it's not clear whether they will be dinner or a new menace. And a lioness with whom Ma di Tau did battle still looms threateningly on the other side of the river with her following of females, seemingly not content to let Ma di Tau and her cubs alone.

What is interesting about this film is also what is likely to be controversial. Ma di Tau's fight for survival for herself and her cubs is turned into high drama, which it is, but is also imbued with emotions and particular motivations via the narration. I'm not entirely against this. Emotions are not unique to humans. Countless species experienced them before humans existed. I don't think the film overplays the emotions, but I was sometimes doubtful of the motives it attributed to Ma di Tau. Even without the narration, this is an incredible story, however. It has drama, action, and will evince a gamut of emotions in the human audience no matter how the cats felt.

I was surprised how far the animals would go to defend their brethren and to destroy their enemies. I've always thought of lions as powerful predators, but "The Last Lions" makes it clear that hunting is difficult and usually unsuccessful. The challenge of feeding and protecting cubs in this environment, on her own, is heart-rending, and, though she is usually stoic about it, it gets to Ma di Tau sometimes. The shifting allegiances between the animals are fascinating, but the film focuses on narrative rather than facts, leaving me to wonder whether the animals were acting out of instinct, logic, or emotions. It's an incredible, intimate look at life in the wild, in any case.

The DVD (Virgil Films 2012): Bonus features include "Behind the Scenes" (27 min), which is footage of the Jouberts filming without any narration or explanation, some deleted scenes, a publicity spot for the Big Cat Initiative called "Cause an Uproar(dot)org" (30 sec), 2 theatrical trailers (2 min each), and an "Interview with Dereck & Beverly Joubert" (12 min) in which the couple answer some questions about the film and about their many books. Subtitles for the film are available in English.

Want The Last Lions (2011) Discount?

My decision to watch this movie was the reason that I watched many other movies. It is fueled by my love for lions, and other big cats. I didn't read a description of this movie, and I went in blind. I was far from disappointed at the end and resolution of this film.

It is very well put together. High production values aside, this film features some of the most touching scenes I have seen yet in any lion documentary. The narrator's deep calm voice guides you in a detailed tour of a single lion's love for her cubs. It is extremely easy to get absorbed into the turbulent emotions the main characters of this film goes through. I didn't cry at the end of Titanic, but I sure as heck teared up multiple times in this movie. The lions are portrayed in such a way that I almost believed this was staged, as in the lions are merely actors guided by a director and trainer behind the camera. However, the events are so vivid, I don't think it's possible to manufacture something like this.

This is a rare find, no doubt. Out of all the documentaries that tried to humanize the lions, and attempt to translate their inner thoughts for us to understand, this one did it with efficiency. The commentary combined with the lions' actual body language, and even the light dulling in their eyes in desperate times, weaved a believable yet entertaining story. This deserves two thumbs way up.

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The Wages Of Fear (The Criterion Collection) (1953)

It is difficult to overstate what a terrific blend of suspense, biting images, and nihilistic philosophy this film is. It works at several levels, the most compelling being a thoroughly existential treatment of the action adventure movie. Clouzot layers his irreverent cynicism into every aspect of the film, but it is actuated by the tight interplay of the characters. They are the kind of fugitives, hucksters, fortune seekers, down on their luckers you'd expect to find at a squalid, end of the world drilling camp. The director portrays them all in a dour, brave light as they struggle with futility and fear.

The corruption, exploitation and innocence, are brought to a boil by a raging inferno and a couple of truck loads of nitroglycerine. Three hundred miles of rugged roads are all that separates these desperadoes from a ticket out of town. Clouzot rolls his audience into the drama with ingenious visual cues, cables stressed to snapping, tobacco blown from its paper. He uses no gimmicks, though, to impose an artificial sense of spectacle. Everything is shown with a taut authenticity. The film never loses its devil-me-care bravado in spite of all its tension and pathos. Clouzot intersperses little milestones of grace, in a prayer or a dance, with images of death. Alternately- ambivalence, compassion and admiration are elicited for characters pushed beyond human boundaries and endurance.

It resembles Treasure of the Sierra Madre (another excellent film), but caves in to none of its happy endings, higher ideals, saving benedictions. All here is carried out in a quiet desperation as every vestige of hope, purpose, escape are systematically sabotaged. All that is left is the moment, and survival. The scenes on the bridge, the oil pond, the road, are among the most unforgettable in cinema. The characters strive for freedom but are continually confronted with their interdependence and frailty. The director's final gesture, in the face of potential victory, provides a seal of consistency to this sinister, masterful brew. Clouzot delves into motivations, relationships, doubt. He challenges pat assumptions of life and destiny. It is a remarkable and original film, even more so in the context of the conventions imposed on Hollywood films of that era.

We can thank the Movie Gods that Jean Gabin didn't want to play a coward or else we'd never have had Charles Vanel's superb performance in Clouzot's The Wages of Fear: it's notable that Friedkin's intriguingly feverish but suspense-free remake didn't even attempt to give its equivalent deadbeat killer a similar arc, despite the fact that the character and his curious shifting relationship with Yves Montand cuts to the very core of the story's take on the nature of courage, bravado and machismo. At the beginning of the film Vanel is the tough guy who can walk the walk, while Montand is his puppy doggish sidekick, throwing over his best friend for his new crush until his feet of clay are revealed when the chips are down. Even in a place where, in the absence of white women the white men cling to each other, this relationship seems to go a few steps beyond mere hero-worship, but when they hit the road the power in the relationship shifts, and in the process we get to watch Yves Montand become a genuine movie star before our very eyes, which is almost as exciting as the road trip to Hell with a truckload of unstable nitro and miles of very, very bumpy roads. Almost, because I doubt there's anything to beat the film's extraordinary double-jeopardy sequence on a rotting platform on a mountain road a scene pretty much done for real which takes your breath away until you suddenly realize that the second truck is going to have to do the same thing in even worse conditions... I remember when I saw that at a revival house a couple of years ago I genuinely forgot to breathe during that sequence, and found myself doing the same even on DVD.

Criterion's recent 2-disc DVD is a great improvement on their previous single-disc version in terms of picture quality and extras, but sadly, the `new and improved' subtitle translation is just as politically correct as the old one, dropping most of the obscenities and all of the racist language that's an important part of the hatred and self-loathing that drives the characters to risk everything for a chance for a ticket out of this backwater South American hellhole (amazingly recreated in the Carmargue in France because Montand refused to film in Fascist Spain). The shoot may have been jinxed by delays, accidents and colossal budget overruns, but damn, it was worth it.

Buy The Wages Of Fear (The Criterion Collection) (1953) Now

There are two things often said about this film that I would like to strongly agree with: first, it begins rather slowly, and second, it really is one of, if not THE, most suspenseful films ever made.

The first third of the movie moves inexplicably slowly. I can understand many of the reasons why: the attempt to define the characters, to show their interactions with one another, to depict the quiet desperation of their lives to make it plausible that four men would undertake such an astonishingly dangerous job as hauling nitroglycerin over treacherous jungle and mountain dirt roads. Even granting all that, however, the start is by any standard really, really slow. And I suspect that of the people you encounter who proclaim the film a bore either gave up before getting to the good parts or never recovered from the slow start.

The most suspenseful film ever made? Some people assert that the film has been so overhyped along these lines that it would be impossible for any film to come up to one's expectations. There are two edges to this sword. I am far more impressed that despite being hyped as the most suspenseful film ever made, I was nonetheless utterly on the edge of my seat for most of the final 100 minutes. And if some of the scenes seem somewhat familiar, it is undoubtedly because of the score of films that have plundered this film for their own tension-filled scenes.

I have often thought that Yves Montand was, at his best, one of the more compelling performers of the last half of the twentieth century. He wasn't consistently successful internationally. Sometimes one or two decades would come between some of his greatest triumphs. To illustrate, I think Montand's two greatest film appearances were THE WAGES OF FEAR (1953) and JEAN DE FLORETTE/MANON OF THE SPRING (1986), only thirty-three years apart.

Many viewers are not comfortable with the very ending of the movie and I I have to agree somewhat. Nihilism was very fashionable in the early 1950s in European cinema. The ending, which seems completely unnecessary and not organically connected with the rest of the film, reflects less any inner necessity for a downer ending than the general mood in "serious" films at the time. So, in a sense, one could argue that this movie manages to be one of the great classics of cinema despite a slow beginning and an arbitrarily negativistic ending. Where the film shines is in the utterly riveting journey through the jungle and mountains.

Read Best Reviews of The Wages Of Fear (The Criterion Collection) (1953) Here

There are two things often said about this film that I would like to strongly agree with: first, it begins rather slowly, and second, it really is one of, if not THE, most suspenseful films ever made.

The first third of the movie moves inexplicably slowly. I can understand many of the reasons why: the attempt to define the characters, to show their interactions with one another, to depict the quiet desperation of their live to make it plausible that four men would undertake such an astonishingly dangerous job as hauling nitroglycerin over treacherous jungle and mountains dirt roads. Even granting all that, however, the start is by any standard, really, really slow. And I suspect that a couple of the one star reviews proclaiming the film a bore either gave up before getting to the good parts or never recovered from the slow start.

The most suspenseful film ever made? A couple of reviewers indicated that the film has been so over hyped along these lines that it would be impossible for any film to come up to one's expectations. There are two edges to this sword. I am far more impressed that despite being hyped as the most suspenseful film ever made, I was nonetheless utterly on the edge of my seat for most of the final 100 minutes. And if some of the scenes seem somewhat familiar, it is undoubtedly because of the score of films that have plundered this film for their own tension-filled scenes.

I have often thought that Yves Montand was, at his best, one of the more compelling performers of the last half of the twentieth century. He wasn't consistently successful internationally. Sometimes one or two decades would come between some of his greatest triumphs. To illustrate, I think Montand's two greatest film appearances were THE WAGES OF FEAR (1953) and JEAN DE FLORETTE/MANON OF THE SPRING (1986), only thirty-three years apart.

Finally, I have to agree somewhat with a couple of reviewers who disliked the ending. Nihilism was very fashionable in the early 1950s in European cinema. The ending, which seems completely unnecessary and not organically connected with the rest of the film, reflects less any inner necessity for a downer ending than the general mood in "serious" films at the time. So, in a sense, one could argue that this movie manages to be one of the great classics of cinema despite a slow beginning and an arbitrarily negativistic ending. Where the film shines is in the utterly riveting journey through the jungle and mountains.

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This movie has two flaws. The first is that some of the logic is screwy; the second is the oilman O'Brien is a grotesque anti-American caricature, in sharp contrast to the beautifully limned characterizations of the protagonists. Neither of these flaws make a whit of difference in my reaction to this film. THE WAGES OF FEAR is all the things others have claimed: an action-packed suspense classic with a strong existential flavor. But, first and foremost, it is a masterful MOVIE. When you watch WAGES, you can't help but notice there isn't a wasted foot of film: Clouzot seemingly never plants a wrong foot in 2 1/2 hours of storytelling. The 'slow' first half in the hot little village is never less than completely absorbing...you can smell the stale breezeless air, hear the buzzing flies, and taste the salt of your own sweat after an hour of Clouzot's detailed, swooning-from-the-humidity immersion of the audience into this hellish purgatory: by the time O'Brien is looking for drivers, you know exactly why these men are so desperate to risk death to get out. (One man, denied the job, commits suicide; another, who did get the job, may have been murdered by one of our 'heroes'. It is a plot point left tantalizingly unresolved.) The pitiless journey they must make to get their $2000 is unforgettable: every emotion, every frayed nerve-end is exposed during the ordeal. We see these men at their most elemental and vicious and cowardly...but we also see their incredible nobility and love for each other later when they have gone so far beyond turning back that hope, dignity and courage are the only things they have left to combat their fear and despair. Even though none of these things matter when a hard bump on the road will immolate the saint and the sinner alike, they nevertheless become the only things that matter. It's a beautiful, inspiring message for a film to contain. Those moments in WAGES where we see the men at their best (the scene where Lulli is discovered alive after the blast; Montand's comforting the dying Vanel at journey's end) are even more indelible and affecting than the noirish scenes of the men falling apart from stress and THOSE are considerably powerful. Some of the setpieces -the rickety wooden precipice and the oil puddle foremost aren't just suspenseful: the remote locations, stark black and white photography and tense editing create moments of timeless beauty and wonder, even (especially?) with the threat of death looming close by. Remade for no earthly reason I can discern, and another example of how superior French films before the Nouvelle Vague were to those that followed. Godard, Truffaut, Resnais: none of them ever made a film approaching the power or beauty of CHILDREN OF PARADISE, FORBIDDEN GAMES, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST or this movie. Essential viewing.

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Broadcast News (The Criterion Collection) (1987)

Of all James L. Brooks' films, Broadcast News is the most successful at merging his T.V. sitcom sensibilities with his cinematic aspirations. His film is not only chock full of truisms about network news but is also an incredibly entertaining and witty romantic comedy that is unafraid to sprinkle moments of compelling drama throughout.

The first disc includes an audio commentary with writer-director-producer James L. Brooks and editor Richard Marks. Rather appropriately, Brooks starts off with talking about the genesis of the film and how the success of Terms of Endearment affected it. He points out the bits in the film that came from his extensive research and touches upon the casting of the lead roles for example, Holly Hunter was a last minute addition. Brooks is refreshingly candid and tells all kinds of fascinating filming anecdotes.

Also included is a theatrical trailer.

The second disc starts off with a 36-minute documentary entitled, James L. Brooks A Singular Voice, with past collaborators singing his praises. It starts off with his trailblazing work in T.V. with 227, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Simpsons and how he helped change the medium. It also examines his transition into film and the success of Terms and how it led to Broadcast News.

There is an alternate ending and 19 minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Brooks. The ending is quite visceral and emotionally raw but is fascinating alternative to what is in the final film. For the deleted footage, Brooks talks about why it was cut and puts it into context. Interestingly, an entire subplot involving Tom and his news source was cut out.

Also included is an interview with Susan Zirinsky, a veteran CBS News producer, one of the models for Jane in the film, and an advisor and associate producer. She talks about meeting Brooks for the first time as well as telling amusing and engaging anecdotes that really shed light on how truthful the film is about journalism. This is a fantastic extra and one of the highlights of this edition.

There is a promotional featurette done at the time of the film's release that, at times, plays like an extended trailer only with perceptive interview soundbites from Brooks and the cast. Still, it is interesting to watch. Even better is additional interviews and on-set footage not included in the featurette that runs an impressive 18 minutes. It provides quite a bit of insight into Brooks' intentions and how the film got made.

A crackerjack of a movie, it's an intelligent and very funny look at TV broadcast news and the people who bring it to us. William Hurt is the pretty face/no brains anchor, Albert Brooks the smart writer who wants to be an anchor but doesn't have the talent, and Holly Hunter is the hyperactive producer who falls for both guys and loses both. So much is going on in this movie that repeated viewings reveal new insights and are always enjoyable. Great acting by all, and the script is terrific. The only fault, and it's a minor one, is the epilogue: it's superfluous. To me, this is one of the best, if not THE best, movies of the 80's.

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While this is without question a 5-star film, the dvd leaves MUCH to be desired. Let me begin with the widescreen framing. I was happy to finally see this arrive on dvd in its proper wide format. Out of curiosity I took out my oft-played VHS copy and compared the compositions. Understanding that many 1.85:1 pictures are merely 1.33:1 aspects with mattes placed on the top and bottom of the frame, I wasn't expecting to be too disappointed with the missing, albeit unintended, visual information. But I have to say not only is the top and bottom masked off, but the SIDES are zoomed in and cropped as well. In other words you lose information on ALL FOUR SIDES, and it does NOT look good. This CANNOT be what James L. Brooks had in mind...could it?!?! Sorry to say, but this has to be one of the most RARE examples where the "full-frame", that is, full aperture is preferred over the letterboxed edition. Which brings me to my next point: somebody PLEASE re-issue this as a Special Edition, replete with commentaries, and any extra footage. Finally, whoever, please, PLEASE re-frame this into a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. Widescreen is preferred, but on the existing dvd the framing is just too tight.

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The accuracy of Criterion's new blu-ray version of BROADCAST NEWS is evident the minute the 20th-Century Fox logo is displayed: it is rich in the kind of grain that dominated film stock of the eighties. The color timing is superb and topples all previous video releases in richness and detail. The video extras are indulgent promotional pieces crass for Criterion; but the commentary by Brooks will be of interest for those that want to delve deeper.

The film is a pinnacle in Brooks' career he never did anything better, before or since, and all his experience in the tacky world of sitcom television really pays off here and he successfully avoids making a pastiche of Chayefsky's cynically brilliant NETOWRK in favor of his own perceptive humanist view. Brooks rightfully and continually praises his marvelous BROADCAST NEWS cast; it's a picture dependent on their perfectly pitched performances.

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The media as purveyors of sensational 'news' in the spirit of good 'salesmanship' and entertainment as opposed to actually reporting unbiased, important events and issues to inform the public, that is journalism, as it was meant to be, is represented in this charming and witty film from the genius of James L. Brooks. (Terms of Endearment, As Good as it Gets) To be fair, some television news organizations attempt to report important events as they happen, avoiding sensationalism, the need to entertain, and maintain a modicum of integrity. But television news is more and more about the dazzling visual, the shocking threeminute sound bite between the all-important advertisements. This film cleverly addresses the question on what is 'real' news and what 'sells'. In the past we sort of had a clue or at least a choice as to what news source was credible, i.e., tabloid-ism and/or serious journalism. It all seems now to be blurred sensationalism, gossip, opinion, selling and the so-called 'facts' of an event or issue has now appeared to all have melded together in the pursuit of market share and the almighty dollar.

The character, Tom, (William Hurt) is a striving newsreader, and after reading sports at a local station, manages to land a job at one of the big networks. He is a little slow, can't write, and wouldn't know a real story if it dropped on his head, but he's good looking, personable, can at least read, and above all, has the innate ability to sell the birds off the trees. Here is the new force in television journalism news anchor as television star. Then there is Aaron, (Albert Brooks) the reporter's reporter brilliant, serious, idealistic and wholly uncharismatic in the popular sense. Although a writer with Pulitzer Prize ability, he attempts to read the news one Sunday night and almost drowns in his own flop sweat. Aaron is not a newsreader but a true writer and investigative journalist, a man who believes in the integrity of his profession. Then, of course, there's Jane, (Holly Hunter) a highly-strung, also brilliant, obsessive news producer, who shares this same idealistic integrity about journalism as her co-worker and best friend, Aaron. The film is about these three diverse and colourful individuals, who are drawn together for the same reasons, ambition and the news, but whose ideas about the news, their values concerning integrity, at least for one, are so different. This film is also about love, relationships and how the passionate desires of the heart do not necessarily match the logic of the head.

At the time of it release, this film was acclaimed as the best romantic comedy to come out in years. It continues to be enormously entertaining and the issues it raises are relevant today. The film truly depicts the world of television news, how its standards have slowly dropped from reporting the events and issues to entertaining us with gossip, sensationalism and that all-important dazzling visual news is now about entertainment and selling. This is a film that should be pulled from the shelf occasionally and watched to remind us about integrity, maintaining a high standard in our values, and what great movie making is all about. Five Stars.

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Easy A (2010)

It's easy to like a character, but it isn't often you come across one that you would want to actually be friends with, or maybe even wish you could be like. For me, such a character is Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), a high-school student from Ojai, California. True, she may only be a fictional character, but she's also the embodiment of personality smart, witty, and affable, yet not so perfect or above it all that she fails to be human. Despite these magnetic qualities, she isn't noticed much by her peers, and she's all but upstaged by her best friend (Aly Michalka), who makes it a point to believe only what she wants to believe instead of actually listening to the truth. Things drastically change for Olive when she gains an infamous reputation as the school floozy, something she didn't start but certainly chose to perpetuate.

Her story is told in "Easy A," which is not only one of the funniest teen comedies of recent memory, but is also one of the most intelligent. Rather than go for obvious lowbrow sex and booze toilet humor, director Will Gluck and writer Bert V. Royal show the temerity to engage the audience with clever dialogue, strong characters, and a plot we can actually care about. It doesn't play down to the audience. If we laugh, it's not because of a vulgar throwaway gag but because of genuinely funny scenarios, many of which are relatable to varying degrees. Perhaps the film is founded on an extraordinary premise, but in my mind, it's a perfectly plausible premise, and the fact that the filmmakers could keep the story grounded while making it entertaining is quite an amazing achievement.

Olive's infamy begins when she lies about having lost her virginity over the weekend to a college student she made up. The lie is overheard by Marianne (Amanda Bynes), a judgmental and pious Little Miss Christian, who proceeds to tell everyone she knows about Olive's indiscretion. Rumors quickly spread. Other students begin to take notice of her, and although she never asked for her newfound reputation, she finds she's appreciating the attention. She's then approached by her gay friend, Brandon (Dan Byrd), who's so tired of being harassed by homophobic bullies that he begs her to pretend to have sex with him. Knowing that no one would believe her if she simply told people about it, Olive drags Brandon to a classmate's party, where they lock themselves in a bedroom and make all the necessary noises. Everyone is fooled.

This includes Marianne and her circle of Christian friends, one of whom boldly suggests that Olive follow the lead of Hester Prynne in "The Scarlett Letter" and mark herself. Not content with doing things half-heartedly, Olive arrives at school the next day wearing a bustier with a red A affixed to the right breast. In due time, she's approached by other boys who want Olive to do for them what she did for Brandon; she agrees to help them all, although she's well aware that the situation is getting out of hand. It's bad enough that they're using her to inflate their egos. Why must they also compensate her with gift certificates and coupons to affordable stores like The Home Depot and Bed Bath and Beyond?

The ads have prepared us to view Olive as a cliché a wisecracking teen who never shows her emotions and flaunts her superior intellect in the form of biting sarcasm and dry wit. But we end up seeing nothing of the sort. Olive is a young woman of considerable depth, jokey on the outside but within harboring needs, hopes, and deep insecurities. They emerge during scenes with the school mascot, Woodchuck Todd (Penn Badgley), the one guy who has known Olive most of her life and sees the person behind the reputation. Through him, she comes to believe that regaining her self-respect depends on tracking down each of the boys she helped and coercing them into telling the truth. This proves far more difficult than she expected. It's just as well; the root of "self-respect" is "self," which is to say no one other than her can turn the situation around.

Other characters, such as Olive's loveably liberal parents (Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci) and her perpetually flustered school principal (Malcolm McDowell), add color to the story, even if they are a bit less three-dimensional and serve mostly as comedy relief. The English teacher, Mr. Griffith (Thomas Hayden Church), is not only as witty and charming as Olive but is also remarkably perceptive; the same cannot be said about Mr. Griffith's estranged wife (Lisa Kudrow), which is ironic since she's the school's guidance counselor. I don't want to reveal too much about this couple. Let it suffice to say that Olive's actions have consequences that extend beyond the limits of the student body.

The film is told as a retrospective, Olive opening the film with a webcam confessional that continuously weaves in and out of the story proper. This is far from an original narrative technique, but Stone's performance and Royal's dialogue elevates it to new heights. Right at the start, we're drawn to this character, and we want to stay near her even after the story has come to an end. Not too many roles have this kind of power. Not too many teen comedies are this well written. "Easy A" is a sweet, sassy, ingenious little movie, one that I hope will not be forgotten ten years from now.

Easy A is the story of Olive, a nobody in high school whose life suddenly goes from silent to scandalous thanks to a cycle of rumours. As her reputation goes from non-existent to total trollop, Olive begins to dress the part, wearing sexy outfits with a crimson "A" embroidered on them (yes, this is Scarlet Letter-status, only without Demi Moore's fake British accent). As she lies to help boost other people's confidence, she starts to learn that just because you're well-known, doesn't mean people like you.

Overall, the story is light and quirky, with enough John Hughes references to satisfy even the biggest Brat Pack lovers. The jokes are fresh, and the cast is excellent, keeping this fairly well-paced film entertaining from start to finish. The cast has excellent chemistry, and the characters all seem to be believable. This is even a film you can watch more than once, and it still hold the same charm and humour.

If you're looking for a fun comedy full of great performances and an ever-so-slightly nostalgic feel, Easy A belongs on your DVD shelf.

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Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)

I usually see movies alone, but every once in a while we do the family-movie thing, which generally limits my choices. It usually takes forever to decide on something when we do this, but sometimes it all ends up working out well. This was one of those times. I had some ideas about Easy A going into it that were as wrong as could be; I saw the name (I'd never seen trailers for it) and assumed it was one of those "your classmate dies and everyone gets a good grade" kinds of things. No, and thank heaven for that. It is something much different, and a good deal better than any of those (with the arguable exception of The Curve).

Olive Penderghast (Zombieland's Emma Stone) is your typical invisible high schooler, noticed only by her best friend Rhiannon (Phil of the Future's Alyson Michalka). Things change when Olive, spinning a very tall tale for Rhiannon in the bathroom as an excuse to get out of a camping trip, is overheard by Marianne (Hairspray's Amanda Bynes), the head of the ultra-Christian contingent of the student body, who starts the rumor mill flying. Olive decides to adopt the "if you can't beat 'em" attitude and dressing the part (without ever actually doing anything actually, you know, salacious). All is well and good until she confesses the lie to Brandon (Cougar Town's Dan Byrd), the school's only gay teen, who hatches a plan; since Olive is not only straight, but now seen as a tramp, telling people he's been with her could give his image a makeover, too. She agrees to help, but the consequences are much father-reaching than she could ever have anticipated.

The synopsis doesn't get you anywhere close to the great cast this movie supports. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson play Olive's parents (Dill and Rosemary, no less), and are the best part about the movie every time they're on the screen. Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow play a husband-and-wife English teacher and guidance counselor at Olive's high school. Cam Gigandet takes a break from doing below-average horror flicks to take a turn as Marianne's boyfriend, a 22-year-old who's repeating senior year for the fourth time. This is good stuff indeed from a casting perspective, but how's the script? It's hard to believe this is Bert Royal's first feature; this is as sharp and as witty as the John Hughes movies Olive idolizes. (The Quizno's guy, and nice product placement there by the by, is as funny as the ball-waxer in Gutterballs, and that's saying something for a guy who has two lines; for the record it's Rawson Thurber, director of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.)

Sure, the movie has its problems. It's a teen comedy John Hughes-style, of course it has its problems. There are a number of times when the script could have gone in very interesting directions and instead chose to go the conventional route (especially where Marianne is concerned; she could have been an interesting character, but instead remains a one-dimensional object of audience ridicule), for example. And when did the clause in Patricia Clarkson's contract that required a nude scene in every movie run out? Someone's got to get that renewed. But for all that, it's smart, it's funny, and you should give it a look. *** ½

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Emma Stone rocks! There are not very many young actresses out there that have such a great style in comedy. Anybody who says that the acting is bad is stuck in the past. There are great teen movies from the 90's but come on its a new era people! Take a look around at the high schools around you! Yes those kids are the future!

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I could not have liked this movie more. Great writing, acting, directing, casting. Funny script, well told story. Jeez, I could go on and on. Just buy this movie, you will be very happy you did :)

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