The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy

What has been said about the Dark Knight cannot be elaborated on so I won't. The film is muscling its way into my #1 favorite comic movie adaptation of all time.

The reason for my review is in hopes of saving you some money. This double disc Special Edition doesn't deliver the price you pay for it. There isn't even deleted scenes!!! I would save your very hard earned dollars and buy the single disc version and wait for the inevitable ULTIMATE re-release that will come later on down the road.

But nonetheless, a great film you will not be dissapointed; I just wish the studio would have given a better Special Edition release than what we have here. So enjoy!

Christopher Nolan has a vision. And whether you agree with it or not, he undeniably completes it in "The Dark Knight"--a vicious, engrossing, overwhelming, intelligent eventfilm that re-defines 'comic-book-flicks'. In Nolan's grim, dark-depiction of Gotham-City (the crime-ridden hell protected by legendary superhero Batman), the director strives to make everything real (something he began in the well-received "Batman Begins"). He makes it plausible, possible. And yet there's more to it: just as 'Begins' was a dissection of myth, the nature of symbols and heroes, 'Knight' is the escalation of that notion. It's a biblicalconfrontation of 'good-and-evil', yet as 'good-and-evil' really exist: a conflict of ideals, something that can't be purely-defined but that is relative to a viewpoint. In Nolan's world, the line of villainy and heroism isn't crossed... it's non-existent. The bad-guys don't see themselves as bad-guys, and as such something so unnervingly-real comes across it might fly past some people's minds (no insult to anybody, it's just common that people don't look deep into 'popcorn-flicks'): the battle is a complete ambiguity.

The film runs at nearly 2.5-hours, yet never ceases to lose interest or momentum. It doesn't waste a scene or moment; every event is utilized and necessary. 'The Dark Knight' tells a story worth telling and it takes the proper amount of time to tell it. Action-sequences are frantic, old-school, eye-grabbing stunts (vastly superior to 'Begins') and in their chaotic intensity we see that they serve purpose to the story, yet more interesting are not played for pure entertainment-value: we are meant to watch, petrified, simply hoping that the outcome will go the hero's way. Attention is never lost because we are immersed in a breathtaking, almost completely-unpredictable story (it packs many a shock), that makes us think and more importantly gains our emotional-investment. We come to care for the characters, because they are believable, developed, and personified fully.

Everyone has great-chemistry together. Maggie Gyllenhal is a more mature Rachel Dawes than Katie Holmes. Morgan Freeman provides his authoritative presence to the role of badgadget-inventor/Wayne-Enterprise CEO Lucius Fox, and under anyone else's portrayal, the part would be less-memorable. Gary Oldman underplays his world-wearied lawman with such honest-nobility, you never feel for a second any of its forced-acting. The irreplaceable Michael Caine makes a gentle, reassuring, father-like presence as Alfred, and the movie would surely fail without his strong-presence and interjected-moments of light-humor.

And while everyone (rightfully) pours the praise unto Bale and Ledger, I think most are glancing-over Knight's breakout-performance. As Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart does more than hold himself in the company of such a renowned-cast. He makes his presence known, whether he's playing on the easy-going charisma of Gotham's 'White-Knight' or the broken and damaged, twisted-soul of Two-Face. He achieves a full-impact with the tragedy that comes unto his character, and so closely connects with Dent, that he makes his pain tangible for us: we sympathize even as we become terrified. He captures both facets of each personality flawlessly.

Now, some people cite that 'Knight' has a potential fatal-flaw in the supposedly woodenacting of Christian Bale. Admittedly, his development is not as grand as in 'Begins' (yet that film gave us such a good psychoanalysis of Wayne, we hardly need more), yet what Bale pulls off is admirable. Wayne is not an eccentric personality. He is a disillusioned man who can hardly find any joy in having no family, giving up his love-interest and spending his life fighting a battle that may never end. He's dark and conflicted, and Bale plays up on that brooding-mood by making Wayne look as though a thousand dark-things were on his mind. He's not wooden...he's a humorless, quiet individual. Even when Wayne is acting as a frivolous playboy for the public, every now and then Bale offers us a powerful glance that reminds us its all a façade; that deep down, something more disturbed irks him. Occasionally he offers a broken-smile when exchanging banter with Alfred, letting us know that beyond the dour depression of the Caped-Crusader lies a damaged human-being. It is only in the guise of a growling masked-man, that he can unleash his true, ferocious personality.

Finally, who could forget Heath Ledger. Now, when he was first-announced for the part, I was (along with many other people) asking myself: "Why?". Mr. Ledger had proved with 'Brokeback Mountain' he could deliver a potent performance. But he hadn't before. It is only, after seeing this film, that I know the answer to 'why?': I see the significance of his loss.

When Heath appears in this movie, he is completely unrecognizable. His voice is distinctly-altered; a near-whiny, pedophile-like tone that sends shivers down the spine. His face is completely splattered with makeup that renders him both freakishly-nightmarish and strangely-funny. And when you see him, you don't think it's him. In this, his final performance, Ledger proved he was a chameleon. His two iconic performances in this, and 'Brokeback', could not be more different. I am convinced he could have been anything in his career. He commits so intensely to character that the line of actor/portrayal dies. His every tick and gesture only further-enhances his character. Heath never hams the role up or goes for something cheap: he delivers a fully-immersed display of psychotic madness...or do we just label him that to feel safer? The movie writes the character brilliantly; blending terrifying truth into his every social-accusation, and making us question why we laugh at his sick-jokes.

'The Dark Knight' has had an incredible-amount of hype running for it, from the get-go, mounting ever-higher, until Heath Ledger's too-soon death. And the finished-product does more than exceed all of the near-impossible expectations placed on it. It becomes something much richer than a super-hero-franchise-saga. Christopher Nolan has opened a new door in cinema: allowing action-flicks to become more serious, capable of intelligence. He has transformed this into a piece of artwork, full of beauty, terror, moral-conundrums. This movie has changed things...forever.

There's no going back. 10/10

Buy The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy Now

Ok, the movie is a 5 star, this is a little info on the case and bat pod if anyone is curious about it size. We have it at work and I have already seen it. It is actually VERY small, the case and the bat pod. The bat pod is maybe 4"-5" long, and the case is just a bit larger then the blu rays. I was expecting a bat pod the size of the one available at in the toys at most stores which is 10"-12" long.

AT $50+ dollars, I would get the Bluray 2 disc and the $20 12" bat pod, which s a much better bat pod and value in my opinion.

Read Best Reviews of The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy Here

First of all, this is a GREAT film, not just a great Batman film.

Others have compared Christopher Nolan's two Batman films to the Tim Burton Batman films, so I won't repeat their observations. Let me simply say that everything about this movie, from the script to the casting to the CGI to the acting and ultimately the directing is superb.

Now to Plato. The meta-message of The Dark Knight is a meditation on the nature of good and evil, the veneer of civilization, the virtues of principle and the necessity and the danger of bending principle in emergencies, the differences between evil for gain or power and evil for mere destruction and chaos, and the tension between public duty and private loyalty. Finally there is the question of the place for facts and the place for "sacred" myth.

(Caution: this review refers to specific scenes and characters.)

The mafia in Gotham is evil for gain and power. They want money and they want influence. They also want order. When the manager of the bank objects to the robbery he complains that the usual rules and courtesies among criminals are being violated. The corrupt police officers are evil for gain as well. They too need general acceptance of rules and procedures.

The Joker is evil for evil's sake. He sows chaos and disorder and wants to expose the thin veneer of civilization. He seeks only to unmask what he sees as contradiction and hypocrisy in human nature and to demonstrate that so-called good citizens are really evil underneath.

Scarecrow, who was featured in Batman Begins and has a minor role in the drug bust scene in The Dark Knight, is a deranged psychiatrist whose evil comes from desire for power over others as he uncovers the weaknesses in the minds of others.

The Mayor is out for power but does not resort to evil. Police Lieutenant James Gordon represents incorruptible good. This is ultimately stressed when Gordon must make a choice between public duty and personal relationship. Batman faces that same dilemma when he must decide whether to rescue Harvey Dent or Rachel Dawes. Likewise, the passengers in the ferries must choose between what they are told will be personal survival and the deaths of others, in another of The Joker's nefarious experiments. When the Wayne Industries accountant is about to reveal the identity of Batman, The Joker announces that the accountant must die, and citizens try to assassinate him. Personal safety trumps adherence to the good sometimes, but not all times.

Batman seems weaker than The Joker because he adheres to rules. The Biblical injunction, "Justice, justice shall you pursue," has been understood as demanding that justice be pursued justly. Evil, especially evil for its own sake, makes no such demand. We see this every time terrorists deliberately target innocents and hide themselves behind children knowing that those in pursuit will not purposely aim at innocent bystanders. This gives evil a huge temporary advantage.

Yet sometimes the good must bend and even break the rules. Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus during a critical interval during the Civil War. Batman asks Lucius Fox to preside over such a broken rule to locate and catch The Joker. When and how can we know when good can break rules to catch evil? Batman answers by creating a mechanism to restore the rules as soon as the crisis is over.

Alfred Pennyworth indirectly poses the question, "Knowing that evil, if attacked, will double its efforts and create even more destruction, is it really wise to go after evil?" The bad guys cause huge destruction after Batman and Gordon squeeze the mafia, creating enormous conflict and guilt in Batman. But without disturbing the hornet's nest, evil would prevail anyway. So the battle must be joined in any event.

Harvey Dent is extremely complex. He berates Gordon for compromising his police unit by accepting some corrupt officers to his staff. Gordon answers by claiming that sometimes those who know corruption can be the most effective in fighting it. Dent is identified as the "White Knight" whose public persona will rally the public against evil. But Dent himself participates in an untruthful diversion to help trap The Joker. Even he compromises good for the sake of fighting evil.

When Rachel and Dent are being held in danger Batman and Gordon each race to save them. Batman declares he is going to save Rachel but is tricked into going to Dent's location. Rachel dies and Dent is severely injured. In a brilliant make-up creation the right side of Dent's face remains normal and the left side is severely and dramatically changed. He has physically transformed from a White Knight into his derisive nickname, "Two Face." Reminiscent of Jekyll and Hyde, Dent's nature is now permanently divided.

The death of Rachel has destroyed Dent's belief in good and has dissolved his commitment to the public's welfare. Now he only thinks of his own personal pain and loss. But he is not a creature of pure evil. His hurt and grudge turn him into a near nihilist. The lucky coin with two heads has been transformed. One side is now ruined and becomes for him the oracle of ethics. Life and death depend solely on chance; solely on the flip of a coin.

Furious at Gordon for the actions of the corrupt police officers in Gordon's unit who betrayed Rachel, Dent finds Gordon's wife and children. Recognizing that Gordon's young son is dearest to him, Dent demands that Gordon reassure the son as Dent flips his coin to decide the boy's fate.

Batman, for whom good and evil, life and death, are not decided by chance, intervenes. In their fight Dent and Batman both plunge to the ground from a height. Batman survives and tells Gordon that the myth of Dent's goodness must become the rallying point for the city. Dent remains the White Knight, while Batman allows himself to become The Dark Knight, spurned by the public, identified wrongly but necessarily as the source of evil, who can then secretly work for the good. Only Gordon and his son know the true story behind this myth. Gotham thus gets the hero it deserves.

The Joker is captured but his fate is left hanging, literally and figuratively. We do not even know for certain whether Dent died, or unconscious, has survived his fall. All we know for sure is that the complexity of fighting evil and the compromises permitted for good are unsolved. Civilization continues but only barely. The Joker has destroyed Rachel, transformed Dent, and caused everlasting turmoil and doubt within Batman.

The need to resort to myth over facts after arguing previously for the absolute value of Truth, ends Plato's Republic, with the famous story of the myth of the cave. We too are left in the dark, in the company of The Dark Knight, at the end of this superb film.

We can only wonder what the sequel might have been, with The Joker and Two Face challenging Batman, had Heath Ledger survived.

Speaking of Heath Ledger I want to mention a few things about his performance as The Joker. There is a small pantheon of presentations of psychiatrically deranged individuals in film. Among the best are Olivia Thailand in Snake Pit, Gregory Peck in Spellbound, Jack Nickelson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Ledger's perhaps surpasses them all.

For those with a psychiatric or medical background like myself, the use of his slight head tics and the seemingly random movement of his tongue suggest that The Joker has been in a psychiatric institution and medicated with drugs that left him with a case of tardive dyskinesia, a rare but serious and irreversible movement disorder that can be a side effect of certain psychotropic medications. This touch, which I believe was meticulously and masterfully added to the portrayal by Ledger, makes The Joker both more convincing and more dangerous.

I am told that Ledger immersed himself in The Joker's state of mind before and during the filming. It is not unknown for an actor to have difficulty extricating himself from such a wrenching and demanding role. Joaquin Phoenix and Faye Dunaway have each spoken about this as they worked to emerge from Johnny Cash and Joan Crawford. If this was so for Ledger then The Joker got an undeserved bitter laugh while we have only tears.

Addendum July 23, 2008: One of The Joker's henchmen must have gotten into my spell checker to change Olivia De Havilland into Olivia Thailand. Sorry for that.

I want to expand on one point distinguishing Batman from Dent. When The Joker reveals the locations of Rachel and Dent, Gordon asks Batman which location he is going to. Batman says Rachel's but I believe he is aware of The Joker's double crosses and switches, and knowingly goes to Dent's location. That Batman expresses no surprise at finding Dent rather than Rachel confirms this view. Bruce Wayne would have rescued Rachel but Batman, a true hero, puts his public duty above his private preferences.

After Rachel is killed Dent loses his sense of public duty and loses faith in goodness. Batman, equally in love with Rachel and equally convinced she will marry him, retains his public duty and goodness, though he is burdened with grief and guilt. Perhaps a White Knight cannot endure crushing disappointment. Perhaps only a Dark Knight, who has already experienced the crushing loss of viewing the murders of his father and mother, and holding himself responsible for that tragedy, can make his way through darkness without losing his way.

A final note, in response to a commenter who took issue with my portrayal of Gordon as incorruptibly good, I agree that Gordon made pragmatic choices, and refer to them in the essay. But as a person he is beyond bribery and never loses sight of his duty to the citizenry. So how about personally incorruptible but one who made some seemingly necessary but ultimately unwise alliances.

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This is just some information regarding the Bat Pod. Please be aware, the Bat Pod and the display stand are 100% plastic. The Bat Pod is also not removable.

In my opinion, they are not worth the extra money.

Get the film, but don't splurge on this plastic toy.

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Jolene (2008)

When do you know for sure you are in love? After a failed marriage at a young age, Jolene (Chastain) deals with getting over the past and finding herself. She sets off on a journey across the country looking for what is missing in her life. This is a very, very good coming-of-age story, also kind of inspiring in a way, no matter what happens to her she never gets down and keeps pushing forward. On the other hand it is also pretty depressing to watch what this girl goes through. This movie does a great job of showing what a girl, who was raised as an orphan and spent her youth between the home and foster parents, acts like. Though it's not her first movie the woman who plays Jolene (Jessica Chastain) is fantastic in this. It's not an easy role, especially with as much sex and nudity involved (nothing gratuitous, it actually helps define the character), along with the ranges of emotion she must portray. I'm really surprised she didn't get any recognition for this. I don't want to give too much away, but I really, really enjoyed this movie. I give it an A.

Would I watch it again? I did already.

Judging from the large volume of films Jessica Chastain has coming out in the next two years, people will inevitably want to see her early work (and in this case the film that she explodes into the movie making world with as I had really only seen her in Stolen [Blu-ray] before). After watching the lengthy interview included on this BD and being mesmerized by her screen presence throughout this beautiful film, she is proving herself as one of the most natural and articulate ladies in the industry.

The story follows a young lady through ten years in her difficult teen and early adult life, traveling from state to state as she looks for love, expressing her amazing artistic skills, and a better life than what keeps getting thrown her way. The supporting performances around her are believable and professionally played, but Jessica was beyond captivating and managed to convey a heartfelt and solid lead performance that carried the title character perfectly.

The BD quality is clear throughout with no real falterings. Her fair skin never appears to bleed into the frame, and even in the Arizona scenes the contrasts are subtle yet still vibrant. The DTS is competently mixed and the special features include:

* Bloopers, 3:33 minutes. Not funny and could have easily been excluded and the quality is below lodef.

* Interview with Dan Ireland & Jessica Chastain, 20:54 minutes. A sit-down interview with the two of them talking film and career. The film was made four years prior to this talk and she has definitely come into her own. Worth the watch if you become a fan of hers (a dry setting in a room).

* Interview with Theresa Russel, 3:00 minutes. Only talks about her character (library setting dull), skipper.

* Interview with Dermot Mulroney, 4:21 minutes. Funny and informative about indy film making (outdoor panoramic forest setting beautiful).

* Interview with Michael Vartan, 6:04 minutes. Having watched his whole set here one should be a huge fan of his to sit through it.

* Director commentary, scene specific. He obviously loves this project and dearly loves his star, and I suppose fans of his The Whole Wide World and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont will like some of the insights he gives about making those films also.

No region coding listed, English language and subtitles only. Four stars for the film and one more for the BD specs and supplements. A worthy owner but at least worth a rental watch to say you saw where it all really started for her...nicely done.

Buy Jolene (2008) Now

I have very mixed but intense feelings about "Jolene." On the one hand, it features a magnetic lead performance by Jessica Chastain. I've never seen her before, so I can't say for sure whether she's a fantastic actor or just one of those people who outshine everyone around them (I suspect both), but either way, I'll see anything else that she's in. But the film itself, which cruises along for 3/4 of the way with a fairly light tone (considering the subject matter), takes a very unpleasant turn towards the end that left me feeling duped. I don't have a problem with movies that are dark or depressing, but there has to be an authenticity to it. This one seemed senselessly cruel, not in the way life can be, but in a way that sets the viewer up for one experience and then swaps in a horrifying, unjustified alternative. The heroine makes a decision that seems to makes no sense and completely invalidates everything she has gone through to that point, leading to terrible consequences. I haven't read the Doctorow story it's based on, but if it provides an explanation for this decision, it gets lost in translation (some vague voice-over rationalization is attempted but fails to convince). I'm left with a very bitter taste that diminishes the enjoyment I had experienced up until that point.

Even so, this film is worth watching for Chastain's performance. She's going to be huge.

Read Best Reviews of Jolene (2008) Here

JOLENE is an adaptation of one of EL Doctorow's short stories from his collection `Sweet Land Stories'. That story was one of the few forgettable ones in that collection and makes one wonder why it was singled out for a screenplay by Dennis Yares. Doctorow is one of America's most important writers (Welcome to Hard Times, The Book of Daniel, Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, Loon Lake, The Water Works, The March, City of God, etc) and this is surely not one of his finest moments. Made in 2008, it did give Jessica Chastain an opportunity for exposure (as in "total'!) so perhaps that is why it is making the rounds again before Oscars....

Jolene is a 15 year old girl, at story's beginning, who knows nothing about her parents and who marries a geek boy (Zeb Newman) whose own parents are mysteriously dead and lives with relatives who are odd the aunt (Theresa Russell) is angry with the world and uncle (Dermot Mulroney) is a pedophile: Jolene ruins her first relationship by having an affair at age 16 with the uncle , her `husband' commits suicide, and she ends up a juvenile delinquent in a `home' for wayward girls. There she is courted by staff member Cindy (Frances Farmer) who helps her new young lover escape. Jolene runs away to hit the road hitchhiking (selling favors along the way), and ends up in a desert drive-in where she meets and marries a tattoo artists Coco (Rupert Friend) who is a drug dealer on the side and Jolene steps out of another bad relationship. Making her way across the country she stops in to work as a stripper and is noticed by a rich man (Chaz Palminteri) from Las Vegas who shows Jolene wealth and love but is murdered by a rival gang from New York. Once again she hits the road to end up in Tulsa, OK where she is courted by a sicko right wing evangelistic wealthy boy (Michael Vartan) who marries her despite his wealthy parents concerns, gets her pregnant, then throws Jolene's past in her face, claiming their newborn child as his own Jolene being a used and unfit mother. In desperation Jolene moves to Hollywood where she follows her one talent art and dreams of becoming a movie star.

Dan Ireland directs this bit of treacle and an outstanding cast makes the best of the script they're given. Chastain shows evidence of the superb acting skills that now yearly are becoming more apparent. But as a movie, JOLENE Is a contrived little mess and it makes us wonder how the powerful EL Doctorow could be so diluted. Grady Harp, February 13

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I love this movie. When I first saw this movie, I knew that Jessica Chastain was going to be a star. Not only that, I knew that she would win an Oscar someday. Fast forward to 2013 and her on the red carpet, nominated for "Zero Dark Thirty". She will win someday because she knows something that most actress never find out. She is fearless. In the span of the length of "Jolene", she grabbed every taboo that actresses face by the throat and strangled the bejesus out of it.

I don't really know why "Jolene The Director's Cut" was released, but it isn't as good. There are many many cuts, most of them sexual and there are many scenes that are different. Ultimately though, "Jolene" is about the power of a woman and the strength of a woman, sexuality and all. So cutting these scenes made the movie less of what it originally was.

Bottom line, "the director's cut" is too much of a cut and the original is a better film.

Jessica Chastain tackles this character of "Jolene" and showed what probably was an Oscar-worthy performance before anybody knew who she was. The movie is about innocence and sex. No matter how much we want to deny it, it is what drives us, many times in the wrong direction. For some, it drives us in the wrong direction over and over. It is the nature of the beast and what we see from Jolene is the development of her inner-strength and maturity after a lifetime of taking the harsh road.

You want to see an actress bury herself in a role, check out the ORIGINAL CUT of "Jolene". Jessica Chastain went from a virtual unknown to an Oscar nominee and you can see why in this 120 minute movie from 2008.

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Secondhand Lions (2009)

As this film opens, a sullen fourteen year old Walter (Haley Joel Osment) is about to be deposited with his two gruff and irascible old uncles against his will by his mother Mae (Kyra Sedgwick) while she supposedly pursues her education and a career. Hub and Garth McCann, played respectively by Robert Duvall and Michael Caine, are no more enamored of the arrangement than is Walter, but an uneasy truce occurs between them as Walter comes to understand their eccentricities and in fact serves as somewhat of an outlet for Garth's desire to settle down somewhat in his final years. One of the elements twhich makes the film a true delight is the extreme nature of the antics of these "old men", whether it is shooting at traveling salesmen for fun or alienating their relatives to maintain their solitude. The backdrop to the story is that Hub and Garth are rumored to be quite wealthy; and in fact Walter's mother instructs him to attempt to locate the source and location of their supposed wealth. (Perhaps the mafia, or bank robberies, or the foreign legion?)

As Walter settles in with them and their numerous dogs (and a pig who thinks he's a dog), the "plot suddenly thickens" as Hub acts strangely and Walter discovers mysterious evidence of a beautiful young woman somewhere in their history. Garth tells Walter a fantastic tale of foreign adventure and intrigue involving Hub and the enchanting princess Jasmine, and the story is actually incorporated into the movie in the form of the adventure epics of fifty years ago with Emanuelle Vaugier playing the role of Hub's lost love. Meanwhile, some "used" circus animals arrive, including a tired and sick old lion who Walter nurses back to health as he enjoys the "jungle" habitat provided by the corn field that has emerged from their failed attempt to grow a vegetable garden. The movie reaches a wonderful climax as the forces of good confront the forces of evil (true comic book style) and Walter is forced to confront the fact that life is full of surprises, not all of which include happy endings, and that we have to be strong enough to accept unpleasant truths and move on.

But, of course, any description of the plot doesn't convey the appeal of this film; the storyline is simply the backdrop for the life which is infused into this movie by the superb performances of the stars, the excellent directing, and the way in which the story unfolds. It is fun yet touching, with enough elements of the unexpected interspersed with truly laugh out loud humorous incidents to make the almost two hours fly by. It's hard to know who is more appealing, those old second hand lions Robert Duvall and Michael Caine (who put their superb talents to use in a film they have stated that they really enjoyed making) or Jasmine, the circus lion who late in life was destined for her moment of glory. And the story has a marvelous symmetry, both in the juxtaposition of the opening and closing scenes and in the brief appearance of Josh Lucas as the adult Walter. Finally, the climatic moment is followed by a gradual conclusion to the story which incorporates a truly wonderful finale.

In some aspects this is a far from perfect film; in some respects it would be easy to write a critical review detailing the fact that the plot was pure fantasy and that no attempt was made to seriously address many of the issues which the movie raises. But such criticisms would not be consistent with the mood which the movie evoked for me and the remainder of the audience. This movie is about life, about its surprises and its enjoyment, and as corny as it is it is also great fun. I enjoyed it so much that I have chosen to ignore one of my personal reviewing rules; I decided to round up my rating to five stars in spite of the fact that I haven't decided if it is good enough so that I will want to own the DVD. I know that I'll enjoy watching it several more times and decided that was good enough. So, go see this lighthearted film when you want to smile and laugh and feel good about life and it will confirm that whether you're old or a teenager it's still possible to learn and grow and have a good time.

Tucker Andersen

It occurs to me as I sit here pondering my review of "Secondhand Lions" that I must somehow cloak the first words that come to mind. Words, phrases, such as "a feel-good movie" or "good family fun" or "heart-warming." As if it were, well, "uncool" to label a movie such things these days, almost like a movie kiss of death. Isn't this a time of Hollywood special effects? Of hot babes and pyrotechnics? Of gratuitous violence and sensationalism? So it is. And so this movie is not. And oh, we are a glad audience for it!

Haley Joel Osment, to whom many of us in the movie audience were introduced in "Sixth Sense," plays Walter, a young boy whose mother (Kyra Sedgewick) pursues everything in life but motherhood. He finds himself dumped like excess baggage on the well weathered front stoop of his two uncles' country house. The uncles, played with wonderful eccentricity by Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, resist but later embrace their young nephew. How the three bond into a true family is a tale that does indeed warm the heart, lighten the spirit, and perhaps even restore a faded belief in today's cynical world that goodness, yes, goodness, still has a place on the silver screen. Osment is absolutely first rate in this movie, and the two vintage stars, Caine and Duvall, still shine as brightly as ever, if not more so.

It may be that the popularity of movies such as this could send Hollywood a message. Good is still good on the movie screen.

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This was a great movie. I just saw it last night -for the second time. With Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, and Haley Joel Osment, how could they go wrong? But there's many a film out there that boasts a multi-talented all-star cast and yet still fails to deliver the goods.

SECONDHAND LIONS is not one of them.

The story is about young Walter who is just barely in his teens and is sent to live with his two great uncles. He constantly hears rumors of their hidden treasure that they stole from Al Capone, or took from a wealthy Arab, or obtained through a lawsuit, or...whatever you want to believe. Throughout the movie, Walter learns from his uncles, Hub and Garth, how to grow into a man and what the truly important things are in life; and Garth and Hub learn from Walter how to enjoy life to the fullest.

The drama here is fantastic, and only once does the emotionalism get a little over-the-top (which is why I gave it four stars instead of five). The acting is fantastic. In this adventurous film you'll be reminded of images of INDIANA JONES, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, among many others.

...

I wish every goofball (i.e. summer blockbuster) filmmaker in Hollywood -you know, the ones that think creative filmmaking means having alot of CGI characters jumping around on skyscrapers and fighting villains in Power Ranger suits -would simply sit down and watch SECONDHAND LIONS. Then they would know how to make a good movie.

Read Best Reviews of Secondhand Lions (2009) Here

Secondhand Lions is a movie for almost the entire family, except for young children who might find it a little slow-moving and possibly boring. It combines fine acting, a good story, and real values without resorting to sex and profanity. Basically it is the story of young Walter (Haley Joel Osment), whose immature tart of a mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick), dumps him at the home of his two grand-uncles Garth (Michael Caine) & Hub (Robert Duvall). As she leaves him, she tells him that there is a rumor that they were Mafia hit men and have a fortune hidden. "Look for it," are her last words as she takes off, ostensibly to go to the court reporting school in Fort Worth. We eventually learn that she has dumped him before, even in an orphanage.

Garth & Hub are eccentrics who shoot at fish in the lake and at the occasional traveling salesmen who come down the road to their house. Although they are not pleased to have the boy, they accept him. He is horrified to learn they have no television, no telephone, no air conditioning. One day a lion is delivered to their farm. They had hoped to hunt and kill the beast, but it is old and lazy and refuses to leave its crate. So of course they adopt it as a pet. Some relatives who have come to try to weasel themselves into the uncles' will let the lion out, and it finds a home in the cornfield, as close as it can come to a jungle.

One night he sees Hub sleepwalking with a toilet plunger, which he brandishes like a sword. Garth begins to tell Walter a fantastic story about their youth, in which they were shanghaied from their European travels and commandeered into the French Foreign Legion. At this point we see the young Hub, magnificently portrayed with great panache by the handsome, mustached Christian Kane in a very energetic performance, as he fights with the Legion, often rescuing the less athletic Garth. Afterwards he fights against slavery, falls in love with the beautiful and spunky Princess Jasmine, and battles apparently insurmountable odds to be with her, gaining a fortune in the process.

Walter & his uncles grow fond of each other, and an encounter in the general store in which Hub singlehandedly overcomes four young punks armed with knives lends credence to Garth's tale.

Mae eventually returns with a sleaze of a boy friend (Nicky Katt) who hits Walter when he refuses to reveal the hiding place of the money. Jasmine, the lion, attacks him to protect Walter.

Eventually Mae wants to take Walter home, and he must choose between life with her and life with his uncles.

The ending of the movie, which I don't want to reveal, is very satisfying. Josh Lucas appears briefly as the adult Walter, who has become a successful cartoonist with his strip Walter & Jasmine, based on his and his uncles' lives, as they told it to him.

All of the actors did a fine job, although I wish that Kane had been allowed to speak his lines instead of using Caine's voiceover for his scenes. I highly recommend this movie and look forward to buying the DVD.

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Trying to please a date, I allowed myself to be dragged to this movie. It turned out to be one of those occasions that you're glad you went along. Since I am estrogen intolerant (chick flicks) and many women are testosterone intolerant (manly flicks), this movie strikes a balance.

It begins with two old men performing acrobatics in a biplane over a Texas twilight sky. But on the horizon is a self-centered and irresponsible mother who drops her son with the two great uncles he's never seen before. The disinterested great uncles agree to take him for the summer. The boy notices a trunk his first night in the house and begins to look at the pictures and past of both of these eccentric men. He is intrigued and discovers more about their past with each event he experiences that summer. The more he learns, the closer he gets to his great uncles, and they with him.

When the mother returns to pick up her son, the climax begins, but that would be telling you the end of the story. I recommend you see it instead.

There is humor and action without violence. Language or skin are not a problem either. This movie is highly recommended for all audiences. It's a keeper.

I don't see that woman anymore, but I have shown this to several new dates since! They loved it.

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Last Year at Marienbad (The Criterion Collection) (1962)

Last Year at Marienbad is a "love story," although not a "story" in the conventional narrative sense, since the fragmented images cannot be scanned chronologically. The "story" is not told rather it is described using a juxtaposition of physical images, through memories and associations, projected through a space-time continuum, which destroys both linear chronology and fixity. Resnais built a captivating puzzle-like film, a labyrinth, which at time resembles the optical illusions of Escher or the surreal world of Magritte. Any attempt to provide a satisfying chronology for the film would contradict the assumptions upon which it was built, as well as the manner in which it is presented.

Marienbad is a cine-roman, a cinematic novel, that is, a particular way to tell a story, which by definition involves space and time. It is not simultaneously a novel and a film, but it uses certain techniques of the novel and of the cinema. Resnais uses a variety of cinematographic techniques: the use of "atmosphere," or mise-en-scene, to provoke an emotional response on the audience's part; the use of "dream" sequences, flashbacks and flash forwards as they relate to imagistic or observational characterizations of a character's imagination; the use of visual and audio montages to disrupt the chronological time and replace the temporal and linear narration by his mise-en-scene's spaces. As a result, it is necessary to view each Resnais film completely in order to understand its structure and discourse. This is especially true for Marienbad, where a second and even a third viewing are necessary to fully appreciate the structure and the details.

Marienbad is lyrical, but by its framings, has the precision of a documentary, undermining the cinematographic writing and heralding the future films of Duras, Robbe-Grillet, or Jean-Luc Godard. Resnais uses extremely short scenes, with purposely too dark or over-exposed shots, obscure image flashes, shot with reframing that allow for the intrusion of characters. Certain scenes are repeated several times, with variants. At times, the actors' clothing changes in the same scene, resulting in blurring the distinctions between past, present, and future, reality and fantasy The fluid camera moves everywhere with unrestricted freedom, a character unto itself. The dialogues are in the form of leitmotifs. The secondary characters utter disjointed, repetitive bits of conversations, and have a strange tendency to freeze in mid-sentence, or even to speak without making a sound. All of these effects are mesmerizing, and contribute to destabilizing the viewer. The mystery is further sustained by the names of the characters, which are only initials.

Everything contributes to destroying chronology and setting an ambiguous mood. The music at the film's "beginning" is typically "end of film" music. Using staggered sound tracks of the narrator's (X's) voice after the music further enhances this impression. Through most of the film, the sound of a single organ, playing an excruciating music score mostly in a minor key which seems to have come from a horror film, accompanies the action. Minor keys conjure melancholy and insecurity. X and A, dancing a slow waltz whose music, instead of being joyful and exuberant, recalls Sibelius' Valse Triste, does not contribute in any way to lighten the mood.

Games are pervasive in this film, symbolizing destiny (dominoes), and also the domination of M (who plays poker with determination and coldness, successfully bluffing his adversaries). But the most notable game shown in the film is a variation of the game of Nim, which from the release of the film on became known as "the game of Marienbad." M haughtily announces "I could lose, but I always win." In this particular version of Nim, which is based on binary representation of the number of items in the game at any give time, the one who first starts the game cannot win against an experienced player, such as M. And M, who proposes the contests, always manages, under the cover of courtesy, to make his adversary begin the game.

The first theme of Marienbad is love, which does not require much explanation. X is or was in love with A (or was it with A? If not, then A will do), and A, as befits any beautiful woman, plays hard-to-get (or maybe she is not attracted by a bore such as X).

The second theme is Resnais' favorite: the elusiveness and subjectivity of memory, but also, its persistence and inescapability. As in Hiroshima Mon Amour, Resnais explores the effects of time and memory on the emotions of a pair of would-be lovers. In his hands, the time elements of memory, whether retrospective or prospective, find realization as cinematic images, which the author manipulates through editing, effusing a non-chronological structure to his work. In Marienbad, Resnais shows us the hotel, its corridors, its salons, and its garden, together taken as an explicit metaphor for the "mind," traveled by the roving camera, the "self" exploring its memory.

There are so many things to discover in Marienbad that, like the "story," the possibilities are endless. There are two possible ways of viewing this film. In the first, a Cartesian approach, the viewer will try to somehow impose a linear, rational structure and invariably will find the film difficult, if not totally incomprehensible. In the second way, the viewer will just let him or herself be carried away by the extraordinary images and the mise-en-scene, and he or she will find the film completely obvious. And the "bonus" resides in the fact that upon subsequent viewings, one can reassemble this puzzle-like film in as many different ways as one's imagination allows, making it each time a new viewing experience. Viewers in the first category will probably give the film a negative rating; those in the second category will give it a five-star rating. I give it a five star.

LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD is virtually without peer in the cinema. It has caused a great deal of controversy over the years, with some claiming it as one of the greatest films ever made, others claiming that it must be some sort French joke on the audience. For those of you familiar with French films in general, you know that bad French movies tend to consist of a few characters discoursing about love in a stilted, soap-opera-like manner. Set against this context, LYAM is indeed a joke, a brilliant satire. The banality of the love triangle also pokes very Gallic fun at the annoying cliches of Hollywood melodrama. Part of the confusion caused by this film comes from the standard nature of the plot our expectations about how this type of film should work are constantly set up, then thouroughly compromised from the opening sequence of the movie. Viewers are rarely cognizant of just how much we have internalized standard Hollywood techniques as the ONLY way of using cinematic forms to tell a story, which should have a beginning, middle and end, but MARIENBAD cannot be understood this way, although there is indeed a progression to this bizarre narrative, which takes the form of Man Y's increasingly elaborate explanations of what might have happened between him and the Woman in her room, which might have been either rape or seduction. It is a profoundly VISUAL film that can only be understood if you use your eyes carefully. The action is split completely from the dialogue, which goes over the same issues again and again in settings that indicate different times of day and of the year. Some of these scenes are flashbacks, some may only be the narrator's fantasy. In MARIENBAD, past, present and future coexist simultaneously. What MARIENBAD dramatizes is the relative quality of human memory. We tend to organize our perceptions of the world in linear fashion, but memory is non-linear, collapsing past and present into a single entity. Subjectivity is crucial to understanding MARIENBAD, which examines the way in which each participant in a given event experiences the same event differently. Lawyers know that if you have six different eywitnesses to an event, you will get six different stories about what happened, and this relativity of memory is basically what MARIENBAD is about. Once you know this, MARIENBAD is actually quite easy to understand and to follow, at least in terms of the "plot." Now just sit back and admire the unbelievably rich technique the film uses to explore this idea. The moving camera tracks by frozen humans, assimilating them within the overall decor, are combined with astonishing editing techniques which alternately slow down or extend time itself through fragmentation or repetition. The performances (and the actors REALLY ARE BRILLIANT I can hardly imagine how difficult this film must have been to act) accomplish the same thing through similar means. This film should be watched at least 3 times, once just to accustom yourself to its unique rhythms, a second to appreciate the complex structure, and a third for the humour of it. MARIENBAD is a truly mind-boggling experience.

Buy Last Year at Marienbad (The Criterion Collection) (1962) Now

Be warned up front that this movie will not suit everyone. This is film as art and it is in black and white; there are those who hate it and those who love it. It is subtitled in English but you will enjoy it even more if you understand French because the off voice is often hauntingly poetic. It was filmed on location in Bavaria, Germany, near Munich at the palaces of Nymphenburg and Schleissheim. The script is relatively easy to find both in French, L'Annee derniere a Marienbad, and in English under a title slightly different from the one of the movie: Last Year in Marienbad.

I greatly admire and love this movie; I believe it to be a masterpiece of French cinema. This is a work that you'll watch over and over and of which you will not tire. A labyrinthian intrigue unfolds in an icily beautiful sprawling baroque palace --a dream-like deluxe palace hotel where tuxedos and evening dresses are de rigueur . Along with the protagonists you will enjoy losing yourself over and over in this enchanted yet disquieting movie.

He ("X " in the official script --he remains nameless in the movie) and She ("A" in the official script --also nameless in the movie) had met last year at Marienbad (thus the title). That's what he says. A romantic encounter, apparently. A short-lived affair, a summer long liaison? The true nature of their relationship is never disclosed. If they did not have an affair might they not have exchanged only a promise to elope, or merely agreed to meet again a year later? Did He grant her one year's reflection time to decide whether to follow him and leave her husband? Ah, yes, her husband is there also, a witness and party to this mystifying situation; quite a dispassionate and remote witness though. Yet he genuinely loves her, well at least he seems to care about her, in his cold, aloof way that is. Would the husband know more about the matter than he lets out? In some European legends it is Death who sometimes grants a one year reprieve to her victims, could it be... too farfetched an interpretation since death is at no time mentioned in the movie. Your guess will be as good as mine.

But, again, did they actually meet last year at Marienbad? X/He argues they did, obsessively. A/She pretends having no recollection whatsoever of the event and denies everything. Of this encounter He is absolutely, passionately convinced; but her denials and her rejections of his advances appear no less sincere and convincing.

One of them must be in error if not lying, fatally, but who? Did He actually have an affair with her or is he deluded and raving mad? He keeps trying to wake up her memories, relentlessly, but has she such memories? His off voice resounds along the empty hallways like an incantation; would he be attempting to captivate, hypnotize, or bewitch her? Is She amnesic or deluded, truthful or lying? What motives would move him, or her, to keep pretending so maddeningly? Who will convince whom? And how is it that her husband cannot ever be defeated at that mind game of his that became the rage after he initiated the male guests?

Welcome to Marienbad! Wait, no, this is not Marienbad! Marienbad was last year of course, supposedly at least; this is another place, nameless. A sumptuous palace of endless corridors lined with gilded baroque stuccoes and ornate mirrors, icy cold in the midst of a brightly sunlit summer; viewer beware! You have entered a universe of pure fiction, your old points of reference, your habitual rationality and expectations are worthless. Already X, once again, weaves a vortex of deja vu, lies, delusions, obsessions, dreams or are they genuine memories? How will you tell? His voice charms you, draws you into his world beyond the hotel, and when the night will have fallen on the grounds you will realize, only too late that you cannot escape him, you cannot leave; you will be, as I am, one of the guests --forever.

Read Best Reviews of Last Year at Marienbad (The Criterion Collection) (1962) Here

Alain Resnais makes Terrence Malick look like Guy Ritchie. You will often read the word "dreamlike" in connection with this film but that's misleading in a way because it implies the soft, CGI limpness of today's film fantasy fare. What makes this movie's other-wordly quality so unsettling is how deeply rooted it is in the real world in the concrete and the solid. It's full of walls and heavy furniture and large rooms and weighty doors and formal gardens and attire. In fact, it's so loaded down with its own visual weight, it shouldn't budge. But it floats and soars and weaves memory and desire together so deftly that you constantly feel as though you're flying through the interiors, a kind of all seeing though never quite fully comprehending spirit. This is a marvelous film. One of the best ever made because it works on you for days, weeks and even years after.

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People tend to either love or hate this film. Whilst some adore it's labyrinthine, non-linear structure; the playfulness of the imagery; and the innate contradictions between the voice-over narrative and the visual imagery, others consider this irrelevant and tedious.

The subtlety of the film in both the auditory and visual modes encourages examination. Why do the figures in the garden cast shadows, when the garden itself doesn't? The film has the texture of a dream, reminiscent of the eerie paintings of Paul Delvaux and Giorgio de Chirico.

This is a film that all students of the subject should see. It is not an easy film to watch, but an endlessly rewarding one to consider and reconsider. It is a film for those who believe art should challenge.

Bakemonogatari Blu-ray Complete Set Limited Edition (2008)

I realize it might not be everybody's cup of tea, but personally (it is my review haha) I loved the wordplay. Having already watched Bakemonogatari thru streaming sites, I fell in love every week with the episodes, including the online only ones. Now though, I see it on my PS3 and my hi-def setup. God, if my eyes could have orgasms, they would from having watched all fifteen episodes.

From Hitagi Crab to Tsubasa Cat, I was hooked in the tale of Araragi Koyomi, former vampire and chick magnet with a penchant for sharp retorts. The way that words are exchanged and twisted into different meanings had me cracking up for hours, and its mainly the reason why they didn't add a dub. It just doesn't work with the way the Japanese characters are manipulated, and the jokes just don't seem to work in English. I'm really glad there was no dub in actuality.

So yeah, I don't really want to say much else. For new people looking to pick this up, I realize the boxset is a little steep on the wallet (not sure if I got my metaphors mixed up...), but it is a story that will get you hooked for it's sequels and novels. For people who have already seen the series, I wouldn't really recommend buying it unless you really love it. It is better than paying as much as the Japanese did for the 5 separate boxsets that would total more than my monthly paycheck could afford, and the clarity from watching it in blu-ray is quite frankly, amazing. Only for the hardcore-est of the core. God i'm so lame.

I will give a better review when I have time, but this product is great.

The anime itself has a fascinating story. Easy to follow (just don't try to read all the subtitles right away for the cutaway shots)

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This anime as everything an anime otaku could ever ask for.

1-hi-brow theme

2-fan service

3-well developed and cool characters

4-impeccable artwork

5-stylistic art direction

And the list goes on...

Read Best Reviews of Bakemonogatari Blu-ray Complete Set Limited Edition (2008) Here

Worth the wait, definitely a must watch. This was seriously great . The series is incredible and really well thought of

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Saints & Soldiers / Days of Glory 2-Disc Blu-ray Boxset

It appears that both movies are in english but that is not the case. Days of Glory is in french with english subtitles. It still is not a bad deal since the Saints & Soliders is almost $25.00 by itself and is in english. I have always been happy with the majority of my purchases from amazon and if you don't mind the subtitles you will enjoy this WWII movie package.

Saints & Soldiers is what good movie making is all about! WWII buffs should waste no time ordering this movie. It's the best I have seen since Saving Private Ryan!

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Sling Blade / Monsters Ball (2013)

I purchased this DVD blue ray because these are two of my favorite movies and to be able to get both of these movies on one DVD was what I thought a great bargain. The price was very affordable also!

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Why Stop Now (2012)

I love all three of these actors but didn't know what to expect from the three of them together. I was pleasantly surprised with the result. Tracy Morgan is hilarious as always, but he also gives a surprisingly heartfelt performance that goes great with Eisenberg and Leo.

Just stumbled on "Why Stop Now" and thought it was great. Totally quirky comedy which never gets pedantic and seldom loses its sense of humor. Eisenberg is perfect for the part of Eli, and even brings a new sort of boldness to the table in this role that I don't recall seeing in his previous characters. The drug dealers (Tracy Morgan and Isiah Whitlock Jr.) were hilarious. For me the comedy really came through in the banter between these two who took over many of the scenes they were in. I didn't know what to expect of this one, but really enjoyed it!

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Social outcast and bad drinker Eli( Jesse Eisenberg) works as a stock boy but aspires to go to a prestigious arts college. His former teacher Dave (Neal Huff) has managed to arrange an audition for him. On the morning of the audition, Eli attempts to quickly straighten out a home life that has always teetered on disaster. His sister Nicole (Emma Rayne Lyle) talks to people through a foul mouthed sock puppet that needs to be laundered. His waitress mother (Melissa Leo) needs to go to rehab. However things don't go as planned.

Rehab won't accept Eli's mother Penny because her urine is currently clean and she doesn't have insurance. They suggest she do drugs to dirty up her urine. Eli aids and abets his mother on her quest. He runs into the likes of drug dealer "Sprinkles" (Tracy Morgan). At this point the comedy kicks into gear. Eli ends up as a translator between Sprinkles and his Spanish speaking connection.

The film has some comedy scenes, most notable when Tracy Morgan is involved, but for the most part it is a drama that involves people with some type of problem which can be argued that they center around Penny's addiction. It is not a dark comedy per se, the comedy is not about dark material.

Eli's attraction for Chloe (Sarah Ramos) didn't seem to be well developed. Tracy Morgan as a drug dealer and his sidekick Black (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) lacked credibility in those roles as they were comically written while the other characters were more serious. It is a feel good movie, but not one that will make you hold your side with laughter.

Parental Guide: F-bombs, no sex, no nudity.

Read Best Reviews of Why Stop Now (2012) Here

Hey guys, if you are looking for a very funny film that deals with interesting issues and has a great cast, this is it! Highly suggested...

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Tracy Morgan gives an incredible performance. It was a nice surprise to see that the funny man can actually act and not just do his crazy Tracy Jordan routine. Jessie Eisenberg and Melissa Leo also give strong performances as usual.

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Hardware (1990)

Nineteen years ago I remember going to see a little film called Hardware and I remember HATING it because I felt deceived by the trailers that shamefully advertised this film as The Terminator meets The Road Warrior which being a huge fan of both of those classic sci-fi films was precisely what I was expecting to see. What I got, and was completely unprepared for, was a pornographic visual nightmare filled with gratuitous violence and an incoherent plot about some killer Terminator-esque combat droid found in the sands of a post-apocalyptic wasteland that's transformed into an industrial art sculpture by some hot chick and I remember wanting to walk out of the theater but felt compelled to at least get my (then) six bucks worth before leaving the theater offended and I never looked back... until now.

A few years later I picked up the Hardware soundtrack because I remembered it was the most memorable part of the film. I loved Simon Boswell's haunting electronic score and the unforgettable Public Image Limited song the Order of Death which echoes in your head with "This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get" lyrics ironically summarizing my initial reaction to the film perfectly. Around that time I happened to catch Richard Stanley's following film Dust Devil The Final Cut which I really enjoyed with it's great visuals and also featuring a terrific Simon Boswell score.

When I saw that Hardware was released on Blu-ray I decided to give it another look. It's amazing how the quality of blu-ray makes you revisit many films that you may not have otherwise particularly liked watching the first time around but I remembered the striking post-apocalyptic visuals and 80's industrial music video style and having appreciated Richard Stanley's succeeding films I knew he was a director with vision and made me decide to give it another chance. Upon watching it I had remembered the exact moment that made me want to get up and leave the theater when Jill's perverted neighbor played by William Hootkins (yes that's Porkins from Star Wars) starts singing the "wiberly-woberly walk" and I still find his character repugnant but that's really the whole point. Stanley is intentionally creating a dissonant atmosphere showing the deconstruction of culture precipitated by dependency on technology, intrusive surveillance and the pervasiveness of mass media and invasion of privacy.

Watching it now I can appreciate the film's socio-political undertones such as population control and the realization that this film was actually a few years ahead of its time anticipating the post-modern industrial motifs of Ministry. To the film's credit, Richard Stanley's stylized vision is what sets Hardware apart from the formulaic commercialized mainstream blockbusters of today and somehow manages not to date itself too much and remains a completely unique independent film unlike anything I've really seen since.

Richard Stanley discusses his ideas behind the intended "Hardware 2: Ground Zero" script on the supplemental features that was written at the time of the first film but was never made due to legalities between studios that has prevented him from fully realizing his concept on a grander scale. I actually found myself interested in seeing what Hardware 2 might look like made today with the latest advancements in special effects technology that would enable Richard to open up the canvas and let his ideas spill out onto the screen. Watching the interview you can see that Stanley is a very intelligent and articulated artist who knows what he is talking about and has a precise understanding and vision for his craft. There's also an excellent hour-long documentary "No Flesh Shall Be Spared" produced exclusively for the blu-ray that features all new interviews that will make you appreciate the film and the complications of working with visual effects pre-CGI along with deleted scenes, a German theatrical trailer and some of Stanley's short films including "Incidents In An Expanding Universe" the Super 8 genesis of Hardware.

Hardware is definitely not a film for everyone and if you you are looking for accessible sci-fi-/horror that's easy to swallow you won't get it here. On the surface Hardware is a visceral nightmare whose disturbing and offensive imagery is conveying ideas and themes far more complex than the average mainstream audiences are simply willing or capable of grasping and most will find it a struggle to interpret the lines between self-indulgent art and purely cinematic entertainment.

"This is what you want... and this is what you get."

Having read all the reviews, including some very articulate and intelligent ones, I'm moved to add one more because, to my surprise, no one commented on Mo's lengthy, psychedelic death scene. I enjoyed the grungy, post-apocalyptic atmosphere, sound track (esp. Order of Death) and the general off-the-wall weirdness, but what blew me away was Mo's pschedelic visions as he's dying after being injected with the killer robot's poison. The plot having already established that the victims basically experience an acid-trip death, the graphic, through-his-eyes psychedelic experience was visceral, fascinating and believable. That's not all that the film has to recommend it. It was, as others have noted, ahead of its time, and sophisticated in ways that go right over the heads of some of its mass-entertainment-conditioned detractors, but that scene was for me the most amazing segment of an amazing film.

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This 1990 vintage sci-fi horror is a cut above average, but is short changed by a restricted budget. However, if the story was editing down to fit the funding, there is some compensation in the stylist photography and the music (especially Order of Death by PiL). You can categorize this film as cyberpunk and you can compare the theme to a cross between Mad Max and Terminator, but actually it had the potential to go further than either of those franchises.

Acting contributes to the style everyone in this movie is working hard and they certainly deliver. Nearly two decades have passed but this film still looks fresh.

So this quirky sci-fi romp may not make the A list but it sure beats out any film released by the Sy-Fy channel on American cable over the past five years!

If you like sci-fi movies from that era then this should be on your must-have list. Amazingly there are even a couple of extras including a strange but interesting interview with the man behind the film (Richard Stanley). I would dearly like to rework the script into something more sophisticated, complex and deliciously dark. Sigh.

Read Best Reviews of Hardware (1990) Here

I have been waiting for a region 1 release of this movie since I got my first DVD player back in 2001. Heard from a friend it was finally coming out and ordered it immediately.

It's low budget, but wonderful gritty dystopian vision of a future where everything has gone to hell. No spoilers here, but this movie oozes atmosphere. Also of note is the amazing score. (Which I enjoyed long before I saw the movie.) The DVD is great, though some people have had issues with it not playing correctly, but Severin have done the right thing and sent out replacements.

You can keep Blade Runner. I'd rather watch this any day.

No Flesh Shall Be Spared.

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i was 18 when i first caught a glimpse of this film. that was 20 years ago. time has a way of both dulling the recollection and creating a longing for things that we somewhat remember. This movie has some good atmosphere and a weird but admittedly effective soundtrack. Some of the images are visually stunning in their use of light, texture and sound. the contrast/combination of Mo's cold metallic grip on Jill's pale, moist and supple skin in the shower scene was artistic and understated unlike some scenes which are mostly gratuitous and languid. The baby tethered to it's lifeless mother in the stairwell is another riveting image.

the killer robot is actually more threatening before it begins to assert itself. the foreboding red eyes and lifeless stare promise much more than what is ultimately delivered. Mo's death scene has nice editing and once again the score does not disappoint. The plot is straight forward and the acting is standard fare. this film has potential and probably would benefit nicely from some good ol' fashioned CGI and a little less sex. not a terrible addition to a well rounded sci-fiction collection.

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Venom

... but the DVD edition has the option for English or Spanish subtitles.

Echo Bridge is so inconsistent from title to title in whether or not their releases are subtitled and as of this writing, probably 99% of Echo Bridge releases (from their cheapie "20 Horror Films on One Disc!" to single titles) are not subtitled in any way, shape, or form.

As far as a review for "Venom", it was an okay little voodoo-esque thriller with a talented cast of enthusiastic actors who are recognizable to those of us who live for horror flicks:

Agnes Bruckner (as Eden Sinclair, the protagonist)

Jonathan Jackson (as Eric, Eden's on-again, off-again boyfriend)

Meagan Good (as Cece, friend and co-worker of Eden)

The late Deborah Duke (as Miss Emmie, the excavator of "the box" and Cece's aunt)

Bijou Phillips (as Tammy, another friend of Eden)

Laura Ramsey (as Rachel, and yet another friend of Eden)

D.J. Cotrona (as Sean, a friend of Eric),

Method Man (as Deputy Turner),

and the incorrigible Rick Cramer (as the misunderstood truck driver Ray Sawyer)

"Venom" was produced by Kevin Williamson and directed by Jim Gillespie.

I liked "Venom" on DVD enough to pick it up on Blu-ray, assuming that if the DVD had English subtitles that the Blu-ray edition would certainly have subtitles?

I was wrong. The Blu-ray edition of "Venom" is NOT subtitled either in English or Spanish and Echo Bridge has fooled me once again.

In all fairness though, the BD edition does not state that it is subtitled so I really can't blame Echo Bridge for my not being careful enough and not reading the rear-cover specifications.

I enjoyed the film (with all its atmospheric darkness, wetness, greasiness and accursed voodoo-zombie story) and give this well-done horror outing a solid Four Stars out of Five.

But no subtitles for this Blu-ray version when the DVD had subtitle options? That, I don't understand.

"Venom " is one of those movies I thought I would hate because I heard so much negativity about it but I really enjoyed it. Being a fan of the 70's and 80's slashers I crave new Slashers because I have seen all the other ones over and over again.

Venom did NOT disappoint me.

It starts off with a bang and never lets up.I found it to be a very worthy addition to the new horror/slasher flicks'

The voodoo angle was good but not overplayed. I'm simple in that I want to see a killer with an axe , machete butcher knife etc not a bunch of supernatural mumbo jumbo..I don't want to have to wonder if something is a dream or real.

Give me an old fashioned slice and dice and I'm in heaven.and Venom gave me that and I hope to see Venom 2 if so I'm there. Venom has Lot's of great gore effects and good actors I'm a big Agnes Bruckner fan,seeing as she has become quite the Scream Queen.If you are terrified of snakes by all mean watch this,after all isn't being terrified what watching a horror movie is all about ?

(For the record, Mr Jangles used the hook & Chain before Kane in see No Evil...)

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I did not have high hopes, but I am always buying horror films in the hope that they are fun and scary. While this movie would not result in nightmares, the film was quite well done. The camera work, the quality of the compositions and colors, and the acting were all solid and without any critical flaws. The storyline was well thought out and was believable to anyone who appreciates the genre. This kill scenes were gory and the special effects and make up were true to life. Overall, this was a fun voodoo based movie that was worth buying and adding to the collection.

Read Best Reviews of Venom Here

With the name like "Venom" you would expect a big ole improbable snake. Nope. This is a slasher film. Ray (Rick Cramer) while performing an act of kindness, gets killed and bitten by snakes. These aren't just any snakes, but snakes who have evil souls within them. The souls are transferred through the venom to the dead Ray, who doesn't stay dead. It is up to the teens to save the day.

Other than the manner in which the slasher is created, this film offers nothing really new to the genre. No clever dialouge, no memorable characters, no special killing scenes, no shower scenes. It's Louisiana, voodoo, kids and a slasher. Nice cemetery. I obtained mine on a Wal Mart 20 pack. $5.00 for all 20 films.

Parental Guide: f-bombs. No sex, no nudity. Girl showing off her stolen leather bra, "a crook with a nice rack."

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I sold the DVD edition of this and upgraded to the Blu-ray edition. Very pleased with my purchase. This looks miles better than the DVD copy I had. Made this great movie much more enjoyable to watch.

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Zazie dans le metro (The Criterion Collection) (1960)

A girl is left with her uncle for the weekend (or a day, I think) while Mom runs off with her new boyfriend. She has one wish while she's there...to ride the Metro train...which, naturally, is on strike.

Wackiness ensues.

Shot largely as if it were a slapstick silent film, this is one wacky, odd romp around Paris. The Eiffel tower scenes are surely one-of-a-kind and worth the price of admission alone.

You won't really find yourself laughing a lot so much as just marveling at the spectacle of the thing.

First saw Zazie years ago and remembered I'd loved it. So I was thrilled to see that it was coming out in a Criterion release. The film was as crazy and colorful as I remember it. All potty-mouthed Zazie wants to do while visiting her uncle in Paris is to ride the metro. Unfortunately it's closed due to a worker's strike. Still there are plenty of other adventures to be had and lots of colorful characters to have them with. Zazie is a real gem and I highly recommend it. The Criterion DVD is what one expects: outstanding and with great extras.

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You often hear about novels that are not possible for a film adaptation. And for author Raymond Queneau's successful 1959 novel "Zazie dans le métro", who can portray a novel about a young girl who knows way too much for her age and is so inquisitive, but yet her perspective of the absurdity of adult Parisians?

Never to back down from a challenge, French filmmaker Louise Malle known for his popular films "The Lovers" and "Elevators to the Gallows" took on a film adaptation of "Zazie dans le métro". A film which Malle would say it was a tribute to Charlie Chaplin and also a film that would lead to film experimentation with special effects and colorization.

And as for the film, the film would receive critical acclaim but also controversy as many parents thought the film was targeted towards children, and took their children to the film to find out quickly when the young 10-year-old Zazie speaks that the film is not for children.

For Louis Malle fans, many have wanted more of his films to be released by the Criterion Collection and sure enough, "Zazie dans le métro" and "Black Moon" will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in June 2011.

"Zazie dans le métro" is a film that is not easy to describe, because it is a film that has to be experienced visually. Words to describe the film would not serve the film any justice because the enjoyment goes bar beyond the written words but what takes place on screen.

VIDEO:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' is presented in 1:33:1 aspect ratio. It's important to note that the film was a big experimentation with color and filmmaking, especially special effects at that time. The film uses quite a bit of experimentation of color, unusual cuts, sped up film, etc. But for the most part, considering the film is 50-years-old, it looks great on Blu-ray!

I was actually pleased with the amount of detail, especially since this film has a vast color palette and a lot of outdoor scenes, colors are vibrant, skin tones are natural and brighter colors, especially the reds, really pop! I didn't notice any banding or edge enhancement. Nor did I see any artifacts. I did notice at some points of film damage but they were quite brief and limited to a certain area for a few seconds. But "Zazie dans le métro" looks great on Blu-ray!

According to the Criterion Collection, this new HD digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35 mm interpositive, thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' is presented in monaural French with English subtitles. Dialogue is clear and I detected no hissing, clicks or any audio problems at all.

According to the Criterion Collection, the monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the positive print soundtrack. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Louis Malle (4:54) Featuring an excerpt from JT 19h15 from October 26, 1960. Malle is interviewed by Mario Beunat and talks about taking the challenge of making the film, how the film was dedicated to Charlie Chaplilna nd screened for him and his perspective of the movie.

Catherine Demongeot (7:35) An excerpt from "Cinq Colonnes Ala", journalists Jean-Noel Ray and Pierre Dumaget interview Catherine and her parents (March 4, 1960).

Raymond Queneau Featuring two interviews with the original author of Raymone Queneau for "Zazie dans le métro". "Lectures Por Tous" (Feb. 4, 1959; 9:20) and "En Francais Dans Le Texte" (March 24, 1961; 5:52).

Le Paris de Zazie (14:57) A short documentary shot in 2000 by "Zazie dans le métro" assistant director Philipe Collin who revisits the locations of where the film was shot and talks about various scenes and how they were shot, the artistic look of the film, the characters and more.

Jean-Paul Rappeneau (10:00) Writer/collaborator Jean-Paul Rappeneau talks about working with Louis Malle on"Zazie dans le métro".

William Klein (13:06) An audio interview featuring Louis Malle's artistic consultant William Klein talks about working on "Zazie dans le métro".

Original Theatrical Trailer (2:15)

EXTRAS:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' comes with a 20-page booklet featuring the following essay "Girl Trouble" by Ginette Vincendeau.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Zazie dans le métro" is one of those films that one can't describe because it was meant to be seen visually.

One can be described is that this 1960 film was surprising in many levels because it featured a young girl with a mouth that would surprise people because she talks about sexuality, dirty men, homosexuality so openly and doesn't relent. Like many children who are inquisitive and keep asking questions, in "Zazie dans le métro", the questions are blunt. "Are you a homosexual?", "Are you sexually repressed?", "Are you a dirty man that goes after young girls?", etc.

Zazie is a product of her upbringing and its a statement of Paris culture back then that filmmaker Louis Malle wanted to tackle, that is a comedy that showcases the absurdity and chaotic nature of Parisians at the time.

And while Zazie and the absurdity of the adult characters is a big part of the story that can be described, its what takes place in the film that can not.

In one scene, when Zazie is trying to hide and escape from a man who spends his money buying her mussels, fries and blue jeans, the chase scene resembles one of those quick-paced hilarious Benny Hill skits. Characters looking like they are running quickly while the camera focuses on their face, but then the camera goes through several jump cuts, speeds up quickly, reverts back to normal.

In some scenes, there is a little trickery as one conversation between two men, Malle quickly changes one scene with the man in black face for a quick second and very few frames.

And while this style is funny at first, it does become a little tiring but it's all about how Malle manages to make things darker as the film progresses, that becomes quite intriguing.

Also, the look and feel of the film is rather interesting as well. In the special features, you learn that advertising screens were utilized to block out things that Malle didn't want to be shown in the film and so while Zazie is running or walking, you will notice these artistic walls behind her.

Possibly one of the most jarring shots and something that you will never ever see in a film again, is the shot of actor Philippe Noiret (Uncle Gabriel) doing these close to the edge, about to fall off high above the Eiffel Tower. In fact, one scene shows Noiret on top of an elevator rising up on the tower. It's amazing how these shots were done, especially the freedom that was given to the filmmakers to shoot those scenes but anyone who is acrophobic, even for me, those shots made feel a bit uneasy because those playful shots made you feel that he could fall off the Eiffel Tower any minute.

But the efficacy of "Zazie dans le métro" lies within its structure and how different it was from the Nouvelle Vague films at that time. Speaking of the French New Wave, even Zazie has some words to say about it during the film.

While I have not read the novel "Zazie dans le métro", I do know that author Raymond Queneau was quite appreciative of the film adaptation and even Charlie Chaplin who Malle has dedicated the film to, watched the film in French no subtitles and enjoyed it.

The Blu-ray release of "Zazie dans le métro" features a good number of special features but probably the one that I found to be quite intriguing was Phillipe Collin revisiting the locations in 2005 and talking about how the shots were done. But also to see the interview with young Catherine Demongeut from 1960 as the journalists wonder if she is anything like her character and grilling her parents on playing such a part. I found it pretty cool to see the parents calm and collected, especially Catherine while the journalists were really trying to make them frustrated or angry.

While watching "Zazie dans le métro", I often wondered how both Louis Malle even Raymond Queneau would feel about how society is today, especially for Malle who wanted to take on the absurdity of adults in Paris at the time. And as for Zazie, it made me wonder how much worse children are today as the words coming out of Zazie's mouth was considered dirty, once again, if only Malle, Queneau and society then would see how children, a product of the way they were raised, are learning some things a bit too quickly than they should have at a younger age.

But put yourself in the viewers shoes back in 1960 and you can see how this film could be seen as artistic, controversial, hilarious, enjoyable, absurd, chaotic, you name it... there are many words to describe this film and for me, I found it to be entertaining, fun and one of those films where a filmmaker does something different and unique and comedic but yet is able to make a statement on society.

"Zazie dans le métro" is a film that many Louis Malle fans have been waiting for and now it's here! This Blu-ray release is recommended!

Read Best Reviews of Zazie dans le metro (The Criterion Collection) (1960) Here

I'm not quite sure whether I like this film or not. I either loved it or I hated it ... it says something about the power of the film that I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.

What starts as a very realistic look at Paris through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl gradually slips into impressionism and finally into surrealism (the final fight in the restaurant). The more I think about it, I think Malle's absurdities work very well during the various chase sequences, but go a bit over the top during the restaurant fight.

What also struck me was the sexual ambiguity of the characters. Zazie's uncle is, of course, a professional female impersonator. But watch her aunt, a beautiful woman who starts out as a very domesticed housewife and gradually becomes more and more masculine, until at the end, she looks like one of the motorcycle thugs pursuing Orpheus. And Zazie herself begins as a charming young girl, but shocks you when she accuses a man trying to prevent her from running away of being a sexual preditor. Later, as she descends the Eiffel Tower, the makes sexual overtures to a much older man.

As I say, a strange film. Funny. Thought provoking and disorienting. But entertaining ...

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This was sent to a friend whom I assume enjoyed it. I know nothing about this movie myself, but the friend was happy with it, I believe, since i hadn't heard anything to the contrary.

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Megamind (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

I'm not going to go into a play by play detail of the movie. There are plenty of them out there. In my opinion, the movie was outstanding. It was so much better than what you would expect upon seeing the advertisements. So if you had planned on not seeing the movie because of the advertisements or you just don't dig on "kid movies" I suggest you throw those thoughts out the window and watch the movie and judge for yourself. It has a lot of action, of course, but it also has a lot of heart. Plus, if you're a fan of excellent animation, MegaMind is above the curve in that department. Such expressive facial features and body movements, little details that would be easy to forget or overlook, you realize add so much richness to the experience. As for the storyline, it had a lot of heart. You feel for the characters. There's a realness to them! And the music! This movie has a phenomenal soundtrack. The music covers a range of music types from artists like Ozzy, AC/DC, Guns n' Roses, Michael Jackson, Elvis, ELO, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Minnie Riperton, and George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Plus, the original score is really really good too.

When I was sitting in the theatre, not knowing what to expect, hoping it would be good, anticipating it would be just another CG kids' movie, I discovered within the first 10 minutes or so that this movie was going to be good. I went back 4 additional times to see it in the theatre after that. I absolutely cannot get enough of this movie. So it being released with a bonus episode, that is just thrilling for me. A little extra MegaMind! Gotta get my fix!

I've always loved Dreamworks Movies, with Monsters VS Aliens, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon being the best of the bunch. But Dreamworks has reached a new level of awesome with Megamind.

The movie is not only hilarious and entertaining, but it also has a lot of emotion. There are scenes where you really feel for the main character. You relate to him, everyone can relate to being pushed into becoming something you didn't want to be. All the characters are strong and not annoying at all. The action is superb, and I am so getting this on Blu-Ray because the animation is just great! You can tell Dreamworks has come a long way since Shrek. The relationship between Megamind and Roxanne (the female lead) is funny and sweet at the same time. I love everything about this movie, and I don't think I can find anything wrong with it if I tried. Critics may say it's predicable and cliched, but there are a few twists thrown in that even I didn't expect. This movie, like Megamind, is something special :)

The lesson "Choose your own Destiny" shines through in this movie, and it's great for both kids and adults. I would definitely by the Blu-Ray dvd (comes with a mini movie and a ton of extras) or at least buy the single disc. This movie is just great, and everyone who loves animated movies, superhero movies, or just loves having a good time will love this movie.

Good job Dreamworks, keep it up! (and if it's possible, PLEASE make a sequel!)

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After some waivering, I decided to see Megamind 3D. I'm a big fan of 3D, and the 3D is done very well. There is no reason to see the 2d version when the 3D is available.

As I said the movie is funny, but not by telling jokes. It's funny in a real way, generally done via sarcasm, goofy grammar usage, and self-deprecation. The plot is a nice change from the typical hero/villain plot, and will keep you interested!

The biggest thing that not many people are mentioning is how brilliantly done the animation is. The images, and scenery are so crisp and vivid, it really is mind blowing. Paired with the 3D effects, this is a visually stunning movie.

I regret waivering on this movie. I almost didn't even bother with it. I'm glad I listened to the good reviews, and took the plunge. It was worth every penny, and every minute spent.

Dreamworks is on a roll.

Read Best Reviews of Megamind (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Here

I love Megamind.

I shouldn't. I'm not particularly fond of Will Ferrell, who often seems to be adlibbing to amuse only himself. I'm over the whole "superheroes are celebrities" angle. And at this point I think we all know most villains are just misunderstood.

But Megamind nails it. Ferrell, as Megamind, is a giant blue-headed geek that's easy to sympathize because he's not a muscle-bound villain. He's the scheming nerd to rival Metro Man's (Brad Pitt, but it should have been Bruce Campbell) ridiculous physical stature. Megamind, you see, is a victim of his upbringing, raised in a prison, unlike his rival Metro Man who was raised on a farm. The two go to school together and Megamind learns quickly that being smart isn't the same as being popular.

Tina Fey is pitch-perfect as Roxanne Ritchi, lending a cute lisp to a gal reporter that has played the damsel in distress a dozen times too many. She has the majority of the dialogue and shoulders it well.

Rounding out the cast is Minion (David Cross), a fish in a robotic gorilla suit. Cross, like Ferrell, can occasionally overdo it, but here his comedy is perfectly nuanced as a worrywart mother-figure that happens to be a fish in a gorilla suit. He and Ferrell are a great team, like an old married couple that just happens to share a supervillain lair.

All these characters' fates collide when Megamind finally succeeds in killing Metro Man. Momentarily elated, Megamind discovers that life isn't quite the same without his archnemesis. It leaves him feeling hollow, and Megamind soon comes to realize that the issue isn't Metro Man, but himself. Two competing interests help fill the void in the form of his burgeoning romance with Ritchi (disguised as Bernard) and his mentoring of new superhero Tighten.

There are two other characters that actually carry much of the plot: Bernard (Ben Stiller) and Tighten (Jonah Hill). Bernard is the alter-ego of Megamind, who puts his hologram device to work by disguising himself as a hapless museum curator. Tighten (originally Titan, but kids these days!) is the inverse of Megamind if Megamind is a nerd with outside ambitions, Tighten is a geek with no ambition whatsoever.

What Megamind does so well is contrast the supervillain archetype. Every nerd has faced off against a jock and felt inferior. Every geek secretly harbors a brilliant, raging Megamind-like ego and a needy, insecure Tighten. And for every clean-cut celebrity espousing healthy living and high morals, there's a heavy metal opposite who craves the same spotlight. Megamind and Metro Man are also Gen X heroes, representing the uncertainty of thirty-somethings trying to figure out what they want to be now that they've grown up. The contrast is heightened by Tighten, a Gen Y punk who would rather waste his superhero powers playing videogames (kids these days!).

In the end, what Megamind does best can be summed up in the one word he uses to distinguish a true supervillain from a jerk: PRESENTATION!

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I have hundreds of blu ray discs and its always the animation ones that always look the best. Megamind sets a new standard for animation on blu. Toy Story trilogy was the best looking blu ray by far, but Megsmind to me, blows the others away! The clarity in this 1080p presentation is phenomenal! I cannot get over the detail. I kept getting lost in the imagery, I forgot to pay attention to the movie. And not only is the video awesome, the Dolby Tru HD sound is 7.1 and is spectacular on my 6.1 receiver. I still can't get the best of the soundtrack due to lack of HDMI input on my audio receiver, could only imagine how better this soundtrack could be! The surrounds and subwoofer is really used. If you have blu ray player, do not think the DVD 'upconverted' will be good enough. Wrong! You cannot add video image that is not even there in the first place. I get fed up when people settle for so less when it comes between DVD and blu ray. Hands down, blu ray is FAR superior and this blu ray of Megamind proves my point. It is outrageously awesome!!

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