The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection (1920)

I just bought the ultimate Buster Keaton collection blu-ray box set and I'm pretty happy with it but it's not for everybody. First of all, I want to thank all the great people who take time to review in ellaborate detail these great movies. Because the price is pretty high, I needed some help to make up my mind about this box set. I must have taken 3 hours of reading all the great comments about each blu-ray edition of this package and I made my decision after that. Like I said before, I don't think this box set is for everybody because the improvement is not that great overall, it is very good but I could have been happy the rest of my life with my original box set The art of Buster Keaton on DVD. The thing is, I'm a little nutty about the clarity of the image so I'm a big fan of blu-ray because of it, I also have a good home theater and a lot of reviewer talked about the improvement and the multiple choices for the soundtracks of these movies, so having these classics in 5.1 DTS HD interested me quite a bit.

As for the 3 discs with the earliest shorts of Buster, some of them are improved, especially Cops, The high sign, The balloonatic and The Boat because they were enhanced so they are clearer, I don't know why they chose only 4 because a lot more of them could use restoration. That was my biggest disapointment of the box set, not much effort to restore these shorts, they look a little better and that's it.But I love the fact that they were in chronological order and the little commentaries on most of them, those 2 things were fun. As for the feature lenght movies, The Saphead is interesting because you have 2 different versions of the film, but the improvement picturewise was small. Our hospitaly for the feature films is my biggest disapointment, I compare with my DVD and there's not much improvement. A thing that bugged me also was they kept the old title cards, a little restoration could have been interesting for a clearer reading of the cards. Sherlock Jr. also not a great difference with the old DVD but there's 3 soundtracks to choose from so that's interesting. The 3 ages also not a great improvement picturewise. After that, it starts to get better, Seven chances is amazing the image is clear with a lot of detail, good improvement against the DVD. The Navigator, very good also much clearer image than the DVD on the old set. Go West and Battling Butler, the image was pretty good ans stable on DVD and now it's a little better, a little more detail and clarity. The General, amazing!! this is the masterpiece improvement and it's my favorite movie, so I was happy when I saw that.

College, the print was good and now it's better, this one is a very good improvement. Steamboat Bill Jr. the movie looked good on DVD and now it's more clear so another good improvement here. Overall, the picture quality on theses features movies and shorts is better than DVD at different degrees, I learned by comparing DVD movie by blu-ray movie that Kino is not Criterion, they don't spend a lot of money on improving the quality of there titles. I know they could but restoration is expensive and I accept the fact that they're doing what they could. There is an improvement but it could have been a little better. I'm still happy because these classics never looked better and some of them looked amazing, almost every film got a 5.1 DTS ausio track, the extras are great and they gave me a few audio commentaries on my favorites Buster features so I loved that. The packaging is wonderful too, the box contains 4 discs and everything is in there. So my final words are, if you're a fan of Buster and you don't have the other box-set it's a no-brainer that this is a must buy. But if you have the old DVD box-set, you need to be a big fan of picture quality like me or be a big a fan of sound quality because the improvement is there but the old DVD set can do the job too.

Kino has re-packaged their Buster Keaton Blu-ray releases into this space saving set by removing the original packaging. 3 to 4 discs are housed in 4 plastic cases and placed in a slip-case.

This price will save you about $100 as this Ultimate Collection contains the nine single discs and the 2-disc 'Lost' collection that retail for $35 each, And the 3-disc shorts collection that retails at $48. That makes this a $398 value!

The restorations vary from major upgrades to just sharper images over the past DVD releases.

See my reviews under the individual titles for more specific details:

Buster Keaton Short Films Collection: 1920-1923 (Three-Disc Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray] (3-disc set)

Battling Butler / Go West (Ultimate 2-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray]

The General [Blu-ray]

The Navigator: Ultimate Edition [Blu-ray]

Our Hospitality: ULTIMATE EDITION [Blu-ray]

The Saphead: Ultimate Edition [Blu-ray]

Seven Chances (Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray]

Sherlock Jr. / Three Ages [Blu-ray]

Steamboat Bill, Jr. [Blu-ray]

Lost Keaton: Sixteen Comedy Shorts 1934-1937 [Blu-ray] (2-disc set)

The set also includes COLLEGE which is new to Blu-ray and not yet available individually, but is promised for March 2013.

College: Ultimate Edition [Blu-ray]

If you have been waiting to upgrade your old set, then this cost-cutting, space saving box set is for you. The only downside I see is that there are some disadvantages to buying box sets:

1) This set does NOT include the "KEATON PLUS" DVD that is in the "Art Of Buster Keaton" DVD set. It substitutes that DVD with a different collection called "LOST KEATON" which is his Educational Comedy collection. You will want to keep your old "KEATON PLUS" DVD to keep your collection complete. That DVD contains the only complete version of "HARD LUCK" (which is incomplete on the Blu-ray shorts collection), surviving scenes from the never completed cinemascope film "TEN GIRLS AGO", excerpts from the TV series "LIFE WITH BUSTER KEATON", Buster's first dramatic role in "THE AWAKENING", Buster's appearance on TV's "THIS IS YOUR LIFE", as well as a collection of Buster Keaton's TV commercials.

2) There is always a chance that one of the titles in this set may get upgraded in the future if any new 35mm master materials are found, you could buy that re-master but you have to keep the old version in this set.

BUT you do save $100 by buying this set, so these disadvantages are minor compared to the savings.

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I agree that casual fans should be fine with the old Kino sets, but to a real fan like myself, this is kind of like Coin Collecting when you have the opportunity for a better specimen in the context of your specialty, you grab it. To my mind, if there is a better copy of the Keaton silents out there, it would simply eat at me, and I won't stop until I can play them, perfectly restored, on demand, in a classic theater with live music at my beck and call. Until that point, I go with the best available, and yes, I know that this makes me Kino's idea of a really soft target. It is what it is.

Read Best Reviews of The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection (1920) Here

Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011)

In their newest direct-to-video movie, the classic cat and mouse cartoon team of Tom and Jerry are inserted not merely into the beloved L. Frank Baum story of "The Wizard of Oz", but the full-on MGM feature film version, complete with the styles and songs seen in the original film, though completely redone here in traditionally animated format. As Dorothy ends up in the magical land of Oz and on her quest to see the wizard and return home to a farm in Kansas, Tom and Jerry try their best to catch up with her (which they quickly do) and get home too, having made a promise to Auntie Em that they would look after Dorothy and Toto. But, the Wicked Witch of the West is hot on their trails and wants revenge on Tom and Jerry as much as on Dorothy and Toto themselves!

WB's original movie, "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz" has been high on my wish list ever since I first saw the cover art here on Amazon. As a huge fan of both animation and the original MGM Oz film, I've been patiently but eagerly waiting for it to come out, and now I finally have it in my hands on Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo, and I'm so glad! Is it a perfect production? No, a direct-to-video budget probably would never allow for that, but it's very good in a lot of ways. One of the best things about it is, for certain, the art and animation. The film does a great job replicating the visuals of the classic MGM movie here in cartoon format. It's really neat to see. The animation is just as direct-to-video animation should be. It's not quite theatrical quality, but it's close. I haven't seen any of the other Tom and Jerry direct to video movies yet, so I can't really compare them, aside from the Nutcracker one they did. I would put this on par with that one, though it's been a while since I've seen it. I think the earlier ones might not be as good. Like the Tom and Jerry Nutcracker program, this one has a touch of that Spumco look, but only in the best ways, like how they draw gorgeous girls. Dorothy is an absolute goddess here, which was a big deal for me since Dorothy from the original film was my first crush ever, and one of the best things about animation is the potential to bring drop-dead gorgeous, absolutely perfect female characters to life. They did a fantastic job here, and the women of the Emerald City are jaw-dropping as well, if too briefly seen (you can probably guess where this is; the bit when they are sprucing up the gang before going to see the wizard).

There are basically two sides to this story. You are getting an animated version of the classic MGM Oz film, and you're getting a Tom and Jerry adventure (one that is far better and truer to the characters than "Tom and Jerry the Movie", but then maybe all these direct-to-video features fit that bill). With that in mind, sometimes you feel you are watching something in the vein of "Lion King 1½", and sometimes you feel like you're watching an Animaniacs parody. In truth, this film probably SHOULD be more like the latter in terms of the writing. That is where it lets you down a bit. Maybe it was a budget issue that sometimes things seem a bit rushed story/humor wise, but I do feel that some more playful humor should have been worked into the many scenes that are taken directly from the movie. Much of it is nearly word for word, while a bit more spoofing might have worked better to keep the Tom and Jerry story and the original film's story feeling like they were ONE story. There is some of this, thankfully, especially in scenes with the villains, and it's enough, but more would have been better, I think. I also can't help but feel that maybe they should have used a Garland recording for the performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", because how can you really replace her for that? But I guess that is being a bit nit-picky. Over all, this is an excellent direct-to-video film, and I just wish it was longer. It clocks in at just under an hour (59 minutes, according to the cover), and that's a bit short for a 20 dollar flick. Plus, a lot of scenes that weren't shown (from the original Oz film) were very missed. We don't even see Dorothy meeting any of her Oz friends. The group is assembled by the time Tom and Jerry catch up to them. It might have been better to lengthen the film by just keeping Tom and Jerry at Dorothy and Toto's side from the beginning instead of having to catch up with them late after the tornado, but actually, I think the scene that, for some reason, I missed the most here was the one at the beginning in Professor Marvel's Wagon. It just seemed like it was supposed to be there. Oh well. Aside from the shortness and times when I felt the writing could have been more clever, I was very pleased with a lot of the humor that WAS included and that felt very true to the classic MGM cartoon spirit, like the bit where Tom meet's Tuffy and gets hit with the frying pan, and when he and Jerry encounter Droopy and do one of Droopy's best routines with an Oz flare. No, this film isn't perfect, but it's still a big win that was well worth waiting for, and as others have said, it's worth owning for the visuals alone! The voice cast, though not the best sound-alikes I've heard, were also great (okay, Tuffy's a little annoying though; I prefer the sweet, French-accented Tuffy), and thank you so much for keeping Tom and Jerry silent, as they should be for the most part!

As for the Blu-Ray itself, it's a little disappointing that there are only 2 bonus features, and one is actually not a bonus feature but an alternate version of the film. I'm so glad that alternate version was included though. It SHOULD be the primary version of the film, because it is the way you SHOULD watch "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz". It's a version of the film with the beginning and ending in sepia tones, as in the original MGM feature. It IS cool to have the full color version as well, but THAT is the version that should be in the special features section. As for the other bonus, it's a little science lesson of 3 activities that are Oz related. Making your own tornado in a bottle, making a rainbow, and how a hot air balloon works (which could have been demonstrated better, I think), they're cute and probably fun for kids, but where are the classic MGM shorts as bonus features? That's what you SHOULD have here, or a little making-of documentary.

All in all, "Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz" is a great little movie, though it may seem a bit pricey for being just about an hour and so light on bonus features. Still, if that is how they keep things at this quality, I'll pay it. Some of the writing could have been snappier, but it was still great and worth the purchase, especially if you're a fan of Oz and/or Tom and Jerry! Now, if they would just release that Saturday morning animated series that was based on the MGM Oz film. I think it was on in the early 90's, but not certain about that.

Cartoon Network telecast this on August 14, which is what prompted me to write this review. I only caught bits and pieces of it. The animation alone is worth getting the DVD for. It's crisp, colorful and very much like old school MGM Hanna-Barbera, Fred Quimby, etc. Plot, character and set design seems to follow the 1939 movie almost exactly, which is nice. If you are a fan of classic Tom and Jerry, you'll like this. If you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz, you'll think this is an interesting point of view on the story. This needs to be telecast every holiday season along with the movie.

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My 3 year old loves Tom and Jerry and caught part of this on tv and asked me for it. I really didn't expect much. Figured it would be a second rate straight to video watch a few times then toss. This is actually a really good retelling of the classic story. My son is 3 and can't watch this enough times and I actually enjoy when it is on.

Read Best Reviews of Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011) Here

Great movies for kids introducing them to Wizod of Oz and not scaring them Tom and Jerry add so much fun to movie great laughs for young children

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While classic cartoons from Bugs Bunny to Garfield the cat are busy getting (largely unwelcome) 21st century makeovers, it's comforting to see MGM allowing Tom & Jerry to pretty much remain themselves in a series of direct-to-videos features. Even as the stories are getting more ambitious (such as in the duo's previous release Tom & Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes [Blu-ray]), the beloved cat-and-mouse team has remained mostly unchanged.

So here we find them inserted into one of the most-loved stories of all time. For longtime fans like myself, the very title alone brings shivers of anticipation. Tom and Jerry combined with the Wizard of Oz? How can you go wrong? And as others have pointed out, this is isn't simply the L. Frank Baum "Oz" story, it's the defintive MGM film version that is being utilized.

Right there at the Gale farm among Dorothy, Toto and those hired hands, we find Tom and Jerry. And they're not just tagging along; Auntie Em tells the pair to be sure and "look out for Dorothy" right before the tornado strikes. From there, the story unfolds almost exactly as it does in the film version. This is both a great asset AND a bit of a liability, however. The only real problem I have with this otherwise entertaining and very well-animated film is that things happen a bit too fast. It's as if the writers are saying "OK, we all know what happens in Munchkinland, so we can just skip over that." And Dorothy's journey down the yellow brick road is also very abbreviated; indeed, the cat and mouse (who've picked up a Munchkin mouse, the only other real deficit here) arrive too late to see Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.

The voicework and animation are all top-notch, especially for a made-for-video feature. And if you overlook the stuff I mentioned above, you'll likely to have a good time. Like all the previous Tom & Jerry features, it's perfectly safe for kids. There's even some kid-friendly activities in the bonus materials. Oh, and be sure to watch the film with the sepia-toned opening scenes (listed here, oddly, as a bonus feature) to get the real classic Wizard of Oz effect.

Recommended for fans of T & J and The Wizard of Oz.

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Bonjour Tristesse (1958) (1958)

There are a lot of tears in the great Saul Bass opening credits and you find out why later in the film....the story is a little strange: David Niven plays a smooth talking father who cannot be faithful to any woman he is with--his teenage daughter calls him by his first name and seems to have no problem with what he is doing....very interesting film.... The video on the blu-ray is very good--mostly in color, with black and white thrown in here and there....the b/w sections of the film were supposedly filmed on color stock and then had the color removed, so these sections of the film look different from the usual b/w....the audio is very clear, and overall, a very good film....beautiful scenery, great score.... Excellent....except for David Niven's short shorts....and the girlie way he wears some of his shirts....

Classic movie and well done as a blu ray in general. A must for Niven and/or Kerr fans. 4.5 rounded down to 4

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Appleseed (2010)

This is my first review for Amazon. I've always felt that the reviews that I read were adequate to represent the movies and anime that I liked. Not this time.

I have an extensive collection of anime. Everything from the really silly stuff, filled with fan service, to the very serious classics that so many fans rave about. I'm not really into the mecha thing, though I do have a lot of it. It's the animation first that drives my interest, then its the story and the character development are close seconds.

Appleseed has all that I'm looking for in an anime, and in Spades. Great characters, a well crafted plot, and some of the best animation I have ever see. To say, as some reviewers have, that the movement in this version are unnatural,is more than unfair, it's just not true. All action is extremely lifelike, and the action scenes are the best I've ever seen. I actually found myself reversing the disc to rewatch some action repeatedly, something I never do.

I've owned this version of Appleseed a few weeks now, and I have watched it at least five times, and am looking forward to another veiwing soon.

I have relied on Amazon reveiws to decide whether or not to buy anime in the past, so I hope that this reveiw is helpful. There is a lot of good anime worth investing in, and this one is near the top of my list.

Close to the beginnings of my anime reviewing here I saw the 2001 Final Fantasy release. This set a standard for CGI that may very well never be equaled without a significant technology breakthrough. Another notable film of the period was the original Ghost in the Shell, had outstanding animation. Appleseed has much in common with both films. It shares the heavy use of CGI, and some interesting bits of underlying philosophy with Final Fantasy. And, like Ghost, it was created from a manga series from Masamune Shirow. If you're familiar with Ghost in the Shell you may very well see the world of Appleseed as that post-apocalyptic version of Ghost's, which was already unraveling.

Here the world is mostly ruined, other than a small colony composed of humans and bioroids androids whose primary function seems to be to balance humanity's tendency to self-destruct. They are indistinguishable from humans other than that they lack the ability to breed, and cannot feel anger. Yet all this is apparently to no avail. With no outer war to distract them mankind has opted for inner violence, and Olympus is torn by human fear of the bioroids.

Into this comes Deunan Knute, a deadly woman warrior who is the daughter of a woman who helped create the first bioroids, and, in the company of Briarius, and old lover who has become more machine than human, Deunan is Olympus's hope for the future. Buried within her mind is the key that will complete the bioroids, and give them the capability to love and have children. The events trigger an Armageddon like confrontation.

The story is almost successful, despite it's somewhat simplistic characterization. Director Shinji Arimaki fails to provide some needed continuity, though. The result is that important things happen off-stage and there are too many unexplained switches in the plot. Arimaki has seized the primary theme of human anger, suspicion and xenophobia, thrown in a lost of admittedly spectacular scenery and fight scenes. But he only pays lip service to the deeper questions of human nature that Shirow often addresses. The result is an vary entertaining film that just misses the mark.

That being said, it's still worth watching. There is an earlier animation film of this story that enjoys a significant cult following. I would like to see that, and look at the manga as well. There is something to this that does capture the imagination, and there's more to be found than what this film focuses on.

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Appleseed recieved a ton of hype prior to its DVD release, and for good reason. Using a new technique called 3D live action CG, the original story has been given an amazing upgrade. The story involves Deunan Knute, a beautiful but deadly soldier, who after World War III is taken to the city of Olympus (which is supposed to be a Utopia). In this city, humans coexist with the Bioroids, an advanced human clone form whose purpose is to make human existence more peaceful. When the balance of this relationship is threatened, Deunan and Briareos are the only hope to save the city of Olympus (from what I wont say). I can say that this movie is action-packed throughout, and there was never a slow moment to me. Another reviewer said that this was not a deep philosophical anime like Akira or Ghost in the Shell, and that is true. But who needs that when you have something that is so visually impressive? One complaint is that the story is too rushed. I thought it was excellent, and it has been said that a sequel is in the works. But anyway, the bottom line is that this is the most impressive CG feature I have ever seen. The characters are very easy to relate to, the action will surely please any fan that wants action in an anime, and the soundtrack in the movie is awesome.

So I bought the two-disc version in the LE tin. If you have more money the Briareos figure is a very cool thing to have. As far as the tin goes, it is high quality featuring great artwork from the movie. It is not metal like some others I have bought, and it is hard to explain. Very nice though and a must for anime fans and collectors.

There are some great extras in this loaded set compared to other anime movie releases (most come with little or no insight into the making of the film). On disk 1 is the feature film in English or Japanese. There are also previews for other Geneon releases (Samurai Champloo, Paranoia Agent, Fafner and a couple of others). Disk 2 has some pretty great extras as well. There is a behind the scenes featurette with several of the people behind the movie to start out, and it gives their opinions on Appleseed and the pros of this new animated style. It is interesting if you like that sort of thing on DVDs. There is also a concept art gallery as well as image gallery with most of the characters from the movie. Next there are 2 Japanese trailers from the thearical release of Appleseed as well as 1 U.S. trailer. "Appleseed Info" fills you in on some of the names throughout the movie and what they are, such as "Gaia", as well as character bios. Add to this a commentary track from both the director and producer, and it makes for one excellent anime DVD.

Overall this is now my favorite anime feature film (and I have seen several). The story was great and easy to understand. The action sequences with Deunan and Briareos are awesome. The songs from the movie are perfectly suited to the scene which adds to its greatness. I believe a lot of people may share my opinion upon first viewing this, but it may not appeal to everybody. Best anime movie ever? That is for you to decide. At least give it a shot, and if you become a fan then this 2 disc version is the one to own.

Read Best Reviews of Appleseed (2010) Here

I just had the privilege of watching an advance promo copy of this new version of Appleseed, and I am deeply impressed.

Simply put, it is beautiful. Hands down, the animation in Appleseed is some of the best I've ever seen; a stunning combination of computer rendering and cell animation, with mind-blowing results. It puts pretty much every other animated movie I've seen recently -from "Final Fantasy" to "The Incredibles" -to absolute shame. Those movies wish they looked this good.

The soundtrack, featuring Paul Oakenfold and Ryuichi Sakamoto among others, is also excellent. The music provides counterpoint to key scenes, but is never over the top.

The story is a solid one, peopled by believable characters and a steadily-moving plotline. Action sequences are paced nicely, and the dialogue is simple but works. My one complaint (a minor one) is that I wish that they had gotten better voice actors for some of the parts. The actress for Deunan was fine, but better actors for Briareos and Hitomi I think would have carried it a little better. Nevertheless, this was but a minor distraction in an otherwise outstanding film.

If you're a fan of Japanese animation, or animated films in general, then you must see this movie. This could well be the first in the next generation of animated movies -which would be quite fitting.

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Based on the comic book series by Masamune Shirow, APPLESEED takes place on a future Earth following a massive world war. A small zone of peace and civilization exists in Olympus, a city overseen by the supercomputer Gaia. Balance is kept via the coexistence of humans and bioroids, artificial beings with suppressed emotions (who are thus less likely to lead to dissent and more war.) But as it is human nature to fear other races, many fear a time when bioroids will control humans. It is up to skilled warrior Deunan Knute to unlock the secret from her past that will prevent a new conflict from breaking out.

This version of APPLESEED is entirely computer generated, to varying degrees of success. The outdoor night scenes look spectacular, while day and indoor scenes look rather artificial. At first I thought the human characters were hand drawn, but they too are rendered, though not as fully as those in 2001's FINAL FANTASY movie. They appear flat and doll-like next to the scenery and mechanical constructs, with their hair curiously molded. It might have been better if they had been done the old-fashioned way after all.

The film is presented on DVD in three 5.1 soundtracks: English Dolby Digital, Japanese Dolby Digital, and Japanese DTS. I'm not set up for DTS yet so I watched it with the second option, and it sounded fantastic. This is a movie you'll want to show off your surround sound system with.

Extras on the standard DVD edition include a director and producer commentary, previews for other Geneon releases, and staff biographies. You can also jump directly to the musical sequences within the film; featured artists (with biographies) include Boom Boom Satellites, Paul Oakenfold, Ryuichi Sakamoto and others. There is also an advert for the CD soundtrack, and DVD credits, but it's reaching a bit to call these extras.

This film has been rated R by the MPAA which I think is harsh. Except for a little bloody violence in the opening sequence, there's nothing in APPLESEED that wouldn't be appropriate for younger viewers, although the story may fly over their heads. If you're going to watch it around kids, you might want to just jump past the first chapter. Or not.

Despite the ambitious nature of the production, I found it left me a bit cold overall. This may be stating the obvious, since most of the characters we meet are artificial, but there is very little emotion or humanity in the story. I didn't care much about any of them. The story isn't very involving, and Deunan's ties with Olympus' origins felt contrived. It's worth renting if you're a CG enthusiast, but I can't give this a strong recommendation otherwise.

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Jet Li's Fearless (2006)

[The following review refers to the 104 minute version of `Fearless' released in Japan in March, 2006, starring Jet Li.]

`Fearless" is inspired by the life of Huo Yuan Jia, real-life Chinese martial arts master. Jet Li plays this legendary figure, whose martial arts style and fearless fight helped the people in China regain their pride in the early 20th century when China was intimidated and humiliated by the growing Western and Japanese powers.

Well, so much for the history. Now, let's talk about actions. In `Fearless' Jet Li has shown his best performance since the days he did `Once Upon A Time In China' playing the role of Wong Fei Hung, another legendary hero in China, and the fight scenes (choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping) are all fantastic, sometimes visceral, and sometimes graceful, and always powerful. Good and smooth editing and gorgeous production designs also help greatly to create the background.

[JET LI'S PHILOSOPHY] After the opening martial arts competition sequences in Shanghai, 1910, the film begins to follow the life of Huo Yuan Jia from the days he was a boy in a flashback section. Jet Li and director Ronny Yu (yes, the guy who did `Bride of Chucky' and `Freddy vs. Jason') made a wise decision in showing Collin Chou as Father of young Huo Yuan Jia because the image of charismatic Chou (previously seen in two `Matrix' sequels as body guard Seraph) as the stern father who forbids his son to fight well-represents Li's philosophy about martial arts.

Yes, `Fearless' is a first-rate martial arts action film, but the film is more than that. The film, which was released under the title of `Spirit' in Japan, has Li's message about martial arts, which impresses without being obtrusive.

Besides splendid Collin Chou, the film has assembled interesting names from in and outside of Asia: Nathan Jones as `Hercules' one of Huo Yuan Jia's opponents: Anthony De Longis as Spanish fighter: Brandon Rhea as German fighter: Masato Harada (seen in `The Last Samurai') as Mr. Mita. Debuting actress Sun Li (Betty Li) is impressive as a blind girl, and so is Dong Yong who steals the show as Huo Yuan Jia's old friend. But probably to the Western viewers the real find is the Japanese rising star Shidou Nakamura as Anno Tanaka samurai fighter. Nakamura, who will be seen Clint Eastwood's `Red Sun, Black Sand,' is already known as a talented actor in Japan, and he shows it with the brilliant fight scenes.

But the film is of course a Jet Li film, with the genuine actions that no one but he can do, and Li also succeeds in bringing life and dignity into the character of Huo Yuan Jia. As you know, it is said that `Fearless' will be the last martial arts film for Jet Li. I don't know if it is really true, but I know this is his best film in years.

When I first saw this movie (the 104 minute version we have here) in the theatre I enjoyed it very much, but I left with the nagging feeling that something wasn't right about it. A minor quibble was that a good part of the film's main climactic scene took place right at the beginning, but more bothersome to me was the fact that the film didn't seem sure of itself-like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a run-of-the mill martial arts picture, or a telling of a historical tale with an underlying philosophical message. Structurally it came across primarily as the former, but watching this in the theatre I had the nagging feeling that something much deeper was inside longing to emerge. For one thing, the 104 minute version contains very choppy editing. Great spans of history pass along in a flash. For example, during the scene where Huo is living in the village, years are supposed to have passed for him there, however one gets the feeling watching this that it has only been a few weeks. Furthermore, one simply doesn't buy, in this version of the movie, that he has really learned the lessons he is supposed to have learned-or even that the film itself has much awareness of what those lessons were. The narrative seems very rushed, as though the filmmakers simply couldn't be bothered to tell their own story and were eager for the next fight scene to come along. I remember leaving the theatre thinking that it was a good movie, but also that a better, more fulfilling story, was waiting to be told about this fascinating character. Little did I know!

Fast forward a few months to the release of this DVD. I bought it, as I said I enjoyed the movie, but when I watched it I noticed something different about the subtitles-they seemed to lack the same penetrating subtlety of perception that were found within the best scenes of the theatrical version. The two most glaring examples were during the "Tea" scene, where a very profound exchange between Huo and Tanaka gets reduced to a bunch of gibberish, and at the end, when Tanaka's manager asks him how he could say that Huo won and (in the theatrical version) he says "I know it in my heart" whereas in this version he simply mutters a threat. Again, it's still a good movie on some level, but watching this version one can't help the feeling that there is something much better within it waiting to come out.

AND THERE MOST CERTAINLY IS.

Surfing around online one night I discovered that there exists a "Director's Cut" of this movie that was released early this year (only in China though) that contained a whopping /40 minutes/ of extra footage. 40 minutes? How do you add 40 minutes to a 100 minute movie without basically making a whole new movie? This I had to find out. Fortunately I had previously hacked my DVD player to play all regions so I didn't hesitate to order the movie (which is presently only available in a region 3 compatible format). When I eventually watched the film, I came to a number of realizations.

1) This was the movie that was originally intended. It is not one of those "Director's Cuts" where loads of extra unnecessary crap is tacked on. This was the movie that was made to be seen, and it was butchered for its North American release.

2) The movie is an absolute masterpiece and currently resides in my top 5 movies of all time. I do not say this lightly. All my uneasiness about the 104 minute version evaporated entirely with this one. For one thing the structure of the narrative is greatly improved-the climactic fight scene takes place at the end (where it was always supposed to and where it feels much more natural). For another, the movie actually feels like a story now-told completely and deliberately. The bulk of the footage that was reinserted was from the movie's middle (and most important) act, where Huo is on his self-imposed exile. This version actually takes the time to flesh out Huo's relationship with Moon, and to show us exactly how the cosmic forces conspired to show him the error in his previous mode of life. One really gets the feeling watching this version, that Li's character is evolving, and the transition is very believable-we are right there beside him, taking notes. Compare this to the shorter version where everything seemed disjointed and rushed. Furthermore, the Director's Cut contains more footage of Huo as a precocious child, which does much to give us a full picture of his life and spiritual evolution. An added bonus is that the Director's Cut contains the original, vastly superior subtitles, which actually seem to have been translated by someone who understood the story, and the subtlety of the philosophy it was trying to convey.

3) Lastly, whoever edited this movie for American theatres wanted to do away with the philosophical soul of this wonderful film, and leave us with a stereotypical "Kung Fu" flick. The result was that one of the greatest movies ever made was almost totally lost. If you just want to see Jet Li dominate, watch Fist of Legend. If you want to see the spirit and essence of the martial arts captured on screen, a wonderfully told story of a very fascinating character, and a beautiful portrait of how the forces of Nature are constantly conspiring to push us ahead in our spiritual advancement-watch the Director's Cut of this film. Anything less is a waste of time.

Buy Jet Li's Fearless (2006) Now

Don't miss out on a great movie because of Universal Studios mistake!

It has been confirmed that JET LI'S FEARLESS: DIRECTOR'S CUT, Universal's highly anticipated re-release of Ronny Yu's Huo Yuanjia biopic promising nearly 40 minutes of additional footage is missing the director's cut. Released July 8th, it promised three versions of the movie, one of which was supposed to be the complete two hour and 21 minute director's cut. However, upon inspecting the two-disc release purchased from Walmart today both discs contain only 103-minute international and theatrical versions. Other readers have been e-mailing and posting messages on this site stating the same problem which suggests this defect is widespread.

Additionally, both discs appear to function erratically in my player. Disc two displays nothing but pixels and disc one periodically will not start up. I was only able to confirm the contents of disc two by using a disc burning tool. Both discs appear to be identical and the director's cut is no where to be found despite what the back cover clearly states.

Universal was unavailable for comment at the time of writing and an e-mail sent Thursday has so far gone unanswered.

At this point I would suggest that anyone who is considering buying this release to not do so until Universal releases corrected discs and issues a statement, preferably along with a recall.

For those who have already purchased the defective FEARLESS discs and are unable to return them to the store, try contacting Universal direct during normal, weekday business hours. You may also want to notify your local retailer.

Universal Home Entertainment

Phone: 818-777-1000

E-mail:

!!Attention!! !!Attention!! !!Attention!! !!Attention!!

Universal Studios Writes:

Thank you for contacting Universal Studios Home Entertainment. We strive to provide the highest standard in product quality and customer care.

Please let us know your shipping address and daytime telephone number, and we will send you a postage paid envelope in which to return your "Jet Li's Fearless Director's Cut" disc #1 for replacement. In the envelope, please send the original disc #1 only, along with a copy of this correspondence.

Please allow 1 4 weeks to receive your replacement.

We appreciate your patronage and hope that you will continue to enjoy this and future Universal releases.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Read Best Reviews of Jet Li's Fearless (2006) Here

Let me just say that I cannot wait to own this movie. It was not until after watching it, when reviewing my copy of Bruce Lee's Chinese Connection, that I realized that Jet Li's Fearless is actually the prequel to Chinese Connection. Remember in the beginning of Chinese Connection, when they're talking about their master dying from poison? Well this movie shows you what happened to their master as he grew up and learned to be one of the greatest fighters in the world.

I have seen over a hundred "kung fu" movies. Most of them were "B" movies at best, but I watched them because of the fascinating martial arts battles which took place in them.

Jet Li's Fearless is by far the greatest martial arts film I have ever seen. The story, screenplay, fight coreography, acting and action are all top of the line.

The fight scenes demonstrate a realism which pays great attention to detail and the authenticity of actual martial arts styles and limitations. They depict characters dishing out and taking a lot of punishment, which was characteristic of practitioners of the Iron Fist, Iron Palm and Iron Body disciplines of Kung Fu.

Taking place in colonial China, it is the true story of a man who stands up for his country against an oppressive regime which is bent upon their humiliation and dehumanization. After defeating a champion British boxer in a boxing ring using amazing Kung Fu techniques, the main character, played by Jet Li, is challenged to partake in a special tournament. Within this tournament, he must defeat four of the world's greatest fighters. They include both masters of weapons and bare handed fighting techniques. Let's just say that the battles between them are epic and amazingly done.

If you enjoy martial arts films, this is a must see. If you know someone who likes them, this movie will not disapoint them. Buy it today, you won't regret it. The flashy fight scenes guarantee much replay value.

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The reason I am giving this DVD 3 stars is not because the movie is bad, but because the DVD version is bad. I loved the movie itself and for the most part agree with the positive reviews that have been posted here. I have been a Jet Li fan, as well as a martial arts movie fan in general, for many years and this is by far one of Jet Li's finest films. Unfortunately, this DVD version suffers from terrible subtitling and a lack of extras for the price. There are no theatrical trailers, only one deleted scene out of many which have been written about throughout the internet, and no running commentary. But the biggest problem I had, as mentioned earlier, was the subtitling. I had watched the Chinese released DVD before the theatrical release and then watched it in the theatre. There were some differences between these two versions in regards to the translation of the Mandarin and Japanese being spoken, but for the most part were the same. However, the translation for the US released DVD is totally different in some parts and to me ruined some of the more important dialogue. One example is when Huo Yinjia is explaining his philosophy on martial arts to his soon-to-be opponent Tanaka. Also, since I understand just a tad bit of Japanese I knew that some of the translations on this DVD were way off the mark and ruined the overall feeling of those scenes. This was not the case of the Chinese released DVD and the US theatrical release. Again, I'd like to make it very clear that the movie itself was awesome and would rate 5 stars in book. The 3 star rating is for the US released DVD. Whether you saw the movie in the theatre or want to watch it for the first time, I'd stay clear of this version and go to your local Chinatown or Ebay and purchase the Chinese version of the DVD. How or why they did such a poor job on the translation compared to the US theatrical release and the Chinese DVD is a mystery to me.

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Bolt (Three-Disc Edition w/ Standard DVD + Digital Copy + BD Live) (2008)

"Bolt" really blew me away; this is the first time that I have seen a CGI film that shows a level of mastery that allows the visual artistry of the film to be the driver rather than the capabilities of the computer. The characters have the typical CGI look--extremely well rendered, with the 3D type look you'd expect. However, the backgrounds have the look of a traditional painting. Art Director Paul Felix should be commended for this mixing of styles which works out extremely well. The overall lighting, colors, and style of this film are its hallmark in my opinion. The story is really not anything that will blow you away; in fact, it is somewhat predictable; however, with the characterizations, action sequences, visual quality, and the vocal talents behind the characters, "Bolt" becomes a must-see.

In a nutshell: Bolt (John Travolta) is a super-hero canine...at least in his own mind and to TV viewers everywhere. In order to protect his performance and keep it "real," TV execs have sheltered Bolt and he believes that what he accomplishes on his show is all done on his own, not through special effects. Bolt is deeply devoted to his human costar, Penny, a little girl (Miley Cyrus), who is also deeply devoted to him as well. Mistakenly thinking that Penny is in danger at the hands of the TV villains, Bolt escapes his trailer and finds himself in the real world, where his super powers are not so super. He accidentally gets shipped to NYC, and thinks that the pink styrofoam peanuts clinging to his fur are the cause of his loss of power. With the help of a hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton) and a street-tough kitten, Mittens (Susie Essman, who is FANTASTIC!), Bolt must find his way back to Hollywood and his beloved Penny. It is a tale of growth, maturity, and love; again, nothing really earth-shattering, but in this recycled tale that we have seen in other movies, it is done so well that you forgive the studio for its predictability.

BONUS MATERIAL:

"Super Rhino" (4:27)--Rhino the hamster gets the spotlight in this animated short focusing on him. Cute!

Deleted Scenes: 2 deleted scenes ("Dog Fight in Vegas" and "River Sequence") with introductions by directors Chris Williams and Byron Howard. They are both shown in storyboard form and neither is really missed from the final picture. They were not used mainly because they wanted to heighten the emotional level of Bolt finding out about his lack of powers.

"In Session with John Travolta & Miley Cyrus" (:59)--This one is like a blip on the radar...very short! Interviews with both stars as they get ready to sing the duet from the movie "I Thought I Lost You." They are truly a mutual admiration society, with Travolta comparing Cyrus to the appeal of Olivia Newton John in "Grease."

"I Thought I Lost You" Music Video--Interspersed with footage of Travolta & Cyrus and clips from the film.

Bolt's Be-Awesome Mission--High def video game is somewhat more challenging and fun than the typical Disney video game extra. Begin at level 1, The Burning Warehouse and see how far you can progress! Takes a little bit of mastering of the controls on the remote.

"A New Breed of Directors: A Filmmakers' Journey" (4:34)-The two directors discuss what it was like to make "Bolt," and how John Lasseter was a great mentor and guide in the process. Fun to see the gigantic plastic hamster ball that the animators played in to diffuse tensions around the office. Obviously great camaraderie was apparent with the team, as they also stopped shaving in unison during the last 9-10 weeks of work on the film.

"Act, Speak! The Voices of Bolt" (9:47)--Always interesting to see how each actor has to record their lines independently, making the process of playing off the other characters next to impossible. Really takes talent to make it work. Travolta began in voicework (commercials), so this was a return to his roots. He comments that "You can only contribute your voice...the most exciting this was seeing the marriage with the animation." Mark Walton, a Disney animation team member, did the scratch voice of Rhino, and was so perfect that he was cast in the final movie. The actual video of him finding this news out is touching to watch as you see his unbridled enthusiasm. Susie Essman ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"), the voice of Mittens, was excited to show her method acting skills, but was told by the Disney team to be herself. They wanted a tough kitten with a New York accent. As Susie says, "It's just me." Disappointingly enough, she never met Travolta during her recording sessions, even though practically every scene in the movie involves her character interacting with Travolta's.

Bolt Art Galleries: Character Design, Color Script, Storyboard Art, and Visual Development. Sure is fantastic to see this great pieces of art filling up a widescreen high-def TV. The quality is really amazing, and sure beats the old days of DVD when art gallery images were in low-res and fairly tiny.

"Creating the World of Bolt" (6:45): The amazing work of art director Paul Felix and lighting director Adolph Lusinsky is detailed here. They actually visited the many locations across the country to make sure that they were able to capture the light of each unique scenic setting. Felix wanted the painterly looks of traditionally animated Disney films, and he definitely succeeds. Interesting to watch this featurette.

Also included:

Digital Copy disc and a DVD of the feature with all the bonus features except the art gallery and video game.

SPECS:

Video: 1080p High Def/1.78:1. Disney is to be commended for having high-def extras as well. Whereas most studios go to the usual crappy video quality, Disney consistently upgrades even the extras. Especially enjoyable for the video game.

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit) and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. I actually had to turn the volume down a bit, as this movie really gives the speakers a work-out. Sound comes out of all your speakers, and with a number of action sequences, the subwoofer really rumbles! Extremely impressive! Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish.

BOLT is the story of a dog who, in a TRUMAN SHOW way, is convinced from birth that he lives the life of a fictional TV show and proves his real-life worth to the world and himself. Bolt is a movie that was convinced by the U.S box office receipts that it was an underachiever when in reality it is one of the finest of Disney's recent animated features. Much speculation has surrounded the reasons for the grosses, two being the marketing angles and its competition on the same premiere weekend.

It was nominated for an Academy Award, it's a smash in the United Kingdom and is sure to hit big on DVD, especially in this nicely-packaged edition. If you're fortunate enough to have a Blu-Ray player, the magnificent artistry described in the bonus features will be especially apparent. There is a fine series of mini-documentaries about the making of the film and a very funny new short, SUPER RHINO, starring the breakout character, though the pop culture reference at the film's conclusion will become as dated as a MONKEES throwback. I suppose that's okay because it's a short and not the film itself.

And the film itself is very entertaining. While there is always comment about whether the voice work of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus was any better than that of an actor who specializes in voice work, they did not phone in their performances. Travolta enthusiastically treated this role as if it was his big break, when he could have done otherwise. And it's nice to hear the duo sing together.

The supporting characters, and their voices, steal the movie, which is nothing new in Disney films, including those from Walt's day. In addition to Disney artist-turned-voice artists Mark Walton (you have to love the guy when you see his reaction on the bonus material after getting the role) as Rhino the Hamster, Susie Essman is marvelous as Mittens (which was our cat's name too!). Even Diedrich Bader, whose voice work deserves more acclaim, makes the most of a very small role in the early portion of the film.

There are three versions of BOLT on DVD/Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray version offers the movie in dazzling, wondrous glory on a Blu-Ray disc along with the extras, plus a standard DVD of the film plus a digital disc for free downloading. If you want the extras on standard DVD, you'll need the Deluxe DVD edition, which includes all of the above except Blu-Ray. There is also a standard single-disc DVD edition.

Buy Bolt (Three-Disc Edition w/ Standard DVD + Digital Copy + BD Live) (2008) Now

I wasn't expecting Bolt to be this much fun. I kept laughing out loud. One touching part late in the film made me tear up. And the visuals are virtuoso.

The story has lots of familiar touches. Its road trip plot channels The Incredible Journey. Pooch Bolt sincerely thinks he has true superhero powers, much like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. The truth is that he is on a television series, and has been living a lie most of his life (The Truman Show, anyone?) His human, a preteen girl named Penny, is a child actress, although she truly loves Bolt and longs to give him a normal doggie life.

Although the plot could have been stronger, the visual effects and look of the film are amazing. I kept being distracted by the perfection on the screen. My poor daughter, who went with me to see the movie when it was released in theaters, had to endure me continually tapping her arm, saying "Did you see that?! The smoke looks REAL!" or "The rust on the train looks PERFECT!"

A number of scenes use techniques I learned about watching a Pixar documentary on the Wall-E DVD. It's about the imperfect lens, or how cameras have inherent limitations. Animation of course doesn't use cameras in the traditional way. Yet in Bolt you see example after example of the filmmakers enhancing the reality of the movie by building in imperfections that don't have to be there. For instance, in one shot Bolt looks up at the sunny sky. The screen shows the squared-off circles you'd see if you pointed a camera's lens into the sun. The film also uses variable depth of field, much like a cameraman does when shooting a live-action movie. It's as if a camera is adjusting its lens as the scene progresses.

Bolt is voiced by John Travolta, and Penny by Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus. Both these likable actors delivered true-life, believable characters. They even sing together in the closing duet, "I Thought I'd Lost You."

Read Best Reviews of Bolt (Three-Disc Edition w/ Standard DVD + Digital Copy + BD Live) (2008) Here

I'm going to go out on a HUGE limb here and say that the film that should have won that 2008 Oscar for Best Animated Feature was `Bolt'. I know, I know; `Wall-E' is wonderful, but for me that particular film falls a bit short with it's unoriginal and wildly clichéd ending (besides, of Pixar's three year winning streak, `Wall-E' was BY FAR the weakest link). `Bolt', while not free from its own set of clichés, never once disappointed me. I laughed, I cried, I was concerned, I was intrigued, I was tense, I was jovial; everything I could have ever wanted in a cartoon (NO, never use that word) was found in `Bolt'.

The film tells the story of Bolt, a television super-dog who doesn't realize he isn't really a super-dog. He has been raised to fully believe he has superpowers and that his `person' Penny is truly in danger. So, when the television studio takes a risk and decides to leave the audience with a cliffhanger (Penny's capture by the evil Dr. Calico), Bolt escapes into the real world in order to rescue Penny himself.

Once in the real world, Bolt soon realizes that he is far from the super-dog he thought he was. What he learns though, is that he is an even bigger super-dog than the television show let-on.

This lovely little film definitely wins points for addressing the emptiness of celebrity without every going over the top ("nope, never seen him before in my life"). It also would certainly make PETA very happy with its stern take on the abandonment of animals (I actually teared up during Mittens' big reveal). At heart though, this film is all about the power of love and loyalty (dogs are noted for their loyalty). The film teaches the valuable lesson that, if we believe, we can achieve. Bolt suffers a huge blow when he realizes his powers are fake, but the real power he possesses is his heart, and that `weapon' is more powerful than any super-bark could be.

The film manages to evoke a lot of emotional responses, and it understands how to make everything fit together well. The film has its intense moments, which could be a tad scary for kids, but the overall feel to the film is a jovial and heartwarming one. The films opening is particularly well done (it's like a movie inside a movie), but the high opening doesn't give way to any sort of a let-down.

The film just keeps getting better and better.

The voice work here is also great. John Travolta has a voice suited for this kind of work. I was pleasantly surprised. Miley is rather unrecognizable, but whatever (she's not really in the film too much). For me, the standouts were Mark Walton and Susie Essman. They were hysterical, and Essman had the right amount of earnestness to make her character's arc truly touching.

Yes, this film has its share of clichés (I mean, Rhino is a cliché in himself, but a really funny one), and the Hollywoodized happy ending was expected (this is a film about Hollywood in a way) but it is also totally welcome here. This film embraces and embellishes its own faults to make something beautiful out of them.

Like I said, this film, for me, was better than `Wall-E'.

Want Bolt (Three-Disc Edition w/ Standard DVD + Digital Copy + BD Live) (2008) Discount?

This movie did not do well at the theatre, due to some people being upset at a director change during the filming of the movie. But, for those of us unconcerned with office politics and more concerned with quality entertainment for our kids, this is a great little movie. Lessons about loyalty, friendship, understanding and bravery are deftly taught. Kids love it and it's very funny. As Mikey says, "Try it, you'll like it!"

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Zodiac (2013)

As the beginning of any new year rolls around, after awards season, there tends to be a significant drop off in quality or what you might call serious drama. Usually we're left with crowd pleasing, if not critically acclaimed comedy, or low budget horror until the kickoff of the summer season. There are a few gems that sneak in once in a while (perhaps the most notorious was "Silence of the Lambs" with its oddly timed Valentine's opening), but as a generalization--this is true more often than not. So David Fincher's "Zodiac," which make no mistake is a drama and not a thriller, is a welcome respite from traditional fare released at this time of the year. Fincher, who made an artistic splash with "Se7en," "The Game," and "Fight Club," had been noticeably absent since hitting it big with the more routine "Panic Room" in 2002. Eschewing the sensationalistic approaches a film of this type might employ, Fincher has crafted a sprawling and ambitious investigative drama about the men whose lives were changed in the obsessive hunt for a serial killer known only as Zodiac.

For those unfamiliar with the story, I will borrow an excerpt from my review on "The Zodiac" (a lesser film that covers some of the same ground, but concentrating more on Zodiac's earlier murders in Vallejo). "Over a period of years during the sixties and seventies, the San Francisco area was plagued by a series of seemingly random murders perpetuated by a man known only as the Zodiac killer. Using the press and taunting the police, Zodiac became one of the more prominent "celebrity" serial killers with his need to be in the spotlight." Fincher's film focuses primarily on three major characters, although a huge cast contributes to this complex tale. There is David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) who is the lead police investigator when the Zodiac moved to San Francisco, Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) who is the star reporter covering the case for the San Francisco Chronicle, and Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is a cartoonist at the Chronicle who becomes obsessed with the case. In fact, Graysmith's obsession turned into the book which serves as source material for this film.

Clearly, the strongpoint of the film is in the performances. Downey is impeccable in self destructive mode, recapturing some of the energy and unpredictability that made him a star in the first place. Ruffalo is great, persistence turning into frustration. But it is Gyllenhaal who makes the greatest transformation from an awkward youth to someone willing to sacrifice everything to pursue an obsession. The immense cast of supporting characters are, also, well written and beautifully performed. It is in the details of the script that characters, even with limited screen time, leave a lasting and believable impression. The film, which spans decades, recreates the time frame accurately. The art direction, in particular, is spectacular when viewing this city of the recent past.

The story, itself, is a procedural recounting years of work trying to locate Zodiac. Again, the script is so detailed that you really feel as if you are following the action in the same step by step fashion that the real participants must have. "Zodiac," ultimately, is a smart film. It trusts that you will follow its logic, and perhaps even draw some conclusions of your own. It paints a picture of who Toschi and Graysmith believed to be Zodiac (despite evidence to the contrary), but the film is open-ended enough for you to accept this position or discount it entirely. There is plenty of intrigue as the investigation leads to unlikely places, some chilling recreations of Zodiac's killings, but most of all--real drama about real people. A great adult picture. At over 2 1/2 hours, it's a commitment--but one well worth it. KGHarris, 03/07.

loved every bit of this the time flew by, and the quality of the BD is awesome looks and sounds beautiful

Buy Zodiac (2013) Now

very informative wonderful actors, kept intrest, some was scary but it was for real hope he is dead now for sure

Read Best Reviews of Zodiac (2013) Here

"Zodiac" is brilliant! One of the best films of the year, thus far. The performances led by Jake Gyllenhaal (as Robert Graysmith, who also wrote the book that inspired the movie), Mark Ruffalo (as Inspector David Toschi, who also served as an inspiration behind the film "Bullitt" (1968) with Steve McQueen) and an impressive Robert Downey Jr. (as Paul Avery) are excellent. The directing by David Fincher (who has also directed "Seven" (1995) & "Panic Room" (2002) is excellent. The screenplay by James Vanderbilt (based on Graysmith's book) is excellent. The music by David Shire (who did the score to "All The President's Men" (1976) is excellent and the use of 70's songs are excellent. The cinematography by Harris Savides (who also did the cinematography to Fincher's "The Game" (1997) is excellent. The film editing by Angus Wall (who also film edited Fincher's "Panic Room" & Fincher's upcoming "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" (2008) is excellent. The casting by Laray Mayfield (who also film edited Fincher's "Fight Club" (1999), "Panic Room", & the upcoming "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" is excellent. The production design by Donald Graham Burt (who also did the upcoming "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button") is excellent. The art direction by Keith P. Cunningham is excellent. The set decoration by Victor J. Zolfo (who also did the upcoming "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button") is excellent. The costume design by Casey Storm is excellent. This is Fincher's best film since "Seven", and yes, it is overlong, but it is interesting and it makes you think and keeps you intrigued.

Want Zodiac (2013) Discount?

This movie is well made, and I think this film was definitely oscar worthy, but was mistakenly passed over when Awards considerations were being done. David Fincher did a great job telling this true story based on the book by Robert Graysmith. Although the Graysmith book has some holes and question marks, and focuses in on his suspect, the movie is divided up equally between the crimes, the investigation, and various suspects. If you are planning to watch a 'slasher flick', this is NOT the movie for you, in fact, the first 30 minutes or so of the movie shows the murders, and the remaining two hours focuses on the hunt for the killer, and the obsession that overtakes those involved in trying to identify the Zodiac Killer. It may be a bit slow for some, but if you are heavily interested in the case, then it moves along quickly from one storyline to the next.

The bonus footage is fantastic,and features interviews with those who were directly involved in the case, as well as a complete breakdown of the crimes and a segment devoted to Graysmith's suspect.

The Blu ray quality is pretty good as well, and I was happy to finally buy it at a reasonable price considering it has been out of print for quite a while.

All in all, this is one of my Favorite movies, and although I do not agree with some of the conclusions reached at the end of the movie (as far as a suspect),I am happy to refer anybody to this movie!

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Howards End (The Criterion Collection) (1992)

This movie is a must-watch for everyone who loves meaningful dramas. The cast is first-rate, the acting brilliant all round. Emma Thompson gave a definitely Oscar-worthy portrayal of a gentlewoman, Margaret Schlegel who is generous, honest, kind but torn between love for her sister, Helen (played by Helena Bonham Carter) and her pompous-and-brute-of-a-husband, Henry Wilcox (played by Anthony Hopkins). At the centre of the story is Howard's End, the beautiful country house/cottage which is a Wilcox's family jewel.

The story reminds me of an Asian belief that if something is meant to be yours (eg. Howard's End rightfully belongs to Margaret as it was actually "willed" to her by the first Mrs Wilcox before she died), then you will get it in the end, no matter what. Everything comes a full circle in the end, that's what it means.

This is one of the best period dramas I've ever watched it's definitely worth your 2-1/2 hours.

BRILLIANT!

I have loved this movie since I was a teenager. As far as Edwardian-set period films go, this is definitely one of the all time best. That's why it breaks my heart that after months of anticipating owning this film in high definition, the final product that I received is of extremely poor quality to say the least.

Unfortunately, it appears that there is a major issue with either the way this disc is being pressed over at Criterion or the way the HD master is being transferred onto the Blu-ray. The picture on my copy is FILLED with digital noise and snow. It's not just a mild amount that might have proved mildly distracting, but a thick layer of white grain that looks as if I'm peering through a blizzard.

I logged on to amazon earlier today to see if anyone else was having this same issue and sure enough, others are reporting the same problem on varying levels. The issue is definitely not with my player. I have a magnificent Oppo BDP-83 which always delivers the finest High Definition picture possible on my new Samsung LCD. Should I return my defective disc in hopes of receiving a corrected copy or just inquire about receiving a full refund? I'm really not sure, but I am certainly sad that I am being deprived of enjoying one of my favorite films due to a production error from the otherwise phenomenal Criterion collection.

Buy Howards End (The Criterion Collection) (1992) Now

The filmmaking duo of Merchant-Ivory score yet again with this wonderful rendition of the E. M. Forster novel. There are many ideas that flow smoothly throughout the film: how fate has a way of catching up; how what is meant to be will be; how one can pay for the consequences of one's acts in totally unimagined ways. But beyond being a thought provoking film, this film also succeeds at every level as just a film. The absolute top acting talent is used for every role, with Emma Thompson deservedly winning the Oscar for hers. Anthony Hopkins renders the British capitalist of this time period flawlessly. His best line is, "The poor are poor because they are and there you have it." This is said in dismissing the plight of a young man to whom he gave the wrong advice. The opening scenes with Vanessa Redgrave and Emma Thompson showcase two different generations of English acting powerhouses on stage and screen. They are a delight to watch together. The costumes are out of this world and were obviously well researched and made to conform to every detail of the period. The same is done with the settings both in London and the country so that you feel as if you are back in that era yourself.

Read Best Reviews of Howards End (The Criterion Collection) (1992) Here

As a motion picture industry professional, I am appalled at this transfer. Given the overall flatness of the base image, it was obvious that the transfer was from the original negative, or internegative (IP/IN). There is extreme noise in the shadows, manifested by a breathing oscillation in those areas, as if the Criterion/DI colorist was working with bad calibration parameters and either deliberately or unwittingly jacking up the shadows to an extreme and artificial level.

It is unwatchable.

I would have given it a rating of zero stars, but that was not an option in the dropdown textbook.

What is wrong with Criterion, anyway? Their black-and-white transfers (SEVENTH SEAL and 8 1/2) are utterly sublime. On my Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma I feel as if these films have that wonderful motion picture film-theater look-and-feel. Color materials, however, seem to be problematic for them; THE LAST EMPEROR was abominable: blown out highlights and very murky shadows.

Scott Brock

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This movie is pitch perfect in almost all respects. It is beautiful to look at,the parts are all well cast and the acting is brilliant. The happy redeeming ending made me feel good about myself and life though it comes after several tragic events. Some important themes are well examined in the plot and though melodramatic the story is well told and holds the viewer's interest throughout. I had to read the book after seeing the movie and was surprised how very faithful the movie was to it. The book and movie really enhance each other!

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The Firm (1993)

Okay, so Tom Cruise gets a job at a Memphis law firm, right? We've all read the book or seen the movie, so how does one recommend this to one uninitiated?

Cruise puts in a solid performance, again playing his guy-who-doesn't-catch-on-for-a-while character he does so well. Sydney Pollack is a great mainstream director, and he pushes all the buttons, as well as giving us a great cast including Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Jeanne Tripplehorn, David Straithairn, Gary Busey, Hal Holbrook, and Wilford Brimley.

Top-notch acting all around, with especially good turns by Brimley and Hunter, playing against type. Hackman is always good to watch and he does a terrific job of making Avery Tolar a likeable guy in spite of his faults. I suppose the most amazing job was done by David Straithairn, who, with less than ten minutes of screen time, paints an indelible portrait of Ray McDeere, Cruise's convict brother. He is the most likeable character in the film.

The plot is the standard rising-above-conflict stuff. Watch this movie (again) for the performances, or for the fine score from Dave Grusin and try to ignore the changes from the book (which I think were justified in making the ending more cinematic and Hollywood).

Nothing can be better than "The Firm" written by John Grisham, who himself is a lawyer. The attentions to details that Grisham manages to pull are just fantastic. I read the book before watching the movie, and hence can compare and tell that the movie has been directed perfectly and in fact a lot more interesting than the book, as the book gets slow in between, but not the movie.

Cruise's is superb, so are the other actors in this movie. I don't know why people have given negative reviews by comparing it with real life scenarios. This is a movie based on a fiction novel, and as rightly said by one of reviewer here;it does its job by entertaining the audiences.

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One of the best things about The Firm, is that it doesn't insult the viewer's intelligence by labouring the point. The film and plot are developed through visuals as well as dialogue. From other reviews here, I gather that viewers used to having film plots spoon-fed to them may find this challenging or confusing, but I prefer it. If necessary, try watching the film twice. It is certainly good enough for a repeat viewing.

I'm not a Tom Cruise fan, nor a John Grisham reader, but this is the kind of role he is well suited to. The supporting cast is excellent, excellent, excellent. The film is well paced and the locations, cinematography and soundtrack all combine to create an enjoyable and suspenseful film.

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This is the first novel of John Grisham and like the movie, it's very strong in characters and dialogue. At the time he wrote it, there was some pretty good attempts at making good 'lawyer' movies. "Witness for the Prosecution" comes to mind. And we had uncovered a whole raft of great new mystery writers like Parker, Crais, Lehane, George, and Grafton. But the legal-mystery novel was uncharted land and Grisham plowed it over with a passion. How was Grisham to know that like the fall of communism had given "evil empire" writers like Len Deighton and John LeCarre fits, eventually the public would tire at lawyers, even laughing at them?

Nevertheless, it's a good book and also an excellent movie. If there are drawbacks, then truthfully there are some areas that require a little trust. The lawfirm itself for example. Sexual misconduct in a lawfirm? Sure. Misconduct in billing? Always. Stealing from the evidence locker of ill gotten gains? Occasionally. But murdering associates who try to leave? I don't think so. (But it does give Department of Justice cop Ed Harris a great line in the movie, "McDeere, no one has left your firm alive!")

The movie has a solid script and a great cast to carry it. The lovely Jeanne Tripplehorn, the this time not very grandfatherly Wilfred Brimley, Holly Hunter, always a hoot, Gary Busey, Hal Holbrook and Law and Order's Steven Hill, to mention a few. And Tom Cruise as always doing a powerful job who suddenly realizes that the pot of gold at the end of his and Abbey's rainbow has a HAZMAT sticker on it that he's overlooked. Cruise is just great. A true Hitchkockian character, the average man with no where to run.

What would you do if you found that the company you had waited for all your life was evil from top to bottom? That's The Firm. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

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When I saw this movie many years ago I fell in love with both the simplicity and the complexity of the plot. Based on John Grisham's bestseller and being a person who loves the 'twist' in a story, this was captured beautifully in "The Firm". Excellent acting overall with a number of famous faces including Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Gene Hackman to name a few. This has to be one of my favourite Cruise movies and is well worth purchasing if you haven't seen it before. The colour on the Blu-ray was superb with only a minor black blotching in one night scene the rest was perfect. I would rate it 5/5 for picture clarity and 10/10 overall. Well worth buying.

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Men in Black 3 (Blu Ray + 2 DVD + Digital Copy) (Blu Ray Case) (2012)

I get out to the theater to see a movie about once per year; I'm now a slave to the Blu Ray home entertainment era. However, I did something this Memorial Day weekend that I haven't done in over 20 years: I went to the theater twice in 2 days (with my kids) to see The Avengers and Men in Black III. And neither of the movies let me down; both were excellent.

While The Avengers is getting high marks from the critics, I am very surprised by the so-so reviews that MiB III is getting. I'm glad that I went to the theater, because the abundance of "just average" reviews might have even deterred me from putting MiB III in my rental queue. I'm here to say don't be deterred.

MiB III was almost as good as the original MiB (and the original MiB was classic), and MiB III was better than MiB II...wayyyy better. The best part for young audiences that may not have seen the predecessors from 15 years and 10 years ago respectively, is that MiB III stands alone as a great movie....There's no need to have had to have seen either of the first two in order to fully enjoy MiB III. Although it does help mainly to see how effectively awesome Josh Brolin is at capturing the essence of Agent K that we all know as Tommy Lee Jones; and I suppose that it also helps to establish the dynamic of the bond between Agent K and Agent J (Will Smith).

So MiB III is a fun blast from the past...or should I say blast into the past. In 1969 Agent K maims, arrests and has bad guy Boris the Animal thrown into an intergalactic maximum security prison...on the moon. But 43 years apparently gave Boris a long enough time to figure out how to escape. But escaping is not all that's on Boris' mind; he jumps back in time to 1969 to change history and murder Agent K. So when he succeeds it's up to Agent J (Will Smith) to jump back a little further in time to stop Boris.

As I mentioned earlier, Josh Brolin really makes you believe that you're seeing a young Tommy Lee Jones, or should I say young Agent K. The personality differences and dialogue between Brolin and Smith are amusing to watch, and some of Smith's scenes with and without Brolin are out-and-out hilarious.

Comedy Writer Etan Cohen (not to be confused with popular Writer/Director Ethan Coen) teams up with MiB veteran Director Barry Sonnenfeld to deliver a movie that's funny, witty and fun for the whole family. At a run time of just over 90 minutes I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

So do indeed get out to see Men in Black III; at minimum get it into your viewing queue. For me, it will be preordered, viewed again on Blu Ray, and sit in my collection next to MiB I & II.

After the apocalypse of Independence Day and the epics of Star Wars and Star Trek, the sci-fi field was ripe for a spoof. Men in Black was the DEFINITIVE spoof of the sci-fi genre when it came out, an entertaining balance of light-hearted drama, action, and wacky comedy. The sequel...wasn't quite on the same level of film-making, lacking a smart script, and showing just what happens when Sonnenfeld gets carried away with drenching his stars in colored goo. And now act three rolls out and we have...

"I promised the secrets of the universe, nothing more."

After the insanity of the previous two Men in Black movies, everything moves in a different direction this time around...fourth dimensionally. When I heard that this movie would be all about time travel, and when I heard that the script was generated in a huge rush so that they could get the movie out on time, I expected the worst. I was VERY pleasantly surprised this time around. The basic plot revolves around an evil alien who sets out for vengeance on K using time travel to erase him, so that he simultaneously kills his nemesis and sets in motion the destruction of Earth in the present. A simple premise, but the execution of said premise SHINES.

"Here, take this, and all you have to do is jump."

From the get-go this movie has fun with all the old and new sci-fi tropes. J has to time jump by literally jumping off a building (Girl Who Leapt Through Time anyone?) in a great super-cartoony CGI sequence that I'm SURE would have been awesome to see in 3D. When he actually gets to 1969 there's everything from a GIANT neutralizer that doesn't quite look safe, to new gadgets that result in some awesome action sequences (unicycle speeders and rocket packs). And naturally all the typical 1960's stereotypes are toyed and joked with, but in most cases this is very well done, while at the same time giving us subtle clues into the nature of K and his relationships through a new perspective.

"I am getting too old for this. I can only imagine how YOU feel."

It cannot be overstated how PERFECT Josh Brolin is as young K. He manages to be super-serious in that Jack Webb style while simultaneous displaying the same chemistry with Will Smith's agent K. He delivers his lines with perfect comic timing, and gives his character a lot of heart. Will Smith might be sleep-walking through the role, but he's got some GREAT lines this time around, and it's obvious he's having a great time with the role. The rest of the cast likewise does a great job with their roles, and keeps things light-hearted and fun (with only a few dead gags here and there).

"Do you know what is the most destructive power in the universe?" "Sugar?"

This movie is big, bright, and beautiful. It was clearly designed to be viewed in IMAX 3D and it shows. Everything is just so vivid and well-framed, and crystal clear. It really makes a nice change from the very darkly lit and darkly framed films that have been popular the past few years. And as my wife commented to me right after the movie finished, most movies are SUPPOSED to be fun, light, and leave you feeling good when you exit the theater. They are supposed to ENTERTAIN you (at least that's the lesson I got from Sullivan's Travels, your mileage may vary). There's room for every kind of movie, but this kind does what movies were meant to do in the first place. MIBIII is FUN, and it has a lot of heart. The end of the movie really and truly surprised me. The climax of the time travel plot results in a plot revelation that was not only NOT stupid, but actually was heart-warming (giving you a HUGE character development twist on K that I never saw coming). That's just plain good film making. Not to mention awesome little surprises that are purely the result of good writing (an accidental time jump turning the tables on a one-sided fight) and excellent direction.

"You got some city miles on you."

Some people might start watching this movie feeling like I did, that the franchise was really looking like it was running out of gas. I was thrilled to find that MIBIII is now my favorite film the series. It's a great comedy with wonderful comic timing, a great adventure with lots of great action sequences, and its got more character, charm, and heart than anything else in the series yet. I will definitely buy it when it comes out on Blu-Ray and would recommend any fans of the series do the same.

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When I viewed MIB, I thought it was very funny and highly entertaining. When I viewed MIB2, I felt as if something was missing and did not find it as enjoyable as MIB. I found MIB3 to be the Best of the 3 films, the most entertaining and the most enjoyable science fiction movie I've seen in a long time. The aliens are fascinating, and many credits go to creativity. The time jump will grab your interest as we wonder which future will occur? The acting performance of Brolin and Michael Stuhlburg is superb, they are indeed mesmerizing! The impression of Tommy Lee Jones is incredible and the creatures are visually appealing. Overall, the perfect movie to see with a huge bag of buttered-popcorn!

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I definitely enjoyed seeing this movie. Now, I have to admit that when I saw this movie in the theater, I had only very recently seen the first movie in the trilogy. I have not yet seen the 2nd one. However, I was still able to legitimately laugh at certain parts of this one. When I go to a movie, I don't usually expect to be blown away by how good or bad a movie is. I didn't really get blown away by this one, but at the same time, I was never anxious to know how much more time was left in the movie. There were a few slightly grotesque things shown, but that's to be expected in a movie like this, considering what happened in the first movie, and the fact that it's a sci-fi movie. The thing that surprised me the most was that there were a few touching scenes sprinkled into it--most notably toward the end of the movie. If you're looking for a somewhat light-hearted, sci-fi comedy, then I highly recommend checking this film out.

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And oh my, did Josh Brolin nail it! Loved the insights it gave us into their histories. No spoilers, it was just very cool. Of course, this is the third one so we expect certain things and there is no way it will be as fresh as the first one. But I was delighted with the movie and recommend it.

The Thomas Crown Affair (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1999)

It was hard to see how the original could be bettered and perhaps it hasn't, but it has certainly been equalled in a modern version. Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway have contempary peers in Brosnan & Russo and the direction and effects of the film are just stylish as the earlier version. The original now looks a little dated with its split screen effects and the clothes of the time, but it still manages to look good. What is wonderful about this, well I suppose it is a remake, is that is not a remake. It stands on its own and comparison with the original is not relevant, to be familiar with the original is a bonus as there are a number of very clever and subtle connections made, even to the "Windmills of you mind" theme running though a number of scenes, most notably the very sensual dance which replaces the only erotic chess game I have ever seen. The writers and director must have had a soft spot for the Thomas Crown character who gets off with a much happier ending than the McQueen version. This is also destined to be a classic film that one can watch again and again and I suspect pick up new subtleties at each viewing.

I usually do not like remakes, but John McTiernan's 1999 version of "The Thomas Crown Affair," with the "oh so sexy" Pierce Brosnan, and sultry Renee Russo, (women definitely notice mega-sex appeal in another woman), is a knock-out escapist film. Many may disagree with me, but I enjoyed it more than the original 1968 movie with Steve McQueen, who I love, and Faye Dunaway. Ms Dunaway does have a cameo role here as Crown's therapist

This is entertainment, with a capital "E," at its best. Nothing deep, or arty, but after a hard day's work, relatively mindless fun is frequently good even terrific! Thomas Crown, (Brosnan), please allow me to repeat myself, is drop-dead sexy, handsome, rich as Croesus, an expert businessman, cultured, exudes power in a nice-guy (but nevertheless ruthless) kinda way, and he's Available!! I won't go on, but you get the picture. However, as a man who has almost everything, Crown wants some more excitement in his life. He plans, so cleverly, to steal a priceless Monet painting from New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Of course he succeeds. Watching the brilliant execution of the theft is worth the price of the rental alone. Crown loves the painting but he loves the challenge of acquiring it more.

Enter the glorious Ms. Russo, called Catherine Banning here. She is a tough, insurance investigator who, as far as pushovers go, was not born yesterday. I read that Russo actually consulted with a professional dominatrix in order to prepare for her role as the aggressive, ever so seductive Ms. Banning. She zeros in on Crown in no time, while turning the NYPD detective heading the case into quivering Jello. He notices, by the way, that apart from being a super detective, she's really easy on the eyes.

There are capers the first one and the last, (with a touch of Magritte), are best. There is love. There's even a remarkable see-through dress, which moves with the body wearing it, to a hot Latin beat; a steamy scene on a staircase; and a fabulous, must-have soundtrack. Most importantly, in a film like this one, the chemistry between Russo and Brosnan is unbelievably outrageous! As in comedy, timing in love and sex is everything and the timing here is perfect. Both control freaks lose their cool. I must say that everything is done tastefully, with lots of humor. The script is intelligent and witty.

I really enjoyed this movie. It's a terrific date flick too!

JANA

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This was one of the great movies of summer 99. Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo star in the remake of the 1968 Steve McQueen& Faye Dunaway movie The Thomas Crown Affair. Which personally i think the remake is so much better. This version is helmed by action ature John McTiernan who is best known for Die Hard. Shows that he isn't just an action director he can direct a romance. But what makes this movie work is the chemistry between Brosnan and Russo who sizzle and light up the screen. Pierce Brosnan who is very handsome and Rene Russo is gorgeous they are both awsome.

The script by By Kurt Wimmer and Leslie Dixon is very good and there is really never a boring part in it. The script develops the characters well and the heist scene in the art museum was really well done. The photography is great so is the jazzy music from Composer Bill Conti. Oh you can't forget the small but funny role by Faye Dunaway who was in the original. Rent this or do what ever to see it. becuase it has great chemistry between Brosnan and Russo and what is really great is that they are about the same age. But what is the stand out i think is John McTiernan who shows that he can direct other films than just action. This was maybe one of the best summer films that i saw. And it proves that Brosnan can do other projects than just 007 films. This films $68 million dollar gross should tell you that.

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I'm not going to do a movie critique. The Affair's remake is more than 10 years old and everything worth saying about contents, cinematography and actors' acting and looks has been said already. Suffices for me to say that this is a flick I enjoy watching whenever I feel like relaxing, probably because I like watching Pierce Brosnan. Also, it turns out, The Thomas Crown Affair was the first DVD I ever bought selection was scarce back in 1999. Which partially explains why I ordered the Blu-ray. Sadly, what the postman brought was somewhat disappointing.

So, here is my objective evaluation of the Blu-ray edition.

It comes in a cheap case. The kind with holes cut into the plastic walls so that maybe a couple of pennies are saved this way.

It includes both the Blu disc and a double-sided DVD with the so-called 'full screen' on one side and the 'wide screen' version on the other.

There are no extras whatsoever on the Blu disc.

The DVD disc, apparently has one 'extra' audio commentary by director John McTiernan

Sound is 5.1 DTS-HD

Alternative soundtracks are available in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese as 5.1 DTS and in mono for Russian, Hungarian, Turkish and Thai.

The Blu-ray transfer is just okay. The movie looks and sounds good but I imagine there is some industrial process these days where you throw a DVD into the Blu-ray converter machine and the Blu version comes out automatically better than the DVD and not much human artist or technician intervention is required. There is nothing outstanding or worth writing about when it comes to this Blu-ray upgrade, other that my brand new, first time watched, unscratched copy skips in two places.

This is the first Blu-ray disc ever that skipped on my player. After almost 3 years of Blu-ray watching, I didn't know what Blu-ray skipping looks like. Now I know the picture disappears for a few seconds, then it reappears. I know that it's skipping, not an equipment issue because I replayed the parts that skipped and was able to reproduce it probably due to some low quality, cheap process used to produce the discs.

I really hesitated between a 3-star rating which means "It's Okay" and a 2-star which stands for "I don't like it". In the end, the "I don't like it" won. I can't recommend this Blu-ray as a purchase, especially to those who already have the DVD. I understand that studios need to make money but, my friends, the quality of this release borders 'junk' grade and we should not encourage the proliferation of such releases by buying them. I am sorry I spent money on my copy and, had I known before ordering what I know now, I would not have placed my order.

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It's as though the first time, with McQueen and Dunaway in 1968, was a rehearsal. I've always loved that original "Thomas Crown Affair," especially for Michel Legrand's achingly beautiful score. (And, sure, everybody was humming "Windmills of Your Mind," but do you remember "His Eyes, Her Eyes," the mastersong of the old soundtrack?) However, I have to admit that the new version is ever so much more than the old--more complex, more humane, more entertaining. For example, the original revolves around a bank robbery with a noisy chase scene and shoot'em up--action-flick business as usual. The new starts with a devilishly intricate two-stage heist, bloodless and nearly invisible, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and instead of mundane money, the thief's object is something that, arguably, really matters. Instead of the original chess game that turns into a multi-minute kiss, shot at 36 stylish angles in dizzying spins and effects, we now have a dance sequence whose real star is the lighting designer--omigawd, what IS Russo wearing? The brittle, brutal, male-female guessing game of 1968 becomes a 1999 psychosexual engagement between two formidable opponents, each--to their great surprise--worthy of the other. What will win out in the end, ego or the urge to merge? the script asks (and Dunaway asks too, this time appearing as Brosnan's Sybillic therapist, who seems to be peering with amused detachment through a long lens at the past). The film builds and unfolds, playfully spilling the amassed symbolism into the final action sequence in the Met as the perfect heist is reprised. And, at the end of the movie, as Sting exquisitely sings the 1968 theme song over the 1999 credits, you realize not only "That the autumn leaves are turning / To the color of her hair," but also that you've seen two immense heists and a lot of suspense without a single on-screen death or even a gun. Is this why some people insist it's not an action film? I say bravo. And I'll buy the video as soon as the price goes down. :^)

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