The Passion of the Christ (Definitive Edition) (2004)

One of the most talked about films in decades; thought I would add my 2 cents as a late entry.

I think the root controversy about the film has to do with the question of whether or not it has artistic merit for a viewer without faith. I think this is a fair question, as I never really understood the idea that religion offers, so to speak, an excuse for ugly artwork. Arguably there is no such excuse, unless one of the points of religious art is to repel people who don't already share the faith.

The film has been labeled violent, which it is; but unfair here has been the label that it is in some sense unusually violent. It is not. There are hundreds of films that are far more violent. Perhaps this film is even less violent than average. It is perhaps even less violent than the blockbuster version of Gandhi of some years back, billing Candice Bergen and Ben Kingsley, of which the Passion has reminded me somewhat; at any rate they are at least in the same ball park. Rather, the distinctive mark of the Passion is that it invites us to keep the humanity of the victim of violence in full view; not to distance ourselves by, say, feeling contempt or anger towards the victim as a bump-off-able bad guy, or seeing the victim as a replaceable curiosity, a dispensable nitwit. In the Gandhi movie, for example, the majority of the acts of violence are against victims who are more or less, cinematically speaking, dispensable nitwits. All we see Gandhi suffer is being shot at the end (and even that, at the beginning also, setting up a flashback)-and a few blows to the head (from which he recovers).

Yet the character to suffer the violence in this film is not only the main character, it is a character who is anything but a dispensable nitwit. He is unambiguously portrayed as is in the Gospels--a perfect human being-and more: a Divine Person. No doubt faith is helpful here, but if the viewer can so much as entertain the premise as a possibility, then I would say that the movie is as beautiful as it is emotionally powerful. Yet even apart from that premise, the film also powerfully portrays deep love and friendships between human beings, which has surely a beauty of its own even under heart wrenching circumstances. Moreover, in what is surely one of, if not the most violent sequences in the film-the scourging (the soldiers carrying out the order, one in particular, wind up going over the top in enthusiasm)-we only see the victim about half the time; the rest of the time we see shots of peoples' faces, notably his friends, mostly of the face of his mother. The film does show us the anatomical side of the violence enough so that we really understand what is happening-but no more; the point is what it MEANS for it to be happening. In this film suffering is given a human face.

It is quite a unique experience. First, breaking out of the package of being "mere cinema," there are two points of honesty of the film even apart from any faith claim. (1) by all serious accounts, Jesus of Nazareth was at the least an exceptional human being; yet death by crucifixion was no walk in the park. (2) by all serious reflections, in one way or another-regardless of how you slice it (whether from the point of view of any religion or from the point of view of atheism)-humanity really hasn't treated God any better than the main character gets treated in this film. This is a film which portrays God as staying with humanity despite the way it has treated him (and the way human beings have treated each other). The violence is not for it own sake; still less is it for the sake either of sadism--or of a narrator stepping off the screen to address the audience with guilt trips (shaming and flagellating the viewer)--; it is for the sake of thoughtfully presenting this possibility in an artistic way. Second, rather that allowing the audience the space to distance themselves from characters undergoing violence, this film actually does the opposite: it prods the audience to see NONE of the characters as dispensable nitwits, not even those who are committing the violence. The anti-Semitism charge is simply a non-sequitur. It's not anti-anybody.

The film visually portrays what I have described without being artificial or saccharine, invoking a remarkable depth for symbolism and a good sense of timing; it plainly succeeds in telling a story blending sight and sound. I will give two examples which I found especially powerful; they are even related. One is where the film shifts back and forth from shots of the feet of the roman soldiers standing in pools of his blood as they scourge him, to shots of the feet of the Apostles as he was symbolically washing them. The other is a subtle, nonverbal portrayal of the conversion of a roman soldier which spans in a sense the entire film. This conversion story is visually framed from the film's opening scenes when a temple guard has his ear miraculously restored after it is sliced off in a struggle by one of the Apostles. The guard remains for some time on his knees, as if so overcome by the experience he cannot move. The roman solider to be converted is subtly introduced in the next scenes (he is one of the soldiers Mary Magdalene complains to about the arrest), but we see him from time to time throughout the movie, witnessing and being influenced by various events; in a final scene, blood and water falls upon his eyes, flowing from the side of the deceased victim that he pierces with a lance (though first non-verbally apologizing to the mother; he does it merely to confirm he is dead), and he falls to his knees in a way which resonates with the action of the temple guard. The temple guard, so to speak, had his hearing restored; the roman soldier, so to speak, his sight. On the side of deep friendships, notable are the relationships between Jesus, his mother, Mary Magdalene and the youngest Apostle, John. One moment uniting this dimension to the above examples is when John stumbles and falls on his knees before the two Marys (running to them to tell them of Jesus' arrest)-to be followed by John later seeing Mary's agony as she watches her son fall to his knees as he carries the cross. The kneeling image in general is itself also framed by beautiful opening and closing scenes invoking a folding together of earth and sky (the first providing the backdrop of Jesus falling to his knees in his agony in the garden; the second entailing powerful from-the-ground-up and from-the-sky-down shots of the moment of his death on the cross). Here resonating throughout is the film's awesome musical score. I would add that the use of Aramaic in the film punctuated with subtitles was nothing less than masterful; I am not even aware of the film being in a "foreign language."

Acting was good but special mention needs to go to Maia Morgenstern, who played the mother. In interviews she said she played the character from the point of view of a mother who loved her son; the result is one of the most moving and beautiful character portrayals in all of cinema.

If you are looking for popcorn-eating entertainment, this is not the film to watch. (Even during gladiatorial times at the Colosseum this movie would have gotten thumbs down.) But if you are in the mood for a thought-provoking treatment of religious themes in a serious, sensitive and artistic way, then by all means see the film.

*Note: This review is not based on the Definitive Edition (or its commentary).

When you start the movie you have the hype that has surrounded it. At the end you have the feeling that this individual loved, believed, and gave everything for his beliefs. You understand that the Jews of that society show they were like us today where a few acted as if they were the voice of the many. It is a movie that pulls at the fabric of your understanding of this horrible and painful death allowing you to understand it and what it must have been like.

In summary it is a movie that made me reflect. It made me sad, and based on my beliefs made me proud that this individual cared for me and gave his life to set me free. It was a well done and flowed well from beginning to end. It built on itself the way a great movie should. The editing and story through the lens was exceptional. It was a great technical movie regardless of beliefs.

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I purchased this version after I saw it in the store the week it came out. I already owned the original DVD release, but I heard this had lots of special features and the re-cut version. Therefore I purchased this edition. However, I was a bit disappointed.

I really enjoyed the movie in the theater. It tells the story of the last 12 hours of the life of christ. It was very gory and I wouldn't want to show it to children. However, for older people (12 yrs. and up)this does a good job of depicting the trials and tribulations of Christ's crucifiction.

My biggest complaint about this movie was the subtitles. However, if you are familiar with the Biblical story, you can pretty much ignore the dialogue and focus on the picture.

Now for this "Definitive Edition" Special feature wise this is a great edition to have. It has loads of extra features.

My biggest complaint about this edition was that if you are a person like me who sometimes has to take several different times (starting and stopping) to watch a movie in it's entirety, the chapter selections are a wonderful thing. You can stop where you need to and start back just by selecting the scene you were on. However, with the definitive edition the scene selection is done with approximately 10 chapters. The chapters are set up to coincide with the "stations of the cross." Although a good idea if you are Catholic and want to see those stages but for a normal viewer of this movie it was terribly frustrating. The first chapter runs for over an hour. I usually don't have that long to watch so I have to start all over each time and use fast forward to get to where I was. It was just very irritating.

I really liked the fact that they included the re-cut version of the film as well as the original. If you are unfamiliar with the re-cut version, it essentially is a "less graphic" version of the film (although it is still very violent). This version may be better for a church library or a family with younger children.

If you like special features and want the less gory version of the Passion then by all means purchase this edition. However, if you prefer to be able to stop and start or jump to a certain scene of the movie then go with the original release (it has approx. 32 scene chapters).

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First of all, let me start this effort by saying how amazed I was by the movie, and by its sheer emotional power. It is superbly shot, the cinematography literally breath-taking in its intensity and ability to add muscular heft to the familiar story of how Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy through his divine sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. The movie-goer is sure to be transformed by the magnitude of the oft-told and retold tale of how the events of the final twelve hours focused on the ways in which Jesus deliberately serves himself up as the sacrificial lamb for the manifest sins of the world, offering all humans the opportunity to re-establish their contact with the divine from whom they had been estranged.

Indeed, I found myself almost speechless after viewing the film, and was not quite sure to what extent it was a result of the power of the film's message as opposed to the graphically violent context in which the tale is told. Herein lies the single criticism one can level against the film, which despite many worries from bystanders that it was laced with virulent anti-Semitism, seems to clearly blame all sinners (ergo, all of us) for the sacrifice of God's son on the cross. Yet Mel Gibson's sure hand is both able and accurate, and the violence shows how carnal man greets the divine, and how we react to the message of hope and salvation; through unspeakable cruelty and gratuitous violence. So, while this is indeed a very violent movie, the murderous acts depicted quite graphically have to be taken in the context of the supernatural events transpiring, as a kind of carnal counterpoint to the ethereal repose with which Jesus bears all of the acts visited upon him. At one point He tells Mary (After he has stumbled under the burden of the cross) "Behold, mother, I make all thing anew!" This was, for me at least, a quite stunning reminder of the godly forces at work amidst all the violence and carnage.

This is a very personal interpretation of the final twelve hours of Christ's life on earth leading to His crucifixition. From the moment it opens in the solitude of the Garden at Gethsemane, one is immediately aware of the battle ongoing between good and evil, as the devil (cleverly presented as a stunning if malevolent woman with a masculine voice) attempts to dissuade Jesus from attempting what he about to undertake. From this it is obvious He is doing this for all mankind, Jews and Gentiles alike, and that we are all to blame, through our unremitting addiction to carnality and sinfulness, for the evil manifested in the world. This is a fantastic film, one that is definitely not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, and definitely not something I would suggest subjecting a child to. Still, it is a remarkable work, and one that deserves the very wide distribution it is about to encounter.

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Let me preface this by saying that I am not the most religious person out there. I actually went with the intention of being thoroughly disappointed and wanting my money back. HOWEVER, this is an artistic masterpiece. Regardless of your religious preferences, you should see this movie. Gibson relates the 12 hours leading to the death of Christ in a series of flashbacks, beatings, and stunning cinematography. His choice of doing this movie in Latin and Aramaic was correct; it would not be nearly as powerful if performed in English. The lead actor has little match with the intensity that his eyes convey. Gibson also adds nuances and flourishes to the story (the Satan character and the demons that hound Judas) that add so much to this movie.

A lot has been written concerning the anti-semitism this movie conveys, and I'd strongly recommend that you see the movie and reserve your opinions on that until you've actually seen the movie. I don't really blame the Jews for the crucifiction, and I think Gibson utilizes the mob as a tool of Satan, and that really shows in the movie. Also, the gore is definitely present, and you should not see this if you have a weak stomach. However, it is dispersed throughout the movie, and after that first horrible whipping, you don't notice it as much. I definitely think that everyone should see this once. I don't think it has much repeat viewing value, as I was thoroughly impressed with it, but like a Schindler's List, have no desire to see it again.

But definitely worth the price of admission. Definitely.

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Peter Grimes (2012)

The main strength of Britten's Peter Grimes, and one of its main themes of course, is its essentially English character. That is challenged in two ways in this 2012 production of the opera. One is that it is performed at La Scala in Milan and not at Aldeburgh or somewhere more appropriate with a feeling for the vitally English smalltown seaside location of the work. The second challenge to the integrity of the work is that the period of the setting is somewhat inevitably updated to the near-present by director Richard Jones. In the event not only do neither of these choices prove detrimental to the piece, but they actually manage to bring something new and fresh out of the work. With an opera like Peter Grimes and the sensitive subjects and themes it touches on, that's exactly the kind of challenge and contemporary relevance you want to remind you of the importance of this work in the composer's centenary year.

You might expect that an English orchestra might be more attuned to the specific rhythms of the score and the swells of its tides, but the orchestra of La Scala conducted by the young English music director Robin Ticciati give a remarkable account of the work. There is always the danger of over-emphasis or heavy-handedness within Peter Grimes but Ticciati directs with quiet reserve, allowing the rhythms to assert their authority, building towards the tragedy in a manner and with a drive that seems as unstoppable as the outcome is inevitable. In a predominately English/British cast John Graham-Hall sings Peter Grimes with the right tone of edgy fragility and steely determined defiance, never seeking to endear him to the audience, but rather plunging right into the dangerous nature of this impassioned but deluded character. Most impressive of all however is Susan Gritton's Ellen Orford. It can be possible to underestimate her character, but she is the heart and conscience of the opera and Gritton makes you quite aware of that with her heartwrenching performance. With a cast that also includes the impeccable Christopher Purves and a fine Auntie in the form of Felicity Palmer this is a most impressive and complete account of the work.

The choice of Richard Jones is also a good one for bringing out the essentially English character of the work, particularly in a modern-day context. (It's nominally set in the money-loving 1980s, but that makes little or no difference to its contemporary relevance). All the little details are there without any sense of caricature or parody which can always be a danger with Jones. You might see football tops and trainers and all the indications of class and profession that are equally an important part of the work, but the telling details are in the gestures and movements. Whether it's Aunties "nieces" swaying down the street in their high-heels, curling fingers through hair, whether it's figures in the background smoking cigarettes and chewing gum, dancing in Moan Hall or whether it's more ominous rows of the chorus, watching, observing and passing judgement, it's as good a visual representation of the social context of the work as Britten's music.

Stuart Laing's sets also reflect the context well and even if there are a few curious touches here and there, not least of which is the intriguing final image of Ellen that we are left with. All of this nonetheless gives cause for reflection on the deeper meaning of the work and the ambiguities that lie within it. There is little sense of a seaside town, although static seagulls are mounted on the walls of the buildings and seem to become increasingly agitated in a static kind of way as the work goes on. The rooms of each of the scenes all seem to be self-contained and "boxed-in", again reflecting the nature of this society. Some of them even tilt and sway, rocking from side to side in the stormy conditions and according to the general instability of what is going on. It's by no means a flattering portrait of the English, but then Peter Grimes isn't supposed to be.

The Blu-ray from Opus Arte looks and sounds great in High Definition. The sound mixes are in PCM Stereo and DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1. The BD is region-free and subtitles are in English, French, German, Japanese and Korean. The booklet has an essay that makes good points about the production, particularly relating to the use of movement and dancing in it, and also some interesting observations about Britten learning from Verdi and Strauss. There's also a good set of interviews on the disc itself and a cast gallery.

This new video of Britten's masterpiece opera "Peter Grimes" gives us an excellent performance from an all English cast in this 2012 La Scala production. The performances are wonderful. John Graham-Hall and Susan Gritton are exemplary as the troubled loner fisherman and his sympathetic soul mate, Ellen; also a bit of a lost soul. Montagu Slater's libretto, after the poem "The Borough" by George Crabbe, uses the metaphor of the old-fashioned, cantankerous Grimes in a small, gossipy fishing village to point out the tragedy of gossip veiled in religious hypocrisy. Contemporary designer Richard Jones' production places the story in a strange mid-1980s world where people go to church, but still find time to support the local brothels and pubs and dance studios (the scenes of some disco-type choreography instead of what was supposed to be barn dance are a bit hokey and distracting) The tragic sub-element in the story is Grimes' poor fortune with young boy "apprentices" who have run away, died and ultimately one last accidental death. In both the original setting and now this modernized view, the older, anti-social "old school" fisherman as a potential pedophile plays heavily but Jones' setting and the wonderful but troubling portrayal by Francesco Malvuccio as the "boy" veers a little more uncomfortably in that direction. Another angle here is that Graham-Hall portrays Peter Grimes as a man quite "on the edge" psychologically; this performance is wonderful but quite a bit different than the stoic, stubborn vision of Jon Vickers, for example. Some of the secondary roles are great too, especially Felicity Palmer as the two-faced, self righteous "Auntie" (The penultimate scene where Grimes envisions a conversation with Ellen who he proposes to and then she rebuffs him is pretty manic)The orchestra and choir of the Teatro alla Scala perform wonderfully and Robin Ticciati is a bit quirky but very controlled and accurate Britten interpreter. This is an interesting and very irony rich view of the classic story with great performances. I do not think I would make this my only video performance of "Peter Grimes" but is well worth having in a library of contemporary treatments of masterworks!

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17 Again (2009)

I'm pretty picky about movies I'll spend money on nowadays. I fell in love with this movie because, in the middle of so much crud coming out of Hollywood, here is a show that actually praises abstinence and encourages families to work out their problems.

The humor is incredibly clever, Zac Efron nailed Matthew Perry's mannerisms and intonations, and the storyline is charming.

I can't even count how many times I've watched this movie since buying it. I highly recommend it. And of course, I found it cheapest here on Amazon.

OK buddies don't laugh! I watched this film because my wife recorded it on our DVR. This film reminded me of so many of those 80's high school comedies with the body switching premise. The film is not very original, but Zac Efron carries the story with some help from a good cast that keep it amusing. The story of a would be basket ball star (Efron) blows his big chance at playing college ball and getting a scholarship to marry his high school sweetheart who he gets pregnant. Fast forward 20 years and you have Matthew Perry who is stuck in a nowhere job and can't seem to find any passion in his life whether it be fixing up the house, being a good dad or not making his wife feel guilty for the choice he made to leave the big game to propose to her.

While the film is oh-so familiar, I thought Efron was engaging and with the help of comedians Jim Gaffigan and Thomas Lennon, the film is an easy watch with some funny moments. Efron shows he could be more than just a pretty face in this good natured teen comedy.

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I Got this movie to watch with my wife. I was expecting nothing but the typical teen flick, starring one of Disney's prefabricated Child Stars.

Wow! Zac Efron CAN Act! Who would've thought. This guy could turn into a HUGE star in the next few years and a Highly Respected actor if he makes good career choices. The movie was really good too. I was entertained the whole time and wasn't bored for not even a minute.

This movie reminded me a lot of Back to the Future. It wasn't as good (BTTF is a classic) but it was a pretty good effort and a pleasant surprise.

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If you took `Big', threw in a little `Disney's The Kid' and added an emotional heft of `It's a Wonderful Life' and you'd have the magic of '17 Again'. I really can't believe I just said all that, since walking into this movie I expected to find it mundane and worthless. I actually really liked this movie, like a lot.

Sure, it's predictable, but in a charmingly fresh way.

The film tells the story of Mike, a one-time basketball star who gave up his dreams to marry his pregnant girlfriend. Twenty years later and Mike is bitter and dissatisfied with his life, which has weighed heavily on his wife Scarlett, who feels like the target of Mike's unhappiness. The film opens with Mike living at his best friend Ned's house while he awaits his impending divorce. Mike's teenage kids resent him and his wife is aching to love him, but her better judgment won't allow it. When Mike gets a freaky visit from a man no one else can see he is soon in for a strange yet much needed wake up call. After falling off a bridge, Mike finds himself 17 again, only this time he's living out his high school days in the present, with his wife and kids in arms reach. Taking this as an opportunity to fix his life, Mike begins mending relationships, but his current situation certainly makes it a tad difficult.

You don't need me to tell you that everything works out in the end, but the film works a lot of magic getting us there!

Personally, I didn't have much faith in Zac Efron. I was wrong. This kid has loads of charm and real talent that he uses to full effect here. The films more tender scenes are carried with the needed humor yet substantial emotional depth. Who wasn't near tears while Efron unloads in a classroom about the love he felt for his newborn daughter or when he pleaded in the courtroom for his wife to give him another chance? Efron NAILED this performance. He was slick, charming, cool and emotionally relevant. The supporting cast didn't do so bad either. Thomas Lennon (as the nerdy best friend) is ridiculously hilarious here, even when his character is a little too far over the top, and Leslie Mann is not only beautiful, but she is intelligently funny (I just love her work). Michelle Trachtenberg is like my new celebrity crush (man has she grown up) and Sterling Knight balances his awkwardness with layered bravado as Mike's son.

Yes, this story has been told before, but that doesn't mean this one isn't just as good as the others. It's far from what I expected, but that is a very good thing.

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This movie is a delightful romp with a lot to offer. Zac Efron is amazing in his part as Mike, with talent to burn. He's sweet but takes no prisoners when dealing with ruffians, and his moves on the dance floor and his agility with a basketball are equally impressive. He demonstrates his acting chops in this movie as well, going from winsome to tough to romantic and all-around likeable without ruffling a feather.

Thomas Lennon as his quirky Star Wars sidekick is hilarious and adorable. His role is more than a supporting one, as his storyline is given more space than one might expect, but it adds a lot to the movie's humor and keeps it lighter than it would be with the sometimes gritty problems that Mike faces with his children's issues and the difficulties of trying to recapture his wife's love.

Matthew Perry's part is too small to do him justice, but he fulfills it well. The movie focuses mainly on Zac Efron's part in regaining what the adult Mike, played by Perry, cannot get back on his own.

This movie is so enjoyable that you're willing to suspend disbelief when you need to. Mike's wife, for example, seeing him exactly as he looked when he was a teenager, is very slow in picking up on the fact that he IS her husband as a teenager, and she seems blandly accepting of the story concocted by Lennon's character that the young Mike is his son. Of course, the transformation from 30-year-old to 17-year-old Mike is another leap, but the movie is so engaging that you don't mind. Watching Mike get back at the bullies picking on his teen children is satisfying, and his efforts to extricate himself from sticky situations are humorous.

Anyone who ever thinks about those teen years and wishes there were a way to go back and relive them again will enjoy this movie. There's plenty of action, some tender moments, and enough craziness to keep you thoroughly entertained. It gets my vote, and I'll definitely watch it again.

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Patton / Longest Day / Sand Pebbles / Tora Tora (2012)

To answer the person who questioned which version of THE SAND PEBBLES is featured in this package, it IS the 3-hour roadshow version. Of the 4 movies in the package, I would say PEBBLES is still the weakest transfer, although it is still of a higher quality than many blu-rays I've seen. I suppose that just points to the superior quality of the other 3 in the set. Both PATTON and THE LONGEST DAY are stunning. Extras are strongest with PEBBLES. It's possible that PATTON and LONGEST are single disks in multiple-disk collections. Still, given the price and the quality of the selection, this is a very strong package.

Great value for the money. A must have especially for the World War II afficiando. Tora Tora Tora is the best movie depicting Pearl Harbor.

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In all fairness, I have not purchased this DVD 4-pack. These are four excellent movies all in their own right. I just question the wisdom of including "The Sand Pebbles" in a package of World War ll movies.

I think that anyone of a number of movies should have been substituted. Movies such as "A Bridge Too Far", "Midway" (the original 3-hour version and not the edited 132 minute version), " The Bridge at

Remagen," "MacArthur" or "Saving Private Ryan." There are probably many more that could have been included. I think, however, that the four movies are excellent.

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When Sand Pebbles came out on bluray it was the shortened version.The cut scenes were placed as an extra. At least the dvd is the original 3 hour Roadshow version (which I saw in 70mm many times). To shorten this much underated masterpiece is a crime. Let us hope we will get the full version on this bluray release.

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Code of Silence (1985)

This movie is Chuck Norris at his best. He plays the part of Eddie Cusack a Chicago cop who only wants to get the job done. He is up against two mob family's in the middle of a war, caused by drugs and family blood. While trying to save the life of one mob family's daughter he must also bring both familys to justice. Between car chases that will have you on the edge of your seat and trademark Norris fight scenes it is easy to see why i gave this film 5 stars.

Code of Silence offers an excellent synergy and balance often missing in action films--especially other Chuck Norris action films.

I agree with other reviewers that this film perhaps showcases Norris' finest acting. Yet he is very well cast as the lone, honest, resolute and uncompromising "good cop," Cusack, who confronts Columbian drug lords, the Mob and a dirty cop in his unit, all with equal aplomb--and comes out the winner in the end, even in the face of mounting, and nearly overwhelming, odds.

The fight scenes are well choreographed, too, with Norris delivering compact, effective and believable punches and kicks. He even takes a few himself, portraying a character capable of taking it as well as dishing it out.

For all the no-nonsense heroics, Norris manages to keep his tacit characterization very human and believable. In brief, Chuck Norris plays the quintessential Hero: committed to doing the right thing, and transcending himself in the process. I found the absence of token, gratuitous sexual content, or even sexual innuendo, refreshing indeed, and serving well to further signify and solidify the true heroicism of Cusack.

In addition to the excellent on-location filming, there are also well-placed touches of humor and tenderness that make this gem of an action-drama shine with exceptional luster.

Even if you are not an avid Chuck Norris fan, Code of Silence may make you sit up and take appreciative notice of him. File under "Top Shelf Police Action" on your DVD rack. This film is one of the best in the genre.

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He's mean, he's lean, and he's not about to do things by the book! Welcome to the world of the action star, that social loner who won't sit idly by when the scum of the earth prey on the human race. While the rest of us live our little lives playing by the rules like the dupes we are, these guys go out and make a difference. They actually like us despite our weaknesses, amazingly enough, and take care of us out of a sense of responsibility similar to what a lord used to feel for his peons. No matter what they do or whom they kill in the process their instincts never fail them. Even when their partner, significant other, child, or anyone else close to them dies horribly as a result of the threat the action star poses to the villains, they never swerve from their core principles. Their superiors recognize the action star's godlike powers and, while complaining publicly about their reckless behavior, put them right back out on the street to kill the bad guys. No investigative committee will stop these right-wing heroes from mopping up the riffraff. Who needs lawyers or a judicial system when we've got Charles Bronson, Sylvester Stallone, or Chuck Norris? Not me.

I used the above description for another of Chuck Norris's films, but it applies to virtually every American action film made in the last thirty years. It definitely applies to every Norris film, especially "Code of Silence," a movie widely considered to be this actor's best big screen role. Norris plays Chicago cop Eddie Cusack, the archetypical loner with a chip on his shoulder. He exasperates his superiors, banters endlessly with his partner Dorato (Dennis Farina), and will move heaven and earth to bring down the bad guys. His sense of right and wrong is infallible. Whereas other police officers agonize over making the right decisions, Cusack never falters. After Dorato goes on the injured list due to a botched bust, Eddie's new partner Nick Kopalas (Joe Guzaldo) seeks Cusack's advice on a particularly difficult problem involving the code of silence that unites police officers. Kopalas's original partner, the aging alcoholic Cragie (Ralph Foody), accidentally shot a kid during the aforementioned bust. Kopalas saw his partner plant a gun in the deceased victim's hand. What's a young cop with no time on the force to do? If he turns in Cragie everyone will hate him. If he doesn't, he's no better than the street scum he encounters every day. Ah, such moral conundrums!

"Code of Silence" slathers this subplot in lots of action centering on an emerging gang war between Colombian drug kingpin Luis Comancho (Henry Silva) and a mafia don named Felix Scalese (Nathan Davis). Scalese's underling Tony Luna (Mike Genovese) touched off the crime wave when he interfered in the drug bust mentioned above. Luna wisely leaves town for a quick vacation, but his daughter Diana (Molly Hagan) remains in harm's way. As Comancho launches a series of revenge assaults against the Chicago mafia, it's up to Eddie Cusack to kill a bunch of people and sort through the bodies. He also acts as a protector for Diana after she narrowly escapes execution at the hands of Comancho's thugs. Eventually these two threads, the code of silence issue and the mob war, come together in an action packed ending loaded with explosions and a high body count. Cusack's fellow cops learn a thing or two about the antiquated notion of sticking together no matter what in the process. "Code of Silence" contains a little bit of everything, including action, a message, romance, and humor. Especially amusing is a scene where two street thugs attempt to rob the bar where Cusack and his fellow cops hang out. Ooops!

The best thing "Code of Silence" has going for it is its authentic set pieces. Director Andrew Davis filmed the movie in Chicago and cast a lot of people that look and sound like native Chicagoans. I saw several actors playing cops here that I've seen playing Chicago police officers in other films set in that city. When we see Norris fighting a punk on top of a train, not only do we realize that it's actually him up there doing the stunt but also that it's the famous Chicago loop. Filming in Chicago works, giving the movie a hard-edged realism missing in most other action films. Thankfully the performances elevate the film as well. Norris actually shows a bit of range in the Cusack role, something he seems largely incapable of in many of his other movies, and having Farina and Silva onboard certainly gives the picture more oomph. I've always maintained that casting Henry Silva as the primary villain in any movie adds at least a star to the overall rating of that picture, and I can say the same thing here. Watching Silva dissolve into one of his trademark rages is always worth the price of admission. It's unfortunate in the extreme that his advanced age prohibits him from making films nowadays.

MGM is spending a bunch of bucks releasing many of these old 1980s actioners to DVD. "Code of Silence" receives a widescreen anamorphic picture transfer but only a trailer as an extra. I've said it before and I'll say it again: why can't MGM contact Norris or the director in order to record a commentary track? For that matter, why not dig up some promotional materials for the film and throw it on the disc? Because the studio is cheap, apparently. Oh well, at least we can revisit these old movies without having to resort to ragged VHS copies. Give "Code of Silence" a watch soon.

Read Best Reviews of Code of Silence (1985) Here

Code of Silence is by far Chuck Norris' best film. Not only is it great by the standards of his martial arts action films, but is actually a cut above many action pictures.

Norris plays a Chicago cop who finds himself caught between a turf war between the Mafia and a Colombian drug cartel. His standing on the force suffers at the same time because he testifies against two cops who are involved in a bad shooting. The Code of Silence ends up being double-pronged one side being the Mafia's Code of Silence, and the other being the police force's Code of Silence against bad behavior by their own.

Directed by Andrew Davis, who also directed Above The Law, Under Siege and The Fugitive, Code of Silence has great action sequences and a great villain in Henry Silva. This is Norris' finest film. Nothing he has done before or since has been anywhere near as good.

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Chuck Norris Rocks! Good Fight Sequences, Cool beat up firebird,nice garbage truck, silly police robot, although with Chuck Norris the police doesn't need a robot or even other police. Chuck Norris is a one MAN mean machine.

Remember,Chuck Norris is not afraid of the Dark, the Dark Keeps it's lights on because it's afraid of him!

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Machine Gun Preacher (2011)

I've read the book and seen the movie. The book will keep you awake at night and the movie will leave you breathless. It's one thing to read the words because you have to rely on your imagination to form the images from the author's words. Seeing those words accurately portrayed on the screen is incredible.

This is, bar none, Gerard Butler's crowning performance. Sam Childers pulled no punches about himself in the book and Butler truly brought the man to life on the screen. He isn't just an actor playing a part; in this movie it's almost as if he *becomes* Childers. The scene where he returns to retrieve the children he had to leave behind is, IMO, mindblowing. The scene in which he confronts and overcomes his crisis of faith is moving in the extreme.

I won't minimize: This story, in the book and on the screen, is horribly disturbing, and I can't stress that enough. However, it is incredibly powerful, thought-provoking, complex and heart-rending. Once you've seen this movie, you definitely won't forget it.

Honestly, I'd give it ten stars without hesitation...

I've seen the film 6 times in 6 different places all across the country, and I saw it with Sam Childers the first time he saw it. It's an amazing story about a nearly unbelievable journey by a man who went from crazy bad to crazy good, 'cos it takes a little crazy to do what he'd done as a young man and what he's done in Africa over the past decade. Fortunately there is less confrontation with the LRA in the area where the Shekinah Children's Village is near Nimule, South Sudan; and Sam Childers is spreading his feeding programs wider across central and east Africa where they're needed so badly, like in Somalia and Darfur. The book Another Man's War, the feature film Machine Gun Preacher and the upcoming documentary film will touch your heart in some fashion. Gerard Butler does a terrific job portraying both the old and new Sam. The Machine Gun Preacher DVD will be my gift for Christmases and birthdays for the next several years.

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I'm giving 5 stars to the trailer. The trailer advertised limited release. All the money spent to produce this film and then limited release? I live in the country in Texas. I will have to wait and buy the movie to see it. I read the book the movie was based on and then bought more books to share with friends.

I saw a review that said the movie under performed. Of course it would under perform on limited release! Then we're stuck with the garbage Hollywood puts out the rest of the year. Maybe it's just because the word Preacher is in the title.

Frustrated with Hollywood!

Read Best Reviews of Machine Gun Preacher (2011) Here

This is one of the tougher movies I've ever tried to rate. It is entirely due to my difficulty in separating the story from the movie.

Here's the scoop. Sam Childers is a bad guy. We meet him as he's getting out of prison. He's a junkie biker. He has no reservations about inflicting serious pain on people. He wants his wife, who has found Jesus and a respectable job, to go back to being a stripper. After a particularly rough bout with drugs he begins to re-examine his life. He goes straight. Finds a job. Builds a church. Starts a construction company. Goes to the Sudan to help out there and finds he genuinely cares about the lives of those people. He's now on a mission.

This is certainly a great story. Here's a guy who's scraping the bottom of the barrel, turns himself around, and becomes a true, moving force in the lives of a tortured people. But I don't know if the movie itself is all that spectacular. The director, Mark Forster, has had some outstanding movies to his credit. He seemed to want to play this one straight, with little razzle dazzle. But it all seemed too familiar. I felt as though I'd seen most of these scenes before in other movies. There was too little here that was fresh. It was all very professional and tight. You could practically set your watch to it it was so evenly paced. Maybe that was the problem. It needed something to shake loose from the normal.

This is by no means a bad movie and it's easy to watch. During the closing credits the viewer is treated to actual footage of Childers and others depicted in the movie. This is a serious plus. Some might take exception to the Jesus thumping, gun toting point of view, but that's how the story goes. It just needed something to take it to the next level.

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I feel very fortunate to be one of the few people who was able to see Machine Gun Preacher in the theater, since it was not shown in very many places!! (For some UNEXPLAINED reason!?!) It was an EXCELLENT movie........very moving, POWERFUL, thought-provoking, and well-acted by everyone.....especially Gerard Butler! He absolutely nailed the character of Sam Childers. He was not a very likeable person in the beginning, as he was just plain no-good....into drugs, crime, etc. After a missionary trip to Africa, his whole focus changed into wanting to save the children from the LRA. It was an AMAZING transformation and one that really should be shared. Although it does have parts that are sad to watch, it IS based on a true story and it does make people aware of the unimaginable atrocities that still occur around the world! I can't wait until it comes out on DVD so that I can watch it again!!

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Everlasting Moments (The Criterion Collection)

EVERLASTING MOMENTS ('Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick') is a quiet, gentle masterpiece of filmmaking. The screenplay by Niklas Rådström, based on a story by Agneta Ulfsäter-Troell and director Jan Troell, is so free of the expected extended dialogues that accompany films of this nature that it allows the magic of the period piece set in early 20th century Sweden to rely on the beauty of the cinematography by Mischa Gavrjusjov and Jan Troell and the subtle and simple film score by Matti Bye (with a little help from Massenet!). Filmed in the color scheme suggestive of the distinguished Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, never straying far from sepia tones that ignite the solitude and light of the Nordic countries, this film could probably be successful as a silent movie that is how powerful the production is.

We are told in the voice over introduction that Maria Larsson (the exceptional Finnish actress Maria Heiskanen) won a camera in a lottery and the only way she would share the strange prize would be if her boyfriend Sigfrid (Mikael Persbrandt) would marry her. The couple marries and begins a large family: Maria takes in sewing and Sigfrid works at the docks and drinks to excess. Maria's world becomes progressively unhappy and though she continues to have children she longs for a life free of the influence of Sigfrid's alcoholism and womanizing. She finds her hidden camera and thinking to pawn it for money to support her children she seeks the advice of an older photographer Sebastian Pedersen (Jesper Christensen) who convinces her to discover the magic of photography as a means of expression and makes it possible for Maria to keep her camera and learn the art of photography. In Maria's oppressive life there is now a light as seen through the lens of her camera that allows her to sustain herself through times of social change, war (WW I), Sigfrid's imprisonment, and a clandestine love affair with the kind and caring Sebastian. The story moves slowly, like a stroll in the wintry woods, and introduces many characters whose significance grow through the film. The ending of the story is as gentle as a dream, or as an everlasting moment. It is sheer magic. For this viewer this is one of the finest films to come along in years. In Swedish and Finnish with subtitles. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, September 09

***This review contains spoilers***

I have an old photograph of my mother when she was five years old walking down the Boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1930 with my grandparents and I often wonder what their lives were like at that moment in time. Jan Troell's "Everlasting Moments" attempts to do just that as he brings old family photographs to life in his sweeping family saga set in Sweden at the turn of the century.

Everlasting Moments begins in the Swedish port city of Malmo in 1907. It's a true story based on the reminiscences of Maja Larrson who is the film's narrator. She takes us back to when she was a child and we're introduced to her parents Maria and Sigfrid (Siggie) Larrson. Siggie is a dock worker who also happens to be an alcoholic. Maria (wonderfully played by Maria Heiskanen) is his long-suffering wife. Although Siggie belongs to the Temperance Society he is continually relapsing and most of the tension in the film's first half revolves around the harrowing scenes of domestic violence in which Siggie uses his wife as a veritable punching bag.

Maria is under tremendous pressure, not only from the heartache of having to deal with her often drunk and philandering husband but also raising a brood of precocious children. One day Maria rediscovers an expensive camera that she and her husband had won in a lottery at the time they got married. She decides to take a picture of her children without her husband knowing about it and brings it to a local photography shop and meets the kindly shop owner, Sebastian Pedersen. Pederson is a bit older than Maria but they soon form a lasting friendship. Pedersen eventually shows Maria how to use the camera and develop pictures.

Meanwhile, we get a real feel for the history of the times as we see what happens to Siggie as he becomes involved with Socialist and Communist agitators who seek to unionize dockworkers in their fight against the shipowners. At one point British scabs are brought in and one of the strike breakers is murdered. Siggie is a suspect for a short while but is cleared after a local floozy who he's been having an affair with provides an alibi.

To Siggie's chagrin, Maria presses forward with her fascination with photography. Eventually she starts earning extra money taking photos of people in the community. In one sad and sensitive scene, Maria declines to charge a woman who asks her if she could take a picture of her daughter who has just died after falling through the ice wandering too far out on to a not so frozen pond. The image of the deceased girl is one of the many striking images of still photography seen in this film.

Things come to a head when Siggie suspects that Maria has been having an affair with Pedersen and brutally rapes her. As a result, Marie is pregnant with another child who ends up with polio. Finally, Siggie takes things too far and drags Maria outside and almost slits her throat with a knife. As a result, he's arrested and thrown in jail (presumably there were neighbors who were witnesses to this horrible act but we never see them nor are there any scenes of Siggie being arrested and brought before a magistrate).

While I expected Maria to leave her husband and go off on her own running her own photography business, that's not what happens in the film's denouement. Instead, Maria stops taking photos for quite awhile and loses contact with Pedersen after the family moves to a different part of town. After Siggie gets out of jail, Maria decides to stick it out with him. Some say it was Maria's memories of her father exhorting her never to leave her husband since it was "God's will" or perhaps it was simply Maria's conservative nature. More likely it was Siggie eventually becoming more mature. He gives up the bottle, starts running a successful moving company and becomes a decent family man. It should be pointed out that Siggie is only a monster when he's drunk. Other times he's shown to be a sensitive man (in one scene, he prevents a man from abusing a horse in the street).

Maria's farewell to Pedersen is a poignant and bittersweet moment in the film. The two part knowing that their relationship was never meant to go further than it did. Pederson's shop is like an oasis for Maria while she's trying to cope with her husband in the early years. Although Pedersen is not a very 'exciting' character, and there's little conflict between the two, he's a soothing and supporting presence, contrasting nicely with the brutal and oppressive Siggie.

Some of the other characters in the film are not sufficiently developed. Siggie's 'anarchist' buddy who commits suicide due to an fulfilled life is one such character. Maja, the film's narrator, has a brief scene where she's almost molested by an employer while working as a housekeeper and then there's the youngest son who's briefly seen trying to cope with the ravages of polio--these characters and scenes seem almost like afterthoughts.

Nonetheless, 'Everlasting Moments' is still filled with indelible, everlasting moments and images (especially check out the effect that Charlie Chaplin had on the Larrson family--that's a scene you won't forget!). Jan Troell's look into the past is not sentimental but more wistful. And even more important, he teaches us about the trials, tribulations and the sacrifices made by the older generation as they stumbled into a firm and rewarding maturity.

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As a photography teacher I found the film outstanding for college level students or anyone who loves photography. It has a quiet yet powerful way it moves through a story about a woman and how essentially she is saved because of her ability with the camera and to take pictures. The film itself is packed full of powerful images and moments of realization. Wonderful dialogue and moments all real photographers can relate to that floats in and out of the story about photography and the position of the photographer such as quotes that went something like this "when I am photographing I forget I am a mother" or "not everyone can see". I would watch it again and again. If you are not a photographer but have a heart at all its an enduring story that anyone can appreciate and enjoy. Amazing film I was carried away.

Read Best Reviews of Everlasting Moments (The Criterion Collection) Here

This review contains "spoilers", so for those to which this causes distress I offer fair warning.

There's a singular moment anyone who has ever held a camera recognizes, a moment of absolute clarity, a recognition that somehow seeing the world through those lens invites a different view than what our eyes initially present. A professional photographer can probably wax poetic about the virtues of image capture far better than I, but even a casual photographer can recognize the key to great photography is how the image is lit and framed. It's an innate talent some appear to be blessed with: the protagonist Maria Larsson of "Everlasting Moments" certainly was, along with this cinematographer of this beautifully shot 2008 Swedish film.

First, a word about the quality of the transfer. Considering this is a Criterion release, I expected the best, but on very rare occasions I've been a bit disappointed with their work. "Everlasting Moments" is filmed in something of a degraded color scheme which is closer to sepia tone than sharp color, no doubt an artistic decision on the part of the director. That said, the image on this Blu-Ray is extremely sharp and full of detail and texture, which is accompanied by a heavy sheen of grain. I was often impressed with the quality of this transfer, a transfer that highlights the beauty of the cinematography and remains faithful to the director's original intentions. I've not a single complaint in this department.

The essay booklet and supplementary material are notably quite substantial, a factor which makes the steep Criterion price tag worth it. The centerpiece of the four included special features is an hour long career retrospective on the work of director Jan Troell titled "Troell's Magic Mirror". The presentation is a bit pretentious at times, but can be easily overlooked with the abundance of information and interviews concerning a fascinating life and career. Were I forced to estimate, there's roughly forty five to fifty minutes of excellent viewing and about ten minutes of extraneous filler. The second feature is a half hour piece titled "Troell Behind the Camera". This functions as more of a "making of" special focusing on "Everlasting Moments". The third feature is a nine minute piece called "The True Story of Maria Larsson" featuring a voiceover by Troell's wife discussing the reality behind the drama along with some of Maria's photographs. The fourth and final feature is a two minute theatrical trailer.

"Everlasting Moments" focuses primarily on the rocky marriage between Maria and her husband, along with the struggles such a contentious relationship has on their numerous children. Sigfrid Larsson is a strong, handsome, talented man who doesn't shy away from a hard day's work. Unfortunately he's also a bitter, violent alcoholic and habitual womanizer. Maria Larsson, for her part, is reserved and demure but not submissive. Upon discovering a long forgotten camera among her possessions, Maria takes it to the local photography studio to see if it needs repair and possibly sell it. The proprietor of the shop, Sebastian Pederson, immediately takes a liking to Maria and offers to eventually purchase the camera.

In the meantime, he allows her to keep it and use it, with the intention of deducting the cost of the supplies from the purchase price. Maria is a natural photographer, capable of capturing hauntingly beautiful images under the most austere circumstances. With the encouragement of Mr. Pederson her hobby becomes her escape mechanism from the struggles of everyday life, much as husband chooses to escape via excessive drinking. It's an interesting contrast.

Aside from the excellent premise, I must give special mention to the outstanding production values of the film, which enabled the general feel of an early twentieth century village to be captured in glorious detail. Anyone who has enjoyed the production design of films such as "My Left Foot", "Pelle the Conqueror", or the more recent "The White Ribbon" will surely marvel at the exemplary work of "Everlasting Moments".

Prior to viewing this film, one should know that the film remains almost entirely focused on Maria's family for the two hour duration. I've read a certain element of reviews, both professional and amateur, that complain that the film is too slowly paced and borderline uninteresting. I never found the film to be either, but I can understand some viewers may be put off by the great detail paid to the Brief Encounter-esque relationship between Maria and Mr. Pederson or the quite normal machinations of the family in general.

Indeed, I found the film to be rife with interesting diversions such as the detail paid to the odd jobs Sigfrid received over the years, including the harsh nature of the work and the apparently futile labor strikes. More than that, the film is so perfectly cast that it's quite easy to find oneself swept away by the interactions of the characters. Watching Maria's unbridled joy at noticing her photograph was printed in the newspaper is one of many moments very nearly guaranteed to make the viewer smile. By contrast, it's nearly unbearably sad when Sigfrid's friend Englund meets his end. None of which would be possible, of course, unless the characters engaged the viewer on an emotional level.

It's been suggested that "Everlasting Moments" makes some sort of feminist statement or carries a message of female empowerment. I found the tale rather contrary to that interpretation. If the film is explored by those terms I find it more of a love story than anything else, albeit a thoroughly unconventional one. Perhaps a "fractured fairy tale" for adults. We know Maria deeply loves Sigfrid, primarily because she remains with him despite his numerous and troublesome faults. This is particularly highlighted by her choice not to sell his prized horse while he was imprisoned, despite the desperately needed financial benefits of doing so, despite the fact that he often displayed a general indifference towards her feelings, and despite the fact that he often acted as a hindrance to her designs of being a photographer.

Some have misinterpreted the ending as too saccharine and therefore unrealistic, due to a perceived impression that Sigfrid suddenly alters his behavior from a bitter, violent alcoholic to a more stable, loving man. The ending, though, is what the viewer wishes to make of it. The family's fortunes may have changed, and there's that gloriously shot scene of Maria and Sigfrid joyously dancing, but Sigfrid may never have changed. The only certain element is that Maria stood by him. On that note, suffice it to say that while it's true "Everlasting Moments" is based on a true story, it's not a biopic in the strictest sense, and is closer to a fictional drama based on real events.

The lingering question most seem to be left with is why exactly did Maria stand by her husband? It could be a myriad of reasons. Perhaps it was due to her fear for her spiritual well-being, as her father had warned that no one should put asunder what God brought together. Perhaps it was because he was a hard worker, a good provider and he did, at least, care very much for his children. Perhaps on some level Maria was attracted to his mischievous nature, that for all the compassion and tenderness the Mr. Pedersons of the world have to offer, they cannot match the roguish charm of her husband. Or maybe, just maybe, it truly was love.

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There's something almost too clean and perfect about Jan Troell's depiction of life in Sweden in the early 1900s. The film depicts the poverty and the troubles of one ordinary working class family, a family whose struggle to get by isn't helped by a violent father, a dock worker and labourer, whose drinking binges gradually come to terrorise the family, while his carrying-on with barmaids bring down the family name. Seen through the eyes of their daughter Maja Larsson, it's almost as if the worst horrors are kept private, the film's tasteful lighting, sepia tints and sensitive piano score from Matti Bye only adding to the impression of a somewhat idealised depiction of events that really aren't that pleasant at all.

In the end however, and even throughout, the strength of the film is indeed in its subtlety, in its refusal to appeal to the viewer's sentiments in regard to poverty and brutality of an underprivileged upbringing, and instead focus on the positive aspects of family togetherness and their attempts to rise above their troubles. In narrative terms, it's done with great sensitivity and subtlety through the device of the mother Maria Larsson's discovery of the miracle and beauty of photography and a deep friendship that she strikes up with the owner of a photography shop two events that help her create for herself a life of her own.

The real strength however is in the performances that get to the heart of the characters and the times they live in. All of them are exceptional, but particularly from Maria Heiskanen, who delicately captures the nuances of a remarkable range of emotions that her character must undergo, all of them suppressed by the need for propriety, for her inability to understand the emotions that arise within her, and simply from a strict upbringing that doesn't allow their expression but woe betide the person who takes that surface impassivity for weakness.

The gorgeous cinematography, the film's wonderful lighting and colour tints come across exceptionally well on the UK DVD release. Only fixed subtitles which are very small indeed spoil the overall impression. Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1 audio mixes are available. Extra include a Photo Gallery and a half-hour making of feature Troell Behind The Camera, which looks at the original true story that the film is based on with some of Maria Larsson's original photographs.

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Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

Beneath the Planet of the Apes is the second movie in the series and my personal favorite. Probably the darkest of all five movies, the story begins with Taylor and Nova riding through the Forbidden Zone where the first one left off. Taylor mysteriously disappears, but Nova is able to find Brent, the only survivor of the crew sent to rescue Taylor. After seeing Ape City, Brent and Nova go into the Forbidden Zone where they find an underground city of mutants who worship an atomic bomb as their god. Meanwhile, the Apes are planning an attack on the Forbidden City. The story is very good and also examines the prejudices of the Apes that are so similar to the ones of the humans they so despise. This is not the happiest movie, especially the ending, but it is still a great movie and the ending does fit.

James Franciscus plays Brent, the astronaut who survives the crash, and plays it very well. His performance is similar to that of Charlton Heston's in the first one, and at some points they even look alike. Charlton Heston does make a brief cameo in the beginning before disappearing and then comes back in the last twenty minutes to help Brent. Kim Hunter reprises her role of Zira while David Watson takes the role of Cornelius instead of Roddy McDowall who was busy working on a different project at the time. Maurice Evans is great again as Dr. Zaius with James Gregory giving an excellent role as General Ursus, the leader of the armies bent on destroying anything they come across in the Forbidden Zone. Linda Harrison is gorgeous as Nova, and she even gets to say something in this one. Fans of the series will love this movie even if the budget was less than the first one, which is very obvious in some scenes. The Planet of the Apes is offered on DVD but each individual film is not offered seperately. Too bad, because these are great films. For fans of the Ape series, check out Beneath the Planet of the Apes!

I'll preface this review by saying 'Planet of the Apes' remains my favorite movie of all time (so far). And in an age where film has been reduced to terms like 'franchises', the prerequisite to even a sequel must remain 'is there a story to be told'? As both a writer and a member of the audience, I cherish the surprise but detest the fact that if I buy into itsomeone in an office somewhere thinks I'll buy into 'Star Trek, Indiana Jones or Star Wars 46'.

Planet remains the classicthe next three sequels are a terrific companion piece, adapting its suggested history and fleshing it out. Avoid Battle. The stories have been told.

Beneath has always remained the maligned, misunderstood one and I want to address that in my review. Being the only actual sequel (the other 3 being prequels), has something to do with that. I personally think it rose to the challenge of following a classic admirablythanks to the team of Jacobs, Dehn, Abrahams, Post and Franciscus.

The two most confused criticisms are Franciscus filling Heston's shoes, and that it somehow repeats half of the first film. Beneath is a film that I think you have to view a few timessometimes that's the sign of a good book or film. In this case, I think it is.

Taylor was a cynical character. An absolute individual. A man escaping something in search of something different. Something better. It's the beauty of the first film and Heston's portrayal. It allows us to care and become involved in what awaits and is about to confront him.

Brent as the next character can't be afforded the same luxury. That would be repeating. Franciscus (who contributed much of what he said and did on screen), has to play an 'everyman'. An astronaut in search of another; following the orders of his mission. His remarks in the opening passage to both his dying skipper and Nova reflect that. He's trying to remain hopeful and find himself in a strange environment. It's only after encountering both the Ape society and then the Mutants, he ultimately caves to any sense of hope.

Watch Franciscus's subtle portrayal of that rather difficult task. Quite a performance and massively underated. Heston, who cited Franciscus as a very good actor, was wrong about Brent's part. Playing an 'everyman' is very difficult and I think Franciscus's lines gave us a good sense of the character in a story that had two society's to contend with, this time around. Thematically, it was more epic in nature.

As for his being taken by Nova back to ape city (the repetitious aspect cited)very few seem to notice a marvelous thread being woven here: the opening flashback showing/teasing us about Taylor's strange disappearance (and really nicely handled visually), is what leads Brent (and us) back to a society now on the slide. Ape City is in a state of political change.

This is the point of this film. Zauis was the safeguard (perhaps) of the apes not repeating man's mistakes. Ursus's speech shows us military expansionism, a struggle for leadership, and sending an army to war ' in the name of faith', as he quotes their Lawgiver's words back to them.

The shadow spreads that the Apes will be no different, in the end, than man.

As Brent and Nova escape this, they fall into the hands of the Mutantsand this madness is heightened (to an uncomfortable but an unbelievably imaginative climax). The combination of faith flag waving, and the weird embracing of death culture is thought provoking (and unfortunately, still very timely).

There in lies the amazing thing about this film. It took the magnificant implication of the first film's ending, and offered a very dark, wonderous tone poem conclusion to it.

It tells its story and it has its own ideas, its own shape, scope and insights. It also had the guts via a science fiction film to state " look what we do to one another in the name of faith or with the idea that God is somehow on 'someone's side'.

I also think that it wove a marvelous conclusion to Taylor's attempted escape of the world and mankind; to where it ultimately led himand finally what it ultimately asked of him.

For those about to view or about to rewatch itit's not Planet of the Apes. It wisely understood that story had been told.

It has its own storyhowever dark. It dared to be different and not a 'franchise set up'. It also has some real questions it asks, some marvelous performances (Franciscus and James Gregory as Ursus), some inspired direction and a very good score by Roseman. Oh yes, lest we foreget ... and Heston as Taylor.

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Beneath the Planet of the Apes is the typical sequel that has to follow the plot and hold the same standards as its phenomonally successful original. "Beneath," as I will continue to call it, does it's job better than most. The plot is well thought out, the new characters, Nova, Taylor, and Dr. Zaius hold up very well, and it keeps many of the original film's aspects with it.

James Franciscus may have had the most difficult acting challenge. Since Charlton Heston did not want a sequel, and agreed to do only two cameos, Franciscus had to fill in the main character slot, and give a performance as strong as Heston's. He does a really good job at it. The main character, Brent, is very believable and obviously has a devotion to friends. His quest to find Taylor goes a lot farther than most humans would care to go. Brent's character is also helped by the fact he is new, so has no risk of not being like his past characterizations.

Ursus, the gorilla commander, is played by James Gregory. His performance is everything you would want out of a POTA gorilla. Dr. Zaius remains as the only original ape character to not have an alerted personality. He remains the same type of hard-headed, aristocrat who is the sole witness to Earth's past. Taylor's character is no longer misanthropic, but then again he was like that since the end of the first film.

Now here come the problems. The budget on this film was obviously cut. The exact price was $ 3,000,000. That budget would be about 80 or 90 million dollars in today's blockbusters. This resulted in the fact that not all the qualified make-up artists returned. Zira now has somewhat of a double-chin and a catfish-like appearance, and Zaius's design is not as...aristocratic. Corneilius looks different, but that's becaus Roddy McDowall was directic a film in London and the part had to go to David Watson. Speaking of chimpanzees, Zira and Corneilius's personalities are too altered. Zira is now headstrong and tempermental, and her husband is no longer a reluctant hero. After Paul Deihn wrote the story, Michael Wilson should have been hired to re-write the script, almost word-for-word, but keep the characters the same. Also, Ted Post was a good director, but brining back Franklin Schaffner would have been better.

This film is very good, and does a great job at following the success of the original. In the plot, Brent crashlands on Earth following Taylor's path, and finds Nova (Linda Harrison). Taylor is lost in the Forbidden Zone, and with Zira's help, Brent goes out to find him. The apes declare war on a mutant race of humans with faces from Graves Anatomy, and Taylor and Brent must save the entire globe, apes, and humans.

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This movie I believe is one of the most underrated movies of the Planet of the Apes series. The movie shows the apes greed and how corrupted they have become. Also the mutant humans how they have their doomsday bomb. The point of this movie is that are own worst enemy is ourselves. The end of the world will be caused by just a few greedy people. Oh yeah Nova is very hot in this movie!

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I too prefer the hairy apes to the mutant apes underground (remember humans are apes). The mutants are cold, hypocritical, unnecessarily violent, bizarre and those are their good points. Uexplained are points like :do they know they are living in the rewmains of what used to be the great city of Manhatten? I feel this movie is only a semi-rehash of the first (hey Taylor found no mutant apes in film one did he?). I wish to point out that war is ok'd in the Holy Bible so I am not entirely anti-war but the mutants apes lose me in sympathy when they try to kill Nova and Taylor and company when they have a perfectly strong jail cell to put them up alive in. No irony for me in seeing future NRA president Heston getting gunned down at the end of the film.

Carmen (1984)

Much has been written in these reviews regarding the great performances and fine quality of filmmaking in Francesco Rosi's film of Carmen. Here I am only going to comment on the new Blu-Ray edition.

The Olive Films Blu-Ray disc of the 1984 film of Bizet's Carmen, featuring Julia Migenes and Placido Domingo, arrived today. I just finished watching it, then compared it to the Columbia-TriStar DVD version.

Columbia's DVD had virtually no extras, just a couple of theatrical trailers, one being for this production of Carmen. It did have a choice of subtitles: English, Spanish, French, or none. It also had 24 scene chapters.

The new Blu-Ray disc form Olive has a magnificent picture with great detail and the stereo soundtrack is wonderful. But it has absolutely no extras, just the film. The English subtitles are permanently on, as though it was like an old videotape where you cannot switch the subtitles on or off. There are no other choices no Spanish or French titles, just English, British English it seems to this Yank, with spellings and phrases I am familiar with from watching BBC shows.(The "passers-by" are translated as "a rum bunch".) The scene chapters are also reduced to only 8, which makes it a bit tricky to find certain arias or music without having to shuttle the FWD-REV keys, again like the old tapes.

I have no regrets in getting the Blu-Ray because of the outstanding high-def picture and sound, and I do need the Engish subs, even if I can't turn them off to practice my French. I just wish they could have provided a better overall product with at least as many chapters, at least as many subtitle languages (including "none"), and at least an extra or two, like Columbia did with the DVD.

By the way, the Columbia DVD said the image was "presented in the originally filmed aspect ratio of 1.66:1" The new Blu-Ray says it is in 1.85:1. I looked for some corner details in the projected images of both versions, but they appear to be almost identical. My old VHS of Carmen is full frame and actually shows more picture information above and below the same picture on disc versions, indicating to me it must have been shot in 1.33:1. The IMDB lists 1.75:1 for camera, and the 70mm blowups as 2.20:1.

This film production of Bizet's Carmen, shot on location in southern Spain, is magnificent. The singing and acting are first rate, as are the sound and picture quality of the DVD. Carmen, like Don Giovanni, is a complex, multi-faceted character that can be played a variety of ways. Julia Migenes portrays Carmen with raw sensuality, and it works, as we see her opposite, Don Jose (performed brilliantly by Placido Domingo), unable to escape her womanly powers. The film uses dialogue rather than recitatives, as that is what Bizet intended--Carmen is an opera comique, which means that spoken dialogue (not recitatives) are employed between the singing. The dialogue definitely heightens the drama of Carmen, and it was only after Bizet's death that sung recitatives were unfortunately used in in this opera. Because this is a film version of Carmen, there are many creative and symbolic options that couldn't be done in the opera house. The use of a live bull in the ring is extemely effective, and it is the first image we see in this film. We see how beautiful and noble the bull is, how strong and free spirited he is. This powerful and tragic image will stay with us throughout the film. The use of such symbolism allows us ultimately to compare Carmen to the brave bull who would rather die than surrender its freedom, while don Jose is the bullfighter who must kill the object he lives for and loves most. There is real frisson between Domingo and Migenes as they heat up the screen--Domingo gives an amazing performance of don Jose's gradual fall and ultimate self-destruction. There are no disappointments in the entire cast. The final act is most effective as don Jose essentially is transformed into the matador while Carmen represents the courageous bull--refusing to back down, she must die, just as the bull must be sacrificed in the ring. While they are performing their "dance of death" we are shown clips of Carmen's new lover, a matador, in the ring facing a real bull--this is a powerful juxtaposition that could obviously only be done on film. This is a striking film, one that captures the very essence of Carmen and her world, and it only gets better with repeated viewings.

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I've watched this version of Carmen several times and like it more and more each viewing.

This is the first opera I've watched as a movie and the effect is certainly different than before a live audience. I don't think any movie can compare to having the performance done in the intimate setting of an opera house: and this is the reason it took me a while to appreciate this work. Having said that, this production does please the visual and auditory senses. The scenes are beautiful with a pastel quality to them: just enough color for warmth and atmosphere to complement the locations. Some of the views are panoramic while others a close-up.

The roles of Carmen and Don Jose are done by Julia Migenes -Johnson and Placido Domingo respectively. It is hard to imagine two better people for the leads.

Although Julia Migenes-Johnson has a wonderful husky voice that complements her part, it is her acting that is truly outstanding. Swiveling hips, swishing raised skirts, ringlet hair and the look that absolutely makes her the genuine temptress and seductress that her part calls for. How could poor Don Jose not fall for her?

Placido Domingo's interpretation of Don Jose is stellar. Handsome with a voice to die for! Watching his downward spiral as his relationship with Carmen deteriorates is, from a male perspective, hard to watch. The begging and pleading are heart wrenching and you cannot help feel sorry for Don Jose while at the same time wishing he would stand up for himself.

My two favorite scenes are the beautifully choreographed and sung "Habanera" and the finale "It's you! It's me!"

All in all a wonderful production of Bizet's Carmen in movie form. Highly recommended if you don't mind losing the stage effect of a live production

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Julia Migenes-Johnson is the most wanton, flirtatious, outright outrageously sexual Carmen I have ever seen, or listened to, in Francesco Rosi's lush 1984 film adaptation of Georges Bizet's opera, "Carmen," filmed on location in Andalusia. The casting of the fiery femme fatale is essential to the success of the opera, because the diva must be able to project femininity, defiance and sensuality, as well as a phenomenal mezzo-soprano voice in order to be believable. After training for ten months to adapt her natural soprano to the mezzo range, Ms. Migenes-Johnson brings Carmen to life in a manner which I have never seen. Opera purists may quibble because she was cast in a mezzo role but why not, if she can sing the part? And her singing and acting are exciting...brilliant, actually! She really makes one understand the tremendous erotic attraction between Carmen and Don Jose, and why the honorable soldier fell so tragically in love with her.

Italian tenor, Placido Domingo, excels as Don Jose, the sincere army corporal who becomes obsessed with love for the feckless gypsy woman. Domingo's voice is in top form here, and he is convincing and absolutely dashing, in what I believe is his finest screen performance. The supporting cast is superb especially bass Ruggero Raimondi, who plays suave Escamillo, the toréador who competes for Carmen's affections; and Faith Esham, as Micaëla, Don José's lovely and loyal hometown sweetheart. Those who act the parts of Spanish peasants and gypsies, really add to the illusion of reality. The music, performed by the Orchestre National de France, conducted by Lorin Maazel, is first rate, of course.

This famous nineteenth-century opera was originally based upon a novella by Prosper Mérimée. The story is about a poor and honest soldier who is seduced by a sensuous gypsy. His love for her becomes his eventual downfall when she abandons him for a lauded toreador. The opera was looked upon as scandalous, tres risque, for the period. When it premiered, it was called "sordid" and "unmelodic."

"Bizet's Carmen," (as this film is titled in the US), is first and foremost an opera film and so much more than a live recording of a static stage performance. This highly energetic production was shot almost entirely in southern Spain. The real sceneries, (no artificial stage sets), are shot outdoors and feature beautiful pastoral landscapes, as well as those drenched by the southern sun, the bull fight arena, and colorful gypsy camps, lending an extraordinarily rich and open atmosphere to the movie. Pasqualino De Santis' cinematography captures the settings perfectly and his opening shots of the bull fight are exquisite and powerful. Also, Bizet's original dialogue is used, as he meant it to be, (and is well translated with English subtitles), which makes the opera more accessible to audiences. For a period, after Bizet's death, recitatives were written and commonly used in the opera's performances rather than dialogue.

One does not need to be an opera aficionado to appreciate this compelling film and become caught up in the drama and the glorious music. This is one of the first operas I watched all the way through, and I found myself riveted to the screen. I became motivated to explore other operas after enjoying this one so much, and bought the VHS tape back in the mid-1980's. I recently purchased the DVD. The only extras are two trailers. The first is of "Carmen" and the second, "The Dream Life of Angels," which is an excellent film, but I don't understand its relevance here. I'm not complaining, mind you.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough. The performances are outstanding and extremely realistic. This is a work of art to be enjoyed by the novice and opera connoisseur alike.

JANA

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This production of Carmen is superlative by any measure. The casting is perfect, with all characters entirely believable in their roles. Julia Migenes is an excellent vocalist whose lovely singing voice is packaged with a first-rate acting and dancing ability. She truly brought Carmen to life in a way that the typical stage production cannot. Her attention to details such as gestures and eye movements were astounding throughout the production. I am amazed that she has not been more visible since this film because she is a real treasure. The quality of acting and singing by all of the characters, even the secondary ones such as the soldiers, the bandits, and Carmen's gypsy friends, was excellent with all players entirely credible in their roles. Ruggero Raimondi is perfect as Escamillo and of course Placido Domingo may be the best Don Jose ever. Faith Esham is a lovely Michaela with a wonderful voice more than equal to her part.

And the scenery! Ravishing. No stage production can ever transport one to Andalusian Spain like this film. Beautifully photographed with the scenes and action perfectly coordinated with the flow of the music.

Are there faults with this production? Yes. The greatest is that the charming trio and chorus "Quant au douanier," has been excised from the 3rd act. M. Bizet I am sure would not approve of that. The disc tracks are often inconvenient. For example, one cannot cue to the beginning of the 4th act, one must cue to the fight scene in the third act and fast forward. Occasionally stage direction is sacrificed to the director's vision as at the end of act 2 when the bandits are singing to the lieutenant to move along "sans vous faire prier" all the while tying him up in a chair. I always love the pomp and circumstance of the parade in act 4 but in this version the picadors, matadors, etc. simply pull up to the bullring in carriages and walk in the door. A bit disappointing.

That said, it all amounts to nitpicking when taking the grand view. This production brings a new standard of realism and depth of emotion to Carmen, which I hold to be the most beautiful of operas. If you love Bizet's masterpiece, you will certainly treasure this presentation, and Leonard Maltkin should stick to reviewing Jim Carrey flicks, because he is way off on this one.

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Welcome to the Rileys (2010)

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS is a little sign on the garage doors of Doug and Lois Riley in Indianapolis, Indiana. It also serves as the title of this fine little film written by Ken Hixon and directed by Jake Scott that examines how the loss of a 15-year-old daughter Emily in an automobile accident has resulted in the crumbling of the parent's marriage and relationship. Doug (James Gandolfini) has an affair with younger waitress Vivian (Eisa Davis) while Lois (Melissa Leo) becomes so isolated in her agoraphobic state and psychotropic mediations that she is no longer available to Doug. A crisis occurs when Vivian dies in cardiac arrest and in Doug's honest grief he visits her grave only to find that Lois has unilaterally purchased a headstone with Doug's and Lois' names on it beside the grave of their departed Emily, a fact that enrages Doug.

Doug goes to New Orleans on a convention and there encounters stripper/prostitute Mallory (Kristen Stewart), a 16 year old unkempt, foul mouthed runaway from Florida: Mallory sees the kind Doug as a john but Doug's interest is in her plight, not her business offerings. Doug obviously responds to Mallory as though she were his lost daughter, moving into her filthy apartment, trying to improve her view of life. Doug phones Lois that he is going to stay in New Orleans a while, a message that gives Lois the courage to actually leave her home and drive to New Orleans: during Lois' somewhat comedic trip she stops for food and a strange man comes on to her something that awakens her self esteem before she reaches New Orleans. Once Lois arrives at her destination she is proud of overcoming her agoraphobia and Doug is happy to see the healing Lois. Together they stay with Mallory, facing the fact that for both of them Mallory represents the chance to restore their love for the daughter they've lost. How the three cope is the remaining of the film.

The three leads offer polished performances some of the finest work we have seen from both Gandolfini and Leo who together make this film better than the sum of its parts. Kristen Stewart immerses herself in Mallory and though she still remains a rather monochromatic actress, this role offers her the ability to stretch her acting chops: she is convincing as the victim of the dregs of society and makes us care about a character who seems to have few redeeming qualities. This trio of actors plays well as a small ensemble and the result is a film that has been far too overlooked by the general public. Recommended. Grady Harp, February 11

My daughter who is totally a fan of Kristen Stewart had heard about this movie, but had never seen the movie. As a 47-year-old woman I appreciated Kristen Stewart's acting ability, but wasn't much interested in seeing another "teen movie" (this film is for adults). I decided to watch "Welcome to the Riley's" for some mother-daughter time with my own daughter. I am so glad she knew about this movie.

James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo as Mr. and Mrs. Riley are masters at the craft of acting. They never missed a beat despite the tough topic covered. They were incredibly believable. I forgot I was watching a movie. Their relationship, its breakdown is raw and ordinary and then incredibly inspiring.

Kristen Stewart carried the character of Mallory as a teenage runaway, stripper and prostitute without insulting realityin fact the whole movie was that way. This easily could have been a cheesy, do-gooder movie but this is one that took ordinary and responsible and amazingand made it greater than the sum of its parts.

I rarely rate a movie 5 out of 5; this movie is such. As a side point, I hope this movie reminds people in the US that it's not just children across the globe that are suffering, we have a lot of work to do here.

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Welcome to The Rileys drew me in more and more as the movie progressed; at first I thought it was a bit too slow but when the pace picked up with the backdrop of New Orleans I was rather impressed by what it had to say. The casting couldn't have been better; Melissa Leo gives an outstanding performance as a guilty housewife punishing herself for a long-ago car accident that took her daughter's life; and James Gandolfini turns in a masterful performance as her husband Doug who just can't seem to get past his grief and personal demons. The choreography and the cinematography enhance the movie and the musical score does a great job of making the film even better, too.

Lois Riley (Melissa Leo) and her husband Doug (James Gandolfini) are still most unhappy even though it's been eight years since the death of their daughter in a car accident. Lois hasn't left the house since the car accident; indeed, Lois has been so depressed that she already has headstones for her and Doug next to their late daughter's grave, a fact that gives Doug the creeps. Doug also has a long standing affair with a waitress named Vivian (Eisa Davis). However, when Vivian suddenly dies of a heart attack Doug is very upset and sadder still; and he suffers in silence because he doesn't know that Lois knew about him and Vivian for quite some while already.

Doug goes to a business convention in New Orleans; and being still upset about Vivian's death (he had wanted to take her there for her birthday) and also feeling out of place in a city very different from where he lives with his wife, Doug leaves the convention early one day and wanders into a strip joint where he meets an underage call girl who goes by several different names including Mallory (Kristen Stewart of "Twilight" fame). Doug and Mallory begin a most unconventional relationship; she reminds Doug of his daughter. So, what does Doug do? He phones Lois to tell her he's staying in New Orleans indefinitely without giving Lois any reason; he moves in with Mallory paying her $100 a day to stay with her in her very rundown apartment in a home that was abandoned after Hurricane Katrina and Doug tries desperately to get Mallory to grow up with a combination of love and confrontation that Mallory needs.

Meanwhile, Lois decides to finally leave their home after nearly eight years of staying indoors--she's determined to drive to New Orleans and find Doug there by calling him on his cell phone. Of course, the rest of what transpires gives us a very solid story line and some fine entertainment.

I could tell you more; but there won't be any spoilers here even though it may seem like I've told you much too much already! Suffice it to say the rest of the plot should hold your attention very well. In addition, look for very good performances by Tiffany Coty as Tara and Lance E. Nichols in an all-too-brief appearance as Hamilton 'Ham' Watkins, another businessman at the convention.

The DVD also comes with an extra about the making of the film.

I recommend this film for anyone interested in gritty family drama or drama in general; and of course fans of the actors in this movie would do well to add this to their collections.

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Acting absolutely superb Gandolfini conquers any doubts his talents rest at playing Tony Soprano in fact it's time we simply apologize for asking so much from television actors who take the plunge into films especially after long successful runs. If this is ambiguous to you, compare it to Michael Jordon who had the (no pun) balls to quit at the top of his game to venture into the minor leagues in a quest to answer his lifelong question as to whether choosing basketball over baseball was the right decision. Any player will tell you despite the stigma of being the "lessor" league very, VERY few even make it that far and Jordon to not only be picked up but then to blast away giving it his all good or bad publicly and without apologies well, he and Gandolfini have something few men do the will, perseverance, and rare quality to let go of any past greatness in return for the rewards of moving forward and working just as hard at something going into are given no assurances at success.

In other "Welcome to the Riley's" news . . . Melissa Leo's performance is utterly spectacular portraying her role to the hilt without so much as ever letting us in on the fact she was acting she played the role beyond what should have been expected with her subtle approach to what I'm sure any actor would agree was a script FILLED with nothing short of mere plethora of emotions she was called upon to portray. Whether playing passive aggressive, angry, anxious, fearful, willful, vigilant, forgiving, lustful, determined, empathetic, or as she does best, emphasizing there is no age limit to seeing the world, although again, for the first time she pulls them all off without letting us in on how difficult a role she was given and she was tremendous.

And last but not least, credit is certainly due young Kristen Stewart for whom without glitch played the role for which she was cast and although it may seem a far easier thing for a young actress to play a role which any young model might be cast, I would personally place money that finding the right actress to for the role of "Mallory/Allison" was for the casting agents, producer, and director, by far the most difficult challenge in pulling off this movie without making it "all about her". In affect, together the cast managed to keep the audience just as interested in the "old people" as the young beauty something which let's face itwith the kind of exploitation this movie could have allowed, nothing short of an A++ goes to not only Ms. Stewart for knowing her place in the movies, but as well for all involved as the end product is a rare and honest look into many delicate subjects, produced magnificently without the usual commercial gimmicks which ruin so many otherwise would-be great movies. Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!!! PS: To Ally Sheedy They say no role is too small and you certainly prove this true as it is clear you've absolute dedication to your profession and thank you for your performance as we LOVE to see you on the screen be it five hours of playing Cleopatra or a moments glance as a Ticket Taker at a carnival it doesn't matter to your fans as it's simply a pleasure to watch you act (which should you ever come across this review you might mention to your agent :)

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All I have to say is 'wow'. This movie evoked so many emotions, I don't even know where to start. You become happy for Mr. Riley as he finds some personal satisfaction in helping out a runaway stripper, then a minute later get your heart ripped out when Mallory/Allison hurts Mr. and Mrs. Riley, after which you soon find yourself feeling forgiving towards Mallory/Allison and just want to give her a hug. It is an absolutely amazing film, one I'm going to tell all my friends and family to watch. It reminds us that you can find family anywhere, and that there is always going to be someone who needs to love and be loved.

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