Safe Haven Blu-Ray + DVD+ Extra Bonus DVD + Digital Copy (2013)

I'm not so sure you should classify this as a chick flick, even though there seemed to be a lot more females than males at the screening I attended. For me there were enough non-romance scenes to make it a more of a mystery. I can't say a lot about the plot without spoiling it for those who haven't seen it.

The movie runs the course of your basic romance with an unlikely couple who meet and fall for each other in spite of their problems until their relationship takes a major hit due to revelations about a secret past. In fact, threaded throughout the story are short scenes involving a Boston cop obsessed with finding a suspect in an attempted murder. There are a few tense moments of violence and absolute terror, but it's not gratuitous or over done, only enough to reveal the mystery and lead to a satisfying conclusion, (or not). What I liked the most was that, just when I thought the plot had taken its final twist, a letter is opened and read which surprised me all over again.

I enjoyed this movie much more than The Notebook, another movie based on a novel by the same author, Nicholas Sparks. I felt this was more action packed, exciting and optimistic that The Notebook. I also felt the cast was strong, from the leading characters to the supporting actors. All in all, an entertaining movie that I would recommend.

One day my mom said she wanted to see this. So we went and saw it. It starts out with some mystery. A girl seems to be hiding. From what or whom you are unsure. Then, she finds a place to feel safe and starts to enjoy her new dwellings. Throughout the movie you will learn about what she is afraid of and what happened to finally free her and make her run. Then, there may just be something in the movie that will happen that makes you have this weird feeling in your gut. I will not say anything though.

The chemistry between the actor that plays the father and the actress that plays the girl is amazing. They are so good at playing nervous, anxious people who are falling for one another. You will come to like both of them and hope for good things to happen. There is someone else in the movie as well. A detective/cop. His role in the movie is important.

The kids that play the mans kids are great. They are such good actors. I am proud of them. They never get in the way of anything that is going on. You see them for the perfect amount of time. In the time you see them you will understand their pain and their reasons for doing what they do.

Another thing that I liked about this movie is the location. It seems to have a small town feeling. Some movies go all over the place. But this movies was really in one place. It let you feel safe. Like you were at home and nothing could happen. Very well done.

This is a great movie for a man, women, or both to watch. It really makes you thankful for those you have that you can love and who love you. As soon as this comes out, I am buying it. One of those movies that is great to watch on a rainy night. A great movie!!!!

Oh, and if you were wondering I am a 28 year old guy. I have had a lot of pain in my life. I enjoy love stories. Just makes you feel good.

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"There is more than one way to skin a cat" has got to be humorously posted on a some wall somewhere within the offices of Nicholas Sparks Productions. The latest proof of this has arrived in the form of Safe Haven.

In Safe Haven, Katie (Julianne Hough) is introduced frantically attempting to escape being chased down by a Boston Police Officer (David Lyons). The mystery of the film revolves around why this chase is taking place, but of course the point of this film revolves around her somehow ending up in North Carolina with a handsome man. "Write about where you know" has got to be humorously posted on some wall in Nicholas Sparks's North Carolina home.

Katie does end up in the aforementioned state in the tiny town of Sea Port. Sea Port offers all of the necessities for Sparks to work his magic: quiet streams for canoeing, beaches with virtually no one around, general stores, rusticity, no technology, one big event (that apparently draws over 100,000 people in for a day), and a laissez faire attitude. Predictability ensues, but not to an offensive degree.

This is the eighth Sparks novel to get the cinematic treatment, but it may as well be the eightieth. It rarely rises above standard TV movie production quality and offers nothing unexpected to the viewers. What it can cash in on is the likability and chemistry between its main co-stars Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel. I suspect that this is the main reason the film got green-lit at all. An attempt, albeit a failed one, at adding some edge accomplishes little more than The Lucky One was able to accomplish last year. What is surprising is that the novel does have some edgy back-story, but director Lasse Hallström and screenwriter Dana Stevens chose to downplay, simplify, and blatantly avoid these opportunities preventing this film from elevating itself above the standard warmed over genre-film that it became. Formulas exist because they provide the framework for pleasing an audience, but unfortunately they grow tremendously stale and unsatisfying if they are not tweaked and modified from time to time. This is a lazy movie from start to finish, and it is an apparent Valentine's Day cash-grab at a movie hungry audience looking for a romantic film during a barren movie season. Like most films that receive reviews like this, it will be very comforting to those who go in knowing what to expect and unappealing to everyone else. How do you grade a film like this? Skin the C off the cat.

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I guess I'd call this a PG-13 romance with an edge. We have attractive leads, mysterious pasts and dark secrets..... The book on which this is based is by Nicholas Sparks ("The Notebook") so it MUST be romantic, right? And there has to be an idyllic boat ride on a bayou...and two lovers caught in the rain. The movie is directed by Lasse Hallström ("Salmon Fishing in the Yemen") so it will feel like real people in a real situation, with humorous bits tossed in just for fun. As you can tell, this was actually pretty good because we had plenty of people to root for.

We watched:

* Josh Duhamel ("Transformers," "New Year's Eve" and lots of TV) as Alex, a widower of two years, helping his two youngsters cope with their loss and helping his uncle run a little grocery store/gas station/tackle shop in a North Carolina fishing village. BTW, this actor is really good with children!

* Noah Lomax (Lots of TV) is Josh, his older child who remembers, and still misses, his mom.

* Mimi Kirkland in her first movie role, is Lexie, the younger child who only remembers the idea of her mother. She's a precocious, loyal little busybody.

* Julianne Hough ("Rock of Ages" and "Footloose") is Katie, fleeing for her life from Boston and trying to find a safe haven beyond the reach of her pursuer.

* Cobie Smulders ("The Avengers") is Jo, the lovely neighbor who befriends our heroine.

* David Lyons (Lots of TV) is either a cop, an abandoned husband, or both.

There are plenty of other characters, but time does not permit... I could have done without some of the bucolic photography, but it was only 115 minutes. Suffice it to say, this had no profanity and some chaste love making, but had a real nail-biter of a climax and a totally unexpected twist...plus Duhamel is VERY easy on the eye! Your DVD from Amazon will allow you to back up and look again.

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I love Nicholas Sparks and truly enjoy reading his novels, and that is what makes this movie go south for me. Don't get me wrong it was a great movie but if youve read the book you become very critical. Most Nicholas Sparks movies are well done and stick more to the book than this. I do not like when back stories that make the character who they are and names of characters are changed. It really looses the book. Her past is different and it really takes away from who she is. I reccomend NOT reading the book before the movie or you will ruin it for yourself.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

This is a story about a stubborn and arrogant man who needs to push his body to its absolute limits, but who dedicates very little of his energy to his soul or intellect. That's the concept the unites this film and the book on which it was based. But ultimately films owe no debt to the books or the reality on which they are based (read the book "Monster" by the late screenwriter and author John Gregory Dunne if you need to get that straight).

Brad Pitt is not unwatchable as Heinrich Harrer, but you may cringe at his Austrian accent. Just remember that this film may not have been made at all without his interest and participation, and it wouldn't have been permitted the sort of budget that gave us the amazing landscapes which dominate the movie.

I suppose once they had their big star, casting went for the very finest actors they could find regardless of their status: therefore, we have two beautifully resonant performances by David Thewlis as Pitt's climbing companion and Lhapka Tsamchoe as the Love Interest.

This movie is about Heinrich Harrer, but there is some focus on his ties to the Dalai Lama. Very little screen time is spent in the camp for enemy aliens (those were YEARS of his life) or the difficult scrabble simply to exist once he escaped. The shots of the Dalai Lama's early childhood are there not only to foreshadow the important role the Dalai Lama ultimately plays, but also to establish a link between the child who befriends Harrer and the son who Harrer does not know.

The authenticity and detail of Tibetan life, dress, buildings, and so forth is rare and overwhelming. Even if it was staged, it is a good record of a lost time.

Further praise to the screenwriter (Becky Johnston) who translated a good book into a good movie. The addition of a few good laugh lines and the general development of character were well done.

Heinrich Harrer is an interesting man and merits a movie about his life. Of course, the elements of living in Tibet and developing a friendship with the Dalai Lama are crucial to the interest. For my part I've watched the movie several times and I always get deliciously lost in the scenery.

SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

(USA 1997)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)

Theatrical soundtracks: Dolby Digital / SDDS-8

The only thing more beautiful than Brad Pitt in Jean-Jacques Annaud's low-key drama SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET is the astonishing location photography (Argentina, Canada, Austria and the Himalayas standing in for Tibet), rendered in glorious Panavision widescreen by cinematographer Robert Fraisse. Pitt, every inch the blond Aryan god, plays real life explorer Heinrich Harrer (on whose book this film is based), an arrogant Nazi bully who ran from his wife's unhappy pregnancy to conquer the Himalayas toward the end of the 1930's. Stranded there by the outbreak of World War II, Harrer found his way to the forbidden city of Lhasa, where his unexpected friendship with the teenage Dalai Lama (played with great warmth and sincerity by non-actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk) curbed his ruthless streak and provided him with a fresh outloook on life, until he was forced to flee the country following the Chinese invasion.

Suffering from unfair comparisons with Martin Scorsese's KUNDUN (1997), which opened shortly afterward both movies were denounced by mainland Chinese officials Annaud's film evokes the splendors of a remote mountain community founded exclusively on Buddhist principles (in an amusing sequence, Pitt is asked to build a movie theater without killing the hundreds of worms uncovered by his workers' excavations). It may be a Hollywoodized vision, but it's also respectful and, in places, deeply moving ("Do you think someday people will look at Tibet on a movie screen and wonder what happened to us?" the Dalai Lama asks Pitt in one of the movie's most self-referential moments).

When Chinese troops invade the Tibetan stronghold towards the end of the film, they display all the arrogance and hostility which had typified Harrer's behavior until he was transformed by the example of his gracious hosts. Distinguished by John Williams' majestic score (so much better than the tuneless dirge he provided for SLEEPERS the previous year), the film also features David Thewlis (NAKED) as Pitt's climbing partner, Lhakpa Tsamchoe as the beautiful woman who comes between them for a while, and B.D. Wong as a lowly Tibetan official whose vanity and cowardice prompts the downfall of his own culture.

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There are so many spiritual moments in this movie. I was literally captivated from start to finish. The theme of mountain climbing was fascinating and the sheer beauty of the snow laden mountains gives the story a purity of spirit.

In my humble opinion, this is Brad Pitt's finest movie yet. As the Austrian mountain climber, Heinrich Harrer, he brings a sexy warmth to a freezing climate. At first Heinrich is only concerned with his own existence and is quite out of touch with his spiritual self. He abruptly leaves his very pregnant wife to fend for herself as he runs off to join an expedition to climb Nanga Parbat in British India in 1939.

He seems to be on a personal journey with destiny lending a hand. While climbing, he is captured and spends time as a prisoner of war. Not even this experience breaks the chains that seems to hold his soul captive. In his case, the enemy doesn't help him to develop patience and compassion. It takes the heart of a child to show him why he should climb down from the mountain of his own pride, so he can take on a higher challenge, love.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful story of two souls who find one another under the most hostile situation. For a brief moment in time, they know true friendship, despite the age and cultural differences.

Unfortunately, mankind is rarely happy with what they have and when Tibet comes under attack, the tranquility and harmony of the Tibetan city of Lhasa is completely destroyed.

While humans have the ability to destroy one another, they also have the ultimate responsibility to love one another and nothing is more difficult when your philosophies of life clash so horribly. While peace is the ultimate goal, this movie brings the realization that evil is alive and well and that at times, evil seems to have an upper hand in many countries.

Still, the hope for peace and happiness for every human burns in some hearts like a flame for the rest of the world to see. Finding a reason to live in a difficult situation and not running from your responsibilities to friends, family and country is also emphasized.

Thoughtful and will leave you with a feeling of peace and hope.

Quotes from the Dalai Lama I found recently:

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.

We have to take seriously our concern for all of humanity. When we focus on our individuality, humanity inevitably suffers. Whether we love humanity or not, we must realize that we are part of it. That is why being compassionate is actually in my own best interest. And a symptom of my own peace of mind that I can share comfort with others around me.

It is constructive and worthwhile to analyze our emotions, including compassion and our sense of caring, so that we can become more calm and happy. Hatred, jealousy, and fear hinder peace of mind. When you're angry or unforgiving, for example, your mental suffering is constant. It is better to forgive than to spoil your peace of mind with ill feelings.

Altruism is the best source of happiness. There is no doubt about it.

~The Rebecca Review

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In this lengthy (132 min) basically true tale, Brad Pitt portrays an egotistical, selfish, pompous, despicable, Nazi jerk (admittedly, not a pleasant combination of characteristics) whose abhorrent personality ruins his marriage and alienates all around him. While on a mountain climbing expedition, he is captured and imprisoned by the British in India. After numerous escape attempts, he finally does achieve freedom and begins a long trek to the relative safety of independent Tibet. Unfortunately, outsiders are not welcome in Tibet, and thus begins a 7+ year ordeal which culminates in his becoming a tutor and friend of the youthful Dahli Lama. Through their interaction and strongly influenced by Tibetan culture, Pitt's character achieves a complete reversal of personality, emerging an infinitely better individual. How all this happens is both believable and beautifully presented.

I found Pitt's uneven German accent to be inaccurate and highly distracting, but this is my only complaint about the production. Photography, music and settings are magnificent....successfully capturing the essence of the Himalayas and 1940's Tibetan culture. For those not familiar with the Dahli Lama's current exile to India, this movie provides a clear and honest historical review of events that made it necessary. You will come to understand why, to this day, so many people support him and his country so fervently.

I recommend the movie to all mature viewers who appreciate superb scenery, epic scope, excellent acting (accents aside), insights into history and exotic cultures, and a heart-warming character renaissance.

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The Chinese genocide of the Tibetans is one of the most disgusting and disturbing events in modern history, on par with the Nazi treatment of the Jews. This is doubled by the fact that the western powers did and are doing nothing as members of an ancient civilisation dedicated to spiritual practice are exterminated by the chinese.

There are those who will deny this fact, if you are that ignorant then do not watch this film and write pathetic, twisted comments.

If you are more of a human being then you will enjoy this film. Far from perfect, the depictions of what Lhasa once looked like before the Chinese invasion are breath taking. The film shows Tibetan Buddhist monks being shot in cold blood by Chinese soldiers. This is shocking as it should be. This is what happened to thousands of monks in 6,400 monasteries. In the words of the Dalai Lama, 1,200,000 Tibetans have died as a direct result of Chinese occupation policies.

If you view this film and enjoy it, you might want to read of the plight of Tibet by the Dalai Lama himself. 'My Land and my People,' is an excellent book.

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The Tin Drum (Criterion Collection) (1979)

I read the book two weeks ago and have just viewed the Criterion Collection DVD. I found the book to be complex, rich, insightful, puzzling, and surreal. I loved it. This film comes as close as any film could to the spirit of the novel and still be under 3 hours long.

Oskar is born to three parents who, like the Gdansk they live in, represent 3 ethnic groups: Pole, Kashubian, and German. He is fully conscious at birth and is presented with two paths for his life one as a shopkeeper and one as a musician. While the people of 1930's Gdansk/Danzig feel forced to choose ethnic sides and mundane occupations, Oskar rejects the "stupid" adult world. He stops growing and learns to assert some control over adults through his drumming and vocal talents.

One of my favorite sections of the book is when he musically subverts a large Nazi rally. Not only was this well done in the movie but was worked into a bonus feature that had Grass reading the book chapter while we watch the corresponding section of the film. The words of the spoken German as well as the subtitled English translation have a lot of power and poetry this feature is a very rare treat.

You also experience in the film something Schl?ndorff confirms in interviews: it is hard to imagine this film existing without David Bennent. His voice and eyes carry so much of this film. The short interview feature with Bennent is delightful.

I thought the bonus feature on the Oklahoma censorship was interesting and somewhat balanced in that it portrayed the zealousness on both sides. However, I would have preferred to see more of Grass or material on the creative efforts of the film.

On a more serious note, I find Oskar's indictment of society very compelling. Something about the way the film brings themes to life (more than the book) makes 1939 Germany frightenly parallel to the US of 2004. In Oskar's world, the people in power make false claims in order to invade other countries, human rights abuses increase and all objections are shouted away with "patriotic" speeches and political rallys. For the most part people remain ignorant or apathetic to the suffering their government officials are causing. (Perhaps we need a few Oskars drumming at the democratic and republican conventions this summer.)

The film stands very well on its own but I would encourage people to read the book first. The book is more complex, covers more years of Oskar's life and it develops some important ideas that are not at first obvious in the film. For example, as Oskar ages he still looks 3 years old and he consciously exploits this by manipulating the adults around him by behaving more childish than he really is. There is also an interesting theme in the book related to Rasputin and Goethe.

It is also worthwhile to do a little browsing on the web for historical material related to Gdansk/Danzig, Kashubia and the large population resettlements after wars in this area. The excellent bonus features also explore the themes of the film and add a lot of value.

Schlondorff brought a superb cast together to tell the story of Oskar, who ceases to grow beyond his three year old size; a symbolic representation of Germany in the twentieth century. Oskar's mother is courted by a German and a Pole. Gunther Grass's allegorical solution to the wrenching of national borders and ethnic shuffling brought about by World War I is to show the mother, unable to choose between her lovers, choosing them both. One becomes the father of Oskar. Which one? Does it matter? Thus Oskar arrives amidst the confusion of the twenties, only to witness the degradation of the homeland by revolution, runaway inflation and finally, the steady growth of National Socialism through the thirties. Oskar mirrors the turmoil of Germany's struggle of the twentieth century, unable to free itself from its own dream of Teutonic superiority, unable to find peace in the national soul. View this work with an eye to the inadequacies of your own country and begin to see Gunter Grass's dilemma with his.

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This movie was fantastic. I read the book first and loved every word of it. The only reason the book is better than the movie is because, sad to say, is that the movie was only half the book. When I first got the movie and watched it, I couldnt wait until the pivetal point in the movie where the main character drastically changes, but when that part came it was the end of the movie. This would have been a GREAT GREAT movie classic if the director made a longer more fuller version or a second film that ended the full story of the book. But I must say the actor who played Oscar, the main character, was exactly as I envisioned. I highly recommend you buy the book first and then the movie, but both are a MUST to anyone who likes a bit of the strange.

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The Tin Drum is based on Gunther Grass's Nobel winning novel. The whole setting revolves around the most tumultous period in recent German history, spanning from the late 19th century till the end of the second World War, Germany had seen boundaries and name drawn and redrawn numerous times. Not to mention the various follies of wars that had ravaged the country. Oskar, the perpetual 3 year old kid, who refused to grow after observing the immorality that adulthood has to offer. Oskar represented the conscience of the ordinary German of that era. Being impassive, and at the same time bitter and vulnerable and again embittered (especially after the armistice treaty), Oskar presented a whole range of emotions that reflects the public mood of that period.

The DVD presents a beautiful transfer and a Dolby Digital 5:1 audio track. It also comes with an enlightening audio commentary by the director and co-writer, even though at times the commentary may seem bland and screen specific. Nevertheless, it's insightful in the discussion of the production of the film. Another noteworthy extra feature in the 2nd disc is the documentary "Banned in Oklahoma", which chronicled the banning of the film in that state and its ensuing consequences to the country's values of freedom and liberty.

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5 stars to the film and 4 1/2 stars to the DVD transfer! Kino Video did a superb job in producing the DVD version (not perfect but way, way better than most transfers). The DVD is a must have for film buffs. This stunning film is about the family of Oskar in Danzig (Poland/Germany) during the time Nazism was creeping its way through Europe and is seen through the eyes of Oskar, a boy who refuses to grow at the age of 3 and does so by throwing himself off the stairs. Unlike Peter Pan, Oskar does this in protest of the inevitable Third Reich. Beautifully shot in the same location with a haunting musical score by Maurice Jarre and a brilliant performance by David Bennent as Oskar. The story is bizarre enough to keep you glued to your seat and at the same time mesmerizes image after image. A great extra is an audio commentary by Volker Schlondorff, the film's director. One of the best films of its decade rivalling Fellini's Amarcord and Szabo's Mephisto.

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College Road Trip (2008)

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)College Road Trip [Theatrical Release]

College Road Trip is a slap-stick comedy that is a great movie to take your kids to, as long as they are young. The main criticism I have of this movie is about the marketing, since most kids that are college bound are probably too old for this. The jokes are very predictable humor. If your kids are older than 14, they will probably find this style of humor too childish for their tastes. In that way this movie is a missed opportunity for Disney to expand their market to all the older Martin Lawrence and Raven fans.

If you've seen the trailers, you pretty much know the entire story. Dad (Martin Lawrence) takes daughter (Raven) on a road trip to check out colleges. Antics ensue.

Martin's character is a very over-protective police chief who is a bit of a control freak. His daughter has long outgrown being daddy's little girl. He wants her to stay local for college, but she wants to go away.

There's a genius younger brother and a pet pig to add the cute factor. There must be a lot of young geniuses out there because little brothers never have normal intelligence in movies or TV anymore, but I digress. Raven's friends are cliched teenaged valley girls who aren't even from the valley.

Most people who initially may be interested in seeing the movie are either Raven fans or Martin Lawrence fans. Yet this movie was made for an audience of much younger kids.

I am a huge Martin Lawrence fan and I think Raven is very talented and funny. But both of them were under used in this movie. Martin Lawrence is frequenty upstaged by his co-stars, and Raven does a good job but doesn't have the best lines. In fact, Will Sasso, Donny Osmand, his daughter, and the pig are the highlights of this movie. And they don't have enough scenes to make this movie really funny for adults.

Young kids from 5 to 12 or 13 will love the jokes. College bound kids will find themselves wondering why they called this "College Road Trip" when it's clearly designed for kids that aren't even out of grade school.

Overall, this movie is somewhat disappointing. It could have been so much more with the cast that they collected here. If you've got a group of young kids and want to take them to a fun and wholesome Disney movie, this is it. If you're kids are college bound, or even high school sophomores, they probably would rather see something else.

Enjoy!

I enjoyed this movie so much when it was in theaters and I can't wait to see this again.... I laughed so much! It made me feel better after a hard days work. I would even so my parents this because in a way .... THIS TELLS EXTACT how I feel about college and the NEED to GET AWAY from HOME! Donny Osmond was the Best PART, even tough, I like Raven and Martin. I truly think you should consider purchasing this movie... I truly can't wait for a second one with these two families.

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This movie stars Raven-Symone and Martin Lawrence, in probably one of the best Family events of the year. Martin's humor, Donny's humor, Raven's great acting, and the pig, make this movie a must-see. It is really a great film, and close to the end, it becomes one of those movies that are cry worthy...

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I just loved this movie its the best clean movie in a long time im a big Donny Osmond and Raven Fan so his movie was just what i needed for my collection of dvds .

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I definitely love COLLEGE ROAD TRIP.

Despite, it is sort of a Children movie, even though it deals with College, the movie is a great movie for all ages, and families!

Plus Raven-Symoné makes this movie all better!!!!

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Mystic Pizza (1988)

I first saw this movie after seeing Pretty Woman in the theater back in 1990, I instantly became a Julia fan. This is great movie with a great cast, the only thing I don't like about the DVD is it doesn't have the original cover/poster that has most of the cast on it. I think it's a better cover because this isn't just a Julia movie, and I know she would say the same.

Julia stars as Daisy, a girl who's never been able to live up to her mothers expectations so she only lives for herself, and is happy with it, until a rich young boy named Charles shows up at the local pool hall. He instantly falls for her, but Daisy is afraid that he is just using her to get back at his snobbish parents. "Bring home your poor Portuguese girlfriend, shake up the family a little bit." But Charlie isn't like that, and it isn't until Daisy discovers more about herself that she realizes this. Then there's her younger sister Kat(Annabeth Gish), whom her mother is so proud of because she will be attending Yale. Kat has never been in love and ends up falling for the married father of the young girl she babysits for; in this short time she gets to expierience the joys of love and the pain of being heartbroken when his wife returns.

Their friend Jo (Lili Taylor) is another story altogether. She loves her boyfriend Bill (Vincent Denofrio), a local fisherman, but every time she tries to walk down the isle she pictures herself fat and ugly with all these kids hanging around and ends up passing out.

In the end they all pass major milestones that come with life, and the movie ends with the girls looking into the stars. This wasn't a starting point for Annabeth Gish whom had already appeared in many movies, but was a bit of a launching pad for Julia who dyed her hair black with mouse just to audition for the role (and walked home in the rain ruining her blouse). This was only her third feature film, and she seems to grow in this role. It's no surprise she received an Oscar nomination for her next role in "Steel Magnolias."

Since Matt Damon has become a household name, I've seen this movie mentioned some places as starring him as well as the main actors, but I must advise that if you're renting it JUST for Matt, you're in for a big disappointment. Matt is only in one scene and only utters the lines "Mom, do you want my green stuff." So, it really isn't HIS film, but he is in it.

What makes the DVD special is being able to see the film's actual trailer and watch the movie in widescreen.

Julia has a line at the beginning of the film that kind of makes me smile:

"Don't worry about me, I'm not going to be slinging pizza for the rest of my life." Words that ring so true, if only she knew then the big star she would be.

It's hard to believe that this little 1988 film has endured in popularity for so long. It is a simple story of three 'sisters' in the small fishing village of Mystic, CT who have just graduated highschool, work as waitress in the town Mystic Pizza parlor, and face decisions about the future of their lives. There are three less than fairytale romances with three male characters of varying potential as partners and it is the 'coming of age' in a small Portuguese clan that sparks the tenderness and the sadness of this story written by Amy Holden Jones and directed by Donald Petrie.

One of the most interesting aspects of this low budget film is how it catapulted Julia Roberts and Matt Damon (who plays such a bit part he nearly goes unnoticed) to fame, reinforced the careers of fine character actors Conchata Ferrell, Lili Taylor and Vincent D'Onofrio while pushing the then promising Annabeth Gish, William R. Moses and Adam Storke over into TV land roles.

The film is a bit of nostalgia for a better time, has charm and innocence, and will always be one of those movies everyone who is a film collector will keep in their library for times when a return to simple little movies just makes you feel good. Grady Harp, January 06

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Watched the 1988 movie "Mystic Pizza" today. It was one of the first movies for the female leads Julia Roberts , Annabeth Gish (native of Cedar Falls, Iowa), and Lili Taylor. Interestingly, Gish's name appears before Roberts in the credits at the end. Gish has gone on to a productive career, mostly in television, Taylor has moved into a career in more independent, quirky movies while Roberts has gone on to...well, you know.

I read Roger Ebert's review and he gave the movie 3 1/2 starts (out of 4) when it came out. I wouldn't rate it that high (maybe 2 1/2 or 3 out of 4), but the movie has kind of a comfortable feeling to it and gets better as it goes along. You don't see many movies about work & work environments these days and I think the scenes in the Mystic Pizza Parlor are pretty good. The romantic storylines are pretty standard and as Ebert says, "The movie isn't really about three girls in love; it's about three girls discovering what their standards for love are going to be." All-in-all I liked the movie. Oh, and watch carefully for Matt Damon in his big-screen debut!

Read Best Reviews of Mystic Pizza (1988) Here

There's a line from American Pie in which one of the young guys declares, "Women are like fine wine. They just get better with age." So true. All of the women in this movie are living proof of that, especially Annabeth Gish, who went from being merely girl-next-door pretty in Mystic Pizza, to the mature goddess we have seen on the X-Files.

Mystic Pizza is very much an ensemble movie, with no one person standing out above the rest. A very strong female cast is counterpointed by some solid male performances, such as that of the always superb Vince D'Onofrio also check out The Cell, with Jennifer Lopez.

Beautifully filmed in Conn. New England, the movie is also a visual delight, and captures the reassuring simplicity of life in an Atlantic fishing community. I love Nova Scotia and Maine for the same reason. The original Mystic Pizza restaurant is still going strong and their website is well worth a visit.

All in all, a very sweet movie about real people and real family situations, and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time. I literally never tire of this modern classic. My only quibble is that the last spoken line is disturbingly unimaginative and anti-climactic. After crafting such a superb screenplay, the writers just seemed to run out of inspiration at the last hurdle. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."

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Good but by no means great. I am not really a Julia Roberts Fan and it was the fact that this is one of Vincent D'Onofrio's first films that made me watch it. Early on the film drags but about halfway through I began to find it absorbing. My plroblem in the early part was that the three women characters seemed like such airheads that I really did not care what happened to them. I give all three actresses credit for giving performances that kept me fairly interested until the mid-part of the film. There are two surprises at the end of the film that really made me glad I stuck with it. This really is a "Girl Movie" and the men in it are mostly wasted. Especially Mr. D'Onofrio. None the less it is worth watching.

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Little Big Man (1970)

Advertised as a comedy when originally released, LITTLE BIG MAN is much, much more than that. Director Arthur Penn's sweeping film depicting the clash of the Indian and white cultures will have you chuckling one moment, then shaking your head sadly at man's inhumanity to man the next.

Dustin Hoffman as the ever industrious Jack Crabb takes this movie on his shoulders and carries it superbly. To say that the actor shows some "range" in this role is the epitome of an understatement: from portraying an adolescent teenager to a fragile 121-year-old-man (phenomenal makeup job), from snake-oil salesman to mule skinner, Hoffman brings Jack's fascinating life to splendorous glory. And Hoffman is funny--darn funny--with a wonderful knack for physical comedy.

In addition to Hoffman, LITTLE BIG MAN offers other savory treats. Richard Mulligan is absolutely delightful as a narcissistic General George Armstrong Custer--the stunning Faye Dunaway positively wicked as naughty Mrs. Pendrake. Chief Dan George, who portrays Old Lodge Skins, Jack's adopted Cheyenne grandfather, delivers countless one-liners, yet lends a quiet, heartfelt dignity to his role. In fact, this is a movie one will wish to savor again and again--a beautifully crafted, well-made film that is timeless in its ability to entertain.

--D. Mikels

I remember seeing the original theatrical release of Arthur Penn's "Little Big Man" in the early 1970's. Now over thirty years later it has been released in DVD form and it is a film, that is both funny and tragic as ever.In the film, 121 year old Jack Crabb (played humorously by Dustin Hoffman) recounts his life (in narrated backflash) growing up among both the Cheyenne Indians and the white man in the old wild West.We follow the Crabb character as he goes through various phases as a Cheyenne warrior, a medicine show conman, a gunfighter, entrepreneurial business man, drunkard and finally a mule skinner/U.S. Army scout. Crabb is a man trapped between two cultures. He hilariously stumbles through the old west trying to find a place among his own kind, even though his heart is still with the Cheyenne Indians who adopted him. The movie leads up to Crabb's eventual, critical participation in the 'Battle of Little Bighorn', otherwise known as 'Custard's Last Stand'.The film is humorus as it shows how little people change over history. Just as today, people of the historical old West were driven by such things as love, lust, vanity, power and money.Unfortunatly they also were driven by bigiotry, hatred and violence.One of the main themes of "Little Big Man" is the terrible, almost genocidal treatment of the American Indian at the hands of the U.S. government.It's somewhat ironic, that the Cheyenne in the film refer to themselves as 'the human beings', yet the white men seem to treat them as anything but that. Arthur Penn (director of "Bonnie & Clyde") has created a sprawling, well directed, historical tapestry of a film, which makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time.The movie is a star vehicle for the then young, Dustin Hoffman. Like "The Graduate", this film shows off, what a wonderful comic performer Hoffman can be.The large cast has many standout performances. Faye Dunaway is hilarious as Jack's religious, yet lascivious, adoptive mother, Mrs.Pendrake. The same goes for comic actor, Richard Mulligan, who puts in a very funny performance playing General George Armstong Custard as a pompous egomaniac, who's vanity leads to his imfamous place in history.But by far, one of the best performances in the film comes from Chief Dan George, who play's Hoffman's wise and mystical, yet somewhat scatological adoptive, indian grandfather.The character is intersting, because he always seems to be able tell us the obvious truth of the moment.He understands that this time in history is the begining of the end for his people. I love the speech he makes in which he explains, that "there are endless amounts of white men, but only so many 'human beings'" (indians).Its's a shame Chief George didn't get an Academy Award for his wonderful performance.The DVD for this movie has a good picture and sound transfer, but is absolutly bare bones in extras (not even a trailer). Still, it is great film, which I highly recommend.

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"Little Big Man" from 1970 is one of the truly all time great epic westerns.I first saw it in the theatre back in the early '70's and was really impressed.I later added it to my video library back in the '80's first on Beta then later on VHS.The movie loses some of it's epic scope when transferred to the small screen ,however it's still powerful. Directed by Arthur Penn(the classic "Bonnie&Clyde from 1967) and based on the novel by Thomas Berger, it stars Dustin Hoffman as Jack Crabb.The story is told by Jack as a 121 year man to a writer who is interviewing him and he narrates throughout the story. In the beginning of the story we see the aftermath of a battle with white settlers after an Indian attack.Jack and his sister are captured by the Cheyenne braves.His sister escapes but he is adopted and raised by the tribe who call themselves "the human beings". As Jack grows into a young man he proves himself in battle and is given the name "Little Big Man" by the elder of the tribe "Old Lodge Skins" (well played by actual Native American ,Chief Dan George),and what was most impressive was the fact that Chief Dan George wasn't a professional actor.Jack is given that name because his size is little but his bravery is big.Old Lodge Skins becomes Jack's adopted Grandfather and their relationship is at the center of the story.

The movie features a first rate supporting cast including Martin Balsam as Mr.Merriweather,Faye Dunaway as Mrs.Pendrake, Jeff Corey as Wild Bill Hickok,Richard Mulligan as General George Armstrong Custer and Aimee Eccles as Sunshine.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments, something not found in many westerns or many movies for that matter.Chief Dan George was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role.A movie with a similar theme came out 20 years later in 1990 called "Dances with Wolves" directed and starring Kevin Costner which won several Academy Awards.Some found that film to be as good as "Little Big Man",some didn't.The tagline on the movie poster for "Little Big Man" read,"Being the adventures of Jack Crabb,either the most neglected hero of the American West or a liar of insane proportions." Judge for yourself.

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One of director Arthur Penn's finest films, Little Big Man combines satire with tragedy with a deft, sure hand. The screenplay by the talented Calder Willingham and direction are sharp as nails and actor Dustin Hoffman manages to pull off a coup playing Jack Crabb from teen years (it's actually Hoffman's voice you hear dubbed in as a young teen)to old age (with marvelous make up by Dick Smith). Is Crabb telling tall tales (ironic and appropriate given his small stature and his Indian name)or did much of what he speaks about occur? It doesn't really matter as the telling of the tale is so marvelous.

BLU-RAY:

There is dirt and debris that crop up. There are also occasional scratches. Colors are a bit subdued but the film has always looked that way--this isn't a movie that flashes bright colors on screen. It's a pity that this catalog title didnt fet a bit more love in this transfer but it does improve on the DVD. The aspect ratio here is 2.36:1 vs. the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 so it's a tiny bit off but very close to the original.

Detail is a huge improvement over the previous DVD and a moderate amount of depth is provided with the high def transfer.

The original audio soundtrack is presented in mono and it's a nice, clear presentation.

The only extra we get is a theatrical trailer. That's a pity because an interview with Hoffman on the making of the film and/or a documentary with interviews done before the death of director Arthur Penn would have been nice to privde some insight into the production of this deft satire.

THE DVD:

Penn and his collaborators use Jack as a social mirror reflecting the injustice, brutality and pettiness of the wild west. Staying true to the spirit of Thomas Berger's marvelous novel, the cast and crew manage to distill much of the essence of Berger while sacrificing some of the less important details. The loss is, surprisingly, not really felt for many of those who read the novel. The superb supporting cast includes Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey (in a funny, perceptive cameo as Wild Bill Hiccock), Faye Dunaway (as a religious hypocrite who lusts after her adopted son Jack), Chief Dan George (he has some of the funniest lines in the script)and the late Richard Mulligan playing a vain nearly psychopathic General Custer.

The digital transfer preserves the original aspect ratio of the film and the nearly flawless print shows very little digital compression problems. This disc is enhanced for 16X9 widescreen TVs. The 139 minute production is presented on a dual layer disc for maximum picture quality. I didn't detect any analog artifacts (or at the very least very few). The color is fairly true to the original release as far as I can tell. The sound presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and Stereo Surround has some compression problems and sounds a little bit flat but that could be due to the original recording as well. The packaging says nothing about the sound being remixed for 5.1 so it's difficult to say how much restorage and changes were done to the soundtrack.

The drawbacks to this disc are few but important. There's no extras included. I'm sure the original theatrical trailer was available as were interviews with the stars and director during the film's original release. None of these vintage interviews are included. My guess is that Paramount chose to use the budget tp insure a high quality print and good sound. That's fine but it's a pity as Little Big Man is every bit the classic (and deserves the same treatment)as Casablanca, Patton and Dr. Strangelove. Paramount has been somewhat reluctant with many of their releases to DVD to provide extras (witness Chinatown, any of the Star Trek film releases--with the exception of the recently reissued films) Sure, there have been exceptions (The Godfather series)but most of those exceptions have been few and far between. If Paramount can't do justice to these classic films perhaps they should do an initial release and then license them to a specialty house (like Criterion or Anchor Bay)to provide a special features packed edition. Interviews with Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway would have enhanced this classic film. Perhaps neither one of these surviving cast members was interested in participating.

Little Big Man is one of Penn's finest films along with Night Moves and Bonnie & Clyde). I'm happy to have it available in such a beautiful transfer but wish that more time and care had been taken to provide fans and film buffs with extras.

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Comedy.... Action.... Drama.... War... and Romance is another great combination in a film top with serious issues. "Little Big Man" starts you off in 1970, with a reporter interviewing Mr. Crabb (Dustin Hoffman, in one of his great performances), the sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn, a wrinkled visage who is 121 years old at the time of the interview. In the course of his tall tale about the taming of the west, he recounts his career as a Cheyenne Indian, a bible thumper, a snake-oil salesman, a gunfighter, a drunk, and just about everything else one could be in those days. Since he was a white man raised by the Cheyenne, and spoke both languages fluently, he moved back and forth between the two worlds.

His story is great when it is being funny. I laughed at the sight of Dustin Hoffman dressed as a gunfighter. He really was the fastest gun in the West, and also the surest shot. Only one little thing kept him from achieving gunfighter immortality. He didn't like shooting at any living things.

Thankfully this was produced before the forces of political correctness could bowdlerize it. Today this would be watered down to avoid the epithets and stereotypes that add color and authenticity to this wonderful film. It is a obvious precursor to `Dances With Wolves', but also to a movie where the influence is less patent like `Forrest Gump' where famous persons are infused into a historical comic-drama. Numerous interesting characters infuse the picture: the epicene (though lustful) sister, the wise, yet pixilated Indian grandfather (played brilliantly by Chief Dan George), the unconscionable General Custer, the libertine Mrs. Pendrake (Faye Dunaway) and of course Dustin Hoffman's own character.

A funny and sad study of a wild time in history mixed with modern sentiments. A tall tale that resonates with truth.

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a perennial classic that absolutely terrified me as a child and still holds up after nearly 30 years and is one of the best and rare examples where a remake actually surpasses the original ala John Carpenter's The Thing. Director Philip Kaufman crafts a suspenseful science-fiction masterpiece about the dehumanization of humanity by investing in the personalities of very emotional human characters that break the mold of two-dimensional cookie-cutter stereotypes. Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams have a genuine chemistry with great supporting roles by Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright. Adding to the eerie atmosphere we also get a very creepy and surreal performance by Leonard Nimoy as a pseudo-intellectual psychologist that will completely alter your perception of Mr. Spock forever.

I had the pleasure of watching this film again late at night after an exhausting day of work which is the perfect state of mind to be in. Struggling to keep myself from nodding off I could relate even better to the characters and their conflict by forcing myself to stay awake, not because the film is dull or boring, heavens no, but because as a child I believed, however irrational it may seem, that if I fell asleep watching this film that I too would be transformed and replaced by a pod. Funny how the innocent superstitions of childhood can resonate in our subconscious after so many years.

The new 2-disc collectors edition DVD is definitely worth replacing the old one if you own it, which seems almost like an analogy of the film itself which is finally presented in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby digital sound and director commentary by Philip Kaufman if you really want to test your insomnia. The second disc contains some nice featurettes like "Re-visitors From Outer Space, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pod" featuring new interviews with Donald Sutherland, Veronica Cartwright, Phillip Kaufman and screenwriter W.D. Richter who reflect on the lasting appeal of the film and provide some interesting anecdotes about making the film. "Practical Magic: The Special Effects Pod" goes into the the organic photography of the alien spores and "The Man Behind the Scream: The Sound Effects of the Pod" features Lucasfilm's sound guru Ben Burtt who designed and mixed the sound effects after completing Star Wars to create the film's unforgettable and disturbing sound design. "The Invasion Will Be Televised: The Cinematography of the Pod" also goes into the production design and chiaroscuro lighting used to compose the forboding look and mood through light and shadow to invoke dramatic Hitchcockian suspense, and lastly the original theatrical trailer is included as well. There's more than enough material here to keep you awake for hours but should you find yourself feeling a bit tired just remember one thing; no matter what happens... DON'T FALL ASLEEP!

The best of three very good big screen adaptations of Jack Finney's classic sci-fi novel is the closest thing to a filmed nightmare you're likely ever to see.

This entire picture is a horror masterpiece. Director Philip Kaufman puts together a hell of a movie, colorful, claustrophobic and atmospheric. Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams head-up a stellar cast, including Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy, and even Robert Duvall in an early blink-and-you've-missed-him cameo. Kevin McCarthy reprises, more or less, his role from the original 1956 film, initiating Sutherland and Adams on a nightmare ride of alien invasion that escalates to apocalyptic proportion.

There's not a thing wrong with this movie. Denny Zeitlin's eerie, atonal electronic score highlights the often very unsettling visuals, which include disintegrating people, fibrously materializing doppelgangers, and a dog with a human face. The script is flawless, succeeding like Finney's novel and the original movie by presenting us with recognizable people facing an impossible reality, updated for modern times. The actors underplay the tense melodrama, making it all the more dramatic when they're ultimately driven to screaming madness.

I can't recommend this movie highly enough. If you're a horror or science-fiction fan, or simply love a wonderfully performed, tensely scripted melodrama, this movie is for you.

Warning: this film is very, very disturbing, at times. You might want to keep it on the upper shelf.

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"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is one of the earliest science fiction films I remember seeing. A superior remake of the 1956 original, it's both chilling and funny.

In San Francisco, people are beginning to "change". They seem to lack feeling. This is because they are not human, they are replicas, grown from seeds that came to Earth from space. Donald Sutherland plays a health inspector. His friend and co-worker (Brooke Adams) tells him that her husband seems different. Over time more and more people are becoming unlike themselves. It feels like some sort of conspiracy is afoot. Sure enough, an alien invasion is slowly unfolding.

This film is about four people's fight to preserve their humanity. The basic message is, if you are not an individual, your own person, you are virtually dead. Love, hate, fear, and anger are what colour our lives.

There are certain things in the film that suggest dark humour. Whenever you see the rubbish truck, you know another person has been "replaced". If you listen carefully, you sometimes hear that alien shriek among the everyday noises of traffic and city crowds. Kevin McCarthy, who starred in the 1956 version, has a cameo, again trying to warn people what is happening (to no avail). The film's ending is completely unexpected.

Read Best Reviews of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Here

We all know the story, so there's no point in my discussing that here. As a movie, this version stands as positive proof that some remakes are just as good as -and sometimes better than -the original. Leaving behind the small-town setting of the earlier B&W version from the 1950s, the locale is changed to a large city, San Francisco. Some interesting changes were made that lent it a hipper feel, and, of course, the acting style is completely different: the dialogue all sounds so much more natural. For enhanced chills, more of the transition from human to pod-person is revealed, accompanied with an eerie sound of a heartbeat and swooshing circulation. It's a good movie, preserving what was best in the original and making some creepy alterations. So those of us who owned the DVD of this version were very disappointed when we played it on our BD players. Expecting at least a half-decent upconversion, we found instead that the picture was a wriggling mess. Even worse, the picture was shrunken down to a letterbox presentation. I found it unwatchable, so this movie needed a BD upgrade in a big way.

The simple report is, the BD image is patently superior to the DVD edition. After making a comparison, I saw that some minor image cleanup has taken place, removing flecks from aging. If any DNR went into it, it wasn't done to the extreme of sacrificing details. It also appears as if little or no sharpening was applied, which is a good thing: sometimes these older movies can become a mess once every defect from age is brought into bold relief. The color palette has remained natural, fitting for its noirish intent. However, taken in total, the improvements don't really POP OUT at you, like they often do when you first see the Blu-ray of a favorite movie. At times, a soft, fine, snow-like noise is visible in some dimly lit scenes, but it's not consistently so, and I found it negligible in any case. In all, the end product is just sufficient enough to make it worth the purchase, if only because the DVD edition is so horrendous.

So while it's definitely sharper than the DVD, it wouldn't be worth the PREMIUM price you see for other BDs, that have gone through frame-by-frame restorations. It is, however, easily worth the $10 or so you can get it for here. If you like this film, you might as well jump at it, as I don't think it'll get any better than this.

For extras, there are these featurettes: "Re-visitors from Outer Space, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pod," about sixteen minutes, with a few words from the producer and director, with a few of the cast members pitching in; "Practical Magic: The Special Effects Pod," about five minutes long, explaining the special effects; "The Man Behind the Scream: The Sound Effects Pod," describing the sound design, about thirteen minutes long; "The Invasion Will Be Televised: The Cinematography Pod," about six minutes long, about the dark camera work. There's also the original theatrical trailer. The soundtrack comes in stereo or 5.1.

There is one very puzzling failure: The commentary track by director Philip Kaufman was not ported over to the BD. For that, you'll have to play the second two-sided DVD (SD widescreen on one side, fullscreen on the other). That's where you'll find the commentary. Why didn't they put it on the BD? Go figure. It shows me that the manufacturer saw this merely as a quick fix to the awful DVD. It's a sufficient, but minimal, effort.

________________________________________

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One of the creepiest movies I've ever seen. Instead of the humanoid-appearing aliens so typical in most sci-fi films THIS movie goes in the other direction by portraying the aliens as seemingly harmless plants, which adds a rather terrifying irony to the proceedings. What these plants do once near a sleeping person (or animal) has to be seen to be appreciated because the special effects here are unsettlingly real.

All of the actors do a splendid job in portraying their characters, from the quirky and nuerotic Jeff Goldblum to the intuitive and resilient Veronica Cartwright. The stolid but slightly off-beat Donald Sutherland, to the emotionally suspicious Brooke Adams. All are terrific here!

Another thing that makes this movie so suspenseful is the masterful use of paranoia, which starts on a low simmer, building gradually, till by the movie's end everything is turned up to a heart-pounding, raging boil. All along the way you're virtually on the edge of your seat.

So the next time you're out walking and find a rather strange looking plant growing amongst the shrubbery, think twice before bringing it in your home.

But why worry, it's only a plant right???

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Pirates of the Caribbean Three-Movie Set (Curse of the Black Pearl / Dead Man's Chest / At World's

As the other reviewer stated, this is a repackaging of the previously released Pirates of the Caribbean blu-ray discs, with all the extras that were on those discs, but no new additional material. To rehash what you get:

"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" Review:

This is the strongest of the 3 films. Although each film definitely has somewhat of a "fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants" type story style (as if there were no strong script, but rather ideas that popped up on set), this one actually works and makes for a very fun viewing experience. Pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp, who created this legendary film character) teams up with blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) to help rescue the Governor's daughter Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from pirate Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Of course there is treasure involved as well as a curse. Depp walks away with the picture. The love interest (Bloom & Knightley) do their best to compete, but without Depp, this picture would have tanked. Amazing special effects and plenty of swashbuckling action!

Extras :

* 3 Audio commentary tracks: #1 is director Gore Verbinski & Johnny Depp; #2 is producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Keira Knightley, and Jack Davenport; #3 is co-screenwriters Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, and Jay Wolpert

* Lots of trailers, including one for POTC 3 in HD 1080p

* "An Epic at Sea: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean" which is a 9-part 38 minute documentary.

* "Fly on the Set" documentary which describes in greater depth 5 different sequences in the film ("The Town Attack," "Tortuga," "The Blacksmith Shop," "The Cave" and "Jack's Hanging")

* "Moonlight Serenade Progression" which shows from pre-production to the final scene of how the spectral pirates came to be

* 3 on-set "diaries": Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's "Photo Diary" (4 min.), "Diary of a Pirate" (9 min.), featuring actor Lee Arenberg (Pintel), and "Diary of a Ship" (8 min.) by the crew of the real Lady Washington, which was used as the H.M.S. Interceptor in the film

* 19 deleted scenes

* Blooper reel

* Vintage "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" (Jan. 1968) excerpt describing how the Disneyland attraction came to be, and includes a "ride-through" of the attraction itself.

* Photo/image gallery

* "Scoundrels at Sea": customize your viewing experience with this exclusive-to-Blu-ray feature, allowing you to access trivia, clips, etc. on your own. A lot of work, but can add a little fun to repeated viewings.

* And plenty of Easter Eggs!

* Specs: English PCM 5.1 surround track, 2.40:1 widescreen

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" Review:

Although it has its moments and plenty of wonderful special effects, I felt that this one was somewhat of a disappointment. The Jack Sparrow character is not quite as quirky as he is in the first film, but rather a little overdone. This film has a feeling of being made up as it was being filmed. Too much explanation of plot twists and too many intricate ribbons to tie together things that were not originally intended to be tied together...this franchise officially begins to bloat with this 2nd installment. This time, Jack Sparrow must lift the curse of eternal damnation by recovering the heart of the slimy Davy Jones, which is inside the Dead Man's Chest. Stabbing the heart would not only destroy Jones, but also set free Will Turner's father, Bootstrap Bill.

Extras :

* 1 Audio commentary track with co-screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

* Lots of trailers, including one for POTC 3 in HD 1080p

* "Charting the Course" is a 26 minute pre-production documentary

* "According to Plan: The Harrowing and True Story of Dead Man's Chest" is a 63 minute look at the actual filming, which was plagued with many a problem (and shows in the final product)

* "Meet Davy Jones: Anatomy of a Legend" (13 min.) shows how actor Bill Nighy was transformed into the octopus-like character Davy Jones

* "Fly on the Set: The Bone Cage" (4 min.)

* "Mastering the Blade" (16 min.) shows how the stars learned to swashbuckle with swords

* "Captain Jack: From Head to Toe" (22 min.) shows how Jack Sparrow was costumed...very cool to see the attention to detail.

* "Dead Men Tell New Tales: Re-Imagineering the Attraction" (13 min.) shows how the Disneyland attraction was changed to include characters from the film (interesting to see Depp come face to face with his Audio Animatronic counterpart)

* "Pirates on Main Street" (4 minutes) shows the premiere at Disneyland

* "Jerry Bruckheimer: A Producer's Photo Diary" (5 min.) shows stills from the production

* "Liar's Dice" a blu-ray exclusive game with dice

* And plenty of Easter Eggs!

* Specs: Uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround track, 2.35:1 widescreen

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Review:

This is one of those movies that requires multiple viewings to appreciate it and catch all of the nuances. I was not bowled over by it the first time I saw it, and still think that it could have been tightened up quite a bit in the editing room, however, it is a nice end to the trio of POTC movies. It seemed like the pressure to make this installment better than the others is felt throughout; the first movie was nothing but a joyful and spontaneous romp with Jack Sparrrow and his supporting characters. By installment 3, you sense an almost over-manufactured quality, as if the franchise is on steroids. The comments by the crew in the extras almost bear this out; especially in the Tale of Many Jacks featurette. "How do we keep it unexpected?" the crew asks, responding, "Maike it weird." However, the weird becomes "tedious" (the word they use to describe the filming of the scene), and especially when watching the multiple Jack sequence, I kept asking myself "Why is this scene necessary?" Although it is technically brilliant, it really does nothing to further the plot along, and just adds to the yawn factor. One thing Walt Disney really understood was good storytelling; even though a sequence maybe astounding, if it doesn't integrate into the whole, it should be removed. There are 2 deleted scenes on the disk; "I Like Riddles" and "Two Captains, One Ship." The 2 Captains scene is extremely fun to watch as you see the competition between Barbossa and Sparrow. It has the light playful feeling that was part of the original, but somewhat gone in part 3. And as most probably know, you must watch the movie even AFTER the credits...there is a short scene at the end that wraps the bow up even more neatly to complete the trilogy. Without giving away a plot spoiler, I have to say that the final sequence before the credits gave me hope that if there is another installment, that the producers realized they need to focus on Sparrow and cut the weight of all the extra storylines: the love story of Will and Elizabeth, the Chinese Pirates, the Brethren Court, Tia Dalma, etc...it is just too much.

Extras :

* Bloopers

* Lots of trailers

* Deleted scenes

* "Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom" (20 min.) An in depth look at this amazing scene.

* "Masters of Design" (25 min.) 5 featurettes which describe the Costuming (Keith Richards amazing wardrobe by Penny Rose), Sao Feng's Map, The Code Book, Crash McCreary: The Cursed Crew, and Rick Heinrichs: Singapore.

* "The Tale Of The Many Jack" (5 min.) shows how this bizarre (and superfluous) scene created multiple Jack Sparrows.

* "The World of Chow Yun Fat" (5 min.) is a little odd in that he speaks Mandarin with subtitles, but still interesting, as it enlightens us as to what a presence he is and how he pretty much brought his own methods of filming/working to the project and was allowed to do so because he is such an international star.

* "Keith & the Captain: On Set With Johnny And The Rock Legend" (5 min.) is lots of fun; almost like a train wreck as the poor man speaks unintelligibly, but he is still magic when he picks up a guitar and starts to strum.

* "The Pirate Maestro: The Music of Hans Zimmer" (10 min.) is another case of being pressured; you hear how he also wants to outdo the previous films. Interesting to watch one of the musicians play a saw and then see Verbinski jamming on an electric guitar.

* "Hoist the Colors" (5 minutes) Composer Zimmer tells how the opening song came to be.

* 2 Deleted Scenes

* "Inside the Maelstrom" blu-ray exclusive is an approximately 40 minute interactive look into the creation of this amazing special effects sequence.

* "Movie Showcase" blu-ray exclusive features Disney's patented Movie Showcase chapter access function.

* And plenty of Easter Eggs!

* Specs: Uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround track, 2.35:1 widescreen

This is a must have because all three movies are worth seeing multiple times. The blend of action and humor is outstanding and it is a pleasure to take it all in over and over again.

My minor complaint is that the second and third disc seem to not have the same high quality as the first and it always takes some adjustment on the HDTV to keep the quality consistent. The Samsung reports 1080i on disc two and three while one is registered as the 1080p; don't know why. This should not hold you back, because the quality of the trilogy is among the best we've seen.

If you have to own just one Blu-Ray it should be from this series.

Buy Pirates of the Caribbean Three-Movie Set (Curse of the Black Pearl / Dead Man's Chest / At World's Now

Just so this is 100% clear, this is for the Seven-Disc Blu-ray version released 3/1/11.

The set includes 7 discs, one for each movie, containing the movie, one for each movie, containing extras and a 7th disc, which is basically more extras and a preview of the 4th movie.

The packaging of this set is awful. The seventh disc is in an envelope that bulges out from back of the storage box. Thinking it was attached with easy to remove rubber glue, I tried to peel it off. I was horrified to find out that a) it won't easily peel off without ripping the box b) there's a giant blank silver reflective patch under it (practically the size of the entire back of the box) and c) the envelope is attached at the bottom of the box and cannot be separated without cutting. For anyone planning to keep this on their shelf, do NOT try to remove the cheap outer envelope. Personally, all my discs are going into a different storage system, so the box was headed to the trash anyway. Just wanted to give everyone some fair warning about the poor packaging. On to the good...

I am not a huge fan of these movies content. The first one is decent, the second is tolerable and the third is downright terrible. Rather than bash poor writing and the other host of problems with the movie, let me say this: these Blu-rays look and sound absolutely incredible. In the first movie, there's a scene in the beginning where Elizabeth Swan is waking up from her dream about rescuing William Turner as a child. There is a candle in the room. I can hear the candle flickering on the surround sound. There are many other great instances on this film: sails flapping in the wind, waves lapping, wind blowing, ships creaking. I have no Blu-ray movies that are truly 100% immersive, this set is as close as it gets. The action scenes are also great. They didn't overdo the bass or LFE at all, like most action films unfortunately do. The fact that the audio is produced in full lossless LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) makes a huge difference. Visually, the movie is just as stunning. Disney is well known for doing an awesome job of porting their movies to Blu-ray and this is no exception. This is truly a reference quality set of movies and I highly recommend it to anyone who really wants to show off their home theater system and put it through its paces.

This is, by far, the best looking Blu-ray set I've ever seen. If you want to see the future of home theater, buy this set. Absolutely awesome.

Read Best Reviews of Pirates of the Caribbean Three-Movie Set (Curse of the Black Pearl / Dead Man's Chest / At World's Here

Undoubtedly reviewed thousands of times already, this set is perfect during those lazy, rainy Saturdays for both children and adults alike. The acting is entertaining and the special effects are superb. Sometimes the personal relationships are difficult to follow and many of the action sequences border on the unbelieveable, but the set still provides hours of clean entertainment you don't mind watching over and over again.

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Pirates has been translated into wonderful blu-rays. Much has been written about the movies. So, I won't touch that here.

The discs really are great. However, an important note, you must proactively select the Uncompressed LPCM soundtrack in the SETUP menu every time you watch. Apparently, because the hi-res is uncompressed Disney was worried about compatibility (or maybe it's a blu-ray spec?) and they made plain-old Dolby Digital the default.

Update: 10/25/10 After watching these a few times now, I've had several instances where the menus do not load properly. I have to eject and restart, sometimes multiple times. Yes, it could be the player, but I've never had a problem on tens of other discs. This issue combined with the need to proactively choose the Uncompressed soundtrack costs this item a star from me.

Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010)

I've loved Iron Man ever since my first Tales of Suspense comic, so I might not be the most unbiased person to write a review. Still, I'm going to try and be as honest as I possibly can. In some ways, Iron Man 2 improves on the original. For instance, the brawl between Iron Man and War Machine was perfect, and RDJr was even better this time around. However, there were some weak moments. For example, Pepper Potts is almost absent from the movie, and is shrill and unpleasant during her brief appearances. Whiplash has never been a particularly compelling villain, and the movie doesn't do much to make him any more exciting. Also, they really need to STOP with the "Iron Man fights someone who has the same technology" plots. It's already boring. Plus, I couldn't help but wonder where a drunken hobo managed to get the equipment to build an Arc Reactor. Stark did it in the first movie because he had several billion dollars worth of his own weaponry to cannibalize. How does a homeless Russian manage it? Furthermore, the character of Justin Hammer was silly and played for laughs, which was the wrong move. It had a real "Jim Carrey in Batman Forever" vibe to it.

Others have mentioned the unnecessary plot lines, and they're right. We could have done entirely without the "Paladium Poisoning" and the "Under House Arrest by SHIELD" plots, since neither of them really went anywhere, and felt like padding in a movie that didn't need any. I didn't mind the Black Widow showing up, but eventually it felt like we were tripping over minor characters. Also, they're not fooling anyone with the whole "The Avengers don't want Tony Stark" subplot. None of us believe for a moment that they'd do an Avengers movie without the only Avenger that's proven to be a box-office success.

Still, it was a good movie. Perhaps not a GREAT movie like the first one, but at least it wasn't a franchise-killing fiasco like Spiderman 3 or Batman and Robin. Honestly, if none of us had ever seen the original Iron Man, we'd all be talking about how this movie was one of the best Comic Book movies ever. But as it is, it's over-shadowed by it's phenomenal predecessor.

While Iron Man 2 may not be perfect, it is a very solid and fun sequel. Improvements include better action sequences and some great characters added to the franchise. Unfortunately there is a lot going on here and even though it isn't hard to follow, there isn't enough time to give each sub plot the proper screen time it deserves. Oddly enough for a super hero film, I think they could have edited some of the talky scenes down and added a little more Iron Man action.

A good example of this is when we meet Natasha Romanova she isn't given much to do and I found myself wondering if she was going to be The Black Widow on screen. She is only in one action sequence(a great one with one of the funniest moments in the film)late in the movie and she and Nick Fury are really only there to set up The Avengers movie. I'm not saying it should be edited out, but there is only so much ground you can cover in two hours. Whiplash is played with gusto by Mickey Rourke, but he doesn't have much screen time either and that seems to be the problem with this film, no one but Tony Stark gets enough screen time.

After the first encounter with Whiplash in Monaco on the race track, we don't really get a good dose of Iron man until the final battle, which means there is over an hour of time where there isn't that much action. Considering what I had read about this being an action packed film, I found it to be very talky. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because the characters are well developed and the actors are all really good here.

The final battle is very good with some very cool Iron Man destruction and some nifty moves, but it's surprising and anti-climatic when Whiplash is defeated very quickly. In the first film, I thought the final battle was too long and in this one, it just seems to end too abruptly. I'm not bashing this film in any way as it is a very fun film that I will most certainly own the DVD/Blu Ray when it is released, but I think the story may have been a little too ambitious for one film.

Overall I give Iron Man 2 a solid B(4 stars)and I think Favreau did a very good job all things considered. Of course if you are seeing this in a theater, then stick around until the end of the credits role for a little teaser scene about another Marvel Hero who will be hitting theaters next year.

Buy Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Now

At the end of 2008, I made two bold assertions: (1) That "Iron Man" was one of the year's best films; (2) that "Iron Man" was one of the greatest superhero films ever made. I still believe both to be true. Now we have "Iron Man 2." While it is thoroughly entertaining, it's also a bit conventional when compared to its predecessor, having less of a compelling story but more in the ways of action, special effects, gadgets, humor, and stunt work. It's a comic book through and through. That's fine by me what it lacks in introspection it more than makes up for in sheer fun. We have plenty to cheer for, not the least of which is our hero, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), who when we last left him had shut down the weapon's division of his company to focus on more humanitarian uses for technology. The result was a high tech metal suit equipped with rocket boosters and missile launchers.

It's now six months after Stark revealed himself as Iron Man at a press conference. Despite the demands of a United States Senate committee, he refuses to share his technology with the American military, believing that world peace can be maintained only if it's privatized. At this meeting, he humiliates Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), the CEO of a rival company who has unsuccessfully tried to outdo Stark's technology with his own prototype machines; in an effort to get ahead, Hammer appeals to Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian physicist who publically revealed his grudge against Stark by attacking him as he was car racing in Monaco. For as yet unknown reasons, Vanko has constructed an arc reactor very similar to the one implanted in Stark's chest. He has improved the design by attaching whips that surge with bolts of electrical energy.

Stark, meanwhile, is realizing that his chest implant, originally constructed as a way to keep him alive, contains an element that's slowly poisoning him. He doesn't handle it well. He acts out. He drinks in excess. He hastily appoints his former personal assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), as the new CEO of his company. If he's to survive, he must replace the core of the implant with an entirely new element, one he has tried but failed to create on his own. Out of the blue comes special agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who suggests that Stark look to his father's research for guidance.

New to the cast is Don Cheadle, who replaces Terrence Howard as Stark's dedicated but weary friend Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Also new is Scarlett Johansson as Stark's newly hired personal assistant Natalie Rushman, who says she's from the company's legal department.

Watching this movie, I was quite dazzled by the sights and sounds, and I found the plot engaging in a suspension-of-disbelief kind of way. I did not, however, find it persuasive, as I did the first film, which I felt put a refreshing and thought-provoking spin on the traditional comic book adversary; Stark might have physically battled with the power-hungry Obadiah Stane, but his real enemies were war and injustice, both of which he took part in by selling weapons of mass destruction. This time around, it's much more by the book a superhero pitted against a madman out for revenge, a fight to the finish that includes a lot of things blowing up, a showcase of digital wizardry and highly choreographed stunts. There are a number of films that can give you pretty much the same thing.

That being said, there's no denying the quality of the performances, especially Downey, whose cocky take on Stark makes the film fun but not jokey. Rockwell is quite good, playing Hammer is if he were Stark's slightly goofier evil twin comedy relief with a hint of something darker, you might say. Credit also to Rourke, who truly does convey the anger, resentment, and pain his character feels in every one of his scenes. He isn't given all that much screen time, but when he's on, he's on, resonating with a deep, calm, frighteningly low voice and an imposing build.

If there is an "Iron Man 3," and I have no doubt that there will be, I can only hope it doesn't follow its predecessor's lead and decline in quality. The original "Iron Man" was a superb film, redefining the superhero genre for both old and new generations of moviegoers. "Iron Man 2" is a great looking and wonderfully performed sequel, although its approach to the story is routine, more so than I had preferred it to be. Still, you've got to hand it to director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux they sure know how to entertain an audience. There's an early scene in which Stark, dressed as Iron Man, jumps off a plane, flies through the sky, and lands unharmed in the middle of one of his own lavishly high tech expos in New York City. Throngs of people cheer him on. I suspect the audiences for this movie will do the same when it's over.

Read Best Reviews of Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Here

Love the movie, but if you are going to advertise something as containing a digital copy you shouldn't sell ones where the codes are expired. You can do better than this, Amazon.com.

Want Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Discount?

There's nothing like that first kiss, yeah, and so even though IRON MAN 2 comes out and unleashes its share of awesomeness, even though it is very much worth a look, the mystery is gone, the expectations met, we've, er, already copped that feel. IRON MAN 2, good as it is, doesn't drop on us like lightning in a bottle, and so it isn't quite as exhilarating. What it does give us is more of that good Robert Downey, Jr.

The guy has made the Invincible Iron Man into his own, and I can't see anyone else now as Tony Stark, and I'm betting you can't, either. Downey brings the same devilish, bigger-than-life charisma, that same brash "I'm Tony Stark! Who the eff are you?!" swagger. Tony Stark is brilliant and ego-centric, but he's got good intentions. His heart's in the right place, and so we forgive the rampant narcissism. Plus, he's a fun dude to be around.

IRON MAN 2 chronicles Tony's fall from grace and his redemption. Six months ago Tony Stark told the world that he was Iron Man. But has fame and success gone to his head? He's been more eccentric lately, indulging even more in hedonism lately, and he's conducting the Stark Expo like it's a rock concert (which is actually bloody cool). Certain parties are worried. Iron Man's arrival had gone a ways into ensuring global peace or at least global detente. But six months later, the American government as embodied in the person of the slimy Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) is itching to get its paws on the Iron Man tech and, so, Tony has to attend senate hearings. Stark, in his own inimitable manner, blows the hearings out of the water.

There's a fatal flaw in the schematics, a gremlin in the wires. Carefree on the outside, on the inside Tony is very concerned. The palladium element in the arc reactor in his chest is gradually poisoning him, and each use of the Iron Man armor accelerates the condition. But he keeps up the pretense, having informed no one of his impending death. Maybe you can't blame the guy for carrying on so.

I actually expected this movie to delve into Tony's alcoholism (from the classic story arc in the comics), but we only get a peek at the man's fondness for booze. We do get moments when we see the flamboyant playboy take a sippy, as well as one epic drunken binge at a party (while in armor, no less). This public eff-up sends Tony's credibility plummeting, and that slimy senator's smirk just got even smirkier.

Rival industrialist Justin Hammer isn't the Big Bad of the movie, but Sam Rockwell supplies him with a pronounced air of unctuousness, and you hate him. Hammer, fed up with languishing in Stark's shadow, hires a crazed and tattooed Russian physicist to craft his own arsenal of armored suits, and a Russian physicist played by the menacing Mickey Rourke probably would have no choice but to be crazed and tattooed. They don't call Rourke's character by his supervillain code name, but it's Whiplash (with a smidge of Crimson Dynamo thrown in). He nurses a serious grudge against Tony and Tony's father, Howard Stark, who had a falling out with Whiplash's own inventor father. But how does Rourke get away with chewing a toothpick all the time?

IRON MAN 2 isn't magic like the first movie and that initial sense of novelty has worn off, but it's still terrific and the scale is bigger. Downey's presence drives the thing, and the fact that we don't mind that Tony Stark is onscreen more than Iron Man says something about the skills set Downey brings to the party. We still get that good banter between him and Gwyneth Paltrow. Don Cheadle takes over from Terrence Howard, and it's like he's always been on board as Rhodey. The f/x is flawless state of the art stuff; there's nothing like heavy metal clashing resoundingly. If you've at all seen the posters and the trailer, then you already know War Machine would make his debut, and he may not be as impressive as the ol' shellhead but, damn, he's got all those big mounted guns. And, for dessert, curvy Scarlett Johansson steps into the franchise as the smoking hot Black Widow and she demonstrates high levels of kickassery. And oh that sexy black leather....

I only wish Pepper Potts were given more stuff to do.

Jon Favreau features himself more as Happy Hogan, a chauffer in this incarnation, and I'm not mad at Favreau. What's the point of being director if you can't call your own number once in a while? Meanwhile, IRON MAN 2, in a scene here and there, gets us another step closer to that Avengers movie. Somewhere, executives from DC Comics must be gnashing their teeth, late to the game, lagging behind. The Green Lantern movie had better be something.

And, as become a habit with Marvel Studios flicks, stick around until after the closing credits, yeah? Nerd nirvana awaits.

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Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition (2011)

Paul Pritchard, DVD Verdict --Now this is certainly different. When one hears that a film clocking in at 152 minutes is getting an additional 30 minutes added to its runtime, it can be off-putting, no matter how good the original may have been. When that same extension is applied to an entire trilogy, it can become a somewhat daunting task. The simple fact is that most people just don't have three hours to sit and watch a movie all that often. So with that in mind, it is both refreshing and reassuring to find The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy reconfigured as a TV miniseries, with each film broken into two 90-minute episodes.

First of all, this change of format not only doesn't harm the material, it actually enhances it. Given the extra room to breathe, the films are both richer and a much more palatable proposition. Whether by chance or design, each of the films also has a natural break-off point, where each episode can draw to a close; this allows the viewer to take in each story in easily digestible chunks whilst ensuring they are left desperate to find out what happens next. It's also important to stress that the story still maintains its cinematic feel.

Presented as one long six-part series, the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition is broken down into three distinct sections, thus allowing the viewer to watch each film independently of the rest.

Each film in the trilogy is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, which obviously means the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been cropped to fit with the aspect ratio of its sequels. This really makes little difference, however, and still delivers a fine-looking picture, with natural colors, high levels of detail, and solid blacks. The viewer has the choice of playing the movie in either its native Swedish, or, for those with an aversion to subtitles, English. Both options provide a clean, nicely balanced 5.1 mix.

This four-DVD set contains each film on separate discs, with the fourth disc reserved for supplemental materials. The bonus disc delivers two hours of features, and begins with "Millennium: The Story." Clocking in at 48 minutes, this documentary actually focuses on author Steig Larsson, and is an excellent insight into his work. Both Noomi Rapace, and her co-star Michael Nyqvist are each interviewed in separate featurettes, whilst notable members of the cast and crew also get to discuss the film in a further set of interviews. "Nidermann vs. Roberto" focuses on a fight scene from The Girl who Played with Fire. Finally there is a selection of trailers for each of the films.

Full review at dvdverdict.com

Music Box Films responded to my email query by confirming that this Extended Edition includes both English-dubbed and subtitled versions, so it is indeed the definitive set that every fan has been waiting for.

Buy Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition (2011) Now

Received the blu-ray extended edition from Amazon.ca (Canada) on Nov. 25th. Pre ordered in September. This is likely the same product that will be shipped in the States as the sticker on the front mentions over 2 hours of additional footage not seen in the US. The back of the box states that "this complete version of the international hit series restores notable characters and subplots, most significantly in the portrayal of Erika Berger".

Each movie is on its own disc, and split between Part 1 and 2 for each movie. I assume that is how it was shown on Swedish TV. I've never seen the movie versions so I can't tell what the differences are in content.

All 3 features are available with the original Swedish language with English subtitles or an English language version.

The fourth disc has the special features and is 2 hrs, 2 minutes long. It includes a 53 minute documentary detailing the phenomenon of the Dragon Tattoo trilogy and the personal history of Stieg Larsson.

I've only watched the first disc and enjoyed it very much. Can't wait to watch the rest!

Read Best Reviews of Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition (2011) Here

OMG I dont know how I missed these books or these movies....but I am so glad I found them now!!! I bought the books, the dvd set and headed for the theater to see the new movie with Daniel Craig. While the new movie was good, there just is no way anything will ever do justice to these amazing books like this 9 hour mini series did. Steig would be proud. American media may be a little too tight ass to make such an amazing mini series but the Swede knew what they were doing. I was electrified! Couldnt stop watching it. Love that this dvd set is so complete. It has horus of additional footage which I would never have known was missing if they hadnt told me but I like watching it all within the movie. I dont like the deleted scene section. This also has the option to either watch it with subtitles or with an English voiceover....awesome both ways!!!! So in love with this trilogy!! I even bought the books. Should keep me busy all winter!

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Glad I took the risk in getting these "extended editions" on blu ray. What a show it is!! This set blows away the shorter "theatrical" cuts released here in the states. There are no words to describe this Swedish mini-series. Why weren't these available to begin with!? Each film is divided into two parts on the three blu rays. I wouldn't want to try to watch this on DVD with the compressing of over three hours of material on one DVD (over nine hours for all three movies). Blu ray is made for these longer series. The video quality is amazing! Cannot get over the detail in the picture. Yeah, there is some grain. But this is evident in the film itself and the high resolution of blu ray format just brings it out. Glad they didn't try removing the grain, it adds to the atmosphere. And boy howdy, does this show have atmosphere! This is a four disc set (three for the series and one for special features) and the video is presented in a 1.78 format filling the 16:9 screen of your television. The audio is presented in Swedish 5.1 DTS-HD and the old Dolby Digital (from DVD years) for the English dubbed. Either one sounds really good and adds to the excitement in surround sound!

My only complaint is there should have been more special features. I know there were still scenes not added into this extended edition. They could have put more deleted scenes on each disc. Maybe a commentary of some sort from the stars or the director. This is one fascinating show, would like to know and see more...

Even if you have the older theatrical cuts, get this newer version. If you are a fan of the series do yourself the favor. It is a blast!!

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