Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

This movie is an excellent time-capsule for the end of the late '50's/early'60's rock n' roll era. (It came out in 1963, just a few months before the Beatles hit our shores & changed everything forever.)

It's got everything:

An Elvis-like rock n' roll sex-machine on a motorcycle, check!

Cold War political satire, check!

A spoof of middle-class American values, check!

Young, gorgeous Ann-Marget, check & check again!

I was born too late to experience this time period & I haven't actually seen the Broadway original from 1960 with Chita Rivera in the Janet Leigh role. But this movie is a fast-paced, witty musical-comedy. I know the 1995 version sticks closer to the original story, but I think that version plays too much into the whole "nostalgia"-thing....an element that was NOT a part of any show actually made back then. That version was also slow & not very funny.

This version is great! A lot has been said about the music, but the comedy hasn't got much attention. The humor manages to be suggestive without being vulgar. It's kind of like reading an old issue of MAD Magazine, but this is acted out!

If you want laughs every second, great songs & great dancing, as well as a humorous glimpse as to what American attitudes were like back then, then this 1963 version is for you!

It's "Honestly Sincere!"

I actually played "Kim" in my middle schools rendition of Bye Bye birdie, and since then, this has been my absolute favorite musical of all time I'm sure this is partly due to my great memories of being in this play, but regardless of that, the songs are great and I love the story line.

Bye Bye Birdie is about an Elvis-type guy who has just got word that he's being drafted into the army. Because of his popularity as a singer, they decide to run a contest where 1 lucky girl will be chosen to have "one last kiss" with him. Kim wins the contest, and will be given her kiss live on the Ed Sulliven Show (a show that was really popular in the 1950's).

Much of the story surrounds the excitement about Kim winning the contest & the fact that her father and boyfriend don't want the kiss to happen. Will they be able to stop it?

Then there's "Albert" played by Dick Van Dyke an on & off again songwriter, and his girlfriend "Rosie" who wants nothing more than for Albert to propose to her. Unfortunately, Albert is such a "mommas boy" that he can't seem to make any decisions for himself, and his mother is not about to suggest that he get married and leave her all alone! Will he ever step up and pop the question?

Overall, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys musicals. It will remind you of a much simpler time with the music and outfits in classic 1950's style. A great movie for "family night"!

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I am japanese and can understand English a little.But I can enjoyed this movie very much.

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"Bye Bye Birdie" is a classic and refreshing fun movie for all ages. I am only a 14 year old male, but I have amazing respect and love for this movie. Most of you knocking the movie are probally teens also, and probally have just seen the movie recently. I was in LOVE with this movie when i was about 5 years old all the way untill now! The movie was my absolute favorite when I was very young, I can't remember how was introduced to the movie, but I was crazy over it, and my parent's bought me the laserdisk, and just this Christmas they got me the DVD! The movie is such a fabolous fun movie. I remember how much I loved the intro to this movie, with Ann-Margret singing the amazing title track "Bye Bye Birdie". I was always amazed with her Intro and Outro of this movie. I understand the movie is different from the play, and I know thats why most of you don't like the movie. I am also very big into drama and theather, but I have yet to be in a production or seen a production of "Bye Bye Birdie". A local High School around here is doing "Bye Bye Birdie" this spring, which I will love to see. My High school is putting on "The King And I" this spring, which is going to be fabolous, I will be in it. But back to "Bye Bye Birdie"....I feel this movie is just so refreshing, when I am in a bad mood, this movie can definetly make me feel better, the songs are fun and happy, the acting is also great. Ann-Margret's performance was just absolutely outstanding, and Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, and Maureen Stapleton were also fabolous. If I ever have a chance to be in a production of "Bye Bye Birdie", my dream role would be Albert, Dick Van Dyke's part, I would love to play that part.

So, I just wanted to say, I am sick of seeing so many people knock this wonderful movie, and I know some of you are probally around my age, and just recently saw it. Like I said before, I have so much respect for this movie, because I've loved it since i was so young, And I know some of you might be shocked, because I am so young, and was not even alive in 1963, and I love this movie so much.

The DVD is great, and has some great features, So I suggest you check it out!

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George Sidney was a great MGM director who, in the 1960s, had the great fortune of stumbling across a new star, Ann-Margret, and managed to make her an international star right at the beginning of the "Youth Era" that dominated Hollywood in the 1960s. Of all the young stars, maybe Ann-Margret had the most winning combination of vitality and innocence. Her lush figure and dancers' sway, and that wild mane of red hair, made her almost too hot for the movie screen, but George Sidney knew hot to focus her charms so that she became not a threat to the viewing public, but an actress of enormous appeal. He made three films with her, this one, VIVA LAS VEGAS and the later, lesser, THE SWINGER, notable for its scenes in which a group of young hipsters swing Ann-Margret through a mass of body paint to make her into a living paintbrush.

In BYE BYE BIRDIE her dancing with an ensemble to the upbeat number A LOT OF LIVING TO DO is the highlight of the film. It is one of those rare screen sequences in which every shot, every beat is perfect. George Sidney had earlier made some great showcases for Kim Novak, but his treatment of Ann-Margret shows why he is the most gallant of all Hollywood directors. Okay, so he didn't do so good by Janet Leigh, who looks awful in her black wig and can't impersonate a Puerto Rican songwriter any more than I can. She's ludicrous and almost ruins the movie.

Dil to Pagal Hai

This movie was a Bollywood blockbuster several years ago. At first appearance, it seems like a superficial, silly, sentimental musical about a cynic who learns to love. A closer look reveals more of an almost religious discussion of the nature of love. Are we fated to love the people we wind up with? Why doesn't God give us a clearer sign of what is right for us?

In the story, a successful MTV-style producer offers his adoring public a new show with a new dance star, Maya. Unfortunately, Maya does not exist and he must find her, hence beginning his search to find love. The word "Maya" is a Hindu philosophical/religious concept meaning "the illusion of reality." I think this adds a broader interpretation to the story.

The songs and dances are almost all great and terrific Bollywood. "Koi ladki hai" with the pavement children is one of the best musical numbers I have ever seen. It highlights our hero's first realization that he loves Maya in a poignant way.

I have seen this show 3 times and it gets better each time. Highly recommended!

Oh God, why is there only ONE SRK? It's just not right. The rest of us have to suffer without him in real time.

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I love to watch Shahrukh Khan, and do so whenever I get a chance, so of course I liked this one! I would like to see less of Maduri Dixit and more of Shahrukh, but I guess there are those who are more interested in Maduri, right? This was a fun song & dance movie, built around the theme of a dance troupe (something like Riverdance, probably) and the main idea is that the "new girl" is taking the place of the current female dance lead, who is the best friend and secretly in love with the artistic director and lead male dancer played by Shahrukh Khan. Meanwhile, the new dancer is also falling in love with Shahrukh's character, but life seems to have other marriage plans for her. I recommend this one for a rainy afternoon after you have watched Flash Dance again. This softer treatment of dancers and love is typically Indian, and totally enjoyable.

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One of my fav movies and am satisfied with the quality & price of the DVD

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Dil to pagal hai is a 90's Bollywood musical featuring Shah Ruck Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor. It's 3 hours of dancing, singing and all things Bollywood. It's a good enough story: girl loves boy who loves another girl, who loves him also, but has committed herself to another man, whom she is friends with and feels she owes a debt of gratitude to his family for raising her when something happened to her parents when she was young.

This movie offers typical Bollywood: hundreds of costume changes and great song and dance routines. There is traditional Hindi dancing along with 90's style high energy hip hop numbers. Of course, the destined-to-be couple "Raja & Poogi" make you wait until the last few minutes of the movie to see if they will live happily ever after, with no ill-will from the others left behind.

As an American fan of Bollywood movies, I usually feel that at least an hour of elongated dialogue could be cut out completely with no compromise to the integrity of the film. This film was no exception. However, we really enjoyed the soundtrack, dancing and overall movie. We are huge fans of SRK and Madhuri Dixit is a stunningly beautiful-fantastic dancer co-star!

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Cleopatra (50th Anniversary Limited Edition 2-Disc + Book) (1963)

It is likely that the US edition of CLEOPATRA on Blu Ray will be identical in most respects to the "All Region" edition released in the UK last year. (I'm guessing that this will apply to the bonus features as well.)

Assuming that the US edition mirrors what's available in the UK, viewers are in for a terrific experience. This particular transfer yields what is quite simply the most spectacular Blu Ray I have ever seen. More than any other studio, Fox has lavished a great deal of time and money on preserving its widescreen films of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Nowhere is the success of that campaign more evident than on CLEOPATRA.

I would note that, as part of the restoration process on its widescreen epics, Fox has struck new 35mm and 70mm film prints. Here in New York, and elsewhere, these prints have been screened theatrically in retrospectives of various sorts. As wonderful as the new CLEOPATRA Blu Ray is, I can only hope that everybody with an interest in this movie will one day have a chance to see it in 70mm on a giant screen. If you have that opportunity, it is not to be missed. It's an experience you'll remember for a long, long time.

Cleopatra may be the most opulent motion picture of all time and is a testament to Elizabeth Taylor and the other actors and artisans from this pre-computer generated image era. It was a high point for the magnificence of Todd-AO 70mm and the unique richness of De Luxe Color all beautifully and faithfully transferred by 20th Century Fox to this new Blu-ray edition. I saw Cleopatra in its first run and recognized it's short-comings possibly caused by the severe cuts made to Joseph Mankiewicz's original vision to release Cleopatra, it is said, as two films telling the Caesar story in one film and the Anthony story in the second. One can only imagine how much of the story and character development got left on the cutting room floor. Cleopatra's legacy has moved far beyond earning the label as the most expensive film ever made due to waste and mismanagement that nearly caused the demise of Fox Studios. There are "extras" on the Blu-ray version that expose many of such myths. I invite you to see this Cleopatra a beautiful example of what Blu-ray can do for home viewing and the potential for visually jaw-dropping moments that show the art of motion pictures. This Cleopatra is perhaps more relevant than ever today with efforts to depict (at least Hollywood-style) a well-rounded view of one of the most famous female characters in history, as portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor, an icon of her times. I purchased my Blu-ray copy of Cleopatra in February, 2012 from amazon.co.uk after finding out it would play on U.S. players. This spectacular Blu-ray version of Cleopatra will soon be available to purchase in the U.S. Highly recommended to all film buffs.

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Like other reviewers here, I've purchased the Blu-ray which has been widely-available in the United Kingdom and Australia for many, many months. I've no idea why it's taken so long to be released in the States, but for those who've been reluctant to import, it will be well worth the wait.

Quite simply this is the best CLEOPATRA has ever looked on home video and that is no small feat considering that the title also received raves 10 years ago when it debuted on standard-definition DVD. Restored from original 70mm Todd-AO elements, the High Definition picture brings out all the hidden detailing in sets and costumes, and Alex North's haunting score glistens in full DTS Master audio.

The one thing I criticise is the placement of the film's Entr'acte. Just like the earlier DVD presentation, it has been placed at the end of Disc 1, when it should ideally be on the second disc before launching into the final portion of the film. Whether or not this will be corrected on the American Blu-ray release I've yet to discover* hopefully it has, but it's a very minor quibble on what is an otherwise comprehensive package.

The fascinating feature-length documentary "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood", the vintage featurette "The Fourth Star of Cleopatra", and audio commentary with the brothers Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky are all ported over from the original DVD release.

New extras commissioned for this Blu-ray release include "Cleopatra's Missing Footage" (a brief look at the search, which continues to this day, for the elusive material culled from the shoot); "Cleopatra Through the Ages: A Cultural History" (just as the title implies), and "The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence" (an interactive gallery of letters and internal documents which chart the making of the movie). "Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman" is a 30-minute look at the film's stormy production but simply re-covers what was told in greater depth in the "Film That Changed Hollywood" documentary.

Run don't walk to grab your copy of this Hollywood classic. It's like discovering CLEOPATRA for the very first time, all over again.

*Update I've since read that the Entr'acte has been re-positioned in its correct place at the start of Disc 2.

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I did a side by side comparison of the UK all region and the new US version. Here are a few of the improvements.

The CLARITY in the US version is like looking through a plate glass window. Not just in selected scenes, but through the entire movie. You'll know in the first 30 seconds of the pop up menu as it roams through a few scans until you hit the play button.

Example#1 the blue dress that Liz is wearing on the barge as she stands under a canopy, now shows the PATTERN of the dress better than before.

Example#2 the slaves that carry Liz down off the black sphinx had SILVER colored paint that looked like lighting bolts got COLOR CORRECTED and now show the true color of GOLD lightning bolts that MATCH the GOLD BRACELETS, that match the GOLD throne Liz sits on that match the gold dress THAT LIZ WEARS. All previous disks don't have it right with the silver color.

Example #3 On the barge that meet Marc Anthony, at the banquet, Liz shows up wearing a sheer white gown on all the old disks.The new US disk now color corrected, shows the there is a lovely pale pink of the most delicate shade and the white sheer is actually a overlay kind of see through cape?( Sorry I do not know what it is called in fashion lingo.

Example#4 in a battle scene, where the roman legions make what is called "the turtle" formation ( Men on the inside, shields and spears on the outside) You see amazing clarity on the designs on the shields. And this is in a scene filmed IN LOW LIGHT!

Example#5 in the entry into Rome The African dancers have straw fringes on their arms and legs. The GREEN color now pops in new clarity, To be fair the old disks showed some color ,but not like this.

ODD? because of this new clarity, I noticed that there are TWO white pyramids in the background. You see the first after the semi nude lady dances. then a group of females appears with gold colored wings and behind that is the pyramid with the pigeons getting released. After Liz bows to Cesar, the camera cuts to a background shout of the arch of Titus? look quick and notice TWO of the identical pyramids. To me this suggests that something was cut from the entrance procession. because you never see the second pyramid enter and you see BOTH at EACH SIDE of the arch. Hummmmmmmmmmmm makes me wonder what else was cut from the procession. Was it not enough time?

PS: I'm writing this from memory so if there are a few misstatements I invite corrections. Just don't be so G.D. haughty in your comments. Oh, and don't bother pointing out grammar or spelling.

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First let us clear up about the length. According to International Movie Data Base (IMDB.com) this movie existed in three lengths. There was the original length 5 hours and 20 minutes. That was the director's cut and only survived the premiere run. Then there was the theatrical release length the version reviewed here. Apparently to enable more showings per day and possibly to supply drive-ins, there was a shorter version yet.

Roddy MacDowell made the comment in print that eliminating 82 minutes from the movie shortened his role a great deal. I think the cuts focused the movie on the loves of Cleopatra and avoided the immensely complicated politics of the time. For that reason, I've always found the end of the movie (the disgrace of Antony, leading up to his suicide) jumbled.

Second no movie deserves HD more than this. The movie was made before digital scenery was invented, so all of the immense Alexandria sets are really there. The costuming is glorious, and the huge moments (such as the entry into Rome) do not disappoint. (For connoisseurs, compare that with the closing scene of Star Wars Phantom Menace.) The bigger the screen the better. The choreography provided for slave dancers is still of the Cecil B. and not Agnes DeMille variety.

The script was being written as they filmed. That created the immense problem of portions of the script being bloated and unwieldy.

This becomes obvious when you realize that the acting styles of the stars don't jibe at all. Elizabeth Taylor, when she isn't burdened with pseudo-monumental monologues, does a good job. It is professional acting at its best, and if it doesn't move us, I believe the fault lies with the script itself. Richard Burton at the mature peak of his Shakespearean powers gives a detailed account of Antony, but he allows himself to chew scenery at times. In contrast to Ms. Taylor, this contrast is awkward and becomes almost hammy. Rex Harrison is restrained and brilliant. More than one critic said that the movie became must less interesting after intermission (Caesar dies just before that PAUSE.) Hume Cronyn, Roddy MacDowell, Martin Landau, and all the other actors give great performances that might have been even greater with the extra 80+ minutes in place.

Joseph Mankiewicz always wanted to restore the full length for video release. VHS would not have worked. At the time it was "pan and scan" instead of letter-box, and you are lucky to have the actors even on screen. In an argument between Cleopatra and Antony, the width of the image was so large that only noses and mouths appear.

Apparently the missing footage hasn't been found. This review is based on the DVD, but I look forward to the Blu-Ray edition with great anticipation. It may not be 382 minutes long, but it is still the last, truly great spectacular movie, made before it became cheaper and easier to accomplish the impossible. (Now if only we can find the full-length Cleopatra.)

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Angels & Demons (Mastered in 4K) (Single-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra Violet Digital Copy) (2009)

Other reviewers have adequately commented on the motion picture itself. This review pertains to the so-called Two-Disc Extended Edition. While most two-disc editions provide the viewer with hours of additional features on the making the motion picture and the cast and crew, this edition provides the viewer with only three ten-minute featurettes, that easily could have been included on the feature disc, and about 20 "previews" for other motion pictures. At typically a 50% premium in price over the single-disc version, the three featurettes are not worth the price. Buy the single-disc version instead and enjoy the movie.

Very briefly, I would like to begin by addressing some of the criticism concerning this movie.

Some are unhappy because the movie does not closely follow the book. This happens to be true but how many book-based movies do? For the sake of movie-making, Dan Brown's book was not followed to the letter or even closely. However, it may be worth knowing that Dan Brown was the movie's executive producer and he absolutely approved all the major plot changes. If fact, he confesses to actually suggesting some of the major changes. Perhaps those who read the book should treat the movie as work 'related' to the book but not THE book illustrated. It's still Dan Brown's work but this is cinematography that was inspired by his book, to be appreciated and enjoyed as a movie.

I heard statements that the book was somehow anti-Christian or anti-Catholic. I disagree. I will not reveal the plot by providing substantial details but the movie concludes in a way that suggests respect for religious faith and the Catholic church, in fact, comes out looking pretty good.

Angels & Demons besides being a feast to the eyes, it succeeds in arousing the viewer's curiosity in more than one area: contemporary physics, Rome's landmarks, the Vatican. And those who watched the movie and may find themselves in Rome and at the Vatican are more likely than not to actually look for some of the landmarks featured in Angels & Demons. In fairness, Angels & Demons does not come close to The DaVinci Code's Earth-shattering scope, depth of research and sophistication but it's still unmistakenly Dan Brown and those who enjoyed the Code will probably love A&D. Those who hated the Code are likely to hate A&D more. To me, Dan Brown's works are not art and they aren't science but they are great, well researched entertainment that often challenge the reader's/viewer's preconceived opinions and stimulate further research and investigation and this is a good thing.

When it comes to acting Tom Hanks does not disappoint as Robert Langdon but Ewan McGregor lacks the gravitas we would expect from an acting Pope. All others are up to the job but I didn't see any Oscar-quality performances and didn't expect to.

The special effects when it comes to the recreation of St. Peter Square and parts of the Vatican are nothing short of amazing. Like I said, the movie is a feast to the eyes and, for all intents and purposes, what you see is always Rome and the Vatican, even when the cameras were filming some California parking lot.

PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION

Sony is totally throwing the kitchen sink at us with this Blu edition. As the Blu standard bearer and main promoter, they want to show us what Blu can do to make our lives a little more interesting. Everything that you can think of when you think Blu-ray and more 'is in there'.

Everything is good quality, starting with the Blu case which is not the cheap, perforated, almost falling apart kind that some of the lesser editions are using these days.

The decision to include both the theatrical version AND the extended cut on the same disc is responsible for this being a 3-disc set with a second disk carrying the special features and a third dedicated to the digital copies.

Technically speaking, the picture is, of course, a sharp 1080p and the two available sound tracks are both DTS-HD Master Audio in English and French. Surprisingly, the bonus features are shot in high-def as well with 2.0 stereo for the soundtrack.

SPECIAL FEATURES BLU-RAY

Besides BD-Live, a number of interesting Blu-specific features are available with this release.

The Path of Illumination emulates a trail through Rome, following Robert Langdon's through 5 Roman landmarks. It has high visuals, interviews, footage from each location, even a dictionary where dozens of terms are explained. Anyone passing through Rome could walk the path with the Path of Illumination feature serving as a travel guide.

CineChat is another Sony attempt to promote more interactivity. It allows those watching the movie to organize themselves into a viewing party and actually have their chats displayed on-screen as the movie is playing.

The movieIQ option is a BD-Live powered option. It logs into and checks some online database and provides up-to-date information about the movie and specific chapters while watching the movie. Pretty cool actually and not over-distracting, especially considering that this is not information 'burned' into the disc and it is updated, at least in theory if not in practice.

The digital copy, if this can go under Blu-ray specific features, is available for the PC, PSP (via PS3), Mac and iPod. Expires on 2/12/2010.

THE OTHER EXTRAS

Not as interactive as the BD-specific ones, they are also shot in hi-def for the Blu version, there are lots of shorts about the 'making of', actors, special effects, as expected. The featurette titled 'Writing Angels & Demons' should be of special interest because it's there where Dan Brown confesses to his specific agreement and cooperation on altering the story. Another interesting extra is on the CERN. Finally, we actually get to see and hear the real-life John Langdon, the person who served as the inspiration for the Robert Langdon character he specializes in 'ambiagrams', of course.

MY RATING

I found this movie to be entertaining and to carry sufficient 'substance' to merit watching maybe more than once. The quality of the Blu rendition is nothing short of exquisite and the extras, both Blu-specific and the regular ones are worth watching and interacting with.

Angels & Demons is a keeper and, as a work of entertainment, it's a 5-star in my book.

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This is one of those movies that was truly better than its predecessor. The good thing is you don't need to see Davinci Code to understand this movie. Its like Ron Howard took it to heart what people were saying regarding the DaVinci code, it was good but needed some more action to keep you interested.

Angels and Demons does this perfectly. Still a great story line, but tons of action, and a great score.

I left the theater after seeing this with a huge smile on my face. In plain words...

It was awesome!

-Jack

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I rememeber when I first saw The DaVinchi Code in the theatre. I thought the movie was good but it didn't do the book justice. I thought the book was far better. Then Angels and Demons came out in theatres and was leary about going to seeing it because of the first movie. But I did go to see Angels and Demons and I loved it. The movie had my full and complete attention for the entire two and a half hours. In fact, I loved the movie so much, I walked with a smile on my face and bought another ticket and walked right back and in and saw it again!

This movie has it all. It follows the book but strays when necessary, but not to the point of where it ruins the movie. It is chalk full of action and suspence, a total on the edge of your seat movie. The choice of music complements the movie beautifully. I could go on and on.. but one of the things that really made me catch my breath was the portrayal of the passion and history of catholicism. The cardinals in conclave, climbing the stairs to enter the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, St Peter's tomb, exc.

I highly recommend this movie. No movie since had captivated me in a way such as this one. Enjoy!

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Ron Howard's new film is set mainly in Rome. However, the movie starts off at CERN, which is the largest particle accelerator in the world located in the suburbs of Geneva on the Franco-Swiss boarder. Anti-matter is stolen from facility which will supposedly blow up once the batteries of its container die out. In real life, over ten years, the facility has only made enough anti-matter to light a light bulb for about three minutes. So as long as we remain ignorant of this little detail we're in for a bit of a heart pumping ride, sort of. This film looks great, but it becomes a bit tiresome as the cops, and Tom Hank's character (Robert Langdon), are always just a little late in the pursuit of the killer. And unfortunately, the danger doesn't seem so much for them, as for the Cardinals, who we are never made to empathize with anyhow. This may be the real flaw of the movie. If there was more inherent danger to Robert, or those close to him, then this film might actually be suspenseful. When the killer does meet Robert head on, in a basement, the killer simply says that his business is not with Robert, as long as Robert doesn't pursue him. That's a sure way to deflate any suspense from a movie! If it wasn't for the great scenery and wonderful direction it doesn't seem like there would actually be too much here to rave about. The movie feels contrived, and silly, with its treasure chest like chase around Rome after an anonymous killer.

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Crack in the World (1965)

Every Saturday night @ 11:30, I'd settle down on the couch for 3+ hours of horror and/or sci-fi on TV courtesy of Pittsburgh, Pa's "Chiller Theater" hosted by "Chilly Billy" Cardille. Among my many favorites was "Crack in the World," about a scientist who, through underground testing of some sort, creates a mammoth fissure in the earth that keeps getting bigger and bigger, threatening to tear the earth apart. I've always loved this movie, especially the uncompromising ending, and I'm happy to see it finally being released in DVD. Check it out.

Interesting story about a dying scientist who plans to tap the geothermal energy beneath the Earth's crust, with dire consequences. Andrews, Scott and Moore, as well as Alexander Knox, all give excellent performances. Special effects are superb and very believable. I remember seeing this on TV when I was little, and it scared me to DEATH. Seeing it again as an adult, it is not quite as scary, but is still fast-paced and entertaining.

While the science is now dated, thanks to the discovery of plate tectonics (the Earth's crust is divided into may separate "plates", and therefore already has many "cracks"), the story is still entertaining. The interaction between Dr. Sorenson (Andrews), an aging scientist trying for one last victory; his young wife Maggie (Scott), a scientist in her own right; and Dr. Rampion (Moore), the project's geologist and an old flame of Maggie's to boot; works very well, even if it is a bit formulaic.

All in all it is a fun movie, and definitely worth the time to see it. Especially now that it is finally being released on DVD in its original 1.85:1 widescreen format. A worthy addition to any classic sci-fi film collection.

(PS: *I* wrote that summary listed on the back cover when I was in college! They just added a few extra words. Don't believe me? Look it up on IMDB!!)

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I too am a great fan of this movie. I spent years looking for it, and about 3 months ago, I found a very watchable version at a site when I Googled it. The disc only cost $10....but. About half way through, down in the lower right hand corner the symbol "AMC" popped up and I realized that it was just a good copy made from the American Movie Classic channel.

This version that is now being released should be far superior....and I look forward to it.

If you have not seen this movie, by all means give it a try. There is not a single wasted minute in the whole film. Excellent!

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CRACK IN THE WORLD finally makes its home video debut via this new widescreen DVD from Olive Films. Olive Films is a relatively new enterprise that has leased several Paramount titles for home video release.

I hadn't seen CRACK IN THE WORLD since its initial 1965 theatrical exhibition, and so it was great to be able to revisit it. What seemed like pure fantasy back then now feels all too plausible, given the daily reports about BP and the events on the Gulf coast. It's an engrossing story about scientists who have drilled too far into the earth's core, setting off a cataclysmic chain of events. Stalwart scientist Dana Andrews attempts to reverse the process. The film builds to a nearly apocalyptic finale, aided by some pretty good special effects.

The DVD preserves the film's 1:85-1 aspect ratio. The transfer is very good, although the age of the film elements precludes the movie from looking "as though it was filmed yesterday." I'd guess that the DVD was struck from a very good 35mm print, rather than from the original camera negative. There are no supplements, but the home video debut of CRACK IN THE WORLD is reason enough for celebration. Hopefully, Olive Films will resurrect other titles that have fallen through the cracks of the world of films.

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I haven't seen this film in many years but the new Blu-ray version from Olive films is surprisingly entertaining. Its your basic early 1960s end of the world cautionary tale where messing around with mother earth could destroy the planet. Dana Andrews plays a scientist who plans to exploit the planets subterranean mineral resources by detonating a nuclear bomb miles below the earth. The results of this detonation leads to the films descriptive title and the mad rush to come up with a method to save the planet. The special effects are not bad at all for a low budget 60s film and the dvd transfer, though not Criterion quality, is very good with vivid colors which add to the overall sense of heat since the catastrophic scenes involve lots of fire imagery. Besides Andrews, who fantasy film fans will recognize from Jacque Tourneur's classic 1956 film Curse of the Demon(aka Night of the Demon), there is Janette Scott and Kieron Moore who both appeared in The Day of the Triffids a few years earlier. Sci-fi trivia buffs will also recognize Eugene Lourie's name in the opening credits. Lourie directed three of the 1950/early 60s 'dinosaur on the rampage' films, The Giant Behemoth, Gorgo and most importantly The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Last but not least, the film's ending is quite unique though the science is a little/a lot dubious! If you enjoy this film, you might want to checkout the British film The Day the Earth Caught Fire which was made around the same time but is actually more ominous.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Want The Wages Of Fear (The Criterion Collection) (1953) Discount?

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

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Division III: Football's Finest (2011)

Hilarious! If you love Andy Dick, which most don't...you will love this movie. He is amped up the entire time. It's like watching the best parts of his MTV show, for an hour and a half. Gr8 stuff!

This movie is a total gem, entertaining and perfectly cast and edited. There were moments I had to replay right away because they were so funny. Like when the assistant coach, Paul Henderson's character, leads the prayer for the football team. Brilliant comedy. Andy Dick is a madman and yet he has pathos. My family has been quoting one liners from the movie ever since we watched.

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Andy Dick is genuinely funny in this movie. He's a funny comic actor, but most of the reason it works is that he's playing a very funny character. Rick Vice, a psychotic coach with a checkered past, is the perfect vehicle for Andy to channel all of his crazy, scary talent into, and it works.

Other actors have their moments but I never felt they were as developed as Andy. Will Sasso and Adam Carolla have a funny running gag as sports reporters, and I wish there had been more of Mo Collins as the loopy president or dean of the small liberal arts college.

The problem with the film is that the main character, played by co-writer and director Marshall Cook, is that he's simply the Lead Character In A Sports Film. And an under-developed one at that. He at first comes across as lazy and cynical...and then he just walks through the rest of the film, ending up with a winning game and The Girl...and we're not sure why. I guess because he's the Lead Character In A Sports Film.

The film clings too tightly to a well-worn sports movie formula and several main characters are merely formula commitments, not hilarious comic creations.

But Andy is really funny in this.

Read Best Reviews of Division III: Football's Finest (2011) Here

This movie is really funny! I was laughing non-stop. Andy Dick gives an outstanding performance and there were great jokes throughout. The actors were talented and the director did a great job of breaking the comedy mold. This movie was wild compared to all of the big budget, watered-down comedy movies normally released. I saw it in a theater but I can't wait to see it on blu-ray.

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I'm a huge Andy Dick fan and own the vast majority of his albums, TV shows and movies he's been in. I know he's not everyone's favorite, but I enjoy his funny, weird sense of humor.

That said, I didn't really like the movie he was placed into. Division III has quite possibly the worst male lead casting choice I've seen in ages (Marshall Cook). I mean, he literally gives Chris Klein a run for the money in terms of being unlikeable. He's got a bad attitude, a lazy work ethic and has zero charisma. I'm talking about both the character he portays AND him. He literally comes across like he was halfway awake in every scene. That wouldn't be so bad if the female lead (Alison Haislip) wasn't equally annoying on screen. I mean, are we supposed to want this girl to be the one everyone falls for in the film? She's snotty, talks down to everyone she meets and constantly complains about not being able to afford tuition at a college so poor it can't even afford football jerseys. It makes no sense. Like Marshall, I doubt she even wanted to be in this film (and it shows).

I could also complain about the weenie and weird Kevin Covais, a weakling and even nerdier version of McLovin. I mean, WTF! He was giving the male lead pep talks, sleeping with a girl way out of his league and scoring a game winning touch down even though he had never set foot on the field once (during an actual football game). Really? Really....?

As I said, the film around Andy is just mediocre at best. It's not particularly funny, touching or...well, anything. It's just there. I almost get the impression the Director was hesitant to make the whole film about Andy and instead tried to give the younger actors more screen time to balance him out. I think that was actually a poor choice because people will watch and remember Andy Dick in this film and no one else.

I should also say the film is surprisingly well told storytelling-wise and Dick's character is unpredictable enough that the film isn't too formulaic. I also like how non-PC the humor is. There are some gross out bits in the film I didn't expect, but luckily for Andy, they didn't seem beyond the scope of what he is known for (making the audience cringe).

Overall, for Andy Dick fans, it is definitely worth watching, despite the ho-hum story and actors surrounding him. I would recommend Danny Roane: First Time Director over this any day, mainly because that is a film all about Andy Dick and has much, much better actors in general.

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The Flowers of War (2012)

I will not be a reviewer that drops the whole story on you! I really don't like that, as I think any movie should be judged by the viewer. That being said, This is a movie you must see for yourself! The story does start with a bit of the American cliche on Christian Bale's character, however, after that the story is so very good.

This movie effectively embraces and conveys so many human virtues and flaws in a way I think so many could relate to, and it is beautifully told. This movie is brutal at times and yet delves into the deepest parts of our souls.

The story itself is narrated from the viewpoint of a young Chinese girl involved in what happened. Without giving anything away the set-up is an American mortician is summoned to a Cathedral in Nanking in 1937 (the Rape of Nanking) he poses as a priest in charge of a group of convent schoolgirls, a group of Chinese prostitutes arrive, then the Japanese. No one here is perfect, nor is anyone evil, they are human and behave as such. Some die, all squabble, all want out of the city, sacrifices are made.

The acting is flawless on all parts, the story beautifully told. I guarantee, there will not be a dry eye in the house at the end!

To see a movie this good is a rare gift, embrace it!

Easily, one of the best movies I've ever seen. If you're a fan of Kurosawa, it's up there with his directing.

If you've read Iris Chang's non-fiction book "The Rape of Nanking" you have some idea of what horrors to expect. As we know, in 1937 the Japanese invaded China; after conquering Shanghai, they turned their attention to the capitol, Nanking. The result was the slaughter of over 200,000 people.

In this movie, based on the novel by Galing Yan ("Xiu Xiu, the Sent-Down Girl"), we have a fictionalized story in this chaotic setting. We are in a church compound where two groups seek shelter: the first, a dozen convent girls fleeing Japanese soldiers, and the second, a gaggle of "working girls" from a prominent brothel who throw their suitcases over the wall and demand sanctuary. A drunk but frightened Western mortician has come to prepare a priest for burial, and our story begins.....

These were the few actors I could pick out of the cast:

* Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight") is the mortician, boozy and rude; Bale seems to enjoy playing a crude American who laughs in the face of their predicament. He first puts on a priest's robe to avoid Japanese bullets, but by the time he has to bury some of their little group, he isn't quite so blithe.

* Paul Schneider ("Water for Elephants") in a cameo as another American fleeing the massacre, is incredulous that our hero is choosing to stay and try to help his charges escape the city.

* Ni Ni in her screen debut is the lovely self-appointed leader of the prostitutes. None of the women like the "big-nosed" Occidental, but a job is a job.

* Xinyi Zhang ("Love is not Blind") becomes, by default, the leader of the convent girls. She is observant, multi-lingual and expects her father to help them escape.

Instantly, the two groups of females clash: the convent girls are horrified to think that "those women" would dare sully a church, while the prostitutes see the girls as naïve, over-indulged virgins. We see moments of heroism, experience anxiety when characters make foolish choices and hold our breath when the soldiers make their demands. This is 1937 Nanking, so expect gunfire, blood, rape, and lots of blowie uppie stuff.

Note: Because soldiers are always posted outside the church compound gates, all conversations are whispered, so unless your hearing is very, very good, wait for Amazon.com to release the DVD and see if it has closed captions.

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I am a huge Christian Bale fan and have been before his mega Blockbusters and Academy Award. To put this out there now I would classify this as a Foreign Film with a great British Actor as the focal point. To be fair this is more of a survival movie than a war movie.It also has some intense scenes with violence directed at females so if that makes you squeamish, I would still recommend the movie, however turn away from said scenes.

This story does not try to overdo itself like many American Films that blow war movies out of proportion. It is not involved with an absurd love story, however hints at it. I cannot compare it to any movie I have seen because it is unlike any other I have viewed and really tugs at your heart strings. The musical score compliments the themes and atmosphere perfectly, with children's choir music to sad traditional Chinese music. The acting in this movie is great! Like many who see this movie, they probably will not identify any of the actors/actresses other than Christian Bale and everyone balances each other out perfectly. (Meaning it isn't one great actor surrounded by bad performances.) Character development in my opinion has the perfect amount. Not delving too far into one particular character, however leaving enough for you to feel connected with the individuals to "feel" for them as individuals.

I will not spoil this movie. I will tell you it is lengthy however it did not seem lengthy while watching it. (Sign of an enjoyable movie) For those who like a good survival movie, sprinkled with different forms of love, war themes, and change of heart stories, Definitely worth the watch!

Read Best Reviews of The Flowers of War (2012) Here

What's it about?

Christian Bale finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

Is it any good?

When it comes to watching films, immediately my expectation changes upon hearing the cast and the director of a film. Therefore, using that logic I expected a film with Christian Bale by Yimou Zhang to be great...and I was not disappointed. The film is primarily shot in a church compound, so don't expect grand war scenes on the scale of `Hero'. Instead, we are treated to some top-notch acting and magnificent storytelling regarding one of the most awful periods of Chinese History. The film is startling in its unrelenting and unflinching accounts of brutality, and also beautiful in the courage displayed by the women with whom the film centres around. Considering the 146 minute run time, the pacing of the film does drag at points, but those who stick with it, should find themselves engrossed from its spectacular beginning, all the way through to its emotionally charged ending.

Best bit?

Although not a war film per se, the scenes which do feature battles are as realistic and intense as they come.

Did you know?

One challenging aspect in making the film, was what Zhang called the "very slow pace" of negotiation with the Chinese censorship authorities during the editing process.

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The gruesome realities of the Japanese invasion and conquering of the city of Nanking, China in 1937 have been brought to the screen on a regular basis: In The Name of the Emperor form Christine Choi and Nancy Tang in 1998, Nanking form Bill Gutentag and Dan Sturman in 2007, City of Life and Death form Chuan Lee in 2009 and John Rabe from Florian Gallenburger in 2009, and now come THE FLOWERS OF WAR from Yimou Zhang in 2011. Though the story is based on facts, the various movie versions vary considerably on what really happened. THE FLOWERS OF WAR is based on Geling Yan's novel `13 Flowers of Nanjing,' the story gathers an improbable collection of people -Bale's freelance American mortician, a group of convent schoolgirls and the women from a local brothel -in the nominal refuge of a Catholic cathedral as the capital falls to Japan's Imperial Army. There are so many sidebar stories and characters introduced that the enormous impact the other films created is somewhat diluted here despite some quality direction from Yimou Zhang. As the LA Times critic stated, `The Flowers of War has broken new ground for China's movie industry: It's among the first domestically financed films to star a high-profile Hollywood actor (Christian Bale), and its reported budget of close to $100 million makes it the country's priciest production to date. But when it comes to storytelling, Zhang Yimou's 19th feature is decidedly backward-looking: A lavish period weepie set against the atrocities of the Nanking Massacre, "Flowers" abounds with well-worn movie archetypes and slathers on schmaltz.'

Briefly stated, in 1937 China, during the second Sino-Japanese war, a mortician, John (Christian Bale) arrives at a Catholic church in Nanjing to prepare a priest for burial. Upon arrival he finds himself the lone adult among a group of convent girl students and prostitutes from a nearby brothel. When he finds himself in the unwanted position of protector of both groups from the horrors of the invading Japanese army, he discovers the meaning of sacrifice and honor. Innocence-vs. -experience is an undeniably strong theme. The girls' tender adolescence heightens its impact, especially given the historical facts. The Nanking Massacre is also known as the Rape of Nanking, and it's more than a figurative description: The Japanese invaders committed horrendous sexual assaults against the female population. In "Flowers," the girls' safety becomes the paramount concern of the survivors holed up in the cathedral.

Christian Bale seems to struggle with this character and his performance is not particularly convincing or moving. The aspect of this film that overcomes the over-production qualities (hiring Joshua Bell to provide a violin solo seems a bit much, etc) is the story itself, a bit of history that cannot be replayed often enough to again remind us how war alters man and that survival, no matter the method, is the laudatory aspect of human caring. Grady Harp, July 12

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The Lonely Trail (1936)

The picture and sound is in top class. And what a thrill. John Wayne and sidekick Jim Toney return to Texas after the civil war to experience that carbetbaggers are terrorising Texas. From here on it's shooting and riding and hiding and breathless suspence. Lovely Ann Rutherford is the lady and heavy Cy Kendall and henchmen Bob Kortman and Yakima Canutt are up to no good. What a powerfull trio of villains.This is simply the best of the best for b-western fans and others who will ride the trail with young John Wayne.

DVD came quickly and in the condition stated. I am very happy with my purchase. I am looking forward to buying more John Wayne movies.

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American Beauty (Sapphire Series) (1999)

I read somewhere that the overwelmingly red look of American Beauty is a symbol for blood and roses. Represented in the film by the flower petals in Lester Burnham's fantasies, and the blood spilt when the sadness that hovers beneath bears its face. The title of American Beauty does not refer to the pretty surfaces that hide the anguish of these people, but the beauty of their souls when dealing with that anguish. Many reviewers have considered the title to be ironic, it isn't. I've heard Kevin Spacey say that this film is about context, because taken out of context the behaviour of these characters seem bizzare and even phsycotic, but out with in the context of their messy lives or indeed anybody's life, it seems natural. If I tell you that Kevin Spacey plays a character who is obsessed with the idea of sleeping with his daughter's best friend, a daughter who constantly anounces her hatred of her parents, a woman so obsessed with appearances that happiness is but a memory to her, a loner who makes his living as a drug dealer with a firm rigid father living in denial about his son and himself, you would guess that there would be no one to like in this film. You would be wrong. This film is magical in the way it lets identify with these characters, care for them and worry about their outcome. Infact the ideas of American Beauty are nothing new. The persuit of happiness through the abanodoning of materialistic possesions and the satisfaction of primal, animal and natural desires was the exact same premise for Fight Club. This could be a middle aged version of that film. The family turmoil closely resembles Ang Lee's The Ice Storm 1998, and like that film, American Beauty ends in tragedy. But as with all masterpieces its not the "point" that counts, but how you get there. Just like the fact that anything new you learn in life is the history you don't know, most originality in movies is the movies you haven't seen and the novel's you haven't read. The fact that the film remains a masterpiece is a credit to the execution of those ideas, not their originality. Our hero is Lester Burnham a man who goes quits his job, black mails his boss, and goes wild for a year. His journey of self-discovery is not what your average citizen would call moral, yet we still sympathise. My favourite scene in the film is where Lester meets Ricky(Wes Bently) outside a part. Ricky sells marijuana for a living and makes a lot of money. Lester tells him that when he was his age he "flipped burgers all summer long" for very little money. "That sucks" says Ricky, "No actually it was wonderful." The heart of the film is this scene, Lester's yearning for those years where his whole life was ahead of him, when he believed he coul do anything, when he wasn't such a "loser". This purity is the Beauty to which the title refers. Ricky Fitts is the boy next door, a loner who likes to film people. His father is a rigid military man. Both Wes Bently and Chris Cooper who play father and son respectively give monumental performance equal to Kevin Spacey's oscar winner. Their family is a contrast to Lester's, and in its tragedy, emotional complexity and heart break exceeds it. Ricky's catatonic mother is perhaps what Lester would have become had he not taken charge of his life. I have tried to define this film, but its not a film that can be defined. It is one to be experienced. If I tell that the sight of a paper bag blowing in the wind will amaze you, you find it very silly indeed. Acredit then to this film that when Ricky show us a video of a paper bag blowing in the wind, it is indeed a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

My initial reaction, "That was weird," has changed to "How thought-provoking." What happens when characters who struggle to live authentically cross paths with those who struggle to do anything but?

Lester Burnham and the oddly compelling boy next door both discover the ability to see the true beauty in life, even in the most unlikely or mundane circumstances. Who is to be pitied more: Lester, whose life is snuffed out at the moment of pure joy and contentment, or his wife, who buys into the mantra that one must first attain the appearance of success in order to BE successful? She fiercely shuts down any intense emotion lest she be overwhelmed, and even her sexual encounters are comically farcical. "When did you become so joyless?" the soul-searching Lester asks his wife in a touching moment.

Ricky's character as the boy next door is haunting. He sees life as an artist and a poet; his serenity contrasts with the stark repression of his military father and soulless mother, and intrigues Lester's daughter Jane, who possesses Wednesday Addams' moon face and dour disposition. Her struggle of self-discovery contrasts with that of her best friend, the beautiful and perfect cheerleader Angela, whose insecurities are masked by sexual bravado.

This is a movie worth seeing . . . worth thinking about long after it's over . . . and a gentle reminder to live life authentically.

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"American Beauty" is a pure cinematic triumph that is both funny and sad. It's disturbing... and yet, it's extremely provocative and deep. The film is an extraordinary achievement that reveals a tragic and realistic story about a family that is anything but ordinary. It's a film with so many layers that it is almost impossible to dissect them all in one single thought.

Meet Lester Burnham; a man who feels like he's completely dead inside. His wife and daughter despise him and do not show him any signs of respect. On the surface, the family seems like a picture-perfect family that everybody dreams about--but inside is a completely different matter. His wife is obsessed with material possessions and doesn't care for "petty" things like love or life, while his daughter resents herself because she isn't "perfect." Lester's mental coma is rudely interrupted when he meets his daughter's friend and starts fantasizing about her. The awakening might be due to a disturbing thought or feeling, but the wake-up call changes Lester and allows him to realize that there's always time to erase his "forced-image" and be the person he really is. This is all a set-up for a funny, disturbing and tragic movie.

I don't know about everybody else, but my mind was literally racing around when this movie was playing before my eyes. It's one of those films that allows you to pick up on something different upon each viewing. As I said in the beginning of the review, this film has a number of layers to it. There's so many different meanings and points to the film that it is nearly impossible to describe them all in one little review. Besides, the fun part of the movie is discovering these meanings and points for yourself. You know a film is successful when you totally lose yourself to it and allow it to challenge you in every way. The film is crafted flawlessly and doesn't have a wasted minute in it.

The acting from Kevin Spacey is really a sight to see. He gives his character all of the right needs and feelings that is necessary for the authenticity of his role. You don't even look at him as an actor--but as the real person he portrays. It is certainly a milestone in his acting career that will continue to be remembered throughout all cinematic history. Annette Bening is also superb in her role and brings life to her character, as well. Everybody in the film should be applauded, as they all make the film what it is.

The DVD has some neat features to offer. The picture quality is fantastic and the sound is more than great. You have the option of watching the movie in DTS if your system is able to play it. Extras included are commentary from the director and writer, a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast and crew biographies, trailers and more. While I wouldn't had mind a Two-Disc edition of the movie, this is a pretty impressive package overall.

"American Beauty" is a breath-taking masterpiece with a very high replay value. It's a terrific film on every front and does not disappoint for a single second. While it's not a movie that everybody will like, it's most certainly one to check out if you are a lover of films. If you're looking for something that isn't so ordinary, then this may be the chance that you are seeking. I feel that it is a unique and superb film that is very hard to express in words--you'll just have to experience it for yourself. -Michael Crane

Read Best Reviews of American Beauty (Sapphire Series) (1999) Here

There's something special about "American Beauty" that's hard to pinpoint. I don't think I've ever seen a film with such a great ensemble of actors everyone is perfectly cast, from Kevin Spacey's eerily lovable Lester, to Annette Bening's loopy real-estate broker Carolyn, to Thora Birch's hauntingly disenchanted Jane. And the Fitts family...whew. Don't even want to go there.

It's one of many films lately dealing with the disparity between appearances and their underlying realities. Lester's abrupt break with his superficial world is refreshing, and the chaotic circumstances that evolve from it are both provocative and entertaining. I think that, along with "Fight Club," "American Beauty" is the best of them all. The beautiful cinematography, outstanding percussion-centered score, precise and evocative *original* screenplay, and above all first-rate acting make this movie stand above all the others. Thinking about the fact that this is Sam Mendes' first film, and Alan Ball's first screenplay, gives me hope for the future of film in America. Not every movie has to leave you nauseous.

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The first time I saw this film I was left thinking, "...is this what the Academy considers for a Best Picture? It seems a bit odd for considering a Best Picture nomination." But then as the days went on I couldn't get the images and music from the movie out of my head. I must admit, I am a Kevin Spacey fan ever since "The Usual Suspects" and to see my favorite actor once again I knew it had to be good. It wasn't until the second time I saw the movie that it hit me like a freight train....this is my most favorite movie of all time. Everything is perfect. Even the surreal rose-petal sequences are a visual treat.

The cast was given a razor sharp script to follow and each actor performed perfectly. Thomas Newman's haunting score was very intriguing. It think the ultimate scene that touched me was when Ricky (Wes Bentley) showed the simplicity of a paper bag being blown around by the wind to his girlfriend Jane (Thora Birch). The sheer magnitude of his finding beauty in something like that is why I love this film so much. The movie has a perfect blend of superior acting and cinematography.

A brilliant job to Sam Mendes, the entire cast, and to the Academy for giving this film every Oscar that it deserved.

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Rogue

"Rogue" is top-notch entertainment in a genre that has suffered quite a bit with lukewarm entries lately.

Amazon has done another excellent job giving us the basics of this story and who the big stars are, so I keep my summary very brief. A small handful of sightseers have their boat nearly destroyed by a rogue croc and they take refuge on a small island that will quickly disappear under the rising tide in a river basin area in Australia. It really is that simple of a story, but superbly executed by the cast of familiar faces, especially the lovely and talented Radha Mitchell from Silent Hill, the director who is famous for Wolf Creek, terrific photography, and outstanding special effects that are used sparingly but effectively.

This is one intense thriller. The last "us against it" thriller that I enjoyed this much was Prey. In regards to croc films, this isn't quite as good as Lake Placid, but it is far superior to the more recent Primeval. The film isn't, however, especially graphic for it's genre. More seems to happen off camera, but that doesn't reduce the intensity one bit. Rent or buy this one, personally, I think it's a keeper as it has repeat value.

Like Jaws did back in the 70s this tale gives a lot of fictional elements to its main animal villain to make the tale more terrifying. I have to admit having worked in a wildlife park with crocodiles and knowing all about them I didn't have very high expectations for a movie set around a crocodile serial killer. But having checked out the DVD I must say I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the best man verse nature villain films out there.

The DVD in Australia (this American release doesn't give details of what's on it) comes with some great making of the film documentaries. If you can check it Amazon's version does as well, if it doesn't and your DVD played is multizone, order the Australian version instead.

The film is well shot and the two fake robot crocodiles used for the film (see them in the special features) look so realistic the actors visibly shook with fear when filming shots next to them even though they knew they were machines. Robot animal technology has come a long way from Bruce (the up close unrealistic looking shark used in Jaws interaction with human shots). Real crocodiles in the background of the film add to the authentic look as well.

The first third of the film shows some great Northern Territory wildlife and landscapes and does resemble real tours that do go on up there. Unfortunately for these tourists (made up of Americans, British and city living Australians) when they respond to a distress flare and go up a restricted river forbidden to tour boats, a large 7 metre crocodile takes exception to their intrusion into his territory. Their boat is wrecked and they are left on an island that will be underwater when the tide comes in. Paralleling many slasher film or alien space ship invasion films, one by the humans are picked off (although you don't really get to seem them being killed which is a lot more realistic than if it had been done differently). With the water coming in they know they will soon be underwater where the crocodile has all the advantages. They must escape the island or die!

The film would have actually been a lot more realistic if it had ended after the island scenes but to make the third saga the fictional element of crocodiles storing their food in caves is introduced to the storyline which is where the viewer will actually get to see the villain up close. I don't like this factor being in the movie which is the only reason I drop this film a star in rating because as evident by a previous American reviewer people are believing the fictional element as a fact, which they will no doubt tell their kids and so forth when teaching them about crocodiles. For the record most people killed by crocodiles drown in the death roll underwater where the crocodile has dragged them as the crocodile is twisting off their arm, leg or whatever part of the body. Crocodiles don't eat the whole person (or animal) they just eat parts they have ripped off and they definitely do not store bodies in trees, logs and caves. Fatalities also occur as people bleed to death from their wounds if they are in a isolated area and of course death from shock is also a fairly large factor.

The same way many people still believe sharks are out to attack and eat them as a food source since they saw Jaws, a fact the public didn't believe before Jaws was released, and a fact that has seen many a shark killed in the name of fear. The back of this DVD cover (Aus version) says "Rogue does for crocodiles what Jaws did for sharks". I hope really hope this isn't true! If you take precautions, don't go swimming in crocodile habitats, and read the warning signs you'll be safe.

This is a great film though, and well worth seeing! It also has the entire Never Smile at a Crocodile song playing in the credits, I've often heard the chorus but never the whole song. A bit tacky song yes, but interesting to listen to in its entirety. Another man verse nature film that is pretty good is the classic Australian movie Razorback.

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Rogue(of an animal) having an abnormally savage or unpredictable disposition, vicious or solitary, as a rogue elephant.

After the huge success of "JAWS", producers have been trying to capitalize on the undersea horror genre. There have been quite a number of underwater horror films about killer crocodiles recently; "Lake Placid", "Primeval" and "Crocodile", among others. "ROGUE" is another horror film about a huge crocodile and while this film may follow the usual stereotypical plot that have plagued the genre for many years, it does have its redeeming moments. It had a very limited theatrical release perhaps because the producers felt that audiences may be a little tired of the "croc on a rampage" storyline?

Pete (Michael Vartan) is a reporter on assignment in the Australian outback. He decides to take a scenic boat tour led by Kate (Radha Mitchell), along with a bunch of other tourists. The folks are enjoying themselves, they take in the sights, swat flies, watch salt water crocs socialize (in a way) with other tourists. During the tour, Kate spots a signal flare and decides to investigate. Once in the secluded site, the group of people realizes that they are in the territory of a monstrous saltwater crocodile that swiftly sinks their boat. The tourists find themselves at the mercy of a huge predator who has a taste for human flesh and the rising waters on a tiny slump of land.

I know what you're thinking, the film must be a rethread of previous monster flicks and there is nothing to see here. Well, the film is written/directed by Greg McLean, also responsible for the torture flick "Wolf Creek". I'm not exactly sure how you felt about that film but I thought "Wolf Creek" wasn't a real effective thriller. "Rogue" does have its flaws but I think Mclean did serve up a solid thriller with his ambitious attempts at intensity and suspense, by not relying on explosions, character stupidity and an overload of blood and gore.

The direction by McLean opted for not giving away too much, too early, and I thought that was a clever move. You don't really see the croc until the 50 minute mark, but the proceedings do give hints of just how big it is by exposing its tail, mouth and just how powerful it is. The film's last act is actually the icing on the cake, when you really see just how HUGELY impressive our antagonist really is. Shades of "JAWS" anyone? The survivors of the attack actually suffer through panic, desperation and fear, but they are not really unlikable characters, just look at them the same way when you visit a new city. You would barely know anything about anyone, so I was able to look past the film`s lack of character development. The film is successful in generating a feeling of claustrophobia and helplessness, as the tide is rising and there's a gigantic man-eater swimming around, that takes them out one by one; McLean also maintains the tension by focusing on the group and not just the "hero" of the film.

Now, the film does take a hit on realism. Saltwater Crocodiles (and no matter how big) are cold-blooded reptiles so when the sun's up, they need to bask in the sun otherwise, well, their blood may stop circulating. I do watch enough of Discovery channel to know this, and well, our killer crocodile seems to be an animal on steroids that he does not need to warm himself up? The film's little "main event" takes place in a not so believable area and our croc`s savagery seem a little too over-the-top. But hey, this is a movie, right? Maybe this is the animal's "rogue" behavior in play?

The film does have the stereotypical characters but thankfully, Mclean manages to fit everything together. "Rogue" isn`t perfect, but it is a lot better than "Primeval". The film is actually is panic-induced piece, while Pete and Kate try their best to outsmart the huge animal and try to survive. The film does have a fair amount of blood and gore but most of the killings happen off-camera, and the CGI effects are solid enough for the most part. The film does deliver a satisfying man vs. monster encounter and the film's direction is competent enough that the film is easily understood and taken in. Mclean also doesn't portray the croc as mindless killing machine bent on just eating anyone in sight, this monster is cunning and he likes and stays within his territory, anyone who marches in is its food.

"ROGUE" is a film with modest intentions and I appreciated McLean's sense of restraint in his direction. He wisely avoids the flashy explosions, the usual perfunctory dialogue in its climax and the film does have a satisfying enough closure. The film is a successful blend of B-movie thrills and chills that is aimed at horror fans. The film does stay true to its limited concept and it does go straight to the conflict. "ROGUE" doesn't reinvent the "monster" genre but it doesn't hurt it either. For a film with a limited budget, it is a satisfying enough diversion.

Recommended timidly, rent it first [3 ½Stars]

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Well worth renting or even owning. If you're into killer creature flicks this one ranks among the best I've seen. Far better than Primeval and more realistic than Lake Placid the movie offers a good story with fine acting and a beautiful and forbidding setting. The fact that the movie is so realistic helps boost the suspense, so much for giant digital crocs this one actually felt made of flesh and blood. It's a pity this movie didn't get more publicity it was good enough in my opinion for widespread theatrical release, especially when one considers some of the absolute garbage that has hit the theaters this year alone.

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At first glance, the DVD cover of 'Rogue' brings to mind Saturday programming on the SciFi channel... giant CGI monsters wreaking havoc on bad actors shrieking lines like, "Look at the size of that thing!"

Don't be fooled. 'Rogue' is not that movie. It's a much, much better one. Director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) has created a movie with more similarities to 'Jaws' to any of those straight-to-cable movies on SciFi. The emphasis is on suspense rather than gore. McLean then focuses on characterization rather than tank tops barely restraining C-cups or muscle-bound special ops teams.

The plot in a sentence: While investigating a mysterious flare shot into the sky during an Outback river tour, a group of tourists are attacked by a giant crocodile and stranded in the middle of nowhere.

McLean entwines a credible Outback flavor to the setting. Refreshingly, the animal acts more like a true crocodile than the manic monsters of most creature-features. For the most part, the characters act like real people. None of them are ex-Marines and there are no automatic weapons or female scientists wearing short shorts and tanktops for no discernible reason. The actors are good, including Radha Mitchell from 'Pitch Black' and 'Silent Hill.'

If you're looking for a fairly intelligent, well-acted, and suspenseful film, pick this up. It is a fun way to kill two hours, and 'Rogue' is probably much better than you think it is. I can attest to the appeal of this movie due to the fact that my wife (who HATES SciFi and horror movies) actually liked this one. And that is saying something. Trust me.

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