Predators (+ Digital Copy) (2010)

"Predators" is back to basics return for the "Predator" franchise, they have juggled the elements that made the first film successful but couldn't seem to get right for the sequel or the "Alien vs. Predator" movies. "Predators" starts with the original premise of the first movie. Eight people of different ethnicities (if not occupations) are thrown into a living green hell of a jungle except they all don't know how they got there or where they are. The only thing they're sure of is that they were involved in some war, they saw a light and the next thing they remember is waking up as they fell into the jungle.

As the eight get to know each and their surroundings, "Predators" relies on the camaraderie of the individuals and the stress of the situation for each character to reveal themselves to each other and the audience, and they discover every one may not be what they seem. There's also a nice bit of gallows humor to lighten the moments and was one of the things that gave the original "Predator" some of it's charm.

The predators have some new toys including the spiky dogs, and we learn there are two different kinds of predators, the standard one we're used to seeing is the smaller of the species and are hunted by the larger super-predator when no other game is available.

One bit of casting I was worried about was Topher Grace, the geeky Eric Forman of "That 70's Show," he seemed miscast or ill fitted for Eddie Brock in "Spiderman 3," and here he's the one element that doesn't fit, but he isn't supposed to, and he looks right for the part and delivers a role that at first looks like a straightforward but has some twists. Laurence Fishburne does a near-cameo as Noland, a soldier marooned on the planet and who may be from the Vietnam era, I think he hums a bit of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" used to such great effect in Apocalypse Now.

I at first thought "Predators" was directed by Robert Rodriquez and that was one of the reasons I was looking forward to seeing the movie. I was a little disappointed that Rodriquez only produces, but this movie does incorporate some of the feel of a movie directed by Rodriquez but that may be because "Predators" is based on a screenplay Rodriguez wrote sixteen years ago . Directing is Nimrod Antal and he moves the movie tautly along never veering off course or too far off course, and he does add some visual artistry that hasn't been seen in any of the previous movies but gives us a sense of the alieness of the world the characters find themselves trapped on.

"Predators" is conscious of the events of the first "Predator" movie and the climatic battle is a tweaked version that is an homage to Arnold's battling of the predator while building on some of the inferred weaknesses of the predators. "Predators" is a good telling of a "Predator" story, using bits of the original and adding its own devices to the "Predator" mythology.

It has taken a string of awful sequels for someone such as Nimrod Antal to step up and take the Predator franchise back to its roots of gore, suspense and plain fear, but does it do these things well? "Predators" sets it story deep within the nostalgia of fans with a jungle setting similar to the original. We are introduced to an unconscious Royce, a hardened, ex-military mercenary played by Adrien Brody, free-falling from the sky over the jungle. After a warm welcome from fellow drop ins, the newly formed team of eight begin to make sense of their surroundings.

"Predators" builds the tension between the characters similarly to that of the original with fear and uncertainty clouding their minds. The eerie-ness and unfamiliarity of the environment and it's contents are also set just as in the first film. The building of this tension plays out smoothly and doesn't rush itself to get to it's point (the whole alien planet/we are being hunted/"If it bleeds, it can be killed" deal) Not until the end of the film does it feel rushed and out of balance with the beginning and midpoint. The chemistry between the characters doesn't bore at all, even with their backgrounds as "the most dangerous killers on Earth" the flow of dialect and development with each character is enough to hold the viewer's interest and move the story along realistic grounds. A very interesting note is how the characters explain their backgrounds and solidify their characters through the traps set within the film (theirs and others.) There are also many specific pieces paying homage to the original, such as the explanation of the Hunters and a few of the battle sequences.

Speaking very shortly about the gore, it plays its part in solidifying the harsh settings the characters are placed in and the brutality of the creatures they are faced against, (Most notably the campsite of the Predators and what every fan wanted to see, the taking of the "trophies.") unlike the past two sequels (*shudders*) where the first was devoid of nearly any gore and the second making it seem laughable and rendering it useless.

I have only two gripes about the film, one being the pacing near the end, (as mentioned earlier) after meeting with another survivor named Nolan (Laurence Fishburne) and the events leading to another encounter with the Predator creatures, the remaining survivors start to die off quite fast. Even though the plan made before the set chase is clear, I felt that the suspense kind of died after that leaving only one minor twist afterwards. Oh and Topher Grace (I think you will see him mentioned in many reviews to come for the movie) Didn't leave a strong enough impression. Without giving too much away about him, I believe that his character's motives could have been fleshed out a little better than the film made them.

Bottom line, "Predators" plants its feet in the ground and exclaims with confidence that "this is more than a sequel, it's a return to form." and a return very well needed. Even with it's numerous similarities, "Predators" is able to stand on it's own with a strong cast and a smooth mix of violence, gore, charisma and chemistry and screams possibilities of sequels to come.

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I don't get out to the theater much, so when my 9 and 11 year olds suggested we go to the movies on a hot and rainy Sunday, I thought it would be a nice way to spend the day with the kids. "So what'll it be boys? Toy Story 3? Despicable Me?" Their reply in unison: "PREDATORS!!!" Actually I wasn't at all surprised since lately they've been spending most of their video game time online with Aliens vs Predator. Truthfully I couldn't have been happier with their choice because that's really what I wanted to see most too.

In the end no one was disappointed. Predators is a great action movie that not only pays homage to the original, but brings the Predator franchise back to the brutal violence and fast moving story telling that made the first one a classic. Kudos to Director Nimród Antal and Producer Robert Rodriguez for not making any of the plethora of mistakes that were made with the sub-par Predator 2 or any of the AvP movies.

All the action looked real. All of the Predators (and other monsters) looked real. All of the acting is really good. Although I must say that I had a hard time swallowing Adrian Brody as the lead tough guy. Brody comes across as more of a softy to me. If I had to seek out a complaint it might be that Brody was a bit miscast, but not so much so that it took away from the thoroughly entertaining experience that I had with Predators.

The story is very similar to the first one. A group of mostly soldiers (or soldier types) are in a mysterious jungle and soon realize that there's a role reversal going on: they are no longer hunters, mercenaries or whatever; they are the hunted. And they are going to need a lot of firepower and strategy in order to walk away alive from the situation that they are in.

I guess if I had to "unEarth" another negative it would be that the storyline is quite familiar. But Antal and Rodriguez introduce enough new concepts and twists to keep this sequel pretty fresh looking and not as predictable as you may think. If you were a big fan of the 1987 cult classic like I was, I believe that you'll find that this 2010 reintroduction to the Predators will be a welcome one...like it was for me.

A few words of caution to anyone that saw my comment about bringing the kids to this movie: it is not a family film. It earns its R rating. I'm just a little more liberal when it comes to what I think will warp the little minds of today's youth. So use your discretion.

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I can only imagine someone liking this film if they've never seen the original, because it breaks no new ground in the franchise. It works double-time to copy the original's high points, right down to Adrien Brody and Alice Braga slavishly aping Arnold Schwarzenegger and Elpidia Carillo. I struggle to grasp so many creative people approaching such a popular franchise and producing such an uninspired product.

Eight people, mostly men, wake up in freefall over a bizarre jungle, strapped into chutes and packing heat, but with no idea how they got there. They are conscientiously multi-racial and multi-national, but they all speak English. Perhaps their captors checked their résumés. When strange critters with dozens of tusks attack, the humans realize they're trapped in an alien game preserve, and they're the designated prey.

First, the underrated Danny Trejo deserves better than this film gives him. Laurence Fishburne is wasted in Gary Busey's Predator 2 role. This movie offers a checklist of Unlikely Heroes Being Chased stereotypes. Adrien Brody makes a particularly unconvincing action figure. We scarcely see the shimmery effect that was so creepy in the first film. And since when does the Predator's battle cry sound like Chewbacca?

This movie does nothing to build tension. It never convinces me that these human characters deserve to live. The action scenes appear unmotivated, and the dialog sounds like it was written by a computer that ate the original script and spat back something passably similar. Robert Rodriguez is better than this, as is this cast. After interminable sequels, I wish they'd stopped after the first one.

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It's been twenty years since "Predator 2" showcased the monstrous hunter in a solo capacity. Finally, after all that time 20th Century Fox brings the hunters back to theaters with the recently released sci-fi action film, "Predators".

"Predators" follows a group of Earth's deadliest killers, led by a mysterious mercenary (Adrien Brody), who find themselves trapped on a strange world. As the group tries to find a way off the planet, they soon discover that they have been placed on this world for a reason...to be hunted. Now, they are locked in a deadly fight for survival with beings far deadlier than anything they've ever encountered.

You know, there's something about this series that's bothered me for quite some time now. It's nothing regarding the previous two films in the franchise, both of which were quite good in my opinion. No, what bothers me is why would 20th Century Fox, who owns the rights to the character, leave the series effectively dead for so long?

Sure the character appeared in the hit "versus" movie, "Alien Vs Predator" and its extremely disappointing sequel "Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem". But as a stand alone property the character proved successful, and the movies were extremely entertaining and profitable to boot. So, it's beyond me why the decision was made to shelve the property for such an extended period. Especially when so many countless sub-par horror franchises are allowed to exist long past their welcome. Anyways, I digress...

In charge of crafting a story that would serve as a hard-hitting return to the big screen for the character worthy of the original is screenwriter/director/producer Robert Rodriguez ("Sin City"). Robert's story brings the action back to a jungle atmosphere (albeit on another planet) harkening back to the first film, but ups the ante in every respect. The story is chock full of incredibly entertaining action set pieces, with a break-neck pacing to keep the momentum running full steam ahead from start to finish; however, if you're coming to this movie looking for in-depth character study, look somewhere else.

Now, that shouldn't come as any surprise to fans of the series, this franchise has never been about character development or engaging drama. It's always been about the hunt, and those who are unfortunate enough to become the hunted. I'm sure that some people (mostly critics that look down their noses at these types of movies) will view the lack of character driven drama as a weakness; if you ask me, the reason these movies work is because they never try to over complicate the situation. It's a monster movie plain and simple, and what the audience wants is to see great visual effects, incredible action, and some entertaining chase and/or fight sequences between the hunter and the hunted. In this, "Predators" absolutely nails it, and hopefully brings the series back into popularity.

On an interesting side note, Robert Rodriguez actually wrote the original script for this film prior to finishing up work on his first breakthrough hit "Desperado" in 1995. However, upon completion 20th Century Fox opted not to move forward with another sequel and shelved the project. I don't know if any of you out there really cared to know that tidbit of information, but I just wanted to throw it out there anyway. Moving on.

Assisting Robert in reinvigorating the franchise was the film's director Nimrod Antal. I wasn't sure how Nimrod would be as director for this long-awaited follow-up. I mean his previous directorial effort "Armored" was a decent enough action flick. Yet, it never really felt like it was anything great compared to any number of action movies I could find from Direct-to-DVD releases featuring the action heroes of yesteryear.

However, after seeing how Nimrod Antal handled "Predators" I have to say that he was undoubtedly the right man for the job. After all, he delivered a pulse-pounding thrill ride that blew his previous film out of the water with considerable ease. Not to mention, the previews didn't ruin every single plot point for this film, a problem that plagued "Armored" and probably led to my less than thrilled perception of the movie.

Leading the ensemble cast, and is probably the most surprising bit of casting I have seen for a movie in quite some time, is Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody ("King Kong"). When his casting was first announced, I was a little leery, as I'm sure many fans were, because Adrien didn't exactly look the part of a man that the Predator would find a challenging prey. Yet the more I read about how the idea was to distance this entry in some respects from what's come before by not going with a muscle-bound warrior, but instead utilize a more cerebral character, the more I became intrigued by the possibility he presented.

In the end, a somewhat bulked-up Adrien Brody created a believable adversary for the Predators. He blended together elements of Arnold's no-nonsense qualities with those of a keenly intelligent, semi-manipulative, world-weary individual that will do whatever it takes to survive.

Portraying some of the other collected prey for the titular characters are Topher Grace, Alice Braga, and Walton Goggins. As I stated earlier the story wasn't one that really challenged any member of the cast dramatically, granted that was never the intention. That being said, the cast didn't just slack off and phone in their performances either.

Topher Grace ("Spider-Man 3") played the kind of character that always seems to suit him perfectly, that of a sniveling weasel of a man, who always feels more important than he really is. Alice Braga ("Repo Men") as a tough-as-nails soldier was surprisingly believable in the role and helped to balance out the extreme machismo of Adrien Brody's character and most of the other cast members. Then there's actor Walton Goggins (TV's "Justified") as a convict that sets out as only being interested in self-preservation, but eventually becomes somewhat of a team player. As I said, none of them really had to stretch to flesh out their characters, but they all did well in the roles and sold them to the audience convincingly.

Making slightly extended cameo appearances in the film were actors Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo. Laurence was very entertaining for the brief time he was in the film as a soldier that has snapped with reality after being marooned on this planet for quite some time. Danny Trejo wasn't given a whole lot more to do in the movie than Laurence, and his role felt as if it had just been shoe-horned in to the film. This was a real shame, because Danny always delivers an interesting character every time he appears in a movie. This time though, his appearance was most likely due to the fact that he has acted in virtually every single movie Robert Rodriguez has worked on since "Desperado", so this one should be no exception. Thus, his character felt like an afterthought.

Well, after waiting so long for a third installment, it's nice to see that the "Predator" franchise hasn't lost its edge. Combining some of the best elements of the previous two films, taking the hunt off-world, plus some terrific action scenes and visual effects, makes "Predators" the triumphant return to cinema's that this series deserves.

"Predators" is rated R for violence and language.

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Griff the Invisible (2010)

By day Griff has the usual office job where he is bullied by his workmates and is only ever visited by his brother who tries to make Griff conform to society. By night Griff takes on the alternate persona as the town's superhero protecting the city streets. Griff is invisible to the world until he meets his brother's new girlfriend, Melody who turns Griff's life upside down with her eccentricities that only match his own.

Griff the Invisible is a very touching story that blends the lines between reality and illusion that is definitely worth at least one watch and I would highly recommend it. The story isn't too similar but if you like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind this movie is definitely worth a chance.

Lov superhero movies, Netflix had this and stopped weirdly half way through and just needed to watch in its entirety. Good fun quirky film

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A Man Escaped (Criterion Collection) (1956)

This is the first Bresson film I ever saw and it stunned me. Since then, I have seen most of his other films and each one is remarkable, though a few stand out: Diary of a Country Priest, Au Hazard Balthaaar, Pickpocket, L'Argent. Still, this film is unique in that it retains the austere, minimalist and ultimately spiritual style of the others, and at the same time is a gripping thriller.

You might say of this film -though Bressonian purists might hate me for saying this -that Bresson uses his anti-Hollywood style to outdo Hollywood style. What I mean is: Bresson is known for revealing only what is absolutely essential, a gesture, an item, two hands engaged in an activity, feet walking. This has the effect of encouraging the viewer to pay attention, but also, because it forces no specific interpretation upon these items, encouraging the viewer to participate in the unfolding of events, and become more than merely a spectator. Hollywood style tends also to eliminate much of what is inessential, but to a much different end: to eliminate moments where the viewer might be distracted and think about something other than the film; the aim is to replace thought with the action on the screen, rather than to stimulate thought. In the case of this film, however, where the subject matter is a prison breakout (standard Hollywood fare) the minimalist style employed by Bresson is able to achieve both a high degree of tension, and a high level of involvement. From the moment the prisoner is in the prison, nothing is shown except what is relevant to the single-minded focus of the prisoner: to escape. In that sense, it is not at the end that the man escapes (as already announced in the title of the film), but from the very beginning he is escaped in the sense that he never accepts the status of imprisonment. The film is able to show this without ever having him discuss the matter with anyone. Remarkable.

This is one of cinema's great achievements, a testament of the combination of elements (subject, visual style, photographic image, movement, sound, background music, character, montage) are perfectly blended into a unique experience. The New Yorker print, however, is the worst copy of this film (16mm, 35mm, television screenings) I have ever seen. This was a copy with a lack of contrast, extra noise on the track, looking like a dub. If only there was a decent attempt to attain anything better would have begun to do the film justice. As it is, enjoy what you're stuck with but know there's something better out there.

Burt Shapiro

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This film is absolutely wonderful but when examined closer, it is merely a simple film and that is the main power. In what it is trying to express, a man who attempts to escape from a Gestapo prison camp, it relates to the existential values at the time. I have never seen a more crisp telling of a drama told in straight forward narrative and easy dialog. What is at the basis of this fabulous Bresson film is man's determinism in the face of imprisonment. Truly recommended.

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(...)

(...)

It seems strange to me that Robert Bresson referred to himself as a "Christian atheist", because God is very much present in this film. A

Man Escaped is based on the true story of André Devigny, a member of the French Resistance who managed to break out of prison just

hours before he was to be executed by the Germans. The movie begins with the prisoner, here called Fontaine, being driven to jail. The

men beside him are cuffed, but he is not. He tries to get away when the car stops but is recaptured and beaten about the head.

In prison, Fontaine nearly succumbs to despair, fearful that his fellow Resistance fighters will be rounded up too, but then a stranger

intervenes, a prisoner exercising in the courtyard who promises to get a note to them. Relieved of this concern, Fontaine once again sets

his mind to escape. While other men remain bound either physically or mentally, Fontaine develops a detailed plan of escape and

arduously sets about implementing it.

Bresson presents Fontaine's machinations in painstaking detail. He also confines most of the film to Fontaine's cell, so the viewer too

feels like a captive. Seemingly forgotten by the Germans, Fontaine delays his escape attempt. He believes that two people will be

required to make the attempt work, but is unable to convince anyone else to join him. He is himself afraid to take the leap of faith that it

requires, seemingly waiting for a sign that he should go ahead. The sign comes quite suddenly in the form of his death sentence, his

crimes not forgotten after all.

But now, just when everything seems to have fallen into place, another prisoner is placed in the cell with Fontaine, a very young man

whom he has every reason to distrust as a stool pigeon, planted at the last minute by the Germans. His execution scheduled for the next

day, Fontaine has but two choices : kill the boy or include him in the escape. Once again Fontaine has thrust upon him a matter of faith.

His resolution to this problem and the ensuing escape are exciting stuff. The very sparseness of the film and the way Bresson strips it of

emotion, makes the action, as he intended, speak for itself, and it speaks volumes. But there are also big ideas at work here, the most

refreshing of which, particularly coming from a Frenchman in the 1950s, is that faith and hope matter and that we can take some control

of events through our own actions. The most famous image of the French intellectuals' view of life is the example of Sisyphus, as per

Albert Camus. Sisyphus, a Titan sentenced to eternal punishment for rebelling against the Gods, has to push a boulder up a hill all day,

and at the end of the day, just as he arrives at the top, it rolls back down again. Bresson's film is perhaps best understood as a refutation

of this fatalistic and futile worldview; A Man Escaped suggests that indeed we can escape the fates, can create our own destinies, if only

we have faith and make the effort. The impetus remains with us, even if the ultimate outcome remains in the hands of "The Spirit".

GRADE : A+

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I first saw "A Man Escaped" in my Introduction to Cinema Studies course during my freshman year at college. It immediately became one of the greatest films I had ever seen. Over time, my feeling on it has evolved to the point that it is now one of my favorite films as well. The story is told in a sparse, visually narrow style that forces the viewer to imagine as well as simply watch. The prison is never seen as a whole; we are only shown pieces of it--a wall, a doorway, and so on. The German prison guards are more often only heard as footsteps coming to Fontaine's cell door. Rarely do we venture outside of Fontaine's cell once he is imprisoned, and when we do, it is usually to the same place, where he washes himself with the other prisoners. With the exception of the end, the plot of the movie revolves entirely around Fontaine's plan and exeuction of an escape. The magic of the film is that Bresson makes these minutiae indescribably watchable; we are invested in Fontaine's every action through the whole of the film, and we watch with anticipation as he grows closer to his goal with each passing month, day, minute. "A Man Escaped" is a beautifully rendered work of cinema, and it will appeal to everyone who wishes to do more than while away the time seeing a simple 'movie'.

As to the New Yorker DVD listed here, I'm afraid it is severly lacking in quality. The print used is dirty and dark, and the transfer itself suffers from a poor PAL to NTSC conversion that results in 'combing' and 'ghosting' (For those not technically inclined, this basically means that the film runs faster than an American film, but the difference in speed was not properly accounted for, causing a sort of blurriness in some scenes). There are also no special features, save for a few trailers for other Bresson films. As of the date of this review, the New Yorker disc is $26.99, and in my opinion that is simply too much to pay for a DVD that is this mediocre.

My suggestion is this:

A company in the UK called Artificial Eye has just released a new DVD of "A Man Escaped" this April. The picture quality is greatly improved and, because the UK uses the same PAL encoding system, there was no need for a conversion, which eliminates the combing and interlacing problems found on the New Yorker disc. Besides that, there is also a wonderful Dutch documentary (with English subtitles) called "The Road to Bresson" which is almost an hour long and features interviews with Andrei Tarkovsky, Louis Malle, and Paul Schrader amongst others. There is also footage of the notoriously camera-shy director accepting his award for Best Director (for "L'Argent") at the 1983 Cannes film festival. Finally, the documentary includes a delightful surprise at the end which I will not ruin here. On Amazon.co.uk the AE DVD is priced at £11.98, which is actually cheaper than the New Yorker with the current conversion rate. The disc is coded for Region 2 in the UK, so it will not work on a TV or DVD player in the USA unless both the TV and DVD player have multi-region capability and you have a PAL to NTSC converter box. However, the disc can be viewed on any PC by using any of a series of free media players widely available on the internet that circumvent region coding.

In short, if you value this film as much as I do, and want some value for your money, then skip this disappointment from New Yorker and pick up the Artificial Eye release instead.

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The Downfall Of Berlin - Anonyma

This is a bit difficult movie to review. Honestly, I was expecting a movie about the street by street or building by building fight between advancing Russian army and defending Germans, along with occasional views of civilian horrors. Instead, the movie centers on a detailed dairy written by a German journalist woman who witnessed and suffered Russian occupation of Berlin during last days of WWII. Overall, the movie is a major achievement. In my opinion, it accomplishes three main points: (a) civilians suffer and pay a major cost in all wars, particularly elderly, women and children; (ii) Russian soldiers acted not differently from any other invading army when they find defenseless civilians, and most interestingly, (iii) relationships between civilians of defeated Germany and invading Russian troops may not have been just about hate, rape and killings. I highly recommend this movie if these topics interest you and if you wish to see them well treated. The DVD transfer is pretty good, with some nice extras (Director's interview and others), Widescreen presentation, English subtitles forced on Russian and German spoken audio.

Too many foriegn war movies are not coming out here in region one on blu ray.

This is playable though on our blu ray players , in fact of all the recent blu ray foriegn language war themed blu ray releases only max manus is not compatible with our blu rays. This movie is a great movie because it really shows how people can adapt to terrible situations that are beyond imagining. This is a absolutely true story true. By the time of the russian entry into berlin , the battle that killed hundreds of thousands of people; berlin was in ruins, people stood in line for food, and if people were blown up they'd take their place in line covered with blood and guts, just to get something to eat. That's a desperate nightmare even before the russian troops entered the city. Most germans too knew that The axis troops had engaged in a orgy of death and rape and extermination on the eastern front and the russian troops were out for revenge. However as this movie makes clear the average soldier usually wasn't there to exterminate the germans. They did rape every woman in site though including elderly women. There was random kilings though of people , but mostly it was rape and this movie shows that women were forced to survive those terrible days that many women had to adjust to this and try to find a russian soldier that they could have as a protector. After all after the fourth rape or much more it would be in your best interest to get someone to keep the others off you.

Some women killed themselves , others went mad, but most just tried to survive and remained strong. They adjust and shockingly discuss their different rapes and how they were treated by different soldiers raping them in groups. They must adapt and if they must sleep with the russians to get food so be it. The men sit around helpless why the women accept things as they are. This story came from a autobiographical book that shocked and angered people in the late 1950's. Noone wanted to accept that women would just deal with the horror of this and do the best they could to survive. The authors name is still not given even after her death. But history is filled with women shacking up with former raping conquerers. It's about survival after all and war drags things down to primitive level. Noone who wasn't there in these situations can judge the women. This movie isn't a great movie like 'downfall' which you can get on blu ray too, but it's a good and important movie about the human condition. It has bloody fighting in the first part as the russains fight their way in and then begin to take their lustful revenge. Even so they are not depicted as mindless beasts but angry wartorn men who feel that true justice would be extermination. That being said the russian leadership did kill several million germans when they forced them out of what is now western poland.

The deaths from the war continued long after the fighting stopped. In fact with many people deported throughout eastern europe to siberia only to die there over the next ten years the true death toll of the war is far greater than anyone wants to admit. This blu ray looks great with a great print , it's in german with english subtitles and that's fine because reading is good for your brain. The acting is very good and the story true and true stories that stick to the facts are the best kind. History isn't boring it's a slaughter really with times of peace inbetween.

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Dealing with the taboo subject of the rape of German women by Russian troops entering Berlin in the final days of WWII, no matter how it is dealt with, Anonyma is never going to be easy viewing, so although Max Färberböck's film is very much a palatable mainstream cinematic viewpoint like Downfall and Sophie Scholl, it's a subject that need to be confronted and does indeed need to be brought out into the mainstream.

Anonyma is based on the first-hand account of a woman who experienced rape and abuse at the hands of Soviet troops, progressing their way through the capital towards the Reichstag. One battalion occupy and hold control of the street, ruthlessly wiping out the last elements of resistance, using the few ruined buildings that remain in the destroyed city as little more than makeshift brothels in which the surviving female population are held in fear, and raped at will by as many soldiers that want them. To survive and try and regain some control over what happens to her, one German woman, the proud wife of a loyal Nazi officer, determines to obtain the favour of a high-ranking Soviet official, become his woman alone and thereby avoid a worse fate at the hands of dangerous unknown men.

The film certainly captures the sense of fear for what lies in store for the women, the early part of the film showing them cowering in darkness in ruined basements fearfully waiting for the torches to highlight their faces and drag them outside, but the horror of what they endure is not shown in any graphic detail mercifully, some might feel, while others might find this is avoidant and misrepresents the reality, but it's hard to imagine how the film could otherwise be watchable and reach a necessary wide audience. This is an important factor, since the film is based on the original diaries of the only woman to write about the abuses in any detail, which when first published in 1959, were met with outrage and denial and have subsequently remained out of print, only reappearing after the woman's death, and even then, still anonymously.

What the account and the film confirm however is the same as Rainer Werner Fassbinder covered in his astonishing film The Marriage of Maria Braun, one of the few other films to bravely confront the immediate post-war years and beyond, both of them showing (Maria Braun through the forming a bond with a black American soldier) that it the rebuilding of a destroyed nation was largely built on the strength and determination of the German women, the men living in denial and shame of the defeat that they had suffered. It's there in one particular moving scene of Anonyma where one of the women whispers to the husband of a wife seen dancing with the German troops "We must be practical. Things will get better", only to go and weep behind a closed door for the sacrifice that must be made. The husband doesn't have the same strength to endure it.

Although Nina Hoss is excellent in the central role, one would perhaps have liked to see Färberböck approach Anonyma with the same sense of fearlessness that Fassbinder would have approached such controversial material (the presence of Irm Hermann here, one of Fassbinder group of actors reminding us occasionally of his ability to push buttons and reveal uncomfortable truths about the German character), but even so, the topic of Anonyma needed to be confronted and it makes a strong impression regardless.

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This is a movie that ranks among the best. It is a story of woman living in the hardest times.

Based on the memoirs of a woman who wished to remain nameless it is different in that appears to be as honest as they come. Her book was first published in German in 1959 and received a critical public responce, feeling that the author brought shame on German women and German way of life and watching the film one can see why. For not only does it describe the atrocities that happend in the final days of World War 2 Berlin but it is also critical of Germans and has a spark of life that goes some way in explaining how people survive. There are even moments of humor in those bleak times and the Soviets are described not only as brutes but survivors of their own kind.

All of this makes for a very powerful film and Max Färberböck has done great justice to the story by lavishly constructing large sets and doing his outmost to bring Berlin in April 1945 back to life. In fact I was pleasantly impressed by the scale of things having watched similar films before I have never before seen so many people and Soviet soldiers in each scene before, before everything has been done on a tight budget but Max Färberböck has managed to bring the film to epic proportions. Any history buff with attention to detail will appriciate the work put into the film and the detail that the Red Army receives.

I still consider Downfall (Der Untergang) superior but I feel the two films compliment each others.

Recommended.

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This film is the adaptation of the famous "Woman in Berlin" diary, written from April to June 1945 by a woman from Berlin, who decided to remain anonymous (for quite obvious reasons). The book, which shows the fate of German civilians (mostly women) in Berlin conquered by Red Army, is a very disturbing but brilliantly written thing. To make a movie of "Woman in Berlin" was a very great challenge and after watching the film it is my opinion that the director/writer and the actors rose up to meet it succesfully.

In case you are not familiar with the book "Woman in Berlin" and didn't see yet the film, two precisions are important:

1. Do not expect a war movie. In the film there is ONE short fighting scene and it is all. The film is first about the civilians hiding in basements during the fighting and then trying to survive once the fighting is over and the Red Army occupies Berlin.

2. This is a very dark, violent and disturbing film, which includes scenes of rape. I think that the rating "15" is too liberal for thid film I would really say that it is not for people under 18. This film can also be particularly shocking and disturbing to women, especially considering that it tells a TRUE story!

"Downfall of Berlin" contains many elements which didn't figure in the book, but many of them were at least slightly suggested in "Woman in Berlin". The director also added an element which didn't figure in the book at all, showing that Red Army brought with it not only rape and abuse, but also the omnipresent shadow of totalitarian fear, symbolized by the Soviet political police NKVD, which in a matter of days substituted itself to its Nazi equivalent, the Gestapo. Also, the relation between the Anonymous Woman and the Soviet major is somehow amended here and slightly less unequal than in the real story (in her diary the Anonymous Woman never left even an ounce of doubt, that she was a sexual slave, "owned" by the Soviet officer).

The film also doesn't show the last chapters of the book, after the departure of most of occupying troops (the hunger and forced labor), which are in fact maybe even more shocking than the description of "women hunting" and rapes.

Nina Hoss, who plays the Anonymous Woman, did an amazing job in this film. After reading the book and watching this film I can say that she really, REALLY entered the skin of the author of the diary and played her to the perfection. All other actors did also a great job and I think the director/writer Max Farberbock should be praised for pushing them sometimes to the limits and obtaining the best performance possible.

Bottom line, even if the 5 stars rating maybe just a little too generous (4,5 would be just perfect), I think that considering how hard it was to make a film out of this particular book all the team in charge of "Downfall of Berlin" deserves the highest praise. I watched this film with a mixture of horror and interest and even if there were maybe some weaker moments, I still found it a very good thing.

I do not think that it is possible to actually enjoy "Downfall of Berlin" due to its nightmarish topic, but to anybody interested in World War II this is a definitely recommended viewing, as it shows aspects of this conflict usually never shown or even spoken about.

Total Recall 4 Disc LIMITED EDITION EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT - Blu-ray (2 Disc) / DVD / Ultraviolet

Plot/Scripting perfect; better than the original by light years.

Acting, particularly Ferrell's dramatic (even his over-the-top trademark moments) believable;verbal and non-verbal, body language,everything.

All other actors, extraordinary! Especially their fight gymnastics.

Directing/editing, complex but understandable/vivid,

delivering a constant shot of adrenalin.

Production values: Computer Generated Images are spectacular. Sharp,vivid, real-er than real. Who needs reality anyway, these days?

(( BUT, an example of reality rising above computer effects(by light years),

3 IDIOTS3 Idiots (English subtitled) It shows how good 'real'

can be. Yes, it's subtitled, but only brief comments and insertions of english designed to make 'listening' easy... ))

Back to TOTAL RECALL: I bought the Extended Cut (it extended the movie maybeeee three minutes(!)) EH?.

It offers 'both theatrical and extended cuts' and promised four disks, which

turned out to be two disks, both BluRay, which has me discussing promises with Amazon product description folk (I need DVD versions vs a BluRay for viewings away from my media room...) A-typical over-promises by Amazon product page and the Amazon MarketPlace seller's representations have me severely irked...

If I didn't REALLY like the film as much as I do, I'd ding down a few stars; but really, the film's really fine. Just consider carefully the disk count, bonus disk, value paid-for, but consider what is value... etc.

The Director's cut adds a more fleshed out version of the story and the commentary by Wiseman was informative and engaging.

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In My Sleep (Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

In My Sleep is a fast paced, gripping, edge of your seat thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the very end! The story plays out in an unpredictable and wonderfully spooky, which will keep you on your toes. In many ways this movie reminded me of a new age thriller that is reminiscent of the classics from master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Truly a great new film from Director/Writer Allen Wolf that I highly recommend for all viewers!

Writer/director Allen Wolf has hit a home run with this indie motion picture in the tradition of Hitchcock. From the opening scene, the viewer is kept guessing with the main character, Marcus, who embarks on a mission to try to discover whether he committed murder and to search within whether he has the capacity for such an act. The plot is highly suspenseful and entertaining, but in the end the movie leaves the viewer thinking about the deep issues that Marcus explored within himself.

The screenplay is tightly written and the movie features strong performances by lead actors Philip Winchester, Lacey Chabert, and Abigail Spencer. Allen Wolf mixes superb humor into this thriller, keeping the audience entertained throughout. "In My Sleep" is truly a unique movie that you will not forget.

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Can you imagine going to bed and waking up with blood on your hands? Not knowing what you've done the night before? In My Sleep asks those questions and many more equally frightening ones, keeping you in suspense throughout, until the last satisfying and surprising revelation. There are even a few chuckles along the way! Worth the wait!

Read Best Reviews of In My Sleep (Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Here

I was gripped from the beginning of this film to the end! I'm usually not a lover of thrillers, but this one was smart, well-paced, and had a great cast. By the end of the film, I had gotten so engrossed in it that I had forgotten where I was. That, to me, is a great movie!

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I rarely rave about movies, but without exaggeration it's truly one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time.

The movie is a well-written edge-of-your-seat thriller, interlaced with incredible suspense, Hitchcockian elements, a fantastic plot, great intensity, wonderful musical score, and even humor along the way.

If you like movies like Memento and the Usual Suspects, and appreciate movies with twists and turns that keep you guessing the entire time, you'll love this movie. After I saw this movie, I couldn't stop talking or thinking about it. It's one of those movies that stays in your mind and makes you think through it and ask questions about it for several days. (And one that you'll want to see again once you figure everything out).

Back to 1942 (2012)

I like books and movies that can make me feel the story being portrayed. This movie sure did that for me. The suffering that these people experienced was awful. But their selfless understanding and love for each other made me feel good and hopeful about humanity. In the midst of all that misery many of them were able to put their own needs aside and give of themselves to others. I would like to recommend a similar story "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo

d

Bought this as a recommended movie because I'm primarily a WWII and history buff. I must say, I was stunned at how truly EPIC this movie is. The cinematography is absolutely spectacular some of the best work I've ever seen from a foreign film and it rivals anything I've ever seen from any movie for that matter. Unlike most foreign movies, this one doesn't have that "Gee, I'm watching a foreign movie" feel to it.

If you do not like reading subtitles, STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE. THIS IS A MOVIE YOU MUST READ, UNLESS YOU SPEAK CHINESE. It is 2-1/2 hours long, so watching it and reading it at the same time is challenging at times and I did pause the disc and go back a few times just to catch everything there are many scenes where incredible scenes are unfolding but you're busy reading the text so you can't fully appreciate what's going on. I personally don't mind doing that, but if it bothers you, then that's something to consider.

The story is just what people have said, so I'll not rehash that it is a horrifying and tragic chapter of WWII history that has been completely glossed over and forgotten, but perhaps thanks to this remarkable film, it will get some long overdue attention. The roles played by Adrien and Tim Robins are bit parts, so their contribution to the movie is minimal, which is also great for me, personally, because I don't particularly care for either of them. Anybody could've played their parts and the movie would've been just as good the Chinese characters carry this film and they are OUTSTANDING.

The CG work on the aerial attack scenes is slightly sub-par compared to most modern movies and has a bit of a video game look to it, but I've seen much worse and that is the only thing I can even halfway criticize this film for. They had a cast of thousands for this movie, used actual locations instead of doing a ton of CG work, the explosions are real (and there are a lot of them), the wounds are gruesome and realistic to the point of being just as disturbing (if not more so) as what you see in Saving Private Ryan.

I cannot recommend this movie highly enough it is a REMARKABLE achievement in every possible respect. The story line is incredible, and even better, it apparently is largely true because it is based on interviews with a Chinese girl who lived through the experience, which was conducted by an American reporter who was there first-hand in 1942 and witnessed it himself. If I understand it correctly, this collaboration of their record of events was published in 1964, and that work serves as the story line for this movie thus the name, "Back to 1942" it was a return to a horrifying time in their lives for both the reporter and the woman he was interviewing.

If you're a WWII history fanatic, this is an essential movie you MUST have in your collection. They NAILED all the details of the Chinese and Japanese weapons, uniforms, vehicles, and everything else throughout the movie incredible attention to detail. If you're just a fan of truly sweeping huge scale movies, this one will also impress you why this movie didn't win numerous awards is beyond me. Whomever is responsible for paying attention to amazing foreign movies wasn't paying attention here.

BUY THIS ONE it is the "Ben Hur" of Chinese suffering and chaos during WWII.

Buy Back to 1942 (2012) Now

Before you load this Blu Ray into your player make sure you have a box of tissues next to you for surely you will need them to view this masterpiece for truly it is the saddest film I have ever watched. It is certainly the darkest of times in China's World War 2 history, and a film that will remain with you long after its 151 minutes have ended. The plight of the peasants, the richness of their family history, the unbelievable courage of their lives in this blackest of historical times brought to "spectacular epicness" as only Well Go USA can in this pristine not soon to be forgotten Blu Ray pressing. If you have the stomach for this, and I sincerely hope you do, buy it and sit back and learn about a very tragic time. You will not soon forget any of it, and maybe that is what great films do for this is surely one GREAT film. Thanks for reading.

Read Best Reviews of Back to 1942 (2012) Here

This is the story of the Henan province disaster as one of the darkest moments in 20th century Chinese history. It tells the story of the plight of 30 million Chinese affected by the great drought of 1942 and their attempted escape from hunger while being bombed by the Japanese during WW2. Over 3 million people died and this 2 1/2 hour film is a harrowing account of their misery and suffering. It is superbly done in this stunning Blu-Ray disc. This is just another reminder of the horrors of WW2.

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The film I thought on the whole was ok but not as good as it had the potential to be a great film.

It felt a little disjointed and muddled in parts but this could be down to bad editing. the special effects I thought were paticularly good and so realistic the film showed suffering in war time and gave you a first hand look at desperation and suffering in war time so it did the job it set out to do in this respect as always adrien brody

performed well ; tim robbins accent hard to tell where he was supposed to be from so little less convincing acting

here as an award winner he's definitely capable of doing better. Did the film hit home with the right message ? Definitely yes but but because of being in chinese and subtitles made it miss out on potential wider audience and perhaps lost out on recoginition for potential awards. Its a story that was told well

but lost out in editing and direction but well done to cast and crew for pulling off what looked like and epic task

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Fly Away Home (1996)

The multiple chords struck by Carrol Ballard's heartbreaking work "Fly Away Home" are so universal, it is difficult to imagine a person of any gender or any age not being touched in some way by this genuine family film. Make no doubt, "Fly Away Home" is a true classic, timeless in beauty yet timely in theme. So many subjects are tackled, from estranged family dynamics to environmental messages, it is difficult to fully grasp this film's important impact from just one viewing. Each time I view this movie, I come away with new ideas, and a new hope for our common man and woman.

Film director Carrol Ballard has achieved such lofty heights before with his debut film "The Black Stallion" and his stunning follow-up "Never Cry Wolf." Amazingly, he has once again climbed to the top of a very high mountain with "Fly Away Home." The story is anything but simple, but its a tale of a mother, lost in a car accident, thereby forcing the reunion of a daughter and estranged father. He's an eccentric Canadian, living in the country, working on multiple sculptures and experimenting with flying machines. She's a lost soul, seemingly homeless without the guidance of her late mother. Yes, father (Jeff Daniels) and daughter (Anna Paquin) bond, but it's due to the nature which surrounds their rural homestead. In this case, an orphaned flock of geese Paquin raises from birth after the destruction of their natural habitat by encroaching development.

Paquin's character becomes a surrogate mother for these geese, and eventually she must learn to fly to enable the lost birds to travel south for the winter. Daniels accompanies his daughter out of love, and eventually understanding that this has become a rite of passage for his budding, maturing teenage girl. And somewhere along the way, a girl becomes a woman, and a father becomes a man.

Much of the credit for "Fly Away Home" goes to the brilliant cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, who also worked with Ballard on "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf." Certainly the musical selection of Mary Chapin Carpenter's haunting "10,000 Miles" is an inspirational if not brilliant choice. But the story is the key, and during a time of changing family dynamics amidst a society of shrinking nature, I can't imagine a film utilizing both themes with such skilled and relevant ease.

"Fly Away Home" is such an important film, not only because a female protagonist breaks away from traditional bonds to find herself (no boy and his dog here), but because a self-centered man/father overcomes his weaknesses to find not only himself, but the person/daughter/child who defines his soul. "Fly Away Home" is about us finding our spirit during a trying time of divorce and misguided independent values. By bonding with the land, and as importantly with our family, we find our true spirit.

And finally, "Fly Away Home" will bring a tear to the most hardened spirit, causing us to hug the ones we love, human or animal. Is that not the purpose of art film, book, music or otherwise? I have applauded Carroll Ballard before. After "Fly Away Home," I not only applaud this extraordinarily gifted director, I salute him.

There's not a bad character in this movie, except for the animal control official who persists in locking up the geese. And Anna Paquin just keeps getting better and better and better. She's definitely a child actress who will NOT fade away as she matures.

Story (inspired by an autobiography) is based on a girl who, recently left motherless, is shopped to live with the eccentric dad (Jeff Daniels) she hasn't seen in years. And then she becomes surrogate mother to a flock of motherless goslings who insist on growing up into a flock of geese. Comes time for them to migrate south, and they won't go. The rest of the movie is the harebrained scheme of how the geese are taught to follow `Mom' in an ultralight. Beautifully and astonishingly photographed, this movie is an all around delight, a coming-of-age, a father-daughter bonding, a feel good story that is way more than the sum of its parts.

Ya gotta see it.

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Before "Winged Migration", there was "Fly Away Home". A 1996 film which was loosely based on the 1995 autobiography "Father Goose" by Bill Lishman.

The film received positive reviews from many critics and audiences as the film would showcase a heartwarming tale primarily about family but something different was that this became the first Hollywood film to show the latest efforts in migration for birds and also introducing audiences to the concept of "imprinting". In other words, humans forming a bond with birds, geese when they are born and then raising them somewhat as a parent and then teaching them how to migrate and eventually increase their population away from harm.

Taking on the directorial role for "Fly Away Home" is Carroll Ballard, known for his work with films such as "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf" joins writing team Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan" and "The Patriot") along with Vince McKewin (television writer for many series such as "The A-Team", "Knight Rider", "Dallas"). Carroll Ballard known for his previous films that involve animals was back to directing a touching film about family, overcoming challenges and sticking together.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Fly Away Home" is presented in 1080p High Definition and with an aspect ratio of 1:85:1. As with most film created in the early-t0-mid-90's for Blu-ray releases, there is this softening effect that many tend to suffer from. With "Fly Away Home", one of the positive aspects of the picture quality is that the film is shot outdoors and thus, you get a sense of the beauty of nature with the lush green and red trees during the fall, the green scenery while the aircraft is in flight. Also, being in the air while the geese are flying. Very good outdoor shots and vibrant colors.

There is little softening effect during the indoor scenes but overall, picture quality is beautiful during the outdoors and many of the shots of the film are outdoors.

As for audio, audio is presented in English and French via Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Spanish 5.1 (Dolby Digital). The film is primarily dialogue-based as the film is about conversations between father and daughter and daughter with family members. But one of the biggest showcase for "Fly Away Home" is the music from Mark Isham. Definitely creating a mood and the feeling of flight and beauty. Definitely well-incorporated to the Blu-ray and sounds great.

There is also good use of surround audio with the noise of the geese but overall the film is primarily a dialogue-driven film and the sound is quite clear coming from the front and center channels.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

For the special features included on the Blu-ray for "Fly Away Home", the features are in standard definition with English (stereo) audio with optional Spanish subtitles. Features included on the Blu-ray disc are:

* Director & Cinematographer Commentary Commentary track by Carroll Ballard and Caleb Deschanel as they talked about the filming of the geese in flight. Definitely a complicated film to shoot and finding the various locations to shoot the film and the ultra gliders was a challenge. A very good commentary for those interested in learning how everything came together for the film.

* Operation Migration: Birds of a Feather Featurette An 18-minute about Operation Migration. A company founded by Bill Lishman and Joe Duff in 1994, a non-profit charity organization and how they are migrating rare and endangered species in order to grow the population. The featurette introduces the various staff members and also, unlike the film and other countries which the birds are introduced to humans, the organization now wears costumes, so the birds will not think they are human. Very informative.

* The Ultra Geese Documentary A 49-minute documentary which the film "Fly Away Home" is based on. The documentary features Bill Lishman and Joe Duff testing to see if they can treat geese new migration routes through the use of their ultralight aircraft. Their goal is to restore the population of birds through new migration routes and showing us what actually really happened in their experience vs. what actually happened on the film. The experiences that Lishman and Duff faced such as imprinting, the use of the ultralight aircraft, having 18 birds with its leader Igor and losing Igor, having to contend with the Wildlife Bureaucratic Service and more. Very entertaining as Lishman and crew actually had a lot of footage of training the geese to flying with the geese and more.

* HBO Making of: Leading the Flock Featurette This 13-minute featurette showcases interviews with the director and the many talent involved in the film. Especially how everyone were quite impressed with Anna Paquin's performance in the film.

The Blu-ray is also BD-Live enabled.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Fly Away Home" was definitely an enjoyable, heartfelt family film that touches upon the real life activity of Operation Migration and what they are doing to help restore endangered species of birds and helping them migrate. But what was even more remarkable was watching the cinematography of showing birds in flight and being so close to them. Granted, bird cinematography has since evolved since this 1996 film with the 2003 release of "Winged Migration" and also "Planet Earth" but considering the challenge of filming this scene, Director of Photography Caleb Deschanel successfully pulled it off. If anything, the nomination for "Best Cinematography" was definitely warranted.

As for Carroll Ballard, his name is known for hits such as the 1979 film "The Black Stallion" and 1983 film "Never Cry Wolf", films that deal with animals (which he followed up with his 2005 film "Duma" about an orphaned cheetah) and sure enough, a good director to take on the challenge for "Fly Away Home" and trying to create this bond between a young character with an animal, in this case, geese.

For younger talent, "Fly Away Home" definitely was a film that showcased Anna Paquin's talent as an actress. Having won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11 (for the 1994 film "The Piano"), Paquin definitely brought a character with a lot of layers. A character having to deal with this new life, this father who she has never seen for years and then ultimately finding common ground thanks to her geese.

Jeff Daniels does a great job portraying Thomas, this inventor/naturalist with his shaggy beard and long hair but doing a great job of portraying a father who is not too sure if he can take care of his daughter. Credit to the writers who portrayed this family who really had nothing in common at first but eventually finding the common ground and eventually bonding through Thomas' love for flying and Amy's love for her geese and eventually, her becoming a pilot and sharing her father's enthusiasm.

The film also stars Dana Delany. Over a decade before her role currently in the TV series "Desperate Housewives", Delany was definitely known for her Emmy award winning work in the critically acclaimed Vietnam War television show "China Beach" during the late 80's and early 90's and a lot of her voice work for the Batman and Superman animated series.

Some may feel that Delany was under utilized in "Far Away Home" but nevertheless, despite a short role, an important role of portraying the girlfriend of Thomas and for her character as Susan trying to get close to his daughter Amy (Paquin).

If anything, the supporting actor who did shine in this film and definitely caught my attention was Terry Kinney as Thomas's brother David who brings a certain humor into the film as the uncle who is laid back but eventually comes up with major ideas to help the Thomas and Amy but most importantly, the geese.

"Fly Away Home" is a film that manages to hold up nearly 13 years later as a family film. On Blu-ray, for those interested in migration of birds will love that the Blu-ray does features two featurettes and one lengthy documentary on the actual story that the film is based on.

Especially knowing that certain things that happened in the film, happened in real life. For Bill Lishman who co-founded Operation Migration (and in real life was the man piloting the ultralight aircraft with the geese), the leader of the pack for his geese was Oscar and similar to the film, Oscar was separated from the pack and was lost but eventually found. But unlike the film where Oscar has a prominent part of being there with Amy during the flight, in real life, Oscar's return back to the pack of Geese was not an exactly enthusiastic return as the geese that he once lead turned against him. So, it was an interesting segment in the special feature showing the relationships of the geese.

So, my highlight was the documentary and also the informative special features included in this Blu-ray disc release and for those who enjoyed the 2003 film "Winged Migration", "Fly Away Home" was a film that definitely introduced many people to imprinting and new migration techniques. In fact, "Winged Migration" on Blu-ray is being releaased on the same day as "Fly Away Home" and Bill Lishman had some involvement with that film as well.

If I had any problems with the special features on the Blu-ray disc is that it doesn't include the isolated 5.1 Music Score with Composer Mark Isham's commentary which was included in the original 2003 DVD. The music was an important part of the film and I felt the DVD showing a tribute to Isham's music was awesome. But I was surprised it was omitted on the Blu-ray release. But regardless of the special feature not included, for Blu-ray fans, it's all about the picture and audio quality and "Fly Away Home" looks and sounds so much better via high definition that the Blu-ray version is the definitive version to own.

Overall, "Fly Away Home" is a touching, moving and enjoyable film about family and overcoming challenges. And the film manages to accomplish portraying the family bond between estranged father and daughter but also showcasing beautiful cinematography that really makes this family film worth watching.

Read Best Reviews of Fly Away Home (1996) Here

"Fly Away Home" tells the story of Amy, a girl from New Zealand who has to stay with her father in Canada after her mother dies. During her time there she finds some goose eggs that later hatch. As soon as the geese hatch the first thing they see is Amy and so they imprint on her, thinking she is their mother. Due to the geese natural instinct to fly south, and the fact that they don't have their real mother to lead the way, Amy with the help of her father attempt to lead the geese south in their own hang gliders.

This is a very simple story done well, helping to create a pretty much perfect family movie. Jeff Daniels as Amy's father and Oscar winning Anna Paquin as Amy are equally fantastic, and I'd also like to give a shout out to Terry Kinney as Amy's uncle who is really quite funny. The directing by Carroll Ballard is brilliant and the cinematography is breathtaking and makes you feel like you are flying with Amy, her Dad and the geese. Not to mention the truly inspirational score by Mark Isham that is helping us along on our journey.

The DVD special features which although not necessarily entertaining are appropriately informative. And also, "Fly Away Home" has been digitally remastered and is presented in widescreen, so it's the best you'll see this movie. I suggest you fly to the store or internet terminal so you can buy this, before it flies off the shelves.

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Excellent family film, with comedy and excitement mixed with emotion. The music score of Mark Isham really captures the feelings and moods of the story. Great cinematography

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The Mummy (1999) (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1999)

There was already a 2-disc "Ultimate" Edition of The Mummy back in 2001, but it's no longer available. The upcoming release of The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor has prompted Universal to release a new edition of The Mummy with the major special features from the Ultimate Edition plus a few new ones. It will be only in widescreen (the Ultimate Edition had both wide and full).

The Mummy is a peculiar movie, an Indiana Jonesish adventure originally intended as a low-budget remake of a 1932 horror film called The Mummy (also being released in a new Special Edition) that got spun in several directions before Brendan Fraser and huge special effects were settled on. Fraser plays an adventurer with the French Foreign Legion in 1920s Egypt who gets into serious trouble with, among other beings, a mummy (sort of) with terrible powers. Rachel Weisz plays the beautiful Egyptologist who both causes trouble and solves it. Fraser isn't ideally suited to a Harrison Ford-type role, his natural center of gravity tending more to the comic, but it's hard not to like him. The movie is less scary than just fun, if you don't insist on everything making sense.

Here are the new special features:

-"An Army To Rule The World Part 1" featurette

-"Unraveling The Legacy Of The Mummy" featurette

-a digital copy of the movie

-a sneak peak at The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor

These are the features taken from the Ultimate Edition:

-three audio commentaries:

. . . director Stephen Sommers and editor Bob Ducsay

. . . star Brendan Fraser

. . . actors Oded Fehr, Kevin J. O'Connor, Arnold Vostoo

-"Building A Better Mummy," documentary about the making of the film (49:45)

-"Visual And Special Effects Formation," on how the special effects were done

-"Egyptology 101," text about aspects of Egyptian history

-"Pharaoh Lineage," text on the history of the Egyptian Pharaohs

-comparison of the storyboards and the movie (three brief snippets)

-photo montage

-theatrical trailer

The sequel, The Mummy Returns, is also being released in a 2-disc Deluxe Edition, also on July 8th; it's here.

"The Mummy" receives a very nice look Blu-ray transfer for this new edition of the movie. Capturing the adventurous elements of films like "Indiana Jones" and injecting it into the basic story for the 1932 film "The Mummy", Stephen Sommers creates a terrific, enteraining film. For those interested in a synposis of the plot, I'll provide it at the end of the review because you've probably already seen this.

The Blu-ray transfer looks quite good here with bold colors that more closely recall the original theatrical presentation than the DVD. The image is crisp and while there's evidently some digital noise reduction applied, Universal hasn't completely cleaned away all the film grain which is a good thing because when that's done you actually lose sharpness and clarity (it is restored with a loss of detail via Edge Enhancement like the recent reissue of "Patton" which went overboard with digitally cleaning up the film). The best thing that Universal could have done here was to leave the grain intact and dispense with the Edge Enhancement. I suspect that the same source was used for the Blu-ray as was used for the HD-DVD edition but that the Edge Enhancement is more transparent here because of higher resolution.

What does all of that mean? The film looks extremely good but could look brilliant. Still, on the whole this looks much better than the DVD edition.

The extras are still presented in 480p (which is standard DVD definition)so be aware those haven't been updated. However, Universal has made this a U-Control disc where you can customize the extras as you watch the film (something developed for and carried over from HD-DVD). You do get the ability to watch the visual commentary/extras while watching the film. All of the original extras from the DVD have been ported over for this edition. All of the extras and the film are on the single disc edition here (unlike the DVD which has most of the extras on a second disc).

Followed by the equally entertaining (and much bigger production of) "The Mummy Returns" and a fun entertaining (if lesser)spin-off film "The Scorpion King", "The Mummy" is worth picking up again even if you have the original DVD edition. Highly recommended.

Oh, and the plot? A group of explorers led by Evelyn (Rachel Weisz)and Rick (Brendan Fraiser)rush to find the riches of an Egyptian tomb and end up reviving Im-Ho-Tep (Arnold Vosloo)an Egyptian High Priest buried alive for his part in a conspiracy to kill the Pharoah. Brought back by the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Im-Ho-Tep takes revenge on those who plundered his tomb and seeks the Book of the Dead to bring back his beloved princess who helped him kill the Pharoah.

It is a great popcorn flick.

Buy The Mummy (1999) (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1999) Now

No doubt about it, this is a sharp flick. All the ingredients come together to make this a very entertaining film. Naturally there's plenty of action which takes place against some great sets and is enhanced by impressive special effects. But there's also a good deal of suspense (as you would expect in a Mummy movie), and plenty of humourous one-liners as well.

It's sort of like a '90s version of Indiana Jones and will probably be considered just as much a classic in years to come.

Read Best Reviews of The Mummy (1999) (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1999) Here

When it comes to movie genres, horror is in my top five,probably after science fiction. However, the remake of the Mummy isnot a horror in the traditional sense. Most people associate modern horror with gore-laden special effects, forgetting that true fear comes from the unknown and urgency developed from carefully built up suspense. The 1999 remake of the Mummy isn't a horror film, unlike perhaps the Sixth Sense-which I wouldn't show my nieces or nephews, but the Mummy is just good clean fun. We are treated to a great ensemble of actors, breath taking sets and funky special effects, thanks to Industrial Light and Magic. The film also doesn't take itself at all seriously, making you laugh just as surely as you will thrill to the action sequences.

The film opens with a stunning view of Thebes-city of the Seti the First where we see the sphinx under construction (okay, so they missed by a few hundred miles on that one!). Anck-su-namun, the Pharaoh's untouchable mistress is continuing her affair with Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo)-a priest of probably Anubis. Getting caught in the act by Seti, they kill him just as the Medjai (who were actually the Egyptian police force) break down the doors. Anck-su-namun then kills herself as Imhotep escapes after promising to resurrect her. He and his priests steal Anck-su-namun's body and take it to Hamunaptra where he attempts to do that, but all is lost when the Medjai storm the sarneche where her body was being prepared. Imhotep is mummified alive for his crimes-cursed to spend an eternity undead locked within a sarcophagus, being eaten by nasty little scarab beetles.

Brendan Fraser stars as Rick O'Connell, a down on his luck Legionaire who led his garrison to the legendary city of Hamunaptra-the city of the dead in 1923 (Note: the city didn't really exist and is based possibly on the Necropolis of Egypt). They find the city, oh yes, but they also find hundreds a Tuareg warriors bent on killing everyone to prevent them from find the evil that dwells beneath the sand. O'Connell escapes after being chased too close to the statue of Anubis where Imhotep is buried and a small sand storm that whips up around the statue that frightens off his attackers, allowing O'Connell to escape with his life. The next time we see him it's three years later and he's about to be hanged for having a very good time.

It is in Cairo where we meet Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), a beautiful and befuddled librarian desperate to prove herself an archaeologist to the sexist old-boy network in England. Rachel delivers a beautiful performance of the slightly nerdy expert of Egyptology. We also meet her lush brother, Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah), who has stolen a puzzle box key from O'Connell that has a map to the fabled city of Hamunaptra. The two rush to find Rick after Evelyn's boss `accidentally' burns the map in a candle flame. They find him at the Cairo Prison where Evelyn must bargain with sleazy warden for O'Connell's life by promising him 25% of the riches they find in the fabled city.

From there the adventure of a life time comes to life as O'Connell reluctantly agrees to lead Evelyn and her brother, and the sleazy warden, across the desert sands to the ancient city. They also have a run in with the `bloody Americans', who are out to plunder Hamunaptra's riches, and the two groups must work together in order to survive-first by an attack by the Medjai, then after finding the Book of the Dead, Evelyn incants a spell that kind of...sort of...brings Imhotep back to life, whose sarcophagus they found earlier that day. The Americans steal Anck-su-namun's canopic jars-the vessels that stored her organs after they were removed. As the mummy comes back to life, it becomes a race to escape back to Cairo, followed by Imhotep who begins to kill the American thieves one at a time for their crime, using their life essence to rejuvenate himself in the process. Imhotep also develops a crush on Evelyn, who he plans to sacrifice so that Anck-su-namun many live again.

The Mummy, start to finish, is a wild romp that doesn't take itself too seriously. Thanks mostly to the interplay between the main characters who play off each other magically. It doesn't set out solely to scare, but does offer up some genuinely creepy moments. With exemplary production values-be they sets, effects or costumes, The Mummy delivers heaps of action, laughs and adventure of a type akin to Raiders of the Lost Ark, a fine pedigree to follow. But the Mummy also harkens back to a time when movies were made with a certain eye to quality-there is nothing in the film that made me lose my suspension of disbelief, because it is a solidly written yarn. It has unforgettable moments, be it O'Connell's back stabbing friend Beni as he runs through a collection of holy symbols and prayers in attempt to stave off the advancing mummy. Or Rick and Evelyn's budding romance and the interplay that captures these pleasantly goofy characters wonderfully.

The Mummy stands out as my favorite action film of 1999-beating out the Phantom Menace and the Matrix by a fair margin. The other bit of good news, besides this gem of a movie, is that they are making a sequel, and one can only hope that it is every bit as good as the first. This is an excellent film and can easily take a place next to some of the best action films of all time-like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Die Hard, The Terminator, Big Trouble in Little China, and Aliens. It delivers at every turn-excitement, adventure, a few scares, and romance. Great fun and I highly recommend the letter boxed version over the pan-and-scan so that viewers can see everything. END

Want The Mummy (1999) (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1999) Discount?

What a great movie this is.I enjoyed every second(I'm sure you will).

Pros:

*The movie is a visual masterpiece.The visual and sound FX are breath-taking.

*Heart-stopping action.

*Althouhg it's a sci-fi movie,it actualy has a plot!

*Brendan Fraser was terrific.I never though he could be so.

*Rachel Weisz was terrific too.Real eye candy.

*Very beautiful desert settings.

*Fast and intense camera movements.

*Excellent score.

*A super cool villain.

*Definitely the hottest and coolest extras you will ever find.In fact,the extras are enough reason to buy this DVD.

Cons:

*Although Stephen Sommers did a better job than any other director in trying to authenticate the Arabs,they weren't 100%.There were some Lebanese accents in Egypt,and a lot of the language isn't clear enough.

*Some overacting in jokes,namely Rachel Weisz's brother(in the movie).

*Arabs are either:degenerate scum(the prison warden),low wiesels(that mummy's sidekick),killers and a lot of other negativities.

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Legend of the Guardians-Owls of Ga'hoole (Two-Disc Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray Combo) (2010)

I saw this movie in theaters in Imax 3D, and I was astounded by the visuals. The atmosphere was breathtaking, and the animation of the owls was superbly done. The musical score is incredible for an animated film. This is one of the best animated films I have seen, and as for it being CGI... this is what CGI was made for. I was more eager for the release of this film to Blu-Ray than any other film this year.

What I truly enjoyed about Legend of the Guardians is that it is not just another dumbed-down children's movie. It does not look down on the intelligence of the audience. There's no blood and gore, but the owls do wield some scary weaponry and participate in some intense battle scenes, and the tone of the story can be rather dark at times. The danger to the characters is real, and there's a good deal of tension and suspense. It reminded me of some of the older animated films like The Secret of NIMH in the sense that the movie takes itself seriously. That's a refreshing change from the usual treatment that animation receives. When I learned that Zach Snyder (300) directed the movie, I understood why, and he did a superb job. I wish more film makers would take this approach.

After seeing the movie in the theater, I became interested in the books and I have read the first four so far. If you have read the books and not seen the movie you will notice some definite differences. Some characters are added, some are not present, and some have undergone some changes. The story is based around the first three books, and much of the story in the books has been condensed. This is the result of the screenplay adaptation process. There's simply no way to fit the entirety of the books verbatim into a film. The movie would be over three hours, and even at 90 minutes, the production cost is expensive. There's also a matter of pacing the film for the audience, and having a complete story for a single film. A sequel is always possible, but the screenwriters know that they need to tell a story without the necessity for a sequel. I would have preferred a longer film myself with some more fleshing out of Soren's time in the Ga'Hoole tree, but as it is, the story is fine and quite enjoyable. If you have seen the movie but have not read the books I highly recommend them. They are written for older children, but adults can easily enjoy them, and after having read the books and watching the film again I was able to appreciate the film even more for knowing some of the smaller details better.

I recently encountered a superb deal on a 3D-capable Samsung plasma TV and 3D Blu-Ray player. Tonight I watched this movie in 3D, and it was just like being in the theater again. The visual quality is just incredible. If you have a 3D-capable home theater, this is the version you want. It includes a 2D Blue-Ray copy as well as standard DVD, so if you've been considering upgrading to 3D sometime in the near future then go for this version. It's worth it if you like the 3D experience, and it's one of only a few 3D movies available at this time.

In regards to Charles Solomon's official review of this movie... potential buyers, ignore it. Read the customer reviews instead of this recycled movie-critic drivel. Amazon, if you intend to actually sell products like movies, please find people to review them that actually want to sit down and watch them, or at least have an open mind when they do so. Solomon's review sounds like he was forced to sit through a movie he didn't want to watch in the first place and then had nothing nice to say about it as a result. I wager that he's being honest in the sense that he personally didn't like the movie, but most of us feel differently about the film, and reviews like that certainly don't do much to help your sales.

Based on Kathryn Lasky's children's series (Guardians of Ga'hoole Complete Set, Books 1-15), The Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga'hoole is an epic story of good and evil, bravery, betrayal and of doing what's right.

Briefly, the story centers around Soren, a young barn owl living in the forest of Tyto, who is enraptured with the tales his father tells of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, the great warriors and protectors of the owl world who have passed into legend. When Soren and his brother Kludd are kidnapped and taken to a deep canyon where young owls are being "moon-blinked" into mindless slavery by the evil "Pure Ones", Soren escapes with another young owl and sets out to find the Guardians and plead for their help. Once they find the Guardians, a rescue is planned and the film climaxes with a soaring aerial battle between the Guardians and the Pure Ones.

The plot is not new. Fans of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, among others, will recognize many of the story elements and several of the characters common to films and books based on the classic "Hero's Journey". So, the question becomes have the filmmakers made this hero's journey one worth seeing? For me, the answer is "Yes". And that "yes" comes, in no small part, from how the film looks.

Legend of the Guardians is so completely spectacular to look at that I found myself able to ignore some of the issues with the plotting and the script and just sit back and drown in the visual feast. The "scenery" throughout the entire film so jaw-droppingly gorgeous in theaters translates very well to the home screen and the animation looks superb on Blu-ray. The flying sequences are not quite as breathtaking here as they were on the big screen, but all-in-all I think the film has made a successful transition to home viewing. Certainly it remains incredibly beautiful and exciting to look at. I wish all animated films offered the same visual pleasure.

Parents should be aware, though, that "animated" in this case does not translate into "kiddie-show". While there are moments of warmth and companionship and a few humorous bits, the film has a number of violent scenes and an overall intensity that might frighten or lessen the enjoyment of the under 8 crowd. I will volunteer, though, that my just under 8 year old granddaughter LOVED this film and didn't seem to find it too intense at all. So my age guesstimate might be a bit off. Since parents always know their own children and what they can handle far better than any reviewers do anyway, I offer the "8 and over" as a sort of jumping off point. :) I'll add, too, that the level of intensity I felt the film possessed on the big screen seemed somewhat lessened when I viewed the film at home.

A few additional notes on the film:

* There are a lot of characters with unusual names. Unless viewers (kids OR adults) have read the books, they're probably not going to catch or remember them all in a first viewing.

* There are a few instances where the dialogue is difficult to understand.

* The score suits the film. In parts it incorporates the human voice, as Lord of the Rings did, to effectively evoke an emotional response in the viewer. On the other hand, the song "To the Sky" (credited to "Owl City" on the soundtrack CD) was, IMO, the film's most glaring misstep. The chipper tune felt so out of place it actually made me cringe.

Some notes on the DVD (I bought the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy version):

I'll admit straight off that I am not a techy person, so my comments on the quality of the video can be taken with that in mind. That said, the Blu-ray picture clarity is wonderful, the colors vivid and the sound good. For me, all are completely satisfactory. Navigation is pretty straight-forward and didn't trip me up too often something I'm thankful for and something I, unfortunately, can't say about all DVDs.

The film can be viewed in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. Subtitles in those same languages are also offered.

Special features include:

* "True Guardians of the Earth": The animated character Digger & Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) host a documentary about owls which presents interesting information in a kid-friendly style.

* Maximum "Kid" Mode Explore the World of Ga'hoole": Soren and other cast members act as guides for this picture-in-picture style viewing of the film. Information is offered on animation and various aspects of filmmaking and storytelling. Well done. Should be particularly interesting to young people interested in behind the scenes stuff and the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. Also included is additional scientific information about owls, their anatomy and their habits.

* Legend of the Guardians: Armor up with Soren & Eglantine: Kids can mix and match different types of owl armor.

* Match the Owl Treats: A matching game.

* "Legend of the Guardians: Rise of the Guardians": A short film about the Pure Ones and the legendary Battle of the Ice Claws between Metalbeek and Lyze of Kiel.

* Looney Tunes "Fur of Flying": The Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon featured in theaters along with LOTG. (On the 3D version of this DVD, this cartoon is also in 3D.)

* Artwork Galleries: stills of some of the lovely artwork from the film.

* "To the Sky" music video by Owl City.

For my granddaughter and me, this film was a winner and now that it's part of my home collection, I'm looking forward to sharing it with my other grandchildren over the next few years as they grow old enough to appreciate it. While the plot may be rather familiar, IMO it avoided coming across as tired or trite. That, along with the stunning look of the film, makes it easy for me to recommend it. And I do, happily.

Enjoy!

Buy Legend of the Guardians-Owls of Ga'hoole (Two-Disc Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray Combo) (2010) Now

I have been lured into watching chick flicks, or children's stories retold for adults (like "Where The Wild Things Are...ugh) and it is often a tortuous event. I dragged my feet (big time) on this one, but was out-voted. I just can't believe I actually enjoyed it! I mean, I really liked it. I would NEVER have picked this one on my own in a million years! If I were to say something negative, I would say that it got off to a tad of a slow start. That aside, this was totally unexpected, and the ANIMATION! WHOA! I just thought it was going to be some fluffy, foofy, silly little kid's thing. While the kids did love it, I was astounded at the solid good vs evil story, awesome flying and aerial combat scenes. The owls actually look like their speaking. The dramatic depiction of a very stormy ocean... mountains. I can't say enough about the graphic imagery. Just spell-binding. This is a winner.

Read Best Reviews of Legend of the Guardians-Owls of Ga'hoole (Two-Disc Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray Combo) (2010) Here

I watched this movie in 3d with my lady. This movie will just WOW your eyes. I am a movie buff, and this was the most stunning visuals i have ever seen. The owls are freaking gorgeous...lol...while watching this movie i thought to myself i actually wanted that white owl:0 The 2d version is great also. A friend came over and the kids were watching the dvd on their 37 inch hd tv...my friend was like WHAT IS THAT! lol. he couldn't stop looking at it(no joke it was that gorgeous). Had he seen it in 3d on my panny, he'd have tripped for real. If you want to get the most out your tv's visual's...this is a must buy. The 3d was better than Tangled 3d(which i still love) Step Up 3d(which is cool) and Tron 3d can't even come close...

The trees, water, flying and fighting of the owls, the shiny feathers of the owls...everything about this movie...ridiculous in detail. GET THIS MOVIE!!! I know my review is saying the same thing...but i mean...you just got to see it to know what I mean. I have a panny gt25 3d tv also if that helps anyone out there looking to buy this movie. The greatest thing about this movie is that the story keeps you interested. Its not a movie where you buy only for the 3d. You will actually watch this movie...the 3d and beauty will just AMAZE you and the story is quite suspenseful. Also, I treat my 3d movies like a movie theater...meaning I wait til its nighttime, turn off the lights and enjoy.

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When I saw the trailer for Legend of the Guardians , I was so excited to see it. One of the main reasons was because it was directed by Zack Snyder and because the animation looked unlike anything I have ever seen in CGI. I finally got to the theaters to see it and I have to say that was let down.

First off, the animation was the best part of the whole film. I could not get over how breathtaking the landscapes were and even the way the characters were brought to life. These owls looked so lifelike and while they did talk and fight (yes they actually fought with blades), the way they walked and the way their feathers and wings went against the wind was astounding. The acting was very well done, getting a slew of well known names such as Jim Sturgess, Sam Neil, Hugo Weaving and Abigail Cornish. The only weakness this film had was the plot. I understand that the film was in fact the first 3 novels of this massive story. The reason it failed was because the film was way too short. The movie started off really, really light and then went really, really dark. There was very little time for character development as well as plot explanation and that would have really helped this film. I have read the premise of these novels and it is an incredible fantasy story. Being able to make this film with the use of CGI gave it tremendous potential to be a great film. Still, when it comes to family oriented films you always have to remember a good portion of your viewers has an attention span of a common field mouse. Because of that major flaw, I would be quite surprised if a sequel is ever made, they have a lot to work on especially if they plan to put another 3 novels into one film. I would love to see possibly a directors cut or an extended version of this film so they can thicken up the story as it should be told.

Still, Legend of the Guardians is something worth seeing if not only once. Just the spectacle of it is quite amazing and just seeing how far we have come to making CGI films as real as live action. This film couldn't set a better example.

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