Lord of War (2005)

I'm kind of shocked to see poor reviews of this film here at Amazon.com. I think part of the reason some individuals didn't enjoy the film is that they didn't explore the depths of the characters very well; and this is definitely a character-driven film.

Nicholas Cage is perfect at Yuri Olav, a Ukrainian native who's family moved to America years before. They run a substandard Russian restaurant that serves borscht (beet soup) as a staple. Their father has become a devout Jew. And Yuri and his brother Vitaly (Jared Leto, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) help with the restaurant. Then one day, after witnessing a failed assassination attempt, Yuri receives an epiphany: everyone needs guns. Thus the stage is set for him to become one of the premiere arms dealers in the world.

Against the backdrop of Yuri's life, we get to see the effects of his chosen profession upon his brother's psyche. Vitaly gets into drugs and women, anything he can to help him forget that he and his brother are involved in a business that allows people to kill other people. And when Yuri gives up gun running for a while, Vitaly too comes back to a semblance of normalcy. But when Yuri returns to guns, and asks Vitaly to join him, the stress becomes overwhelming (this is something that I have yet to see any other reviewer comment on and, the way Jared Leto pulls off his excellent portrayal of Yuri's brother, it's a pretty powerful message.)

I also think that many reviewers may not understand the mentality of a sociopath. Their moral compass is broken, according to our standards. So when Yuri (Cage) doesn't grow out of his morally ambiguous state, it didn't surprise me one little bit.

Also, Nicholas Cage is a deadpan actor, and that's probably why they chose him. Remember RAISING ARIZONA and the diaper scene in the convenience store? Or LEAVING LAS VEGAS? Or BRINGING OUT THE DEAD? Cage was the only person I could think of who could pull off a convincing Yuri.

I also need to comment on the brutal message that smacks the viewer. From the opening sequence in the film where we see Yuri standing in a war-torn street surrounded by a paved street covered in spent gun shells, to the scene where Vitaly witnesses the execution of children in Africa, there's not a single moment in the film where the biting reality of what Yuri does and how it effects those around him isn't displayed.

One thing that really intrigued me, too, is that I saw the film's trailer on TV long before the movie came out, and they always showed the bit where Yuri is in the airport and is approached by agents from the ATF, and Yuri says "I guess this isn't about the alcohol or tobacco." I laughed at the trailer. But interestingly enough, once that scene came up on screen in context to the rest of the plot, there was very little comedy in it and the message much more powerful and poignant.

This film definitely had it's comedic moments, but laughing at it is oft-times painful to think about because of what we see Yuri and his brother go through later.

Many of the reviews of this movie are unusually naive and stupid.

My review of this movie is based on a lifetime overseas as the son of an oilman, as a Marine Corps infantry officer, as a clandestine case officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, and as the foremost trainer of governments interested in getting a grip on reality by focusing on open source of information in all languages.

This is a first rate movie with some truly extraordinary visuals and some truly extraordinary lines. It is an intelligence movie for intelligent people, and it should certainly give anyone both a couple of hours of enjoyment, and a couple of hours of reflection.

Among the highlights:

1) AK-47 as the real weapon of mass destruction

2) Africans stripping a plane overnight, literally pulling every piece of it off and making it "disappear"

3) There is one gun for every 12 people, the arms dealers goal is to arm the other 11 as quickly as possible

4) The top arms dealers ("merchants of death") are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

I read more than I watch movies, and will end with two comments: a) all of my reading bears out the importance and relevance of this movie; and b) it is easily one of the more serious and appreciable movies I have seen in some time. The intellect in the devising and presentation of this movie is absolutely first rate.

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Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) sells international weaponry like he's selling used cars. If you don't like the deals from the former Soviet Union's stockpile of arsenal, you may be interested in a huge lot of discontinued assault rifles. How about unused guns and ammo from the U.S.-led aid to the Bosnian War? If you stick a gun in his face, he'll bring the price way down.

"Lord Of War" is a cynical, yet not heartless and probably accurate portrayal of an American 'secondary market' international weapons dealer. Yuri globe-trots the world scooping up fantastic deals on abandoned and obsolete weaponry and peddles it off to third world countries where demand for blooldshed is high. His biggest competitor, he likes to joke, is The President of The United States.

So you get a heavy dose of good-humored anti-war subtleties, with a highly entertaining movie thrown in for good measure. The first person narrative, sometimes spoken directly into the camera, offers an endless stream of topical one-liners. Some work, and some don't "Buying your first gun is like making love for the first time. You don't know what you're doing, but you know you're having fun." or something to that effect. You eventually come away with a crash course in international arms dealing, that all the Time magazine issues in the world couldn't offer, sure to make you a more politically conscious observer. Exposure to the horrific results of weaponry in such an entertaining fashion is harsh, humane and like an unexpected needle from a doctor.

Like a confident puppateer above the chaotic gunsmoke of war, Nicolas Cage reveals a believable and likable global arms dealer, who could be the same guy you saw selling a hot car radio in an ally. His scenes selling guns are nerve-bending as he makes bold physical and vocal gestures never riling dangerous warlords, while the slightest nervous tick could set off a slaughter. Bridget Moynahan's 'trophy wife' is anything but, an honest and touching portrayal of a rather superficial person coming to terms with her husband's means to wealth. I loved what she said about her failed careers and her stand against Yuri's profession, "I have been a failed artist and a failed actress. I will not be a failed human being." Eamonn Walker as Liberian dictator Andre Baptiste delivers a suave and vicious characterization as a man who will 'test drive' a new assault rifle by killing someone in the room with it.

I went into this film mistakenly thinking it was the upcoming film, "Jarhead". I saw previews for both and confused the titles. A little troubled by my mistake, it was as if someone pointed a gun to my forehead and said, "watch this film instead." I'm sold. Good deal!

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This is partly in response to the 1 star review. I don't know what kind of system he is using, but on my 37 inch 1080p LCD display this blu-ray disk looks WAY better than DVD.

That said, could it be a better? Sure it could. But it's ridiculous to slam this movie for that. The detail is actually amazing in most of the picture. I can see pores of skin, blood vessels in eyes, small grit, and other sharp details throughout.

If you want a movie that makes the DVD version look ugly this will fit the bill. If you can't tell the difference you need glasses or a new HDTV.

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Just a warning to those purchasing this DVD. Inexplicably, Lions Gate has reformatted this film from its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio to a 1.78:1 ratio. This means the film has been pseudo pan-and-scanned to entirely fill a widescreen TV, just as a full screen version fills a standard TV.

However, new shipments of the DVD are being sent out with a sticker over the original packaging listing the aspect ratio as 2.40:1; presumably, Lions Gate has realized their mistake and shipped out corrected discs.

When purchasing this product from Amazon, I would recommend either waiting a few weeks to ensure Amazon has the corrected discs, or I would check the back of the DVD case before removing the shrink wrap once the DVD has arrived. If the sticker is on the lower-left corner of the back of the DVD stating "Aspect Ratio 2.40:1," then it is one of the corrected discs. If, however, there is no sticker and the packaging states "Aspect Ratio 1.78:1," then I would ship the DVD back to Amazon and request a replacement with the corrected aspect ratio.

No word yet as to whether or not Lions Gate will be offering a disc replacement program for those who purchased the 1.78:1 version, but hopefully they will offer one soon. In the meantime, make sure you check the package to make sure what you are buying is, in fact, the correct version of the film, as it was intended to be seen.

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A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Overall this two-set disc DVD is great. It includes many deleted scenes and the sound and picture is great as well.

Although this is certainly not definitive/complete. There are out takes, extended scenes, FX shots, TV spots, etc., that are not included. Such as a dialog between Lt. Thompson and Sgt. Garcia in the police station, more scenes of Nancy getting ready to battle Freddy (like pouring gasoline in that glass bottle she threw at him in the basement), another take of Glen's body rising out of the bed, an extended dialog between Marge and Mr. Thompson at the cemetery, a dialog between Lt. Thompson and Mr. Lantz (Glen's father), etc. These others were released in 1996 on laserdisc by Elite Entertainment and a two-cassette VHS by Anchor Bay. There is also trivia missing from the movie like, for example, the guy who was reading Hamlet aloud in English class is Daryl Hannah's brother. Although there is a discussion of the different types and ways of doing Freddy's makeup, there's no mention of what Wes Craven originally wanted (such as the teeth showing through the flesh above the jaws, which ironically was used on the "demon" version of Freddy when he jumps out of the lake in Jason vs. Freddy). Nor mention of all the actresses Heather Langenkamp beat out such as Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing), Demi Moore, Courteney Cox (Ave Ventura, Scream, Friends), and Tracey Gold (Growing Pains).

But this is as close to complete as currently available on DVD. Now that we have the infinifilm special edition, hopefully a special edition director's cut/uncut will appear one day with (if possible) the extended scenes placed back in the movie itself and not as special features to be viewed separately along with all the goodies in this and the VHS/laserdisc versions.

It was nice to finally have Amanda Wyss and Ronee Blakey (boy she changed!) interviewed. But it would have been also nice to get Mr. ever-so-famous Johnny Depp, Jsu Garcia, and John Saxon (71 yrs old now!) interviews.

Overall, I give it 4 and a half stars.

It is a true testament to writer-director Wes Craven's genius that many people now first think of Scream rather than A Nightmare on Elm Street upon hearing his name. While Scream certainly re-energized the horror movie genre, A Nightmare on Elm Street revolutionized it entirely when it was released in 1984. Twenty years after the fact, the movie doesn't seem quite as scary as it did originally, but this movie has truly shocked and frightened many a moviegoer over the years, resonated with untold numbers of men and women in a new and undeniably powerful way, drawn in many viewers that had never cared about horror before, and introduced one of the greatest, most popular horror icons of past, present, and future in Freddy Krueger.

When you really look at the genesis of this movie, its incredible success is truly mind-boggling. Wes Craven had already made waves in the business with such horror classics as Last House on the Left, but the script for A Nightmare on Elm Street made the rounds of Hollywood for three years before the relatively unknown New Line Cinema stepped up to make the movie a reality. The total budget for the film was well under two million dollars, and the filmmakers basically worked miracles to make the film as viscerally shocking and beautifully gory as it is. A tremendous cast was assembled: veteran actor John Saxon and newcomer Johnny Depp (in his very first role) are terrific, Robert Englund needs no introduction for his unforgettable portrayal of Freddy Krueger, and a young and innocent Heather Langenkamp delivers a dazzling performance as Nancy Thompson. (Ronee Blakley's performance as Nancy's mother is over-the-top and rather poor in general, but this is essentially the movie's only weakness.) Many people think that Englund carries this film with his brilliant portrayal of the nightmarish killer, and in a sense he does, but for me it is Langenkamp's performance that absolutely makes this movie something way beyond special. I have always been a big Langenkamp fan; she brings to Nancy a mesmerizing sense of innocence, charm, and natural beauty that wins the audience over completely. Freddy is a dark and menacing presence, but he really doesn't get that much camera time in this first film; Nancy is the essential conduit that connects the audience to the horror.

I don't think much is required in terms of explanations or plot summaries here. Freddy Krueger was a murderer of children who was hunted down and burned to death by local parents. He still exists, though, in the world of dreams, and now the teenaged children of the men and women who destroyed him are his targets. Nancy and her friends all begin to see this strange burnt man in an old fedora and a dirty red and olive green sweater in their dreams; Nancy soon learns that whatever happens in these awful dreams also happens in real life. The first victim dies a spectacular death, one that surely poured heaps of shock value on 1984 audiences and which still works wonderfully today. Several other notable deaths follow, and Nancy knows that she alone must face Freddy and somehow engineer a trap with which to snag him. It's not easy killing a dead man who lives in dreams, of course, but Wes Craven built a really beautiful logic into the story that makes it work convincingly.

The special effects of this film are remarkable, especially given the tight budget restraints. The death scenes are powerful and bloody, the atmosphere and look of the boiler room sets in particular are dark and malevolent, everything about Freddy's look and performance are perfect, and even really cheap effects such as the phone tongue and melted stairs work beautifully. The special features included on the DVD are nothing short of superb, especially the commentary by Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and director of photography Jacques Haitkin I learned so much from this commentary (including the fascinating true-life facts that helped give birth to the original idea in Craven's mind), all of which made me all the more impressed with this seminal horror classic. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the most enjoyable, powerful, and influential horror films ever made, and the transfer to DVD makes this film look better than ever.

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I just got the new nightmare on elm street bluray and after watching it I must admit this looks great! The video transfer looks amazing! Considering this movie is 26 years old, I am amazed this looks so good! And if your asking, yes this is a big improvement visually and audio wise to the previous DVD editions. The bonus features are good and stick to the original movie, instead of focusing on the new remake. The bonus features are mostly making of and creation of the Freddy saga! But another sweet addition included is the alternative endings all in 1080p HD! I hope the rest of the sequels are released aswell as the Jason goes to he'll and Jason x movies on bluray! Anyways the verdict, the video transfer looks crisp and shows little grain or film damage, the HD transfer looks amazing! The audio is 7.1dts and sounds amazing from my Bose entertainment center! The bonus features are awesome!

Video: 9 out of 10

audio : 8 out of 10

bonus features : 8 out of 10

Read Best Reviews of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Here

Freddy Krueger is something else. Robert Englund plays the slasher/boogeyman with the relish of a Batman villian without sacrificing his menace. Compared to Jason or Michael Meyers, Freddy is the life of the party...or the death of it if he catches you asleep. Not that this first installment of the Nightmare series is full of laughs. In his first appearance Freddy is truly scary. But he enjoys being scary and as audience members we enjoy being scared by him. As a horror personality Freddy is unequaled and seeing how he was introduced to audiences you can see that he was both a charismatic monster and a terrifying threat from the start.

But I need to admit something: I generally think less is more where blood is concerned. It's a matter of taste, I know, but that said I decided I really like this movie.

This is an unabashadly bloody slasher movie but one cannot deny that it is an imaginative one. I have been more terrified by other horror movies But few horror movies stay with you like A Nightmare on Elm Street. You'll likely be dreaming of Freddy Krueger yourself afterwards.

I recall one horror movie historian saying that horror movies are our way of making friends with the monsters of our imagination. I think he's right. And I think therein lies the appeal of Freddy. He's a sick killer but we also want to make friends with him.

Finally, I think the extras on this two disc set are what really make it special. If it were the movie by itself I might subtract a star or two, but I really liked the making of video and extra documentaries. Wes Craven tells you about the origins of Freddy down to the reasons for the color selections for his stripped sweater. (That particular shade of red and green were said to be the most distressing color combination to the human psyche).

So if your a horror fan, get A Nightmare on Elm Street (if you don't already have it).

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A Nightmare on Elmstreet is a horror movie classic and its antagonist, Freddy Krueger, the ever charismatic son of a thousand maniacs is one of the best movie villians to ever be created. When I saw this new remastered version on Amazon I just had to buy it, and I am not disappointed. It is true that some of the horror masterpieces of yesterday may be somewhat neutered with its grainy roughness cleaned away, but not so with Nightmare. This crispness only highlights and brings new depth to the dreamlike surreality. Some of the its most legendary scenes (the demonic wall stalker, body-bag Tina,etc,..)are even enhanced giving them a almost painting like quality, reminiscent of a Fuseli painting.

The special features are pretty interesting and informative as well if not just a little redundant after awhile. Let me explain. Disc one has the movie and a few options as to how to view the film. First, and I foremost recommend for all nightmare fans, is the infinifilm version, which is just a fancy way of saying interactive movie. You watch the flick a prompt will come up telling you to push a button and get more info about the scene, the actors, inspirations for the movie, and even alternate footage. Next is the commentary, which to me is the worst aspect about this version of the movie. You'v go two versions to choose from (I have not heard the archival version, this is about the new one) the problem is that this commentary really doesn't follow the movie but kind of just retreads the information given during the infinifilm version, with alittle bit more added here and there.

The second disc basically collects all the infinifilms together as a series of featurettes. There are also trailers and alternate endings, which also look to be remastered, and a trivia game that should be pretty easy to master after watching all the features.

Overall, with its new remastered sound and picure quality, this feature pack installment of A Nightmare On Elmstreet is a great buy for both fans of Freddy or for those who like horror (real horror, not the modern day CGI fluff) but may not have indulged this series as of yet, this is a good version to initiate yourself into the nightmares of elmstreet and become a victim of Freddy's evil charm.

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Fired Up (Unrated Edition) (2009)

I think the best way to see this film is to know they had fun making it, producing it and to get something out of it like the commentary says: "...they will be studying this for years to come at USC film school..."

Let's get all of the hate mail out of the way. Yes the leads are all over 30, yes it is another dang cheer film, yes it has nothing new to add to the comedy plate this year, and so on. But I still got some good laughs out of it and plenty of fit people to look at. The main thing that struck me was the chemistry between the two main actors, they were actually believable and funny. The supporting cast had some great moments, especially John Michael Higgins as Coach Keith and Philip Baker Hall as Coach Byrnes they both showed awesome chops in doing their corny roles.

The film quality was excellent, the sound was a fun 5.1 and the impressive long-takes actually looked good. Whether you love or hate this film, that one take when the crew arrives at camp showcasing the 178 ladies on the steps was impressive. The unrated is only a few seconds longer and contains some nice (and natural) upper body nudity in the night swimming sequence.

The special features give this 2.5 star film the last 1.5. There is a 15 minute making-of, a 7 minute clip on the "stunting" involved, and 8 minutes of unrated outtakes which if anything are hilarious because of those damn peacocks. The quick press junket shows Eric Olsen in meltdown mode and the commentary with the director and two leads is worth it. Even if to hear little tidbits on how the main cast got each other sick from the kissing scenes or how everything was actually filmed in LA and not in Hinsdale.

Plenty of people hate this film, but I fell into the category of liking it and laughing. I suppose it will be mandatory for the cheer fans out there, but this will actually keep the guys interested also.

This one is a good one! I watched it on a plane and had to buy it so I could watch it properly. If you like 'Bring it on', this is a must-see.

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Few films rival Goodfellas, On the Water Front, or Raging Bull...

Only one movie blows them out of the water. That movie is Fired Up!

Never before has a director captured the spirit of American film like writer and director Will Gluck does in this underrated tale of teenage angst, the dark side of American cheerleading, the consequences of dating pre-med students, and the hidden code of American cheer.

An instant classic that transcends time and space, Fired Up! is an emotionally charged whipsaw exploring the chaotic lives of high school sports stars Shawn Colfax and Nick Brady. Eric Christian Olson, who plays Brady, mesmerizes audiences with his thespian range, magically evolving into a hormone-charged teenager who questions not only his lot in life, but also the depths of his sexuality when he meets Downey.

The best supporting actor role of 2009 should have definitely been given to David Watson for his epic portrayal of Dr. Rick. This performance was so translucent that the manuerisms and monologues will most definitely be studied by students at Tisch School at NYU for generations.

I wish the universe were larger so that I could give this film infinite stars. Just thinking of the performances by Phillip Baker Hall and John Michael Higgins moves my soul in a way that no touch of another human being ever could. If you don't buy this film for yourself, then you are cheating yourself out of an experience that only sex on a chocolate waterfall with Zues himself could rival.

Read Best Reviews of Fired Up (Unrated Edition) (2009) Here

People over analyze everything. Its a movie about two football guys who go to cheer camp to get girls. One Boy falls for a girl but both guys learn a valuable lesson. It is funny, simple and perfect. A great movie to watch with extremely funny parts especially when they watch Bring It On. Its a fun movie, thats it.

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Believe me when I saw the commercials for this film I was like "pass", but when it came out on dvd i saw it on netflix and was surprise how good and funny it was and it didn't look like one of those stupid low budget movies,fired up is simple two guys in high school go to cheerleading camp to hook up with as many girls as possible in what results to lots of jokes and crazy cheerleading and thats about it believe this is still a good movie to watch,you'll have fun with it till the very end.

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Gamera Trilogy (Guardian of the Universe / Attack of the Legion / Revenge of Iris) (2012)

It was only recently, to be honest, that I first learned who Gamera even was. Godzilla? Sure, I grew up on the guy... I've got the lunchbox, have taped the Godzilla's Rockin' New Year's Eve special many times and even saw the Andrew Lloyd Weber adaptation on Broadway during its woefully short run in 1994.

But now there's a NEW guardian of the universe? Why didn't anyone tell me?? Finally, someone did. Specifically, it was a co-worker from the main office of the Tokyo-based manufacturing company (it shall remain nameless) for which I have worked for the last 8 years. He was relocated to New York and has become a rather good friend.

Hunushi is a fantastic resource for all things Japanese. One of those is monster movies ("kaiju" as the genre is called in Japan), and I am also a big fan. Knowing this, Hunushi recommended to me the first Gamera film when it was released in English in 1997. Since then, I have been hooked and wanting more.

Why do I like this Gamera series so much? The special effects are AWESOME, and the dubbing is simply masterful. Forget everything that you thought you knew about dubbed dialogue, as that knowledge is now useless and outdated. The story lines are engaging, the characters are well developed. These are great movies, period.

When I heard that a box set of all three movies (Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris) was available, I jumped on it.

I thought I knew why I was buying this box set, but I had no idea at the time that its most entertaining feature was an as-yet-unknown-to-me DVD extra. Within the extras of the second film, Gamera 2, the English-language director has created an entirely new and hilarious version of that film dubbed almost entirely with "red neck" character voices.

This is an absolute stitch, but in no way did it offend my delicate "kaiju" sensibilities. Gamera remains completely untouched in this tongue-in-cheek version of the film. Only the human contingent, scurrying below, is made to look anything less than admirable. The bottom line is this: I have never laughed harder in my life (by the way, there is also a fantastic DVD extra on the 3rd disc but I'll let you discover that one on your own).

I hope you enjoy these films as much as I have. Thankfully, it looks like Japan's best kept "kaiju" secret has just been let out of the box!

I need to append this; the movies are not in anamorphic widescreen. They are still very entertaining; however, the blu-ray ARE anamorphic. Sorry about the confusion.

I'm amazed by the story lines and special effects in these newer come-back movies of Gamera. The box set was purchased with Christmas money, and I'm glad I did so. Gamera began as low-budget giant monster movies in competition with Godzilla in about 1965. Some of the early films are pretty cheezy, though fun to watch. Kids especially seem to relate to the big turtle. My daughter likes him as much as Godzilla.

The new Gamera pictures carry on the idea that Gamera is here to protect earth, but the story lines are very mature compared to the original films, and the special effects are, at times, amazing. Every bit on a parr with the newer, new millenium Godzilla films of the past five years. The first film in the pack, "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe", was release in 1995, and the others followed about every two years. The origin of Gamera is reinvented here, and explained in a way that is a nice marriage of fantasy and science-fiction. In the first film, Gamara's heroic mythology is backed up by an ancient tablet that predicts a giant creature will rise to combat an horrific darkness. All evidence points to some sort of flesh eating creatures that nearly ate man to extinction in the time when Atlantis was still above water.

The second film, "Attack of Legion", is even better, with an even creepier creature and It's swarming spawn called "Legion" (from the Bible, no less) threatening earth's extinction yet again. The special effects are better in this film, and that's saying a lot, since the first movie was very well done.

I haven't watched the third movie, "Revenge of Iris" yet, but even if it turns out to be disappointing compared to the first two, it was still money worth spending.

All three pictures are presented in anamorphic widescreen, with language options of the original Japanese with English subtitles, or in dubbed English. The soundtracks are in Dolby digital 5.1. I really enjoyed watching the second film in the original Japanese, thus getting to hear the true emotions of the actors. There are a lot of nice extras included on the disks, so take some time to explore.

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Oldschool Gamera is definitely classic kaiju, it just tends to have some of the worst aspects of kaiju built into its roots: annoying little kids, illogical stories, bad set designs, and plots that seem just a skeleton to justify monster fights. Good kaiju, on the other hand, tends to have characters that the viewer can indentify with, a sense of being overwhelmed by the size of the battles, a desperation for survival, allegory to real world problems, and monsters that, though they may be large and scary, are somehow sympathetic at the same time.

That is what I like about this new trilogy. It takes one of the more ludicrous monsters, a large turtle that walks on its hind legs, eats fire and uses atomic jets to propel itself, and gives it as a good of a treatment as I have ever seen a kaiju receive.

The first one has an excellent story, and a great old school "King Kong" kind of feel to it. The second one, which seems to either be the favorite or the most hated depending on who you ask, takes the story a step up (in my opinion) and adds a level of desperation that somehow was lacking in the first one. The fight scenes and effects are improved, though the sense of adventure and human interaction is weakened and the almost add-on moral from the very end seems out of place. The last one is probably the best, and I feel it is such because the story line brings the monster-to-hero so epitomized in the original Gamera idea full circle.

The effects are excellent by kaiju standards (which are still lacking by what some people would want, but I loved them) and the storylines are still a little illogical. The new explanation for the origins is kind of better as far as making sense of the oddity that is Gamera, but not 100% satisfactory. The dubbing and the subbing are both excellent, and I love the fact that I can get wide-screened, well transferred dvds as opposed to the low quality ones with bad dubbing that are normally part of the genre. The features are not the best in the world, but were a nice addition (since I got the movies for the movies, the extras are just some additional icing).

Read Best Reviews of Gamera Trilogy (Guardian of the Universe / Attack of the Legion / Revenge of Iris) (2012) Here

Image and sound quality is very good on the three movies, especially on the third one. The cardboard slipcase is colorful and attractive, with a very professional design, much better than other Mill Creek releases. The problem of this set are the subtitles on the second disc: the movie "Gamera 3" has lots of missing and out of sync sentences which make the movie much less enjoyable (for example, Kurata Shinya's explanation of the Gamera graveyard is totally lost if you watch the movie that way). And subtitles on extra features get progressively out of sync until there is a delay of seven seconds between characters speaking and subtitles appearing on screen. It's something regrettable which should have been corrected before release and keeps this release from being totally recommended.

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The movies themselves are excellent, but the subtitling is perhaps the worst professional work I've seen, especially with the first and third films. In the first, none of the Japanese on screen text is translated, despite the movie using a large number of things like newspaper headlines to provide information. The third is the worst by far, with a good 20% of it not being subtitled at all, and quite of few of the subtitles being mistranslated. It's an absolute shame, since these are great movies that deserve much better treatment.

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Thunderstruck (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet Digital Copy Combo Pack) (2012)

Every now and then, a film comes along and changes our perspective into the realm of logic and life. A film that warps reality, forcing the viewer to completely re think their entire life. A film that leaves you in such awe, words can do no justice. I have seen this film more times than I can count, and every single time I finish it, I want to immediately watch it again.

To start out, the director. When my children have children, they'll talk about the great directors making some of the best cinema of the 21st century. Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, Terrance Malick and now John Whitesell. After previously directing the brilliant Big Momma's House trilogy, which are on par with the Star Trek Trilogy (Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, The Voyage Home), the Lord of the Rings films, the Star Wars films and the Dollars films. Along with Malibu's Most Wanted, proving that Jamie Kennedy deserves an Oscar, and Deck the Halls with the comedy duo of Matthew Broderick and Danny Devito, in the shadow of Abbot and Costello. This is a man who has a vision to change the way we think but Thunderstruck completely wipes the floor with his other films. "Wipes the floor", get it?

I'm no sports fan but Kevin Durant needs to put down the basketball, and pick up an Oscar. He completely sells his role and you see him not as an actor, but as a man. On top of that, newcomer Taylor Gray, the Marlon Brando of the 21st century. You feel his struggles, see his anguish, jump for joy when he succeeds, mixes the bag of emotions that you won't be able to help yourself from. I found myself in tears walking out of the cinema, from his groundbreaking performance that not even the great Daniel Day Lewis can poke at. Once I left the theater and immediately purchased my ticket for the next showing, I had such tears in my eyes that after they hit the ticket, you could barely read the title.

It mixes comedy and drama well, going back to my previous point of the film stupendously mixing the emotions. At one moment, you laughing your basketballs off at the perfect chemistry of Durant and Gray as they struggle trying to get their powers back. You feel the anger when Gray's bullies rough him up with some foul talk, unaware of the genius in front of them. Feel the joy of their companionship and how the thing that brings them together is a game of basketball.

Aside from the acting, the writings is on par and doesn't feel outdated with it's various references. The film required two writers since it can't take just one to create a masterpiece. Eric Champnella who's previous work is Mr. 3000, the definitive baseball film, and the straight to Disney Channel (should've been permanently in cinemas) Mailed to the Chief. The other writer should also be noted, Jeff Farley who had a brilliant role as Tabby's Security Officer in the mind blowing Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.

I could write a book on the brilliance of this film but words can do it no justice. It just HAS TO be seen to be believed. Make way for your top favorite films list, if this doesn't crack the top 3, don't ever act like you know cinema. Please, PLEASE experience this masterful, genius, brilliant work before you die. I PROMISE you won't regret it.

Sixteen-year old Brian (Taylor Gray) wants to be on the high school basketball team, but he has no skills. After Brian meets Kevin Durant, his game is perfected.

Although I'm not very interested in basketball, I enjoyed this movie. The beginning was okay, but it became much more entertaining once Alan (Durant's Agent played by Brandon T. Jackson) figured out what happened. Jackson's performance was as funny as I expected it to be. There are also important messages for young people about friendship and 'fitting in' I liked that.

Thunderstruck is a good family film.

Favorite Line: Coach, is that from Hoosiers?

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This movie is basically "Like Mike" as a kid, in this case with no basketball talent, gets an NBA stars talent transferred to him. Not through magic shoes though in this case it's just like Space Jam where the talent is transferred through the ball.

The kid is usually picked on but because of his new basketball talent he becomes popular and shows up his bully before he becomes a jerk himself.

The basketball in it is pretty fake as the kid dunking looks like he's flying rather than jumping and the same play is shown a few times but from slightly different angles and supposed to be different plays. Mixed in are some Kevin Durant highlights/lowlights from actual games.

Durant plays himself and it is a good thing they gave him an energetic manager to pair next to him as otherwise his scenes are fairly boring. A Durant fan might like seeing him but he's not in it that much besides shooting poorly in a gym on a few occasions and trying to get his talent back from the kid

The highlight of the film is the charming Tristin Mays as Isabel. She plays the female lead of the movie and the love interest to Brian. She liked him for him and before his basketball transformation and calls him out for turning into a conceited jerk later on in the movie who's more focused on living the good life than staying true to his friends

In the end though the message is that teamwork and effort can trump overall talent and Brian somehow does more with a lack of talent than Kevin Durant ever did as he switched talents with Brian and is doing terrible in the NBA while Brian enjoys all of his success and no amount of practice has improved Durant's game. Brian does well with his lack of talent though and even after the switch back occurs he's supposedly better at basketball even though he practiced a lot before the switch and still stunk

Some mixed messages and limited basketball realism but recommended if you have small children who are a fan of the Thunder and or Kevin Durant

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Good story, decent acting, everyone in the family enjoyed the movie from kids to adults. I would recommend for an all around entertaining family movie.

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Reminds me of too many others like it. Remember Space Jam? It was a bit entertaining though, at that price.

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The Spirit Is Willing (1967)

This is not a movie for small children but for teens and up it's good, solid family entertainment. Sid Caesar and Vera Miles have ghost problems and their son Steve (Barry Gordon) is right in the middle playing straight man to a bunch of ghosts and taking all the hits for things going wrong.

Those who stumble upon this picture will never get to know just how funny Sid Caesar was when he was served by the likes of Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and the rest of the Dream Team of writers who helped create one of the funniest shows ever put on television. On the other hand, it gives us a chance to see a bevy of comedy actors who were capable of producing High Hilarity in other hands than those of William Castle. Oh, yes, note Barry Gordon, who, among many comedy roles, following his stint in law school, became the longest running head of the Screen Actors Guild, the performing artists union (beating out the earlier Presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Charlton Heston by a year). The film has some laughs, if you are in the right mood, and never is really bad, so that it is watchable and, for some or many, as the case may be, can be a moderately enjoyable vehicle. In other hands, this cast was capable of giving us a laugh-riot. If you haven't seen it, take a shot, if you do not have to pay premium prices to do so.

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"The Spirit Is Willing" only lacks a laugh track to qualify as a sitcom, because that is the style of humor it contains. It is not among William Castle's best but it is still enjoyable. No big belly laughs but it is good for a tub of popcorn and a few chuckles.

Read Best Reviews of The Spirit Is Willing (1967) Here

I saw this move when I was about 8 yrs old. Dad, Mom, my sister and I saw it

at the drive-in. It brought back some wonderful childhood memories.

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I remember going to the show with my brother when we were about 10 years old to see another movie and this was the first movie they showed before the one we went to see and we both agreed this movie was great I have been looking for this movie for years and my 16 year old Grandson watched this with me and he liked it too These kind of movies are funnier than any of this crap they call funny today with all of the foul language and nude scenes...........

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Phenomenon (1996)

I took me awhile to catch on to the John Travolta "comeback." Always a good actor, he is trancendent in "Phenomenon." Taking his character of George, struck by a mysterious light, and turning him from an average man to a genius, could have been an actor's trap. Travolta makes it his triumph. He gives George such a humanity that even with the genius powers we are aware that George of old is still there, trying to desparately to just be his old self, and only the girl he longs for, played excellently by Kyra Segwick seems to understand his wanting to remain the same, no matter how many "miracles" he performs. So many films like this are too serious, use too many special effects, or are just plain ridiculous. Travolta great performance seems to lift the entire genre and wins us over like he does Segwick and her two children. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Robert Duvall, who does miraculous things with the town doctor. Forrest Whittiker is also good as George's best friend. The town accepts the miracles like no other movie town does. Yes, they are in awe, but they still doubt, as George doubts, that he was given a gift as a mistake, but when all is said and done, we know the "bright light" made the right choice, that he was able to even handle his own mortality. There is a scene near the end of the movie, when George is sharing his last moments and an apple with the two young children, that is as moving as any I've seen in recent memory. Some may see "Phenomenon" as too far-fetched or mauldlin, and if so they are as jaded as many movie goers are getting. What does an audience want? Here is a movie without much violence, blood, or spectacular special effects and does have a message but does not force it on you, how all of us have the possibility to be more than we think, that there is genius on a small scale, in the feelings for love, simple pleasures, sharing an apple with children, or facing one's own mortality without fear. A great Movie.

I came to this film with low expectations, seeing as how it only has a 53% positive RottenTomatoes.com rating and a lot of critics panned it as being corny and sentimental.

Actually this is a very good film, largely carried by the strong cast of John Travolta, Kyra Sedgewick, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall. Yes there are a few corny moments especially towards the end but they were forgivably brief not tediously drawn out, compared to your typical Hollywood tearjerker which this is not. I won't give away the ending except to say that it is not one of your dime a dozen and-they-lived-happily-ever-after things.

"Phenomenon" actually has a lot of Eastern philosophy behind it---the idea that we are all connected at a deep cosmic and psychical level which most of us never imagine nor dare to access, as well as the New Ageish belief that we only use about 10% of our brains' full capabilities.

Travolta is known to be a Scientologist, which made me wonder a little how much that might have influenced this film which is nowhere near as kooky as your standard Scientology doctrine which you can get from L. Ron Hubbard's infamous (science fiction) book, "Dianetics."

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Phenomeonon was advertised as a sci-fi movie, and whilke it has a sci-fi sort of theme at its core, anyone going to see the movie based on that was sorely disappointed.

What this movie is, actually, is a story about a man learning to cope with something that he can't understand, and how it brings him closer to his friends and his community, and how it allows him to understand and deal with his own fate.

Yes, it's a bit sappy at times, but it also contains some really excellent performances. Travolta delivers what it certainly his most authentic and touching portrayal of a real human being yet seen in his post-Tarantino career. Forrest Whittaker and Robert Duvall likewise contribute first-rate performances. A wonderful contemporary soundtrack ties it all together.

Read Best Reviews of Phenomenon (1996) Here

I thoroughly enjoyed Phenomenon, which I found to be an unusually graceful, warm, and genuine movie. Sure, it had flaws, and one could take issue with a variety of departures from reality. But the characters genuinely care for each other and the dialoge and behavior carefully reflect that. I didn't try to take it too seriously, as I fell in love with George, the Dr., and Lace. George genuinely cares about his friends. The Dr., played wonderfully by the great Robert Duvall, understands people, and Lace is over the top sexy ( like some jewish women I have known...can Sedgwick be a jewish name?) I thought the writing was great. How about George teaching Nate the portuguese language? Marvelous! The little details and cinematography were very well done in this picture. Kudos to the writer, director, and the guys behind the cameras.

An added bonus is the soundtrack, which throughly enhances the movie at every turn. Well done. My final comment is absolutly true I could watch this movie a hundred times. I'm remodeling a house, and I play it in the background some days, so I've already seen it at least a dozen times.

Many thanks.

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This movie moved me to tears can I rate it more than 5 stars?

To this day I cannot hear Bryan Ferry's "Dance With Life" without being reminded that life is a gift and it's all about how you treat people and interact with them. John Travolta has been my favorite since Welcome Back, Kotter and so versatile an actor. When the town's mechanic changes to a genius overnight after seeing a brilliant light in the heavens on his 37th birthday, people don't know how to treat him. As he touches lives with his gift, some are grateful, others suspicious. If you have not seen this movie yet, DROP EVERYTHING and do so! It will move you to dance with life!

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Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996)

RANSOM is probably Ron Howard's most fully realized film to date. Howard helms a tense, literate script, without letting its potential maudlin come through. Mel Gibson, who has "ruined" his career with the 350 million dollar+ gross of THE PASSION OF CHRIST (Notice tongue in cheek, folks) shows us what a powerfully commanding actor he can be. His role as the tortured, yet committed, father is beautifully performed. Mel doesn't parlay his looks into establishing his popularity. The Australian is a very good actor, and in some ways, has never been recognized for the fact. Rene Russo is amazing, too. Starting off in a cool, I've got things under control aura, she melts into a desperate, crazed, and passionate woman who loves her husband dearly, but can't believe he's risking their son's life. Gary Sinise once again brings a mercurial sense of villainy to his role as the mastermind behind the kidnapping, and his coldhearted murders only enforce his psychosis; Delroy Lindo as the head FBI agent gives a sturdy, tense and compassionate portrayal; Lili Taylor is devastating to watch as she crumbles under the pressure of her part in the kidnapping, but her cold hearted willignness to kill the little boy is frightening; Liv Schrieber and Donnie Wahlberg as the brothers are convincing, in view of their relatively little time on screen.

I liked this film a lot because it touched my emotions in the way a thriller of this type should. Nail bitingly good, it's one of Gibson and Howard's best works.

While I think the movie is great, I thought everyone should be warned that this is the exact same non-anamorphic transfer as the previous release. Amazon's technical details are in error. The back is absent of any 16x9 markings. Popping the movie in confirmed this. Stay away if you're looking to upgrade from the first disc.

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Although this is actually a remake of a 1940s film in which the protagonist turns the tables unexpectedly on his child's kidnappers, this very well produced film directed by Ron Howard is quite contemporary and sophisticated. Mel Gibson shines as the controversial developer who has had shady dealings with union reps on his way to fantastic wealth, and is pursued unsuccessfully by the FBI even while they are suddenly called in to help on his son's kidnapping. When things go from bad to worst, Gibson takes control of the negotiation, and suddenly all hell breaks loose.

This is an entertaining and quite suspenseful film, wth a terrific supporting cast that includes Rene Russo as Gibson's wife, Gary Senise as a duplicitous local cop, and Mark Wahlberg as one of the kidnappers. The plot takes some interesting twists and turns, and although it is nt predictable, all works out quite well in the end. Or does it. In order to see, you'll just have to watch this very well made suspense thriller for yourself. Enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996) Here

This movie isn't like most Hollywood flicks about ransom, it's actually completely different! The entire cast and supporting cast does a surpurb acting job. RANSOM is about an extremely wealthy, multi-millionaire, Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson). Tom is an airline owner, and his top priority in life is his family that includes his wife, Kate Mullen (Rene Russo), and one son, Sean Mullen (Brawley Nolte). Soon, an enemy of Tom Mullen and his gang are after Tom's money. To get what they want, which is about a million dollars, they kidnapp Tom's son, Sean, while the family is at a district science fair in their hometown of New York City. Tom and Kate are so desparate to find Sean and bring him back home that they will do just about anything in their power to bring Sean back alive and safe. All throughout the film, the guy who kidnapps Sean (I forget his name), tries to give Tom clues on how he can get his son back and where he is. The ending of this film may surprise some people, because it's definitely not the usual ending of a Hollywood suspense film. A must-see for any Mel Gibson fan and is very well-worth watching even if you don't like Mel Gibson. I very much enjoyed it!

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Of course the movie deserves 4 stars, however I wish I could say the same for the DVD. What does it take for DVD company to release each DVD enhanced for 16x9 TVs? Nothing!

Recently I bought a SONY BRAVIA 32 INCH display and I have a collection of over 600 Dvds. I learned now about "Enhanced for 16x9 TVs" and how important it is, I did not care about it or even know about it since I own a standard TV, however all my Dvds are Region 1 and in widescreen, I never buy fullscreen Dvds. So I did an inventory on my collection and realized the following:

Out of 600+ Dvds, 42 are NOT enhanced for 16x9 TVs and they really look horrible when I played them on my PC. Anyway, according to my inventory.

THE FOLLOWING MOVIES / COMPANY HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANAMORPHIC OR 16X9 WIDESCREEN and I hope that these company will release them in the near future so that we can enjoy them on our TVs.

MGM:

Runaway Train

Graduate

No Way Out

Prizzi's Honor

FX

Shallow Grave

Thief

House Of Games

Dead Man Walking

Misery

The Eye Of The Needle

Overboard

PARAMOUNT:

Private Parts

48 Hrs

Coming To America

Primal Fear

The Ghost And The Darkness

Breakdown

UNIVERSAL:

Day Of The Jackal

Psycho (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)

Vertigo (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)

The Game

FOX:

Abyss (I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT MY 2-DISC IS NOT ANAMORPHIC, NOR IS THE LATEST DIGIPACK EDITION)

Raising Arizona

The Edge

Great Expectations

Rising Sun

The Ref

Romancing The Stone

The Jewel Of The Nile

ARTISAN:

House Of The Spirits

The Last Seduction

The Last Emperor

The Eagle Has Landed

Bound

PS: PLEASE ARTISAN, INSTEAD OF RELEASING 'BASIC INSTINCT' FOR THE 4TH TIME, WHICH MOST HAVE ALMOST THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS, CONSIDER RELEASING SOME MORE INTERESTING MOVIES WITH PROPER ATTENTION SUCH AS THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE.

TOUCHSTONE / WALT DISNEY:

Ransom

What About Bob?

PS: IT IS A GREAT NEWS THAT TOUCHSTONE ARE RELEASING 'ENEMY OF THE STATE', CRIMSON TIDE' AND 'CON AIR' IN EXTENDED UNRATED EDITIONS ON MAY 16. I WISH THOUGH THEY DID THE SAME WITH 'RANSOM'

WARNER:

91/2 Weeks

Presumed Innocent

NOTE THAT WARNER STUDIO IS RELEASING ONE OF THE BEST 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION SUCH AS 'SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION', 'HEAT', 'MALCOLM X', 'DOG DAY AFTERNOON', 'ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN' AND MANY MANY MORE.

The reason why they don't release every DVD in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 is beyond me since soon Widescreen Tvs will replace standard ones.

IT IS A RELIEF THAT AMAZON IS NOW STATING WHETHER THE DVD IS ANAMORPHIC OR LETTERBOXED.

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Live in London (2011)

The performance at the London Colliseum was the first time in 18 months that Il Divo performed in front of an audience. The crowd's enthusiasm and response is palpable through the DVD. They were thrilled to be hearing familiar favorites and the new songs from these men they had missed so much. All the new material, from their album "Wicked Game", is dynamic, charasmatic and inspiring. The interaction between the singers is pure joy to watch they are obviously so happy to be back on stage and performing for their fans. They have fun with the performances and keep it light-hearted in conversations to the audience, between songs. This DVD portrays Il Divo at their very best beautiful songs, amazing voices and a never-ending charm with their delivery. If this is an example of the show they will present on their next world-wide tour, it will be a resounding success. I loved every gorgeous moment of this DVD.

Have collected everything I can that Il Divo has released. Have been waiting for this to be release since I saw and heard sample. This is one of the best they have done to date. I have copy for me and ordered 4 more as gifts for my friends and relatives. You can not miss this one! Amazon UK was great getting it for me since not released in USA yet.

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If you like beautiful music, songs that mean something to you, buy IlDiVoLife in London, these 4 artists are the best singers in my world of music, they are the best, they have several CD's and DVD's out, I have them all, they are going on a long world tour starting February 8, I will be seeing their show in August, I am so looking forward to it, it will only be my second time, watching their videos makes you feel like you are right there with them, if you like beautiful songs and well dressed artists, they are the ones to choose, you will not regret it.

Read Best Reviews of Live in London (2011) Here

This is Popera, not opera, so if you are an opera snob, go watch the fat lady with the big Brunhilda hat. Popera is a genre in and of itself, and these four guys are the best in the world. They have in fact gotten even better over the years. I would say they are now at their pinnacle as displayed in this thrilling concert performance. My fave: Dov'e l'Amore, sung to Samuel Barber's Addagio for Strings, just brilliantly executed. I have no doubt the composer himself would have been moved by this powerful rendition of his classic piece. And the real crowd-pleaser of the night was Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore, their best-ever performance of this song, and the crowd went WILD. Buy this DVD, you'll spend many hours playing it over and over. Destined to be a classic.

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Very disappointing video quality. This is not live video recording rather it is a poor flim transfer and the grain is as big as golf balls. Buy the regular DVD instead.

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Logan's Run (2009)

UPDATED FOR BLU-RAY VERSION 11/12/09

For those thinking of upgrading to the Blu-ray of "Logan's Run" there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that while this does improve on the original DVD, it's not a huge jump in quality. The film needs some restoration and it appears this is a new transfer (the same one that was used for the reissued DVD with the same cover). The image quality is soft throughout lacking the sharp image quality that you'd expect from a recent film or one that has been restored.

The other bit of bad news is that we get none of the extras that were included on the old three disc laserdisc instead getting only the original special features ported over from the DVD (which is good news in a way since this could have been bare bones).We also get the commentary track featuring director Michael Anderson, star Michael York and costume designer Bob Thomas discussing the making of the film.

Anderson points out in the commentary track WHY there are some plot holes (the film under went some heavy editing to allow more showings per day and move it from a potential "R" rating to "PG")but it's a pity that none of this footage has been found or and restored for a director's cut more than likely the footage is missing.

(The 2002 original soundtrack album CD by the way notes some of the sequences in the booklet that were cut including a longer sequence in the ice cave with box--cut to earn a PG rating and some other sequences which appear to be lost)

The flaws in the film are less of an issue for me 33 years later. Sure, the production design can be cheesy at times but "Logan's Run" is a product of its time. The themes examined by Anderson and screenwriter David Zelag Goodman still does a good job even if the last third of the film falls apart.

The 5.1 mix sounds pretty good overall which is more good news but it would have been nice to have Jerry Goldsmith's wonderful score available as an isolated track. The score is availabe here Logan's Run [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]which 73 minutes of Jerry Goldsmith's praised score.

Many of the visual effects look dated with the miniature work in particular leaving a lot to be desired but the for time it was pretty good. The matte paintings by Matthew Yurichich are one of the few highlights of the visual effects in the film.

Logan's Run started off with a pretty amazing concept--(courtesy of science fiction writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson)what if our youth obsessed society put everyone over the age of 30 (21 in the novel)to death as a means of population control? This film version of a classic cautionary tale is intermittantly successful. David Zelag Goodman's screenplay condenses and changes around several key characters.

The basic plot--In the future our society is enclosed in domes. As a means to control the population, everyone has a life clock crystal on their hand. When you reach 30 you have the option to become "renewed" in a ceremony attended by the citizens. Logan (Michael York) and Francis (Richard Jordan) are Sandmen who hunt, capture/or kill runners (people who choose to not go through renewal and try to escape).

Logan is sent undercover by the computer that runs the city to find the location of Sanctuary and uses Jessica (Jenny Agutter "Walk About")who helps runners escape. He and Jessica discover more than they could possibly imagine.

The film is quite good despite some gaping plot holes. Michael York gives a impassioned performance as Logan 5. Jenny Agutter is enchanting as Jessica. Richard Jordan shines as Logan's former partner Francis who feels betrayed and hunts Logan down. Roscoe Lee Brown is exceptional in his cameo as the demented cyborg Box.

Logan's Run attempted to tell an adult cautionary tale in a world of light weight escapist movies. It's a commendable film and the film makers frequently bite off more than they can chew. I'd rather have a film that's too ambitious than not at all.

Still, I appreciate the ambitions if not the execution. 3 1/2 stars.

Ah, 70s science fiction... ridiculous costumes, campy visual effects, social commentary... and an underlying weirdness you just can't ignore. Logan's Run is something like THX 1138, only to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World instead of Orwell's 1984. And in the words of the character Logan himself, "It all made sense until Box..." In the future, mankind survives in a mall-like bubble of society that entirely subsists off of pleasure and materialism. Everyone is forced to die at the age of 30, basically to prevent the knowledge of suffering from getting into their minds. Those who do not want to die at 30 are "runners" that get tracked down by "sandmen" who blast them with what essentially amounts to flare guns. Despite this, the walls are not TOO scorched with spent rounds, and most people go on happily. Unfortunately for the status quo, this world is a lie and not everyone is happy, resulting in one particular sandman, the eponymous Logan 5, to have to become a runner himself.

There are some pretty bizarre scenes in the lieu. The whole rite of the carousel is actually quite disturbing if you think about it. An entire quadrant of the city is filled with derelicts and gangmembers, and of course this part is the one called "The Cathedral". On the other hand, there's visual candy as well, with superb modeling for the cityscapes and, yes, Jenny Agutter in a miniskirt that only gets more revealing as it slowly falls apart over the course of the movie.

Unlike THX 1138, Logan's Run doesn't end upon successful exit of the city; that's only the first half. Afterward the audience is treated to a gorgeous vision of the empty and abandoned Washington D.C. The movie kind of drags at this point, but is made up for mostly by the disturbing visions of American landmarks in various states of decay. When all else fails, science fiction's greatest asset is the ability to displace the audience with what they feel are familiar landscapes--just look at Planet of the Apes or 28 Days Later...

This is a very enjoyable movie, nonetheless. People who like the fact that Star Wars is a Campbellian construction of the Hero's Journey should definitely check this movie out--it might as well have been the primary source for George Lucas' later work. And for science fiction fans as a whole, it's a classic example of the form.

But MAN, was that robot and the ice cave WEIRD.

--PolarisDiB

Buy Logan's Run (2009) Now

My comments pertain only to the Blu-Ray version. The technical quality is very disappointing for me. The sharpness and detail does not compare to most of the other Blu-Ray titles I have watched. It is much improved over the DVD version, but that isn't saying much, because the DVD release of this title looked like a bad dub of a bad VHS tape. This Blu-Ray release is comparable to what the earlier DVD release should have looked like. The back indicates that it is released through the Turner and Warner Bros operations, so I suppose that says a lot. I wish that companies such as these would throw in the towel and turn this stuff over to companies that care at least a little bit about the quality of the product, as opposed to how much revenue it generates. They care only about how much revenue it generates, and for the most part could care less whether the technical quality is up to the standard for the media.

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I remember that Logan's Run is the first science fiction movie that I ever watched, which probably has some bearing on how I've rated it.

This movie is based upon the best selling book Logan's Run by William Nolan. The movie does take some artistic license but nothing too drastic as to completely disown it from the book, such as that horrid movie, Starship Troopers. The effect is that more people are better able to relate to the characters...also probably because they couldn't find actors young enough to match the book.

Another unfortunate is that after the movie had been edited, the cut tape littering the floor was disposed of rather than saved for posterity purposes. One of the cut scenes that I wished could have been saved is where Box creates the ice statue of Logan and Jessica.

Many people like to disregard this movie as too cheesy and/or campy; however, you have to put the movie into context as to when it was filmed and released. The advancement of special effects as seen in Star Wars (released the year after Logan's Run) wasn't available to other studios at the time. Using miniatures was still considered cutting edge in addition to some of the 3D holograms that were used in the computer room.

I'd highly recommend watching this movie as it's a wonderful return to the mid-70's world of science fiction.

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I have fond memories of seeing "Logan's Run" in the theaters many years ago, and am delighted to see this film getting a fine presentation on DVD. Directed by Michael Anderson, the film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humans live a hedonistic life in the shelter of a domed city. There's just one catch to this pleasure-oriented utopia: nobody is permitted to live past the age of 30. The title character, played by Michael York, is a Sandman: an elite policeman assigned to kill those who flee the birthday death sentence. But a surprising assignment takes Logan on a voyage that will change him profoundly.

"Logan's Run" is an adventure tale, a love story, a crime drama, a social satire, and a sumptuous visual spectacle all in one. The whole package is superbly enhanced by Jerry Goldsmith's inventive and varied score. This is one of the most visually stylish science fiction films ever made; it's full of scenes that are truly unforgettable.

The film is really grounded by the performances by the superb cast. Michael York and Jenny Agutter make an absolutely enchanting screen couple; the evolution of their characters' relationship is one of the key pleasures of the film. Richard Jordan brings complexity and intensity to his role as a fellow Sandman. And Peter Ustinov is delightfully warm, funny, and loveable in a critical supporting role.

The DVD includes a vintage "making of" featurette, as well as a full-length audio commentary by actor York, director Anderson, and costume designer Bill Thomas. The three discuss casting, stunts, special effects, Peter Ustinov's ad-libbing, and other aspects of making the film. They reveal some fascinating and delightful bits of trivia along the way. This is one of those great commentary tracks that makes you appreciate the film even more.

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Moon (2009)

It was easy to dismiss Moon as a 2001: A Space Odyssey clone based on the trailers, claustrophobic space station setting and the HAL 9000-like robot assistant (GERTY). It is a surprisingly fun space mystery and I'm glad I was wrong. The film opens with a commercial from Lunar Industries, promising a safe, dependable, and clean energy source from the moon. Then it cuts right to the lunar surface where astronaut/miner Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is preparing a cargo of helium for launch back to Earth.

With 2 weeks left of his contract, he is more than ready to go home. Living in isolation on the dark side of the moon for the past 3 years, with the satellite dish down, his only link with Earth are company transmissions, delayed TV feeds of sporting events, and the occasional pre-recorded video relay from his wife. With not another living soul on the moon, Sam occupies himself by talking to his plants, carving a miniature model of his town, and talking to GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Sam thinks he's going insane from the psychological stress of isolation and starts seeing things. He scalds his hand on boiling water and later causes a serious crash with his rover, knocking out one of the giant combine harvesters. This is where the real mystery begins, as Sam discovers that he is not alone. I won't spoil the surprise, but what follows is an entertaining and suspenseful experience.

GERTY's monotone diction, calm demeanor, and design are unmistakably inspired by HAL 9000, a perhaps deliberate decision by the filmmakers to heighten the sense of mystery and play on our preconceived notions of the sci-fi genre built up by other films. He also has a camera "eye" like HAL, and we've also seen the maniacal ship's AI Otto from Wall-E. We don't know if GERTY's pleasantly warm voice and smiley face LCD display means he is genuinely helpful or if he's concealing a secret agenda. Director Duncan Jones is using our expectations against us, and this is part of the fun of unraveling the drama of Moon.

The film draws influences from other films like Blade Runner, Aliens, and of course, 2001 (whose vision of the future is clean and white interiors with bright lights) and Silent Running. With a 90 min runtime, the film is short. Made on a tiny budget (by today's standards) of $5 million, it is carried by the remarkable performance of Rockwell whose shows many sides of the Sam character. Interiors are very convincingly designed, with some lunar surface shots and CG that are perhaps a bit too heavy on lens flare. Except one instance of backal nudity (unfortunately, it's from Rockwell and not the lovely Dominique McElligott), a scene of nasty vomiting and a fist-fight, nothing too graphic is shown. The ending could've used maybe 3-5 minutes more of exposition as it did feel a bit rushed, but don't let me dissuade you from watching this wonderful film. A totally worthwhile way to spend movie night. 4.5/5

If you are fortunate enough to live in a city where this movie is playing, I highly advise that you go see it. Despite falling under the category of science-fiction, Moon is not a movie where you have to be a science-fiction buff to appreciate its many virtues. In fact, it might be more accurate to describe Moon as a drama. The drama in this case is to be found within oneself, as Moon is pretty much a one man show.

The movie begins with a commercial for Lunar Industries, a company that has found alternative energy sources on the moon. True to the nature of any corporation, costs are apparently kept to a minimum by having only a single human being on their moon base to oversee the extraction of Helium 3 -the precious alternative energy source. Consequently, Sam Bell is that sole employee who is serving out his 3 year contract on the moon. Stationed with him on this moon base is a computer with an emoticon personality named Gherty 3000. Other than, he has only himself for company. In the final stretch of his contract Sam slips into despair and falls prey to his own hallucinations. Moon is a survival story. The drama, however, is not in Sam's fight for physical survival or even mental survival. His battle is an emotional one. His memories of earth and loved ones waiting for him are the raw materials for his survival -but may also be the wellsprings for his rapid slip into despair.

Artistically, Moon pays its greatest homage to Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Gherty 3000 is an obvious nod to the Hal 9000 in both its name and in the ominous voice that is provided by Kevin Spacey. Even the design of the computer interface and its typography is a revival of Kubrick's vision of the Discovery One ship. Unlike 2001, which remained mostly silent and stoic throughout, Moon is full of emotional inflections that curve our perception of both Sam and Gherty. Isolation has its quirky side with Moon. Space movies often evoke the question, "Are we alone in this universe?" Moon truncates that question to this: "Are we alone?"

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Once in a while, and more frequently in this genre than most others it seems; a film comes along with a very modest budget (in this case $5M), a limited cast, and a whole lot of heart. In the case of Moon, director Duncan Jones continues on in the tradition of works like Danny Boyle's Sunshine or perhaps even more appropriately, Neil Blomkamp's District 9. However, its inclusion in the oft-suspect category of independent science fiction entertainment is by no means synonymous with cheesy rubber masks, shoddy sets, or below par CGI; in fact quite contraire. Moon manages to accomplish a surprising deal of well-written plot structure and melds it with consistent, appropriate and believable visuals (whether special effect shots or otherwise). Amidst the current trend of bloated CG-overloaded "blockbusters" that attempt to make up for their lack of substance with flashy visuals, Moon is a refreshing diversion to say the least.

The tale centers on Sam Bell, the only man living on the moon in an undisclosed future date (but based on the technology, certainly the foreseeable future), who is nearing the conclusion of a three-year contract to work for Lunar Industries.

As the lone employee stationed at their lunar facility, Sam's primary job responsibility is to harvest and periodically ship (via rocket) to Earth supplies of helium-3; the clean and apparently extremely abundant fuel source used by future society.

In addition to the loneliness Sam experiences in complete isolation, there apparently is no direct communication link available between the lunar station and Earth. Fortunately he does experience a good deal of daily interaction with GERTY; an artificially intelligent computer/ robot that tends to his daily needs (voiced brilliantly by Kevin Spacey).

While the viewer is treated to a heartfelt demonstration of Sam's almost singular desire to complete his contract and return to Earth to be with his wife Tess and their infant daughter Eve, things start to get very interesting when with only two weeks to go, he gets into a rover accident at one of the mechanical harvesters and is rendered unconscious.

To continue on with the plot summation would not only provide critical spoilers (something I despise personally and make a practice of avoiding in my critiques) but it would also jeopardize some of the most spectacular moments of the prose whereby the viewer, through the bewilderment of the lead character, discovers that all is not as it initially appears.

What is revealed as the layers of mystery are rolled back like the skin of so many proverbial onions is actually a subliminally sad account of the cruelty of the human mind and the frailty of the human body. And while there is undeniable hope to be found in the tale's conclusion, it comes with the bittersweet lacing of the would ifs, could ifs and what-nows that are left for the viewer to ponder once the credits roll. This fact alone is nearly a guarantee that the film will continue popping up in your thoughts for days, maybe even weeks after viewing. In fact I'm thoroughly convinced that this is one of those rare pieces that, like a fine wine, requires a lengthy period of digestion (processing) to fully appreciate.

Sam Rockwell's performance of lead character Sam Bell is remarkable upon first impression and perhaps even more so upon examination of the unique capture process in the film's "making of" documentaries.

Speaking of, the single disc DVD boasts a surprisingly robust extra-feature set including two full-length commentary tracks (one with Writer/Director Duncan Jones, Director of Photography Gary Shaw, Concept Designer Gavin Rothery and Production Designer Tony Noble and the second with Writer/Director Duncan Jones again and Producer Stuart Fenegan), "Whistle" a Short Film by Duncan Jones, The Making of Moon, Creating the Visual Effects, Science Center Q&A with Director Duncan Jones, a Filmmaker's Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival, and like a whole lot of Sony trailers.

About the biggest complaint I've encountered surrounding the project would have to be gripes that the prose isn't action-packed, particularly comedic, or even that the pacing is a bit tedious. While I cannot dispute all such claims, I can assure that the cleverness of the script is solid enough to command even the most restless viewer's curiosity. Coming in at a runtime of 97-minutes, there is no fluff or unnecessary plotting to cloud the potency of the tale.

In all it is very easy to recommend this piece of independent science fiction as it represents the culmination of all that is wrong with big budget filmmaking these days by contrast. The fact that Sony Classics was wise enough to recognize this reality is hopeful of things to come in and of itself. Duncan Jones deserves credit on having written and directed a wonderfully entertaining motion picture that will, hopefully be only the first of many such future developments.

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"Moon" stars Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, an employee of a moon-based energy company called Lunar. Sam lives in an isolated base that controls three massive "harvesters," which travel across the surface of the moon to collect rocks containing Helium-3. His only companion is a large robot named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) who looks like a copy machine suspended from the ceiling. Gerty also has a screen that displays emoticons to express his feelings. With his three-year contract nearly up, Sam is preparing to return to earth and the loving arms of his wife and new-born daughter, both of whom we see in video calls. However, Sam has an accident while trying to attend to one of the harvesters, and he wakes up confused in the infirmary. Gerty tells him that he was unconscious for only a short time; however, Gerty is acting rather oddly (his emoticon's eyes do that darting back forth thing that cartoon characters do when they lie). Is he lying?

First time director Duncan Jones (AKA Zowie Bowie the son of David Bowie) helmed this indie sci-fi flick with a meager $5 million dollar budget, or roughly the amount "Avatar" spent on bagels for the craft services table. Nevertheless, the film's look and effects are quite believable. Scenes on the moon were filmed with models overlayed with CGI, which gives them a fairly realistic look. Written by Jones with Nathan Parker, The plot has some predictable elements (a meddling evil company, a lying robot). However, the story manages to hold some surprises and intelligently explores Rockwell's predicament. To borrow a line from his father's first hit single, Jones "really made the grade" with his debut.

Jones wrote the movie for Sam Rockwell. I'm not a fan of Rockwell's work but he definitely brings something different to the role as a twitchy astronaut who (to borrow from another song) finds that "it's lonely out in space." [Actually, now that I think about it, Elton John's "Rocket Man" is much better description of "Moon" than is "Space Oddity."] One of my favorite parts of sci-fi films is the robots, and I loved Gerty and his emoticon face. Spacey's vocals strike the perfect balance between a human-sounding robot and still sounding vaguely ominous (apparently his vocals were altered slightly). Another major strength is the haunting score by Clint Mansell, which manages to highlight and elevate key scenes without being the least bit intrusive. I enjoyed "Moon" and was happy to read that Jones is planning a follow-up of sorts called "Mute," which will explore another story set in this timeline.

The DVD is packed with extras including two commentaries with the director (one with the writer/producer and another with members of the technical crew) and several behind the scenes making of flicks.

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I have seen a lot of movies this year and "Moon" is one of the few that I truly and thoroughly enjoyed. I don't even know where to begin with my praise. It is hard for me to believe that this movie was made on the meagre budget of only 5 million Dollars! Most Hollywood directors would have a laughing fit and say it is impossible to make a movie with pocket money like that, but "Moon" doesn't look cheap. Not one bit. It is a very sleek movie. The SFX are not used to dazzle but to enhance the look and turn the already wonderful set of a lunar base into something that really sits on the moon. It is re-freshing to have a SciFi movie in which the SFX take a back seat. The score by Clint Mansell is a beautiful understated affair that fits perfectly to the tone of the overall story. No. This movie is not cheap. It is elegant and Duncan Jones and the whole production team need to be congratulated for this amazing achievement!

For Sam Rockwell the movie is a tour de force. This is a one man show and it could have gone all horribly wrong with a less talented actor, but his acting just blew me away. I am hoping against hope that this movie will have a wider release. So far it has been only shown on various film festivals like the Viennale, Sundance or Tribeca and only had a wider release in the UK. I really do not want to see this movie to become an insider like "The Fall". It really deserves recognition. It doesn't happen very often, that a movie this good comes along and Sam Rockwell and Duncan Jones should receive at least some awards. I will cross my fingers.

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Sands of the Kalahari (1965)

SANDS OF THE KALAHARI is an absorbing, retro action adventure about of group of random people who survive a chartered plane crash in the wilds of an African desert. Their pack leader is Stuart Whitman who devolves to a brutal animal -all the better to fight the bloodthirsty baboons circling their make-shift encampment. But when the final confrontation comes, will it result in justice or revenge or rescue? The Blu-ray disc looks great. This much-wanted cult classic finally arrives with no fanfare and no extras. Fine direction from Cy Enfield, a great cast, stunning African location as well as the fierce colony of baboons add immensely to the authenticity of this riveting survival drama.

This film is a classic from the mid 1960s. It is a struggle for survival under adverse conditions. It begins in a very similar manner to "Flight of the Phoenix" (in fact both films were made at about the same time) in which a plane with a handful of passengers crashes in the desert, this one caused by locusts.

The characters consist of several men and one woman, namely Susannah York. The search for food and water along with fighting the elements becomes critical. Stuart Whitman's character assumes leadership of the group in an aggressive and autocratic style while Stanley Baker endeavours to ensure everyone's safety.

Inevitably tensions between these two lead to violence in the fight for control (shades of "Lord of the Flies").

I won't give away the ending, but it is quite alarming. This movie is exciting and well put together with superb character development and well worthwhile watching.

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Long ago, I saw this as a child back in the Sixties when it was shown on television. Decades later, with the internet available to track it down, I finally got a knock-off DVD of it. Now I am excited to see it has been given the final glorybluray!

This is one of those excellent plane-crash in remote areas genre of films from the Fifties and Sixties. The cast is terrific, the location is gloriously desolate, and then there's those baboons. My favorite character is Whitman's who devolves into a primal man, willingly abandoning civilization. There seems to be a backstory to him, but that is left as a mystery.

And now an observation after viewing this fine film 40 years later. And this is a spoiler, so don't read further if you haven't seen it. When O'Brian has his final battle, I had always assumed the worst. But, as he did kill the leader, what if the others are not attacking him, but gathering to recognize the new baboon king? This would complete his devolution. Just a comforting thought opposed to the horror of what probably happened.

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This is a film I have waited years to see on DVD. It's finally here and this copy is excellent and not a rip-off or bad dupe from an old VHS. The story still holds up and it's a great addition to my collection. If you enjoy adventure, suspense, a little sex and lots of psychological conflict, get this very entertaining film.

Want Sands of the Kalahari (1965) Discount?

The great Stanley Baker/Cy Endfield team that produced "Zulu" the year before, released this pic in 1965. Although similar to "Flight of the Phoenix" released

the same year (with an all-star cast and huge budget), this more modest film is, in

my opinion, much superior.

Stanley Baker was always one of my favorite actors. He had a noble bearing not unlike Lawrence Olivier although he was originally cast in working-class parts like

the lorry driver in the excellent "Hell Drivers" (incidentially featuring a cast of

future superstars). His death at the early age of 48 left a void in British cinema

that has never quite been filled.

The original releasing company was Paramount. The cast is terrific, including

Harry Andrews, Theodore Bikel, Nigel Davenport, and the late Susannah York. The

much underrated Stuart Whitman has never been better. I feel this is his finest role. I only wish the DVD had a commentary by Whitman, Bikel, and/or Davenport,

the only surviving actors from the film. When these folks are gone it's too late

and the only sources of first-hand memories are forever lost.

The music score is fantastic and is composed by the late great Johhny Dankworth.

It is stark, haunting, and totally suitable for this film unlike many of the mundane cookie-cutter scores in current flicks.

This is an unforgettable film suggesting a sense of time and place. You will not

see a film like this made now because it is really a low-key character study and

almost too cerebral for today's dumbed-down audiences. A keeper-don't miss it.

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