Shall We Dance? (2004)

It was difficult, indeed, because Gere has a certain magnetism, both on and off screen, that transcends just his looks and certainly overwhelms his acting, which can be a bit stiff at times. In this movie, Gere is perfection. Of course, we make the comparison to his best role, in "Chicago", and we don't find him wanting here. As an ordinary man, in an unremarkable field of law (he writes wills for his clients), he has a daughter he loves, and a beautiful and accomplished wife (like many, too busy with mothering and career to see what he might be missing) in the incomparable Susan Sarandon.

Here she is just more than a bit player, but her appeal and her counterpoint to Gere is well cast. Gere is downcast because something is missing in his life, something that will help restore the joy. A subplot involves Sarandon hiring a detective to find out what her husband has been up to, and she has her best scenes as a sexy counterpoint to detective Devine (Richard Jenkins) that are reminiscent of her old role in the delightful "Compromising Positions"....Jenkin's assistant, Scottie, is a walking encyclopedia of literature and facts, and is ably played by Nick Cannon, who we saw last year in "Drumline"

It could have been anything that changed his life, but Gere chooses ballroom dancing. The draw is the beautiful and mysterious face he sees in the window of "Miss Mitzi's Dancing School". In that face, in that manner, the melancholy Paulina (Jennifer Lopez surprises with her elegant detachment), draws him because in her, he sees himself certainly he is attracted by her beauty, but it is clear from the beginning that there is little in the way of romance between them; just two souls that are overwhelmed by sadness, trying to recapture some of the joy in their lives by dancing.

Miss Mitzi's is a shabby little school where Gere finds himself in a beginners' class with Bobby Cannavale (Third Watch, Oz, The Station Agent) who shows some comic chops, and the loveable Omar Benson Miller (8 Mile, Sorority Boys) who is hard not to like as a clumsy giant. Both Chick and Vern blossom under the tutelage of Miss Mitzi (Anita Gillette), who is not above a little nip of gin from her flask from time to time as she tries to cope with her "dancers". The bonding of the people in the class is the most understated message in the movie sometimes you continue to do things because you have found a camaraderie with others who are unlikely friends.

Add some over the top comedy from one of my favorite actors, the marvelous Stanley Tucci (with a wig that needed to meet an untimely death) and Lisa Ann Walter (she's one of those actresses that always is cast comedically, and you swear you've seen her a hundred times; in reality, her best roles were rather minor, in "The Parent Trap", as the maid, and in "Bruce Almighty" as Jennifer Aniston's buddy) both of them are passionate about the dance, and Tucci, as Link Peterson, from Gere's law firm, is trying to hide his passion in plain sight.

Timing is everything, and Director Peter Chelsom, a Brit with little exposure in this country, succeeds in building up to the dance competition, with the inevitable crash and burn scene, followed by a heart-warming conclusion where we learn that Gere has not wasted his efforts, and has truly made a difference in his life with his unusual choice of hobby.

The soundtrack for "Shall We Dance?" is a delicious mix of new and old, and I was taken by Mya's rendition of David Bowie's old chestnut "Let's Dance". High time that was remade, and a highlight of an eclectic musical background that aids the film but doesn't overwhelm the script. The choreography is stunning, both in the school and at the competition.

Give La Lopez credit for her ability to dance; whether she is dancing to Latin rhythms, completing a perfect waltz, or, in my favorite scene teaching Gere to really feel the music in a perfect pairing that is all romance and virtually no sexual tension. Lopez is beautiful. Her costumes are perfect for her, and there is an amazing little black dress in the scene where she loses her cool and lectures Gere on what the emotions of the rhumba really are she's gorgeous in this incarnation. Funny, in some ways she has a catalyst role, and doesn't really get involved in the humor, which is subtle and makes you smile, rather than trying to be hysterically funny, which she could never pull off.

I loved my night with "Shall We Dance?". I'll definitely buy the DVD for more viewings! I didn't see the Japanese original, nor did I try to compare it to other dance movies and find it wanting. I just purely enjoyed the storyline, the filming and the romance. You will too.

I saw the Japanese original film "Shall We Dance?" few years ago and I was charmed by its subtlety and delicacy. I did not plan to see the remake because I am not crazy about the remakes in general and I did not look forward to see Lopez or Gere in the movie together. When I finally saw the movie (my mom who's seen both films highly recommended the American version to me), I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

The cultural contrast of the Japanese film ceased to exist in the 2004 movie but there is still a lot to like in it. First of all, I love to watch good dancing and "Shall We Dance?" has plenty of it. Gere's and Lopez's dancing together has grace and passion, and it was a wonderful moment in the film.

Then, there are memorable and funny supporting characters that had screen time enough to become more than the lifeless shadows Stanley Tucci (Link) and Lisa Ann Walter (Bobbie) for whom the ballroom dancing is the road to freedom, and happiness.

And the last but not the least, the movie is asking the question, how to make a man happy if he's got everything the job he enjoys, the family he loves, his health, and good looks but something is missing? It would take more than any movie to answer the question but perhaps it would help one day just take a different road and open a new door?

3.5/5 or 7/10

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As far as remakes go, this one isn't too bad. It's hard to translate the cultural aspects, which play a major role in the original Japanese version, but they managed to recreate that part of the conflict quite nicely.

As a ballroom dancer, I was somewhat torn with this movie. There were some very obvious glaring errors in it, for anyone who knows ANYTHING about ballroom dancing. However, the story was enjoyable enough and the characters likable enough that it generally made up for it.

Richard Gere truly shines in this film. After the hit film "Chicago," it became obvious that Gere has quite a talent for dancing, and it was wonderful that he was able to further improve that particular gift in this show. Gere has an undeniable presence on the screen, which added so much to his role in "Shall We Dance." His character was charming and real, and I found myself really cheering for him. And heck, I wouldn't mind seeing him do more ballroom dancing, he really has a great feel for it! If I didn't know better, I'd say he'd been doing ballroom for much longer than it took to make this film.

Susan Sarandon was completely believable as his wife, and I liked her as much as I liked Gere. I wanted to see even more of her. I think my favorite scene with her was when she was trying to learn a little about ballroom dancing herself, secretly trying to gain understanding from a book and dancing in the bedroom just as her husband had done so covertly.

Stanley Tucci was, as always, brilliantly hilarious in his role as Gere's coworker. Playing a Latin dancer trying to hide his passion for the sport, Tucci provides a good amount of the comedy in this show. I wasn't quite expecting his role to be what it was, and he isn't the dancer that Gere is, but it's obvious he had fun with it, and that was great to watch. I thought he was perfect for that role.

While I did enjoy Jennifer Lopez's dancing, I must confess that I found her character a little too two-dimensional for my taste. She was actually one of my LEAST favorite characters in the piece, and I didn't quite buy her as a professional dancer in the flashbacks --especially since she was dancing with one of the best standard ballroom dancers in the world, Gary McDonald. However, I did thoroughly enjoy the scene in which she taught Gere how to feel the music, using an incredible tango I had never heard before.

The music in this show is quite good. You really need good music in a dance movie, and this has an excellent soundtrack, which I dance to all the time. The tango especially is quite unique --sort of a cross between a tango and a rumba.

The costumes are also quite impressive. Designs by Randall contributed the ballroom costumes, and in fact, I have seen a couple of those costumes in action before, at real competitions! That was a neat connection I was able to make.

The complaints I had about the movie were few, actually. My biggest problem was during the Latin competition. They spent all this time talking about the rumba --and Gere even MENTIONS that the Novice dances are rumba and cha-cha --and then at the actual competition, suddenly they're doing a paso doble?!? That was incredibly annoying, especially with all the build-up they had beforehand. And frankly, you will never EVER see a paso doble done at the Novice level at competition, it's always rumba and either cha-cha or samba. I was at a complete loss as to why they did that.

Other than that, there were just little things that a ballroom dancer would easily catch, and Tucci drops a competely unnecessary f-bomb.

But on the whole, this is a fun movie, and one I would recommend to most people. I would like to see Richard Gere do MORE dancing movies in future!

Read Best Reviews of Shall We Dance? (2004) Here

I don't know how many times I've read reviews of this movie that slammed it because "the Japanese version is better." No, it isn't. The Japanese version "different" and different is good. Okay, the Japanese version deals with the social stigmatism of showing off in public and ballroom dancing is one target of their uptightness. That's a great angle to tell a story from.

In the U.S., obviously, we don't have that kind of social convention. We have a totally different outlook on such things, but they can run quite parallel to the Japanese way of life. In the American version, John Clark has pretty much everything he could ask for. A beautiful wife, two great kids, a nice home and much more. And he is bored out of his skull and has no idea why. When he finds that he loves ballroom dancing and then is found out by his wife, he doesn't have to deal with the social implications of public displays as in the Japanese version, but the embarrassment and heartache of having to admit that his "perfect life" was missing something.

Though our society doesn't condemn you for wanting to dance, or more specifically, ballroom dance, you will find out how many morons there are around you that will assume that if you are a guy and you love to dance, you must be gay. Link Peterson was absolutely correct in keeping his passion secret for as long as he did and he was dead right on about the reaction that would occur if the people in the office found out about it.

So I give this film five stars just because, as a dance movie, it has great dancing. As a romance, it shows what can happen when secrets are kept and how much better off our relationships would be if we didn't try so hard to hide them. Get this movie and enjoy a good story and quit worrying so much about how Japanese society is "this" and Japanese society is "that."

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Go ahead and give me unhelpful votes if you disagree with my opinion, but I enjoyed this movie. I left the movie theatre with a lump in my throat and a good feeling inside, and I was entertained, and isn't that what watching movies is about? At least I felt that way. Maybe the movie is different from the original, but not seeing the original and just seeing this one, I can say I liked this movie. A good cast, including Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. I enjoy Lopez's movies but on this movie she plays more of a supporting role, and her acting style in this movie is much more restrained than in movies in the past. I won't give away plot but if you want a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and just feel good, then SHALL WE DANCE? is for you. The music in the movie is great as well!

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At the Gate of the Ghost

I expected this to be a grand martial arts movie with lots of action scenes. Instead I found a really well told story with lots to consider. Thoroughly enjoyable.

this movie is only a modern adaption of the movie "rashomon" by akira kurosawa. get the original instead.

there are very little changes to kurosawas version.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy) (2010)

If there's anything that Walden Media's CHRONICLES OF NARNIA movie franchise (based on C.S. Lewis' timeless novels) is known for lately, it could very well be that it ever continued at all. The first film, THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, was a box office smash, but successor PRINCE CASPIAN didn't achieve the same success. But when Disney, who distributed and funded both films, decided not to participate in anymore NARNIA adventures, it seemed as though Lewis' tales were destined to remain forever frosted by the White Witch. But thankfully, Walden Media refused to let NARNIA die so easily, and so they've teamed up with 20th Century Fox to complete the third movie in the series, THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER. It could also very well be the last entry; critics have been lukewarm to negative on this film, and faced with so much competition this year from family films such as TRON LEGACY, HARRY POTTER, and even upcoming duds like YOGI BEAR and GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, this film could very well have a hard time finding its audience. Whether the franchise continues or not is ultimately irrelevant, however, because what ultimately counts is that THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER is a wonderful way to spend another two hours in the world that Lewis conjured up so many years ago.

I knew it would happen. From the moment the opening titles came across the screen, I could feel the nostalgic magic so prevaliant in the first NARNIA movie seeping in, and it stayed that way for me the whole time. The major difference, of course, is the set-up of the story. Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund Pevensie (Skander Keyes), both approaching adulthood, are staying with their snarky, obnoxious cousin, Eustace (Will Poulter) when they notice a beautiful painting of a fantastical ship sailing on the ocean waters. And of course, the picture comes to life, resulting with the squabbling children washed on the deck of the ship in question, the Dawn Treader, where their old friend, Caspian (Ben Barnes), now a bonafide king, welcomes them. It turns out that Caspian is searching for the seven lords that were banished from Narnia during the reign of his evil uncle. Acompanied by the swashbuckling mouse warrior, Reepicheep (voiced by Simon Pegg), the youngsters travel to various islands across the oceans in search of them. And will Aslan (voiced, once more, by Liam Neeson) be there to help them? You betcha.

In addition to being a seagoing adventure (inevitable since most of the action takes place on the titular vessel), this tale also deals with spiritual matters. Rather than matching wits against an evil menace as with the last two films (although the White Witch does make some brief cameo appearances), the major conflict deals with Lucy, Edmund, Caspian, and especially Eustace, all dealing with their own inner demons. Each island adventure places the quartet through a series of psychological trials that they must overcome. The lands they visit are a strange, yet fascinating lot. There's the Lost Islands, operated by greedy slavemasters who make fortunes out of auctioning kidnapped people to baddies. Another is seemingly deserted, trippy-looking place that looks as though it could come from ALICE IN WONDERLAND inhabited by invisible creatures as well as a magician (whose book can conjure up all kinds of spells, including one that grants pure beauty). Still others include a cave with a pond that turns everything into gold, a dragon's treasure horde, an abandoned temple that turns out to be under a spell, and, ultimately, a thick fog of darkness in which one's worst fears comes alive. It is within these places that each character undergoes some growth. One of my particular favorite scenes involves Lucy wishing she could be as beautiful as her older sister Susan (Anna Popplewell, in a brief cameo), until Aslan admonishes her for stealing the spell from the magician's book. This is very powerfully depicted through dramatic lighting and emotionally charged acting. At one point, Edmund and Caspian both become jealous of each other when they are tempted by greed, but it's ultimately Eustace who shows the most growth in the picture.

In the beginning of the film, Eustace is just about what you would expect from Lewis' text--he's snobbish, selfish, and condescending, delighting in bullying others while declaring himself superior. He hates his cousins and quickly makes an enemy out of Reepicheep, who, at one point, chastises him for grabbing his most precious attribute: "No one touches the tail!" And just when you've had enough of him, he is transformed into a fire-breathing dragon midway through the film. This is where Eustace's character development really begins, as Reepicheep takes him under his, well, paws, and inspires him to do the right thing. This abovementioned dynamic is the heart of the entire picture, and most of the credit goes to Will Poulter and Simon Pegg for their chemistry. Poulter does a bang-up job of making Eustace bratty and unlikeable, and his maturation is a joy to behold. This guy seriously needs an award for his performance. Pegg, although vocally different from predecessor Eddie Izzard, is a delight as the mouse warrior; his voice is a cross between John Cleese and Cary Elwes, which captures his attitude to a T and beyond. He has the best lines in the picture and obviously has fun with his role--although the real success to the character is the very convincing computer-animated effects that bring the mouse to life.

That's one of the many memorable aspects of VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER, which isn't to say that it is without its faults. The film is directed by Michael Apted (the previous ones by Andrew Adamson), and he moves the tale along at a rapid pace, making it the breeziest (and shortest) of the NARNIA films. However, I do have some qualms about both his direction and the adaptation; one of them is the scene where Eustace shows himself as a dragon for the first time. Rather than having him see his reflection in the water, Apted decides instead to show Eustace's charred clothes, and then have his dragon form fly out of nowhere. This disappointed me somewhat, as I felt that Lewis' original description of this moment was more powerful. Furthermore, the encounter with Lilandi (Laura Brent), Caspian's future queen, is dealt with rather quickly. An extra five minutes to show Caspian's affection for the girl wouldn't have hurt. Finally, although the film is faithful to the novel for the most part, there is at least one addition that felt very pointless--a girl named Gael (Arabella Morton) who stows away with her father in search of her missing parents. The new character doesn't have a particularly compelling personality and feels so irrelevant that one wonders why the screenwriters included her at all.

But those are, truthfully, the only quibbles I have with THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER. Other controversial changes are nowhere nearly as bothersome. At first I wasn't so sure about the newly invented subplots concerning the search for the missing swords of the seven lords or a menacing green mist that appears every time a character is tempted, but in the end, I ultimately approved them wholeheartedly. This especially works in favor of the climactic fight against one of the ugliest sea serpents ever committed to film (particularly when it literally tears apart into the likeness of a centipede), which is occasionally interspersed with ghostly images of Tilda Swinton's White Witch tempting Edmund to join her. Although longer than in the book, this sequence is nonetheless very thrilling and arguably a more epic scene than in the original. (It should be known, though, that this scene may be too scary for the young.)

Every other aspect of the picture is exactly what one would ask for from a NARNIA adventure. The cinematography and visual effects are both breathtaking and gorgeous to look at (there were a couple of places where some CG was obvious, but not enough to detract--the film was made on a smaller budget than predecessor CASPIAN), and David Arnold's score is amazingly epic, occasionally using some of original composer Harry Gregson-Williams' original tunes at various points in the movie. Finally, the performances are top-notch. Henley's Lucy has always been the most appealing attribute about the whole story, and she is no different here. Every minute she is on screen is a pure delight, and her expressions and emotions are perfectly conveyed. Keyes, who had a much smaller part in the previous movie, gets to do a lot more in this third chapter; granted there are some moments where one feels that his character briefly reverts to his old self, but Keyes handles that very effectively. Barnes mysteriously loses the Spanish accent he was criticized for in the last film, yet it is hardly noticeable, as his performance is much more confident this time around. The chemistry between all three is fantastic and, after Eustace and Reepicheep, provide the film with a warm, emotional ebb that works effectively in the final parting scenes at the end of the film.

Overall, THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER, although not quite as magical as the first movie, is still a very entertaining, joyous escapist fantasy which provides a lot of fun for every second of its 115 minute running time. There are some differences from the book that purists may quibble with, and a couple of scenes that could stand to be either better or at least more fleshed out, but nonetheless it is a pleasure to join the Pevensies on one final adventure in the world of talking animals, monsters, prophecies and enchantment. Whether the series continues or not, this is a fitting end and a delight from start to finish. Now if only the film could be about 30 minutes longer....

Right off the top, if you're looking for a literal book-to-movie adaptation, you're going to be very disappointed. Aslan may as well be a tiger. There are countless modifications that did not completely align with the book and numerous subtleties noticeable to anyone familiar with the story.

For the most part, however, TVOTDT stayed true to form, following Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) along with their easy to hate cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) through the fabric of a family painting and into the vast tapestry of the Narnian world created by C.S. Lewis and onto the Dawn Treader (the ship in the painting). Aboard the ship the join forces with recently crowned a year in Earthly time, and three in Narnia King Caspian (Ben Barnes) who, along with his crew of sentient beasts and willing sailors, seeks out seven Telmarine lords and swords. Almost immediately after they board the Dawn Treader, and unequivocally after they disembark for their first island excursion, the movie begins to take liberties with the original tale. Speaking of tales...Eustace did NOT spar with Reepicheep; he swung the mouse around by the tail. This sort of misguided subtraction by addition is why many fans of the original storyline could be displeased by this movie. Nonetheless, it's still a fantasy-adventure tale in which the characters grow and learn from their tribulations.

Acting-wise, everything was professionally done. Actors and voice actors alike were entertaining (Simon Pegg was particularly good as the voice of heroic Reepicheep), but Will Poulter absolutely stole the show as the obnoxious cousin. I'm not sure I've ever wanted to punch an animated character before. Maybe Scrappy Doo. Anyway, Poulter is either as pompous and irritating as Eustace in real life, or idiot savant, Rainman brilliant.

CGI is naturally prominent in a movie about talking animals, dragons, and magic. None blew me away like in Avatar or Tron, but considering the target audience the realism presented was, in my opinion, nearly perfect. Scary, but not quite nightmare-worthy. The characters that were supposed to be terrifying (i.e. sea serpent) were shrouded in shadows and those who had redeeming qualities were shown in triumph and sunlight, and ways that capture the audience's attention.

Considering its engaging story and alignment with Christian allegories, this is a very good movie, an easy recommendation for families, and a worthy addition to the Chronicles of Narnia canon, despite not completely faithful to the book.

For thoroughness, a few of the differences...

MAJOR DIFFERENCES

The addition of the green mist and the sword collection was neither necessary nor a substantive improvement. The extra subplot about a father, and his stowaway child, who joins to save a wife captured by the mist was completely pointless and distractive.

MINOR DIFFERENCES

-Edmund had no big problem with his king-kid-king timeline

-No mention of the Dufflepuds giant foot looking like a mushroom.

-The sea serpent didn't die; it got tricked

-Eustace attempts steals water, not an orange

-Where is the old dragon that croaks near the water?

-The end mentions nothing about light and water

-The end mentions nothing about a marriage

-There was no prisoner/slave saving; it was a purchase

-Multiple island substories are intertwined and/or out of order

-Lord Bern got married and settled down on Felimath; he didn't get imprisoned

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For those seeking a good fantasy/adventure film, this is definitely worth it the acting, casting, special effects, visuals, etc. are all great; the basic plot of a voyage to uncharted isles in a magical land is just ripe for entertaining movie-making I'd probably give it at least 4 stars if I wasn't so attatched to CS Lewis's book. But, to me, the book this is based upon is such a great adventure story, and a classic favorite of my (and many other people's) youth, it seems a sin to make a movie adaptation and not try to stick with Lewis's original. They got the main plot sequences in, but they rushed through them in order to add a completely unneccesary plot of their own: that Caspian and friends have to collect 7 swords and arrange them on a table to stop some magic mists that are threatening Narnia. Now, for a series with a Christian subtext, it seems particularly stupid to have this meaningless mumbo-jumbo added when there are plenty of meaningful themes there that this will only detract from.

So overall, an entertaining fantasy film, but a disappointment to those who like Narnia as C.S. Lewis wrote it.

Read Best Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy) (2010) Here

At least on Amazon right now, this is the only 3 Disc (BD, DVD, Digital Copy) version for sale. So I had no choice. But the photo Amazon includes does not show this case as being anything other than the standard plastic case with a sleeve.

Which I would have loved. But nothing I hate more than a crappy storage case for a 3 disc blockbuster title.

I have included pics. I give this product 3 stars for "OK". Even though I hate it. If you want a movie review, check out the many movie review sites. If you want a film transfer review for video and audio quality, check out blu-ray.com.

This is one of the most annoying storage cases I have owned. The worst was the Toy Story complete box set, which was so bad that I returned it at a loss and bought all the films individually with multiple versions just to have the better cases.

So what makes this storage so bad? Check out the pics. It's basically paper sleeves for the discs (2 of 3), folded together. And then that folded mess it stuffed into a box sleeve, and then that sleeve is pushed into the box sleeve you see in Amazon's photo. If they would have duplicated the outer box art and disc specs from the front and back, onto the internal Box sleeve, I could at least ditch the outer box sleeve and store just the inner box sleeve on the shelf. But the inner box (while it does have specs like rating, time, etc on the back) is not as detailed as the outer box sleeve.

So it's annoying when having to get out the discs and more importantly I don't trust paper sleeves to protect the finish of the discs due to sliding motions across the disc surface.

Again, no other choice if you want BD and DVD in the same purchase/set. And even if I wanted to spend more and buy them separately, you can't on Amazon. They sell the DVD only or this set. I wish everyone would just stick to the standard BD case or case/sleeve.

UPDATE: It's not even standard BD case height! They could have at least made this crappy box look good on the shelf with all the other Blu-Rays. Who wants to mix their BD movies with their DVD cases? Again, if there was another combo set to buy, I would return this one.

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Of all the Narnia books "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is not an exciting Hollywood adventure. I have read the books many times since I was a child and I have listened to them on audio cd's. I love them and I love the movies.

I doubt people, these days, are going to sit through a movie based exactly on this book. The book is a series of small self contained adventures with no kind of antagonist present. Its a good read but not much of a Hollywood movie. So they changed it, just like the second movie. Big deal.

There were plenty of advance reviews warning people about this. I have never gone to a movie, based on a book I have read, and expected it to be the same. If it is, great. If not, no big deal, because I go without expectations. It's much more fun if you leave your expectations at home.

Besides, it's just a movie. If you can't deal with the fact that you are going to see someone's interpretation, other than your own, than don't go to movies based on books you have read. Or at least check the reviews before you go.

I sure hope some studio gives the "Silver Chair" and "The Last Battle" a go. I'm sure they would be fun to watch.

That's why I go to the movies.

WWII in HD (2010)

I have watched this series on the History channel and it is unbelievable. Although very graphic at times, the color footage is extrordinary and the comments by the veterans add a new dimension and at times will break your heart. Of all the WWII series I have seen this probably the best overall. The History channel has done a great job. I just wish the DVD was available right now. If you are at all interested in this part of US history or had a relative or friend who served in this war, you will want to get this series.

This came in a very close second in my favorite mini-series ever. Right behind Band of Brothers. Even though this series was different from B.o.B (being that the whole series was actual footage from WWII and not acting), it was still an amazing show to watch. Real footage from the war and interviews from actual soldiers that were in the war was perfect. Some of the video was graphic, but that made it real and worth watching. I rarely get teary eyed, but some of those interviews and some of the concentration camp footage, got to me. After seeing the first part, it makes you want to see more. And the other 9 parts of the series certainly delivered. I would highly recommend this to any World War buffs or to anyone who wants to see how much our veterans went through.

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This entire series is masterfully done! Instead of a bunch of facts and figures delivered by the usual talking heads often seen in documentaries, this series focuses on 12 individuals that were on the front lines during the war. The battles of WWII are told in their own words, through their letters, reports, and interviews, making the entire documentary intensely personal. The narration provided by Gary Sinise seamlessly intertwines the personal accounts with the facts of the battles and strategies used, giving the viewer all of the background information they need to understand what's going on without being the least bit intrusive. The added backdrop of the never-before-seen color WWII footage of the events really makes it seem as if the viewer is right in the middle of the action; watching and experiencing everything for themselves. History teachers and textbook authors take note: this is how history should be taught!

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This is the greatest documentary about the greatest story ever told. We think we are scared of terrorists....give me a break....terrorists are pimples on our posteriors compared to the fear the Nazis and Japs put the world through. Not only is this documentary visually breathtaking, but the meticulous research of each of the stories, the strategies of the war, and the perspective it gives the viewer is like nothing I've ever seen before. It truly proves that they were the greatest generation, the generation we should all strive to be. This documentary should be in every school...let the teacher close the book and pop this in as a history lesson because it can not be told better than this. I can't say enough about it. Jack Yusen was the best! "He went to go see his muddah on the back porch!"

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WWII in HD does a good job of using personal stories to tell a larger tale. Gary Sinise is a great narrator. The real-life soldiers/sailors/marines are terrific and their story is worthy of being told.

The production suffers from two main problems, that pull it down from being the best of class in the area of color WWII documentaries.

1) There is heavy use of colorized film. For example, you can now watch General MacArthur wade ashore in a film you've seen before, but now it's in color. I found that to be too distracting to abide. There are many, many other cases of film colorization, this is just the most shocking.

2) There is a lot of unnecessary back and forth... from Leyte to Europe, then back to Leyte, then back to Europe, then back to Leyte, then to somewhere else in Europe, then back to Leyte... At each transition, there is a high-tech, google-earth-like movement across the globe that I found out of place and amateurish given the seriousness of the subject.

I found "World War II The Lost Color Archives", sold right here at Amazon.com (World War II The Lost Color Archives), to be a much more satisfying experience. That documentary does a better job of using its 100% authentic color film to tell the story of WWII.

While "WWII in HD" is not the best documentary, either about WWII, or in the sub-genre of color presentation of the war, it should be considered a quality addition to the canon. In other words, if you own several other documentaries, you should consider getting this one too, for what it adds. However, if you are looking for one or two, definitive, documentaries to watch, then I'd suggest going elsewhere.

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Everyone Says I Love You

First of all, allow me to say that I am not a Woody Allen fan. I find his screen persona to be whiny, scatter-brained, and somewhat grating on the nerves. And he seems to use the same persona in film after film after film. I don't think I've really enjoyed any of the few Woody Allen films I've seen.

That being said, also allow me to say that this film was one of my favorite films of the last ten years. From the very first song until the song-and-dance at the end, I couldn't stop smiling. The film was utterly delightful and harkened back to the golden days of the movie musical, where the fun and the the spirit of the musical were more important than big budget stereophonic extravaganzas. Woody Allen uses a whole batch of classic-if-somewhat-forgotten tunes to complement his light and fluffy love story. Practically everyone in the movie is given a chance to sing (except Drew Barrymore, who was dubbed). Some are better than others, but the overall effect is quite magical. My favorite tune was the simple ballad that Alan Alda sings to Goldie Hawn during their characters' anniversary. It was touching and just quite romantic. And it's quite amusing (in a good way) to watch Edward Norton(!) and Tim Roth(! ) sing. This is easily one of the best musicals to come out in an extremely long time. As for Woody Allen, he plays...Woody Allen, but for once, I didn't mind at all. I was simply too enthralled by the spell his film was casting over me.

As for the DVD, the transfer is quite acceptable. The picture looks good, and the sound, while monophonic, is crystal clear. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't have an extras at all (typical of the early Disney DVDs). If the lack of extras doesn't bother you, and you love musicals as much as I do, then by all means get "Everyone Says I Love You" and you'll thank me!

Who woulda thought the Woodman could do something like this? Even as recently as 1996,when this film came out, Woody still had major chops, as witnessed by this perfect musical. This is a sublime blend of whimsy, romance, and wit. It's hard not to say that when you see a roomful of ghosts singing and rhumbaing to "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think"), or when a hospital staff and crippled patients sing and dance about love, marriage, and parenthood.

It's also touching to see Tim Roth as a tough escaped convict sing a love song to Drew Barrymore; the juxtaposition of these two opposites brings out the feeling much more than a singing citizen ever could have. And Woody and Goldie's flight-filled romantic rendition of "I'm Through With Love" on the banks of the Seine is utterly charming, making the heart float as lightly as Goldie does during her dancing.

Woody evokes Groucho Marx in an ensemble dance number about Captain Spalding (sung in French, no less!), and individually, when talking to Goldie, complete with glasses, eyebrows, and mustache--and he does a more than passing fair version of Mr. Marx himself.

One subplot about a girl in her twenties going through six or seven boyfriends in the course of the film is a hoot, and there's even a tinge of political satire as well--in the shape of a Young Republican who undergoes a magical transformation.

This will make you smile all the way through. If only Woody had the panache now that he showed so well in this film. This one's superb Woody Allen.

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Who is better qualified to comment on the absurdity of romantic relationships than Woody Allen? In this under-rated bauble, the king of neurosis confirms the answer to that question in the first person. The humor is typical Allen --witty, droll and fast-paced --and the parody is sufficiently far over the edge to make the point without beating it to death. The concept of a Woody Allen musical only adds to this glorious parody of Allen's New York.

Reading reviews that criticize this film because the singing is less than first-rate, I can only chuckle. The point of the film is absurdity. Pavarotti's rendition of "I'm Through With Love" wouldn't cut it. Oh, and by the way, corpses can't actually sing. Whatever flaws the actors bring to the songs help make the point.

So after a long day of trying to talk some sense into your boss or your goofiest relative, kick off your shoes, grab a good stiff drink and watch this film. You'll feel better.

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Lovers of the great American songbook (GAS)will recognize the title for my review. The same individuals will relish this homage by Mr Allen to the Hollywood musical and no one who has witnessed Mr James Stewart trying to get his tonsils around an Irving Berlin standard will object to any of the actors in EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU who do a commendable job of presenting some wonderful songs from the GAS. Two comments: the film positively drips with charm, and is drippy with the absurdities of those in love much like those in a Shakespearian comedy. A treat, and a GAS.

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Rewatched "Everyone Says I love you" for the umpteenth time and it still manages to evoke a great sense of appreciation and enjoyment. This is truly Woody Allen at his late-stage/post-1990's best (along with "The Manhattan Murder Mystery" and "Curse of the Jade Scorpion") impeccably interwined sub-plots showcasing a first-rate ensemble cast. While most viewers have voted the Captian Spalding's number as their personal favorite, my fave is the magical and superly choreographed song & dance by River Seine featuring Goldie Hawn as quite a dancer! Absolutely a must-have for not only Allen's fans but collectors of great musicals and movies alike!

Pierce Brosnan 007 Ultimate Edition James Bond Collection (Goldeneye, The World Is Not Enough, Die

While it's really hard to say who is the best James Bond ever, I know who my favorite is. While I freaking love Sean Connery and Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan is my favorite James Bond mostly because he was the one I grew up with. His movies exposed me to the 007 movies and I've been a fan since. So I owe Pierce (and my Dad who's a huge bond fan) for introducing me to the series. Ever since MGM came out with the Sean Connery 007 collection. There was no doubt they would come out with a collection of the Pierce Brosnan films. It's great that they finally came out with it, but the only include three of his four films. The film that is missing from this collection is "Tomarrow Never Dies" which was a great movie. Still, the three movies that are in this set are great movies and they are worth it.

Goldeneye (1995)Possibly the best movie of this set. Goldeneye was Pierce's first time as Bond and he does a great job stepping out of the shadow of both Connery and Moore. This film was also directed by Martin Campbell who would later direct Casino Royale which ironically would be Daniel Craig's first Bond movie. This was the first Bond movie I saw in theaters and it holds a good place in my love for the bond films. From the begining of the film where 007 and 006 infiltrate the Soviet chemical weapons facility to the climax where James and Alec fight on the hidden satellite dish, this film is a BLAST!!! The action scenes are fantasic and creative. The characters do things you wouldn't count one like Bond driving a tank in a great car chase scene. All the actors do a fine job as well. Sean Bean was great as Alec Trevlyan, the 00 agent gone bad. He was like a mere shadow of Bond and Alec gives you the impression of what it could be like if Bond worked for the terroists. It was rare to see a Bond villain end up being an old friend of James Bond and this film pulls it off well. Of course we have the Bond girls as well. Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonova was really good. She was a strong woman who knew how to follow her instincts and she made a good par to go along with Bond. Famke Janssen as the sadist Xenia Onatopp was darn crazy in a good way. She was a character who enjoyed pain in that werid sort of way. She may rank as one of the best evil Bond girls along with Caroline Munro's Naomi (The Spy who Loved me) to name a few. But my favorite character was Boris Grishenko played by Alan Cumming. A crazy and slezy hacker who was a a former co-worker of Natalya and now works for Alec. His line "I AM INVINCIBLE!" always caught on to me and I always found myself saying that line anytime I beat a hard game.

The World is Not Enough (1999)This was actually the third James Bond film to star Pierce Brosnan. This film was also unfortunately the final time Desmond Llewelyn would play Q before his death. After this film, John Cleese (who appears in this film as well as R) would fill in the role in the next flick. This films had a really great revenge story to it with the main villains trying to take down MI6 after previous unseen mission. Sophie Marceau was fantasic as Elektra King, young woman who was once innocent but is now twisted thanks to her former captors and MI6's previous use of her. She has that innocent look in her eyes that make you want to hug her, but holds a dark secret behind those eyes. Robert Carlyle was also great as Renard, the main villain. He plays a man on the verge of death trying to give the world one last punch to the face before he dies with the bulliet that's stuck in his brain. Denise Richards was decent as bond girl Dr. Jones (Not Indiana Jones). She was a character that was able to hold her own in certain events, but I couldn't really see Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist. Hey, it's more believeible than Tara Reid as a scientist in "Alone in the Dark." Once again, the action scenes are fantastic. The begining boat chase was possibly my favorite action scene in the movie with Bond pretty much destroying everything with Q's boat. I also loved the action scene in the nuclear plant with Bond barly esacping an expoltion in the tunnel.

Die Another Day (2002)This film seems to get a very bad rep by many critics and fans. I'll admit, it's possibly the cheeseist of the Pierce Brosnan films and it has some silly moments like the main villain who changed his appearance from a Korean to a British man and it's over use of CGI. But personally, I actually enjoyed this film for some of that stuff. It was almost like a throwback to the classic Bond films. Most notibly the laser torture scene was a tribute to Golderfinger. The opening scene was also very shocking to me because I've never seen James Bond get caught and tortured the way he was in this film. It's also crazy how that was all at the start. But othe main attraction in this film (and was the most marketed) was Hallie Berry as the led Bond girl, Jinx. She was a spanky and smart woman who truly knew how to handle herself without Bond. Hallie Berry was great in the role (great looking too) and I think she should go down as one of the best Bond girls. Rosamund Pike as also fine as evil Bond girl Miranda Frost, but the twist of her character wasn't shocking since it almost became a tradtion at this point with the Brosnan films. Two Bond girls, one good and one bad. Toby Stephens was fine as the led villain, but he was possibly the most cartoony of the Brosnan films with a cartoonish method of his plans. The action scenes are always worth it alone with the car chase in the middle of the ice lake being the main highlight.

Overall, this is a must buy collection for those who don't own any of the Pierce Brosnan 007 films. The only real downside is the fact that they didn't include "Tomarrow Never Dies" which was the 2nd film of this series. If you are a fan of Pierce Brosnan's 007 films like I am, ths is for you. I also recommend getting both of the Sean Connery and Roger Moore 007 collections if you don't already.

How can this be Pierce Brosnan ULTIMATE if it doesn't have all the movies? It's missing TOMORROW NEVER DIES. Someone didn't do their homework.

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Brosnan's Bond is credited for saving the franchise from the malaise that the series suffered from "Moonraker" through "Licence to Kill". Welcomed enthusiastically by the public and widely mourned when he departed the series, "The Billion Dollar Bond" brought fun, menace and presence to the all-but-dead series in the form of four (yep, that's FOUR) terrific movies. As good as "Goldeneye is (and it is very good), it was the second Brosnan film, "Tomorrow Never Dies", that returned the series fully to its former glory. A crazy villain, evil henchman, some of the best chases in the series, fun rapport between Bond, Moneypenny and Q, a more fully realized relationship between Bond and M, an ultra-cool bad guy lair, noirish segments, a great score and real Bond girls in Teri Hatcher and Michelle Yeoh. So, why is this movie missing from the set? This is no "ultimate" set at all, but a slap in the face to Brosnan's considerable Bond legacy.

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Awsome to have these movies packaged together and the quality is very good on High Def even though it is not BluRay. Great sound. My only beef is why leave out a film? The other Bond collections are in order with one missing on the end, but this set is missing one in between movie one and two. Strange to do it this way. Other than that, great item.

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This edition of James Bond favorites follows in the fine footsteps of previous releases in the "Ultimate" series.

Picture quality has been enhanced digitally and the sound quality of this series is superb.

For those of you who have Blue Ray players, good sound systems and are watching these "Ultimate" Bond films, your

experience will be comparable to the Blue Ray format.

The first Sean Connery set of three films in this series does have an additional disc for each of the titles in the set that

explains more fully all of the work that has been done to enhance the viewer's experience when watching this new "Ultimate"

series. More supplemental material would have been a nice bonus, but the films are fabulous!

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Halloween 4 is a terrific entry in the best slasher series of all time. While it doesn't have quite the all-pervading atmosphere, suspense, and general gloom and doom of the incomparable original, it more than lives up to the Halloween tradition. To me, the key to this movie's success is the acting talent of both Donald Pleasance (Dr. Loomis) and young newcomer Danielle Harris (Michael's niece Jamey). Disfigured from his encounter with Michael ten years earlier, Dr. Loomis strides through this movie as the avenging hero he is, having to convince foolish minds that Michael has returned home to wreak havoc yet again. Of course, you can blame a couple of paramedics for tipping Michael off that he still has a living relative, namely his sister Laurie's little girl Jamie (Laurie has supposedly died in an accident a year earlier). After Michael is transferred out from under Loomis' nose, he naturally escapes and begins leaving a trail of bodies on his way to Haddonfield. Loomis is right behind him, intent on saving the little girl from her evil uncle. The young Danielle Harris gives an incredible performance for someone so young, conveying emotion and fear quite convincingly. After this movie came out, I remember hearing some criticism of terrorizing such a young person in this type of horror atmosphere, and Harris spoke quite eloquently on the subject from her perspective. She brings to this movie talent well beyond her years.

Surprisingly, this movie is not altogether that graphic. We rarely get to see the actual coup de grace of each killing (and in a couple of cases we don't even see the actual murder), and even the remains of the slain never exhibit much blood loss. Of course, Michael uses a variety of means (including his bare hands) to murder his victims here. I for one missed the guy's trademark knifings. He does get hold of a knife eventually, but, sadly, he doesn't get much of a chance to use it. As for Michael himself, it is easy to see that the man behind the mask is not the original "shape" Nick Castle. George P. Wilbur has a slightly different build, and he just doesn't have the malevolent presence Castle possessed. He is strong in the category of standing still and watching from the shadows, but he is a little awkward in his movements and often seems to be patterning them on those of King Kong.

This movie has some really nice touches to it, several that strongly call to mind pivotal scenes from the original. Another master stroke is the conclusion, which certainly surprised me when I first saw it. Far too often a trite ending can ruin one's impression of an otherwise good horror movie, but Halloween 4 offers evidence of how much a terrific ending can increase one's enjoyment of an already satisfying experience. By inserting a whole new chapter in the Michael Myers saga, Halloween 4 actually injected the series with newfound life (and blood); it certainly excited me as a fan, and that is something that most sequels of sequels simply do not do.

A lot of people will hate to hear me say it, but this is my favorite HALOWEEN movie! I think mainly because I grew up with it. I was born the year the original came out so I didn't get to see it in theatres like I did this one. For me, this was the introduction of Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis (though I have of course seen the previous films since).

This sequel is very close in plot to the original film it just has a bigger budget. Michael Myers has come back to Haddonfield, only instead of his sister, it's his niece (Danielle Harris) that he's after. And of course, several innocent teenagers get in his way.

Donald Pleasance can do no wrong. Personally, I think with his death so should have come the death of this franchise. These movies are not the same since Pleasance passed. In this film, Pleasances character is more determined and crazed than he was in the first two films and the audience is better off for it.

I can't praise Danielle Harris performance enough. She was only ten yesr old when she made this movie and she does a great job. Since, though, I haven't seen in her in hardly anything other than the URBAN LEGEND.

This, like I said, is the best in the series to me. I watch it every Halloween and I can't praise it enough. Kudos to Dwight H. Little.

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Ok Love both Halloween 4 & 5 but it was promise that it will contains DELETED SCENES but NO and I found out too late. F... BUT BUT.. I give it credit and decided to keep these blu-ray for both Halloween 4 and 5 because the Quality of the Blu-Ray Transfer was Great compare to the original Divimax ones I got. SO if you want to buy this for Quality wise then is worth it.

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While I am very fond of this movie, I am writing primarily to express my satisfaction with the special features. This dvd contains two audio commentaries. One features the two primary ladies in the film, Danielle Harris and Ellie Cornell. The other is done by the writer of the movie. This combination offers the perfect balance. The two girls sound like precisely that-two girls. Neither of them makes any pretense of being a hardcore horror fan. In fact, I got the impression that they've barely seen THIS horror movie. Be that as it may, they have a chemistry together, and offer some interesting insights into the making of the movie. Listening to them, it's almost like watching the film with your girlfriend or sister. They infuse the proceedings with a degree of charm, which is not something you ordinarily experience while viewing a slasher movie.

On the other hand, the writer's commentary is directed at the serious fan. If you really love the Halloween series, as I do, there are some illuminating things to be found here.I've always preferred commentaries that focus on the story, rather than backstage antics. The writer, as might be expected, comes through more effectively than the girls in that regard.

This makes for a great combination. You get a variety of insights, which is not always the case with special features.I was especially impressed with Ellie Cornell. She shows great respect for the movie, and particularly for the fans.It's always possible that she's just being diplomatic, of course. But, ultimately, the fact that she goes to the trouble to show such respect for people like myself, who love these movies,reveals that she is a lady, and a quality human being.

If you love this movie, this is the edition to get. It's hard to imagine that there will ever be a better version after this.While I've focused on the special features, the movie itself would be worth your money if it had to stand alone. Another great performance from Donald Pleasence. We see more of the humanity in Dr. Loomis in this one than perhaps anyplace else in the series. (Particularly when he's hitchhiking, and gets picked up by the old man in the truck.)Rachel Carruthers is easily my favorite heroine in the series. Danielle Harris is ideal in her role as Jamie. Without question, the best ending of any film in the series(after the first one, of course.)

All in all, this dvd gives you an awful lot for the money. Perhaps more than any other slasher dvd I've been exposed to. This is easily the finest dvd treatment that has been given to any of the Halloween films, other than the original.

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A respectable comeback for Micheal has some scares and a few shocks(the ending is great and dove tails back to the origin of the evil of Micheal Myers)but other than that this is just a typical eighties slash'em up with some mild gore and music alternating between dumb and spooky. Rachel is likable as was Laurie in the original,and captures some of her wholesome,All American girl charm.Daniel Harris is cute in the lead role(Mikey's 8 year old niece).

The Myers mask is not as scary as it was in parts 1-2,but other than that,we see the old boy is still at the top of his form. Somewhat scary,and better acted than you might expect.Worth at least a rental.

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The Four Feathers (The Criterion Collection) (1939)

To the modern eye, certain elements and attitudes on exhibit in Zoltan Korda's 1939 adaptation of "The Four Feathers" may appear dated. That's to be expected, really, and shouldn't discourage any real movie lover from appreciating this British epic of unlikely heroism. Once you get past a rather heavy handed beginning--there is much pointed discussion about what makes a man, bravery versus cowardice, and the supreme glory of British imperialism--a terrifically outlandish, but spectacularly entertaining, adventure starts to unfold. With sweeping desert vistas, gorgeous British estates, spectacular battle footage, and impressive location shooting--this is really a film begging for a Criterion restoration as the previous DVD presentations were relatively underwhelming. The film boasts Oscar nominated cinematography, and it deserves to be appreciated and admired for the spectacle that it truly is!

The story revolves around Harry Faversham (John Clements), a British officer who resigns his commission on the eve of his unit being dispatched on an African campaign. Filled with a lifetime of horror stories by his overbearing father and his military cronies, Harry has never aspired to a soldier's life. He took the post to please his father, but upon his death--he feels no need to follow through with the commitment. Branded a coward by his three best friends and his fiancee (he receives a symbolic feather from each), Harry must come to terms with his own self-doubt. Embarking on a ridiculously convoluted scheme, Harry sets off to Africa to prove his manliness and worth to those that turned their backs on him. To say that Harry's journey is rather implausible is an understatement, but it's easy to get swept up in the tale as a straight-up adventure. It's a big, bold, and rousing tale of perseverance and determination.

There have been a number of adaptations of this narrative, most recently a 2002 update with Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson, but (to my mind) this is easily the definitive version. Incredibly impressive visually by 1939 standards, the film holds up very well as a true epic. This classic deserves to be re-discovered by modern audiences, and I'm hoping the Criterion release will make this possible. If you love the big budget spectaculars, you might be surprised by how effective this film is. Great use of Technicolor, fabulously dramatic score, a truly massive cast, and terrifically orchestrated battle sequences--if you haven't caught this one, it comes highly recommended. KGHarris, 8/11.

Preliminary Criterion Specs:

New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the

Blu-ray edition)

Audio commentary by film historian Charles Drazin

New video interview with David Korda, son of director Zoltán Korda

A Day at Denham, a short film from 1939 featuring footage of Zoltán Korda on the set

of The Four Feathers

* Theatrical trailer

* PLUS: An essay by film critic Michael Sragow

Thank god I gave this movie another chance! A few years ago I watched this film on a local public television station. The print they showed, however, was old and worn, with hundreds of lines and specks marring every scene. Also, the color was so badly faded that it almost looked like it was filmmed in black and white.

But reviewing the film on a newly restored and enhanced print was nothing short of a revelation. It was frequently gorgeous to look at, and the high quality of the print allowed me to focus on the story. Many of the scenes were filmmed on location in the Middle East, which greatly added to the appeal of the movie (in American epics of the thirties, even the Crimea and India ended up looking like the Mojave Desert for obvious reasons--reminds me of the funny scene in the second Austin Powers movie, where Austin casually remarks while driving down a road that is clearly on the California coast, "Isn't it amazing how much the coast of England looks like California?").

In 1939, the British film industry still lagged far behind the American film industry in technical proficiency. Alfred Hitchcock, who left England in 1940 to work in the US for the next 25 years, managed to succeed despite the studio shortcomings, but even in his British films of the thirties the gap in sound and basic photographic techniques is all too apparent as we watch the films of that time. One of the great achievements of Producter/Director Alexander Korda (his brother Zoltan directed THE FOUR FEATHERS while Alexander produced and owned the studio that made the film) was making the first films in Great Britain that rivaled the technical (as opposed to cinematic) accomplishments of Hollywood. THE FOUR FEATHERS holds up admirably with most of the big budget films made in Hollywood in 1939. The color is perhaps not as vivid as in GONE WITH THE WIND or THE WIZARD OF OZ, but it nonetheless is quite good for the time. And this film is thoroughly convincing as an epic. Thousands and thousands of extras were used, but unlike Hollywood, where whites were made up to look like Native Americans, Asian Indians, or Arabs, the extras in THE FOUR FEATHERS clearly hailed from one or another part of Africa or the Middle East.

The cast is solid, but two performances stand out. C. Aubrey Smith made a career out of playing bombastic and self-important British Colonels or Generals. And he never performed that role better than in this film. But the best performance was by the always spectacular Ralph Richardson (does anyone else find a stunning physical resemblence between him and Kevin Spacey?). No one ever stole a scene from Ralph Richardson. Even in small roles he could dominate the action. Tragically, his film opportunities rarely took advantage of his gigantic talent. His technique and voice were the equal of Olivier and Alec Guinness, yet he never quite matched their film success. He did, however, manage to excell on the stage. In this regard, Richardson's career mirrored that of John Gielgud, whose screen career was equally paltry compared to his stage successes. Apart from THE FOUR FEATHERS, my favorite Ralph Richardson performances are an amazing film version of A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT and Q PLANES (AKA CLOUDS OVER EUROPE). His character in the latter was the direct inspiration for "John Steed" in THE AVENGERS on TV in the sixties.

Now for the scary news. This marvelous film is being remade starring Heath Ledger (from A KNIGHT'S TALE--medieval history reborn as an MTV inspired movie) in the Ralph Richardson role and Wes Bently (from AMERICAN BEAUTY) in the John Clement role. Kate Hudson from ALMOST FAMOUS takes the female lead.

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There are films that are classics since the day they are released. This film is one of those. Zoltan Korda shows his elegance and skills presenting us a typical adventure.

Based on the novel by A. W. E Mason, it is the story of young Harry Faversahn born and raised to follow the military life like all his ancestors. Pity that his father is an obssesed of the glories of the Empire, and that his friends bored the child telling stories about battles, slaughters and Baklava (the scene with C. Aubrey Smith explaining the battle with a pineaple and some walnuts is one of the best in the story of cinema).

But Harry is a good boy so he joins the army, trains all day and even has time to conquer beautiful Ethne. With that Harry decides to leave the army, but good things do not last forever, so in the evening of his engagement party his regiment is call to arms. To Egypt to fight against the wicked Egyptian rebels. But Harry refuses and so his former best friends send him three feathers, a sophisticated way to call him a coward. But the fourth, ah! the fourth one is the most terrible of all because is Ethne who gives it to him.

So our hero is an outcast, nodoby loves him, nodoby cares for him. And Harry proving that after all he is a Favershan embarks to Egypt to save his comrades. Disguised as a mute native he saves them all. Crosses the dessert, saves Durrance (who is in love with Ethne too), saves Willoughby and Burroughs from a dreadful prision and evidently gives back each of the four feathers.

The locations and the scenes are espectacular. But also the dialogues. The cast is superb, and propbaly you will end watching the film while humming Rule Britannia.

No adaptation done after has ever reached its level so do not waste your time with others. This is the version.

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My review is not of the movie itself, which has always been one of my favorites and is grand, but of the cheap DVD just released by MGM. I have been waiting for several years for a DVD of this movie and was eagerly anticipating buying it as soon as it was available. My disappointment is based on several factors: one, the transfer is only OK, it looks much the same as the VHS version. It's clear that no restoration or enhancement was done to create a sharp, clear DVD. It's just a video transfer to DVD. So, one must ask why did MGM bother to do this except to cash in. Second, whichever idiot wrote the liner notes on the back cover obviously hasn't even seen the film. Also, there isn't even a card on the inside listing the scenes or any information at all about the film. In addition, the sole "extra" is the trailer. No one even took the trouble to give biographies of the actors or the producers/director. An essay on the Kordas would have been most welcome.

It will be a long time before I buy a DVD released by this company without reading the reviews first. I feel like a sucker and I would advise any real movie fan to pass on this one and wait in hopes that a better one is in released in the future. As a footnote, I would like to recommend that whoever is in charge of this stuff at MGM call up Warner Bros. or Universal for a how to lesson on releasing classics in DVD. Maybe then they'll "get it."

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Some viewers, especially if they are Islamic, may find this movie daunting. But unfortuentely they chose to view it in a political context, ..., and miss the whole point. This movie is a stirring, if slightly dated saga of Victorian honor and duty. It bares little resemblence to the novel by A.E.W. Mason providing as it does a lot more action and movement. This is one of the few cases where the movie actaully comes across better than the original novel. The Korda production provides for brilliant sets, authentic costumes and totally accurate scenery. The vast resources of the British Empire were able to provide an authentic backdrop for the production value of this movie. This is truly a classic of the old cinema.

As for the history, the Madhi was hardly some kindly fellow from the desert. He was a fanatic murderer, bent upon distorting Islam for his own purposes. ...The Madhi sought merely to remove the Anglo-Turkish influences from the region and replace it with his own religeous terror. He managed to kill Gordon at the epic siege of Khartoum in 1885, and it took the British 10 yrs to muster the inclination to go back to the region and defeat the Mahdist movement.

It is interesting to point out that the fanatic swine Bin Laden was inspired by the Madhi, and no doubt sees himself as one and the same. There is not much difference between them really. Of course then we had the redoubtable British Empire to crush such vermin, whereas today we don't. The Mahdi's successor, The Khallifah was hardly much better. For 10 yrs he ruined the Sudan and Ethopia with famine and war before the Britsih crushed him at Omdurman, as related in the movie. There was no such prison break inspired by a Faversham character, nor is this shown in the book, but Korda put it in to liven up the novel which it surely does. The prison conditions shown in the movie are accurate as to the way the Madhist treated "infidels" and other prisoners. Make no mistake about it, neither the Madhi or Khallifah were nice men. They were not patriots in the name of Islam, but cruel religeous leaders who killed and exploited for their own gain. The Madhi died of sexual exhaustion in his harem after the fall of Khartoum in 1885, so much for being the pure hero of Islam. Viewers should check out the movie "Khartoum" to get a better perspective of historical events in the Sudan during this period.

This is a wonderful movie which will inspire the viewer with how such pretending murderers were dealt with in Queen Victoria's time. Enjoy.

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Dawn Rider (2012)

1883. Montana, Wyoming, Dakotas.

Christian Slater stars as "Cincinnati" John Mason, a man wanted for murder in Missouri. Donald Sutherland plays a marshal hunting him down. Meanwhile, there is a group of hooded bandits robbing stage coaches and the mail. We, the audience, know the identity of the bandits, while John tries to figure it out because they shot and killed his father. John has a love interest in Alice (Jill Hennessy) and whiskey.

The movie is supposed to be a remake of the 1935 John Wayne film, which somehow I missed. I found Slater to lack the charisma and toughness to play a cowboy. While not terrible, he was unconvincing. The soundtrack was cowboy cliche with all the bells and whistles (literally) that we have come to watch in modern spoofs. The movie has slow moving sequences of long drawn out dialouge with frequent pauses for the characters to take a long breath or a swig of whiskey. Once the film gets about half way through it picks up and even had some decent scenes.

If you looking for a western to download off Amazon, this one beats out "Hells Fury" and "Hell at my Heels" by a long shot.

F-bomb, no sex, no nudity. Two adults in bed after sex.

I have not seen John Waynes' movie of the same name. However, this movie was very entertaining and enjoyable. I've always liked Slater and Southerland, and in this one they did not let me down. My big shock was Jill Hennessy (Crossing Jordan). She is the most engaging that I have ever seen her! Good western with plenty of gun play, good scenery, good acting and a good story. If you like westerns, give this one a try. No nudity, violence, blood, no gore, sexual situations and an ending you probably won't see coming. Unless a reviewer spoils it. Southerland is a marshall/ pinkerton hunting Slater, so he can get the large bounty. Slater is an exlawman staying a step ahead of Southerland. Along the way, alot of things happen both good and bad and the story gets real interesting. I lost count of the number of shootings in this movie, but it is alright as I was having a good time watching it.

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Christian Slater stars as "Cincinnati" John Mason, a man wanted for murder in Missouri. Donald Sutherland plays a marshal hunting him down. Meanwhile, there is a group of hooded bandits robbing stage coaches and the mail. We, the audience, know the identity of the bandits, while John tries to figure it out because they shot and killed his father. John has a love interest in Alice (Jill Hennessy) and whiskey.

The movie is supposed to be a remake of the 1935 John Wayne film, which somehow I missed. I found Slater to lack the charisma and toughness to play a cowboy. While not terrible, he was unconvincing. The soundtrack was cowboy cliche with all the bells and whistles (literally) that we have come to watch in modern spoofs. The movie has slow moving sequences of long drawn out dialouge with frequent pauses for the characters to take a long breath or a swig of whiskey. Once the film gets about half way through it picks up and even had some decent scenes.

If you looking for a western to download off Amazon, this one beats out "Hells Fury" and "Hell at my Heels" by a long shot.

F-bomb, no sex, no nudity. Two adults in bed after sex.

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I actually purchased this movie..watched it the first time..was ok..rewatched it 2 days later..and liked it better..I am a fan of Westerns..favorite being Lonesome Dove..I don't rate this up there with it..however, it wasn't a waste of time or money..

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I love my old westerns. I don' t usually go for remakes but I really liked this one. They did John Wayne proud! LOL. Seriously though it is a good remake well worth watching.

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Step Up 3 (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy) (2010)

If I were rating Step Up 3D simply based on the acting or writing you know, the usual movie criteria then I'd have to give two stars out of five, at most. Heck, to this day I have trouble remembering the two lead characters' names because they were so bland and had zero personality. The only person I *do* remember clearly is Moose, played by Adam Sevani.

However, no one watches this sort of movie for the stellar acting or plot. There was one reason, and one reason only, why I watched Step Up 3D the dancing! And in that respect, the movie more than delivered. The dancing is absolutely fantastic. It's the sort of movie that makes you want to get up and dance yourself, or attempt to, anyway. And for a dance movie, I don't think there's any higher praise.

Another surprising highlight of this film was the 3d! It might sound laughable, but I think Step Up showcases some of the best use of 3D since Avatar. No, really. I think the difference between Step Up 3D and all of those other post-Avatar movies is that most of the latter were filmed in 2d and later converted to 3d film, whereas Step Up 3D was conceived in 3d and filmed with 3d cameras from the start. With other movies that have been converted to 3d, the 3d seems like nothing more than a dumb gimmick meant to drive up box office receipts. Step Up 3D on the other hand fully utilizes 3d technology in order to make the dancing really 'pop.' Unfortunately, since 3d-capable TVs are still a relative rarity, most people who watch the movie at home won't be able to see Step Up in 3d format.

In short: The acting? Meh. The characterization? Non-existent. The storyline? Trite. The 3D? Surprisingly great! The dancing? OMG COMPLETELY AWESOME I NEED TO SIGN UP FOR A DANCE CLASS RIGHT NOW!! (

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The Graduate (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1967)

The Graduate is a great film and I grow to love it more with each viewing. Everything is nearly perfect about it. The script, Mike Nichols' direction, the performances of Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross, the music of Simon and Garfunkel. It's funny yet dramatic, moving and profound all at the same time. A very enjoyable film all around. Dustin Hoffman has rarely been better than in The Graduate, although he has certainly given many other fine performances (Midnight Cowboy, Rain Man, Kramer Vs. Kramer). However, even more than those pictures, Hoffman will always be remembered for The Graduate and his portrayal of an awkward young man trying to get a hold on his life.

Also worth noting in particular is the direction of Mike Nichols. He truly gives the film a unique visual style to make it an experience rather than just a comedy/drama. Note the opening credits with Hoffman on an airport moving sidewalk set to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence". Nichols' uses cuts very interestingly in several scenes such as the scene where Benjamin jumps up on his raft in the pool, and lands in bed with Mrs. Robinson. He also uses zooms to great effect throughout the film. Nichols' Best Director Oscar for this film was well-deserved. I think that Hoffman's performance should have won also, as well as the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry.

One other thing that I must mention is that The Graduate absolutely must been seen in its original aspect ratio! If you're not watching a widescreen version, then you're not watching The Graduate. The film was shot in the Panavision process with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Mike Nichols makes wonderful use of the 2.35:1 frame, so the film will be absolutely botched in pan and scan. If you watch The Graduate in full-screen pan and scan, you're really, really missing out. The visual impact of the film will be irreparably damaged.

The DVD is adequate, but this film deserves much better. The disc is labeled a special edition, but it's really too skimpy to be that. At very least you're getting a widescreen version of the film. However, the transfer is not enhanced for 16:9 televisions. What we need is a fully remastered 16:9 transfer which would be immensely beneficial. The picture quality is fair, but could be so much better. It's really stunning what difference a brand new remastered 16:9 transfer can make for an older film like this. Just look at the new DVD of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. The film also deserves better supplemental materials. A better documentary and a commentary by the filmmakers would be great. A seperate commentary by Dustin Hoffman would be even better. I'm convinced that someday The Graduate will receive a worthy DVD edition, and I will wait until then to purchase it.

Looks like MGM finally is giving "The Graduate" a grownup DVD.

The Mike Nichols film has suffered through the DVD era so far, represented by a series of double-dip issues that perpetuated the same sorry source materials: grainy picture, grating audio -the typical first-generation DVD blahs.

Here comes "The Graduate: 40th Anniversary Edition," due Sept. 11. Fox's specs show 2.35:1 widescreen with DTS and Dolby Surround. This appears to be in true widescreen. (The previous DVDs' version apparently was created by throwing letterboxing atop the full-screen version. Seems the guy who was so big on plastics got into the home video business.)

Check out the new extras:

* Commentary by Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross

* Commentary by director Nichols and Steven Soderbergh

* Retrospective documentary that interviews "Graduate" write Buck Henry, producer Lawrence Turman, Richard Roeper and some random others.

* "Coming of Age: The Making of The Graduate" featurette

* "Would You Like Me To Seduce You: The Seduction Scene Revisited" featurette

Along with some odds and ends ported over from the older discs.

Disc 2 has a pleasant surprise: Simon & Garfunkle's soundtrack, in CD form.

I'll be revisiting the film for Hoffman's sonic boom of a breakout performance; the "Mrs. Robinson" song and seduction scene; and Ross' beautifully naturalistic presence. Koo-koo-ka-choo.

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They re-release the Graduate on DVD in 2005 only to distribute the EXACT SAME product only without a very attractive interface and special features, but with the same crappy picture and sound quality!

I give the film "The Graduate" from 1967 as many stars as any ratings measure can grant, but this DVD is a very poor represntation that is disrespectful of the genuine classic piece of cinematic art and cultural revolutionary comedy-piece that this movie was and always will be!

It's a shame. The picture is still grainy and the "widescreen" is still a full-screen image with black bars at top & bottom and NOT a true 16X9 formatted image for widescreen televisions! This true masterpiece of film demands nothing short of the best optimization that current-day technology can (and should) provide! Anything less is completely unacceptable! I'm sorry, but this is a travesy. The Graduate deserves the most pristine image and sound quality that the DVD format can give and viewers should demand nothing short of that high-standard of excellence.

The sound is in a lousy mono and the picture is fuzzy at times, desaturated, grainy, noisy, and compressed too much. The producers of this DVD obviously aren't die-hard fans and did a half-a** job here. Most fans of this film would gladly pay a few extra dollars for a better version, so why go cheap on such a great classic is beyond me?!? That's just a moronic business decision of a cheap corporation that doesn't know art from a hole in the ground, always cutting corners to salvage every penny. For shame!

I wish the Criterion Collection would remaster the Graduate and finally do it right! Amen.

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The previous reviews posted here are all based on what the reviewers HOPED would be on the new 40th Anniversary and raised some questions. I can answer most of the concerns having watched the DVD this week.

As for how important this film is, let's just say it defined a generation in the 1970s. And nearly anyone in either high school or college (or a recent "graduate" entering the working world) when the film was released can quote verbatim important lines and whole scenes. Try "Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Robinson?" or even the mention of one word ""Plastics!". I have only watched the film (on VHS) once since my original viewing on the big screen forty years ago. Of course I remember many of the great moments (the finale at the church, for one) and the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack. (Dave Grusin wrote the incidental music.). I did not see the "25th Anniversary" reissue. So much of the supplemental material was new to me.

First off the transfer is great! It must have been remastered. And yes, it's in Wide Screen. It HAS to be. The hardest video to pan and scan was always this film as Director Mike Nichols spaced his characters at the far sides of the screen. I watched this on an 25 year old 26 in TV and it was still perfect.

Okay, now the bonus features. It's a 2 "disc" set because one disc is a CD of FOUR songs from the film. So it's really more of a CD single.", That's fine with me, but most of us have the music in our collection.

There are TWO commentary tracks: One is Hoffman and Ross talking. Since Ross doesn't even appear in the film until almost half way through, she has little to say for a while. And there are long periods where Hoffman says nothing so you get to hear the soundtrack dialogue at that point. The second commentary is with Director Mike Nichols and Director Stephen Soderburgh. It more that SS is interviewing Nichols. And Nichols is very outgoing here. Where I found a small problem is that the conversation often does not match what is on the screen. During the "Seduction" scene I expected to hear details about the set up. But Nichols was talking about Screen Tests or something else. I have not made it all the way through the commentaries. Too much other good stuff here.

There is a NEW 25-minute documentary: "Students of the Graduate" which has interviews with young directors who learned techniques from Nichols direction. The Directors of "Little Miss Sunshine" were ones I remember. It's interesting. There is a short 8-minute one on "the Seduction" as well. This appears to be new.

The other featurettes are from the 25th Anniversary release. One is obvious as it's title is "The Graduate at 25". You can see from the excerpted scenes how poor the 25th Anniversary print was. And what I found MOST interesting was a "One on One" featurette with Dustin Hoffman which runs 22 minutes. It was recorded for the 25th similar comments appear in the "Graduate at 25" feature but Hoffman tells GREAT stories and I was on the floor laughing!

ONE of the tywo screen tests that Ross did with Charles Grodin is included in the "at 25" featurette but the announced "two screen tests with introduction" are not on the final DVD. NEITHER is the "Coming of Age: The Making of the Graduate" one.

So there is lots to watch here and moments to remember. I, for one, loved this set and the special featurettes which rarely, though sometimes, repeat themselves briefing out things you missed and make you want to playback some scenes.

This should be a hot release for September!

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

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This movie was groundbreaking when released, and it is now a classic. The screenplay by Buck Henry is great, Mike Nichols did an outstanding job directing, and all the key parts were cast and acted perfectly. The great Simon & Garfunkel music helped to make the film what it became. AFI ranked it #7 on its list of the top 100 American movies, and I agree. I think it is that good. I saw it on TV when I was teenager, and have rented it or seen it on TV several times since then. It has always been one of my favorite films. I even read the novel by Charles Webb (to which the movie stayed pretty close).

Unfortunately, this DVD does not do it justice. The main problem is the audio. The sound track is just ever so slightly out of sync with the picture throughout the entire film. In one scene, when Benjamin's mother confronts him about his nocturnal activities, the problem is extremely noticeable. The sound is mixed badly throughout, especially during the second half of the film, when Benjamin starts seeing Elaine (Katherine Ross). Crucial dialog is drowned out by sound effects. By the end, you have to crank up the volume on your TV to wake-up-the-neighbors levels just to hear what the characters are saying. This is inexcusable. I also note, from an earlier review, that the laserdisk version had a director's commentary, so why doesn't the DVD?

Some day, they'll put out a good DVD version of the movie, until then we'll have to be content with VHS and Turner Classic Movies.

Bad Ass (2012)

This film is just a fun little action film that shouldn't be taken too serious. And if you're into those kinds of movies, you should enjoy this one. And with a tagline "They 'messed' with the wrong senior citizen", how can you go wrong? Personally, I'm a big Danny Trejo fan. And its nice to see him play in more starring roles (like Machete). And this role fits him perfectly. The film has plenty of action, some amusing lines of dialogue, and actually a pretty good storyline. In fact, its partly based on a true event of an older man beating a younger guy up on a bus (which is how the film begins). The acting is decent, and the only kinda weak thing is some of the special effects look very obvious. Other than that, I can't complain to much about the film. I definitely enjoyed it. You have to know what kind of film you're watching in order to have the right expectations. Obviously, if you bought or rent this expecting something like Training Day or something other more dramatic action film, then you're gonna be disappointed. Though certain elements of this film does put me in mind of something like Gran Torino and Death Wish. But this movie isn't supposed to be overly serious and dramatic really, and it knows that. Its just a fun action film to watch, oh and with a great theme song as well!

There is nothing like getting cozy with a warm and fuzzy Danny Trejo vigilante film with a hot cup of cocoa made with my Keurig coffee machine bought on the Amazon. Oh Wait! I'm not in the vine program. Never mind.

Danny Trejo, ex-Vietnam war vet, hot dog stand entrepreneur, becomes a reluctant vigilante after his war buddy Klondike (Harrison Page) was murdered. The police are dragging their feet on the investigation. The movie compares him to Charles Bronson, but at times he is more like Harry Brown. Ron Perlman has a minor role as the crooked mayor. Very cliche filled film.

It attempts to be funny, but can really only muster mild humor. Perhaps the funniest aspect is how our tough BA vigilante takes the bus everywhere he has to go to find the bad guys. This is not the grindhouse style Trejo fans are used to seeing, although it does turn bloody after a slow start. It is worth a rental.

Frequent F-bomb, brief sex, brief nudity

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"You killed my best friend, how do you want to die?" When Vietnam vet Frank Vega (Trejo) returns to the US he has big plans for his life. When a few things don't go his way life begins to pass him by. He is now 60 and lost. While taking the bus one day he defends an elderly man who is being picked on and finds himself a local hero. After his friend is murdered and the cops don't do enough he decides to take the law into his own hands. I have to start by saying that only Danny Trejo could play this part, it is so perfect for him. Perfect blend of over the top action and comedy and realistic action that only he can pull off. That said this is really nothing original combining parts of "Falling Down", "Gran Torino" and "Hobo With A Shotgun" but what the movie is is very entertaining. There are some movies that suck you in with a story and keep you interested and guessing. This is not one of those movies but if you are looking for a movie to put in and be entertained for an hour and a half with out much thinking then this is perfect. Overall, not a good movie per se, but a very entertaining one that is worth a watch. I give it a B.

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Bad Ass is an action film inspired by a fight that occurred on a bus; the "Epic Beard Man" incident, except, in this film, his nickname is changed to "Bad Ass". The film was very fun.

Danny Trejo does a great job in this film. It does build up slowly, though. I thought it had some great fist fights, especially how the last fight was shot. It's not a comedy, but I did laugh a couple of times; I particularly enjoyed the references to the actual events like the "Somebody call the amberlamps (ambulance)" line. It's not really over-the-top, but the final bus chase scene was. I didn't really like the blood special effects, but it was really only a minor issue. I was entertained all the way through, and hope to see more of Danny Trejo.

Overall, I recommend Bad Ass. Fans of films like Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun will probably enjoy it the most because it gives off a similar vibe, but don't expect anything too violent. As of 8/11/12, this film is available on Netflix Streaming.

Bad Ass has strong violence and some gore, strong language, and some sex and nudity.

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It reminded me of movies from old. Had a flavor to it as if John Carpenter had directed it, but nicer. Well done Craig Moss (Director).

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