Four Lions (2010)

One of those films that took me by complete surprise, `Four Lions' is a pitch perfect `dark comedy' that delivers one laugh after another with an unexpected touch of poignancy that elevates the material to create something special.

`Four Lions' details the haphazard terrorist plot conceived by five dimwitted Jihadi suicide bombers. Mainly focusing on three conflicting personalities (Omar, Waj and Barry), `Four Lions' takes a stab at the root (or roots) of terrorism; exposing the allegiance and trivial stupidity that steeps itself in the act. Omar and Barry butt heads from the start. Both are leaders (self-proclaimed as they may be) and both expect a degree of servitude. Omar is arrogant, considering himself superior in intellect (and most likely he is), while Barry is abrasive and condescending in his own right; using his brutish demeanor to demand a faux respect. Waj is more of a simpleton; completely confused by his own allegiance. He wants to believe in something but he can't commit his heart to their actions. Instead, he becomes a pawn; taken advantage of by the more dominant personalities. By focusing on these three characters, `Four Lions' shows the polar sides of terrorism; the way that influence can overtake both and strong and the weak. As these characters devise their plot against oppression, they struggle to explain themselves and thus struggle to convince themselves that what they are doing is really the right thing to do.

As an intellectual piece, `Four Lions' is far smarter and deeper than one may expect. It is a blatant farce, an unapologetic comedy and yet it is laced with such stark realism. That said, it is the comedic shamelessness that really makes this film so incredible. The script is one of the best I've seen put to use on the big screen in a long while. The sharpness of the dialog is perfectly complimented by the visual antics. The explosions never lack in comedic weight, and the one-liners delivered are side-splittingly hysterical.

"I'm not confused brother! I just took picture of my face, and it's deffo not my confused face."

The repartee between the actors is also borderline genius. Everyone totally gets their respective roles and they go `no holds bar', attacking the characters without hesitation. Best in show props go directly to Nigel Lindsay, who layers Barry's ignorance with such undeniable wit. He's pitch perfect in every scene.

In the end, I can't recommend this movie enough. It is controversial, sure, but it understands how to approach the subject so as not to `cross the line' while simultaneously `crossing it'. Taking jabs at both sides of the `war on terrorism', `Four Lions' feels real and authentic despite the outlandish nature of the whole thing. It's preposterous, but on the other hand it's so crazy it just might be true!

Chris Morris co-wrote and directed a very dark, shockingly wicked, tour de force about four inept British would-be suicide bomber jihadists. This ferocious farce grabbed me immediately. Terrorism can be as much about idiots as ideology. Here's a brilliant film that does not flinch or blink in the face of the horrific reality of our times. Can urgent truth be funny? Yes. Time called it "The blackest, ballsiest political comedy since DR. STRANGELOVE." Can mockery and ridicule dilute hate? Maybe. Maybe not. But laughter sure can. Is Allah laughing?

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Note: Paragraph 2 is a synopsis, and only paragraph 5 that contains spoilers.

Four Lions is a daring little comedy with balls of iron. Using terrorism as a source of comedy maybe one of the hardest methods to make people ponder about this important issue. Especially the way that Director Chris Morris pursues the subject, one often fears that the topic may be used as the butt of jokes, and form a debased comedy. I have no clue how Morris does it, but he never crosses the moral/ethical line of GLORIZING the terror or demeaning the victims.

This comedy is based on a group of extremist Muslims who decide to demonstrate in the face of all this consumerism and corruption of the West, the beauty of their religion by commiting horrible deeds-that in their eyes are nothing but noble. Take note that they are from Sheffield, England. Four of the men are identifiably Muslim, but one stands out like a nerd on the football team. He is a white convert to Islam, and the most radical, impatient, and extreme of the pack-trying to convince them to attack a Mosque. Two members, Omar and Waj, get sent to a terrorist training camp with disastrous result-keep watching after the credits to understand the extent of their tragic contribution. After returning, all five, which includes the new recruit Hassan, decide to find a target to express their rage.

These are not organized or trained newbie terrorists. They act independently on their dogma, and hilarity ensues. They are also quite well rounded, unlike the terrorist picture many of us may imagine: isolated people lacking in friends, and lovable family. Omar, for example, has a son, wife, and quite a large group of friends-many which are British. They have no detailed philosophy besides the idea that this consumer Western society is corrupt, and needs to be punished. There is almost no discussion of Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, or any terrorist organization. However, They strive to be Jihadists, and ascend to Heaven. It's that simple in their eyes. No discussion of their victims ever take place, and for good reason. These characters are simplistic in their desires, so even a superficial thought of their victims innocence may thwart their plans.

Chris Morris reportedly has done years of research for this film, predating the 7/7 London Bombings. Unfortunately, we don't see the fruits of his research directly on screen. If his research finds its way in to the final cut of this film, it must be very subliminal because I could not see any evidence that this was deeply researched. Due to his research which included collecting personal account from countless different sources, it seems that Morris at parts is unable to shed light on the emotional aspects. Truths that are self-evident to him are not necessarily evident to us, and certain aspects require more emotional investment.

Many examples of such emotionally ambivalent scenes are spread throughout the film, however they are most evident during the scenes involving Omar's family. Of Course, Omar's son does not know about his father's true intents, but he is teaching his son the moral reason for his task through Disney's Lion King. After their overseas debacle, he explains to him that Simba must lie for now until he can accomplish his true goal. These intimate scenes are done well, as we begin to realize that these men are not hopeless young teens without futures. One of the most out of place scenes occurs after Omar deserts his fellow brothers, disappointed and depressed about their plans. His wife's word about his plans, and eventual demise, are so cold heartedly encouraging that we suddenly recall this is a piece of fiction. She seems to be actually encouraging and advocating his plan, clearly aware that its execution will leave her without a husband, and her son a father. Before this scene we saw these two adults use a water gun to force a friend out of their house. They may share the same ideas about the "depravity" of Western culture, but they are a loving couple. Morris, in this scene, makes the woman out to be absolutely heartless about her husband, and maybe ready to get rid of him by granting his services to the Lord in Heaven. This scene is made all the more preposterous by the inclusion of their son in this conversation. Another complaint maybe that the wife is simply a foil character with nothing worthwhile to express. As said before, Morris has done much research on this topic, and maybe the families of terrorists are as "open-minded" as this, willing to give up their husbands, and parents in the Lord's service. Even if this is the case, Morris needs to stray from his facts, and show more compassion in these scenes, or progress to this line of though gradually, not spontaneously.

Four Lions also suffers from a smug sense of profundity. It often feels that the film believes besides laughs it is giving us an earnest and deeply insightful view about terrorism. Whenever Morris decides to make his work more insightful, the comedy suffers drastically. True, we are talking about people blowing themselves and others up by explosives, yet a truly comedic tone fits this successful premise well. The film's serious moments are so far and in between that they never make the impact that he desires. A prime example is the concluding scene when Omar wants to make Waj, one of the co-conspirators, to give himself up. When this fails, Omar marches in to a pharmacy completing his mission. This serious scene steals from the comedy of the four men running around for twenty minutes in preposterous costumes ranging from Honey Munster to an ostrich. After this, a somber songs begins that is truly not in the spirit of the film. I believe Morris believed he had made a serious statement, like the one at the beginning and conclusion of American Beauty. Four Lions loses it's touch, and becomes somewhat disjointed from its black comedy elements when it choses to take such a drastically different route.

Despite all this criticism, I found Four Lions to more insightful and original than most current comedies distributed in the last few years. Morris of course does not succeed in all his goals, but miraculously saves himself from much criticism that his Brass Eye series received in the last decade. He looks at the issue at a very specific angle which makes the comedy, despite the subject, extremely funny. His characters are somewhat stupid and carless which are necessary elements for a film on such a bleak subject. If only the bomber's of 7/7, and hijackers of 9/11, were as independent and clueless as these men are, the victims of their actions would be miniscule in number.

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I was mostly bewildered the first time through this film. The Northern English dialects, often intermixed with other non-English foreign accents and naturalistic speech made the movie all but incomprehensible. Parochial cultural references (Not TJ but TK Maxx, Rubber Dinghy Rapids, Mr. Bean), British slang (slags) and a sprinkling of Arabic (kuffars, wasalaam) also hindered understanding until I got around to looking these things up. However you can find the English subtitles on the Web. The subtitles were faithful to the dialogue but you'll probably have to adjust the synchronization. All that extra effort will pay off. FOUR LIONS is very funny and the comedic acting and timing are superb. The two exceptions were Hassan and Omar's wife, who showed in their facial expressions that they were in on the gags.

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*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE BLU RAY VERSION ***

Five twenty-something lads from Sheffield wanting to be Afghan terrorists on British soil is not exactly an easy sell for a film even for the most liberal minded of viewers. This is the kind of material that walks a thin line between black humour and the need to tell the truth no matter how offensive or uncomfortable it may be. But "Four Lions" 'so' works. Written and Directed by CHRIS MORRIS his debut is an edgy risk-taking movie and absolutely chockers full of laugh-out loud moments and for all the right reasons...

It goes like this the constantly babbling, but worldly naïve Waj is easily influenced by the disillusioned but far more radical Omar (Kayvan Novak and Riz Ahmed). Both 'brothers' want to do 'God's will' which they believe is to become Mujahideen soldiers and start their own Islamic Jihad somewhere in affluent materialistic England. They essentially want to blow something up. Helping them away from Western materialism and Chicken McNuggets is the self-appointed cleric Barry (a fantastically funny turn by a scene-stealing Nigel Lindsay). Barry rabbits on about 'surveillance protocols', eats SIM cards and once planted a 'twin towers' cake in a local mosque to incite the faithful. Rolling under garage doors like an SAS commando and sidling up to people's porches likes he's Jason Bourne Barry is convinced that a passing mother and child is a cop and the American Feds are watching him on satellites in space. Barry is the worst and most boorish of the five. A converted white man and bearded radical, he is full of nice things to say about open-mindedness like "...we've got women talking back bruv! We've got people playing stringed instruments!" Barry orders silver nitrate from Amazon and wants to "Boom! Fast track to final days! Proper war!"

Thrown into this pool of misguided idiots is the slow and permanently bewildered Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) a hapless bomb-maker who stashes thousands of bottles of hair peroxide in his lock-up. Fassal wants to attach detonator devices to crows and fly them into Government buildings (hence the poster). Last but not least is Hassan (Arsher Ali) an on-the-fence believer who wants to go 'proper' Afghan. Hassan talks the lingo about 'a new purpose in life' but Omar suspects that maybe he doesn't have the balls to actually do the dirty deed. None of them do. It's all a big game to the other four and Omar will need to make it 'real' this time. Plots are hatched in the bedsit above the men's shop Bolby Tailoring, rocket launchers go off backwards and Omar's microwave oven gets sacrificed in the name of the 'cause'. And on the mayhem goes to the London Marathon of 2010 where they're dressed as chickens with something more than lean cuisine beneath their feathers. But of course it stops being funny very, very fast when the consequences and repercussions of what they're doing becomes all too real...and they get more than hurt...

How do you deal with extremism humour is one weapon Chaplin knew this. But part of this script's genius is to go deeper into the monster's psyche to show us how 'religion' seriously screws with a person's moral compass especially if that belief system has an 'our way is the only way' core mentality. There is also the lure of power the power of a gun how it gets you noticed even respected. And of course that's amplified if you're prepared to have a bomb strapped to you and seek martyrdom.

The danger in all this is that despite the film's best intentions Muslims are tarred with a terrorist brush but the writing is smart enough to address this and even deal with racism among their own ranks by slagging both off with real skill. Subtle touches include Omar receiving an e-mail at work (he's a security guard) telling that his trip to the Pakistan is in 2 days time (spy talk for a training camp). He tells his boss he's attending a 'shotgun wedding' and if you look real close you'll see that the e-mail address is hilaryclinton055.

Housed in a fetching book package, the BLU RAY picture quality varies from very good on the indoor sequences (bedrooms, cafes and sheds) to crystal clear and superlative on the outdoors shots (Afghanistan hills, London streets). As the dialogue is all Sheffield in Northern England and comes at you fast and furious, the lone ENGLISH SUBTITLE will probably be more than handy for overseas viewers. The extras include DELETED SCENES and 2 featurettes. The deleted scenes are short, but wickedly funny, while the 2 featurettes are unrelated to the film itself, but act as background to the project. First is a real-life documentary called "Lost Boys" which follows 4 Pakistani lads in a car as they drive around their hometown of Nelson in Lancashire. They talk of fights, racism and persecution nothing to do every night. You can just see how they're ripe for recruitment. The 2nd is even stranger an interview with Ahmad who is a white lad accused of Muslim extremism and arrested under the Terrorist Act. He shows paintings that express what he feels about Islam (deeply loves it). Neither feature makes judgements but they do give you insights into why stuff happens...

To sum up with our media and politicians locked into a sort of sickening and stifling political-correctness of late material like "Four Lions" is refreshing to say the least and even a bit brave. And the fact that you're laughing so much for three quarters of the movie, but hurting with sadness at the end is testament to its heart. It elevates "Four Lions" above clever froth into the realm of something that stays with you and makes you think and reassess...

I loved this film. And Film 4, Wild Bunch and Optimum Releasing and all associated with "Four Lions" are to be praised to the nines for it.

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Paycheck (2013)

Not only a very good sci-fi movie but it also have action and a very good story. I recommend it.

I gave this movie a 5 star rating. It was loaded with action, suspense and time travel. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves these three things.

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Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (2008)

Most movie sequels I've seen were bad remakes of the original. But UNDER SIEGE 2: DARK TERRITORY delivers some excitement, holding your attention.

Steven Seagal reprises his rule as the Navy cook/martial arts champion serving knuckle sandwiches to hijackers who take over a train. Seagal's in top John Wayne form, speaking slowly and softly and not saying too much. And as in the first film, he's at times funny, with one wisecrack you won't forget. ...

Eric Bogosian adds flavor as a slimey villain, another reason UNDER SIEGE 2 rises above the average sequel. Bogosian matches the high-energy performance he gave several years ago in the movie TALK RADIO.

Is it a Hollywood law to cast women as only sex objects or victims? Katherine Heigl fills the role of the latter in UNDER SIEGE 2. Despite her good looks, she plays Steven Seagal's niece not his love interest. I suppose that's something you would not predict. But sure enough, the villains capture Ms. Heigl and it's up to Uncle Steve to save her pretty little head.

See UNDER SIEGE 2: DARK TERRITORY. It's a cut above both action flicks and sequels.

And this is a rare thing . . . a sequel that's just as superb as the original. Steven Segal is the cook again, and he boards the Grand Continental luxury express train with his niece. But trouble brews . . . a group of terrorists led by a disgruntled ex-CIA operative hijack the train to take control of a covert space satellite weapons platform, holding the passengers hostage and blackmailing the Pentagon and others into paying a huge ransom. And, of course, ex-Navy SEAL Casey Ryback(SEGAL) goes into action to stop the terrorists from causing a nuclear attack on the Pentagon with the space weapon. OK, the plot is mind candy, but this movie delivers some stunning action scenes and speeds along with a great sense of urgency as it thrills! The DVD enhances the enjoyment big style as the action comes across as more explosive, the sound effects will rock your living room! The cinematography is also nice to look at great scenery and train footage for any railroad buffs(like me) watching. Also, if one looks at the film's climax, one could say it was inspired by a brilliant 1976 movie called THE CASSANDRA CROSSING, which I would also strongly recommend. But as far as UNDER SIEGE 2 goes, nobody beats Steven Segal in the kitchen!

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For several months we have been searching every video store in hopes of finding Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, only to come up short time and time again. We even checked every $5 bin with exhaustion. The only thing we could come across was Under Siege which we have already watched/reviewed/loved but never it's b counterpart #2. So this past Sunday after a nice day of NFL action half of Sid was poking around his local blockbuster when something magnificent happend. Looking through some videos for sale revealed a copy of Under Siege 2 for the glorious price of $3.99. Just looking at the cover gives you the feeling that you're in for some of the finest action b you will ever grace your eyes upon. You have Seagal who is hanging from a moving train with one hand, his piece in the other, and all the rear cars on fire from a sweet explosion. The only thing that could have made the cover better was if you had a zombie Busey (since he died in the first one) hanging on behind Seagal. But since we didn't have a horror-action here that wasn't in the cards.

Our story picks up with now retired Navy chef Casey Ryback working as a cook at the Mile High Cafe in Denver Colorado ($100 says Seagal begged the producers to call it the Mile High Club). Ryback has decided he wants to take his niece Sarah (Katherine Heigl) on a little vacation to LA which she doesn't seem happy about at all. Instead of being happy to spend some time with uncle Seagal she's pissed because he and her father hadn't talked in years. He gives her some song and dance and all of a sudden she loves him again. Within a 2 minute span she goes from hating him to hugging him saying how happy she is to see him. Typical woman. Now that all is well in the Ryback family they hop aboard the train to meet their uncle Tom porter Bobby Zachs (Morris Chestnut) who has the hots for Sarah. That however soon changed when he tries to make a move on her and she grabs his hand flipping him over in quite the hilarious scene. She says she learned her sweet ninja moves from her uncle as the movie takes b to new heights. From the non stop corny dialogue within the first 20 minutes the film was already up to 2 stars.

Once the train gets moving we see a couple shady characters that you knew would be the hijackers. Travis Dane and his crew stand up with their guns and alert everyone they are taking control of the train. Who hijackes a train? We're pretty sure the last time a train was hijacked or robbed was in the 1920's, but Dane must be a man of tradition. We soon find out that 2 of the passengers on the train hold the secret passwords to control a top-secret government weapon of mass destruction. He makes them cough up the codes by nearly burning their eyes out with some device, which Santa told us all about when he burst in half way through the film. Anyway, once he gets the codes he throws both of them off the moving train down the side of a mountain. Fantastic! Now Dane hacks into the government database taking conrtol of the weapon. He starts going nuts blowing up various building all over the world. In fact the scene of the destroyed industrial facility in China recycles unused footage from On Deadly Ground (1994). In On Deadly Ground, it's the burning Aegis Oil facility. Another star for reused footage.

As the choas continues they find out the universally feared Casey Ryback is on the train. They find his niece and take her hostage to lure Ryback into their clutches. Unfortunate for them Ryback is already on his way killing any of their crew in his path with help from the porter. Ryback is able to unattach part of the cart with a lot of the hostages so they won't have to witness Rybacks sureal ninja moves rendering them speechless. We have some crazy fights scenes in which Seagal hangs off the side of a mountain with 1 hand yet manages to kill 2 guys. Don't ask. And he winds up taking out every villian, saving the pentagon, and his niece. Good thing the government left the fate of the world in Seagals hands by saying "Rybacks on that train? Leave it to him."

Under Siege 2 was well worth the wait. We would give it more then 5 stars if we could. It has everything you will ever need in an action movie. Expect explosions, hilarious sped up martial arts, neck snapping, arm breakings, train jumping, borat looking villan, non stop one liners, rock scailing, knife fighting, and a ton of casualties by the hands of a semi slender pre ponytailed Seagal. If you haven't seen this one and you enjoy our reviews go and pick it up. Do it Now! You'll even get to hear Seagal say "Nobody beats me in the kitchen!"

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Our hero in this movie Casey Ryback(played by Seagal) is going to take a vacation with his neice on a scenic trainride.An evil

band of terrorists led by Eric Bognosian hijack the train.You

will want to note that the villain in this movie is not nearly as evil as Tommy Lee Jones in the 1st Under Seige.They are trying

to gain control of a satellite that can cause earthquakes on earth.Ryback begins dealing out misery and justice to the forces of evil on the train. He has a feirce battle with a menacing looking mercenary on the train.There is action galore in this

movie as well as an exciting finish to this movie. This is as

exciting movie that you will enjoy watching.

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This review is from: Under Siege 2: Dark Territory as in the first Under Siege happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time...in this case, aboard a train hijacked in mid-journey by terrorists. His estranged niece (Katherine Heigl) is aboard, trying to manage a little quality time with Uncle Casey. Unfortunately for them, military defense contractor Eric Bogosian supposedly dead in a car accident, but actually alive and well and in full cahoots with the white supremacist terrorists is using the train as a mobile platform to elude government detection, while computer-hacking into his own creation: an orbiting Star Wars particle-beam satellite. Bogosian's aim is simple global blackmail. He and his renegade paramilitary pals want money a lot of money or cities around the world are going to start burning. With his country (and the world) at stake not to mention a trainload of hostages, including his own adorable niece what's a good, ol' fashioned, red-blooded, patriotic American ex-Navy Seal to do? Why, go to war, of course regain control of the train, put Bogosian's satellite link out of commission, and kick a little terrorist tail.

Yes, Seagall is a terribly wooden actor, but that strangely seems to work in his favor. The character of Casey Ryback is likeable precisely because he's wooden somehow, it simply adds to his charm. Katherine Heigl can't help but be adorable, and is appealing in everything she does. Bogosian is as slimy, cold-blooded, and despicable a cad as ever slinked his way smarmily through a red-hot action-melodrama suspenser. The rest of the cast are simply terrific, and the production and action sequences are stellar. The suspense remains steady throughout, which is no small feat for a formula melodrama. There simply isn't a dull moment. This is a beautifully unified and realized production, from Frame One to Frame Last. It's compulsively watchable, and re-watchable.

If the plot sounds vaguely familiar, you're remembering the 1971 James Bond entry Diamonds Are Forever, which ranks on about the same par as this movie. Sadly, the James Bond franchise has rarely come up to the same level, since but this film has, and surpassed it.

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Lola Montes (The Criterion Collection) (1905)

"Lola Montes" was German director Max Orphuls' first film in color, first in Cinemascope, and his last film. Due to its terrible reception in Paris in 1955, the film was re-cut twice -once by Orphuls and once by the producersin attempts to make it more palatable to audiences. It was the most expensive European film ever made when it was released, so it was a notable flop. The first attempt to restore the "Lola Montes" to its original cut was made in 1968 from an incomplete print. The version on Criterion Collection 2010 DVD is a complete restoration, completed under the leadership of La Cinémathèque française in 2008.

This has long been a film appreciated more by filmmakers than by audiences. It appeals either to those who scrutinize its camerawork or who can place it in the context of film history or of Max Orphuls' work. That said, and although the film is technically interesting, I found it quite watchable. "Lola Montes" was the stage name of Elisabeth Rosanna Gilbert, a famed Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria in the 1840s. Orphuls reduces her to a circus attraction in middle age, taking impertinent questions from the audience and recreating her scandalous life on stage through absurd tableaux vivants and dangerous stunts.

In fact, Lola Montes was never in a circus, and Orphuls hits the viewer over the head with his condemnation of exploitation and objectification, represented by Lola's (Martine Carol) circus act and its callous ringmaster (Peter Ustinov). I can't help but think this is at least partly responsible for the film's poor reception. As a rule, movies that scold, accuse, or condemn their own audiences are not popular. When Orphuls shames the audience of that circus, they are stand-ins for the film's audience. But the circus is something to see, as we watch Lola's adventures acted out by this bizarre company and in flashback as Lola recalls the events of her life.

Martine Carol was not Max Orphuls' choice for the role, and she is wooden. That's appropriate in the circus scenes, less so in the flashbacks. I think the real Lola Montes must have had more personality, but since this is a film about spectacle, not drama, Carol's limited acting skills don't hinder its ambitions. It takes liberties with Lola Montes biography, but it wasn't intended to be a biopic. Although Orphuls undoubtedly meant for "Lola Montes" to comment on exploitation, it could just as easily be a comment on celebrity, which might be more timely in the 21st century. Lola Montes used celebrity, and it used her. In French and German with optional English subtitles.

The DVDs (Criterion Collection 2010 2-disc set): On Disc 1 are the film and a feature commentary by Max Orphuls scholar Susan White, recorded in 2008. She discusses the film's history, composition, camerawork, making the film, its context in Orphuls oeuvre, and themes. On Disc 2, there is a 1965 episode of the French television program "Cinéastes de notre temps" (53 min) that features some of Orphuls collaborators. "Max by Marcel" (33 min) is a documentary by Marcel Orphuls about his father. There is some footage (1 min) of Martine Carol demonstrating hairstyles from the film. And there is a theatrical trailer for the restored version from Rialto Pictures. Subtitles are available in English.

The movie itself was great, but the transfer is extremly diaappointing, considering that Fox Lorber acquired it recently after Home Vision Cinema lost the video rights. Fox Lorber could have gone through new tranfers and a color and sound restoration, as they reportedly done with their new Truffaut releases on video and DVD (or it could've done by the French and picked up by convience and after Criterion lost their rights to the films, anyway, Fox Lorber claimed to have done "new translation").

The video and sound quailty is extremely poor that colors changed throughout a scene and the audio is quite low accompanied by tics and hisses. Fox Lorber did a disservice to everyone since this is the one and only source many of us have to watch the film. (As a side note, the director's cut, with a running time around 140 minutes, is rarely seen after it was butchered for a shorter running time since the production company was on the verge of bankruptcy as the movie failed to make any profit. This was done, sadly, when Ophuls was on his deathbed).

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...Fox-Lorber can be credited with sly only, for releasing this lack of quality even Madacy would be ashamed of.

The 1 star is because of this release. Maybe they don't know yet that DVD technology allow for subtitles as a choice option, and maybe their budget was too short to get them right (one quarter is accurate, one quarter is approximate, one quarter is absolute fancy, and one quarter has escaped translation. But the worse is the (absence of) quality of the picture which is perfectly matched by a botched soundtrack.

Until Criterion or some real professional in DVD business will take care of getting this released as it should be, better to avoid this one.

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I can hardly believe how bad the quality of the Fox-Lorber DVD version of this film is. I have the privilege of access to a local University library with an extensive laserdisc and DVD collection, so I was able to see both this DVD version and the criterion collection's out of print laserdisc edition of this film. The difference between the quality of the dated laserdisc and this DVD was like night and day the laserdisc was incomporably better. Why Fox-Lorber does not simply pay for the Criterion print is beyond me. For Fox-Lorber to buy the DVD rights to this film and then release a version of such shamefully low quality is ridiculous it seems to me alogical, as if though it would have made more sense for Fox-Lorber never to aquire the rights at all. In truth, because I enjoy this film so much, I feel that this DVD is an act of wanton cruelty on Fox Lorber's part. I would advise discriminating viewers to avoid this DVD; I despair because I can now not own a copy of the film for myself in the forseeable future.

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If Lola Montes were alive today I'm sure she would be a tabloid sensation or perhaps a reality television star famous for her notoriety. Born Eliza Gilbert, she reinvented herself during the late 1800s and tried her hand at singing, acting and dancing failing miserably at all three. What she lacked in talent, however, she more than made up for in sex appeal. Rumours swirled around her about various lovers and Bavaria's Ludwig I bestowed upon her the title of Countess of Landsfeld. She challenged her critics to duels and dared to smoke in public.

In short, Montes led a pretty exciting life ripe for cinematic treatment. Director Max Ophuls took up the challenge in what would be his last film and the only one in colour and Cinemascope. When Lola Montes was released in 1955, the critics savaged it causing the film's producers to panic and re-edit it. The film did have its admirers, chief among them filmmaker Francois Truffaut and critic Andrew Sarris. By 2008, Lola Montes was restored to Ophuls' original intentions and digitally remastered to its original glory, preserving its vibrant colour scheme.

The first disc includes an audio commentary by film scholar Susan White, author of The Cinema of Max Ophuls. She states that Lola Montes is not a film for everyone because of the unusual attention to style. She discusses the odd casting of Martine Carol and what she brought to the film. White does an excellent job of analyzing the film's style and what it means in relation to the characters and the story. She also sheds light on the film's rocky production. This is a very informative track full of insight into the film and the people that made it.

The second disc starts with "Cineastes de Notres Temps," an episode of the French television series featuring several of Ophuls' collaborators, many of whom worked on Lola Montes. The film's cinematographer talks about the director's love of movement. In fact, everyone talks about his working methods and obsession with movement within film.

"Max by Marcel" is a 2009 short film by Marcel Ophuls (Max's son) where he talks about his work on the film as an assistant director. Marcel interviews a few people who also worked on the film. The producers did not like the footage Ophuls was shooting forced Martine Carol and the use of colour and Cinemascope on him.

"Martine Carol Hair Tests" features silent footage of the actress showing some of the fantastic hairstyles she sports in Lola Montes.

Finally, there is the rerelease trailer.

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Good Will Hunting

There were few films in 1997 that enjoyed more publicity than Good Will Hunting. Most of the hype centered on the two tyro actors who penned the screenplay. It seems that they had been friends for years and in between college obligations, drinking and socialising, they had been toying with a script on the side. What started out as a rather average comedy, soon evolved into a sophisticated drama. In fact, it could hardly avoid getting better as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck must have received a ton of brutal criticism from every Hollywood executive that they approached.

The true miracle is not that two actors, unknown for writing, could get a script accepted in Hollywood but that the script was so good that it put every other effort for the year in the shade. In my opinion, the motion picture academy was correct in awarding the Oscar for best screenplay to Good Will Hunting. Everything about the script suggested writers with a profound understanding of the human condition; even now I half suspect there was an element of that old saying about an infinite number of monkeys on typewriters.

For those interested in this Cinderella story within a movie, you should listen to the director's track on the DVD. It offers a unique insight into the background of the writing and filming of Good Will Hunting. It becomes clear from Ben and Matt's reminiscences that they had a ball during every part of the process. Not only that, they took advantage of their opportunity, to offer support roles to friends and family; a situation that rarely occurs outside of independent film. Surprisingly, one of the best support performances was produced by Casey Affleck, who is Ben's cousin, (I think).

The script took a bit of a risk by making the main character a super-genius. Not only is it difficult to portray a person with such talents but it is nearly impossible to do so while making him likeable. After all, the tall poppy syndrome is strongest when it comes to intellect. We can all aspire to wealth and with plastic surgery, even beauty is not unattainable but the brains you are born with is the most you're ever going to have. However, Matt Damon proved me wrong on both counts.

Will Hunting was undeniably bright. The scene in the Harvard bar were he takes on an educational supremacist is worth watching again and again just for the superb timing that was employed. Will also manages to win our sympathy despite his I.Q. Not so much because he acts like "one of the boys" but because we discover early on that for every blessing he received in the brain department, he was given a matching curse in his life. An orphan who was raised by a series of abusing foster parents is unlikely to have much room left for pride.

The catalyst which helps Will break out of his life is Gerald Lambeau, (Stellan Skarsgård). He is an award winning mathematician and professor at MIT where Will works as a janitor. Their paths cross when Will off-handedly solves a difficult maths problem which Lambeau had set for his post graduate class. But whilst there relationship is important, it is little more than a subplot; a segue toward Will's eventual meeting with Sean Maguire, a psychiatrist played by Robin Williams.

Sean is invited by Lambeau to work with Will. The two are old friends but even so, Sean was only approached after four other therapists had been run off by Will's destructive insights and bitter insults. Sean is a bird of a different feather however. He shares a common background with Will, and if anything, he has had more pain in his life than Will may ever see. In a strange way, Sean becomes Will's mother to Lambeau's role as ambitious father.

The film is rich with detail and is a wonderful medium for the support actors. Ben Affleck's role as Will's best friend is not as visible as Matt Damon's but he carries it off with just the right amount of fatalism and aggression. Will's Lady friend Skylar, is also worth special mention. Minnie Driver takes a seemingly token "love interest" role and breaths real depth into it. Without her efforts, Will's final choice would not have rung true and might have marred the whole film.

Good Will Hunting is a tribute to the dreams of American youth. Both because two young men managed to reach the pinnacle of their craft on their first outing but more importantly, because it deals with one young man's struggle to overcome his troublesome past while reaching out to grasp life, love and happiness. It's touching, entertaining and at the same time inspirational.

Every now and then, a movie comes along that absolutely blows your world apart. It gives you a perspective on life that you never had before. It weasels its way into your psyche, unbeknownst to you, and takes root...becoming a major part of your inner workings. It's like Inception! When I first saw Good Will Hunting (1997) in 1998 when it came out, I had no idea that 13 years later this little indie film written by two wet-behind-the-ear kids from "Bahh-ston" would be one of my favorite films of all time. I mean...these two guys, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, are my contemporaries and I was 24 when this movie touched my heart and soul. That's pretty incredible writing from two young guys in their 20s, which won them both Oscars for Best Original Screenplay. Good Will Hunting is firmly planted in my Top 25 films of all time. And I doubt it will ever leave. Especially because the film is as fresh and critical today as it ever was. Repeatedly, over and over, this movie gets to me like so few do.

It's a perfect film (5 out of 5 stars) about the inherent flaws and failures that go hand-in-hand with life's greatest successes and achievements. The human condition, especially the condition of being a man, is flopped onto the operating table in Good Will Hunting and surgically dissected into all the psychological bits and quirks that somehow magically come together to create each of our lives. The emotional and intellectual depth present in the script, the acting, the dialogue, and all the details of this film, belies its book cover. If by some odd chance you haven't yet gone on this journey with Will Hunting, then by all means, get into this film now and for many years to come.

I watched Good Will Hunting for the umpteenth time tonight, but for the first time in over a year and the first time in HD. Having seen the film in the theater, on VHS, on DVD, and on TV, I know it like the back of my hand. And yet in HD, there were details that were brought to my attention like never before. Textures in the actors faces, colors that were brighter than they've ever been, locations that popped out, and dialog that reminds us all why we enjoyed The Social Network (2010) so much this past year. Director Gus Van Sant has never been better in his cinematic craftsmanship, then with his work on Good Will Hunting. He brings his artistic flare and unique storytelling techniques to a more mainstream presentation than his typical indie fare. It's films like this that make someone's career, or bring it back to life. And it did that for all the major players here. It brought the incredible filmmaking talents of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to the attention of Hollywood, both for acting and writing. It brought Gus Van Sant into the light of mainstream Hollywood directing. It really introduced us to Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, and Cole Hauser, all of whom are well known actors now, who got there talents showcased in this film. And it finally gave Robin Williams his much deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, after being nominated for his incredible work in Good Morning Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989).

It's hard for me to write about Good Will Hunting because its the kind of complex, intelligent, yet very emotional story that is really best told through film, not writing. I love reading good prose like anyone, but film has a way of bringing that prose to life through its visuals, emotions, and music that our brains just don't create for us in our imaginations quite so viscerally. That being said, I'll do the best I can here! Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a mathematical genius in the form of a young man who was an abused orphan. Hunting has struggled all of his life, moving from foster home to foster home, job to job, and brawl to brawl. But living in South Boston, he's made some extremely close friends...brothers really...played ironically and fortuitously by real life brothers Ben & Casey Affleck and Cole Hauser. It absolutely helps sell the realism of the relationship between these actors that 3 out of 4 of them grew up in Boston together in real life.

After Will gets into another fight to defend his tough 'Southie" reputation, he gets arrested and put in jail. And this time he can't intellectualize his way out of it. But before being arrested, he catches the attention of a math professor at Harvard, played brilliantly by Stellan Skarsgård. Professor Gerald Lambeau challenges his students to solve a complex math problem that he puts up on a chalkboard. Working as a Janitor at Harvard, Will puts the solution to the math problem on the chalkboard one night while cleaning, and eventually gets discovered by Lambeau, who convinces the Judge to let Will out of jail under his guidance and care. But in return, Will has to attend weekly therapy sessions to address his issues with violence and crime. After going through a string of different types of therapists, Lambeau takes Will to his old college roommate Sean Maguire who happens to be a psychologist and community college instructor from Southie, just like Will. Robin Williams plays Maguire with absolute brilliance, creating a character that challenges, helps and befriends Will. The rest of the movie follows this journey through Will's therapy sessions, his new love relationship with Minnie Driver's "Skylar", his weekly "hang outs" with his best friends, and his work with Professor Lambeau solving complex math problems. The journey is really all about Will completing his past and starting to discover who he is and what gifts he has.

I think the main reason Good Will Hunting has such a strong place in my heart as a film is because of the story of Will. While totally different than my own, it still has the same fundamentals of growing up, finding yourself, getting complete with your childhood and your past, falling in love, and searching for your purpose in life that we all experience....and continue to experience over and over again throughout life. While I'm no math genius, never been to Boston, or been an orphan, I still strongly relate to the emotional and psychological struggles that Will has. Damon and Affleck clearly wrote this story pulling from their own lives to some degree, their own journeys into male adulthood, and brought a realism to the details of the story that makes this relatable to just about anyone. The jokes and stories in Good Will Hunting are absolutely hilarious and still give me a great laugh now, dozens of times later. And the verbal banter between Skarsgård and Williams, Williams and Damon, Damon and Driver, and amongst the 4 friends/brothers, is simply some of the best dialog ever written and acted. I laugh, I cry, and I escape in to the world of Will Hunting every single time I watch this movie.

I've said before that part of how I judge a movie to be a 4 or 5 star film is because of it's longevity and appeal over time. I rarely give a movie that I see for the first time a 4 or 5 star rating. Usually they get 3 or 3.5 stars initially, and then have to earn there way up the ladder through repeated viewings over years. I know that Good Will Hunting was probably a 3.5 or 4 star film to me when I first saw it, not that I was rating films back then like I do now. But over the years, I've connected with Good Will Hunting time and time again. It's one of those movies that I watch once a year, not so much as "entertainment" but as a heartfelt psychological escape that puts me "in touch with the universe" as I like to call it. It reconnects me, when I need it to, to the universal energy and "truths" that we are all continually seeking comfort in. It reminds me that I'm here to live the life I've been given, and not someone else's. Will feels this obligation to his friends to stick around Southie, to work in some blue collar job like the rest of them, to raise a family there and go to ball games with his friends and their eventual families. But Will has talents and genius that don't really fit into that world. And he's pulled in these two opposite directions, one with his head and one with his heart. Who in their life hasn't felt that same struggle at some point? Or goes through it again? And again? I know that I have...and that I continue to periodically. Good Will Hunting reminds me to connect my head and my heart and create a path that wins for both.

As I was watching all of the sizzling scenes between Skarsgard and Williams tonight, it dawned on me more clearly than ever how these two characters represent the two opposing, yet complimentary aspects of our human nature: our mind and our heart. Skarsgard, as the Math Professor, represents our intellect, our mind, our voice that's always rattling things off to us in our head. That logical and responsible part of ourselves. Williams, as the Psychologist, represents our heart, our soul, our gut instincts, our feelings. That lover and fighter within us. These two yin-and-yang characters play out so well when separated into these distinct characters, giving us an external view into our own internal battles. I've always known this on a subconscious level, but tonight I became aware of it consciously. Amazing how this film keeps giving me little kernels of insight into myself and into the universe each time I watch it and internalize it.

In terms of filmmaking, Good Will Hunting has excellent production design, Oscar level acting by nearly the entire cast, brilliant writing, subtle but incredible cinematography, and masterful directing. It just doesn't get much better than this! The music and score for Good Will Hunting, while subtle like the photography, are perfectly fitted for the mood, emotion, and story of this film. Music Composer Danny Elfman did his best work here, still to this day. What strikes me most about Director of Photography Jean-Yves Escoffier's work here is the stillness he brings to the shots. It's like he's waiting with his camera for something to happen. And it does! He lets the actors, the sets, and the locations do the work, instead of the handheld photography doing the work. I feel like so many current films, like Black Swan (2010) for example, get caught up in handheld photography that makes me feel like we've all got ADD and can't just sit and watch the story unfold, but that we need the camera to "jiggle" to remind us somehow that we are like voyeurs peeking into the lives of these characters. I don't need that on every character-driven movie! There's my little rant on the current state of handheld cinematography being so dominant in current films. But my point is that Good Will Hunting, which pre-dates the current popularity of handheld photography, has a more subtle yet powerful way of presenting its visuals to us through the richness of the design of the sets, the locations, the costumes and makeup, and the actors themselves.

I look forward to the eventual release of this cinematic masterpiece on Blu-ray, which I would bet comes to fruition this year or next. It will certainly be a film that I upgrade my current DVD collection to include in HD. And hopefully Damon and Affleck will re-team someday to bring us another film of this caliber. As far as I'm concerned, they both have yet to top their performances in Good Will Hunting. But they've come really close with their recent work. Damon with the Bourne Trilogy, and Affleck with The Town (2010).

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This movie goes off the charts in all the most important ways, in terms of storyline, ensemble acting presented, contemporary humor, revealing truths about life and the problems associated with a young, brilliant, but emotionally troubled young man trying desperately to make sense out of a crazy world. What is so amazing and so remarkable about the film is that it was the handywork and dreamchild of two relatively unknown (at least up until then) actors and screenwriters in the persons of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, boyhood friends and denizens of the greater Boston area.

Add to this superb screenplay the support of wonderful actors like Robin Williams, who won a best supporting actor oscar for his role as the psychiatrist who unlocks the secrets to the protagonist (Will Hunting)and allows him to grow and mature. Minnie Driver is also excellent as the love interest drawing Will Hunting toward his beckoning adulthood. She is also the occasion for the single best line in the film; "You like apples? I got her phone number! How do you like them apples?" This film works so well on so many levels that it is really a shame that it lost the Oscar for best picture to "Shakespeare In Love", for this is a far more powerful, enduring, and worthwhile film experience. if you haven't seen it, I recommend you RUN to the nearest video store and rent it. And after you swoon before its magic, you'll want to come back to Amazon.com and order a copy for your personal video library. Enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of Good Will Hunting Here

The angry one star reviews for Good Will Hunting demean the legitimacy of the angry one star reviews for films such as Titanic, which are truly terrible. Good Will Hunting is not a lavish hollywood blockbuster that cost 70 million to make and trippled that at the box office. It did well and garnered critical praise but it's still a (relatively) art house film handled well by Van Sant who has constructed good, small, location and lifestyle specific American movies.

This movie is the same. I actually agree with some of the legitimate criticism that this movie is predictable and over wound up at the end. The other criticism about how Will shouldn't be a genius and that the film is generally "trite" seems like silly prejudice.

Take my perspective... I'm a young writer of screenplays and saw the silly looking trailers for this movie written by two young guys. I was sort of furious on the inside that these two were being lauded as great and I've never seen a Robin Williams movie that wasn't over sentimental trash. Then I go to the Angelica in New York, fuming and ready to hate this movie. But I couldn't... it was too well done, well acted by all three of my nemesis and genuinely funny and emotional. Those below who say that Matt Damon's performance is bad are one of two things without any clue about acting or jealous (and stupid because honestly I'm jealous yet I think he was great).

In addition, the features here are definately good for a couple of days watching and paint a vivid picture of how this film came to be.

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I love this movie and got it today on Blu Ray. This is not made in the states but I was lucky enough to see it listed on Ebay and got it for only $15. It was made in Canada and has cover act that has some info in both English and French. Even though its not a high action movie that would really benefit from the Blu Ray upgrade, I think the upgrade is very noticable and I am glad I decided to upgrade. GWH is one of my favorite films of all time and having it in Blu Ray is awesome!

Cocktail (2012) - (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / Indian Cinema) (2012)

I'm never sure where the editorial reviews that are posted for these movies come from . The one listed above wasn't even close to the plot of this film. Johnny Carson's dead ghost The Amazing Carnac could of gotten closer then the description they gave.

Deepika is the rich wild child , the emotionally raw Veronica. She's flash and cash all the way but has a soft spot under her party girl facade . One night she runs into a bathroom after boozing it up too much and happens to meet a beautiful traditional Hindi girl Meera (Diana) who's crying her eyes out. She just found out that the arranged marriage she thought she was part of was real only on paper and she has been victimized by a total rat (extended cameo in two sections of the movie played by Randeep Hooda) . The marriage was a sham hoax. When she showed up in London because he didn't send for her , she finds he married her for her dowry money . He tells her to get lost she can file for married visa and he will divorce her later but he spent her money. After hearing this tale Veronica (Deepika) basically takes her home to help her out until she get's settled in and helps her to slowly change into a more confident person. They become best friends and room mates.

Enter Saif who meets and start a Friends with Benefits relationship with Veronica and a somewhat bumpy friendship with Diana who is his total opposite. They annoy each other in constant little ways but get along for Veronica's sake. One day when his mom shows up with BRIDE ON THE BRAIN , he freaks and tells his mom (Dimple) it's Diana's traditional hindi character that he's in a relationship with not Veronica and that he's going to marry her (hilarious scene you have to see this ). Since Veronica doesn't want anything to do with permanent at this stage and she finds this very funny, she goes along with the lie.

While on a trip to Capetown his mother takes them on, they all discover a few things about themselves. Saif really is attracted to the traditional Diana even though he always dated modern women; and Veronica now wants what she can't have . Saif as her husband . She's fallen in love with the idea of love. She's been alone so long emotionally and Saif was the closest she ever came. His mother is so sweet to her as a person, like a mother figure, filling an empty spot in her life . She is more in love with the idea of being the daughter of the house than she is with being in a giving relationship . She's never seen one in her life. She basically does everything she can do to destroy Diana and Saif to get him back even though when she had him she never really wanted him completely. Her pain and misery almost destroy all of them before she has a second epiphany and restores their lives back to some semblance of sanity.

Deepika soars, crashes and claws her way through this film , peeling back the character layer by layer until ultimately the human weakness in all of us is dealt with at it's most painful level. All human ,no self sacrificed moments for her character . She want's the prize this time . She wants her self respect back she just doesn't know how to go about it anymore. Always grasping but never obtaining.

Diana's character grows more subtlely in the movie, in strength and love, both obtained in measure by her relationships with Veroncia and Saif . Her softly overlapping layers are a stark contrast to Veronica's . She has her self respect but is constantly trying to sacrifice herself or later her love because she is somewhat conflicted by the new perceptions of her life that she is shown. Her traditional values have given her inner strength but unfortunately some of the old perceptions are also suffocating her in her new life. It's hard for her to see that she is not at fault all the time . That her strength and acceptance of all things that come at her are not helping the other people in her life be stronger. At some point she will have to stop accepting and start fighting for what SHE needs and only then can they ALL start to work at being healthier in their perspective relationships. She feels a sisterhood with Veronica and mistakenly thinks she can gift Veronica her own happiness. She can try to be there for her but she can not MAKE Veronica's life a happy one until Veronica is ready to take responsibility for her own actions. The writers are very good at making these situations felt and swap out tense moments with some music and lighter moments in attempts to keep it from being too dramatic. I liked the songs but could of done with a couple less of them but that is purely a taste thing and not a quality issue.

Saif rocks his role and manages to fulfill the balancing act of first the hilarious imp of a boyfriend to Veronica and then ultimately the slowly evolving picture of a man coming into his own adult hood and finally knowing his own mind . He grows into the man his mother knew he could be and the man they all needed him to be. Soft heart but strong back bone. They all walk away together as heroes with no total evil only flesh and blood humans with flaws present and accounted for. Lovable. Redeemable. Whole again.

Totally recommend this movie. Some great humor . Some great songs, good emotional scenes and an ending you can live with. Don't worry. It's Bollywood. That's why we watch.

I love Saif Ali Kahn's acting, when he is cast in the right role. However, Bollywood has a bad habit of casting men of Saif's age (42) in roles as much younger men. Saif's character is supposed to be a carefree 32, but even though he is a great looking guy, he doesn't look to be in his early thirties. The problem is that there really aren't a whole slew of actresses in Bollywood who are Saif's age. The ones with whom he worked and with whom he had great chemistry haven't been seen in awhilePreety Zinta, etc. It seems that once they get into their thirties, they drop off the radar and younger, newer, pretties fill their spaces. The only one who is still active, that I know of is Divya Balan. As for the actors, they stick around into their sixties. It's a shame really because Preety Zinta, Rani Mukerjee, and Ajay Devgan's wife (her name escapes me now) were a joy to watch. With no one in their age group, these guys must play younger dudes. What is supposed to be carefree and charming just doesn't play the same as when he actually was in his thirties. Saif Ali Kahn is a great actor and I think this part should have been played by someone else.

Having said all that, the acting was good in this movie. That is never an issue when Saif and Deepika are in a movie. I'm not familiar with Diana Penty but I enjoyed her performance. The plot was not one that is new to Bollywood so I knew the ending at the beginning. The songs were OK. Nothing really stuck out for me. Oh, for the days of Salaam Namaste, Hum Tum, or Parineeta. Anyway, it wasn't a waste of time and I feel many will enjoy it.

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This is a dull, cliched Disco-euphoric youth rom com, acted by 30 to 40 year olds who try way too hard to look westernized and euphorized. It reminds me vaguely of other disco-abroad-Bollies such as Salam Namasté or Hum Tum (both also with Saif Ali Khan who is too old for such fluff and performed so much better in Omkara, for instance). Stupid plot. Bland disco music by Pritam who delivered much better tunes (easy rock) for the Anurag Basu movies Barfi! and Life in a Metro.

Master lenser Anil Mehta did a great job, again. The leading ladies look gorgeous (too bad that after Om Shanti Om, Deepika Padukone seems to choose only bad roles in bad movies). The old hands Dimple Kapadia and Boman Iran do give this watery cocktail a bit of substance.

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The movie moves that I did not expect. Deepika's Maybellene replace is beautiful and did a great job. I hope we see more of her. Saif in a bra is quite a site!

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Good movie don't like saif playing such a young person though, doesn't look good. Enjoyed the movie it quite good.

3 Days of the Condor (1975)

I first saw this suspense/spy thriller when it was first released in the theaters sometime in the late 1970s, while living in London and working for the American government. There's nothing that compares with the paranoia associated with seeing a taut spy thriller, only to exit the theater into a cold, foggy late evening in downtown London. The picture it paints of a murderous renegade network operating within the Central Intelligence Agency is both frightening and plausible, and is delivered by Robert Redford and his production team in a tight, well-developed tale with a convincing thread of interconnecting events that spins way out of control as the protagonist tries desperately to figure out who is at the center of the plot and why he and his cohorts at a special studies institute sponsored by the Agency are targets. For me, this movie is a nonstop roller-coaster ride, with Redford trying in vain to jump off the damn thing before it crashes below!

The level of paranoia as well as the multiple levels of deceit and deception depicted in the film seemed a bit outlandish at the time, but given the temper of the times, it somehow seemed much more plausible in the backwash of Watergate and all that was revealed about the machinations of the so-called "invisible government" then. The hero's ability to parse together the facts and learn and adapt as he progresses makes the movie work especially well, and one can relate to his growing frustration as he realizes there just may not be any way out alive. And between the margins of the scenes lie some intriguing questions regarding the role of secrecy in an open and supposedly democratic society that add a measure of intellectual acumen and "gravitas" to the tale.

So popular was this movie at the box office that it spawned a number of other spy thrillers in its wake. The film's cast included not only Redford as the hero, but also starred Fay Dunaway, and Cliff Robertson. This movie makes for an absorbing evening of entertainment, and a surefire way to escape the humdrum of everyday life with a stunning tale of murder, mayhem, and betrayal. I highly recommend this flick. Enjoy!

What is it about this movie that makes it so compelling? After countless viewings, I still can't put my finger on it -but let's consider the crucial elements of "Condor."

First, the paucity of dialogue -in other words, what Redford displays and emotes rather than says -is powerful. It seems that for the first time in his career, Redford is really challenged to act instead of being just another pretty cinematic face. If ever a man could give the impression of being both haunted and hunted, Redford's a cinch in "Condor."

This is also a great New York City film. Its streets, back alleys, and buildings -in particular, the World Trade Center -all play supporting roles. Sidney Pollack makes good use of the then-newly finished twin towers in "Condor," and this viewer lamented their destruction after watching scenes featuring the main lobby and a top-floor office inhabited by CIA deputy director Cliff Robertson.

The grainy quality of the film, matched with an often funky, sometimes melancholy soundtrack scored by Dave Grusin, also adds to the aura of "Condor." It's as if Pollack attempted to do an American sendup of a French intrigue film. Grusin's music also is not what you'd expect in a spy film, in that it has not a hint of the James Bond sound. Then again, the film is not a romantic spy thriller, so it works.

In fact, Pollack and Redford successfuly convey a post-Watergate paranoia that the citizens' government is 'out there' and will stop at nothing to hunt down the truth-seeking rogue. Phone taps and plumbers (disguised, this time, as mailmen) abound. Suitably, "Three Days of the Condor" ends with a very anti-establishment message.

This film deserves to be placed in the list of top twenty great American films of the modern cinematic era (however one judges that). "Condor" is good the first time around and seems to be more enjoyable with subsequent viewings. Far from being a period piece, it stands the test of time as a thriller that is also thoughtful.

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THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is one of the finest espionage thrillers ever filmed. But it's not just entertaining. The script is thought-provoking and reflects fears and paranoias that still pervade our country's consciousness today. Robert Redford has never been better. His character is a refreshing hero who succeeds using his brain, not his brawn or some ridiculous firepower. There are so many great supporting performances as well, including Cliff Robertson, John Houseman and Faye Dunaway (who looks simply gorgeous). Max VonSydow plays the ultimate assasin for hire, equalled only by Edward Fox's turn in THE DAY OF THE JACKAL. The film's editing is perfect and the music score (by Dave Grusin) still sounds great, (quite a feat since the music from many films of this period sound terribly dated). All in all, I consider this possibly the best example of a domestic (versus international) espionage thriller and faultless in all aspects of production. The final freeze-frame shot is a stunner.

Read Best Reviews of 3 Days of the Condor (1975) Here

I first saw this movie when it was released in 1975. I was seven years old and it had me on the edge of my seat. Twenty five years later it still moves along. It's aged very easily. Redford does an excellent job as a man who has no experience, or training, as a field operative. All he has going for him is his intelligence and the fact that he reads spy novels and murder mysteries for a living.He makes mistakes, but he also makes several brilliant moves that a sesoned operative would never consider, which is one reason why he survives. His actions seem believable. He's an ordinary man having to cope with an extraordinary situation. Max von Sydow and Cliff Robertson are also very good and though it is a small part John Houseman shines as one of the grand old men of the CIA. Though the technology has aged, as well as some of the field techniques ,much of it is still very relevant as is the motivation for wiping out Condor's entire department. It actually is a nice little twist when the truth is revealed. This is truely a classic espionge thriller. Though I enjoy the Bond movies 3 Days of the Condor belongs under the realistic category.In my opinion it leaves Tom Clancy and Jack Ryan in the dirt.

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Film has very problematic picture and sound quality on Blu-Ray. It's a great 70s era "conspiracy" film, and very slow and talky in the Sydney Pollack way, that appears rather quaint and naive considering what we have learned about the way the world works since then.

The source transfer for "3 Days of the Condor" has obviously not been re-done for Blu-Ray, and appears to be the same source transfer used for the much older DVD edition of this film. Although the superior medium and capabilities of a 1080p Blu-Ray disc make this an upgraded way to view this material, the limitations of an aging source transfer abound and call attention to themselves. Detail is good in well lit scenes, much less so on indirectly lit surfaces and shadows. Blacks are unstable, noisy and milky. Skin tone and texture show the waxy effect of DNR (digital noise reduction). Much of the "grain" appears to be tele-cine noise, much more than the actual grain in the original material. The sound is mediocre. All in all a better view than the DVD version. But only worth renting, or if it can be purchased used or on mark down at $10 or less. A fine film. But this Blu-Ray edition is certainly not worth $20.

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Tarzan (Import) (1999)

The movie is great, I like it at home as much as I did in the theater, BUT...There appears to be a glitch with the sound. The front left and rear right audio channel is SWITCHED. Disney is aware of this problem (on 1.5 million disks) and isn't doing ANYTHING about it!

Technically, this movie is perfect. Great songs, beautifully designed scenarios, endearable funny characters and a strong feeling of nostalgia for movies that aim to a higher message. Regretfully, whoever is a parent these days is having a lot of trouble to explain the violence shown in cartoons to their sons. Moreover, it's hard to endorse any t.v. cartoons other than Pinky and the Brain or history related ones. Tarzan demonstrates that there is such thing such as a Family Film and that you can create visually stunning gems as this movie and, still, send a message other than gross scenes or blood and guts spilled all over. Thank you, Disney.

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After publicizing this release as a 2 disc set, disney finally changed its mind and released it as a barebones single disc. Those who were waiting to get all those great behind the scenes stuff available previously on "tarzan 2 disc collector's edition" will be thoroughly disappointed with this release.

However, those who missed out on previous 2 disc collector's edition and want to own tarzan on a two disc set, still have the option of buying it from amazon.co.uk, where it has been released as a 2-disc special edition with all those behind the scenes stuff from previous collector's edition. Just make sure you have a multi-region dvd player which plays discs from all regions.

Do not buy this unless you just want to own the film. Better still search for the old collector's edition. It will be worth all the money spent.

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Regardless of what you may think of the movie (I enjoyed it), this DVD does not belong in anyone's collection. Disney has greatly abused the ability to lock-out control of the DVD player during the beginning of the disk, *forcing* you to sit through several previews and an ad. Shame! Ordinarily I'm a big fan of previews, and I don't even mind ads, but keep them in the bonus section where they belong! I won't buy another Disney movie on DVD while this disrespectful practice continues. I'm surprised more people didn't mention it here I can only assume you've been watching the tape.

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I just finished watching the Tarzan DVD with my fammily and the quality of the animation and story is Excellent. The stunning animation and soudtrack is reason enough to purchase this DVD, but it comes with so many more extras including; a on screen trivia game, a on screen story book, a phil collins music video, behind the scences stuff, cool trailers and a DVD ROM game ( I dont have a computer DVD ROM Drive..yet) Not to mention language selections in English, Spanish and French.

A Must buy for any Family or Disney Lover.

Battle of the Warriors (2006)

I started watching this one expecting a historical military drama. 'Battle of the Warriors' delivered that beautifully. It centers on the mysterious stranger who arrives just as the city is about to be over-run, and rallies a defense against a marauding army tens of times their size a trope that works as well in classical China as in the American Wild West. Starting there, it offers exciting battles, humble heroism, intrigue, and all the rest that makes for quality entertainment of this kind. All of that comes through in sets and costuming with historical credibility, even though I can't vouch for literal accuracy. This isn't in the "flying swordsmen" genre, but a brilliant one of its kind.

This movie's pleasant surprise comes its major premise, an actual bit of Chinese history that many Westerners might not know. The mysterious stranger is a Mozi a follower of Mo Di, an actual philosopher and leader from the Warring States period. His school centered their beliefs on universal brotherly love, something subversive in a Confucian society with rigid hierarchies of loyalty and affiliation. Rather than simply preach this doctrine, Moists fought for it. Their armies defended weaker city-states against unjust invasions by others in a policy of militant pacifism that might be unique in history. I know of no other movie that mentions Mo at all, so this one performs the worthwhile service of bringing this sage to Western attention.

If you want costume drama with plains darkened by swarming armies, with dramatic sieges and flaming attacks, with effete rulers undermining the commanders in the trenches, and with a near-subliminal hint of romantic interest, give this one a shot. But, while you're at it, remember that Mo was real even if this story's events weren't, and is well worth knowing.

-wiredweird

I like some of the more recent warfare/martial arts foreign movies as much for the cinematography as I do for a good storyline. After all, it's nice to experience the imagery and action of a beautiful film to go along with processing the information of the story from the English subtitles. (Note: As a rule, I don't watch foreign movies with the English overdub turned on. I prefer to read the subtitles.) Movies that come to mind are Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, Hero and The Warrior. This movie, Battle of the Warriors looked really good from the stills that I had seen and the story concept of countering a siege with wits and savvy appealed to me. In it's basic essence, thats what this movie is about, a kind of thinking-man's warfare from the point of view of both the beseiged and the invaders. Additionally, there are a few subplots involving 1) choosing to love, 2) the high human cost of war and 3) the ignorance/arrogance of the ruling class.

And at the end of the movie, I was very pleased with the story, probably even more than the cinematography. Don't expect non-stop action as there are several interludes that deal with setting up the armies/defenses and the strategies involved. Also, this movie isn't over-the-top in it's brutality, despite the eventual battle scenes. Overall, my opinion is that this is pretty solid movie and I would recommend it to intelligent audiences.

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If you're into Oriental art flicks, I would recommend a DVD called "Battle of the Warriers"

"Battle" certainly ranks, in my opinion, right up there with "Ran" or any of Kurosawa's or Ichikawa's films. Although lacking Kurosawa's camera work, I would have mistaken it for his if it had been in black & white. It's made in Hong Kong but much more western in style (more Japanese??) than most of the stuff coming out of Hong Kong or Beijing.

The movie is in Chinese but subtitled in English.

The story takes place in China 2300 years ago & is about a city that is the way of a large advancing army. The Army must take the city in order to proceed. The city hasn't much in defense & asks a clan of defense specialists, the Mozi, for help. They send one little guy. This guy, Ge Li, puts a whole new spin on being an army of one. Not because he's a killer but because he's a professional, knows what he's doing, & understands all of the consequences. If we had this guy in Afganistan, the war would have been over long ago.

The story is taken from a video game. Probably the only good conversion of a video game to full blown movie I've ever seen. The first half is battle and the preparations for them. The 2nd half has as much action but gets pretty heavy into the philosophy of war as well. One of those "Gotcha" movies that makes ya stop & think later about what was said.

This movie is excellent at all levels and would be enjoyable for just about every one although the violence might be a bit much for the younger kids. But not overboard with the blood & guts as so many movies are these days.

I recommend this movie enough I'm gonna buy a copy & add it to my collect. Well worth a watch.

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A martial arts movie that is more battle epic than hand-to-hand combat, Battle of the Warriors takes place in China almost 2500 years ago. My Chinese history is a bit er dusty, but the movie does a great job of laying out the background. This is a wartorn time, and the city of Liang is about to be besieged by an army that has to steamroll through it to get to their real military target. Raw deal.

Enter Ge Li (the amazing Andy Lau), a Mozi that the slimy king of Liang has begged to come protect the city. How can one man defend a city against an army? With brains, strategy, and cunning psychology. While there are plenty of battles in this movie, the real core of Battle of the Warriors is the planning the game of chess that takes place between the invaders and Li as each side plots their next move or parries that of the opponent. I've never seen a war movie that is so much about the tactical planning of war, and it was fascinating. Of course this focus means the movie is a little slow at times, but I was never not interested. The battle scenes are really creative and the tactics devised by each side to attain their objectives are amazing. I even recognized tenets I remember reading in The Art of War surface in Ge Li and his adversaries' thinking, which was awesome!

In addition to masterful battle scenes, Battle of the Warriors also has tremendous cinematography, wonderful acting, and great costumes and sets. There's even a tragic love story thrown in. As affecting as the love story was, I'm glad they kept it at the subplot level. I generally find it a weakness when a martial arts film lets a love story get too front and center; this one is kept on the backburner where it belongs and it adds spice rather than getting in the way of what the movie is really about.

The main theme of the film is how war only creates more and deeper conflict, a sentiment Andy Lau's Li actually verbalizes in one of the final scenes. This theme is illustrated very effectively in the way different characters become mistrustful, turn on one another, and backstab or even destroy each other (sometimes unintentionally) as a result of the conflict they are trying to win. This theme is also given life by the fact that Ge Li is a Mohist/Mozi. Of course, this piece of the story will be a bit unclear for some viewers. For example, about half way through the movie a character accuses Ge Li of always talking about 'universal love'. Huh? The guy never said a word about it up to that point! As far as I recall, anyway.

This piece of the movie relies on a bit of historical backstory that is probably obvious to Chinese audiences. I had to look it up. The Mohists apparently were militant pacifists during this wartorn time. They were master strategists who defended people from large armies as a means of thwarting military ambitions, and there's some religious/philosophical underpinnings to their beliefs that are generally distasteful to anyone in a position of power. As such, to defend the city Li does not launch attacks. His work is all defensive, yet very much aimed at prevailing. In this case, the goal is outlasting an army that can't afford the effort and losses of a long siege. Li's defenses are cunning, powerful, and deadly enough to daunt even a battle-hardened army. In short, he's not the kind of pacifist who gets his way by sticking flowers in the barrels of guns. He's someone you do NOT want to be stuck attacking!

I enjoyed Battle of the Warriors, and I'd recommend it to martial arts buffs who are okay with no hand-to-hand combat epic flicks and will have some patience for the few times the plot demands it. And thanks to Dragon Dynasty for bringing another great martial arts movie to US audiences!

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BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS

I have always been a fan of the epic battle movies from medieval times to the classic Asian battles like the one in this film. This film now called "Battle of Warriors" is one really good movie, it has all any one could want in a film. The epic battles and fights, romance, political thriller, and strong characters are all wrapped into one. The movie originally titled "Battle of Wits" is based on a novel of the same name, and a Manga series, which had been based on the novel. Starring the ever great Andy Lau and directed by Jacob Cheung this equals out to be one good flick.

In 370 B.C. China was in turmoil being split into seven nations and such, also known as China's Warring States Period. One of the smaller states is being attacked and that is Liang, The nation of Zhao is trying to invade them with an overwhelming amount of solider, classic outnumbered Alamo like story. Faced with this impossible task Liang decides to send for the help of a Mozi or Mohist [look em up]. Known for their defensive and tactical skills one man is sent and his name was Ge Li [Lau], at first the King of Liang is upset that only one man was sent but soon he realizes that this one man is more than worthy of the job.

Has the battle draws closer Ge Li not only is given full control of the military but he starts to win over the people. Of course in doing this he is only doing his job but the King starts to think otherwise. Someone gets in his ear and lets the King know that the people are putting all their faith into Ge Li, taking influence away from the King. What is a King to do when he is falsely lead to think one thing over the other, take action of course.

Andy Lau leads an excellent cast in this wonderful film with a great performance, not only does he make the man more than likable but he also makes you believe that this character can win a war. Fan Bingbing plays his romantic interest in the film and does a great job as well. Siu Ho Chin is great here as well as a general that takes Li's side over the King, the King of course is played wonderfully by Zhiwen Wang. Si Won Choi [also a Korean pop star] plays the King's son in this film and does a great job. Of course from the other side is the invading Zhao commander Xiang Yan-zhong played perfectly by Sung-kee Ahn. I love the chess match here in this film between his and Lau's characters, the meeting was a favorite moment of mine.

Director Jacob Cheung and DP Yoshitaka Sakamoto did a great job with this film as the camera keeps moving and the shots are excellent. The story is great and full of actual characters and the battles are fun as one would expect. As I am sure you can tell that I enjoyed this film, I always have. I always loved the film and then Dragon Dynasty released here in the states in a special edition, I love it even more. The making of feature is excellent and shows a lot of behind the scenes and as always the commentary from Bey Logan is really insightful.

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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)

Dreamworks' animated films have not been able to hold a candle to caliber of Disney/Pixar films, but let's face it: who can? That said, Madagascar 2 is learning from Pixar at the very least. Animated films work when they are able to successfully blend humor, heart, and a good story to keep the audience sustained for at least 90 minutes.

Madagascar 2 starts in the right direction by presenting a very nice opening featuring a brief origin of Alex and how he got to New York. It's probably less than 5 minutes, but already set the tone for the heart of the picture, which focuses chiefly on Alex fitting in with his fellow lions. The other chief characters are also stumbling as they interact with their own in Africa.

Also back is the humor. I sometimes feel like the movies would be funnier if the penguins had more screen time, but they are still funny in whatever scenes they're in. The granny who beat up Alex in the first film is also back for some humor. The humor is better and more consistent than the first.

The only flaw in the film is that it is fairly predictable. The chracters are a little bit better here than in the first and it has a good heart, but sometimes they don't spend as long on the emotional aspect as they could. It's still good entertainment and I like to see Dreamworks progress with their films.

note: this blue ray includes the nick penguins episodes available in the dvd 2 pack

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Wow. One could spend some serious paragraphs dissecting all that is great about this one. Clarity, picture, colors, sounds, extras they are all there.

As listed earlier, the much sought after Penguins episode is included on this BD, along with four music videos, fun games, trivia and plenty of material to give the kids some additional insight about all the that is Madagascar and all in hidef! Oh yeah, the story is funny and has lines to keep both the adults and kids entertained.

The movie has been a hit in the store and shows off any HD display beautifully. The sound and music are mixed very well but the animation clarity even shows through enough for kids to say how "totally cool" it looks. Just had a pre-school class of girls visit the store for a field trip and all 7 of them loved it.

Hope you enjoy...forgot to mention: I laughed out loud more than a few times, those penguins are great ("...you're all males..") gotta love it.

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Surprisingly Madagascar Escape2Africa is as enjoyable as the first film, which these days of shoddy sequels of a feat unto itself. The Bluray transfer is excellent. Picture 5/5 Sound 4/5 (Because it is 5.1) My wife and kids loved the first film and were just as entertained by this one. Also the decision to include DVDs and not digital copies was a wise choice. Every other digital copy I try to download into iTunes fails because they are expired. Why oh why do the studios do this. Digital copies are splashed over the covers of DVDs and now Bluray. So kudos to Dreamworks for including proper DVDs. For those of us that have children and travel, at least me, love having a DVD to play in the minivan and my portable DVD player.

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After the Furious Five fiasco, Dreamworks has decided to give you all the goodies--and more--in the Blu-Ray release of Madagascar 2. Not only do you get the behind-the-scenes, commentary, and other extras of the DVD, you also get the two Penguin cartoons from the 2-pack DVD bundle...and...

Easter Eggs! Go to the Penguin episodes menu. Highlight an episode. Move the directional controller on your remote and a penguin appears! Each episode will let you slide off the menu to two penguins, for a total of four extra "short" animations that launch when you select the penguin.

The Penguin episodes (and shorts) are hilarious. The quality of the Blu-Ray version is eye-popping: while Kung-Fu Panda produces lots of color and detail, Madagascar 2 goes it one step further with some pretty amazing depth of focus. Some of the panning shots, for example, seem to pop off the screen.

In addition to all this, BD Live will connect you to other extras: we watched a pretty good short documentary about lions, for example. The way the menu is built makes me think there might be more to come.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, Madagascar 2 is a bizarre and hilarious sequel. It introduces new characters, keeps the favorites from the first, and adds yet more movie spoofs and references for the grown-ups, some of them obvious (the Lion King) and some more obscure (The In-Laws). If you're buying for a small child, chances are they might not follow the nuances of blu-ray: the DVD will upscale enough on most players. But for the best experience, this blu-ray is the version to buy.

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