Straight Talk (1992)

If you've seen Straight Talk, you're no doubt a fan. This light-hearted movie is such a pick-me-up! I just love finding a movie I can watch several times and still laugh out loud!! I just love the scene where she loses her $20 bill on the bridge and James Woods comes to the "rescue"! The soundtrack is even good with songs written and performed by Dolly.

The DVD falls short though. No extras, no inner liner notes and it's ONLY available in full screen YUCK!! Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment should be ashamed of themselves for putting out such a poor product. Maybe this film wasn't a total blockbuster, but it sure deserved a better presentation than what it got.

Movie *****

DVD **

Overall ****

Yes, It's true. I am a diehard Dolly Parton fan, but if I wasn't I would still love this movie. Dolly's natural charm and humor comes to play in this rags-to-riches type of story. This is a must see!! Dolly is hilarious. This movie is a five star plus. You definitely won't regret seeing this. I don't care what the critics say. By far my favorite movie ever!

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I loved this movie! Shirlee Kenyon was a down on her luck country girl, when a mistake turns her into a big time radio doctor. I thought that her boss was kind of an a hole... He goes by the impression that people who have been married 3 times are losers, or those that have something real to say, He would write them off as losers..

This film shows off Dolly's spicy side of things! She had quite a few one lines... "I am like a one legged man in a butt kickin' contest!' Plus you get to see an early appearance of Terri Hatcher! (Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman)

I would like to have seen the trailer. as well as the music videos and even a commentary would have been nice... Aside from that, I still love the film....

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Some stores are already selling these locally. I picked one up yesterday, and the transfer is wonderful. Even though it is not posted on Amazon as of this writing, rest assured it is in 1.78:1 16x9 widescreen enhanced ratio. But, there are no extra's at all.

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Dolly Parton is utterly delightful in this corny, syrupy but immensebly enjoyable comedy. Her unlikely romance with James Woods is actually quite interesting as it is easy to see how Dolly's charm could permiate even the most jaded people. Sure it's not very original and it is very lightweight but it's got an old fashioned Frank Capra kind of sweetness to it.

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Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

I'm not sure we're all seeing the same movie here. One comment I keep hearing is that the actresses did not perform well, and I cannot comprehend it. Ziyi Zhang especially gave one of the best performances I have seen in years, at least. Just look at her physically shaking during her last scene with Ken Watanabe. This complete giving over to the emotion of the character is nearly unsurpassed in anything I've seen in years, and I'm a huge cinemaphile. That's not to mention the flawless way she carried the postures and demeanor of the child star that played her young self through-out, giving a sense of consistency that I have almost never seen done this well. It's early impossible to remember that these two actresses are not really the same person with the way their performances meshed. So, maybe it's the reserved nature of Asian women, and the dualing of this nature with a sense of individuality and self-expression that people are interpreting as "not understanding the character"?

All I can say is, the cinematography and settings are gorgeous, as are the actresses (and what a stellar cast!), the performances are great (maybe the bar has been lowered so much lately that the degree of skill brought to the screen here is more than some people can handle). That's the only reason I can offer for the bad reactions I have heard.

The story is involving, and very realistic in terms of human nature. The romance is wonderful. There are flashes of humor and some of the script is pure poetry (and as a poet you can believe me on that!) I could go on all day, but let me just say this.

The movie is awesome, and the time flew by for me. It is not the over-wrought heart-rending sap that some may want it to be, but it is very true to the way most people behave, and especially in the reserved manner of the Japanese. In my book everyone involved in this deserves a huge round of kudos, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys beautiful things, and incredibly realized films.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a stunning movie. I haven't read the book, but now wish I had. The movie is close to 2 1/2 hours long, but the story and scenery are so captivating, it seems so much quicker. The costumes are fantastic and it's no wonder they are nominated for Oscars.

It tells the story of a little girl called Chiyo who along with her older sister, is sold by their father who has no money. The people who bought her, want to make her a geisha so she goes off to school but brings disgrace to herself and therefore they make her their slave. Upon chance, she meets a kind man who buys her a sweet cherry ice cone. She never forgets him and sees him again by chance some years later. Now she has hope and learns again (in a crash course) how to be a geisha and her new name is Sayuri.

The story that unfolds from there has ups and downs but the ending is so moving that of course I cried my head off. The setting is beautiful and it made me want to go and visit Japan. The music too is lovely and I hope they do get some Oscars next week because it's a very deserving movie. There is also a great performance by an actress called Li Gong who plays 'Queen Bitch' Hatsumomo and look for a small role played by Ted Levine who we normally see in a funny role as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in Monk.

Beautiful move that you absolutely have to see. (Especially on the big screen if you still can).

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I read the novel this film is based on and loved it, so I was looking forward to the movie when it was released. I was pleased to see that the movie followed the book very closely. The film was absolutely beautiful, with arresting shots of the geisha as they went about their daily tasks and beautiful pans of the gorgeous faces of the actresses. There were also a few nice shots of (what was supposed to be) the Japanese countryside.

The film follws Chiyo (Sayuri), a young girl from the country who grows to become one of the most celebrated geisha in pre-war Japan. I know that there was a big stink when the film came out that some of the actresses cast were Chinese, rather than Japanese, but I say phooey on that. You cast an actor to play a role. I've seen plenty of straight actors turn in wonderfully nuanced performances of gay characters. I've seen plenty of older actors play roles that were younger than they were, and vice versa. So what? The director's job is to find the right actor for the role, and that actor may or may not be the exact nationality referred to in the script. The point is, does this performer tell the story?

And the performers in Memoirs of a Geisha definitely do. Ziyi Zhang (Chiyo/Sayuri), Li Gong (Hatsumomo), and Michelle Yeoh (Mameha) all give their characters a wonderful depth and subtext, and I really enjoyed them. I know that some critics also huffed about the movie being Westernized, with the actors all speaking English, etc. Wha . . . ? The movie is based on a book written by Arthur Golden, a middle-aged white guy from Tennessee. How can you get more Western than that? Anyway, I personally found the film to be a visual jewel with fabulous performances. I recommend it.

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I read the book then watched the movie. The book is much more detailed, as they usually are, but the movie measured up to the book at a faster pace, yet still keeping to the story. I thought both were superb. I liked being able to put a face to all the characters, it made it more interesting for me. I thought the dancing in the movie was beautiful, classy, and hypnotic. Both the book and the movie just drew me in and I had a hard time putting down the book and watched the movie alone and with my husband.

I enjoyed it. I recommend reading the book first and then watching the movie.

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I am getting rather tired of reading about how the movie is so terrible when compared to the book. I do agree that the book is absolutely amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment while reading it. I do, however, recognize that this is a movie based on a book and therefore when I saw it I was not expecting that it would be identical to the book. I did enjoy this movie it is breathtaking to watch visually and essentially the story is pretty faithful to that of the book. What I find makes the biggest difference is that when watching the movie you lose some of the inner dialogue and description of all the events that are present in the book. Also, being that it is a movie some corners had to be cut in order to keep the length of the film closer to 2 hours as is usually the case. Since I have read the book I know the story quite well and am able to enjoy the movie for what it is. In my opinion I think it is a beautiful compliment to the book and I will enjoy watching it again since it is now a part of my DVD collection.

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De-Lovely (2004)

Cole Porter, legendary composer and lyricist, met and married American divorcee Linda in Paris. The marriage was unexpected: where Porter was clearly homosexual, Linda was uninterested in physical intimacy. Even so, those who knew them describe them as deeply in love with each other on a purely emotional level. Throughout their long marriage, Porter repeatedly engaged in shallow liaisons with various men while Linda looked the other way--at least as long as Porter was reasonably discreet.

Porter's sense of discretion was not always sufficent for Linda, who left him several times and threatened divorce on at least one occasion. It was, however, enough "to get by" with the vast public, which saw only the glamour of their lives and the great brilliance of Porter's talents. The result was a 1946 film biography that put many of Porter's greatest songs before the camera while casting handsome Cary Grant as the waspish Porter and lovely Alexis Smith as the somewhat icy Linda--a movie that went over well with audiences but which actually had very little basis in reality.

The 2004 DE-LOVELY takes a considerably different tack. It would be hard to say that the film "tells all"--but it tells enough and it offers a host of high-art concepts and truly fine performances in the process. It debuted with tremendous fanfare and then, amazingly, seemed to vanish from the screen within a single night. While most critics liked the film, the public did not, and they were pretty emphatic about it.

Some audiences complained about the "artiness" of the film's concept, which consists of the aging Porter reviewing the major events of his life through the filter of a stage show--an idea that seems to owe a great deal to Bob Fosse's ALL THAT JAZZ without managing to carry it off with the same conviction. Some Porter fans complained that the contemporary pop singers used in the film couldn't carry Porter's music; others complained that the music was never presented in a straight-forward sort of way. Still others were taken aback by the discovery that Porter was gay--and truly one has to wonder where such viewers have been for the past fifty years, that they somehow managed to miss this very widely circulated bit of information.

In truth, the concept works reasonably if not spectacularly well, the singers are acceptable if not always knock-out in their performances, and Porter's sexual habits are made plain without throwing the characters in and out of bed on the screen. The real problem with DE-LOVELY, at least to my mind, is two-fold: it is just ever-so-slightly slow and it is profoundly, and I do mean profoundly, depressing. Each tends to heighten the effect of the other.

On the other hand, the performances are exceptionally good. Kevin Kline is hardly a look-alike for the small, dark Cole Porter, but you believe him in the role. As for Ashley Judd--the role of Linda Porter would seem impossible to play in a believable sort of way, much less in a sympathetic manner, but she carries it flawlessly from start to finish. Together they are brilliant, and that isn't a word I use very often in refence to contemporary film making.

The DVD contains a host of bonuses, including two audio tracks and several behind-the-scenes documentaries, and for once the word "bonus" really is generally applicable. While it will probably prove too dark for most, many will be fascinated by the way DE-LOVELY turns the glitter of Porter's public life into a costume for his often bitter private life--something that was very much the case in reality. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

"When they begin the beguine

It brings back the sound of music so tender,

It brings back a night of tropical splendor,

It brings back a memory ever green."

When "De-Lovely" begins it is October 15, 1964 and Cole Porter (Kevin Kline) is about to die. This requires his life to flash before his eyes, but since we are talking Cole Porter this means there are all sorts of creative decisions involved in this final production. The conceit of the film is that Porter is sitting in the first theater that he visited while growing in Peru, Indiana, with "Gabe" (Jonathan Pryce) at his side. The result is not a musical but rather a musical biography, which is why we do not go back to Porter's childhood but rather to the moment that the gay songwriter met the love of his life, the divorcee Linda Lee (Ashley Judd), who would become his wife.

"And that's why birds do it, bees do it

Even educated fleas do it

Let's do it, let's fall in love."

Cole and Linda marry, equally aware of the strengths as well as the weaknesses of their relationship. Linda was more than a front of respectability for Cole's homosexuality; she was his muse. "De-Lovely" abandons the traditions of a bio-pic in terms of places and dates to focus more on the songs Cole Porter wrote. Kevin Kline is a piano player, and he uses this talent to great affect in the film. Cole is often sitting at the piano composing the music of his life and it compels us to listen again to the familiar lyrics, but this time in the context of his life. The recurring thought is not that he is writing all of these songs to reflect himself, but that there are times when the songs are clearly for her.

"Every time we say goodbye, I die a little,

Every time we say goodbye, I wonder why a little,

Why the Gods above me, who must be in the know.

Think so little of me, they allow you to go."

You can try and tell the story of Cole Porter's life, but it is always going to come back to his music. After all, it is a song that attracts Linda to Cole and teaching someone to sing "Night and Day" that shows Porter at his seductive best. However, when you have Cole Porter's songs being sung by the likes of Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Dianna Krall, Robbie Williams, and Natalie Cole, it is not surprising that those songs once again take the spotlight away from the man who wrote them. I was rather surprised that I recognized every single song played in "De-Lovely," but then that only serves to underscore that Cole Porter is one of the greatest American songwriters.

"You're the Top! You're the colosseum,

You're the Top! You're the louve museum,

You're a melody from a symphony, by Strauss,

You're a Bandle bonnet, a Shakspeare sonnet,

You're Mickey mouse.

You're the Nile, You're the Towr of Pisa,

You're the smile on the Mona Lisa;

Im a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,

But if Baby, Im the bottom,

You're the top!"

Director Irwin Winkler's 2004 film has the advantage of not only Porter's music but of Kline's performance, although obviously the actor needs to tone down his singing considerably (we get to hear Porter himself singing at the start of the final credits). Judd, who usually refrains from singing in public to avoid comparison to her mother and sister, does a couple of songs as well. You can also throw in the exquisite period costumes courtesy of Armani that help to define Porter as the paradigm of wit and urbane sophistication before the riding accident that crippled him. The film keeps trying to suggest that "Let's Misbehave!" is the de facto Cole Porter theme song, but in the end the man and his music both speak to more optimistic sentiments.

"The world has gone mad today

And good's bad today,

And black's white today,

And day's night today,

When most guys today

That women prize today

Are just silly gigolos

And though I'm not a great romancer

I know that I'm bound to answer

When you propose,

Anything goes."

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What we have here is a film based on but not limited to the adult life of Cole Porter. How to describe it? It's not a biopic nor is it a musical comedy. It resembles All That Jazz (1979) and Evita (1996) when combining fact with contrivance within a series of flashbacks to create dramatic impact. Various devices (e.g. hallucination and reminiscence) enable us to explore various components of Porter's life as well as the various relationships which he developed over a period of several decades. Kevin Kline brilliantly portrays Porter, with an able supporting cast headed by Ashley Judd (Linda Thomas Cole), Jonathan Pryce (Gabe), Kevin McNally (Gerald Murphy), Sandra Nelson (Sara Murphy), and Alan Corduner (Monty Woolley). I guess this could be called a Film Noir/Musical Review. Defining moments in Porter's adult life are coordinated with his greatest Broadway musicals which include Gay Divorcee, Anything Goes, and Kiss Me Kate, later adapted to the screen. As for his most popular songs, several of their titles suggest double meanings when we take into account Porter's bi-sexual love life. For example, "Let's Do It," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "You Do Something to Me," and "Anything Goes." Irwin Winkler pulls all of this together fairly well. Yes, the plot has its lumpy moments and, yes, the make-up isn't always effective (late in life, Kline's Porter resembles Charles Foster Kane) but the musical performances are highly entertaining and I especially appreciate the fact that Kline sings as ineptly as Porter did. I much prefer this version to Night and Day (1946) which Porter enjoyed because he was played by Cary Grant. On balance, De-Lovely is an enjoyable film and I resist the temptation to offer a pun on its title when selecting a title of my own for these brief remarks.

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The musical production numbers are fabulous in this telling of the high and low points in the life of songwriter Cole Porter. He wrote so many tunes, ones I've heard and loved all my life, and those selected for this movie were great---many done with updated renditions by current artists.

The movie begins when an aged Porter is summoned by a director to view the rehearsal for a play based on his life. The story unfolds in a series of theatrical scenes beginning with his love-at-first-sight romance with Linda and his lifelong devotion to her. Also highlighted is his bisexual lifestyle which she accepts amazingly well as long as it doesn't become a public scandal. Kevin Kline is outstanding as the young and dashing Porter as well as the aged and defeated man. Ashley Judd shines as the loving mate who guides his career and his recovery from a horrific accident.

But it is the music that steals the show, the lyrics and melodies that have endured for years and will remain firmly entrenched as pop standards long past the 20th century. Songs such as "De-Lovely," "Let's Misbehave," "Night and Day," "Anything Goes," "You're the Top," and my personal favorite "Every Time We Say Goodbye" are done with the style and grace worthy of Cole Porter and performed by such varied artists as Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole and others including Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd. One outstanding feature of the DVD is that the scene selection menu makes it easy to just go back and see all the production numbers.

If you like musicals and a toe-tapping good time, this is one you don't want to miss.

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De-Lovely is a major achievement and is remarkable for many reasons, not the least of them being that it was even made in the first place. For every De-Lovely, Hollywood seems to crank out hundreds of shoot-em-up explosion spectaculars, teen sex comedies, star vehicles for gangster rappers, and depressing, nihilistic "independent" films for the intelligentsia.

De-Lovely is everything these films are not. It is a great musical in the "they don't make `em like that any more" sense, a poignantly heartwarming love story with true emotional depth (and a twist), a celebration of life and happiness (as well as a recognition and understanding of life's tragedies), and a star vehicle for two truly talented actor/singers, Kevin Klein and Ashley Judd, plus a plethora of cameo appearances by currently popular singers (including Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow and Natalie Cole) who obviously are singing their songs more for love (of Cole Porter) than money.

As depicted in De-Lovely, Cole Porter possessed more joie-de-vivre than perhaps any man in history, and he wrote his songs straight from the heart. The first part of the film, corresponding to the first half of Porter's adult life, appears to be all peaches and cream, and I was prepared simply to enjoy an upbeat musical. Porter enters into a nearly perfect (for him) relationship with his wife Linda, that allows him his dalliances and to remain true to his self, but also to, over time, experience the depths of true love with a life's partner. It is the second half of the film, when the Porter's must overcome multiple tragedies, that elevate De-Lovely to a truly noteworthy film, by showing a deep understanding of love and humanity.

Kevin Klein and Ashley Judd give great performances. Klein has the most challenging role, as he must sing, dance, and act through a broad range of emotions, as well as age over the course of 40 or 50 years (by the way, the make-up work which aged the actors is very good it must be amazing for Klein and Judd to see what they may look like in their 60s or 70s). I wouldn't be surprised to see Oscar nominations for Klein (especially) and Judd, if this film reaches a broad enough audience. My quibbles with the film are minor (some abrupt transitions, and some garbled dialogue), and are far outweighed by the many positives.

Surprisingly, the major movie critics have ranged all over the "love/hate" spectrum in their reviews of De-Lovely (check out the metacritic web site to see for yourself). I think the reaction to the film is primarily a function of the state of mind of the reviewer, i.e. subjectivity dominates objectivity. I am flabbergasted that the Village Voice reviewer could call this film "overwhelmingly glum". I wonder what this reviewer thought of "Sid & Nancy", which I would say is the antithesis of De-Lovely?

If modern pop culture has not yet turned you into a complete cynic, if you have any appreciation at all for music of the Jazz Age, big bands, or crooners such as Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, or (today) Harry Connick Jr., if you have a romantic bone in your body, if you enjoy traditional Hollywood or Broadway musicals or a great love story, then I think you will find De-Lovely definitely delightful!

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Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection) (1957)

In 1916 France Commander Broulard (Adolphe Menjou) wants General Mireau (George Macready) to have his battered division take the "Ant Hill", an impregnable German fortress, promising Mireau a promotion and another story if he succeeds. Mireau orders Dax (Kirk Douglas) to lead the charge, which is a complete failure. When soldiers are pinned down by German artillery and machine gun fire Mireau orders his own artillery to fire on their own trenches, screaming, "If those sweethearts won't face German bullets, they'll take French ones!"

"Paths of Glory" has a deserved reputation as a great anti-war film but I think that director Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Humphrey Cobb's 1935 semi-fictional novel is a rather specific indictment of both a particular military and a particular war. The suicidal attack in the first act of the film was loosely based upon the battle for Fort Douamont during the Battle of Verdun, where over 300,000 French soldiers lost their lives. The assault, doomed to fail before it began, is ordered by French generals more concerned with prestige and promotions than the lives of their troops or the actual prospects for success. In the wake of the disaster three men are selected to be tried and then executed for cowardice. They are defended in court by their commander, Colonel Dax, the lone voice of reason speaking out against the insanity of what has happened.

This film was banned for almost twenty years in France and it is an indictment of the French military on a par with those films that have touched on the infamous Dreyfus case. I have trouble extending this indictment beyond these French generals, not only because in cinematic history there is this sense of this being standard practice for the French military but also because hypocritically sending troops to such senseless death is rare in American military history. John Bell Hood sending Confederate troops in a series of useless charges to teach them a lesson at the Battle of Franklin comes to mind, but I remember most American generals as taking blame and responsibility for such slaughters (e.g., Ambrose Burnside at Fredericksburg, Robert E. Lee after Pickett's Charge, Ulysses S. Grant with regard to the final assault at Cold Harbor).

But there is also a sense in which we identify this sort of waste of young soldiers with World War I. In cinematic terms the obvious comparison is to "Gallipoli," where British troops are having tea on the beaches while Australian troops are gunned down in a needless charge ordered by stubborn British generals (another category of military leaders easy treat with disdain given how they are portrayed in the movies). The Civil War has provided amble evidence that troops charging entrenched or fortified positions was horribly futile and yet fifty years later European armies were still sending thousands of men against machine guns (the iconic weapon of the first World War). As the opening narration explains, "Successful attacks were measured in hundreds of yards and paid for in lives by hundreds of thousands."

The title of the book/film comes from a line in Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," where the poet writes, "The paths of glory lead but to the grave." This might be an anti-war film but it still shows the heroism of the troops as Kubrick uses a tracking shot to follow the Dax and his soldiers across No Man's Land against the German fort. After all, these men are fighting an army that has invaded their country, so there is a sense in which the title is inappropriate simply because these men are not involved in a quest for glory.

The film was shot in Germany and cinematographer Georg Krause provides one of the sharpest black & white films you have ever seen. The clarity is almost daunting and it is impossible not to think that it is not but another part of Kubrick's grand design. As for the performance by Douglas I would agree with the general consensus that this is his finest performance, even over what he would provide for Kubrick three years later in "Spartacus."

In the end Kubrick makes a final argument for the universality of human experience when a German singer (Susanne Christian, who was Christiane Kubrick wife of the director) is forced to sing a song for the French troops whose jeers turn to tears. There are, relatively speaking compared to other wars, relatively few films about the First World War. But it is rather impressive when you start listing the ones that immediately come to mind ("Wings," "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Sgt. York," "Gallipoli") how good they tend to be and how many of them are, at their essence, anti-war films. For that, I think the credit for linking that particular war with the idea of the futility of war clearly belongs to Erich Maria Remarque, author of "All Quiet on the Western Front."

When you are the one who gets to decide who lives and who dies, what are the criteria that the rest of us should buy into before giving our consent? If a general, or a CEO for that matter, asks the impossible, how far must men go in following their orders before disobedience is permissible? When is it ok for a cog in the machine to stop being a machine and start being a human being? This film suggests that the Ant Hill could only have been taken by live soldiers, and if all the soldiers were being slaughtered in the attempt to cross no mans land, the few survivors should naturally turn back, and live to fight another day. Under these circumstances, taking the Hill would have been impossible.

Ah, but that was an embarrasment for the general who ordered the attack. His judgement could not have been wrong, so, therefore, the men must be cowards. The role of Reason, the nature of absurdity, courage, and cowardice are all examined in this simple story, and the implication is clear that it is better to die bravely in front of a firing squad than to grow comfortable with mendacity and cower before the truth. The real cowards in the story were those who ordered these men to their deaths on the battlefield, because they were afraid to say no and risk their reputations for daring, and also those who ordered their deaths in front of a firing squad, and also those who concealed the truth out of fear of the consequences. Again, it is better to die bravely than live in cowardice. And the bravest of them all was the colonel played by Kirk Douglas, who fought for reason, justice, truth, and against the enemy on every side, even when the enemy was his superior officer. Yes, the enemy can be found in your own ranks, even among your commanding officers.

In the end they are all ordered back to the front. However, the next to the last scene in the cafe, is one of the most astonishing moments in cinematic history.

The soldiers, young and old, are making sport of a pretty young German girl who is being put forward by the proprietor for their entertainment. She has no talent, save for a little 'natural talent' he says, gesturing along the length of her body. "She cannot dance, she cannot tell jokes, but she has a golden throat, she sings like a bird", he tells them. They are laughing and taunting her, and she is nervous and intimidated, and begins to sing, haltingly, but plaintively, and one by one, the men grow silent. The camera moves from face to face, young, old, battle weary, her voice reminds them of all that is delicate and sweet, all that is not brutal and meaningless and horrible. And they all can remember a time, long ago, when they were not fighting and killing and struggling to keep alive, and slowly, one by one, they begin wiping away the tears, then picking up her melody and gradually joining in. Kirk Douglas peers in through the window when the sargeant comes up with their orders to return to the front. "Give them a few more minutes," he says, and turns heel. It is a devastating moment. This is a film with a clear and powerful message. But it is not an anti-war movie. It is anti-mendacity, anti-authoritarian, and anti-injustice. The war setting is just a timless trope to carry the weight of these more significant issues.

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It has been almost 50 years since this anti-war film appeared, one which was banned in France until 1970. It is based on Humphrey Cobb's novel. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Kirk Douglas who also produced it, the film examines a fictional (but nonetheless wholly believable) situation during World War One when French troops are ordered to achieve an impossible military objective: Climb and secure the "Ant Hill," a heavily-fortified German position. Of course the troops are decimated. Whom to blame? General Broulard (Adolph Menjou) who gave the order? The troops' general, General Mireau (George MacReady), whose career ambitions overcame his doubts about the order? The officer (Colonel Dax) who led the attack? General Broulard gives a second order: Select three of the survivors, charge them with cowardice, give them a perfunctory military trial, and then execute them. Their commanding officer is Colonel Dax (Douglas) who had been an attorney in civilian life. He is ordered to be the defense counsel. After the inevitable verdict, the three representatives are executed by a firing squad.

Kubrick presents all this on film as if it were a documentary of actual events. Appropriately, he filmed it in black-and-white, in part to dramatize the obvious juxtapositions of right and wrong, good and evil, justice and injustice, etc. The battlefield carnage is extensive but not gratuitous. For me, the insensitivity, indeed inhumanity of the two generals -far removed from combat in luxurious comfort -is far more upsetting than the assault on the "Ant Hill." The men who followed orders and lost their lives or their limbs may have died in vain but at least died with honor, if not glory. Kubrick leaves absolutely no doubt about the generals who sent them into battle. Colonel Dax understands the need for military discipline. Orders must be followed. He eventually realizes that no matter how logical and eloquent his defense, the three men are doomed as were so many of their comrades were while climbing the "Ant Hill." Dax also realizes Broulard and Mireau will never be held accountable for the order nor for denying any responsibility for its tragic consequences. Dante reserved the worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserved their neutrality. Kubrick ensures that Menju and MacReady portray Broulard and Mireau not as neutral accomplices but as agents of evil: a more dangerous adversary than the one their troops face in battle.

With regard to Dax, he did everything he could to save the three men. He leaves absolutely no doubt in the minds of Generals Broulard and Mireau what he thinks of them, both as officers and as human beings. However, they are his military superiors and the war continues after the executions. I mention all this by way of suggesting a context for my opinion that the final scene in the cafe has a very important purpose: to communicate Kubrick's reassurance to those who see his film that even amidst war's death and mutilation, the very best of human instincts somehow prevail. They cannot be defeated by the "Ant Hill," nor by Broulard and Mireau and their obscene abuse of military justice. In my opinion, that is what Dax realizes in the cafe as he and other soldiers listen to a terrified girl sing. And that is the final "message" which Kubrick seems determined to leave with his audience.

Read Best Reviews of Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection) (1957) Here

If it were made today, "Paths of Glory" would be a two-and-a-half hour long epic, loaded with self-importance and chest thumping. It would contain scene after scene of Oscar-baiting speeches performed by American actors with phony French accents, a soaring Hans Zimmer (or, most likely, John Williams) score meant to tug at the heartstrings, and more splattered blood than vampire's day at the Red Cross. But it wasn't made today. It was made in 1957. And not by some Hollywood hack, looking forward to awards season. But by Stanley Kubrick, a young director ready to burst through the doors of cinema history. "Paths of Glory" announces his presence, and oh what a wonderful noise it does make.

The film is set in France, 1916. World War I is in full swing, and the French front is stabilized. Trench warfare is prevalent, and though battle lines changed very little, the casualties used to make those changes are astronomical. General Mireau, a seemingly pragmatic man at the film's onset, is given an important task by General Broulard: take 'The Anthill", a highly important strategic position, currently in the hands of the Germans. Mireau knows it can't be done, for his troops' numbers are already depleted, but the promise of an extra star on his chest sways him. It is this moment that typifies the themes of the film: the glory of one is put ahead of the safety of many.

This opening scene between Mireau and Broulard establishes Kubrick's camera work from the get-go. It moves fluidly around the room, following the two men in conversation while capturing the posh luxury they live in. The camera appears to be doing figure eights. This highly stylized movement is maintained throughout the rest of the film. Most notable in this regard are the trench scenes. A series of long tracking shots, single takes all, establish the size and terror to be found in the trenches. It helps contrast the conditions in the trenches with the ornateness of the general's quarters, allowing the audience to almost understand why Mireau would do anything to maintain his position.

Kubrick's camera is on fire here, giving a stylized but relevant look to the film's court martial scene. It circles endlessly around the judges, the prosecution, the defense, and the accused, unifying them all in the grand room bathed in soft sunlight (the whole film is a textbook example of how light -and shadow -should be used to set the mood of a scene).

Kirk Douglas, whose star-wattage helped Kubrick and Co. get the film made, is an imposing presence. Besides the fact that his pompadour never looks ruffled, even during the battle scenes, Douglas' Colonel Dax has credibility and power to spare. Once the "foremost criminal lawyer in all of France", Dax leads the platoon charged with the impossible mission. Although he sees the folly in it, he's enough of an army man to not go against orders. But he does make his views known. A liberal pragmatist, Dax is sharp of tongue and doesn't suffer fools gladly, enough so that when Mireau gives the order, Dax can't help quoting Samuel Johnson under his breath: "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". Douglas plays all sides of the man with skill and grace. He's at his best during the court marshal scene, where his anger nearly overtakes him, and his passion is palpable.

The supporting cast is, for the most part, fairly good, led by the three actors who played the condemned men. Timothy Carey previously worked with Kubrick in "The Killing". Carey is a weird on-screen presence, not much of an actor, but he's perfect for the nervous "social undesirable" that is Private Ferol. Joe Turkel, who would later play the bartender in "The Shining", looks tiny and unintimidating. But his small role as Private Arnaud calls for him to show a cool demeanor and then wield terrible anger. Turkel does well on both counts. Ralph Meeker is probably the soul of the film, as the doomed Corporal Paris. A man of principle and character, Paris is caught in a tough situation when a commanding officer, a former schoolmate who he doesn't respect in the slightest, bribes him into compliance with a cover-up scandal. Paris is the kind of soldier every army would die for, if said army wasn't awash in self-serving egotism. Meeker plays this dignified man perfectly.

There are some dubious performances here, most notably by George Macready and Wayne Morris. Macready, as Colonel Mireau, is little more than a cardboard villain. A crowded theatre would boo and hiss every time he comes on screen, his villainy is so one-sided. Macready is probably to blame, playing every scene with over-the-top hamminess. Morris, a real life war hero, is cast against type as the drunken buffoon, Lieutenant Roget. Although his amateurness works well in some scenes, it undermines the character in others. How could a man this foolhardy ever rise to such a position? We never see Roget as anything less than incompetent, and it hurts his credibility. Still, these minor quibbles don't tarnish the fine work of the entire cast.

"Paths of Glory" can be a frustrating film to watch, especially for those aghast at inequities caused by hubris and the hunt for glory. The court marshal scene, in which Douglas' Dax is set back at every turn, had me nearly screaming at my TV, as it became apparent that the officers were fully prepared to be selfish, and ruin the lives of a few innocent men. "There are few things more fundamentally encouraging and stimulating than seeing someone else die," says General Broulard at one point, with a beatific smile on his face. He thinks that his addressee, a subordinate, will accept his words as stated. Thankfully Colonel Dax, and Kubrick's remarkably compact film (running a taut 84 minutes), doesn't.

Want Paths of Glory (The Criterion Collection) (1957) Discount?

Probably Stanley Kubrick's most underrated film. Kirk Douglas's performance is extraordinary as the officer Dax who honorably defends three soldiers put to death because they refused to follow orders in attempting a suicide mission. If there is an antiwar film that has a powerful message, this has to be near the top of the list.

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White Christmas (1954)

"White Christmas," one of my favorite movies of all time, had always looked bad on home video. The VHS version was a pale, pastel shadow of the original until the 40th anniversary edition of 1994 when all Paramount did was greatly darken the picture. Unfortunately, this was also the print that was used to make the first DVD release in 2000: a dark, dark picture with no contrast, tons of grain, and a barely-in-focus picture that revealed little detail. Fortunately, most of this has been improved in the newly-released 2-disc Anniversary Edition that has just hit the stores.

Although Paramount obviously did not want to fund a complete restoration, the picture now has vibrant colors (the "Mandy" number will knock your socks off!) with much better sharpness and detail and very little grain to speak of. However the picture is still a little too dark and flat, at least one scene still has registration problems (when Bing meets Doris, the "Mutual, I'm sure" girl), some scenes could have a sharper focus, and there's some trouble with minor flicker (stability) of the image. The bonus material is very enjoyable and above average, with family members, critics, and cultural historians to add perspective.

So in summary I definitely recommend this latest version of "White Christmas" as a rebuy on the strength of the improved picture alone, with the bonus material as a very nice plus. I would have given it my highest rating if the picture quality had presented absolute clarity and if the film itself were more inspired, but it still remains a sentimental favorite and a must-see!

This review refers to the Widescreen Collection(Paramount)DVD edition of "White Christmas"...

This DVD should be held up as an example of what DVDs are all about.The transfer and restoration of this 50 year old film is superb. It is the reason we are willing to spend a little more to upgrade from VHS and are awed when we see the wonderful results. Filmed in "VistaVision", the widescreen picture lets you take in every scene of this wonderful classic from edge to edge. The picture is clear, sharp and in glorious technicolor.The colors are beautiful and vibrant.

You have the choice of viewing it in DD5.1 surround or the restored Mono. For those looking for some special features, Rosemary Clooney helps out with a retrospective interview and also commentary. There are English subtitles for those needing them and may also be viewed in French(mono).

The film is a treasure in itself. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye,Rosemary Clooney,and Vera-Ellen are the stars of this 1954 musical with songs by Irving Berlin that you'll want to sing along with and keep humming long after the film has ended. Directed by Michael Curtiz it's a feel good film that although takes place during the Christmas season, is one that you can pull out and watch anytime of the year.

Bing and Danny were Army buddies, now a successful song and dance team and are out to help their favorite old retired General(Dean Jagger),who is having trouble coping with retirement. The General is now running a country inn in Vermont, but the big problem is there is no snow to bring up the tourists. Bing and Danny to the rescue, as they turn the inn into a showcase of talent, and fall for the Haines sisters along the way. Can these wonderful voices also bring the snow out of the sky?...well..you know.

This film is filled with Berlin's wonderful tunes. When Bing takes Rosemary's little hand in his and croons "Count Your Blessings" to her..well it's movie heaven. Rosemary also treats us to several numbers, Vera-Ellen does some fabulous hoofing, and Danny clowns and keeps us smiling like only Danny can. And how much fun is it watching Bing and Danny do the "Sisters" number together?...alot! Then there's the goose bump evoking, wonderfully nostalgic scene of the four of them singing "White Christmas" together with the Winter Wonderland of Vermont as a backdrop.I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful character actress Mary Wicks, she's a great busy-body who causes misunderstandings, and also keep an eye out for George Chakiris and Barrie Chase.

Thanks Paramount for bringing us this great old classic holiday film on this great DVD...enjoy...Laurie

also recommended:

It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

The Bells of St. Mary's

or both together on DVD:

Christmas Collector's Pack (The Bells of St. Mary's / It's a Wonderful Life)

Buy White Christmas (1954) Now

I do not have to relate the story of White Christmas. Anyone who watches Christmas movies has seen it over and over. It is a highly entertaining film that leaves you with a good feeling inside. The stars, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney are all wonderful.

The new Blu Ray transfer is magnificent. The picture is so sharp, so crystal-clear, so detailed and so alive with brilliant color, that it is hard to believe that the film is over fifty years old. While watching it, I almost felt like I was there in person. Fortunately, the picture was shot in real Technicolor, and was filmed using Paramount's VISTA-VISION, which created a much larger image on the film allowing for incredible sharpness of vision. The newly remastered 5.1 DTS soundtrack fills your viewing room with rich, lush sound and sharp dialog.

You cannot go wrong by buying this new Blu Ray of White Christmas. It's a film the whole family can enjoy.

Read Best Reviews of White Christmas (1954) Here

Recently, Paramount has offered us wonderful new DVD-issues of classics like To Catch a Thief and Funny Face, both shot in Vista-Vision, and now looking better than ever on home video thanks to Paramount using original camera materials for the transfers. Naturally, I expected that the same loving treatment would be given an old favorite like White Christmas, which was the first feature film shot in Paramount's superb wide-screen process called Vista-Vision.

Not so! This new "remaster" is just as dreary-looking as the older DVD. Grainy and soft with an unstable look and dull colors except in some brightly lit "performance" scenes. Also lots of dirt marks and scattered speckles, plus an ugly splice or two. And NO new extras! Where is the expected featurette about the Vista-Vision system newly made or at least some old promotional reel taken from a shelf in the archives? A huge disappointment! And by the way, where are all the many beloved Paramount classics from the fifties and sixties that have not yet been released on DVD? Not a single title in sight for the coming months. Sad.

Want White Christmas (1954) Discount?

Just so no one else buys this and thinks they are getting a color version of this movie. It's in Black and white. In the descripion on Amazon it says it is in color. The color version is only on VHS.

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Total Recall (1990)

I have to take umbrage at the person who made rude comments about how all the martians mutants with their foam latex appliances looked fake and lowered the quality of the film. I am part of the team that made all those crummy appliances. You can find my name in the credits under Rob Bottin. Actually I agree with you and I also think the scene where everyone decompresses and their eyes pop out on stalks then pop back in again when air pressure returns was totally preposterous. Total Recall was one of the last big films where effects were still done with rubber and mechanical animatronics pulled with cables. Many people thought the fat lady head slice gag was done with computers but it was a fiberglass head enlarged many times by soaking a silicone casting of the head in kerosene. The head was sliced with a special saw and a special array of slide bearings rigged with cables were pulled to open the slices. Makeup artists spent hours between shots filling up the gaps in the slices with wax so you could not detect them until the head was pulled apart. We were very proud of that effect and got applause from the crew when they saw it for the first time. Other effects did not go so well. Johnny Cab (Bob Picardo) was supposed to be very animated. His mouth was designed to open wide and form shapes but the servos would not work properly so in the film you see him mostly just bounce his jaw up and down with some minor lip movement. The guy in charge of repairing Johnny Cab stayed up four sleepless days and when it still didn't work was yelled at and mercilessly berated by the FX supervisor and later that day almost died of a bleeding stomach. On the good side Bennie the mutant cab driver has a mutant arm that is a beautiful thing to watch unfold and easily missed if you are not paying attention. You probably won't hear these uglier stories on the supplemental disc but if you are a fan of Total Recall and like to hear interesting background stories, this is certainly the version of the disc you should buy. Paul Verhoven with his deep German accent and extreme personality combined with Arnolds thick Austrian accent and ego should make for one of the most incomprehensible commentaries in the history of DVDs. Just kidding. Both are dynamic guys and present the material in an interesting fashion.

Total Recall is about a miner named Quaid (Arnold Schwartzennegger at the very peak of his career) who seemingly has a beautiful wife (Sharon Stone)and a nice home. He has a fascination with Mars that disturbs his wife to distraction. One day he decides to take a simulated vacation from Rekall where memories are implanted in your brain to make you feel you have been on an extended vacation. What Rekall does not know is Quaid is not who he appears to be or who he thinks he is. Something goes wrong when Rekall unknowingly plants Quaid's own real memories of being a secret agent on Mars into his brain. Quaids brain is temporarily fried and he has to quickly rediscover his true identity before a team of counteragents kill him for what he knows.

Total Recall was originaly intended to keep the audience guessing about what was real and what was only imagined. However this was dropped with the exception of one memorable scene. From what I could observe on the set I think Paul Verhoven realized the effects had taken over the movie and there was no point in making this a psychological action thriller. So he resigned himself to play it as a straight up Arnold vehicle packed with slam bang effects and some wicked Verhoven humor. This was too bad because I think many people feel it could have been a much more of a movie than what it was. Instead this is wild mindless action, violence taken to excess and effects for pure escapism purposes . If this is your cup of tea, than Total Recall may be the thrill ride you are looking for.

I Love Total Recall as a movie hence the reason I've bought it for a 3rd time, after VHS and DVD. I must say I was very disappointed with this transfer, why when films can be cleaned up prior to transfer do they make us buy such a crap transfer!? I mean I bought the Rambo1 Blu Ray from Lionsgate/ Studio Canal which is now 25 years and that is a superb transfer, even the French HD of Basic Instinct is a Cracking transfer by Studio Canal, In Comparison Total Recall is a let down, and to be honest when we fork out our hard earned cash for movies we love on HD formats we expect a marked improvement, why should we make excuses that this film is old, what 1990 is old! When film companys that do spend the money get results, have you seen the Bond Remasters on DVD, some of these are over 40 years old and look better then ever (cant wait for the blu rays of them!) Overall Buy this if you must have it, but be prepared for a let down visually!

Buy Total Recall (1990) Now

"Total Recall" is, quite simply, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best action flicks and quite obviously, one of the ones that helped build his super star status at the time of its release. When this outstanding Sci-Fi action/thriller was released, it was right in the middle of Arnold Schwarzenegger's run of films where he could seemingly do no wrong. After watching the "Imagining Total Recall" documentary, it's even more surprising to find out that the original director wasn't Paul Verhoeven and the original Douglas Quaid wasn't to be Arny but Patrick Swayze; now that would've been an almost entirely different movie. Despite the exceptional script, I doubt Patrick Swayze would've garnered the attention that Arnold did for this memorable flick.

One of the most interesting aspects behind the script of this film is the overall theme behind it, was it "real" or was it Douglas Quaid's Total Rekall experience? Another highly interesting aspect of this film is its supposed sequel which may have been scrapped for Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for and election as the Governor of Kalifornia! If you pull up the Cast and Crew Information under the Special Features section and click on Arnold's screen, you'll see a listing for Total Recall 2 (2002), something that obviously hasn't happened but who knows what will happen in the future!

Credit goes to Arnold for his performance in this film, which was an exceptional display in that his acting skills were only getting better and better; granted, he's not the best actor in the industry, but for his type of movies, he was at the top when this film was released. Sharon Stone puts on a wonderful performance in this film and this film can most certainly be directly attributed to being the one that led to her super stardom and being cast for some of her bigger roles. Ronny Cox also does another superior job of being the villain in this movie, a role he has always done well in. For Star Trek Voyager fans, it's interesting to note that Robert Picardo does the voiceover for the Johnny Cab.

"Total Recall" is just another in a long list of outstanding and somewhat gory action flicks for director Paul Verhoeven. In this genre, he can most certainly be counted among the best directors to ever take up the mantle. Phillip K. Dick, the author of the short story "We Can Remember it for You Wholesale," the story that "Total Recall" is based upon, also wrote the story that "Blade Runner" was based upon and many more; just showing what a talent this writer has been.

The Premise:

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wakes up to find himself lying next to Lori (Sharon Stone), who he believes to have been his loving wife for the last eight years. Quaid expresses that he wishes to go to Mars but Lori doesn't want anything to do with it. As Quaid is coming home from work, he sees an advertisement for Total Rekall where he can take a virtual vacation and decides to try it. Not long after his virtual vacation begins, this action flick takes off on a breathtaking wild ride that doesn't slow down until the credits start rolling...

I highly recommend this film to any and all who're interested in seeing one of the best Sci-Fi action movies ever made. One note of caution though, this film is not for the young, faint of heart or weak of stomach as is the norm with a Paul Verhoeven film. To achieve the film he's looking for, he doesn't spare the gore at all! {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

-Audio Commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Director Paul Verhoeven

-"Imagining Total Recall" Documentary

-Rekall's Virtual Vacations

-"Visions of Mars" Featurette (This is especially interesting considering we have a rover on Mars right now)

-Visual Storyboard Comparisons

-Conceptual Art

-Photo Gallery

-Production Notes

-Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots

-Cast and Crew Information

Read Best Reviews of Total Recall (1990) Here

I'm not a big video geek, and before when I saw people complaining about a horrible dvd transfer, I chalked it up to little details I couldn't see. *This* I could see. I liked _Total Recall_ the first time I saw it, and it is still a good movie. However the film quality on this DVD is really grainy and the color was off -like they mastered it from a five year old video that had seen wind and weather. Just get the video.

Want Total Recall (1990) Discount?

I got a BD player a year after they came out while the format war was still going on and I read reviews of the discs. They always said that this one was not too great but acceptable. Some how, some people rate The Terminator (first 2) discs as poor when they are not. Total Recall is by far THE worst BD disc ever!

This one gets the same type of review as Robocop from the reviewers. It is no wonder why these discs are $10 or less! This is a very poor representation of Blu-Ray or even HD. I am good at spotting resolutions with my eye and I can tell that this is not an HD master. It has to be a 480I give or take a few lines!

This is nothing more than an upconverted picture, but upconverted DVD's look much better in most cases. From the moment the credits roll, there is severe crushing, noise and low resolution. The picture quality is so bad that it looks like analog cable with a damaged cord THAT bad! The noise (it can't be mere film grain alone) is so horrible that the film grain has noise that moves and changes colors!

The colors were bland and there was NOTHING HD about the picture in any way. There was no 3D effect when looking at the picture. No facial details. No stitching in the clothing nothing. The sound was weak as well since it was in DTS-HD, not Master Audio. Hey, it was one of the early BD titles.

Instead of steady re-releasing Terminators, they need to remaster this! I avoided it out of fear of the reviews, but the reviewers were too soft on this one. Do not get it if you are looking for HD picture.

On another note, it was weird (I know) to see so many tube TV's 100 years into the future. Even 2001: A Space Odessy predicted flat screens.

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A Simple Life (2012) (2011)

Directed by Ann Hui, A Simple Life (Tao Jie) is a film based on the true story of a woman who worked her entire life as a servant for the family of Hong Kong film producer Roger Lee (who co-wrote the script with Susan Chan), looking after Lee in particular from childhood to adulthood with such affection and devotion that when she suffered a stroke in her later years, Lee and his family reversed their roles and looked after her.

The film begins with Roger Leung (Andy Lau), an accountant in the film industry, who lives in an apartment in Hong Kong with an elderly woman he calls Ah Tao (Deanie Ip), a servant who has worked for his family since before he was even born and now works for him personally. He is leaving on an overnight trip for a business meeting on a new film project and they discuss what she should cook for him while he's gone. When he says he wants ox tongue, a particular favorite dish of his, she chidingly reminds him that he's supposed to be avoiding fatty foods, to which he responds by reminding her that she eats things she shouldn't even though she's supposed to be watching her cholesterol. After he leaves, Ah Tao begins preparing the requested dish anyway. The scene quickly establishes that the relationship between the two is one of long acquaintance, almost familial in the level of informal familiarity displayed.

When Roger returns from his trip however, he finds Ah Tao collapsed on the floor. He calls an ambulance and gets her to the hospital, where they determine that she's had a stroke and will need extensive care and rehabilitation. Suddenly the structure of their lives is disrupted. Ah Tao, who has never been dependent on anyone and has always looked after others, at first stubbornly insists that she should retire and move to a retirement home. And that she can pay her own way. But Roger knows that this is impossible and takes over, first finding a nursing home for her close to the apartment and the neighborhood she is familiar with. In a fortunate twist of fate, the nursing home turns out to belong to an old friend (Anthony Wong), a former actor who went into the nursing home business after he got too old for action films.

A lot of the film deals with how Ah Tao adjusts to the changes forced on her by her stroke, starting with living in the nursing home where nothing is familiar and she doesn't know anyone, and where she's dependent on others for things she used to do for herself. And then going through rehabilitation for her stroke, having to relearn how to do the most basic things. Deanie Ip gives a compelling performance, showing Ah Tao's anxieties at her new situation mainly with her eyes and her body language as she warily takes in her surroundings and the strangers she now lives with. I can't recall ever seeing a movie that more realistically depicts this experience, particularly from the point of view of the person going through it, and this alone would make A Simple Life well worth seeing. But there's far more to the film, which makes it all the more compelling.

Ann Hui's director's touch is very subtle, showing bonds of affection and compassion but never descending into cheap sentimentality. And never flinching away from the hard parts, which you instinctively know are coming. There's no musical score in the background to set any kind of artificial mood, there's only what you see unfolding on the screen. The film progresses like a series of snapshots, slices of life strung together. Ah Tao, on her first night at the nursing home, getting up and making her way to the restroom with difficulty but determined to do it on her own, then going from stall to stall to find one she deems clean enough. Roger suddenly having to do his own laundry for the first time in his life, having to read a manual to learn how to use the washing machine. A bunch of Roger's friends from high school come over to the apartment to share the ox tongue Ah Tao had prepared, reminisce about all the different delicious dishes she'd fixed for them back in those days, then impulsively call her at the nursing home, singing to her through Roger's cell phone. Ah Tao coming back to visit the apartment and the first thing she does is to check for dust that's accumulated in her absence, tutting disapprovingly.

The nursing home, initially bleak, cramped and alien, gradually takes on moving depth as Ah Tao gets to know the other residents, each of whom has a story of their own. One old woman has been there for over twenty years, through three changes of ownership, and has not once had a visitor. A daughter visits her mother there, always ending up arguing because her mother signed everything over to her favored son who never visits but it's her daughter who's ended up having to pay the bills. An older woman turns out to be a visitor coming to see her much younger daughter who's in the nursing home because of a debilitating medical condition. A former headmaster's mind tends to wander unfocused but he quotes long passages from poetry and literature with ease. And last but far from least, an older man called Uncle Kin (Paul Chun), determined to hang on to every last bit of vitality he possesses, singing and dancing around... and always cadging money off of the other residents and even their visitors so he can sneak out and have a quickie with a young woman. And yet for all his clownish hustling, it's Uncle Kin who ends up making one of the most touching gestures in the film.

But a lot of what makes A Simple Life work is the portrayals of Andy Lau and Deanie Ip. Lau's Roger and Ip's Ah Tao have a lot of resonance and you can feel the things that bond them together. Ah Tao was an orphan when she began working for the Leung family and so has never had a family of her own beyond the one she's worked for all her life. And Roger is the only member of his family still living in Hong Kong, the rest having apparently emigrated to the US where they now live in San Francisco. Both of them are in a very real sense alone, and it is only with each other that they feel at ease. And when Roger visits Ah Tao at the nursing home and the people there comment that he is a dutiful nephew or godson, it's telling that he does not correct their impression. The naturalness that Lau and Ip bring to the relationship between Roger and Ah Tao comes from the fact that the actors have worked together many times over the years, and that Ip is Lau's real-life godmother.

A Simple Life doesn't moralize, or attempt to make any big points, or relate any grand tale. If anything, it's a kind of mosaic, reminding us that a life, any life, is composed of a lot of little pieces, and that it's all those pieces that make a life what it is. Highly, highly recommended.

Ann Hui's 2011 Hong Kong film "A Simple Life" ("Tao jie") is sweet, funny, poignant and above all real. Story-wise the film is pretty basic and predictable. What matters in this moving portrait of modern Chinese life is the two main characters you really care: an elderly woman called Ah Tao (Deannie Yip), who has been serving for the Leungs, a well-to-do family in Hong Kong for more than 60 years since she was 13, and Roger Leung (Andy Lau), the family's only son, working in the film industry.

Ah Tao has been taking care of Roger since he was a baby. With other family members scattered all over the world, Roger alone lives in Hong Kong. Ah Tao cooks and cleans for Roger living in a small apartment room, but when she has a stroke, she quits the job and enters a home for the elderly.

Based on the producer Roger Lee Yan-Lam's life, the deceptively simple story has a lot to offer, including keenly observed accounts of ordinary people. What makes this film special is the chemistry between the stars Deannie Yip and Andy Lau. Their rapport is so genuine and natural. Every small detail including the gestures and silence of the characters tells us about Ah Tao and Roger's mother-son-like relationship that is drawn affectionately. Nothing is sappy or sentimental. Everything in the film is so true to life, reminding us of someone close to us, or small events that you have almost forgotten.

The film also has many amusing cameos including Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark as "film directors." Anthony Wong and Chapman To, stars of "Infernal Affairs," both briefly appear as the home's owner and a dentist respectively. You will see familiar faces like Lan Law and Angela Baby (very briefly), as well as Hong Kong film producer Raymond Chow.

In short, "A Simple Life" is a touching drama with a theme that everyone can relate to, describing the way life goes on, with some gentle laughs and genuine insight.

Buy A Simple Life (2012) (2011) Now

Filmmaker Ann Hui as had a number of films that have resonated strongly with viewers.

Her films typically take on a subject that showcase a darker side of Hong Kong. Films such as "July Rhapsody" (teacher/student relationship), "Goddess of Mercy" (justice), "Night and Fog" (murder) and "All About Love" (single mothers, same sex marriages).

With the film "A Simple Life", which was written by Susan Chan and Yan-lam Lee, Ann Hui takes on life and taking care of an older loved one who is sick.

One of the most recognizable things that Asian cinema fans will discover about Ann Hui's work is her ability to find the right talent to play the role of the main characters, in this case, Andy Lau ("Infernal Affairs", "House of Flying Daggers", "The Warlords") and Deannie Yip ("Dragons Forever", "Crying Heart").

"A Simple Life" would win the Volpi Cup for Best Actress Award for Deannie Yip and the La Navicella Award for Anna Hui at the 68th Venice International Film Festival; winner for Best Director, Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress at the 48th Golden Horse Awards and was included in Roger Ebert's top 10 list for 2012.

VIDEO:

"A Simple Life" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 aspect ratio). Shot with a Red One camera, where one will see this film look incredible is through the closeups. From the facial details to overall textures of the clothing, you can see amazing detail. Colors are warm and I detected no banding or aliasing. Cinematography from Nelso Yu Lik-wai ("Still Life", "Dream Home") was great when either capturing human emotion or frailty, Hong Kong during Chinese New Year. If anything, this one of the most beautiful films from HK that I have seen on Blu-ray.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"A Simple Life" is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0. As one would expect from a film such as "A Simple Life", there are times that not many words are said on screen. It's about facial expressions during the quiet settings but the film is primarily dialogue driven with the exception of a brief fireworks scene that utilizes the surround and actually sounds fantastic. But aside from that one scene, this is a dialogue driven film.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"A Simple Life" come with the following special features:

Trailer (2:14) The theatrical trailer for "A Simple Life".

JUDGMENT CALL:

Growing up with traditional Asian values in America, it was always ingrained by my grandfather at an early age that our responsibility was to take care of the family when they get older.

Watching "A Simple Life", the film was quite profound because it captured the essence of aging and frailty but also family.

In this case, a servant that has been with the family since a young age, taking care of four generations and as family have scattered around the world, the aging servant, Ah Tao, now stays with film producer, Roger.

Roger has been raised by Ah Tao and even at 70, she continues to cook, clean and shop for him, even take care of him and keep him healthy after having a heart attack. But now, the roles are reversed and after Ah Tao suffers a stroke and wants to live in a nursing home, Roger makes sure that she knows family is nearby. Even if it's just him, he wants to give back to the woman who had taken care of him.

She may not be of the same blood, but he regards her as close family.

And what I enjoy about this film is the contrast of how films about elderly are shown in America versus Hong Kong. In America, we tend to see the banality of films of elderly abuse to a family disconnect and the loneliness that the elderly is facing.

While we do see that loneliness of various elderly in this film, its more of seeing things through the eyes of Ah Tao and a wonderful performance by actress Deanie Ip who communicates through eye movement and facial expression.

After suffering a stroke, Ah Tao is able to rehabilitate but while living at the senior home, it's that feeling that this is a place you are going to die, the people around you are also going to die very soon and it's all about time.

But unlike other seniors who suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia, Ah Tao still has quite a bit of life. She is able to make friends but she enjoys the time that she spends with Roger, because he can joke with her, eat lunch or dinner with her and he brings her along to places, including a film premiere.

But it's the portrayal of Ah Tao that captivates the viewer. She is a woman who has lived as a good servant. Never the type to take gifts or even cash, she wants to pay things her own way and do it herself. Granted, Roger takes care of the costs at the senior home because it's quite expensive but for Ah Tao, she is a woman who doesn't want to be a burden to Roger or the family.

She's a strong woman who is calling the shots of how her life is to be lived, no matter how hard it is for Roger and family who treated this woman like family to accept.

And we see that bond between Ah Tao and Roger as she spends time in the Senior home and seeing how she deals with loneliness or knowing that people around her will not be around that long.

As Deanie Ip is remarkable in this role, Andy Lau looks like a man who has never aged. At 51, he still looks like he's 30-something. But aside from the gun or sword-toting characters or the suave playboy or businessman roles that he tends to play, Lau plays the role of a caring man, a film producer but one that doesn't live like fame has changed him. Still wearing a backpack and coat, he is often mistaken as a taxi driver or air conditioning repair employee, suffice to say, this is the most subdued role that he plays amazingly well.

For Asian cinema fans, also intriguing are the supporting actors and guest cameos in this film. Anthony Wong, Angela Baby, Raymond Chow, Wing-Chiu Chan, Sammo Hung, Stanley Kwan, Chapman To, Hark Tsui, to name a few.

While I loved the film, there were a few scenes that probably could have been edited out as they served no true purpose (but to show more cameos), but for the most part, this is a very good film that I have found nothing negative to say about it.

The film reminds me a bit of my family who left behind servants because they moved to America but even to this day, my mother talked about the servants (the good ones) who took care of the family and how she visits or communicates with them today.

As for the Blu-ray release, the picture quality is fantastic and for Asian cinema from Well Go USA Entertainment, this is the best film I have seen on Blu-ray from the company in which detail was amazingly captured via Red One but also the cinematography is well-done and lossless audio is crisp and clear. I wish there were more special features but considering many Asian cinema on Blu-ray (released in the U.S as of late.) rarely have them, at least a trailer was included.

Overall, "A Simple Life" is a profound film from director Anna Hui that captures the story of the elderly, aging and frailty but also human nature. Featuring a fantastic performance by actress Deanie Ip, "A Simple Life" is a fantastic film that is worth owning on Blu-ray!

Read Best Reviews of A Simple Life (2012) (2011) Here

Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) has been attending to Roger's (Andy Lau) family for 60 years. As a movie producer who is always going to meetings out of town, Roger seems to take Ah Tao's maid services for granted; that all changes when Ah Tao has a stroke, retires, and willingly decides to live in a retirement home. Now with their roles reversed, Roger is unsure whether he'll be able to tend to Ah Tao the way she did to his family for generations while Ah Tao just wants to avoid being a burden. However their bond only grows stronger with the role reversal and their relationship seems to amplify because of it.

Andy Lau has become fairly well-known in the states for his performances in the crime trilogy "Infernal Affairs," action films such as "Fulltime Killer," "The Legend of Drunken Master," and "Shaolin," the comedy "God of Gamblers," and the mystery film "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame." Like most stars from Hong Kong who are approaching middle age, Lau has practically made a permanent jump to the dramatic genre in recent years where his career is suddenly more performance driven rather than taking as much of a physical toll as the films from his past.

The chemistry between Andy Lau and Deanie Ip along with the superb writing of "A Simple Life" is what makes the film worth seeing. The drama probably isn't exactly the type of film that would usually appeal to your interests, but it feels so genuine and is so structurally based in reality that you can't help but realize how strong the film really is. The relationship between Ah Tao and Roger is incredible. Their laughter, the endless amount of stories they have for one another, and that tearful look in their eyes whenever something even remotely sentimental comes up is just extraordinary. The two actors do an outstanding job of portraying two people who seem to have known each other forever. Meanwhile the writing illustrates the ups and downs anyone's everyday life could possibly have. Life throws you curveballs and it isn't always a cake walk, but you deal with it the best you can and try to enjoy the little things since you know they won't be around forever. "A Simple Life" adds weight to that aspect. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most enjoyable.

The film is mostly Roger traveling nonstop while Ah Tao tries to busy herself while he's away. They seem to gripe at each other constantly until Ah Tao has her stroke and then they're always laughing around each other while only growing closer in the process. Seeing the likes of Tsui Hark and Sammo Hung have special appearances in the film is a nice surprise, but the bits of humor the film threw at you when you least expected it are a nice surprise as well. Roger getting mistaken for the AC repair man and the search for a new maid were pretty humorous, but Ah Tao observing the other tenants at the retirement home is where the film's funniest moments reside. You see two old men get into an escalated argument, another use the wrong pair of false teeth to eat his dinner, and the rather eccentric Uncle Kin (Paul Chun) whose communicating antics and persistent desire to borrow HK$300 from everyone around him makes the supporting character extremely memorable.

"A Simple Life" has this incredible charm to it that not only has you admiring the relationship between Ah Tao and Roger but also the weight it puts into its heartfelt message. Driven by the fantastic performances of Andy Lau and Deanie Ip and its authentic writing, "A Simple Life" is the type of film you pop in to remind yourself that there is hope for the human race.

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This is one of those rare gems where characters are not only believable, but also winning in empathy. Contrast that with other slice-of-life HK movies that can border on trivial, inane, and narcissistic.

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What If (2011)

Perhaps the fastest growing classification of movies, faith-based films have a tendency to sacrifice production value for message. While movies like Facing the Giants and Fireproof have solid messages, they lack in the aesthetic polish audiences get from most Hollywood releases.

With "What If...", Dallas Jenkins manages to give audiences an aesthetically beautiful film with wonderful performances on both sides of the camera. The movie feels like a mid-budget Hollywood release, a remarkable feat considering the low budget and tight shooting schedule. Kevin Sorbo has a great presence throughout, and Kristy Swanson, still beautiful as ever, shows off her dramatic chops. And John Ratzenberger's performance is angelic, in a good-old-boy way.

Still, great direction and performances don't make a great movie unless the story matches. Thankfully, the story of "What If...", albeit somewhat recycled, is outstanding. Living a life of luxury and power, Ben Walker (Sorbo) is chosen by God to receive a glimpse of what his life could have been had he made a different decision 15 years earlier. The bulk of the movie is spent in Ben's alternate reality where he learns the true riches of life.

"What If..." doesn't hide the fact that it's a Christian movie. Still, it doesn't hurl religion at the audience with reckless abandon. In other words, it's a movie that even non-Christians can and should enjoy. Without sex, violence, or language concerns, it's perfectly suited for all ages.

Raising the bar for faith-based films, "What If..." is hopefully the start to higher standards for movies delivering messages of the Highest Standard.

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A short video review of this excellent Faith based film (with clips from movie). A great story, with excellent acting and production value. Even the director's behind the scenes commentary was well done, and very informative. Movie's message gets us thinking about how we have redeemed the days that the Lord has given us! I highly recommend that no one passes up the opportunity to see/buy this fresh and creative film by Dallas Jenkins!

A few other films that you might be interested in seeing

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry

Unidentified

Standing Firm

Bandslam

This is a secular dramedy, but well done

(Scroll way down thru the customer reviews for my video review)

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Yes, this movie is a lot like 'Family Man' (Nicholas Cage) or 'A Family Thanksgiving' (Daphne Zuniga). However, the resemblance does not take away from this being a great family movie. For those of us who grew up in the 80's and 90's, it is great to see Kevin Sorbo and Kristy Swanson (who still looks great these days) grace the screen. The fact that God is mentioned in the show, and not in a mocking tone, is great too. You will want to have the whole family watch this. John Ratzenberger as the ghost is a wonderful casting job too. The whole cast was just refreshing to see on screen again.

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After reading the cover of the DVD box, I thought, "hey, this is just a 'Family Man' remake."

I like Kevin Sorbo; so, I watched it anyway.

Wow! While the plots are similar, this movie is about ten times better than Family Man.

Kevin Sorbo gives a stunning performance as a man, Ben Walker, that is re-looking his life.

The angel, John Ratzenberger, is absolutely brilliant. His character makes sense. He acts as you would expect an angel to act. He also brings some humor to the role.

Kristy Swanson does an excellent job as Ben Walker's wife. She plays a strong character that directs Ben back onto the proper path. Kristy Swanson plays the wife that you want Ben Walker to get together with at the end of the story.

There is real substance to this movie. The characters are engaging. The story is riveting. I challenge anyone who has ever been in a serious relationship to get through this film without tearing up at several of the critical points.

Also, I found myself rooting for Sorbo's character. Yes, Ben Walker is definitely a self-centered jerk at the beginning of the film, but Sorbo breathes so much life into the role that you really want things to work out for him. (Contrast that with Family Man where you would not really have minded if things did not work out for the Cage character.)

Finally, there is some deeper meaning to this story. Sorbo plays a man who has lost his faith and his way, and his way back involves refinding his faith.

As a bonus, all this is done without violence or without the need to introduce racial stereotypes or foul language.

I was extremely impressed with Kevin Sorbo, and I will look for his future performances.

Nicely done!

Watch this movie and buy copies for gifts. It is that good!

in service,

Rich

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This was a real pleasant discovery.

It's a Christian movie, but don't let that put you off. It doesn't thrust anything down your throat or come off as preachy. You don't need to be religious or even Christian to appreciate the message. It's really about discovering what truly matters in life.

Often movies with a message are too obvious: you know they're trying to tell you what to feel, and as a result you don't feel anything much at all, except maybe bored and irritated. At the beginning of this movie there was one moment where I felt a sick sinking feeling, a sort of lonely emptiness inside, when I saw the main character talking about his life and his money and all that it really made me FEEL how empty and worthless those things are, and it surprised me a lot that I felt that way because it's quite unusual to feel such a strong emotion from a movie, especially so early on.

It was fun imagining trying out a what if? in your life. Who hasn't wondered what if? about some of the choices they've made. There was humour too not slapstick, just subtle make-you-smile moments. But that didn't spoil the drama either; rather it kept it light enough not to get too sad at the difficult parts.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It kept me thinking it about it for a long time afterwards, and it really did get its message across to me without feeling like I'd been sledgehammered... and I hate bing preached at! I'm not a Christian, but this wasn't a try-to-convert-you movie. It just makes you think about your priorities in life.

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42 (Blu-ray/DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy Combo Pack) (2013)

"Plaaaay Ballllll!" Yes, the Boys of Summer are at it again and this time, I learned a LOT about where American baseball has been and the fundamental changes that have happened in my lifetime. Even though we already know how it ends, thanks to a terrific PG-13 script by Brian Helgeland (Oscar for "L.A. Confidential") this insight into the Great American Pastime is an excellent reminder of how far we have come, thanks to courageous trail blazers like Jackie Robinson, who integrated professional baseball in 1945 at the instigation of Branch Rickey, a baseball executive who loved the game.

We cringe at the language used to attack our hero, we are saddened by the refusal of hotels and restaurants to serve a team that includes a black man, we are enraged by the racist heckling that takes place and we cheer when we see a man quietly rise above the rancor and "just play ball."

Here is a sample of the (huge) wonderful cast:

* Chatwick Boseman ("The Express" and lots of TV) is heroic as the legendary Jackie Robinson, whose Brooklyn Dodgers uniform boasts a "42" on the back. Despite Jim Crow laws, blatant racism and a potential lynch mob, he staunchly maintains, "I'm just here to play baseball."

* Nicole Beharie ("Shame") is Robinson's gentle wife, Rachel, who is the calm at the center of his storm. The Robinsons are from Pasadena, so neither of them had ever encountered segregation; they had only read about it.

* Harrison Ford ("Ender's Game" SOON!) is marvelous as Branch Rickey, the man who first brings a black man (Robinson) into Big League Baseball. He pulls no punches when he lays out what is in store for Robinson; he gives excellent advice. He explains that "God is a Methodist."

* Christopher Meloni ("True Blood") as Dodger coach Leo Durocher, Jackie Robinson's first defender on the team. He blasts the rebellious Dodger teammates who threaten to boycott until Robinson is fired: "If Robinson can help us win, then he's gonna play on this ball club."

* Alan Tudek ("Firefly" and LOTS of TV) as Ben Chapman, the racist Philadelphia coach whose vile heckling of Robinson finally turns the tide. The crowd can't help but sympathize with his victim.

* Lucas Black ("Seven Days in Utopia") playing Southerner Pee Wee Reese, another legend who had to come to grips with his own prejudice. Eventually he tells Robinson, "Maybe tomorrow we'll all wear a 42 on our uniforms, that way nobody will be able to tell us apart." (This has become an annual event.)

* Hamish Linklater ("Lola Versus") is Ralph Branca, the teammate who tries to invite Robinson to shower with the team. The more awkward he becomes, the funnier the scene becomes.

The screening audience was entertained, thrilled and inspired, our applause was richly deserved, and we all went home much smarter than when we came in. Be sure to stay for the final credits because there are some interesting (and satisfying) postscripts.

Please take children to see what our tawdry past looked like not too long ago, or show them the DVD from Amazon when it becomes available. They will be shocked!

When I was a kid Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey were history, I read about them in books. But my baseball heroes were Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins, to me they were always just baseball players, their being black wasn't a factor in either my liking or disliking of them, and "42" brings home the truly heroic effort and forces Jackie Robinson had to overcome.

"Sports movies" are best when they're a metaphor for other areas of our lives. "Field of Dreams" isn't really about baseball, "Rocky" isn't really about boxing, and "Hoosiers" really isn't about basketball. What those movies speak to are other forces in our lives that hopefully bring out the best in us, and while "42" isn't metaphorical it speaks directly to our views of race and racism.

"42" takes place between 1946 and 1948 when Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) brought Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the Brooklyn Dodgers and integrated baseball. The plot is as simple as that, the story isn't. Robinson was virtually alone, Martin Luther King Jr was still a high school student, Rosa Parks hadn't yet refused to sit at the back of the bus (although Robinson had and was court-martialed for it in the military), those who believed in him were his wife Rachael (Nicole Beharie) and Rickey. Robinson didn't even have the backing of his teammates who started a petition refusing to play with Robinson, slowly Robinson won over their respect. The way Robinson won over their respect, besides being a great ballplayer was to smile while epithets and threats were hurled at him, to get back up after players on opposing teams purposefully injured him. Robinson is a man with a temper but he knows history is watching and whether the integration of baseball happens or not rests on how he acts, and in public he was a tower of strength and "42" is brave enough to show Robinson's private moment of doubt and wanting to strike back at his attackers.

The cast and acting of "42" is superb, Chadwick Boseman resembles Robinson so much the only thing better would have been Robinson playing himself. Boseman exudes Robinson's strength smiling in the face of those who don't want him in baseball while showing the pain that lies just under Robinson's surface. Ford's Branch Rickey is a hero apart from the characters of overt action Ford has played in the past and Ford summon's Rickey's unshakeable faith in the integration of baseball because of his sense of what is right and his religious views make Rickey a pillar against which the waves of racism wash against and try to erode but ultimately fail. It may be to early in the year but this may be a Oscar worthy performance for Ford. Nicole Beharie as Rachel Robinson is Jackie's pillar of strength, it's a clichéd role but it is no way clichéd or rote acting, Beharie conveys the tender support Rachel Robinson did for Jackie and as she still does carrying on his legacy. Christopher Meloni is great as Dodgers manager Leo Durocher and he brings the menace and ultimate authority that Durocher had as a manager, it's a shame history took Durocher out of the game so early in Robinson's story Meloni steals the screen in his scenes. As Durocher's replacement Max Gail plays Burt Shooten, the position and character are place holders in history and the movie, but it's kind of cool to see Max Gail in a film.

Today all sports and teams are integrated, all races participate in all sports, we don't even think of it as integration any more, it's just the fact that if you rise to a certain level of achievment you can play professional sports no matter your ethnic background or heritage. There are also reminders for us that "42" isn't dead history, throughout the movie we hear the rejoinder of "this isn't the America I know" echoes of which we've heard in our recent past. "42" even offers a choice, when the Dodgers play in Cincinnati we see a father and son in the stands, the father relating seeing his baseball hero Honus Wagner as a kid, a touching moment that has probably been repeated millions of times in the 100 year plus history of professional baseball. But when Jackie Robinson takes the field the father starts calling him "n-----" the son at first looks stunned at the change in his father, then following his father's example starts using the same epithets until his hero Pee-Wee Reese comes up to Robinson and puts his arm around him for all to see and the camera cuts back to the confused look on the kids face, he has a choice to make in life. That is why "42" is a special movie that reminds of us a time that wasn't so long ago (well within the confines of a life time) and how we got to where we are, it's a history to remember and not let the forces of ignorance and hate take us backwards.

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42, written and directed by Brian Helgeland, is based on the real-life story of Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson, the first African-American baseball player to play in the major leagues. Robinson's story is well known to many, but to anyone who isn't, 42 (Robinson's number when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers) will serve to acquaint them with the man and his achievements against the backdrop of the times he lived through. The cast is excellent and give outstanding performances, particularly when recreating the feel of the times and the way it felt to watch Robinson play.

The story begins in 1945, when Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey (a deftly turned performance by Harrison Ford) makes the decision that his team is going to be the first major league baseball team to recruit and field a black player. He takes his time, going over the various prospects with his staff, and finally settles on a short-stop currently playing for a black league team, the Kansas City Monarchs, Jackie Robinson (terrifically played by Chadwick Boseman). The film then follows Robinson's career, starting with his being signed to Rickey's minor-league Montreal Royals for the 1946 season, and then his move up to the big league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

One of the best things about 42 is that it does show just how racially divided American was in the years following WWII and how openly hostile and acted upon the racism was in those days. This is absolutely vital to the film in order to show just how daring and risky Rickey's decision was, and how daunting the challenge was for Robinson to was to step up to the plate and face the hostility of not only the crowds but also that of his own teammates as well.

As I said, the cast is excellent and there are too many fine performances to list them all. Harrison Ford is visibly having a ball in his best role in years as the garrulous, cigar-chomping but never wavering in determination Branch Rickey. Christopher Meloni (best known from TV's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) delivers in spades as the larger-than-life Dodgers manager, Leo Durocher. And Lucas Black turns in a deft performance as Robinson's Dodgers teammate, baseball legend Pee Wee Reese. Alan Tudyk gets the thankless but important job of playing Ben Chapman, the Philadelphia Phillies' manager who openly race-baits Robinson during a game. And to his credit, Tudyk carries it off brilliantly, filling the screen with everything that so desperately needing changing in America at that time. On the other side, Andre Holland's African-American sportswriter Wendell Smith, who has to sit with his typewriter balanced on his knees in the bleachers because they don't allow blacks in the news booth, is there to remind Robinson in his soft-spoken but clear-eyed way that "This isn't just about you." And Nicole Beharie as Rachel Robinson is supportive grace personified as she gives Jackie a calm center to turn to amid the storm swirling all about him.

But it is above all Chadwick Boseman's masterful portrayal of Robinson himself that carries the film, from the way in which he brings out the man behind the legend to the way in which he vividly recreates the way Robinson played the game. The scenes where Robinson repeatedly gets the best of one pitcher after another with his visually taunting, hands-twitching stealing of bases are almost worth the price of admission just by themselves.

My only complaint is in regard to Helgeland's direction and script. While there are many scenes and moments in 42 that are beautifully rendered, as a film it feels somewhat choppy, moving in a paint-by-numbers fashion to fill in one episode after the other but with no real smoothness or flow to it. And too often Helgeland seems to lack confidence in the story, choosing to gild the lily with scenes that are decidedly ham-handed in contrast to the moments of sheer grace that Robinson's story has in abundance. (I swear, some scenes are so heavy-handed one almost expects Keenan Ivory Wayans to suddenly appear on-screen shouting "Message!" the way he did in the over-the-top spoof Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood). That said however, please take all this with a grain of salt. 42 _is_ a good film. It might even be a very good film. But given the truly history-making nature of the story, and the remarkable performances by the highly talented cast, it could have been a _great_ film. I know that Helgeland has done excellent work as a screenwriter in the past, from 1998's L.A. Confidential for which he won an Academy Award to 2003's Mystic River for which he was nominated, with A Knight's Tale and Payback, which he also directed, in between. But his record since then has been decidedly spotty, with his only directing credit being the 2003 box-office bomb The Order and writing credits for less than stellar films like Man On Fire, the 2009 remake of The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, 2010's Robin Hood and Green Zone. While 42 will hopefully do better than any of those, it unfortunately only seems to continue Helgeland's slump as a writer and/or director.

Highly recommended to anyone wanting to know more about a critical era in major league sports and about the men who changed it forever.

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There's been no shortage of sports dramas in Hollywood, which typically releases a feel-good sports flick every year or so, and we as movie-goers love to see an uplifting and inspirational story that pertains to the world of sports. However, over the course of history, there may be no story of greater importance than that of Jackie Robinson, the lone man who broke through Major League Baseball's color barrier and changed the sport, as well as our nation, forever.

42 tells the story of these amazing figures and the trials they endured to make Jackie Robinson the first African-American player in the game. In the film, the legendary athlete is played by newcomer Chadwick Boseman who does a terrific job given the weight and importance of the man he's portraying, and whose performance is earnest and inspirational. Of course, Robinson's journey couldn't have happened without Branch Rickey, the GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers who risked everything to take a stand against prejudice. That man is played by Harrison Ford, who plays the part fantastically. The pair have some great on-screen moments and really add to the film's authenticity. All-in-all it's a very well-rounded cast with some strong supporting roles, including John C. McGinley as Red Barber and Lucas Black as Pee Wee Reese.

This film is a fantastic biopic of one of sports's most important figures. The performances are great and there's some really good baseball action as well. The film also contains more humor than I would have expected, most of which comes from Robinson's Dodger teammates. Do yourself a favor and see 42. It's a respectful and engaging sports film that will leave you feeling up-lifted and inspired.

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"Break an unwritten law and you will be an out cast."

Facing an uphill battle Branch Ricky (Harrison Ford) finds the right African-American ballplayer to break the color barrier in baseball. Rickey's reasons are diverse being both altruistic, having a sense of justice, old guilty feelings, and the desire to win and make money. Chadwick Boseman portrays the Jackie Robinson of legend, an overly talented, silent, and classy individual. While the film is about him, it shows things that go on behind the scenes.

The film starts with a quick background and goes into Jackie's minor league trials and tribulations on and off the field. Ricky supported Robinson off the field anyway he could, but on the field Jackie was alone. It shows the break through of his teammates to overcome the prejudicial urges they grew up with. Minds winning over emotions to do what was right.

Don't get me wrong, it shows whites behaving badly and makes Philadelphia look bad. It gives us a glimpse of the ugly side of baseball, one we really don't want to see. In spite of the heavy and historical use of the N-word, it is a film that makes audiences stand up and applaud.

What the film doesn't tell you about is all the children that were named Jack or Jackie because of this man.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. Frequent racial slurs.

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