Manhattan (1979)

In 1979, Woody had the burden of trying to capture the "originality" of "Annie Hall," the Oscar-winning Best Picture of 1977.

So when "Manhattan" was released, Woody's first "true" widescreen picture (so much so that Woody insisted this film NEVER be released on video or shown on television without the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen), I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

I discovered that "Manhattan" had a completely different tone than "Annie Hall." It was more serious, but still hilarious. I became so enraptured by its themes, its music and its atmosphere that I felt, until I saw "Schindler's List" in late 1993, that I had witnessed something that comes along only once or twice a generation...and that's true greatness on film. I paid to see "Manhattan" at least four times during its initial run in 1979. I had never done this before, even when I include those popcorn pictures I had seen several times put out by Spielberg and Lucas during the 1970s. I found "Manhattan" simply incredible, so "on the mark," so revelatory about the weaknesses of people, especially so-called "intelligent" people.

Rather than go over the plot, I believe "Manhattan's" themes include the following:

1. intellectualism is overrated.

2. romance is illogical and unscientific.

3. words don't always match our actions.

4. moral structure is a man-made invention.

5. fidelity is an optimistic ideal.

6. skeletons in the closet are better left unsaid.

7. uncorrupted optimism is mostly found in young people.

8. cynicism increases as you grow old.

9. advancing years = more unnecessary baggage.

10. The more you know, the more it can hurt you.

That all of the above is delivered with humor is something only Woody Allen could accomplish.

There was a time when Woody's life imitated his art so closely that I had to avoid this SPECIFIC film for awhile. But now the past is past and it doesn't matter. Woody's art remains and the messages in "Manhattan" haven't been diminished after so many years. It still holds up even though it was made during the late 1970s.

Yes, Woody Allen's films are an acquired taste. People won't admit it, but when you pin down WHY they don't like "Manhattan" or anything he does, you find the reasons are rooted in conventional moral judgments, religious intolerance or even genetic issues such as his "whiny" voice and the fact he is one of the most un-photogenic actor-director-writers of our time (e.g., no one likes watching Woody "kiss" any woman on screen.)

And when art becomes too closely reflective of an artist's life, it can make people uncomfortable. My response is if you are unable to separate an artist's personal life or lifestyle from his work, sometimes the world can be made the lesser for it.

"Manhattan" and "Annie Hall" remain the benchmarks of all urban-based, non-screwball comedies made in America. That Woody was able to "re-invent," or more to the point -to "invent" a new genre of comedy -is more evident today by looking at everything that has come since 1979 that is clearly derivative from these two landmark urban films.

Only elitist thinkers will call people who don't "get" this film "fools." They're not. Again, Woody's films are an acquired taste. Fans who have followed him forever, quite candidly, like the way he is on screen, even if it's the same nebbish, over-analytical character every time. We're comfortable with him in the same and opposite way that we didn't mind Cary Grant playing Cary Grant all of the time. Nobody delivers a punch line or joke better than Woody and when he's not in his own films, they don't seem as funny.

"Manhattan," in my opinion, is the finest of Woody's "quartet" of masterpieces (the others are "Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Crimes and Misdemeanors"). There is so much hilarity and truth woven into this picture, complimented by a glorious Gershwin score and wonderful black and white cinematography, that I'm 100 percent sure -that Woody will never be able to top this film -even if he lives to 100.

The end "smirk" on his face speaks volumes about what's going on in this story, and why, unlike most of Hollywood's "mainstream" comedies, he won't give you the standard cornball ending.

Yet what he leaves behind as the credits roll, still leaves you satisfied. There isn't anything left hanging, in my mind, since you already know that Woody's character KNOWS how everything is going to end. That's the reason for the "smirk."

How many filmmakers can get away with this and stay original?

This is Woody's greatest film and it remains undated after more than 30 years...

When Woody Allen won the Oscar (in abstentia) for writing and directing "Annie Hall," which also won the Oscar for Best Picture, it was assumed the stand-up comic turned auteur had reached the pinnacle of his career. Then Allen proceeded to go out and make an even better film with his next effort, "Manhattan." Filmed in glorious black & white (and widescreen) by the great cinematographer Gordon Willis, the opening sequence combining indelible images of New York City with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is a paean to city Allen loves and the most rhapsodical sequence in any of his films.

Rather than talking about the plot per se, "Manhattan" is best explained as a convoluted series of wrecked and ruined relationships centering around Allen's character, Isaac Davis. Isaac is divorced from Jill (Meryl Streep), who is now living with Connie (Karen Ludwig), and planning to write an expose on her marriage. Isaac is having an affair with 17-year-old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), but then he meets Mary (Diane Keaton), the mistress of his best friend Yale (Michael Murphy), who is married to Emily (Anne Byrne). Ultimately, however, this is not a film about love, but rather a film about loss, because you just know that forced to make choices, Isaac is going to make the wrong ones. Tracy and Mary are characters constructed as such polar opposites and it never dawns on Isaac to focus more on what each has than on what they lack.

Of course, today this film is obviously open to reinterpretation given Allen's very public personal life and it is now assumed that the Isaac-Tracy relationship was a sign of things to come rather than a dramatic construction. If you can get away from the film's Freudian implications then you can appreciate Hemingway's Oscar nominated performance, which is not only at the heart of the film but provides its heart as well. In contrast, Keaton's Mary is rather soulless (the anti-Annie Hall if you will). When the choice is so clear the fault is clearly not in the women, but rather in the character of Isaac (or lack of character, as the case might be). The ending is certainly the most bitter sweet of any Allen film to date.

Most Romantic Lines (remember, this is a Woody Allen film): (1) "I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics"; (2) "Yeah! I can tell, a lot. That's, well, a lot is my favorite number", and, of course, (3) "Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what... okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong, recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ... Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra ... um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ..."

If you enjoyed "Manhattan" then check out these other films on the AFI's list of 100 Greatest Love Stories of All Time: #11 "Annie Hall," #25 "When Harry Met Sally," and #35 "Gigi." Why? The first because it is also Woody Allen, the second because it also takes place in NYC and involves making the wrong choice and then running to the woman to do something about it, and the third because it also thanks heaven for little girls...

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"Annie Hall" may be generally regarded as the funniest of Woody Allen's adult comedies, but there's much to be said for the richly textured "Manhattan." Mariel Hemingway is perfectly cast as the doe-eyed (and teen-aged) Tracy, the initial love interest of Allen's Isaac Davis. Setting aside any parallels to Mr. Allen's current real-life situation, suffice it to say that the relationship between Isaac and Tracy is sweet and passionate, and ultimately the heart of the life lesson Isaac learns. Dianne Keaton (Mary Wilke) is the hyper, neurotic adult involved with Isaac's married friend Yale (Michael Murphy). Together, Hemingway and Keaton give excellent performances: perhaps even Mariel's best, while Keaton's is at times cloying but at heart quite sympathetic in a search for love in Manhattan. Which brings us to the real star of the film: the city itself. The opening montage alone--set to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"--paints a delightfully romantic, pulsing portrait of Allen's New York. Cinematographer Gordon Willis's sumptuous black-and-white was shamefully overlooked by the Academy. Visually, the film is stunning, with a palette of tones that reflect the story's inherent warmth as well as its moments of stark confrontation. Allen has worked in black-and-white several times, but this is the most successful effort. And, as much as he seems to decry it, Woody once again creates a sentimental--but never mawkish--ode to love, human frailties, and the Big Apple. Yes, that's Meryl Streep as the other woman. If a classic film is one that stands the test of time, then "Manhattan" is holding up exceptionally well. Even bettern than "Annie Hall."

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It makes me sad (not to mention angry) that some people make the statement that this movie is about "a child molestor." The same people who say this are the ones that praise "There's Something About Mary" and "American Pie" for it's "comic innovativeness." This is NOT a documentary, it is simply a situation, and Tracy (the girl) was not forced into her position as girlfriend--it is a choice. Let's not forget this was the 70s, and while that's not an excuse, shame on those who imply that this beautiful movie is simply about a man and an underage girl.

That said, this is one of the most gorgeous movies ever made. Although "Hannah and Her Sisters" is probably my favorite Woody Allen movies, this is Allen's cinematic masterpiece. Words can't describe how beautiful the lights of Manhattan look as they sparkle through the trees in Central Park. But the acting shines as well. Diane Keaton is both hilarious and sad as a neurotic woman who is so full of herself and yet so unlucky in love; Woody Allen plays a divorced, neurotic man (shocker. . .); and while Mariel Hemingway isn't terrible, the tone of her voice and her manner did grate on my nerves a little. . .but that didn't ruin the movie at all. She is the voice of reason not only to Issac (Allen's character) but for the entire film.

It's a true testament to the genius of Allen that his movies, which usually end so sad, can still fill you with hope. It's as if he's telling the audience that it's the journey, not the destination, that's important. Everything about "Manhattan" shines, even after more than 20 years. I highly suggest this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it.

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There's poetry in Manhattan, the poetry of opposites. As Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue plays over lusciously composed black and white images of an idyllic Manhattan, we see picture postcards shots of Broadway, 42nd Street, Central Park, the Skyline and fireworks. Fireworks we almost wish would burst the film into color. It won't. This is a film about opposites, black and white or at least inconsistencies.

It's a film about 42 year old Isaac, (Woody Allen)and his small circle of friends. He's a successful television writer, who's been divorced twice. Isaac is having a fling with 17 year old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). Isaac continually reminds her their relationship is temporary. When she talks about being in love with him, he tells her to not get hung up, she's too young, there's too much life for her experience, she has to go to school in London without him in the near future.

Isaac hates his job. Hates writing the junk he is writing just to earn a paycheck and support his comfortable lifestyle. He quits to get serious about the novel he's always wanted to write. He's having a bit of trouble finding his writing voice, just as he's having trouble finding balance in his life. Quitting his job however means he'll have to cut-back his lifestyle and even move into an apartment with noisy neighbors and brown water. Isaac's ex-wife (Meryl Streep) is about to publish a sure to be devastatingly personal book about their marriage. It ended when his wife left him for another woman and Isaac tried to run over her girlfriend with his car. They have a son and on visiting days old wounds are re-opened. His best friend Yale, (Michael Murphy) who is happily married, is nevertheless having an affair with Mary (Dianne Keaton). When Isaac first meets Mary, he hates her. She represents the type of Radcliff pseudointellectual who can't properly pronounce Van Gogh that he detests. But opposites do attract. They become friends but Isaac does not make a pass at his best friend's mistress.

Yale decides to stop cheating on his wife, and suggests to Isaac that he should date Mary.

These people operate in a world of shadows and illusions. They are all false fronts. Their self confidences, their cleverness and wit are all a facade hiding how scared, alone and vulnerable they really are. And this is not a film where suddenly they open up and reveal themselves or transform into better people. These are characters who have become a part of the city, of Manhattan, and a part of each others lives.

Gordon Willis photography is part of this charade. In one of the later montages, a romantic montage of shots is given an edge, partially by the greyness of the images (not merely black and white) and partially because cliche's are used and turned inside out. During the cliched Central Park boat row boat ride (an homage to Horsefeathers perhaps), Isaac reaches into the water and removes his hand which is now covered with sludge. At the Hayden planetarium it's so dark we see Isaac and Mary in silhouette. A shot in Mary's apartment is lit seemingly by a small table lamp.

Allen's cynicism and skepticism have never been as sharply realized than in this film. There are no slapstick sequences, and no dream sequences in this -Allen's most assured, mature and personal of films.

There are plenty of laugh out loud lines of dialogue (courtesy of Allen and Marshall Brickman), but they seem natural, and never forced. This is a confident, relaxed Allen. He's not trying to please the audience as he did with Annie Hall. He's not making compromises with his material so he can sell a few more tickets at the box-office.

All of the actors are perfectly cast and at their peak. Even small supporting roles, like Wallace Shawn and Michael O'Donoghue are wonderful. Look fast at the t.v. show for David Rasche and Karen Allen (in a blonde wig). The Gershwin music is sometimes used as exclamation points (much as rock music is used in film). Rhapsody in Blue, Someone to Watch Over Me, and S'Marvelous in particular are worked wonderfully into the film.

This is Woody's masterpiece and a film that will be even more appreciated in years to come. Thank You

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The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions (Two-Pack) (2011)

I won't comment on the movies, you likely know what you are getting into. I liked the sequels, but I never got them on blu-ray, content with my dvd versions. Instead I got The Matrix tenth anniversary edition on blu-ray. I loved it!

What this dual movie pack gives is the critic and philosopher commentaries that were only available on the Matrix Trilogy box set for these movies. Both of those are fun to listen to, and can be insightful at the same time. And it's for that reason (along with the great price) I purchased this!

In case you're wondering these movies do not come in separate cases. Both discs are in the same box.

Didn't bother me one bit. I'm happy with the purchase.

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...but the low price and single size blu-ray small packaging almost make it worth having. A wrap-up to what was an extraordiary, ground-breaking flick that should have been left alone in the wake of these.

Read Best Reviews of The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions (Two-Pack) (2011) Here

I am a big fan of Matrix Trilogy, so I was always going to like this one. I wanted to buy the trilogy special edition, but found out that if I buy this twin pack and then The Matrix separately then it costs only half as much as three together will cost. Most of the special editions will come with a lot of behind the scene footage, interviews, and interactive stuff, but in my experience I end up watching only the movie most of the time and all this other stuff perhaps only once. Since both these movies are loaded with tons of special effects it makes perfect sense to own it on blu-ray.

I recommend.

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Love the Matrix series-especially in Blu ray. Wished it was in 3D. These movies look and feel so real. Get it!

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Julie & Julia (2009)

Well, I guess it's finally happened...the consumer and film buff who does not own a Blue-Ray compatible DVD player is now officially SOL. The standard DVD release of Julie and Julia contains as special features only a commentary track and behind-the-scenes featurette. To get the full array of special features, one must purchase the Blue-Ray version of the film, AND of course, a Blue-Ray dvd player. Here are the features NOT available on the standard dvd: tour of Julia Child's kitchen in the Smithsonian; featurette "Friends and Family Remember Julia Child;" and "Cooking Lessons," with Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and other renowned chefs preparing several of Julia Child's best-loved dishes. Why can't the studio release a two-disc special edition in the standard format for consumers like me who don't own the latest home entertainment equipment? I loved the film (especially The Divine Ms. Streep), loved Julia Child's book "My Life in France," very much liked Julie Powell's book "J & J," and can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to owning the DVD. I'm miffed, and in no position to go out and buy myself a new DVD player in this economy, not even at Christmas. This really stinks. So, five stars for the film itself, no stars for the DVD release manipulation.

All too often when a well loved book is turned into a film, fans of the book bemoan how the director or the screen writer got it wrong and all the wonderful things the book had that got lost on the way to the screen. And then you get the rare case when the film is so much better than the book that you wonder if you'll ever bother to look at the book again. "Julie & Julia" with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams is one of those films.

Based on Julie Powell's blog, a New York office drone, dreading the approach of the Big 3-0, breaks out of her life by attempting to go through every recipe in the first volume of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. While the book focuses almost exclusively on Julie Powell in her Queens apartment, the film splits time equally between Amy Adams' Julie on her epic food quest and Meryl Streep as Julia Child in post war France, who takes cooking lessons as a way to break up the boredom of her day waiting for her husband to come home.

Each actress dominates each scene she is in with a sense of life and energy. A lot of fuss is made over Streep's portrayal of Child as she goes from chopping her first onion, literally, to getting her cook book published. But equally important to the film is Adams as Powell, the woman who never finishes anything, determinedly holding on to her self appointed project and this is the driving energy behind the film. As much as Streep pours energy and life into her version of Child, we know she makes it, we know she becomes the Grand Dame of TV chefs. On some level we know Powell success too but for her it is less a quest to be published than to finish the journey of self discovery she has set herself on. Streep shows us how Child started out, we know what she becomes. Adams' Powell brings us along to find out what she will become.

In the book Powell is following Child's direction from the cookbook but is not a particular devote. By comparison in the film Adams' portrayal has her ready to quote Child on any number of topics and this creates the link between the two women the audience needs.

In the book Powell brings a lot of personal baggage that gets old fast, the film ignores this and focuses on what the women have in common. It doesn't talk down to the audience but lets you follow along through cooking, supportive husbands and love. Not just the love of a good meal, but the sort that encourages you to grow and be more than you were. This isn't a film just for foodies, but for people who dare to act on a dream, or think they might. Oh and for record, I haven't deboned a whole duck...yet.

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What in the world does television and concocting-French-food-in-America pioneer Julia Child have in common with just 30-something government employee turned food blogger, Julie Powell?

Other than the love of food, oodles of butter and a big project to fill the need for purpose, the two main characters in Nora Ephron's biopic, "Julie and Julia" share great marriages with men that are not put off by their mate's desire for self-identity defined by more than a few little bouts of self-absorption. Like a good soufflé, Ephron folds the stories told in two books, Powell's "Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously" and Child's "My Life in France" without deflating the overall mixture, although this reviewer would have enjoyed more scenes with the wonderfully talented Meryl Streep who redeems herself quite well (all high-pitched voice, champagne bubbly laughter and squared shoulders) as the indomitable and effusive Julia from her most un-defining role as Donna in that "Mamma Mia! The Movie (Widescreen)" debacle.

Ephron depicts 1950s Paris with a foodie's appreciation for what that city did and still does for the world of cuisine--from the very first glimpse of Julia's luncheon of sole meunière--the waiter delectably filets the fish's sumptuous flesh tableside to the audiences' very audible groans of anticipation of and appreciation for its buttery taste, but she also does well by Long Island City and its tangle of grey-tinged tenements, elevated trains and apartments over pizza parlors. Somehow, both Julie and Julia know where to get their ingredients and manage beat, chop (extremely amusing is a scene of Julia alongside a mountain of practice cut onions) and coerce calf's feet, lobsters and ducks into exquisite works of edible art. The luscious chocolate cakes, whipped creams and raspberry mousse tantalizes like the food porn that it is--a sensual and lascivious reminder to what is truly important in life--you will leave the theater hungry.

Along that line, the two couples, Paul (Stanley Tucci) and Julia and Eric (Chris Messina) and Julie either act as the aphrodisiacs for the food or allow the food to whisk them away in the general direction of the bedroom where dessert or in some cases appetizers segue into the joy of sex and more sex--no wonder Julia was always smiling. Both male characters offer their women encouragement along the lines of the supporting architectural buttresses on the Cathedral of Notre Dame even when faced by what may seem a bit of an "I Love Lucy" type scheme. Regardless, both these ladies made their ideas work whether by design or serendipity and Ephron, wisely asserts that it is their good marriages that deserve the credit--even though the real life Powell has an affair which she chronicles in her not-yet-published memoir about learning the art of the butcher.

Amy Adams' portrayal of Julie Powell seems a little seeped in too much sugar especially if one has read the Julie/Julia Project blog or the book that bears the same name as the film. In her version, Ephron sanitizes the conservative-hating Powell, cleans up her apartment, washes out her rather profane mouth and thankfully eliminates the girlfriend dramas that take up a third of the memoir. However, the slim-figured Adams' whose character claims to have gained weight after a year of rich French cuisine simply seems slim and still glows with that Giselle insouciance and naiveté she did so well in the Disney film "Enchanted (Widescreen Edition)." Even so, Adams' innate cuteness and 20-something sense of searching works adequately as a foil for the larger than life Streep as the formidable Child.

Bottom Line? Nora Ephron's "Julie and Julia" chronicles the projects of two women from two very different generations with similar needs. As a combination foodie/chick flick, it works very well in its depiction of determination and the power of a slow and steady perseverance that ultimately leads to success. However, "Julie and Julia" main thrust seems to be a tribute to good marriages where behind every great women stands an equally great and supportive male. Recommended.

Diana Faillace Von Behren

"reneofc"

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I went to see the movie, Julie and Julia solely on the idea that any project Meryl Streep is involved in would automatically be good. I couldn't imagine before going to see it how they would possibly work the storyline because it was based on two memoirs, one each by the two women involved. Meryl Streep played Julia Child and Amy Adams played Julie Powell. Because of her immense respect for Julia Child and her love of cooking Julie Powell decided to set aside 365 days to cook for her husband and herself and as it turned out several other people 524 of Julia Child's recipes. It started out as a way of breaking the boredom of her day job, an escape from having to live in such a tiny apartment, and a means of teaching her self-discipline by sticking to a planned regimen on a day to day basis. The result, however, turned out to be much more than that.

Julia Child had and Julie Powell has a very important knowledge about what makes good food great. Great food is like great sex; both of them have to be more than just "ok" to bring a smile to your face that lasts for days every time you think about it. And both women shared in common the idea that delicious French food should be available to the average American family even if you don't have servants that cook for you or an income that allows you to eat out at a fabulous French restaurant any time you like. Both of them had wonderful husbands who supported and encouraged their dreams of rising above the drab existence of living vicariously on the accomplishments of their men. The film captures beautifully the difficulty of that task for both Julie and Julia. Both of them had forces fighting against their achieving their goals, but the love that was evident in each of their marriages overcame every one of them.

One of the posters for the film is a one-sided poster with a black background, two eggs (one brown and one white), and the question posed, "Passion. Ambition. Butter. Do you have what it takes?" When the movie is over, that question's answer is for both women a resounding "Yes, but as is always the case, neither of them did it alone". The fact that they didn't do it alone though takes nothing away from the uniqueness of their accomplishments.

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I want to start by saying that this is not a simple case of `Meryl Streep is better than Amy Adams' even if a lot of other reviewers want to paint it as that. This is much more complicated than that. In fact, Amy Adams is fine here. She has her moments of charming, her moments of intensity, her moments of hysteria and overall she is adequate. The real issue I have with `Julie & Julia' is that it doesn't live up to the subject matter and the script is a sloppy and uninspired mess.

That, and a few `other' things.

The film shifts from Julia Child's life in Paris and Julie Powell's life in New York. Streep portrays Child as she begins to take a hold of her own identity, learning to cook and channeling her good-natured mentality into a healthy and respectable career. Adams portrays Powell as she tries to break away from the downtrodden near pathetic path she has chosen by finding herself in Julia Child's recipes. It is clear that Powell is inspired and in awe of Child and wants to feel a connection with her.

For me, this all sounds like it could produce delicious results. Sadly, this meal is rather bland.

I'm going to go ahead and start with the acting, since that is what is getting all the attention. When I first saw this film in the theater all those months ago, it was the first bit `potential Oscar contender'. Everyone had been raving Streep as `on her way to the podium for her THIRD Oscar' and so I was excited. I love Meryl Streep. When I walked out of this film I thought to myself, `she was good, and funny, and charming, but there is no way she is the best'. Then I saw a few other films (`Bright Star' and `An Education' to be exact) and there was no question in my mind that what Carey Mulligan does in `An Education' is not only the best performance of this year, but is a complete marvel and one of the best performances in any category of this ENTIRE DECADE. After watching this film for a second time last night I found myself even MORE confused about Streep's Oscar buzz (and countless critic award wins). Meryl Streep is undoubtedly a force in front of the camera. Nearly everything she does is phenomenal. Sadly, for me, her performance here is a tad too far over the top. She is hammy and, while that quality can at times be appealing (her constant jovialness is infective), the script is so dense and hollow that it barely allows Streep to expound on the WOMAN that was Julia Child. There are subtle hints that something is brewing beneath the surface (her sincere breakdown after learning of her sister's pregnancy) but this film is more focused on the food (which all looks delicious BTW) than giving us a real taste of who Julia was as a person.

Streep is entertaining, but she is FAR from Oscar worthy.

Like I said, Amy Adams is adequate. She doesn't really do anything wrong, but the whole idea of her character and her life is far too clichéd to be anything noteworthy. The snag in her marriage and that whole FORCED breakup is ridiculous, but totally something you saw coming the moment she said, in her blog, that she was `risking her marriage' for this experiment. Her manic desperation can at times be endearing and entertaining, but nothing we haven't seen a million times before.

As far as the significant others go, Stanley Tucci is the best thing about this movie (end of discussion) and Chris Messina is the worst. I love the quiet and supportive nature of Stanley Tucci. He just has this softness and this endearing quality to him. I adored him in `The Devil Wears Prada' and I find his work here, alongside Streep, to be equal parts charming and engaging. His warmth never feels forced or awkward (in contrast, when Adams delivers the SAME TOAST she fails miserably at giving it any kind of natural affection). Messina is just an obnoxious stereotype who fails to do anything by overwork his character, and that disgusting way he eats his food haunts my dreams.

In the end, the biggest culprit here is Nora Ephron, the films director and screenwriter. Because of her, the film lacks any real bite whatsoever. It is bland and boring, overly long and full of generic clichés that make this far less than a film of its nature should be. This is supposed to be an inspirational `coming of age', romantic comedy set to the tone of a biopic, but it lacks any of the chemistry and warmth that make those specific film genres so lovely.

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Drumline (Special Edition) (2002)

that's what you'll think when you finish this DVD!

It's a great flick! If you've ever been in a marching band, no matter how long ago, it will bring it right back to you. Now, most of us only dreamed of being in bands the caliber of those featured in drumline. They are the cream....I didn't catch the names of the REAL marching bands that participated in the movie (the college names are fictional, I believe)...but they were the stars of this particular show.

The filmmakers captured the difficulty and exhuberance of being a part of "one band, one music" and the dedication these young people have to being the best at what they do. The only recognizable actor is intense Orlando Jones, as Mr. Lee...and he is very good at what he does.

The plot is pretty typical...boy who is a little different from the crowd has incredible talent, faces adversity, finds love, finds his way back to his dream. The boy is a newcommer named Nick Cannon, who has a real screen persona. He's hard not to like. The real star is the music, and the marching, and the in your face color spectacle of being involved in marching band at the college competition level.

For a real feel-good experience, catch Drumline. It's awesome!

Let me preface my comments with my bias first: I am a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, so the notion of a movie set on an historically black college campus (A&T-filmed on CAU's beautiful campus) gets points out the gate. This movie, however, managed to do something that its ealier predecessor's failed to do: entertain, educate, and rally the audience all at the same time.

"Drumline" is your classic story of a highly talented and cocky freshman coming into his own by bumping heads with authority and consequently learning to respect the differences. Where this movie picks up major points is that it takes you directly into the heart of a culture (HBC bands) and helps to preserve on film to some and present to others something that has an awesome legacy in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

There is something incredibly awesome about seeing bands battle on the big screen. The adrenaline gets going and you find yourself cheering during the competitions. When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I knew I would have to see it.

Nick Cannon does a wonderful job with the main character, Devin. And less we forget, the extras in this movie were totally on point. I'm so glad that this movie was as well done and well received as it was, and I hope that Hollywood takes note and gives us more movies like this one.

Also worth mentioning, excluding some very light profanity, this is pretty much a good movie for anyone to watch, be it families, dates, or just friends hanging out. I know that this DVD will be the highlight of my collection for a while.

Buy Drumline (Special Edition) (2002) Now

Nothing like a percussion section to dress up a marching band--to give the band some flair and a nice touch of razzle-dazzle. Is it any wonder percussion sections are often comprised of flamboyant, overly-confident, enthusiastic showboaters? And there's nothing wrong with that: after all, these guys have to strut their stuff, entertain the crowd, and hold the band together--all at the same time.

The movie DRUMLINE pays homage to the determined percussionists who entertain college football crowds on Saturday afternoons. The story itself is formulaic and predictable: young Devon (Nick Cannon), a snare drummer with buckets of talent but a serious attitude, is constantly on the outs with his no-nonsense band director, Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones, forever known to me as the 7UP dude). But the story is enhanced by the fascinating trials and tribulations of the (fictitious) Atlanta A&T marching band as it progresses through a long football season. The viewer is privy to the band's countless practices, personality clashes, section challenges, and performances. But the performances make this movie so entertaining; director Charles Stone III and his crew really knew their stuff, as DRUMLINE vividly portrays the gritty and glittery realism of a big-time college marching band.

I even get a nice little workout while I watch this film--especially when Atlanta A&T's percussion section must meet a challenging drumline in a "face-off" to determine the winner of a national marching band contest. The drum cadences, the pounding and clashing rhythms, are so clean, crisp, and compelling that I find myself first bobbing my head to the beat, then swaying and strutting to the delightful sounds. Finally, I'm slapping my beer belly in unison with the cadence (and I keep up pretty well, if I do say so myself). The workout provides a fresh burst of energy, and so does DRUMLINE.

--D. Mikels

Read Best Reviews of Drumline (Special Edition) (2002) Here

My review of "Drumline" is based on what I saw at the theater, not on home video. First of all, the plot is pure formula, inspired by "An Officer and A Gentleman". Remove that complaint, and it's a great film. The movie is highly original in that it shows, (perhaps for the first time on the screen), what it's really like to be in a marching band in college. This film does an excellent job in showing a real-life school, with real people, in a way that should not offend that many people. There's no real gratutious sex, violence, or bad language. What it has is in keeping with it's PG-13 rating. Nick Cannon graduates from a high school in a lower-income neighborhood in New York City. He was raised by his mother, his father having little to do with either one of them. He gets a musical diploma to a college in Atlanta. He has an attitude; he's a great drummer and he knows it. We later find out he cann't read sheet music, (he lied on his college application), but he has the ability to learn very fast by hearing alone. The fact that Nick was raised by a single parent also contributes to his bad attitude towards the world. Nick does have some good morals, but, it takes some attitude adjustment to bring them out. Orlando Jones, the only big name in the cast, is very believable as the musical director who is stuck on out-of-date music, that while nice to listen to, is not winning the big competition with the other schools. The college pricipal really wants a winning band, much like another pricipal would want a winning football team. The movie shows that being on a marching band means being on time, being part of a team, constant workouts, (just as hard as the football players), and when one person makes a mistake everyone suffers. Also there are four levels in the band from the most talented down to the rookiees. A person on a lower lever can challenge a person on a higher level to a one-on-one musical competition for their seat. The nerve-racking fact that college students, many in their teens or early twenties, have to be near perfect in front of a stadium filled with thousands of people is also shown.I doubt if what it really means to be in a band in college has ever been shown in such detail in a movie before. For the record, I was never in a band in school, but those who were, have said what is shown on the screen is very accurate. "Drumline" does have moments when what the viewer expected to happen does occur, but, it has enough surprises to keep the film-goer engaged. The acting, camera work, music, and location filming are all first rate. This is more than a "fish out of water" film, this is a movie about real people at a real college playing in a real marching band.

Want Drumline (Special Edition) (2002) Discount?

Drumline is a heart-thumping, feet-stompin', get-up-and-shake-your-...-and-feel-good type of movie that makes one thankful to be alive. Nick Cannon plays a gifted drummer from the inner city who gets a full scholarship to Atlanta T&T, a predominantly black college which has a long history of having an exceptional marching band.

Most of the characters are black. A few well placed faces are white. The story, of gifted ambition fighting against the system, is universal. Nick's love interest is Zoe Saldana, a lovely cheerleader (whom I had seen in Center Stage and Crossroads). Orlando Jones (Evolution, The Time Machine) plays an overly conservative band director who is challenged to bring more excitement to defeat longtime rival, Morris Brown College, at the upcoming band competition classic.

Nick wears his motor-board and graduates from high school. There's a touching scene where he goes to see his father, who works as a ticket taker and "thanks" him for not being there when he needed him. In college, Nick's rebellious nature gets him into trouble and eventually kicked off of the band. He makes a triumphant return and everyone lives happily ever after (but, of course).

Along the way, however, we are treated to the most exciting display of marching band prowess and drum line percussion riffs I've ever enjoyed anywhere! Take it from me, you'll never in a million years view such an exhibition on Saturday afternoon NCAA football!

The finale is spectacular. On the field, you'd be life-challenged to see black cheerleader mid-driffs more sensual; or black drum beats so inspirational. The bands duel, and tie; and the drum lines face-off for the conclusion. Not a word was spoken, but I've never experienced anything so dramatic; and I literally ended the film with my heart pounding in my chest, and tears streaming down my cheeks.

There's a touching moment in the deleted scenes where Nick goes to thank his father who turned out to offer him a key piece of inspiration in the film.

Drumline is viscerally and emotionally powerful; and it is easily one of the best movies I've seen all year (black or otherwise). I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did!

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Viva Las Vegas (2007)

On the 25th anniversay of Elvis' passing, I thought I'd watch one of his films...this is perhaps his best, and in pairing him with Ann-Margret, he met his match. She sizzles in the musical numbers, and sometimes outshines the King when they're on-screen together.

Don't expect a plot or much in the way of dialogue, as everything revolves around the songs. The standouts are the title song, "Come On, Everybody", "What'd I Say", and "Appreciation"...but all of them are good, and the other numbers are: "The Lady Loves Me", "I Need Someone to Lean On", "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever", "My Rival", and "If You Think I Don't Need You".

The choreography by David Winters (who played A-Rab in the "West Side Story" film) is quite difficult, and almost awkward, with many direction changes, in Ann-Margret's "Appreciation" number (if you watch closely, you'll notice there's a switch to ballet slippers instead of high heels for a short time), but she manages all the dance numbers well, with sparkle and pizazz, and her singing is excellent.

The costume department did a good job, putting Elvis into a lot of very becoming red and black togs, and Ann-Margret's 101 outfits cling to every curve.

The car race footage in the finale is outstanding, and car aficionados will find a lot to like in this film as well as the music.

This was a much appreciated gift, and one I watch when I need some brain candy. Though it's got its flaws, I'm giving it 5 stars for being pure, undiluted entertainment, served up by the Kitten and the King, both in top form, with the glitter and glitz of Las Vegas as their backdrop.

I can't say that I'm a fan of either Elvis Presley or musicals and bought this video only as an experiment in watching something 180 degrees from my norm. Having said that-and standard Hollywood boy gets girl/loses/gets again simplicity aside-this film rocks! A technicolor kitsch fest with so-bad-it's-good Vegas cheese costumes and sets, this is a truly compelling time capsule...and it has THAT song. "What'd I Say?" is one of the most entertaining, hi-energy, goofy/silly, exuberant, infectious, fun dance numbers ever filmed (you have to play it again and again to get all the detail). A lot of what shows on MTV and VH1 is such a bore by comparison. The "Viva Las Vegas" number and the car race are great too.

Buy Viva Las Vegas (2007) Now

After years of second-generation VHS releases, "Viva Las Vegas" (1964) finally can be seen in a widescreen format. This Elvis Presley-Ann Margret musical looks and sounds great on DVD and you also get the original trailer. With director George Sidney at the helm, it's easy to see why "Viva Las Vegas" is considered one of Presley's best films.

Read Best Reviews of Viva Las Vegas (2007) Here

I'm all about Elvis. I'm 24 and my room is covered in his pictures. I LOVE this movie. I think personally that it's one of his best. I could sit here and watch him sing and move and never get tired of him. My favorite scenes are 1. when he's singing "The Lady Loves Me". And 2. when he's on her dance stage singing "My Baby Loves Me". Of course also when he performs the title song. I hope all avid Elvis fans have this movie in their collection.

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This is essentially a movie about two of the screen's most famous duos who never made another film due to Col. Parker's dislike of Ann-Margret and of the director having a very badly concealed crush on the actress. That said, this is one of Elvis' best films with production values more deserving of his talents. The songs are great and Ann-Margret practically steals the film. Whatta body! She just sizzles and burns her way into your memory!

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Saints & Soldiers / Days of Glory 2-Disc Blu-ray Boxset

It appears that both movies are in english but that is not the case. Days of Glory is in french with english subtitles. It still is not a bad deal since the Saints & Soliders is almost $25.00 by itself and is in english. I have always been happy with the majority of my purchases from amazon and if you don't mind the subtitles you will enjoy this WWII movie package.

Saints & Soldiers is what good movie making is all about! WWII buffs should waste no time ordering this movie. It's the best I have seen since Saving Private Ryan!

Buy Saints & Soldiers / Days of Glory 2-Disc Blu-ray Boxset Now

Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself (2008)

Its really hard to review a standup comedy routine "critiquingly". If it's GREAT, like this one is, I would have to resort to the overwhelming non-lack of cliches plastered on the covers of movie boxes and posters across the Land.

What it boils down to, is this (and its very simple): This is one of the funniest and most tallented stand-up acts I have ever seen. You have your all-time greats like Pryor and (fill in your fav here) but did they hold three-way conversations at lightning speed and legibly conveying three unique voices with three different personalities? Either he has incredible tallent or he's related to Emily Rose.

In short, its fantastic Excellent pullamuscle funny and man does it deliver. Highly recommended for you adults who need a change in pace. ~saos~

It's been awhile since a stand up comedian has actually brought tears to my eyes. After seeing Jeff Dunham's show on Comedy Central I immediately went to Amazon.com and pre-ordered it. It's sure a refreshing act, since you have all these other comedians doing stupid red neck jokes all the time.

Buy Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself (2008) Now

Jeff has a funny routine. His characters include "Walter", a sort of elderly curmudgeon; "Sweet Daddy D" sorry, that's "Sweeeeeeeeet Daddy D", a playa in management position (PIMP); "Peanut", described as a South Pacific islander but could really be some alien; "Jose Jalapeno", a Cuban condiment (on a "steeeeek"); and "Bubba J", a slow-witted beer-guzzling NASCAR aficianado.

Some of the jokes might be a bit politically incorrect, but as Jeff and "Shrek 2"-director friend surmise in the optional commentary, they are accepted because they are spoken by a puppet, not a human.

I watched it twice (on successive nights) and loaned it to a friend who thought it was bleeping hilarious and also is going to watch it again before returning it.

You get the option of a "bleeped" or "unbleeped" version.

Extras include a commentary, a couple bloopers, and a video of Jeff's dog humping one particular puppet.

Read Best Reviews of Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself (2008) Here

I've been a fan of Dunham for a long time I saw him live in Orlando in 1992(?) and was fan before that. I knew what to expect, but my wife (who has belly-laughed exactly once since we were married 8 years ago) was totally taken by surprise she laughed so-o-o hard!!! Dunham is funny, creative and his puppets are so believable you can actually suspend belief and think of them as people. Dunham's wit is great even off the cuff things like when a member of the audience steps out on a call of nature Dunham waits until he comes back to continue.... One of the funniest comics you'll ever see...

Want Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself (2008) Discount?

This "reviewer" did not watch Jeff's performance very carefully. The entire audience was NOT white; yes, it was predominantly so, but the editors of the performance were careful to show several minority attendees in the theater.

Besides, Jeff tackles EVERYONE in this performance: Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Southerners, NASCAR fans, the elderly, the stupid, the deaf, the blind, and those with bladders too weak to sit through an entire show. (Walter's ridicule of the guy sneaking out of the auditorium to go to the bathroom is priceless!)

I have shown "Arguing With Myself" to old and young alike, and the result is ALWAYS the same: tears pouring from eyes, sides splitting, and thighs raw from being slapped. You will LOVE this DVD.

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Overboard (1987)

This movie is reminiscent of classic comedies of the 60's. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry, but so many funny moments you will laugh out loud. Goldie learning how to be a homemaker is priceless, and she does the physical comedy so well. This movie flows continuously from beginning to end. It does not lag in any part. It is a keeper, and a good addition to any collection.

No matter how many times I watch this movie (and believe me, I've watched it many, many, many times) it's always enjoyable. Goldie Hawn stars as Joanna Stayton, an incrediblly rich, incredibly bored and incredibly bitchy woman with nothing left to do while her yacht is docked at a small coastal Oregon town called Elk's Cove but to hire a carpenter named Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell, gotta love him) to remodel her closet. But when the job isn't done to her satisfaction, he winds up overboard along with all his tools. He vows to get revenge on her and the opportunity presents itself when Joanne falls overboard in the middle of the night and is later discovered by a crew of Portuguese men on a garbage barge. But Joanna has amnesia and can't remember who she is. And her husband Grant is all to happy to pretend he doesn't know her and leave her in the hospital. But when Dean sees the "amnesia lady" on the news, he recognizes Joanna and hatches a plan to get revenge and get the money she owes him. But neither one expects to fall in love with the other. Overboard is a fun and funny movie that also teaches us the lesson that money doesn't buy us complete happiness. It can for you though if you buy Overboard because it's worth watching hundreds of times over. I love it! Enjoy!

Buy Overboard (1987) Now

Probably my favorite comedy movie of all time (starring Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell), Overboard has it all!

A five star cast, hilarious dialogue, great comedic timing, and marvelous chemistry between Hawn & Russell easily adds up to more than five stars worth of fun. Supporting cast members like Roddy McDowell, Katherine Helmond, and Edward Herrmann make more than the most from their roles, and really shine. The actors who portray Mrs. Berberich, the school principal, and Dr. Korman, the psychiatrist, really do their part to add comedic punch as well.

The movie opens with Goldie Hawn as JoAnna Stayton, a bored, pampered, demanding and imperious heiress--husband Grant is an equally shallow and pompous aristocrat. They openly despise each other, treat the help like servants, are enamored with possessions over people, and are proof positive that money does not buy happiness.

Enter Kurt Russell as carpenter Dean Profitt, hired to build a new closet on the Stayton yacht. When petualnt Hawn refuses to pay him for his work and knocks him overboard, Russell vows he will make her pay. He soon gets his chance when JoAnna falls overboard herself and husband Grant is too preoccupied watching Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous (ostensibly to see if he made it onto a list of the top ten yacht owners!) to hear her cries for help and save her.

Once rescued and suffering from amnesia, JoAnna is taken to the mental ward of a local hospital where she terrorizes staff members with her fits and vicious snits. Only too glad to be rid of her, they fall for Dean Profitt's story that this is his missing wife, Annie, and he is permitted to take her "home."

The Profitt "residence" turns out to be a down-and-out homestead reminiscent of the farm from Green Acres, complete with car parts and debris all over the yard, a limping dog in a cast, and four unruly boys demolishing everything in sight. Watching Hawn acclimate to this nightmare is totally hilarious. At one point she sighs..."So, this is my life....I didn't marry very well, did I?" Too, too funny!

By movie's end, Hawn has transformed the unruly household into a happy family home, fallen in love with Russell and his children, and morphed into a real human being. A funny, funny movie with a feel good ending, Overboard is highly underrated. I urge you to watch it and share the humor!

Read Best Reviews of Overboard (1987) Here

Among the films I can easily remember growing up as a teen and seeing it played over and over on HBO, it was the 1987 film "Overboard" starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. And with a lot of talk about the upcoming remake starring Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith, it doesn't surprise me that the film is now being released on Blu-ray.

"Overboard" is one of Director Gary Marshall's ("Pretty Woman", "Beaches", "Runaway Bride") earlier films, written by Leslie Dixon ("Mrs. Doubtfire", "Hairspray", Limitless") that was a flop in the box office but pretty much became a cult film because of its popularity on cable and even 25-years-later, I still see this film while channel surfing late at night and I have no doubt in my mind that people of today's generation are enjoying this late '80s film.

VIDEO:

"Overboard" is presented in 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:85:1). First, its important for me to mention that a lot of late '80s and also early '90s films were not shot with great film stock. In fact, more than likely you will noticed certain catalog titles looking its age in HD. For "Overboard", you will notice that there is a good amount of grain but also a lot of noise and also a look that is not exactly the most pristine and shows its age.

With that being possibly the bad news, the good news is that the film looks much better than what one would see on television, on VHS and on DVD. The other good news is that there are many scenes that actually do look good and brings out the detail of the film. While the opening title sequence may look its age, as the film progresses, it actually looks much better. Granted, you will see white speckles from time-to-time but one thing where this film is fortunate is that most of it is shot outdoors and thus the sunlight really makes certain scenes come out vibrant.

So, if you really love this film, Blu-ray is the way to go!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Overboard" is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono and French Dolby Surround. The soundtrack is front-channel driven. Dialogue and even the '80s synth music comes out quite clear. Overall, it's a good lossless soundtrack but I chose to watch this film with stereo on all channels (set on my receiver) for a more immersive soundscape.

Subtitles are in English, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Overboard" comes with the original theatrical trailer.

JUDGMENT CALL:

One thing that I remember about this film is when I was a teenager was that I felt that Goldie Hawn was a hot actress and with her and Kurt Russell being a real-life couple, that the two had amazing chemistry.

Watching it in 2011, Goldie Hawn looks beautiful in the film and interesting to see how Goldie back then and her daughter Kate Hudson (today) look so much alike and yes, she and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry and for the most part, despite the film is a popcorn romantic comedy and as many critics have called it an updated "screwball comedy" with a redneck attitude.

Some love it, some hate it but at the time, when one of the younger children spoke like Pee-Wee Herman, maybe today it seems a bit overplayed but heck, even back then...everyone tried to speak and laugh like Pee-Wee Herman. Granted, parents probably may have not liked the stereotypical portrayal of the redneck family, especially with the young kids talking about a woman's bodyparts and looking at nudie magazines but the sex jokes and overall comedy was not for the refined movie-goer.

And probably that is why this film had so much success on cable. At the time, Americans were more in-tune of what was coming out from the more younger crowd ala the Brat Pack talents during the late '80s and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were not an exciting box office pairing (their previous film "Swing Shift" back in 1984 also didn't do that well). But like many Americans, once this film started showing up on cable TV, it was watched many times.

And the intriguing thing about this film is that if you bypass the critic reviews for this film, you will see so many people who actually gave the film high ratings within the last 25-years. And personally, I don't think this film can be remade it today's society, especially with the kids talk about T&A so freely. It's not going to happen. So, I can only imagine the remake being tailored for modern sensibilities and it'll be interesting to see how far the remake will go.

But most importantly, what made this film work is because both Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have great chemistry and the fact that they were a real life couple, the characters seemed real and convincing. Because these two talents are in love, you can tell on film that the characters that they play are really in love. It's all in the details and the emotions and it made this film quite enjoyable.

For parents who watched the trailer, bare in mind, this is definitely not a family film. Granted, the banality of naughty or misbehaved children has been overdone in movies but in the case of this film alone, these kids like to talk about women's boobs and their butt and read nudie magazines and speak profanity. It was rated PG back in 1987 but wouldn't be surprised if a film like this would receive a rated-R in today's movie rating system (as one or two words of profanity easily gets a film an "R" rating).

As for the Blu-ray release, this is a barebones release and the PQ is not the greatest but its probably the better of any video version that has been released thus far. If you are passionate about the film and still have that old VHS copy, then definitely upgrade to Blu-ray!

Overall, "Overboard" is a romantic comedy with likeable characters, a fun story and a typical happy ending. By no means is it the best when it comes to romantic comedies but it is a cheerful romantic comedy with that '80s style and if you loved the film back then, no doubt you will love the film today!

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Maybe this movie seems better than it actually is because so many other comedies haven't worked and weren't funny. In any case, this one works, and manages to be funny all the way through, when it almost doesn't seem like it should be funny at all. It's light-hearted and low-brow. A poverty-stricken carpenter is determined to get his just payment from a rich and very snobby woman, who is amnesiac after an accident, and installs her in his shabby house as his supposed wife and mother to his large brood of brats. As nasty as she was, we can't help but feel sorry for her, and perhaps we find the story uplifting because although she really does land in an awful situation, she muddles through, right on to a happy ending. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn appear to be having a great time as the mismatched couple, and the story and humour feel fresh.

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Roxanne (1987)

This one is an all-time favorite and a long-time resident of my home video library. Comedy legend Steve Martin, in a way that only Steve Martin can, plays the role of the emotionally and intellectually-wealthy goblin of a man who falls for the equally emotionally and intellectually-wealthy blonde bombshell (Daryl Hannah--hey, why not?) who visits his small town. Unfortunately, this bombshell is lacking in the common sense department, because she immediately falls for the beefcake village idiot, played convincingly by Rick Rossovich. Go figure. But what happens as a result of this scenario is altogether funny, charming, touching and totally entertaining. This movie flows. Martin compounds his genius in the movie by assembling a stellar supporting cast (which includes Shelley Duvall and a young Damon Wayans) that more than holds its own throughout the film. Pay extra special attention to the balcony scene--from its beginning to its end, Martin and Rossovich are allowed to shine their brightest. Martin teams up for this 'Cyrano' retelling with director Fred Schepisi, the visionary behind 'Six Degrees of Separation', the movie that first separated Wil Smith from his legendary "Fresh Prince" persona. 'Roxanne' gets the highest possible recommendation for its perfect balance of humor and romance and the stellar performance of its entire cast. Please, please make it your business to own a copy of this movie.

In 1987, the romantic comedy film "ROXANNE" starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah, a modern retelling of "Cyrano de Bergerac", was a film that received critical acclaim and has been regarded as one of the Steve Martin's best work as an actor and screenwriter.

The film was directed by Fred Schepisi ("Six Degrees of Separation", "Mr. Baseball", "Iceman", "The Devil's Playground", etc.)

"ROXANNE" is an entertaining romantic comedy with Steve Martin in the top of his game.

Featuring clever writing, wonderful acting and Steve Martin carrying this film to incredible heights through a perfect blend of romance and comedy.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

To see "ROXANNE" in high-definition was actually quite nice. The location in the Pacific Northwest shows us the mountain regions surrounding the area, sunshine, blue waters. Now in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 2:40:1, the film really does bring out the outdoor scenes and for an late 1980's film, the picture quality is actually pretty good.

The film does show its age because of the fashion (Daryl Hanna's leather boots and Fred Willard's Miami Vice fashion is so easily identifiable with the 80's) and musical styles presented and there are times that the film looks soft but for the most part, picture quality is clean.,

For a film that is over 20-years-old, you really can't go wrong with this Blu-ray release because currently, it is the best looking transfer that you will ever find of the film.

As for audio, "ROXANNE" is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English, French and Portuguese) and a Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is dialogue heavy and thus a lot of the film is front channel-based and there are no use for special effects or rear channels for this film, so expect to see mostly your front and center channels being utilized. Audio is clear and well-understood and the scenes that showcase classical music was delightful to hear as well.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Unfortunately, there are no special features included. The Blu-ray disc for "ROXANNE" is BD LIVE enabled.

JUDGMENT CALL:

It has been well over 20 years since I first saw "ROXANNE" on cable and for the most part, watching the film again, I can say that it does hold up quite well nearly 23 years later.

Steve Martin was absolutely fabulous in this film and his role as an executive producer, main actor and screenplay writer must have been quite interesting because he manages to seamlessly make this film seem smooth. How he took the storyline of "Cyrano De Bergerac" and wrote his interpretations for his character was a bit humorous and entertaining.

But when it comes to Steve Martin, it's all about delivery. Martin owned this role.

There is one scene where he is encountered by a man at the bar who wants to fight him but after losing a bet in darts, Martin's character C.D. has to come up with 20 unique nose jokes. Martin flawlessly pulls off over two dozen and you can tell by the talent watching him at the bar as they all watch him showcase his acting style, his quick wit but smooth delivery of his lines, they were impressed.

Of course, watching Daryl Hannah in her 80's clothing and hairstyle definitely made this film feel "80's" but thankfully for the High Definition transfer, watching "ROXANNE" in 1080p High Definition was quite nice. Seeing her blue eyes and beautiful smile definitely made her one of the popular actresses of the 1980's and both she and Martin, both look incredible now as they were 23 years ago.

And of course, the film also features a good number of talent such as the popular Shelley Duvall, "Top Gun" actor Rick Rossovich, Fred Willard, John Kapelos and emerging stars Damon Wayans and Kevin Nealon.

With a lot of positive to say about the film, the negative would be the lack of any bonus features. Granted, this film is an older film but it would have been nice to see Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah or even director Fred Schepisi make some sort of comment.

And for a comedy film, there has to be a gag reel or something that could have been thrown in. Not even the theatrical trailer was included and that is my only problem with this release.. the lack of any special features but the trailers for other films.

Overall, you can't fault the film because it's an entertaining romantic comedy that continues to stand the test of time and now it's available on Blu-ray ala High Def. If you are a Steve Martin fan, "ROXANNE" is a film that deserves to be in your collection. It's one of his best films (next to my favorite feat. Steve Martin, 1991's `L.A. Story') and definitely a film worth checking out!

Buy Roxanne (1987) Now

It's September 2006, and they *still* have not released a widescreen version. I got through the first 20 minutes of this pan-and-scan version before I couldn't stand it anymore. There are so many beautiful shots; I just can't watch them butchered like this.

Roxanne is a great movie, and it deserves more than this poorly rendered DVD version.

Read Best Reviews of Roxanne (1987) Here

Like other reviewers, I am apalled that this wonderful movie is available only in pan & scan format, chopping off close to half the picture. This is just inexplicable--even when this was released a few years ago, it was quite unusual for high profile anamorphic films like this to be released only in a P&S version. I'd love to add this to my collection--here's hoping a propererly framed version is forthcoming (hopefully also in Blu-Ray or HD DVD).

Want Roxanne (1987) Discount?

I think we all agree that this 1987 classic romantic comedy is absolutely wonderful, entertaining, magic, funny and hylarious. The best romantic comedy for some, one of the best comedies of the 80's for others. Great story, incredible performance of steve martin , great production and artistic direction by Fred Schepisi. We can argue with that of course, but one thing beyond discussion, is that this Sony Pictures 2002 DVD edition for this masterpiece is so awful, that it manages to destroy the experience.

I had to put up with a VHS edition for 15 years, for what! This? I can say without any doubt, that this is one of the worst DVD editions i own, behind my Asian bootleg martial arts copies. Absolutely awful, this edition manages to restrain the impact of the movie with all the worst features of the fullscreen edition: Extreme close-ups, alternate or moving angles from the same take, chopped off characters from the scenes, people talking to shoulders and corners, people talking from outside the picture, missing scenarios and landscapes, blurry video quality... my god! Not even the 5.1 english soundtrack could emerge, not even the movie could! Extras? The movie trailer...In widescreen! It was torture.

By far, the worst 7 dollars i have ever spent, and a disapointment i'm never gonna forget.

My recomendation for fans looking for this wonderful movie in DVD: Go outside the store and get the widescreen edition, online or on local stores. I'm desperatly seeking for other better editions, i'm even willing to download it, or even buy a bootleg.

Whatever you do: Please, please, don't buy this awful Sony 2002 fullscreen edition.

And Sony pictures: Widescreen versions fit the screen too!

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Red River Range (1938)

I just received this and the other three new BR discs from the John Wayne Three Mesquiteers era. The Amazon.com review of the story almost takes longer to read than the movie is long. I'm just kidding but its a 56 minute film as they all are and I surmise the reason they are on separate discs and so expensive is because the market is small. On all films the picture quality is sharp and stunning at times and the sound is robust. These are fun films and its a hoot to see young Duke riding a big white horse with his oversized white hat. Some of the horse chase scenes in all the films is really stirring as the camera is just ahead of the horses and to see them charging at full speed in HD is pretty cool. These are sort of silly/stupid scripts and sadly Duke Wayne isn't the main star...he is co starring so he's not on camera as much as I'd like but I am a fan and am glad I picked them up. This will be my review for all four films as they were all made within a couple year period all directed by the same man and all pretty enjoyable with their own quirkiness. I just wanted to let folks know that they are a quality presentation and the covers are retro cool with original graphics also displayed on the BR disc itself.

Republic Pictures presents "RED RIVER RANGE" (22 December 1938) (56 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald, which began with "Law of the .45's" in 1933 --The Three Mesquiteers is the umbrella title for a series of 51 western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne --The name was a play on The Three Musketeers, and each film featured a trio of stars --The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements, which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials --Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis --The Three Mesquiteers series was extremely popular at the time of its release --The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked in contemporary polls of the top western film stars --For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943, The Motion Picture Herald consistently ranked the series in its top ten, reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938, when a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne was the series lead

Under the production staff of:

George Sherman Director

Betty Burbridge Screenwriter

William Colt MacDonald Screenwriter

Stanley Roberts Screenwriter

Luci Ward Screenwriter

Jack A. Marta Cinematographer

John Marta Cinematographer

William Lava Composer (Music Score)

Tony Martinelli Editor

William A. Berke Associate Producer

Our story line and plot, Our heroes Stony Brooke (John Wayne), Tucson Smith (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and Lullaby Joslin (Max Terhune) members of the Three Mesquiteers which finds the boys working as government agents to stop some cattle rustling --the meatpacking industry has hired its own agent, Tex Reilly (Kirby Grant), to get a line on the rustling --That in itself was an interesting aspect of this oater, the inflation of meat prices as a result of cattle rustling --One never does think of the economic hurt, those rustlers cause --Kirby's cover is blown before he can infiltrate and folks in the Red River country already know the Mesquiteers are coming --So Wayne and Grant switch places and Wayne poses as an escaped killer --The focus of the investigation is a dude ranch where some mighty strange goings on are occurring --Can't reveal what the scheme is, but I assure viewers it's a lulu --Lorna Gray, aka Adrian Booth, is the heroine, while raucuous comedy relief is provided by old-timer Mrs Maxwell played by Polly Moran.

the cast includes:

John Wayne ... Stony Brooke

Ray Corrigan ... Tucson Smith

Max Terhune ... Lullaby Joslin

Polly Moran ... Mrs. Maxwell

Lorna Gray ... Jane Mason

Kirby Grant ... Tex Reilly

Sammy McKim ... Tommy Jones

William Royle ... Payne

Perry Ivins ... Hartley

Stanley Blystone ... Randall

Lenore Bushman ... Evelyn Maxwell

Burr Caruth ... Pop Mason

Roger Williams ... Sheriff Wood

Earl Askam ... Henchman Morton

Olin Francis ... Henchman Kenton

Ed Cassidy ... Marshal

Elmer ... Elmer, Lullaby's Dummy

Al Taylor ... Henchman Slick

Special footnote -The 32 year old John Wayne was fortunate enough to have talented writers around him to write novels that could be adapted into vehicles for his career, as well as short stories and screenplays that would immortalise him as the American hero --This film is one such example --When you watch this film you're not watching it for the story (like you would do in 'Rio Grande' or 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'), you're watching it to see John Wayne in action --He is the romantic embodiment of what it was like for the settling community to live in the post-civil war era --Despite the fact that most of these westerns distort history, what Wayne delivers gives you access to his humanity --That's what we like about him.

BIOS:

1. John Wayne (aka: Marion Robert Morrison)

Date of Birth: 26 May 1907 Winterset, Iowa

Date of Death: 11 June 1979 Los Angeles, California

2. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)

Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date of Death: 10 August 1976 Brookings Harbor, Oregon

3. Max Terhune

Date of Birth: 12 February 1891 Anderson, Indiana

Date of Death: 5 June 1973 Los Angeles, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment

THREE MESQUITEERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT

VOL 1 -GHOST TOWN GOLD & COME ON COWBOYS (VCI #7215)

VOL 2 -HIT THE SADDLE & HEART OF THE ROCKIES (VCI #7218)

VOL 3 -THE THREE MESQUITEERS & ROARIN' LEAD (VCI #7254)

VOL 4 -PURPLE VIGILANTES & PRAIRIE PIONEERS (VCI #7277)

VOL 5 -OUTLAWS OF SONORA & WEST OF CIMARRON (VCI #7290)

VOL.6 -CALL THE MESQUITEERS & RIDERS OF THE WHISTLING SKULL (VCI #7310)

VOL.7 -GANGS OF SONORA & PIONEERS OF THE WEST (VCI #7321)

VOL.8 -CODE OF THE OUTLAW & OKLAHOMA RENEGADES (VCI #7330)

VOL.9 -GAUCHOS OF EL DORADO & OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL (VCI #7332)

VOL.10 HEROES OF THE SADDLE & THE KANSAS TERRORS (VCI #7337)

VOL.11 RIDERS OF THE RIO GRANDE & SHADOWS ON THE SAGE (VCI #7339)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --please stand up and take a bow --all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 56 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (4/15/1997)

Buy Red River Range (1938) Now

I have acquired only one of these Wayne films from Olive, and found it to be a high quality, great looking, complete release. However, I question where they got their print from. It was VERY disappointing to see a superimposed "revival" on the title card for a few seconds. It seems that with the film quality looking so good, that the superimposed word could have been removed with today's tech or replaced the credits from another print. I will not purchase any others until I can confirm that the other features do not have this problem.

Read Best Reviews of Red River Range (1938) Here

THIS IS ANOTHER GRADE B WESTERN, BUT IT IS VERY WELL DONE. THESE 3 ACTORS HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY.,WORKING TOGETHER. THIS IS MY KIND OF MOVIE.

Want Red River Range (1938) Discount?

was deliveried on or about of the arrvial of the movie very good quality movie of the time it was made

very good service

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The Greatest (2009)

THE GREATEST is a small film, quietly made in 28 days by first-time writer/director Shana Feste. The story/script is so unusual and touching that she was able to gather a rather extraordinary cast to bring this delicate story to life. It remains amazing to many of us that while the audiences flock to the gigantic CGI big noisy flicks, little jewels such as this film go completely unnoticed. The only hope is that enough people see this film now on DVD that that both the message of the movie and the quality of the acting and production gain the attention THE GREATEST so justly deserves.

Without introductory remarks the film opens with a brief prelude of the love between two (just graduated from high school) youngsters who after their first encounter with love pause on the drive home to attempt to make their feelings into words and BAM a truck plunges into them and the boy Bennett (Aaron Johnson) is killed while the girl Rose (Carey Mulligan) is spared. The camera takes us rather abruptly to the graveside where the grieving parents Grace (Susan Sarandon) and Allen (Pierce Brosnan) and their young drug addicted son Ryan (Johnny Simmons) stare blankly into the hole that has been placed in the middle of their lives. None of the family copes with the death well: Grace can't stop talking and crying about Bennett and searches for a way to find out how Bennett spent the last 17 minutes of his life (that time between the accident and his death) to the point of attending to the truck driver (Michael Shannon) in coma at the local hospital, awaiting his recovery to learn about those 17 minutes; Allen is unable to sleep and tries to cope with the tragedy by not allowing mention of it in his home; Ryan, now on frequent tests to see if he is drug free, attempts to relate to a group therapy session of kids whose siblings have died.

Into this dysfunctional crumbling decimated family comes Rose, three months later, pregnant with Bennett's child, seeking refuge from a mother who is an addict. She is invited to move in, despite the fact that Grace loathes the idea and thinks Allen is merely trying to resolve the grief he has ever faced by attaching to Bennett's only girlfriend. The remainder of the story reveals how each of these injured four characters gradually interact and by bearing their personal grief with their own life problems manage to find a place where they can recover together.

The acting is superb as one would expect from such a talented cast: Carey Mulligan again shows us that she is an important emerging actress; Susan Sarandon allows us to see and understand the degrees of near insanity that grief for loss of a child can distort a life; and Pierce Brosnan proves he is a first-rate actor, managing a difficult role with great sensitivity. The rest of the cast is also excellent in very minor roles Jennifer Ehle as an ex-lover of Allen, Aaron Johnson and Johnny Simmons as the brothers, and Michael Shannon as the driver of the truck who gradually awakens form his come to make Grace face some truths. As for Shana Feste, she is a strong artist and we should be seeing more beautifully crafted stories from her. Grady Harp, June 10

"The Greatest" stars Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon as Allen and Grace Brewer, a grief-stricken couple whose family has been pushed to the breaking point by the accidental death of their eldest son, Bennett. When a young woman, Rose (Carey Mulligan, "An Education"), shows up a few months later announcing that she's pregnant with Bennett's child, the Brewers are forced to explore the depths of their empathy. Both Brosnan and Sarandon turn in believable performances. Brosnan in particular is really strong here. I've never seen him so open and so emotional before.

The problem is the portrayal of Bennett, whom we see only briefly before the accident that takes his life. More a metaphor for all that is good with untapped, unlimited potential, he never comes off as an actual flesh-and-blood individual. Since the accident is largely his responsibility, it's tough to get on board with his parents' grief. There are also some jarring moments when dialogue or actions seem really off and undermine the tone of the movie.

Movies about grieving are tough sells. On the surface, they are depressing and put off many people. It's the handling of the theme that determines whether audiences will embrace such a movie. Think "Ordinary People:" solid script, superb direction, first-rate performances. "The Greatest" falls far short of that high standard. Bonus extras include interviews with the director, Pierce Brosnan and Carey Mulligan, and deleted scenes.

Buy The Greatest (2009) Now

This movie exceeded my expectations as I had initially pegged it as a predictable tearjerker based on the plot. The leads in the form of Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, and the divine Carey Mulligan deliver credible and compelling performances that made this an engaging human drama. The prevalent theme in this movie is grief and coming to terms with loss Bennett Brewer (Aaron Johnson) is a popular student at his high school but deep down he is shy around girls and waits till the last day of school to ask Rose (Carey Mulligan) out. The two hit it off and fall head over heels in love. Bennett chooses an inopportune moment to declare his love to Rose, and tragedy strikes, killing Bennett.

Three months later, Rose arrives at Bennett's house and is greeted by his father, Allen (Pierce Brosnan). The Bennett's epitomize a family torn apart by grief mom Grace (Susan Sarandon) appears totally overwhelmed by grief to the point that she acts irrationally; Allen puts on a calm appearance although deep inside, he struggles to come to terms with his son's death and the strain it places on his marriage and his younger son; younger son Ryan (Johnny Simmons) is a druggie who attends support meetings but detached, feeling a sense of resentment towards his dead brother who was the favored child and who even in death seems to hog all the attention. Rose finds herself in a conundrum she is pregnant with Bennett's child and has nowhere to go. Allen warms to her immediately and takes her in, but Grace is mistrusting and unwilling to welcome the young woman.

The story flows well and the various characters credibly portray their grief and the process of healing, even though in the case of Grace it takes a long time for her to accept that her favorite son is dead. The sub-plots do not get any real development Jennifer Ehle plays Allen's colleague at school (he is a college instructor) who still harbors feelings for him (the pair were apparently involved in an intimate relationship some time ago), and Ryan falls for a girl in his support group.

Carey Mulligan of An Education delivers a finely nuanced performance as the young mother-to-be. This is a young actress who is showing the potential to be a great character actress and her role as Rose struck a chord in me. Pierce Brosnan is compelling in the role of the stressed out college instructor who can't seem to 'reach' his wife in her grief. Sarandon delivers a good performance as well though there are parts in the movie where her grief seems to be displayed with over-the-top histrionics without striking a note of credibility or emotionally connecting with this viewer.

On the whole, my husband and I both liked "The Greatest" thanks to the compelling acting by the leads, the movie rises above being a common tearjerker/ melodrama.

Read Best Reviews of The Greatest (2009) Here

This movie is intense, portraying a jagged, yet purifying emotional journey involving a sudden, brutal car accident, resulting in the death of favored son (Bennett), cameo role for Aaron Johnson. The shocking, unexplainable loss is complicated by the unexpected pregnancy of Bennett's true love, (Rose) with a stunning performance by Carey Mulligan. Rose and Bennnett's unspoken love is finally consumated, by these perfectly matched quiet, soulful characters...explosively mangled by devastation, jolting all the intimate characters into a dysfunctional, rag tag family. Rose has no where to go and ends up with Grace, Allen, and the younger, troubled brother (Ryan) Johnny Simmons. Everyone has their individual and collective demons, unhealthy diversions, and another unavoidable collision course with truth and acceptance.

The chemistry is exceptional, Pierce Brosnan (suppressed father Allen) is prodigious in his role of steadily degrading stoicism. Susan Sarandon (bereaved mother Grace) does insanity and loss with unrivaled panache. The two sons display perfection and realism, but the real star of this amazing drama is the newcomer, Carey Mulligan as "Rose." The viewer is captivated by her elfin beauty, desperate hopes, appealingly powerful, and delicate presence.

This family's drama echoes hauntingly dramatic, yet familiar tones. It is so well put together, that it just pierces you directly in the heart, like a syringe of adrenaline... where you find yourself gasping in the powerful breath of life emerging once again. Director Shana Feste is absolutely extraordinary, as I understand this movie was made in an unbelievably short window of time---signifying perfection in each scene and continual movement forward. A feat in itself, but even more satisfying is the story told and the potential awards it deserves.

It is NOT a blockbuster (in the sense of cost and marketing), but comes across as one, with exposed emotions, human frailty, vulnerabilities and the undeniable forces of love and spirit. All the characters find themselves in the same lifeboat of grief, paddling in different directions and eventually finding that its okay to just drift together and hold on...to each other...

A fantastic story and nobody could have done this better...Thumbs way up!

Want The Greatest (2009) Discount?

This is a melancholy love story of loss and love. It depicts some of what one may need to be overcome to deal with grief and loss of a loved one in their life. It shows three different perspectives, the father (acted billiantly by Pierce Brosnan), the mother (which is acted to perfection by Susan Sarandon) and the lover (acted exquistely by Carrie Mulligan). The emothions are flying hiigh in this bittersweetexpression of love and compassion.

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