Planet of the Apes (1968)

I recently watched this original version of "The Planet of the Apes" for the first time since seeing it at a drive-in theater back in 1968. First I was amazed at how much of the film I had forgotten. Actually, most of what I remembered was the (then) shocking ending. What I was impressed with this time around was what an intelligent and well-scripted film this was (and still is). Like any good science fiction, this film provides an interesting commentary on the human condition. One the one hand you have the Minister of Science and Defender of the Faith debunking and destroying an archeological dig, because it is contrary to the faith of the Apes, but on the other hand in his reading from the sacred scrolls you hear the accurate description of the destructive (dare I say "sinful?") nature of humans. I've been pondering this segment of the film quite a bit over the past few days. Like others, I think Charlton Heston is in fine form here. It's easy to picture him as president of the National Rifle Association after seeing this film. I still prefer Heston in "Ben Hur" and "the Ten Commandments," but that probably reflects my personal interest in the stories that are told there. As one Academy Award film-maker recently said upon receiving his lifetime achievement Oscar (I think it was Norman Jewison), "Find a story that needs to be told and tell it." This version of "The Planet of the Apes" certainly tells a good story, and tells it well.

20th Century Fox released the film previously on DVD by itself and in a box set with the rest of the Apes films plus a bonus DVD of extras. Now, for those who just want the first (and best) film of the series and all of the extras, Fox has released an excellent two-DVD special edition of Planet of the Apes to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

The DVD's extras get off to a shaky start with the two lackluster audio commentaries. The first is by legendary composer, Jerry Goldsmith, and the second by actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and make-up artist John Chambers. Both commentaries could benefit from some extensive editing. There is way too much dead air that one has to sit through to get to the few interesting tidbits of information. The DVD producers should have edited down these commentaries to only the scenes in the movie that are actually commented on, like with the audio tracks on the Glengarry Glen Ross and The Right Stuff DVDs.

The text commentary by Eric Greene, author of Planet of the Apes as American Myth, redeems things by cramming a ton of interesting factoids on the screen in the form of subtitles. It's scary when the text commentary is better than both audio commentaries combined.

The second DVD contains the bulk of the extra material. The first section, "Exploring the Apes," contains a comprehensive, two-hour documentary entitled, "Behind the Planet of the Apes." Hosted by Roddy McDowall, it takes a look at the entire Apes saga from the films to the cartoon and TV series with an emphasis on the first (and best) film. Fans of the Apes films will be delighted to see all the major players from the films back for new interviews done exclusively for this documentary.

Also included in this section is the make-up test reel with Edward G. Robinson that convinced the 20th Century Fox brass to pony up the money for the film. There is "Roddy McDowall Home Movies" taken while making the first Apes movie that shows the step-by-step application of his ape make-up. There are 19 minutes of dailies and outtakes from the film.

There are also two vintage featurettes from 1968 and 1972 respectively. They are nothing more than superficial promos but are now fascinating time capsules of their times. Finally, there are two brief featurettes that showcase footage of directors Don Taylor and J. Lee Thompson shooting a scene from the Apes films that they worked on. These last two extras feel like unnecessary padding.

The "Publicity" section contains theatrical trailers for all of the Apes films, two glowing reviews for The Planet of the Apes and a collection of movie posters from all around the world.

The "Galleries" section features sketches by costume designer Morton Haack and a small stills gallery.

Finally, the "Ape Phenomenon" offers a brief glimpse into the vast Apes merchandising empire with a gallery of action figures. Also included is a collection of costumes and make-up from the films.

This new two-DVD set does justice to this landmark science fiction film. The transfer is amazing clear and free of any artifacting. The movie also hasn't sounded better with a crystal clear 5.1 surround soundtrack. While the audio commentaries are a let down, the two-hour documentary more than makes up for it. This is well worth picking up if you are a fan of the first film and want all the supplemental materials included in the box set without having to pay the extra money for the inferior sequels.

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This is a review of the quality of the Planet of the Apes [Blu-ray. The video looks good for a film as aged as this, but is not even close to stunning. The high def transfer in some cases actually serves to accentuate problems you might not have noticed otherwise. I saw more than a few soft scenes where they looked unfocused. Grain was never too obtrusive, but the colors were uneven through a good portion of the film. Some scenes were rich and vivid, and others washed out. My biggest problem is the sound. They present the sound here as a DTS 5.1 mix, and a mono mix. I chose DTS and was sorely dissapointed. My subwoofer never kicked on. That means that there was never an instance when there was a frequency lower than about 85hz. This made for a very shallow sounding mix. Adding to that, the surround speakers never seemed to register anything, and you've got what sounded to me like a mono mix anyway. All of the sound seemed to come from my center channel. To me, digitally remastering a film soundtrack at this level means accentuating the lower registries by adding lower frequencies, and placing atmospheric and musical elements in the surround channels. If you don't plan on doing that, what's the use of calling it a DTS 5.1 mix? Anyway, this is by far the best transfer I've ever seen of the film, but don't be looking for anything more than a slightly better than average transfer, and a glorified mono track.

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There weren't many memorable science fiction films in the 1960s, but the few that met with success found it unusually enduring. "Planet of the Apes" didn't achieve the canonical status of "2001: A Space Odyssey", released the same year. But it spawned a 5-film franchise, inspired a reconceived version in 2001, and it still makes an impression. Rod Serling, of "Twilight Zone" fame, and Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay based on Pierre Boulle's 1963 French novel at producer Arthur P. Jacobs' behest. Beyond its surprise ending, cult appeal, and socio-political undertones, the film's makeup and score are notable. This was the second of seven films on which the late composer Jerry Goldsmith worked with director Franklin Schaffner. And John Chambers ground-breaking prosthetic makeup won an Honorary Oscar for Outstanding Makeup Achievement.

George Taylor (Charlton Heston) is the leader of a 6-month deep space mission that left Earth in 1972. The four-person crew expects to return to Earth some 700 years after they left, owing to the speed at which their craft was traveling. They place themselves into a state of stasis for the journey home not knowing what they will find when they awake. The ship unexpectedly lands in water. The crew has to bail out, and they find themselves in a landscape devoid of vegetation. The ship's clock said 3978, implying that 2000 years have passed, and they suspect they've missed Earth by 300,000 light years. But a primitive human-like species inhabits this planet, along with a society of ape-like creatures who possess something akin to 19th-century technology. But the Apes are not friendly towards humans, and Taylor is taken captive.

Viewed more than 40 years after it was made, "Planet of the Apes" didn't seem nearly as campy or dated as I expected. Even the ape makeup is not too bad. I wonder if Taylor's disposition might partly account for it. His misanthropy and arrogance age better than earnestness or patience would have. The film's stance against animal experimentation, its criticism of the assumption that a species is unintelligent and unworthy if it can't speak, its Darwinism, its ruminations on the human capacity for self-destruction, particularly through nuclear war, address hot-button issues of the 1960s. It's not subtle. More subtle, though, is the reflection on the role of religion and of community leaders in shaping our views of the past: History as a socio-political tool. The horrific consequences of lying with good intentions. It's a neglected and provocative topic, even now.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): There are two "audio commentaries" that seem to be interviews recorded at different times, pieced together, and played over the film. The first is a commentary by composer Jerry Goldsmith. The second is by actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter, and makeup artist John Chambers. These "commentaries" are sparse and would have been better simply as interviews or run over short excerpts of the film, so the viewer could locate them easily. There is also a "Text Commentary" by Eric Greene, author of "Planet of the Apes as American Myth". This runs in the lower frame, like subtitles. This also would have been better if we could just read the essay, instead of reading a few words at a time. Subtitles for the film are available in English SDH and Spanish. Dubbing available in Spanish and French.

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Oh, man...I love this movie. I can watch it over and over and over again and still find it absolutely fascinating. I love the Charleston Heston character; Taylor. He's so anti-human himself and then winds up on a planet where "the only good human is a dead human..." I am well aware of the fact this particular line is from the second movie, but even before that line was even uttered you got the feeling that this was the overall attitude of the inhabitants.

The part that still gets me is the ending. I remember watching it with my dad for the first time on network television; that scene played out and my dad let out an audible gasp. It was just totally ironic. Taylor has discovered the destiny of the human race. It still sends chills up my spine just thinking about it.

The Tim Burton remake was absolutely horrid. My friend and went to go see that piece of monkey **** only to drive home and rewatch the original. Maybe Tim Burton needs to enroll in some kind of class where they can teach him some of the basics on how to make movies.

Stick with the classic original. Even if you're not into science fiction you will find this movie to be absolutely incredible. Everything from the writing, to the shot locations, to the screenwriting is total and complete perfection.

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Rifftrax: LIVE! Reefer Madness

I saw this show in the theater last year and couldn't wait to get it on DVD. The shorts alone make it worth buying, but then the jokes during the movie were certainly worthwhile as well. The jokes are not simply a repeat of the studio version of Rifftrax Reefer Madness and while I enjoy that DVD quite a bit the live version is just as good or better with lots of new jokes added. As others have pointed out, there are a few flubbed lines, but they are few and far between and it is LIVE comedy, so that is to be expected. If anything, it adds to the humor. The energy of the live performance and connection with the theater audience more than makes up for a few verbal stumbles. I highly recommend this DVD, it is one of my favorites of the Rifftrax Live series so far.

Shorts include:

More Dangerous Than Dynamite: A 1930's short about the hazards of washing your laundry at home in gasoline. D'uh!

At Your Fingertips: Grasses: A bizarre arts and crafts short for children from the 1970's. You'll wonder what the makers of this one were thinking when they dreamed it up.

Frozen Frolics: An odd 1930 cartoon that is not so classic, but it is a bit bizarre. Let's just say it's no Steamboat Willy.

There's also a new introduction on the DVD featuring Mike, Kevin and Bill.

The shorts are so amusingly odd that they kind of make fun of themselves, but Rifftrax certainly does add jokes worth hearing. If you're a MSTie and or a Rifftrax fan you won't want to miss this one. Recommended.

As the post-MST3K world goes, Rifftrax has just been too hit-or-miss for me. I've picked up a few titles (Carnival of Souls is one of my favorite B movies so I HAD to have that one). But seeing they put their live shows out on Blu-ray perked my interest enough to order this. Good thing too, because this has ended up being my favorite of the Rifftrax outings. The best part of the show isn't the feature film...it's the short about grass (as in lawn), which is funny enough without the riffing.

I found the visual presentation to be a bit annoying. The image keeps alternating between the movie itself centered on the screen and the movie off to the left to fit images of the three riffers to the right in Brady windows. I found that to be distracting and unnecessary.

Still, the subject matter is ripe for riffing, and the laughs are frequent.

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A 1930s movie about (sic) the "Dangers Of Marijuana?" Be a little real, marijuana is about as "dangerous" as Shirley Temple or Tiny Tim. The ONLY "true" way to achieve any sort of "edification" ref "Reefer Madness" is to allow the Riff Trax guys, Mike, Kevin, and Bill, to explain the..."subtile nuances" of this FINE film to you. And the song they've composed which is available between the Riff Trax-enhanced version of (giggle) "Reefer Madness" and the original (yes, they both occupy the same DVD!) film is worth the price of admission, just by itself. MST3K may have gone to that great resting place in the sky where "Fridays," "Alf," "the Monkees," and "Car 54 Where Are You" now abide, but the Riff Trax guys do very well, keeping its spirit alive and quite well.

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Mystery Science Theater 3000 is something new to me. But it is fun. It is a movie, a bad one with a couple of guys riffing it. If you do not know what that is, well you know how when you watch a bad movie with your friends and you make fun of it through out the movie... well there you go. That is what a riff is. They say funny things about the mistakes in the movie, and bad acting and whatever else they find that is funny.

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I love the Rifftrax Live dvds because they have all of the extra shorts too! Reefer Madness is hilarious with the riffs.

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Superbad (Two-Disc Unrated Extended Edition) (2007)

Rising young stars Jonah Hill (Knocked Up) and Michael Cera (Arrested Development) have one last shot at popularity in the very funny coming-of-age comedy "Superbad". Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) are lifelong best friends who really want to lose their virginity before heading to college. When they are invited to the year's biggest party, the boys use their friend Fogell's (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) new fake I.D. to score some alcohol for the party but their plan soon turns to a madcap night of unpredictable and outrageous situations. "Superbad" is an uproariously funny teen comedy from the creators of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up". The raunchy teen comedy delivers a well paced storyline, some side-splitting moments and memorable comic performances. Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Bill Hader (SNL) are hilarious as two incompetent police officers. "Superbad" received overwhelming positive reviews from US critics and became one of the year's highest grossing comedies with over $130 million nationwide.

If you've enjoyed "Superbad" in theaters, then I strongly recommend checking out "Superbad" Unrated Edition. The raunchy teen comedy is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format with more unrated footage that wasn't included in its theatrical release. The picture quality is surprisingly good with no obvious flaws. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is clear and well balanced. Among supplemental material, the DVD includes 8 minutes of deleted scenes, trailers, a short gag reel, "Cop Car Confessions" and "The Making of Superbad" featurettes, an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming comedy "Pineapple Express" and an audio commentary with director Greg Mottola, production crew and cast members. Overall, "Superbad" Unrated Edition scores a "B+".

I thought I'd read the 1 star reviews before writing mine. I'm guessing there are a lot of people who would be offended by this movie: some who are offended by silly sophomoric humor, some who are prudish and others for whom it hits too close to home. The rest are looking for a cinematic masterpiece and are sorely disappointed.

This is a somewhat over-the-top portrayal of typical pubescent male behavior. This is the movie's genius, because you know that much of what happens in this movie has happened in some fashion somewhere in America. Male teen behavior is inherently funny (unless you're a parent of one) and this movie takes full advantage of that fact. Everyone who has ever been a teenager has known someone who could have been a character in this movie.

Suggestion: Watch this movie with an open mind and no preconceptions. It is not like most American comedies. Do not look for a point or moral to the story, just sit back, relax and have a giggle.

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Filmmakers Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg make lowbrow comedies for highbrow audiences. With films like "The 40-Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," and their current gem, "Superbad" (directed by Greg Mottola), they have begun, in their own quiet way, to re-write the rules of the modern sex comedy, making films that, despite their R-rated blueness, are just a tad more insightful, a little more nuanced, and a trifle more literate than most films in that genre.

The characters in their movies may seem at first blush to be mere photocopies of the nerds and losers familiar to us from all those post-"Animal House," pandering-to-youth comedy hits of the late 1970's and 1980's. Yet, there is something rather different about these individuals, a difference that it is not always all that easy to put one`s finger on. They seem somehow more reflective and self-aware than their earlier counterparts, more able to step out of their skins and see themselves for who and what they are. It's almost as if these characters have had the added advantage of seeing themselves reflected in all those earlier movies (one imagines they've spent a great deal of their childhood reveling in "Revenge of the Nerds") and of extracting important lessons from those films to help them chart their course through life.

The storyline, in and of itself, is hardly original. The screenplay by Rogen and Goldberg chronicles the misadventures of three teenage super geeks determined to go to any lengths or suffer any humiliation to be part of the "in" crowd at school. With only a few days left before graduation, Seth, Evan, and super-nerd Fogell an outcast even the outcasts can feel comfortable ostracizing decide that the time has come to take some drastic action if they hope to have any chance of losing their virginity before high school ends. Thus, Seth cooks up a scheme to smuggle booze into a graduation party being thrown by one of the hottest girls on campus. It is the expected setbacks they encounter as they go about the business of achieving "coolness" that provide the comic energy for the tale.

As they did in "Knocked Up," the writers capture the way people in the real world actually speak. The dialogue may be crude and vulgar, but it is also sharply observant and wickedly funny as the characters lament the unfairness of life and reveal deep-seated concerns and feelings about themselves and each other. What's nice is that the characters in this film not only sound like people we might encounter in everyday life but LOOK like them as well. Even the "beautiful" people in this film aren't drop-dead gorgeous, just believably well put-together and attractive.

Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are so authentic and convincing in the roles of Seth, Eric and Fogell, respectively, that they have us securely in their corner from the very first moment they appear on screen. Rogen and Bill Hader ("SNL") also have a good time playing goofy cops, although their characters aren't as finely drawn or interesting as the three main characters, and the scenes with them do tend to drag a bit.

It is crucial to point out that, amidst all the blush-inducing, foul-mouthed hilarity, there's an incredible underlying sweetness to "Superbad," particularly in the final two scenes of the movie.

Together, this team of talented filmmakers is making it fun to go to the movies again.

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Apatow's films are funny (see The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Rated Widescreen Edition) and Knocked Up (Widescreen Edition)) and this one is no different. It's directed by Greg Mottola who did The Daytrippers, another decent film. These movies take the standard sex comedy fare and add an ultimately conservative twist. For The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the movie says it's a good thing to wait until marriage to have sex. For Knocked Up, casual sex gets one into trouble and babies are better with two dependable parents. Superbad has another conservative message.

But don't go looking for a wholesome family affair, for this is not it. If I had to watch this movie with my parents, I fear that I would perhaps pass out. It's raunchy. Even though there may not be nudity per se, these guys talk like real guys, and they don't talk nicely about our, umm, private parts.

This movie is the story of Seth and Evan, based on the writers of the script, and one evening during their last weeks of high school before they split up to go to college. They have always been misfits, but finally, they may be able to become cool without changing. That's one of the good things. It isn't about these guys "fitting in" with the in-crowd. It's more about the in-crowd realizing that they're actually cool guys.

The movie is flawed, though. So much of the script is ad-libbed that some things don't make sense. Characters say things that contradict earlier ideas, and the editors just kept it becuase it happens to be funny. I guess I can forgive that.

The DVD has some hilarious extras, too, especially the one with Jonah Hill going through different versions of his lines. I don't know how they decided on only keeping one of them. I liked them all.

I have trouble recommending Superbad because of its raunchiness, but if you're okay with that kind of thing, enjoy and get something more than mere comedy out of what is ultimately a conservative, enjoyable film.

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This was a hilarious movie full of fun characters in the same vein as Fast Times at Ridgemont High or American Pie. The plot follows the lives of two high school seniors who are best friends as they attempt to get with some high school hotties before they take off to different colleges.

Some of the funniest scenes in this movie center around the antics of their friend Fogell (aka McLovin) and a pair of keystone cops. One of the cops is played by Seth Rogen who also co-wrote the screen play.

If you enjoy stupid humor about suburban kids then you will enjoy this coming of age comedy. If you yearn for something with more substance, then you might want to give it a pass. I for one enjoyed this movie enough to watch it three times, and laughed at every joke the third time through.

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The Brothers McMullen (Filmmaker Signature Series) (2012)

This is a pleasant film about problems concerning love. There are three brothers who run into difficulties that they have to solve. My favourite is the second oldest brother. Barry has seen how his mother had to struggle for years with a man that she did not love. After Barry's father is dead, Barry's mother is finally able to marry the man she has always loved.

Barry's reaction to his mother's fate and also to his own relationship with his father, makes Barry afraid to form a steady relationship with the woman of his dreams.

This film touches important issues like love, committment and religion. There were many funny scenes in this film too, so it was good to sit down and watch it.

The Brothers McMullen is supposed to be about what it's like having grown up Irish-Catholic in America, which, in the context of this movie, is supposed to be about being sexually repressed. It's an outstanding movie that everyone should see.

The movie is about the relationship of three brothers to the women in their lives and to each other. I must warn you, this is a serious romantic comedy-there's no severed limbs, exploding buildings, or sensational car wrecks. It's a quiet movie with no action. It's also a movie you can watch more than once and still be equally engrossed.

The oldest brother is a high school basketball coach, but, oddly, he's very non-jock like. He's somewhat sensitive and a little thoughtful for crying out loud! And he doesn't drink enough beer for a coach. He is friends with another woman who has the serious hots for him, but he keeps turning her down out of respect for his marriage.

Middle brother was engaged to a Jewish girl, but it broke up due to his own moral and emotional conflicts. Later on, he then picks up an old friendship with the Irish-American girl that grew up next door. She repairs cars in the backyard, drinks beer like the guys and has big hair to remind you she's a girl. I liked her better anyway.

The youngest brother is the most likable. He hasn't been a practicing Catholic since junior high; yet, he considers himself a believer. His charismatic crudeness and way of treating woman remind me of the characters Sean Penn plays, but this guy's got better personality and looks. Both older brothers tell him he drinks too much, but I'd say he drinks just the right amount for his age and station in life! He doesn't seem sexually repressed to me, but his slightly overplayed male bluster and beer drinking might suggest to a shrink that he's keeping his true feelings on ice.

At first glance I thought the McMullen family didn't typify mine--the brothers seem like libertines by comparison! But they call movies and plays drama because they're supposed to dramatize. I think the characters act out things that all of us have thought, felt, wished we'd done, experienced or observed, either consciously or unconsciously. The incongruity of values and lifestyle between the conventional straight-laced oldest brother and the carousing youngest brother was interesting. Unlike most men and unlike most Irish-Catholics, the brothers talk about all their conflicts with each other and their wives and girl friends (Otherwise, there wouldn't be a movie!).

There's some funny, typically Catholic hypocrisy. Middle brother is sleeping with his Jewish girlfriend. When they go looking for an apartment together, he decides they can't live together before marriage because he's Catholic. In another scene, they are in bed together having hank-panky and he tells her they shouldn't be using contraceptives because he's Catholic. Oops. I didn't use the word sex or intercourse. Does that make me sexually repressed?

Apparently, if a woman pursues a man and he's attracted to her, but he chooses to remain faithful to his wife, Hollywood considers that sexually repressed. And if a person is torn between what they've been taught is right and what their passions command, that is considered sexually repressed. I'd call it being a normal human being. I don't think the movie makers were trying to portray the youngest brother as liberated; rather, I think they were trying to portray him as another kind of emotional cripple, but I'm on shaky ground here.

I thought the brothers did O.K. in their relationships to others, but I was a little disappointed that none of the brothers lacked the intellectual depth and sophistication to sort out and resolve their inner conflicts. This is the real tragedy.

Unfortunately, the movie barely touches on the woman's point of view. It would make a great sequel.

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I love Ed Burns and I thought this film was good (I do like "She's the One" better) It's about 3 brothers, their lives and the reprocussions of growing up in a Catholic Irish American household in New York city.

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The people who criticise the film for not having a plot or storyline miss the point of this film. We watch the Brothers McMullen struggle with morality and love. It is nice to see a film that deals with love and sex on a deeper level than just love and sex. Edward Burns has a great ear for dialogue, keeping the dialogue real-sounding and never stilted. It's too bad that as a filmmaker, he has not reprised the artistic success he had with this film.

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Having worked in the entertainment industry for years I have found that the idea of "story" has become passe and "flash and glam" has replaced the craft of fine moviemaking. This film has resored my faith in the art. I would like to see what the result would be if we were to give the "great" film directors of the modern cinema a couple thousand bucks to shoot a film. Chances are they would fall far short of this first effort by a very talented writer/director/actor. Please sit down, enjoy, and laugh yourself to death.

If you're interested in the filming and scripting of this (and other) Ed Burns films... check out his book "Three Screenplays." It's well worth the read. Oh, and if there are any Irish-Americans out there looking for a film to relate to... this is the one!

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Shanghai Noon / Shanghai Knights (2-Movie Collection)

"Shanghai Noon" has long been one of my favorite American Jackie Chan films, featuring not only classic Chan combats but also a partnership with a non-Asian actor that is lively and enlightening instead of depressing and demeaning; it was directed by a JC fan who was invested in presenting the Hong Kong Jackie persona that the world loves in a more Hollywood format that American audiences were comfortable with, and Tom Dey absolutely got it right.

With a witty "fish out of water" story that pays homage to the great Westerns (from glossing "High Noon" to naming Chan a Chinese sound-alike for John Wayne) while playing havoc with the genre's conventions, and a great cast from both East and West (supporting standouts include HK martial arts actor Yu Rong-guan using an array of Chinese weaponry, American Roger Yuan playing an Imperial villain, and Xander Berkeley as an ethically challenged lawman), the film manages to be exciting, endearing, amusing, and really quite amazing.

"Shanghai Knights," while not as good a film, and with a lesser director, is still a worthy second outing. As with most sequels, there is a bit of reaching in order to unpin the happy ending of the first film and reunite the protagonists in a new adventure, but the lack of a more original and compelling script is made up for with some eye popping action (including two sequences that morph the classic bits of Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last" and Gene Kelly's "Singin' In The Rain" into brilliant Chan martial mayhem), and a battle with rival Hong Kong martial arts star Donnie Yen. Best of all, the odd couple chemistry of fast talking Owen Wilson and fast moving Jackie Chan remains a highlight. It'a a pity they didn't do more films together.

The combination of both films into a single Blu-ray Disc works fine, due to the increased ability to hold information, and all the special features of the individual DVDs are included as well. The upgrade in image is substantial, and the price is reasonable, so if you really like either or both of these films, the Blu-ray is worth getting.

these films are good owen wilson is funny jackie chan can kick ass lucy liu is cute the first one is better I love westerns

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Good standby movie when you can't find just the right thing to watch. Fun extras. Love the outtakes from each movie.

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Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan are a great team. Owen Wilson is great in any movie he is in. Jackie Chan is funny and does some great things with the rope and other fight spots. The shot with them in the tubs was great and very funny.

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If you enjoyed the theatrical films at the movies, you'll be pleased with the transfers. The movies are very enjoyable for the entire family.

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On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 (1956)

The Blu-Ray and DVD editions contain two feature films: ON THE BOWERY and GOOD TIMES, WONDERFUL TIMES as well as Rogosin's "lost" film, OUT.

For songwriter Woody Guthrie, his guitar was a machine that "kills fascists." For Lionel Rogosin, the weapon of choice was a movie camera, and his first battle was waged on the streets of New York City.

Exploring the underworld of the city's skid row, Rogosin developed his signature style. After months drinking with men he met on the Bowery, Rogosin worked with his buddies to write a screenplay that reflected their lives--and then cast them as themselves. This technique of making films "from the inside" allowed Rogosin to film ordinary people caught up in universal problems. His films explored alcoholism, homelessness, racial discrimination, war, labor conflict, and poverty with great compassion and honesty.

On the Bowery chronicles three days in the drinking life of Ray Salyer, a part-time railroad worker adrift on New York's skid row. When the film opened it 1956, it exploded on the screen, burning away years of Hollywood artifice, jump-starting the post-war American independent film movement and earning an Oscar nomination. Now gloriously restored by the Cineteca di Bologna, On the Bowery is both an incredible document of a bygone era and a vivid and devastating portrait of addiction that resonates today just as it did when it was made.

Good Times, Wonderful Times was Rogosin's powerful response to militarism and fascism. For two years, Rogosin traveled to twelve countries, amassing footage of war atrocities from national archives. He then interspersed these harrowing images with scenes of a London cocktail party's inane chatter. The juxtaposition satirizes the tragic irresponsibility of modern man. Good Times, Wonderful Times, released at the height of the Vietnam conflict, became one of the great antiwar films of the era.

Out, a documentary by Rogosin made for the United Nations, tells the plight of Hungarian refugees fleeing to Austria in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

The collection features:

1. On the Bowery. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. United States. 1956. Mono sound. Aspect ratio 4:3. Restoration by the Cineteca del Comune di Bologna. Mastered from the 2K restoration. (65.00)

2. Introduction by Martin Scorsese. Produced for Milestone's release.

3. The Perfect Team: The Making of "On the Bowery." Directed by Michael Rogosin. (46:30).

4. A Walk Through the Bowery. Directed by Michael Rogosin. (12:12).

5. Street of Forgotten Men. United States. 1933. Courtesy of Oddball Film + Video, San Francisco (2:12).

6. Bowery Men's Shelter. Directed by Rhody Streeter and Tony Ganz. United States. 1972. Courtesy of New York Public Library Film and Video Collection. Restored by Colorlab. (10:19).

7. On the Bowery. Theatrical Trailer (2:12).

8. Good Times, Wonderful Times. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. England/United States. 1964. Aspect ratio 4:3. Restoration by the Cineteca del Comune di Bologna. Mastered from the 2K restoration. (69.00)

9. Man's Peril: The Making of "Good Times, Wonderful Times." Directed by Michael Rogosin. (24:15)

10. Out. Directed by Lionel Rogosin. 1957. United States. Aspect Ratio 4:3. Courtesy of United Nations Multimedia Resources Unit. (25:33).

I am 63 years old, and the product of an alcoholic father. Though it skipped me in some ways--I am not addicted to the usual substances or behaviors--addiction has had a devastating effect on my life. My daughter was in the throes of drug and alcohol addiction for ten years, from age 13 until 23. This caused untold pain and misery in our family.

I am also a movie fanatic. I've seen literally thousands of movies. In particular I admire and deeply appreciate documentary films, because they show us reality, and, more than fiction films, they have the power to influence our thoughts and actions. They often shine a light into the dark corners of this world. This is such a film. I watched it last night on Turner Classics. I was astounded. I am embarrassed and reluctant to admit it, but prior to last night, I had never heard of Lionel Rogosin. Based upon this single film, I would rate him as one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time. This is a truly singular, extraordinary piece of work, simply amazing. It is tremendously sad and moving, frightening film, because while I watched it I could not help but think "there but for the grace of God."

There was a movie made years ago called The Exiles which came close to this. Then there is the monumental Eugene O'Neill play, The Iceman Cometh, which could have inspired, or was inspired by, this film.

Rogosin lived and drank with these alcoholic men of NYC's Bowery for many months, his aim being to befriend the men and to be accepted by them. I am sure he bought plenty of drinks in this time. None of these guys were actors; they were real people, real 'winos' and boozers who lived on those mean streets. They got so used to him that when he started filming them, they didn't bat an eye. No doubt he came up with a 'story', and discussed it with the three guys who are featured in the movie. Every cent that came into their hands ended up in the hands of the bartenders or cashiers who manned the dives and liquor stores in that seedy district. The main character, Ray Salyer, is a tall, lanky youngish fellow, a good-looking guy who had a kind of Gary Cooper/Henry Fonda quality to him. After the movie on TCM, host Robert Osborne said that this chap was actually offered a $40K acting gig by a studio, but he turned it down, saying that booze was the only thing he cared about. Ironically at the end of the film, his character actually turns down a drink, saying that he intends to get cleaned up and get a job. Gorman, the older white-haired man who swipes Ray's suitcase, died of cirrhosis before the film was even released.

The movie is full of fantastic scenes, but of course, absolutely none of them are what you would call uplifting. You sit there in open-mouthed amazement, in a way, like looking at a train wreck or a burning building. It has been beautifully restored and the glorious black and white images of old NYC are simply incredible. Nothing like this has ever been done. But the truly amazing images are those faces....craggy, wrinkled, battered, ravaged by alcohol and beatings, lack of food and care, from sleeping rough on cold concrete. These poor men are sons and husbands and fathers, many no doubt WWII vets, and they are on a slow path to death and destruction. For them, the numbness of that boozy high is the be-all and end-all. But the sad saga repeats itself day after day.

The movie takes place over three days, presumably in the summer, which makes you wonder how these poor fellows survived in the cold months. One incredible scene actually shows, in close-up detail, the legendary process of straining Sterno--canned heat--through an old sock, then drinking it. That could not have been good for your health. These guys were so alcohol addicted that they would have done liquid shoe polish, rubbing alcohol, radiator fluid, you name it. Like many homeless alcoholics, there is a preference but mostly a compulsion for the cheapest drunk possible, and so, cheap, fortified wines like Muscatel and White Port are a good route to getting 'comfortably numb'.

I've known men like this. Most of them are long dead. They 'chose' booze over family, job, home. This is a cautionary tale. I have always been very careful about drinking, because of what it did to my father, who died of cirrhosis, as did his sister. My paternal grandparents, my daughter, my sister and brother and several nephews have all been hit by "The Curse". I never drink alone, and when I drink, I have one or two beers. That's it. I go to a church which is full of alcoholics and addicts. I am going to recommend that we show this film. It is that powerful.

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"On the Bowery" is one of those movies that will not ring a bell for most audiences, but may be recognized by true film connoisseurs. I certainly didn't know about it, and I have to thank the hard-working folks at Milestone, folks that truly love films and try to preserve some of the best ones before there are sent to oblivion. Thanks to them, we got to see restored versions of such classics as "I am Cuba," "Killer of Sheep," "Araya," and many others. Now we have the historically important and remarkable "On the Bowery," helmed by Lionel Rogosin, who was described by John Cassavettes as "probably the greatest documentary filmmaker of all time."

"On the Bowery" is one special film, in which it is a documentary, with a scripted and improvised story, and with some willingly and unwillingly unprofessional actors. Makes sense? It shouldn't, but it does. Director Rogosin tried to show to the world life at New York's Bowery area, kind of what we today refer to as skid row, an area inhibited by what appears to be unemployed men and women mostly men --, who are either waking up each day on its street or having "breakfast" at a bar. Sadly, alcohol is the common factor. For this noble purpose, Rogolin enlisted some of the men that actually frequented the bowery. The main one, Ray Salyer, plays himself, and we see him arriving to the bowery with just a suitcase and some money; he claims to be a railroad worker. He looks fine and well-kept, and, for some reason chooses to go to a bar as his first stop. Even though he has seen and felt the evil of booze, he is weak and agrees to have a drink with some fellows that he meets in the bar. He befriends two of them, who happen to be older: Gorman Hendricks and Frank Matthews, who, like him, live day by day looking for one-day jobs and some quick money, which, sadly, will end up in the bar's cash register. The movie consists mostly on the daily activities of Ray, from the moment that he wakes up from sleeping on the street, to how he is able to get a job for a day, and getting back to the bar at the end of the day quite a repetitive and destructive cycle. We only see Frank for about half of the film, as he mysteriously disappears. Gorman, on the other hand, is quite a character; he is dishonest, but can also have a good heart. We follow their daily struggles until the very end... almost. With good reason a pastor at a local church, which is the gate to get food and shelter for some nights, said that the Bowery was "the saddest and maddest street in the world."

"On the Bowery" is slow but it surely penetrates your soul, and, in the end, you will conclude that it is quite a powerful film. For good reason it earned an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary in 1958, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary in 1957, as well as was included in the National Film Registry by the National Film Preservation Board USA in 2008. Personally, what I will mostly remember about this film is the faces and the eyes. They spoke a world about the lives at this side of the United States. I shall also mention that all three main characters had great faces for film. Salyer reminded me of a mixture of Mike Wallace with John Cassavettes, while Gorman reminded me of Keenan Wynn. It is said that Salyer was offered roles in Hollywood, but he chose to keep drinking. Gorman, on the other hand, lived enough to the end of production of the film, and Frank died somewhere in-between. Needless to say, this is one of the best movies about alcoholism that you will ever see. It will stay with you for quite some time. The wonderful two-disc Blu-ray edition includes a Martin Scorsese introduction to the film, a making-of documentary, as well a the documentaries "A Walk Through the Bowery" and "Bowery Men Shelter." It also includes "Good Times, Wonderful Times," a 1964 film by Rogosin, a making-of documentary of the movie, and much, much, more. (One the Bowery: USA, 1956, B&W, 65 min plus additional material; Good Times, Wonderful Times: USA, 1964, 69 min plus additional materials)

Reviewed on March 13, 2012 by Eric Gonzalez for Milestone Film and Video Blu-ray

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These are 2 amazing films/documentaries. Especially On The Bowery.

I remember those days as a young kid. Brought back memories of a very sad time and place.

Well done, a must see for those he like reality.

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Distinctly authentic, unrehearsed, true-to-life documentary where the participants seem totally unaware of the camera.The second DVD,of insipid behavior at a London cocktail party in stark contrast with atrocity of war crimes, is stirring in it's own right.

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The Birds (1963)

Hitchcock's macabre classic finally gets its due on this DVD Collector's Edition. The film, which by turns thrills (the various bird attacks) and amuses (the frequently bantering dialogue), is presented in all its widescreen glory -an important consideration for Hitchcock enthusiasts, given the director's meticulous planning of his films' visual compositions. "The Birds" features some great cinematography, a nerve-wracking soundtrack, and some finely wrought performances (particularly those of Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Ethel Griffies); all are well-served by the film-to-DVD transfer. There are a wealth of bonus features, including newsreel footage of Hitchcock and Hedren publicizing the film, an extensive stills gallery, and a fascinating behind the scenes production documentary. Especially intriguing are the ad-libbed screen test clips pairing Hedren with "Psycho" player Martin Balsam while Hitchcock provides verbal instructions off-camera! All in all, a most welcome addition to my DVD collection, and one I'm pleased to recommend for yours.

The Birds is Hitchcock's masterpiece. It is my official selection for the best Hitchcock movie EVER...It is so much more than just a horror movie especillay when you start asking yourself why the birds attack. Could the bird attacks be fueled by female sexual hysteria and competition for the only virile male (Rod Taylor) in the film? Or could it be just mankind's payback for abusing the fowl of the animal kingdom? This film is loaded with haunting images and symbolism which deserves multiple viewings and discussion among serious film buffs. Not only is the film worth 5 stars but there is an impressive flock of DVD extras. The film itself is a beautiful widescreen presentation with very nice sound; the extras should thrill Hitchophiles with a "making of documentary", vintage newsreels of the film's theatrical release, a very witty original trailer, deleted scenes, and Tippi Hedren's original screen test. YES!

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Although I don't think that The Birds is Alfred Hitchcock's greatest film, it is probably my favourite of his movies. I've seen the trailer for the film, and it's very humourous, and obviously Hitchcock wanted to have a lot of fun with his audience. The trailer suggests that the birds attack as a response to all that man has done to them over the years. It's an interesting idea, especially since the reason for the attacks is omitted in the film, which is one of the things that I like about it. I like the way the film looks at the reaction of people to bizarre events, especially as some of the townspeople connect the arrival of the birds with the arrival of Tippi Hedren as though she somehow brought this on them. I didn't even notice that there wasn't a musical soundtrack the first time I saw the film, because the sounds of the birds attacking amidst the silence is really effective. The performers are good, especially Suzanne Pleshette, and although I don't think Tippi Hedren was the greatest actress to appear before a camera, I think she's better than most people give her credit for, especially considering that the actors are secondary to all that is happening in the film. She looks great, and projects a certain detached coolness, which is appropriate for the character. The special effects are good (condsidering the time), and the tension slowly builds with each attack. I particularly like the scene where Tippi Hedren waits outside the schoolhouse, and the birds slowly gather behind her without her knowledge. For me, this is a fun movie to watch, well made and very effective for its purpose. I've seen a lot of other suspense and horror films and they generally don't stay with me. But I have to admit that there have been a few times when I have gone by a large group of birds perched somewhere, and I've flashbacked to this movie and walked a little faster!

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If you remember seeing this movie at your theatre or on television a long time ago then you should have this DVD in your collection! It is still one of Hitchcock's masterpieces after 42 years. It has a quiet beginning but picks up the pace later on. Good entertainment!!

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THE BIRDS has always been my favorite Hitch film. All the wonderful traits we've come to love and expect in a Hitchcock film are here: suspense, moments of terror, and counter-balancing those, needed moments of humor. The plot has been outlined many times already in other reviews, so I'll skip that. What I do need to point out concerning this Collector's Edition DVD version is the outstanding "extras" that come with. Included is the telling of Hitchcock's original ending, an example of Hitch's story-boarding a scene, Tippi Hedren's screen test, and the inclusion (via photos and commentary) of a deleted scene.

The highlight of the entire DVD however, is the most superb "Behind the Scenes" documentary of the making of this film that I've yet seen on a DVD release. Almost everything you want to know about the making of this film, including how all the bird attacks/tricks were done, comes from interviews with Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Veronica Cartright, Patricia Hitchcock (Hitch's daughter) and many others. Simply a fantastic documentary. Even if you might not consider purchasing the DVD because you don't really care for the movie, the documentary alone makes it worth the price. Never before have I learned so much about the making of a movie, and in particular, one of Hitchcock's. Not to be missed.

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Deep End

-> BLU RAY

Excellent picture quality! Image cropped.

Highly recommended!

Music by Cat Stevens and THE CAN Soundtracks

Film: 8.5/10

Picture quality: 10/10

Aspect ratio: 16x9 = 1.78:1 (1.85:1 orig.)

Run time 24fps: 1 31'41"

Number of discs: 2 (BD + DVD)

Audio: GB

ST: GB o/-

Chpt.: 12

Region free!

Bonus:

"Starting Out" 78' (HD); Making Of

"Deep End: The deleted scenes" 13' (featurette on 4 deleted scenes not incl., seem to be lost for good)

Short: "Careless Love" (1976) 10' feat. Jane Asher

Trailer (HD)

28 pg color booklet

extra DVD with main feature + bonus

Studio: bfi

Jerzy Skolimowski, friend of Roman Polanski, for whom he worked on Polanski's first feature film, "Knife in the Water" and he himself had made great strides as a director previously making the film "Adventures of Gerard" which he seems to disregard its merits. But his next picture 1970's "Deep End" definitely placed him in high regard as a an auteur himself. Unfortunately "Deep End" with its disturbing final minutes, the reason Skolimowski was drawn to help write (along with Jerzy Gruza and Boleslaw Sulik) and direct the picture in the first place, an otherwise engaging coming-of-age story/comedy about obsessive love starring Jane Asher and John Moulder-Brown. Diana Dors has a brief role that is a bit over-lauded, but Moulder-Brown (who appeared in "Vampire Circus") and especially Jane Asher should receive extraordinary high marks. The film is especially well-photographed and edited with Cat Stevens and the Can providing much of the score. The sad thing here, is that you might be more familiar with the tune by Cat Stevens (as it appears on his "Tea for the Tillerman" album) than you would the film which is finally presented here in a stunning Blu-ray with a Reg. 2 PAL DVD from the BFI with loads of extras that the film truly deserves to have created about it. Also included is a trailer and a very lovely short film starring Jane Asher called "Careless Love" from 1976 by Francine Winham. "Deep End" really shows that Asher was quite an amazing actress giving a BAFTA nominated performance. See it now for an amazing cinematic experience. And remember, this is how truly valuable is what we leave behind.

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City of God

Exploding on the screen with color, violence and a great story, this Brazilian film captures the essence of life in the City of God, a slum of Rio de Janeiro. Based on a true story of a young man who somehow escaped the preordained fate of his companions by becoming a photographer, the director, Fernando Meirelles, uses every modern technique to achieve his razor-sharp scenes of drugs, murders and non-stop violence that spins out of control and just keeps going.

The frantic energy of the film and fascinating story kept me at the edge of my seat, as a voice-over narration that moved backwards and forward in time, held the story together. All of a sudden, a detail would be revealed that explained something that happened in the past, and, like an electric shock, my grasp of the story would move to even deeper levels. There was little time to ponder it all though, because I was so caught up in what was happening on the screen that it was only later that I could appreciate the brilliance.

We watch several young boys grow into teenagers, tentatively experiencing the world of girls and drugs and guns and murders and crime. There's upbeat samba music throughout, and brilliant colors and blood. There's horrific violence, and also fine moments of humor and humanity. All together it just picked me up and plunked me down right into the middle of this world which made me hold my breath and live on the edge with the more than 200 non-professional actors who were recruited for this film. The sense of place is amazing. And the acting was more than just acting. It was real. And it was also one of the most creative films I've ever seen. Bravo to the filmmakers! I give "City of God" my highest recommendation.

"City of God" ("Cidade de Deus") is the story of a boy, but also the story of a "favela" (Portuguese word with similar meaning to slum or shantytown) on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. That shantytown is called "Cidade de Deus". Throughout this extraordinary movie both the boy and the favela grow, albeit obviously in very different ways :)

The boy is Rocket (Buscapé in Portuguese, played by Alexandre Rodrigues), who is born in Cidade de Deus and grows up before our eyes living in it. He is quiet and easygoing, just a non-violent person seeking a way to survive in a brutal environment. Rocket ends up doing exactly that through his passion, photography, that ends up making him an intermediary between the local gangs and the press. He is also the narrator of this movie, the voice that accompanies us throughout many of the stories that "City of God" has to offer...

The other main character of "City of God" is the "city" itself, that starts merely as a couple of houses, but that grows immensely as years go by. The activities in which its inhabitants are involved also change, from petty robbery to organized crime that involves drug dealing and arms trafficking. We see Li'l Zé (Zé Pequeno in Portuguese, played by Leandro Frimino), one of the boys that used to play soccer with Rocket, grow up to become a murderer and a drug lord, someone that makes his own laws. The same happened with others, but Li'l Zé probably represents to most dangerous kind of sociopath that the favela can produce. Rocket and Li'l Zé, same circumstances, different persons, different choices. Who says that where you lives determinates how you are and what you do?. This is an excellent example that that is not always the case...

Directors Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund somehow managed to convey in their movie the full strenght of the novel (written by Paulo Lins) on which "City of God" is based. This film is full of colour and energy, carrying the spectator at a dizzying pace through the twenty years it covers, never giving him time to get bored. It is wortwhile to point out that most of the "actors" didn't have any real experience as such, they just happened to live in different slums of Rio de Janeiro (including Cidade de Deus) at the time when the film was being made. I think that is something that shows in the realism of the results...

On the whole, I can say that I loved "City of God", notwithstanding the fact that it is undeniably bloody and has some very violent scenes. In my opinion, they are not gratuitous, because they help the directors to capture what may really happen in a Brazilian shantytown, and show it to us. All in all, this movie is nothing short of an experience worth having and sharing. If you watch "City of God" and love it as much as I do, do your part and recommend it to others :)

Belen Alcat

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So this is what Brazilian ghettos look like. Stylistically a little like "Traffic" (liberal reliance on sepia tones or drugs) or "Salaam Bombay" (similar theme couched in the streets of Bombay), this movie is a bloody but captivating look at real life in modern day Rio.

Gangsterism is no more a fringe career option amidst the socio-economic strife of the city, but a prime-time industry that takes guts and guile to keep away from. Character after character in the movie fall a prey to this vicious panoply of drugs, poverty and gore. An underlying personal thread is the story of how our protagonist, Rocket, becomes a news photographer and escapes from the slum. Plus, a minor subplot about how he loses his virginity.

Technically, the movie is nothing short of stunning. Several virtuoso scenes are strewn together with clever direction in which the dizzying pace and the sheer number of characters don't detract from a coherent, well told story. We are led in and around scenes, and frequently led back to explain why what occured occured. Wannabe-editors will marvel at how cunningly this effect is achieved. The cinematography, needless to mention, is geewhiz, the screen literally pops with color.

I could wax eloquent about more reasons but the proof is in the pudding. City of God bursts at the seams with energy, vivid color and a poignant story of a man's escape from the social drivel he is born into. If you can get your hands on this movie, do so pronto, you won't regret it.

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More than a regular movie, "Cidade de Deus" is an experiment in filmmaking. With only one or two exceptions, all the actors were residents of the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of the same name of the movie. They were all exhaustingly auditioned and trained to participate on the movie with the best and greatest authenticity they could manage. That's what make "Cidade de Deus" so unique. It's an authentic movie, with an authentic story and authentic characters.

The story is about the people of "Cidade de Deus", a poor neighborhood built far from the ellegant and glamourous center of Rio de Janeiro of the sixties, built for and by poor families who were later to live there. Of course, during the next decades, The city of Rio de Janeiro englobed Cidade de Deus, and suddenly the poor families were not so far away from the rich zones of the town. Through the years, we follow the life story of some local kids, from utter poverty to immense richness from the traffic of narcotics. We also follow their own destruction in the form of war between rival traffic gangs.

Fernando Meirelles was able to transmit, in fast paced rhythms and camera movements, the struggle for power and freedom in the poor suburb. He was also able to mantain the local people-turned-actors authenticity and liberty of acting. There are some strong scenes that leave the spectator mesmerized by their violence and reality.

I just hope that the guy/team responsible for the subtitles in english, or in any other language, was someone with an enormous knowledge of portuguese, because the dialogue and constant use of slang (yours truly, a native brazilian, had some hard time in understanding the meaning of some words used in the dialogues) are, alone, amazing aspects of the movie.

One of the best enterteinment I ever had.

Grade 9.6/10

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This film is another proof that confirms my view that some of the most vital films are made in South America right now. While American cinema caters to mindless escapism and self-help drama, films like "Y Tu Mama Tambien", "Amores Perros", and this magnificent film portray what's important and consequential about life.

"City of God" tracks the lives of hoodlums in the ghettos near Rio de Janeiro for three decades. Rocket is the main narrator, a boy who tries to overcome his circumstances to become a photographer. The character work is excellent, and gangsters like Li'l Ze, Knockout Ned, and others come to vivid life. The world depicted in this film is a bleak one, and although violent, much of the violence seems a necessary commentary on what makes the people living in it act in such a way.

The camera work, and the narrative technique, one that loops backward and forward, is dazzling. This is surely one of the most aesthetically and visually strident films in recent years.

All in all, "City of God" deserves to win the Best Foreign Film Oscar this year. It's nothing short of brilliant.

Hooligans

Very happy to be able to watch Green Street Hooligans on BluRay. Why they never released a US BluRay is a question well worth pondering. While Hooligans does have some fantastically shot and choreographed fight scenes the movie is more than a bunch of guys beating the crap out of each other. It's the story of how a man can learn to believe in both himself and something larger (brotherhood). I highly recommend it.

Technically the bluray opening previews were sound only, no video, I was able to 'chapter skip' ahead and get to the movie menu which shows up fine and the actual movie itself plays wonderfully for the US bluray region.

I'm forever blowing bubbles.

My son, an avid soccer fan, really enjoyed this film. We were concerned when we saw that the box was in the Dutch language but the film was in English.

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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Someone already made the point that Amazon's official reviewers often seem entirely out of step with their hordes of unofficial ones. This movie is a great example. It deftly avoids pitfalls that sink other films and does so seemingly effortlessly. It gains so much in sublety that it falls beneath the Hollywood radar of critical acclaim.

First, here's a film that delves into the real entanglements of time travel, but unlike Back to the Future, keeps it light. George Carlin plays himself, a burnt out hippie in the role of enlightened visitor from the future. Like Jeff Goldblum, he always plays himself, only the scenery changes-check him out as the priest in Dogma (which is not at all a family film). Keanu Reeves does a great job in this film which, if it falls in the Doofus Duo genre, is at least as good as the Wayne's World and Dumb and Dumber films.

It's also cleaner. Anyone can write a dirty joke; try writing a clean one. This movie is full of them. Chesterton said it's harder to write a joke than a sermon. Obviously that's why there are so many (bad) sermons. This film succeeds with both good-natured humor and the light-hearted message of "Be excellent to each other." Has the Golden Rule ever been put better?

Why is this film so much better than its sequel, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, which has an excellent if unrealized story line? Because all the special FX budget was spent on the "hell" sequence in that film, which bogs down the rest of the picture. There's a most excellent line of comic books that accompany the Bill and Ted saga, by the same artist who did Milk and Cheese. The story arc is both humorous and gripping. This is one of the few properties that really could deliver a few sequels and works well as an animated series. I join hundreds of reviewers who love this film in recommending this most excellent DVD.

This is brilliant, and has inspired many imitations, but none come close to this unique, goofy comedy that reminds me more of the silent screen gems than of what has passed for funny in recent years.

The pairing of Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves was a stroke of genius...they work so well together, and are so convincing as naive airheads that some people, DUH ! actually believe this is what these marvelous actors are like in real life..NOT ! This is great acting, folks. Wonderfully written, the premise is hilarious and all the characters so perfectly cast. I love Al Leong as Genghis Khan. His antics in the mall never fail to make me roar with laughter..."we've got a live one !".

With every viewing, I see more details to amuse me...and it has an endearing, sweet spirit that warms my heart...and always remember: "Be excellent to each other !".

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Here's a whoppin' good adventure comedy that succeeds bedause it so unabashedly pushes the limits and risks absurdity. A couple of high school students are so clueless that when asked who Joan of Arc was, one replies "Noah's wife?". But this title pair are about to embark on a life-changing adventure! Suddenly they meet a strange dude with a telephone booth altered into a time-machine! What a concept of how to build a time-machine! I wondered if they thought about how we're living in a time when phone booths have become a rarity? How it won't be long, if things continue on their present course, until you couldn't make a time-machine out of a phone booth until you first used another time-machine to go back in time and get a phone booth? Well it's an interesting twist, whether intentional or not! Once back in time, the title characters transport several historical figures to the present, and thereby change their world. One of those figures is the very Joan of Arc they shortly before didn't know from Noah's wife! I found it most uncanny what historical figures they were able to bring back to the present, including no less that three that were me in former lives! They got it pretty right about Genghis Khan! I'm sure I would really really have liked twinkies when I was he! The part about Billy-the-kid they stretch a bit, even addressing him as "Mr. the Kid". Now no one really ever addressed me that way in my former life as Billy-the-Kid, but what a neat concept! Now some things of the present get streched just a bit too. For example, Bill and Ted get themselves out of one bind by use of a programmable audio tape player, programming it to play a certain message on the following afternoon. Now who's ever heard of that? Time-machines have become a familiar thing, at least in movies. But programmable audio tape players? Not even any video recorder that I know of can be programmed to play at a certain time; programming applies only to recording. Much less have I even imagined an audio tape machine programmable as to either recording or playing. So the movie does employ a few unrealistic devices. But it employs them most cleverly and hilariously!

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As a graduate student in history and a onetime Californian, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is my favorite guilty pleasure. I adore this movie.

Honestly, what's not to love? Two clueless but loveable high school guys from 1988 use a telephone booth that travels through time to collect historical figures for their history report. This goofy-sounding plot is pulled off so astonishingly well that you never stop laughing.

So, what about historical accuracy? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that as far as comedies parodying history go, this one stays remarkably true to the characters of the historical figures. While they don't get enough on-screen time -their interactions with modern-day San Dimas and with each other are for me the best parts of the movie -you still get to see occasional small flashes of what makes them tick. Freud is intellectually curious, Napoleon is megalomaniacal, Joan of Arc thinks Ted must be a part of God's plan, and Billy the Kid tries to fit in with Bill and Ted while subtly attempting to flirt with Joan. (If you don't believe me on that last bit, watch the scene where they're washing dishes together.) Of course, some lines are played purely for laughs, like Socrates's profound revelation, "Like the sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." But those lines are rarely done at the expense of a character's integrity. And before you come down too hard on Lincoln ending his speech at the history report with "Party on, dude," remember that in real life, Lincoln was our wittiest president, a man who contemporaries say could never pass up a joke.

So for those of you who don't mind your history tinged with a bit of irreverence, watch, relax, and enjoy, because somehow this movie just comes together. With its fast pace and cheerful sense of fun, it's one of the best comedies there is.

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This movie is fun for kids and adults alike, and to learn historical figures on the way. The idea of two rocker dudes going back in time in a phonebooth to kidnap historical figures for a high school history report is hilarious. Billy the Kid, Ghengis Khan, and Socrates are really funny, and especially Napoloeon. They also capture Joan of Arc, Sigmund Freud and Abe Lincoln. Watch for Rufus played by George Carlin. Man, when I was young, my best friend and I went to the movies 5 times to see this movie. It became a great movie that me and my dad mutually loved and watched over and over...if i was feeling bad or my dad came in the door, he would open his arms and smile, saying "party on, dudes!!!!"

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