Bruce Almighty (2003)

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in some time. Bruce Almighty starts Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, and Morgan Freeman. The basic premise is this is a comedy about one man who is given the powers (and responsibilities) of God and we get to see what he does with this power. Knowing that the movie stars Jim Carrey we expect quite a bit of over the top humor. While we do have a fair amount of the typical Carrey humor, Bruce Almighty is a lot more than that.

Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a reporter for a local television station. He gets the assignments that show off his warm and humorous side. But Bruce wants the anchor position that will be opening up when the current male anchor retires. Bruce does not feel that he is getting the respect or the opportunities necessary for him to be able to get the job he has always wanted.

Bruce is living with his girlfriend Grace Connelly (Jennifer Aniston), an elementary school teacher. When Bruce loses his job (have a nice Jim Carrey fit) he blames everyone and everything including God for his mediocre life. Grace sees that Bruce is also calling their relationship mediocre and is now upset with Bruce. Bruce blames God some more, asks for a sign (he gets several, which he promptly ignores) until finally he realizes that there is something going on and actually meets God (Morgan Freeman). God is tired of listening to Bruce whine so much so he tells Bruce that if he thinks he can do a better job at running the world, then perhaps Bruce should try. God endows Bruce with the divine power and lets Bruce have a go at it.

Bruce does what most of us would do with the power of God. He plays around with it for his own convenience, messes with the people who he doesn't like and uses it to help out his sex life with his girlfriend. His use of power is very funny, but it appears that he is not happy with life. Finally, Grace leaves him because even though Bruce is improving his life he has not changed who he is or how he acts to other people.

The movie changes gears and turns into a film about Bruce's redemption with God and with Grace. The film presents a positive message about God and faith that does not feel heavy handed at all (the director happens to be Christian). I thought this was a fairly well thought out and incredibly funny movie. It is the funniest movie thus far this year and I would definitely recommend it.

"Bruce Almighty" is another fine effort by Jim Carrey. Anyone who enjoys his work will enjoy this movie. Unfortunately, the DVD edition starts with four minutes of movie trailers. Unlike other DVD's, this one locks out the controls on your player so that you HAVE to watch the trailers before accessing anything else on the disc. You cannot even stop the disc from playing once the trailers start, except by ejecting it. AND, this happens every time you load the disc.

This is unacceptable, especially in a medium that normally allows the viewer such varied control over how a movie is presented on their screen. Because of this bone-headed decision by the DVD makers, I cannot recommend you purchase this disk. Indeed, I would encourage anyone else who has purchased this DVD to protest to Universal about this forced advertising. Anyone who pays full price for a new DVD should not have to sit through unwanted advertising to view their purchase.

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Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a local TV news reporter in Brooklyn, NY who is constantly sent out on the least desirable assignments and made into the "funny" guy instead of the serious person he wants to be perceived as.

His goal is finally sit in the anchor's chair and be taken seriously as a news personality. He is so goal oriented, it causes strife with his girlfriend Grace (played wonderfully by Jennifer Aniston). Nothing seems to go right for him. His dog eliminates in the house, his car gets demolished, he gets embarrased on TV and continues to butt his head against the wall.

Grace is a school teacher that has a special bond with her students. She is spiritual and loving, and cares deeply for Bruce, warts and all. Bruce only sees his goal and as the world crashes around him, he blames God for his troubles.

In a scene reminiscent of "Oh, God!" (starring George Burns and John Denver), Bruce goes to an unusal, nondescript building to talk about a job offer. Little does he know that it's God (Morgan Freeman) who has contacted him and who offers Bruce the opportunity to have God's power so he can try to prove he can do a better job than God.

Needless to say, giving Jim Carrey omnipotent powers is a recipe for non-stop laughter. A number of the funny scenes have already been shown in the trailers, but there are many more. Beyond the humor, however, there is a much more powerful story going on in Bruce's heart.

While he has the power of God, he doesn't have the knowledge or wisdom of the Almighty. He finds himself deluged with prayers still overwhelmed with pressures of the world. He uses his new powers for selfish things, and when he finally is moved to do something for others, he does a half-hearted job at it.

Despite his powers, he still finds himself going nowhere nothing works out the way it should. He can manipulate people and things, but he does not have the power to interfere with a person's free will. Free will is the only thing we have when we're born and the only thing we take with us when we leave but despite being told not to interfere in free will, Bruce tries at it anyway.

After nearly 2 weeks with omnipotent powers, God confronts Bruce asking what good things he has done for other people, or what things has he done at all that were good. As his life continues to unravel, Bruce realizes what God was trying to tell him subtly all along.

This is not just a film about the funny situations one can get into with almighty powers the story is more about the individual relationship each person chooses to have with God... and how to look at yourself before pointing out the problems in others.

There is some foul language in the film, but it is minimal and not anything beyond what is seen on prime-time TV these days. The film is very entertaining, but also very deep. It's hard to watch this film and not have at least a moment of looking at yourself in a different way and more importantly, looking at the people around you and trying to see them as God sees them instead of in the selfish way we usually look at others.

In many ways, this is a timeless movie almost an instant classic... and one of the few blockbusters in recent years that it's safe to take your family to watch.

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Bruce Nolan is a flunky reporter who is always sent on remote locations to cover ridiculous assignments for a local television station in Buffalo. His life goal is to be head news anchor, but his career is cut short when he swears on the air. After his neglected girlfriend dumps him and everything in his life goes awry, Bruce asks God for Help. God answers him, but Bruce cops an attitude and tells God how unfair He is and what a terrible job He is doing in the world. God listens patiently and tells Bruce that he can play God for a while, which is similar to giving explosives to a child.

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What happens when God gives a whining, complaining ordinary Joe his powers? "Bruce Almighty" attempts to answer that question, with Jim Carrey playing Bruce Nolan, the whining, complaining ordinary Joe. And Carrey has a field day with the character, delivering some of his funniest stuff yet, which include a tyrade on a newscast from Niagra Falls and making his rival newsman speak in gibberish. Jennifer Aniston does well in her first mainstream role as Nolan's girlfriend Grace, and Morgan Freeman never takes his God role too seriously, which adds an extra layer of humor to a movie already chock full of Carrey's physical gags.

Nolan (Carrey) is a reporter at a Bufallo news station, buts what he really wants to be is an anchorman. But when his rival takes the job instead, and he loses his job because of his tyrade at Niagra Falls, he gets fired and starts to get on God's (Freeman) nerves because of his complaining. All the while, he is starting to neglect his girlfriend Grace (Anniston). But God hears Bruce's complaints and bestows his powers on him. Carrey thinks all his problems are now solved as he now becomes known as Mr. Exclusive because he makes it so he covers amazing, freak stories, like a metorite hitting Earth. Although, Bruce soon finds out that his new found fame is taking him away from what he really enjoys, i.e. grace, and he is going to lose all that if he does not change himself and how he acts.

And that is the film's moral: instead of asking for everything, you have to get off your butt and do it yourself, and think about people other than yourself. Despite the occasional corny moment, director Tom Shadyac (Who collaborated with Carrey on "Liar, Liar") still manages to lend enough gravity and emotion to the message, and makes a wholly satisfying conclusion to a movie that will make your sides split, as well as make you rethink the way you go about life.

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America Lost and Found: The BBS Story (Head / Easy Rider / Five Easy Pieces / Drive, He Said / The

The film opens with Nicholson in a tight shot talking to someone. We aren't sure at first to whom he's talking or why. From that opening scene I was hooked. Nicholson is a radio personality (David) who one day gets a phone call from his brother Jason (Bruce Dern) who is in jail. Jason is basically a big-time loser who has been trying all his life to make something big happen. His latest scheme is to encourage his brother to join him and his female companions (played by Ellyn Burstyn and Julia Anne Robinson) in Atlantic City while contemplating the purchase of an island near Hawaii. Many strange events happen along the way, not the least of which finds the two women competing for Jason's affection. A very strange scene occurs involving a fire on the beach. Without giving too much away, I will say that this is a turning point that has tremendous impact later in the story. So few films today have even slightly interesting characters. These characters are so vivid and interesting that you can't help but be intrigued, wondering what's going to happen next. Each scene seems to have no rhyme or reason, until finally the pieces fall into place. When the pieces do come together, you realize that you've witnessed something very unique, original, and haunting.

The four leading actors are all at the top of their form. I have never seen Nicholson timid, unsure, or at a loss for words before. Dern is hopelessly reckless. Robinson is an innocent in an evil environment. Burstyn is perfect as the key to the whole story, which is one that I'll never forget. You'll think about this quiet little film long after the credits are over.

Since I am mostly commenting on the "HEAD" portion of this set, I should include that already having "Five Easy Pieces" in a restored version on DVD and "Easy Rider" has been reissued numerous times with not much bonus material here, this print of "HEAD" is from the original 35mm negative! Where-as the awful DVD release from Rhino, who lies in a leader frame that the Full Frame format is how the film was meant to be seen! I beg to differ and bow to Criterion for releasing this incredible movie in glorious widescreen and in a true 5.1! Don't worry, those purist that still listen through a Stereo Reciever (because MOST humans only have 2 ears),like myself..the stereo seperation will blow you away, especially if you have the inferior RHINO release, you need not do a side by side comparison! Not only are the songs in true stereo but the entire soundtrack through-out the entire movie. Including the closing credits (Known on the Colgems soundtrack as "PLus Strings") by Ken Thorne. Which also gives RHINO another bad mark. In October, RHINO released a "HEAD Deluxe CD boxset" and list the "Plus Strings as "stereo" and they are most certainly not, yet Criterion goes the extra mile and finds true masters to all the Stereo songs plus Ken thorne's excellent incidental music! "Porpoise Song" has the nice deep low ends and crystal clear highs. Special credit with the live "Circle Sky" and "As We Go Along" where the vocals were burried on the RHINO release. Not so on this print. You feel as if the movie were filmed yesterday! Not bad for a 42 year old film! The colors are vibrant and the print is so sharp you may want to keep your hands away from the screen! Criterion deserves an award for thier excellence!

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With so many surprising and great releases, I've come to take Criterion for granted. But then comes the announcement of "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story" and I'm like an excited kid on Christmas morning. Amazon has done a comprehensive job listing the contents of this impressive set, so I'm going to direct my comments at the eclectic mix of films provided. The BBS story is no less than a film revolution that occurred in the late sixties to try to foster younger artists to the industry and cultivate younger, more adventurous film goers. All films within "America Lost and Found" were produced between 1968 and 1972 and represent a challenge to the conventional film narrative of that period. In retrospect, some of the films have been proclaimed classics while others have become somewhat obsolete. But all are fascinating examples of an artistic rebellion that influenced the film industry for years to come (all the more astounding as much of the company's financing came from the funds generated by the Monkees).

My personal favorite within "America Lost and Found" is Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" which has been begging for a better DVD release. An evocative look at a dying small town, this gorgeous black and white film is supremely entertaining and boasts a spectacular cast. Desolate and spare, the film tells the story of Sonny and Duane who as they approach manhood must face the harsh realities of life, love, and friendship. Nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, the film won supporting statuettes for Ben Johnson (a career high) and Cloris Leachman. Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn also received nods as did Bogdanovich for Directing and Screenplay (which he co-wrote with the incredible Larry McMurtry).

Two other undeniable classics in counterculture are Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" and Bob Rafelson's "Five Easy Pieces." "Easy Rider" picked up two Oscar nods (including Jack Nicholson's first) and tells the simple story of two motorcyclists' journey across America. Capturing a specific time so perfectly, the film seems to embrace the anti-establishment freedom of its leads (Hopper and Peter Fonda) while making the compelling argument that ultimate freedom is an illusion and that choosing to challenge societal norms thus becomes the norm. And "Five Easy Pieces," another of my all time favorites, was nominated for 4 Oscars (including Jack Nicholson and Karen Black). Another journey picture (both in physical travels as well as in the spiritual/psychological realm), Rafelson's landmark has one of Nicholson's most iconic performances in a film that is immensely angry and riotously funny by turn. The chicken salad sandwich scene is an undisputed classic in American cinema!

Bob Rafelson's well regarded "The King of Marvin Gardens" is also included. An underrated gem set in Atlantic City, this tale of brotherhood and dreaming big casts a realistic light on a get-rich-quick scam gone wrong. Nicholson and Burstyn are on hand, as is Bruce Dern--and this compelling quasi-masterpiece shows the three on disparate (and times desperate) paths toward redemption. Rafelson also supplies this collection with the bizarre "Head," a meandering and psychedelic excursion into the minds of The Monkees. With a documentary feel, the film follows The Monkees on numerous and random musical encounters and celebrates their celebrity while at the same time seeming to indict the culture who embraces such excesses. Jack Nicholson makes his directorial debut on the uneven "Drive, He Said"--noteworthy mostly for the Nicholson credit. Depicting the college experience in the sixties, "Drive" tells the story of a disaffected basketball player. Introducing many plot threads, the film fails to follow an effective through line and is a fairly disjointed (though interesting) effort. And lastly there is Henry Jaglom's "A Safe Place," another oddity of interior monologue with Tuesday Weld descending into a world of fantasy.

Many of the films in "America Lost and Found" share a thematic connection. The films eschew conventional plot driven narratives in favor of character study. These directors wanted to present a realistic portrait of the era in which they lived and not an idealized film world. And many of the central characters in all the works are seeking to identify their place in the modern world or, indeed, determine if they have a place at all. The BBC story, through film, is an intriguing and progressive one in that it functioned in the studio system. Independent cinema of today still reflects many of the same ideals. A must have collection for film lovers. KGHarris, 10/10.

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I hadn't heard about this collection until i ran a search for Head on Blu Ray here at Amazon. At first I was ecstatic that it was on Blu Ray but dismayed that it was only available as part of a collection. When I saw the other films included coupled with the price being right i decided to buy it. I have now watched all the films and wasn't disappointed. Criterion does an excellent job with the HD transfers and the extras on each film.

Head was a lost gem I first saw on the CBS Late Movie in the early 1970s. To understand it, it helps to have some background about the Monkees and the myths surrounding them, as well as their desire to be taken seriously as a 1960s rock group. I already owned the Rhino DVD version, which professed that the 1:33 to 1 aspect ratio was original intended version. Nothing could be further from the truth; here it is presented in its original 1:78 to 1 aspect ratio (16:9 in the parlance of our times). The extras are very informative as is the commentary by Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz. Finally, an honorable version of this wonderful cult film!

I have seen Easy Rider several times over the years; the last time I saw it was a DVD presentation and I found it to be somewhat dated. However, due to the excellent HD transfer I was less focused on the lingo of the day and more on Laszlo Kovac's excellent cinematography. It's amazing how great the film looks with a proper transfer and it gave me a greatly renewed interest. Again, the extras are top-notch and very informative. It's equally impressive how much "bang for the buck" BBS got from all their films.

Five Easy Pieces was another film I already owned on DVD but again, this version looks wonderful.

The Last Picture Show is one of my favorite 1970s films and I never owned it before now. Again, the extras are excellent and the transfer is impeccable.

I had never seen the remaining films. A Safe Place and Drive, He Said were my least favorites though they are certainly interesting curious from the era. Sometimes films like these require repeated viewings to be fully appreciated though the acting in each were superb and both were original and imaginative. The King of Marvin Gardens was excellent and I'm surprised it didn't do well in its theatrical release years ago. Still, Criterion gave all the Class A treatment with high quality HD transfers and informative, interesting extras.

Criterion must be commended for their great efforts on this set. It's well worth purchasing and will provide several hours of viewing pleasure.

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This film really is spectacular. From the very opening(which is slightly disorienting-but becomes clear quickly), it weaves a tale filled with some very odd and fascinating characters. Nicholson plays a radio deejay of sorts that spouts some fictionalized, but engrossingly told tales. The story itself deals with his visit to his brother-played by Bruce Dern, who he must attempt to talk out of some financial scheming. Dern turns in a fine performance-comparable to his performance in SMILE(very different characters, both great performances). Ellen Burstyn is also terrific. Photography by Laszlo Kovacs ranks up with his best. A welcome follow-up to Rafelson's FIVE EASY PIECES(a follow-up that doesn't get the press it deserves). Looks beautiful on dvd!

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Upside Down

Imagine my surprise when this movie showed up this weekend out of nowhere, without any advance advertizing, on a single screen for all of Greater Cincinnati. I figured this wasn't going to play very long here so I went to see it right away.

"Upside Down" has a very intruiging premise: there are two worlds very close together but each with their own gravity. As the movie opens, we are informed of the basic three rules: 1. All matter is pulled by the gravity of the world that it comes from, and not the other. 2. An object's weight can be offset by matter from the opposite world (inverse matter). 3. After some time in contact, matter in contact with inverse matter burns. Wow, get your head around that! As the movie opens, we see young/eventual teenagers Adam (played by Jim Sturgess) and Eden (played by Kirsten Dunst) find each other in striking distance from opposing sides of a high mountain. Adam pulls in Eden with a rope, and as Eden is hanging/resting upside down in a rock, they kiss (hello, Spiderman upside-down kiss replay, anyone?). Eventually they are found out and as Eden is trying to get back to her "Up" world, the rope is shot and she takes a bad tumble, causing amnesia. Fast forward 10 years, and by complete chance Adam (from the "Down" world) see that Eden is now working at TransWorld, the 'evil' company that controls everything. Adam is developing an "anti-gravity" matter that also serves as an "anti-aging" creme. That appeals to TransWorld and he gets hired. Adam is bent on finding Eden and reconnecting with her, even though she has no memory of him and her teenage romance with him. At this point we are not even half-way into the movie, but to tell you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several commments: first and foremost, this movie is the most visual original movie that I have seen in a long, long time. It is slightly reminiscent of "Inception" in its visuals, but then does it one or two times better than that, just outstanding. I just couldn't stop marveling at how the images of the two "upside down" worlds were presented to us. That said, I thought that Sturgess was badly miscast as Adam. Even though he is in reality older than Dunst, he just looked like a boy next to her. On the other hand, Dunst just shines in this movie, continuing her strong streak in recent movies like Melancholia and Bachelorette. Kudos also for the nice soundtrack, scored by Mark Isham, a favorite of mine. The screening that I saw this at today here in Cincinnati was poorly attended (only 2 people besides myself), so if you get a chance to see this in the theatre, do not wait, or otherwise catch it on DVD. The plot lacks some emotional pull but the visuals will win you over.

Just wanted to say that if you are a sci-fi fan and enjoy outstanding visuals, like me, you must see this.

They probably got the visuals concept from "Inception" but actually used them in the plot instead of just for show (not that I didn't like Inception I did).

For me and I guess I can say I've probably seen it all this is the most artistic outstandng visual movie I've seen in, say, the last 2 years or so.

It has got an interesting uplifting love story with a rather uncommon arc that might keep you guessing until the very end.

Get ready for something... different.

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Eschewing the physics of reality, this film weaves a wonderfully fascinating tale of two young people in love. An astrophysics tale of Romeo and Juliet as the star-crossed lovers separated by a complex Escher-esque world of haves and have-nots.

Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst portray Adam and Eden respectively.

Adam lives in the frigid, dirty, and dank oily world of Downbelow. While Eden's home is Uptop, a dreamlike existence of warm bright air and glittering palaces of light. Two planets who share every basic elemental aspect, but are divided by an unspoken social and fiscal chasm. But there are special places, natural features of great height, where the two worlds almost touch one another. A place like the Sage Mountains.

A chance encounter between a thoughtful young boy and a young girl searching for her lost dog, accidentally bumping into one another at their respective peaks, begins a desperate dance as two halves of the same soul find, then lose one another.

Like all children, they're born without hate in their hearts. Eden and Adam become friends. And as the years pass, become more than friends. Despite the monstrous illegality of their relationship, love blossoms in secret. Until one fateful day as the teen couple encounters a group of angry Downbelowers who attack the pair for their illicit romance. While helping Eden make her escape, Adam is shot. Losing his grip while attempting to lower her "up", the freefall drop ends with a sickening crunch. Striking solid stone as she crashes back onto her world, a widening pool of blood is the last image he has of her.

Ten years pass.

Now working as an electronics repairman with asides as an inventor, Adam unknowingly stands at the brink of a discovery that will revolutionize both worlds. Believing that his soulmate died on that fateful day, he goes through the motions of an infinitely empty existence. Until a pirated television program from Uptop catches his eye. It's her she's alive. And he will do anything to again be with his one true love. Anything. Even prostitute his incredible creation to the corporate slave masters of Uptop's largest corporation, Transworld, for that single solitary chance.

Finagling his way into and through Transworld he's stunned and horrified to discover Eden doesn't know him.

Nearly beyond words, he learns that the fall all those years ago caused blunt force amnesia; she has no memory of her childhood and teen years except when she sleeps and dreams.

Undaunted, Adam undertakes the ultimate risk.

The twin worlds' equivalent of a terrorist attack is to cross over without permission. A strictly forbidden act, permission is never ever granted. But he's going to cross over repeatedly. His only hope is to encourage her memories to return by consistent re-association. But a Downbelower noticeably, and literally, stands out (up) from the crowd. As Uptop's gravity slowly burns through his illicit Up-gravity weights, Adam has to manage and mask his increasingly uncomfortable state while his custom bodysuit tips at the verge of combustion. And in a world full of Up citizenry, desperately has to avoid drawing public scrutiny to the fact that he's threatening immolation with every passing moment.

Authorities from both sides are in hot pursuit, no pun intended, and closing in on the repetitious violator.

A very entertaining romance for a 21st century audience. And, uncommonly, a good fit for both men and women, as this film captures the emotional aspects of a chick flick while carefully balancing the taut scifi and adventure aspects of a guy movie.

There were a couple of very small weaknesses that prevents a full five stars, but this incredible visual feast is as strong a four as I can imagine.

Movie Note:

Despite the fact the two planets share an equal orbit, I thought it cleverly profound that Director Juan Solanas never shows Downbelow as "up" when viewing the two worlds in the context of right and wrong, or even good and evil.

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"What if love was stronger then gravity." Adam (Sturgess) and Eden (Dunst) have been friends since they were kids. They only thing that keeps them apart is gravity. The world they live in has two separate gravities and they live in two separate "worlds". After an accident leaves Adam thinking Eden is gone he moves on with his life. After seeing Eden on TV one day he decides to risk everything by finding her again. This is a movie that is very hard to explain without giving anything away. I have said that I'm tired of the same 5 movies being remade over and over again with nothing original coming out. This is one of the most original and visually stunning movies that I have ever seen. The only downside I have with this movie is that they seemed to spend more time on the effects then the actually story. While the story is really good it does seem to drag and repeat itself a few times but overall I would recommend this. Overall, worth seeing and one of the most visually stunning movies I have ever seen, very neat effects. I give it a B.

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Interesting premise. Very cool special effects to make both worlds interactive with each other yet opposite of each other. Love story could have been better developed.

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Tell No One (2006)

This is a very exciting thriller, in the tradition of American films like The Fugitive, but with a unique edge that makes it distinctively French and deliciously diabolical. It is certainly darker (and funnier) than The Fugitive, but it is no accident that there is an American feel, since it is based on a book by Harlan Coben.

Eight years after his wife's brutal murder, new clues emerge that lead police to once again suspect that Alexander Beck may have killed her. At the same time, he begins to think she may be still alive, and is frantic to find her before he is arrested as a suspect for another related homicide. Director Guillaume Canet keeps you guessing as the plot thickens, revealing bits and pieces of the past as new circumstances help Beck to see that he didn't know his wife as well as he had thought.

The film looks great, with editing and camera work that helps to achieve a perfect balance of subtle tension and intensity. The performances are all very strong -and there is a surprisingly intense performance by a bit player, a determined and remorseless tall and skinny female assassin/torture expert, that still haunts me. In fact, I would go as far as to say that her performance created one of the most frightening villians I've seen on the screen in a long time -even more than the performance of Javier Bardem as Chigurh in No Country for Old Men -because it was just as intense but more plausible. Definitely recommended for lovers of French Cinema, but also for those who think that French films tend to be too cerebral and cannot deliver the thrills. This one hits you in both the brain and the gut.

TELL NO ONE (Ne le dis à personne) succeeds on every level for this viewer. Based on Harlan Coben's novel and adapted for the screen and directed by Guillaume Canet, this is one of those intricately complex French films that is much in the same mode as the 1955 film LES DIABOLIQUES. Nothing is as it appears at first and even when the mystery is explained in what appears to be a systematic, cohesive manner, the 'real story' remains a conundrum. It is a brilliant little film well worth multiple viewings to fully appreciate all of the aspects of the fine acting, cinematography, direction and musical scoring.

In a misty opening we discover Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet) and his beautiful wife Margot (Marie-Josée Croze) only to abruptly be drawn into the murder of Margot and the beating of Alexandre. The incidents are shrouded in mystery and remain so for eight years when suddenly the now pediatrician Alexandre receives an email from the 'deceased' Margot. Alexandre's world is topsy turvy and he begins to share the strange incident with his family his sister Anne (Marina Hines) and her lover Hélène (a radiant Kristin Scott Thomas), his father, Margot's family...and the police who begin to discover evidence that implicates Alexandre as the perpetrator. Alexandre's lawyer (Nathalie Baye) pits evidence against the police investigators while Alexandre's chief ally in his run from the accusers is Bruno (Gilles Lellouche), the father of a hemophiliac patient whom Alexandre has treated and befriended. The chase is on and the clues become increasingly puzzling until at last the truth of the now eight year old murder and all of the implications of that event unfold.

If there are seemingly holes in the story it is because we, the audience, are never quite sure about the twists and turns of the plot. The acting is superb from this cast of some of France's finest artists, and one of the best performances in the film comes from British actress Kristin Scott Thomas, reminding us that she is one of the most talented and beautiful actors on the screen today! This is a tough little film to follow, but the quality of both the story and the production is first rate. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 08

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Says Roger Ebert: "Here is how a thriller should be made."

Says Stephen Holden of the New York Times: "I watched it twice. It was even better the second time."

Says me: "I couldn't agree more with them." Tell No One, even without the quotes, is one of the best thrillers I've seen in a long, long time.

Alexander Beck and his wife, Margot, both much in love, have gone for a bit of evening skinny-dipping in the country. There's a minor disagreement and she dives back in from the float and heads to the shore. He hears her cry out and swims as swiftly as he can after her. When he reaches the small dock and starts to pull himself out, he's met by a baseball bat. While he's in a coma for three days his wife is found dead with severe bruising and cuts, the marks of a known serial killer. But who pulled Beck out of the water? Who called for emergency medical help?

Eight years later Dr. Alex Beck, a pediatrician, is told by the police that the remains of two unidentified male bodies have been found in the vicinity of where his wife was murdered. Then he receives an e-mail on his computer. The attachment shows a woman leaving a crowded exit. She pauses and looks at the security camera. The picture is fuzzy. The scene ends. Beck has never remarried and still is haunted by the memory of his wife. He is almost sure this woman is she. The message in the e-mail says, "Tell no one. They're watching."

The director and co-screenwriter Guillaume Canet has taken the novel by Harlan Coben and, working with Coben, has fashioned a film at least as good as the novel. The film has been crafted with care. You'd best pay attention to every moment. Irrelevant items turn out to be relevant. Assumptions based on how a scene opens turn out often to be not what they seem, but just as reasonable. Canet (and Coben) don't shy away from violence -there is a memorable woman you don't ever want to displease -but the violence isn't just for gee whiz show biz purposes. When violence happens, it reminds us to stay alert. Canet takes us all over the place, from Paris slums to society horse events. He has Beck dancing across a highway filled with speeding cars and then hiding out in a dumpster sharing space with garbage and a large rat. The story is just as complicated as Coben's novel (as all his novels are), but -if you've been paying attention -all becomes clear. If the cops are after Beck because they think he may have had something to do with his wife's death, it also may be true that others are after him because they think she might be alive. But why?

Helping immeasurably with the interest and speed of the film are the actors. Francois Cluzet plays Dr. Beck, a capable, resourceful man, but no buff Hollywood hero. Cluzet is not an especially handsome lead actor, and that's all to the good. Surrounding him are such fine French actors as Andre Dussollier as his wife's father, a grieving retired senior cop; Francois Berleand as a sympathetic and smart police officer; Nathalie Baye as a lawyer who knows how to deal with district attorneys; and a fine Jean Rochefort, as well as Kristin Scott Thomas speaking impeccable French as his best friend, a wealthy woman having an affair with his equestrienne sister.

Tell No One is an excellent movie. And I hope you'll pick up of a few of Harlan Coben's mysteries while you're at it. He started out with several books featuring Myron Bolitar (whose best friend, Win Lockwood, is not a person to irritate). Try the first one first, Deal Breaker (Myron Bolitar Mysteries). Coben lately has moved into darker themes, such as Tell No One. His latest is The Woods. Coben knows how to create intricate but logical plots and strong characters. He's a first-class writer. His books are much better than the usual thriller-every-year bestseller that some authors churn out regularly.

Read Best Reviews of Tell No One (2006) Here

TELL NO ONE (Ne le dis à personne) succeeds on every level for this viewer. Based on Harlan Coben's novel and adapted for the screen and directed by Guillaume Canet, this is one of those intricately complex French films that is much in the same mode as the 1955 film LES DIABOLIQUES. Nothing is as it appears at first and even when the mystery is explained in what appears to be a systematic, cohesive manner, the 'real story' remains a conundrum. It is a brilliant little film well worth multiple viewings to fully appreciate all of the aspects of the fine acting, cinematography, direction and musical scoring.

In a misty opening we discover Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet) and his beautiful wife Margot (Marie-Josée Croze) only to abruptly be drawn into the murder of Margot and the beating of Alexandre. The incidents are shrouded in mystery and remain so for eight years when suddenly the now pediatrician Alexandre receives an email from the 'deceased' Margot. Alexandre's world is topsy turvy and he begins to share the strange incident with his family his sister Anne (Marina Hines) and her lover Hélène (a radiant Kristin Scott Thomas), his father, Margot's family...and the police who begin to discover evidence that implicates Alexandre as the perpetrator. Alexandre's lawyer (Nathalie Baye) pits evidence against the police investigators while Alexandre's chief ally in his run from the accusers is Bruno (Gilles Lellouche), the father of a hemophiliac patient whom Alexandre has treated and befriended. The chase is on and the clues become increasingly puzzling until at last the truth of the now eight year old murder and all of the implications of that event unfold.

If there are seemingly holes in the story it is because we, the audience, are never quite sure about the twists and turns of the plot. The acting is superb from this cast of some of France's finest artists, and one of the best performances in the film comes from British actress Kristin Scott Thomas, reminding us that she is one of the most talented and beautiful actors on the screen today! This is a tough little film to follow, but the quality of both the story and the production is first rate. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 09

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TELL NO ONE (Ne le dis à personne) succeeds on every level for this viewer. Based on Harlan Coben's novel and adapted for the screen and directed by Guillaume Canet, this is one of those intricately complex French films that is much in the same mode as the 1955 film LES DIABOLIQUE. Nothing is as it appears at first and even when the mystery is explained in what appears to be a systematic, cohesive manner, the 'real story' remains a conundrum. It is a brilliant little film well worth multiple viewings to fully appreciate all of the aspects of the fine acting, cinematography, direction and musical scoring.

In a misty opening we discover Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet) and his beautiful wife Margot (Marie-Josée Croze) only to abruptly be drawn into the murder of Margot and the beating of Alexandre. The incidents are shrouded in mystery and remain so for eight years when suddenly the now pediatrician Alexandre receives an email from the 'deceased' Margot. Alexandre's world is topsy turvy and he begins to share the strange incident with his family his sister Anne (Marina Hines) and her lover Hélène (a radiant Kristin Scott Thomas), his father, Margot's family...and the police who begin to discover evidence that implicates Alexandre as the perpetrator. Alexandre's lawyer (Nathalie Baye) pits evidence against the police investigators while Alexandre's chief ally in his run from the accusers is Bruno (Gilles Lellouche), the father of a hemophiliac patient whom Alexandre has treated and befriended. The chase is on and the clues become increasingly puzzling until at last the truth of the now eight year old murder and all of the implications of that event unfold.

If there are seemingly holes in the story it is because we, the audience, are never quite sure about the twists and turns of the plot. The acting is superb from this cast of some of France's finest artists, and one of the best performances in the film comes from British actress Kristin Scott Thomas, reminding us that she is one of the most talented and beautiful actors on the screen today! This is a tough little film to follow, but the quality of both the story and the production is first rate. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, July 08

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Cemetery Junction (2010)

This is a rather charming coming of age movie charting the escapades of three loveable rogues, The Nerd, Bad-boy and the Buffoon. The 1970's are wonderfully recreated here, and reminds me somewhat of my youth, its well acted and keeps an slight emotional pull and a constant flow of smiles and chuckles rather than huge laughs. Its.. well, its just very well acted, made and written, without pulling up any trees, its just .. nice. I have no idea how this will translate to American audiences, but erm, did I mention its nice-ness

I saw this movie in a theatre in London in April. By British standards, this is one of the greatest films to come out of that country. As for any America who is weary of British movie quality, like myself, this is honestly one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. If you are at all familiar with the works of Ricky Gervais, then you can only expect some of the best entertainment. This movie is deep, it's moving. Ricky Gervais tends to do comedies, but this movie really shows his talent as a director and actor. I don't want to sound like a cliche, but this movie really did make me laugh and cry. My friends and I talked about this movie for days.

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I am not a huge Ricky Gervais fan but I do hail from the town this is theoretically set in and so decided to rent it. I have to say that I found it hugely enjoyable. The prevailing attitude that you worked at a factory or for town's the large insurance company was absolutely spot on even 10 years later when I was the age of these characters. I thought that the acting was fantastic and I loved the characters of Julie's mother (a frumped up Emily Watson) and especially Sgt Wyn Davies (Steve Speirs) who plays the sort of police officer who can really change lives. My only gripe was in the choice of locations. The real Cemetery Junction is way, way too busy to be a practical choice of film location, I can see that, but the choice of such a rural setting made it look far too "choclate boxy" to fit the story line of three boys desperate to escape. Even then, Reading was a large, busy town with little similarity to the town centre the boys are seen striding through and Cemetery Junction itself is and was a run down area of narrow streets and tiny brick terraces. Other than that, the period detail was fantastic the inside of my house was scarily just like Freddie's. And why oh why don't we have "Crazy Horses" by the Osmonds on more sound tracks? The world could be a better place...

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This was an engaging story on the class conflict, on self hatred, on hating one's parents, on being a teen ager, on blaming one's background versus doing something for oneself, on taking responsibility versus excusing onself...

All done with a light touch.

I only wish Gervais and Merchant had more than a small role as characters.

Gervais and Merchant are not at their acid, stinging best. Rather, their humor is muted.

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This is a very good film. But if you're buying it because you are a Ricky Gervais fan be aware that his presence on screen is rather limited. Set in 1970's England, in a small working class town, the dialog is sometimes difficult to understand but not overly so. I found the acting to be agreeable and at times admirable, especially from the veteran actors Emily Watson and Ralph Fiennes. The younger actors were very good as well. For me though, what made this movie stay with me was the soundtrack by Tim Atack. As the Dude would say, 'it really tied the room together.'

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Dark Skies (2013)

"Dark Skies" (2013 relase; 97 min.) brings the story of the Barrett family. Mom (played by Keri "Felicity" Russell) and dad (played by Josh Hamilton) are stressing because of their precarious financial situation (Dad is in between jobs, mom is barely hanging on to her real easate brokerage). They have two sons, 13 yr. old Jesse and 5 or 6 yr. old Sammy. Then slowly but surely strange things are starting to happen in and around the house, including a strange "remodeling" of the kitchen, then disappearance of pictures, and then hundreds of birds flying head-on into the house for no apparent reason. What is going on here exactly? At this point we're not even half-way into the movie, and things are to get a lot more tense than that still. But to tell you more of a plot-heavy movie like this would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: first, I had seen the trailer for this movie a few times in recent weeks, and thought it looked kinda interesting. I took a chance on this, and am glad I did. It is not a horror movie as such, nor is it really a sci-fi movie. "Dark Skies" actually falls somewhere in between, and on more than one occasion during the movie I saw elements from the "Paranormal Activity" franchise and also from the "Poltergeist" franchise just to name those. Second, what a delight to see Keri Russell again,as I sort of lost track of her. It is incredible that 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of when "Felicity" first hit the small screen. Russell is ageing quite nicely (if you can call someone in their mid/late-30s "ageing"), and she carries this movie, period. Kudos also to young Kadan Rockett as little Sammy, and J.K. Simmons who plays a small role late into the movie. Third, I must give a shout-out to the excellent placement of the Drums song "Days" midway into the movie, bringing a few moments of tension relief (for reasons I don't want to reveal) at that point in the movie.

The screening I saw "Dark Skies" at tonight here in Cincinnati was quite well attended. Smartly the director and producers of the movie made this into a PG-13 movie, rather than an R rated movie, and the audience tonight was heavily tilted towards the younger HS kids. They were loving this movie, laughing and screaming (sometimes at the same time) at all the right moments, and when the credits started to roll, the audience even gave an applause. Bottom line: "Dark Skies" is surprisingly entertaining, and better than I had expected.

I just took my daughter to see this on the big screen because I liked the bird collision with the window when I saw the trailer. The film started with the slow to moderate pacing of witnessing a family in the throes of tension created by the economy---bunker mentalities abound.Then something happened in Sammie's bedroom that made me jump the same way I did with "signs". Then pow. I was in. I immediately thought of the first script version of Close Encounters written by Paul Schrader "Taxi Driver". Spielberg turned it down saying it was mean spirited and didnt want a hostile invasion story. This movie was that draft. This independent piece was a homage to Close Encounters of the third kind, ET, The Birds, Poltergeist, Signs, and Paranormal Activity. Harvey Weinstein greenlit a film which was carried surprizingly well by the acting chops of Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton. I actually cared what happened to these people and thats rare for a scary film to be character and plot driven. The director kept his camera tight on the faces so the actors could not milk their expressions. The blank face fear always works. The soundtrack is very effective in its use against silence. The tension spilling on the children made me believe this couple has been toxic toward each other for a long time---long before the movie's circumstances introduced the audience to them. And maybe that tension drew the attacks to their home in the first place.

Why not being that original, the film compensated with the right mix of old recipes without diluting its ability to reveal enough of the story on a need to know basis to the audience just as it did to the characters. I didnt feel the need to be smarter than the movie. Expect a sequel.

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If you ever watched Paranormal Activity and wonder what the producers would do with an actual budget, you may have gotten Dark Skies. So gone is the found footage gimmick filmed by the characters and instead of a couple there is a family of four. We also get to know the characters better and are suppose to have empathy for them from the start: the father (Josh Hamilton, The 80's miniseries) just got laid off and the mother (Keri Russell, The Americans) who is now the bread winner is not very good at her job.

Much like Paranormal Activity, the scares are light in the beginning, something breaks into their kitchen and raid the refrigerator, before they get weirder, scarier, and more frequent. Just like the characters of Paranormal Activities, these characters are not the smartest people in the world. Sure they do not do anything stupid like taunt a demon, but it takes them way too long to actually do anything to figure out what and why things are happening to them, which in this case involves contacting J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man) which is about where the movie starts getting interesting.

But much like Paranormal Activities, you could probably just fast forward past the first hour and just go straight to the climax of Dark Skies and not miss much. This DVD also comes with an audio commentary with writer/director Scott Stewart, producer Jason Blum, executive producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and editor Peter Gvozdas. It also has about fifteen minutes of alternative and deleted scenes.

Read Best Reviews of Dark Skies (2013) Here

The story opens showing us a stereotypical suburban neighborhood. The focus shifts to one family. Daniel (Josh Hamilton) is out of work. He can't pay the mortgage but has money for all kinds of video equipment. His wife Lacy (Keri Russell) is a real estate salesperson, and perhaps too honest for her own good. They have two sons, Jesse (Dakota Goyo) who is discovering girls and pot and young Sammy (Kadan Rockett).

The story builds slow, creating character as it goes along, with each incident becoming more puzzling and troubling. Sammy reports of seeing the Sandman, claiming he is responsible for the odd occurrences. About an hour into the film, the events are explained in case you didn't figure it out by the opening Arthur C. Clarke quote.

This film is well done. I enjoyed it, even though I still say the whole thing business is hypnagogic hallucinations. This is must see for those who believe in the Grays. I would rate it somewhere in between rent to own depending on your hypnagogia. (Guess what word I learned this week from my doctor?)

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. Teen/tween drug use. Minor groping. Some sex talk, i.e. "going downtown"

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I'm not one for rave reviews. I find most films trite, redundant, regurgitated, shallow and self righteous. I can hardly sit through most horrors, because it all seems rushed, boring, and pedestrian, so why wouldn't this. I gave it a go. Standards of other films set in immediately and fast, and though it touches on elements so many other films have in so many ways: of Spielberg genius as Poltergeist and Close Encounters come to mind, (which no doubt people will claim metaphors to endlessly), but the film holds its own in a very simple, straight forward non CGI nonsense way, and its kind of brilliant because truly the ensemble cast does so well together, its believable how terrified they are. I believe the reason why Poltergeist was such a novelty, was not only the absolute terror of a film that stands the test of time, but there was real substance to it (the conversations that Beatrice Straight had with Jobeth Williams' character, how touching and special it was, and with the mothers son, how soothing she was, in a time of absolute pinnacle terror) That is achieved here. Yeah it's no Poltergeist, but in a market saturated with hundreds of turds released a year, this one comes out truly shining. It was very well done.

I am not good with what I want to say when detailing, but the colors are great, the story holds its own on minimal special effects, and considering its from the same people that bring us the ridiculous Paranormal Activity franchise, (loathed Insidious) I absolutely loved this.

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Mars Needs Moms (Two-Disc Blu-ray / DVD Combo) (2011)

I believe that the critics were all wrong about "Mars Needs Moms". My four year old granddaughter and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was cute, colorful, funny, and very entertaining. We both smiled and laughed all the way through. Plus the main characters were warm, loyal, resourceful, and caring--good role models for the little ones. I intend to buy it as soon as it comes out in DVD so that my granddaughter and I can enjoy it all over again!

We all know how well Mars Needs Moms did at the box office. Sometimes, I think you really need to send in a kid to do a kids' job particularly in reviewing a movie made for kids. Adults just don't get it. Here are video reviews by 2 of our 8 -year-old youth film critics reviews and, believe me, they loved it!

The DVD comes out this week so don't pass it by, give it the good old family try.

"This movie is out of this world literally, because it takes place on Mars, A.K.A The Red Planet. The movie is about a little boy named Milo voiced by Seth Dusky, who says some pretty mean things to his mom. Before he has a chance to apologize, she is Martian-napped and taken to Mars. He has 6.93 earth hours until sun rise to save her. Does he make it in time!

My favorite part is when Gribble, voiced by Dan Fogler, saves Milo's mom with the helmet that was meant for his mom. I thought that was very thoughtful. My favorite characters are Gribble, because he's just simply Gribbletastic. Ki, because she helps Milo, and she does something that no other Martain has ever done. She stands up to the supervisor. Head of all Martians, Milo, because he realizes that he needs his mom and is determined to do whatever he needs to save her.

I rate this movie 4 out of 5 stars because the Martains are a little scary, especially the supervisor. So for this reason I recommend this movie to kids ages 7 and up." Reviewed by Ny'Asia Bell, age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

"I just finished watching an excellent movie called "Mars Needs Moms." The movie is about a boy named Milo who goes on a big adventure to help save his mom from aliens. The aliens that live on Mars are not very good mothers so they look to Earth to find good mothers to steal.

My favorite characters are Milo, Milo's mom, and Gribble. I liked Gribble because he helped Milo get his mother back and he helps Milo to see how important his mother truly is. My favorite part of the movie is when Milo has to save his new friend Gribble from the aliens. Gribble gets captured and the aliens are going to shoot him. Milo swings in to save the day and it is awesome.

This movie does have some characters that are bad and try to stop Milo from saving his mom. The aliens in the uniforms are bad because they listen to the Supervisor. The Supervisor controls everyone and wants everyone to do what she says.

I would recommend this movie for ages three and up. I think depending on what age you are is how you will see this movie. For example, my brother is 5 and he didn't think the movie was scary at all. I am 8 and I found the movie to be a little scary because it made me think about how sad I would be if I lost my own mother. But don't worry everything turns out ok in the end! Go out and buy this movie when it comes out on Disney DVD and Blu Ray.

Reviewed by Anthony A, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

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I'm giving this movie a full five stars right off the bat because when my 5 year old daughter and I saw Mars Needs Moms in a completely empty theater on opening weekend, I cried my eyes out at the ending. No, this movie is NOT a dedicated version of the Mars Needs Mom storybook; nor was it a B-grade movie in the style of the sci-fi classics Mars Attacks! and Mars Needs Women. However, it isn't the utter travesty critics and nay-sayers claim it is.

Once you get over the 'weird' CGI images of the actors, and you ignore the blatant ploy to make this a hit with the 8-year-old-boy crowd, you can't help but really appreciate the details in the landscape and backgrounds (the Red Planet, the garbage 'under world', the otherworld beauty of Ki and the Martians, etc.). And the story itself really resonates with all ages courage when everything else seems lost, the support of friends, even hunger for political power, and the love between a mother and child. Yes, this movie could have been much better (by Disney standards); on the other hand, it could have been MUCH much worse if released by another studio.

No matter what your opinions of Robert Zemeckis' work, Mars Needs Moms deserves at least one viewing before you make your final judgement.

Read Best Reviews of Mars Needs Moms (Two-Disc Blu-ray / DVD Combo) (2011) Here

"Mars Needs Moms" relates the adventures of Milo, a boy who seeks to rescue his kidnapped mother from Martians . Based on a children's book by the famous comic strip author Berkeley Breathed, this animated film, while uneven in certain respects, excels in its depiction of sacrificial family love. Milo is truly heroic in his single-minded determination to free his mother despite insurmountable odds and even a powerful temptation to give up. I also found the Martian settings to be artistically imaginative, fascinating, and impressive.

The film's portrayal of the relationship between an American mother and her son was not only realistic but profoundly moving. Young Milo attempts to deceive his mother. Like all good mothers, she catches him out and holds him accountable. Like all disobedient children (which covers most of the human race at one time or another), Milo angrily lashes out at her. In a moment that rings true with my own childhood and with our own children on occasion, Milo's mother is reduced to tears by her son's cruel words. Milo tries to go to sleep but the guilt over his response to his mother troubles him. He gets up to apologize, only to discover that he is, in one sense, too late. His mother has disappeared. In another sense, he arrives in the nick of time, just able to follow after the strange beings who have kidnapped his mother. Love for his mother stoked by his remorse for his meanness fuel an unquenchable determination in Milo to rescue her. Within a fast-paced, wildly fantastic and carelessly implausible animated movie, this true-to-life family relationship comes as somewhat of a surprise. But the film succeeds brilliantly because the filmmakers remain true throughout to the theme of love between a mother and son.

Milo's mother has been kidnapped by a radical feminist Martian society that has all but destroyed maternal love in its elevation of power and technological progress. The Martians abandon their males at their planetary dump and leave their females to be raised by robot nursemaids. But little ones, even in a twisted society, need more than a robot to be cared for properly. Presumably unable and/or unwilling to provide quality maternal nature themselves, the Martian supervisors spy out likely outstanding mothers on planet Earth and kidnap the best candidates in an evil plan to enrich the maternal behavior of the robots.

In his quest, Milo meets Gribble, a fellow human stranded on Mars with his own tragic story and Ki, the Martian who has rebelled against the oppressive Martian society. The events that bring Milo and his new friends to the film's final climax uncover Mars' own dark secrets about motherhood and the family.

It is unfortunate that "Mars Needs Moms" was a dismal flop at the box office. The film's odd mix of a relatively serious theme in a wacky action-adventure animation vehicle may have hurt its reach. Some may have been repelled by its central theme of the importance of motherhood and the natural family. Surveys at a leading film website indicate that this film splits its audience, with people either loving or hating "Mars Needs Moms," with relatively few in between. Such a divergence indicates that people's fundamental views on life dictated their response to the film, not less weighty matters such as the animation style, humor, music, or plot devices.

It is my hope that the mostly brilliant folks at Disney made a few marketing errors and missed their target audience. If you believe that the natural human family is a fundamental, even divinely ordained social unit with motherhood being one of its key components, please give this film and the dvd a chance. You may find yourself not only entertained, but surprisingly moved.

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This movie held the interest of my elementary age students. Late elementary children and older may not enjoy this film as much (my older child refused to watch it at all.) The film had a great message about appreciating your mom and all she does for you. We have been having an issue lately with a case of the "I wants" and not wanting to follow directions as the holiday season approaches. This was a great way to remind the boys to behave without having to nag them. It was funny and heart-felt. The graphics were good and the target audience was children. I gave it four-stars instead of five on advice of the children as it left out the importance of Dads. The boys felt it should have taught more about appreciating both parents.

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Near Dark (1987)

Near Dark is one of those great movies that it seems no one has seen. I hope this deluxe DVD will change that.

Near Dark suffered in it's initial theatrical release due to it's resemblance to The Lost Boys. They share a storyline (Hapless young man falls for a girl who turns him into a Vampire, and he's forced to deal with her crazy running buddies.), and even a release date; Lost Boys blew Near Dark right out of theaters, but Near Dark found an appreciative audience on video, and deservedly so. The cast is uniformly great, especially Lance Henrikson and Bill Paxton as the lead Vamps. The script, by Director Kathryn and Eric Red, is perfectwe learn little tidbits about the history of the Vampires, but we're always kept at arms length from them. We see them as alien and threatening, and they see us a food. Bigelow does a great job, especially considering it was her solo directorial debut. The only gripe I had is the Vampirism "Cure" which seems like a Deus Ex Machina, but that's a small quibble. The Tangerine Dream score also made some scenes seem really cheesy...FAR from their best work. I think an orchestral score would have been much better, but budget constraints....

The 2-DVD set is beautifully packaged, with a die-cut inner package inside the box, and a great looking (and informative!) booklet. The film looks great; As usual, Anchor Bay does great work on their DVD transfers. It also has a commentary track from Director Bigelow, which is kinda dry and technical. Disc 2 has tons of storyboards, a weak deleted scene, a new 47-minute documentary, cast & crew bios (Very extensive!), still & ad galleries, and tons more.

Near Dark is one of those films that has flown under the radar for FAR too long, and I can't recommend it highly enough!

I find that usually, vampire tales whether filmed or written have to have a large dose of grandeur and mystique to the vampires to make them work (the "Underworld" movies; "Blood: The Last Vampire", various successful incarnations of Dracula, etc.) Even "From Dusk Til Dawn", which was anything but a traditional take on the vampire, had the creatures so monstrously impressive and in some cases so exotically alluring (ex. Salma Hayek), that Dusk sort of fit the bill too, in some weird way.

The ploar opposite of the 'grand' depiction of the vampire is one that was very prevelant in the 90s and still turns up quite often today. The 'lowlife' vampire, with many of the supernatural aspects played down, the charisma and the mystery often missing, very human in appearance at all times, riding around in beat-up old cars and vans, and spending the daylight hours in cheap motels or the basements of bars instead of in eerier, more impressive haunts. Most of the movies in this vein I haven't really cared for (although "The Forsaken" heavily influenced by the movie I'm now writing about, was a pretty good watch) But one movie in this vein and I believe it was the first of its kind really stands out, and that's "Near Dark".

Basically, a farm kid (played by Adrian Pasdar) of about what, maybe 18 or so? falls in love with a girl (Jenny Wright) of his own physical age, before learning she's a vampire. Wanting to be free of the vampiric curse, the pair is aided by the boyfriend's father in an attempt to become human again, which leads them into conflict with her 'coven' a clan of not particularly awe-inspiring, but scary, believable and highly dangerous vampires led by Lance Henrikson in one of his best roles. Well-made, gory, and emotionally-driven (romantic, even) "Near Dark" flies right to the top of its class and carries a feeling of authenticity with it the diner scene nails the 'injecting the horrific into the everyday' theme to perfection. "Near Dark" is a total success.

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"Near Dark" is one of those obscure cult movies that was overshadowed by a bigger budget, better looking cast, & special effects the likes of the blockbuster film "Lost Boys".

However, this is one of the few vampire movies, save for Romero's "Martin" not to use the word "vampire" nor have any fangs, mirrors, crosses, garlic and the ordinary lot.

Young Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) meets Mae ( a young, Jenny Wright from "St. Elmos Fire" and "Garp"). Passion ensues and Mae "nips" Caleb.

Uh oh! As Caleb starts to "turn" in the sunlight of early morning, he is hijacked in a rickety Winnebago by vamp family, Mae, Jesse (Lance Henriksen), Jesse's woman for eternity, Diamondback (Jenette Goldstein), their little pseudo-son, Homer & savage & sadistic vampire, Severen, played perfectly and to the hilt, by Bill Paxton.

Caleb tries to fit in but just can't seem to get the "killin' part down".

His father, Loy (Tim Thomerson) and little sister, Sarah (Marcie Leeds from "Beaches") are searching for Caleb. Will they find him in time? Watch for yourself and find out!

Another cool thing that I noticed is when Caleb staggers through town, before he goes to the bus stop to try and get home, the cinema behind him is showing "Aliens" which also featured Paxton, Henriksen and Goldstein.

If you like vampire movies like Lost Boys or Bill Paxton, this is highly recommended!

Happy Watching and Unpleasant Dreams!

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This is one of my all-time faves.I own it already but need another copy in case something should happen to mine.I first saw this movie years ago;and had to have it.

The lines that the cast uses are hilarious-altho it wasn't meant as a comedy,it has it's moments.All in all,my fave Bill Paxton flick.

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A young good ol' boy (Pasdar) meets a beautiful down-home girl (Wright) and spends the night wooing her. At the break of dawn, the girl becomes increasingly worried, and the boy asks for a kiss. She obliges with a passionate, tonguey display, and then she bites him on the throat.

With this, the fantastic neo-vampire western Near Dark begins. The cast is an '80s/early '90s sci-fi fan's wet dream (well, almost), featuring Lance Henrikson, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein, who collectively appeared in Aliens, Alien3, The Terminator, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Almost all your basic vampire elements are here: throat-biting, blood-sucking, fear of daylight, eternal life, etc. However, the bloodsuckers don't have fangs, capes, or pale white skin (which actually doesn't make much sense), and there's never any reference to not having reflections. Instead, the vampires are basically modern southern folk, but obviously with a dark side. It is made quite apparent throughout the film, however, that they have been around for quite some time, as it is mentioned that they started the great Chicago fire and that one of them fought for the South in the Civil War. The vampire clan includes Jessie (Henrikson), the oldest (on the outside) and the wise leader of the group; Diamondback (Goldstein), apparently Jessie's girlfriend (of many years); Severen (Paxton), the leather-clad bada*s of the group; Mae (Wright), the innocent young female of the group; and Homer (Miller), a young boy on the outside but the oldest of them all on the inside.

These characters offer plenty of fun interactions and one-liners, but this is no horror comedy. There is a considerable amount of very bloody violence, including a scene (probably the most memorable one in the film) where the clan visits a bar and subsequently murders all of its patrons. To give you an idea of just what kind of violence we're talking about here, I'll just say that Jessie orders a beer, and when the waitress brings it out, he says "Just the glass." The waitress' throat is then slit, and Jessie drains her blood into the glass like it's on tap during happy hour.

The acting is competent and the cinematography is gorgeous (and very similar to that of The Terminator and Aliens). Director Kathryn Bigelow creates a bleak landscape for the film, filling the sky with either blue/green night, purple/red sunset, teal/orange sunrise, or dessicated daylight.

Near Dark is a notable and very well-made horror film that stands the test of time. But guess what, a superflous remake is in the works! I bet it'll be absolutely fantastic!

8/10

Die Hard Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2: Die Harder / Die Hard with a Vengeance / Live Free or D

First, let me start by saying I love the Die Hard movies. So when I saw this collection on BD, I just couldn't refuse!

You already know the movies, so let's get to the overall package.

Positives:

+ DTS MA on every movie that really reinvigorates the films

+ Good set of extras, not a single feature from the standard DVDs is left out, making you think these are the definitive versions to have

+ Special box saves you space on shelf and keeps discs safe. It's a little bigger than the Planet Earth The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray] boxset (without the slipcase).

+ Exactly the same discs as individual releases, so you're not getting gimped versions of the already released BD movies --they're the same.

+ Live Free or Die Hard is a total show-stopper, demo material, A+ reference disc. Both in terms of video and audio, this is one of the best movies to showcase what High Definition is all about (and the movie itself is a great ride, btw)

Negatives:

In the first three movies, both subtitles and dubs in spanish are CASTILLIAN, not Latin American. Why on earth did FOX included castillian dubs/subs on an AMERICAN, region locked disc, goes beyond me. They should know by now that most latin people HATE the castillian dubbing, specially when these movies have such great voice acting. Granted, I always prefer to watch movies in their original languaje w/subs, but there's always the chance to borrow or watch the movie with people that prefer to hear it in their own language. Even the regionalized castilian subtitles are distracting. This is not a problem on the 4th movie. The voice acting and subs are the way they should be for an american release.

The first 2 movies look downright awful, to the point it seems you put the SE DVD and upconverted it. Time is totally not an excuse: just look at the impressive video quality of Batman: The Movie [Blu-ray]: a 40 yo movie that looks absolutely fantastic (more than it deserves, if I may be so bold). And that flick is probably just being released to make a quick buck on the batman fever, so FOX, you're telling me you couldn't give a AAA movie such as Die Hard a proper transfer? Come on...

The 3rd movie looks way better, but still does not compare to the visual blast that is Live Free or Die Hard.

The 4th movie is the theatrical, PG-13 version, not the UNRATED one. Again, what's going on here! Simply put, FOX could have put both version on the same disc via seamless branching. This has been a reality since the days of DVD, and there are a couple BD that have this feature already, so NO excuse.

The special features on every disc are Standard Def. only to the point most of them look like VHS (this is no exaggeration). Not a single drop of remastering love (let alone HD treatment) has been poured on even the alternate endings.

Bottom line? This is looking like a future double dip. If you don't care for extras or hearing the movies in a language other than English, this will probably suit you fine, even without the unrated cut of Live Free or Die Hard.

However, this is far from being the Definitive version of the movies to have, to the point of getting me wondering if FOX actually knows the fact that this edition of the movie should be the one for all the american continent. Moreso, I'm left guessing if they care about what their public wants: both their High Definition users and their non-north american audience.

This review was for the original Die Hard Collection released in 2009, not the recent 25th Anniversary Collection released in 2013. So this review below is for the 2009 set, not the 2013 set. I do not own the 2013 set (25th Anniversary Collection). Check when other reviews were written by other members to see if they posted recent reviews for the 2013 edition.

When I think Blu-ray, I expect high quality video and sound, otherwise there is no point to buying a blu-ray version of an already existing dvd.

The first two movies, Die Hard 1 & 2 from the 80's, look terrible visually. FOX did a horrible job in re-mastering these for blu-ray, or they did not re-master them at all. It is possible they used the regular dvd's and just up-converted them without remastering/restoring them digitally. Sound is decent. The third film, Die Hard with a Vengeance is more recent from the 90's, but it doesn't look great. The fourth film does look good and sounds great, but it would be more convenient to just purchase the fourth film as a blu-ray version and get the first three on regular DVD if you don't own them already. You would save a lot more money and you would be getting the same thing as this box set here. FOX definitely messed up with this whole set.

UPDATE: If the price does drop under thirty and you don't own any of these movies, the set is worth purchasing. If you already own the movies on DVD, the upgrade isn't worth the price. Wait for a new remastered version to be released in the future. Many shots are soft in Die Hard 1 and Die Hard 2. It's hard to believe that the films were shot this way with the focus so soft.

Updated to three stars after rewatching the films multiple times again.

Buy Die Hard Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2: Die Harder / Die Hard with a Vengeance / Live Free or D Now

I grew up with the Die Hard movies. I really liked the 1st movie and am in the minority becuase I also enjoyed the second. The 3rd and 4th movie I liked, though not as much, because they didn't feel like Die Hard movies as much as the first two did. 1&2 consentrated mostly on John McClain. With the 3rd you had Samuel Jackson. He was a big focus during the movie, but was similar enough to Bruce Willis' character that it didn't distract too much from the movie.

With the 4th movie, it didn't feel like Die Hard so much. At times, it almost felt like a sequel to 16 blocks, that had been watered down to a PG13. Don't get me wrong though, I did enjoy the movie, but it definitely isn't the Die Hard I grew up with.

The audio was very good on all films, but I was disappointed by the earlier films video quality. After recently seeing what Warner Bros. were able to do for Blade Runner, the first two movies are pretty disappointing. BR is 25 years old and they were able to make it look like it was made almost yesterday (except for obviously dated tech). I wish they would have taken a little more time and cleaned up the films better.

While this is a good deal for all 4 movies, you might want to wait for an unrated version before purchasing these. I'm hoping the reason there wasn't an unrated blu-ray version is that they're going back to do some re-edits to make it better than the unrated version released on DVD.

Read Best Reviews of Die Hard Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2: Die Harder / Die Hard with a Vengeance / Live Free or D Here

Die Hard 5 has just been announced for theatrical release in 2013. And rumor is that this will be the last one Bruce Willis will do. If this is the case then wait for the inevitable 5 movie box set. I agree if this existing set goes under $30, and you cant wait for the 5th film,* then it would be a good purchase, even if it doesnt have the unrated Live Free or Die Hard cut. I hope that the box set will have all the bells and whistles and I will wait until then.

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Having viewed both this set and the blu-ray collection, I can honestly say this is the set to buy. The blu-ray collection is very nice and looks good but the older films (especially the first) just dont look any better in blu-ray. It actually looks more grainy on the blu-ray than the traditional dvd. However, the 4th film looks spectacular in blu-ray but that is the only one I would say is worth the extra cash. This set costs about half of the blu-ray edition and includes more extra features than any Die Hard fan could want. Each movie comes with a bonus disc chalk full of commentaries, documentaries, and behind the scenes footage. I found the audio and video of these dvds to be mastered very well considering the 1st film is 20 years old. The only issue i noticed was slight edge enhancement on certain scenes in the first 3 movies, but hardly distracting. So do yourself a favor, save the cash and buy a set that is just about as good. You wont be disappointed.

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Scream 3 (2011)

Scream 3 is the final film of the Scream Trilogy. In Scream 3, Sidney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell) realizes that another killer is stalking her when cast members of "Stab 3: Return to Woodsborro" start to get killed. She decides to keep hidden in her well protected home in the mountains, until the killer finds out her hiding place. She then goes to Hollywood, where all the murders are happening, to face the killer. Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox Arquette) and Dwight "Dewey" Riley (David Arquette) have their usual love fling, and they both investigate the murders and the photos that the killer leaves behind after each murder to try to find out who the killer is. So far, the Scream series has been a "slash-`em-up" series with lots of scares and gore. Scream 3 is much different than the other two. Scream 3 is more of a thriller with a "whodunit" plot. Scream 3 definitely doesn't have as many intense murder scenes, and a lot less blood than the other two. The movie ends in a twist that you probably never would have thought of. Scream 3 is rated "R" because of profanity, gore, and violence that may be inappropriate or offensive to young audiences and people who get offended by such matter. Scream 3 is mainly based on events that were in the first Scream, so I advise you watch the first two movies of the trilogy before you go see the third one, otherwise you would be lost. If you saw the first two movies of the trilogy, I suggest you go see Scream 3. It links the events of the other two movies together and makes the whole trilogy make some kind of sense. This movie pretty much answers the question of whether or not their will be a Scream 4. Watch it to find out!

ok so Scream 3 isnt the same inspired thrill ride that the first two were but belive me this is still a heart pounding, shocking, scary, freaky and emotional thrill-ride. Once again our ghost masked killer is back for some more, but this time he quite happly tell all the potential victims what hes going to do and how hes going to do it as well. From what they can figure out the killer is slicing people up in the order they die in Stab 3 (the third movie about the woodsboro murders)One of my personal faviourite scenes is when all the victims are stuck in a house while the killer is faxing bits of the script, while the actors are frantically trying to read the faxs there getting. I did find that this film is more energetic than the others in the trilogy. The whole feel of this film is actually more grown up, I think that one of the most extremely inspired murders is when Posey Parker gets stuck behind a wall of mirrors as the killer trying to slice her up to shreds, but dewey and sydney can hear her but cant see her.

Ithink that the ending deserves a paragraph to its self as it's what really makes this film as inspired as it is, I was a fan of the ending on number one but really hated number two as to me it just seemed really silly and completely unrelavent to the plot. This ending is real white knuckle stuff, there secret passages miror walls secret doors and much more Sydney gets beaten around so much that you really truly start to think that she could lose this battle and she very nearly does, the ending is very stylishly done with progectors and mobiles and guns and knives, you really start to feel the desperation that sydney is going through. you also feel sorry for Gail and Dewey as they frantically try to get to there friend.

All in all this film is one hell of an ending to a truly inspiring horror trilogy that will stay in peoples memorys forever and we can all just be glad that it didnt spiral into endless sequels that shouldnt even of been made unlike some horror series

The scariest scream is always the last

Buy Scream 3 (2011) Now

Scream 3 was extremely breath-taking. This edge-of-your-seat thriller, box-office hit was one of the best horror films ever made. Wes Craven (A Nightmare On Elm Street) shines again in this exceptionally, brilliantly directed film. Beautifully scripted, and excellent acting. While Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell: TV's Party Of five, Wild Things, The Craft) lives in safely guarded seclusion, bodies begin to pile up around the Hollywood set of Stab 3, the latest sequel based on the Woodsboro murders. And when the electrifying terror finally brings her out of hiding, Sidney and the other Woodsboro survivors, Deputy Dewey Riley, (David Arquette: Beautiful Girls, Scream) Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox Arquette: TV's Friends) join forces against the masked ghostface killer. Featuring newcomers Parker Posey (The House OF Yes, You've Got Mail) who gives us an oscar-worthy performance as Jennifer Jolie, and featuring, great actor, Scott Foley (TV's Felicity) in his film debut as Roman Bridger. Jenny McCarthy gives an awesome, well-acted cameo. I totally recommend this movie to all horror fans, and also to comedy fans. Scream is a slam-bang finish to this exceptionally clever trilogy. It's suspenseful, clever and very entertaining. The most terrifying scream is always the last. Be sure to buy or rent this movie, it's the year's best. This is the film to beat come oscar time.

Read Best Reviews of Scream 3 (2011) Here

Scream 3....the final act? or is it? We are still kept guessing

This trilogy, a true trilogy, is one of the best and definitley the best HORROR trilogy EVER! All characters and actors in these films were perfect for the roles they played. The only question is -Freddy or Ghostface (who's better)

Wes Craven while with Freddy tickled our dreams and fantasy parts of our mind. With The SCREAM TRILOGY he puts reality into the horror genre. Scream is great because EVERYONE can relate to watching scary movies, having friends or loved-ones killing people, and being AFRAID when you're alone.

All the Cast: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, W. Earl Brown, Liev Schreiber, Jenny McCarthy, Parker Posey, Patrick Dempsey, Henry Winkler, Laurie Metcalf, Jada Pinkett, Omar Epps, Drew Barrymore, and my favorite Jamie Kennedy ARE FANTASTIC---LOVE THEM ALL!

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wow! how can people say this film is bad.It kind of acts like the second film didnt happen which is a good thing.The killings were good and i found it the funniest out of all 3.ive heard about a scream 4 but that will just ruin the brilliance of this film.

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Brazil (1985)

Three discs? *Three* discs? That's what you're probably thinking if you're looking at this and *not* a fan of one of the finest films of our time. But this exquisite three-disc treatment is probably the best argument for DVD (and thankfully, for Criterion) that I can give you: Watch these discs, listen to the extensive audio commentary, compare Gilliam's brilliant vision with the Hollywood Studio "Love Conquers All" bastardization, er, sorry, recutting (how many directors would include a admittedly contradictory vision of his film on a DVD set just to *show* how Hollywood can drastically reshape a vision?), watch the documentary...you'll come away from this boxed set experience understanding more about film and directing, and sadly, studio politics, than you'll ever get from reading "Variety" (certainly more than I got from filmmaking college courses!) At the heart of it all, though, the many extras and made-with-care package would add up to nothing if the original film itself weren't so bloody brilliant. There's very few modern *directors* who will pull me into the box office just to see a new film...Gilliam is one of them. Even his flops or misfires are more interesting than most. But when he hits on all cylinders (excuse the mixed metaphor) as in "Brazil"...the result is purely sublime. Bravo to Gilliam; bravo to Criterion for giving us the definitive home version of the film(s)--a version impossible on VHS. I love my DVD player!

Terry Gilliam's classic satire returns to DVD in a spiffed up edition from Criterion. Featuring a high definition anamorphic remaster the picture looks great (and it has been enhanced for 16x9 TVs so it will fill the screen)the sound has been remastered as well. Is it worth picking up again? Absolutely if you're a fan of the film. The single disc edition is basically the same as the first disc in the three disc set--it includes Gilliam's commentary track as part of the package as well as the "Final Cut" version of the film that runs 142 minutes (vs. 131 for the regular DVD release).

The good news is that unlike the previous edition,"Brazil" has been digitally remastered with special attention paid to cleaning up the film so we don't have all the bits of dirt and debris that occasionally marred the original DVD transfer (which was essentially a DVD transfer of the original laserdisc version).

If you purchased the three disc set and want to upgrade you could just pick up this single disc edition as the extras are exactly the same as the previous edition (unless you want the remastered "Love Conquers All" 92 minute edit done by Universal to make it more commercial). Be aware though that the single disc edition doesn't have any of the material from the third disc of the boxed set. That disc documented the insanity that surrounded the film when Universal deemed it not commercial enough.

Why it took Criterion so long to get this new improved version to market is anyone's guess (and why it took them so long to adopt anamorphic transfers as well). This really is the way it should have been released in the first place. Either way this edition looks and sounds great. It has a terrific commentary track by director Gilliam, an essay but no other extras.

Buy Brazil (1985) Now

There are a million different takes on the actual movie "Brazil," but what I hope to do in this review is actually rate the collection put together by Criterion.

The 3-DVD box set of "Brazil" starts off with the "final final" director's cut of the film, topping out at 142 minutes. (There are eight minutes of footage added to this release.) The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 dimensions. Fact is, the transfer of the movie is so-so.

For all the Criterion hoopla, the print here is flawed. The notes pay tribute to a few digital scratch removers, but I was truly surprised by the amount of garbage in the print (dirt, empty spots, and such) that litter the frames. One of Sam's initial dream flights has considerable gunk inhabiting the lower left corner, and any frame by frame analysis will reveal an endless parade of bits of stuff inhabiting every shot. To be honest, I expected a lot more here and if there is any criticism of this collection, it lies with this fault primarily. They could have cleaned everything up considerably more than they did. And that's a shame at this price.

Colors and contrast in the print look good, though, and the sound is fabulous. They pulled out a full stereo soundtrack and made it sing, so kudos there, too. The sound is clean and vibrant.

The booklet detailing the film is good, but not the best I've seen, even for a lesser boxset. The content listings for the other two DVDs are little more than a single overview sheets.

Director Terry Gilliam's commentary track on the first disc is priceless and fascinating, almost worthy of the cost for the set alone. As a film geek, I personally find all director commentaries to be interesting, so I may not be the best judge. In this case, though, Gilliam gives us a rich look at the film that stands up to the best of other directors's commentaries I've heard.

Criterion's skimping on the booklets is made up for in the second disc, which contains all the background of the film. "The Battle of Brazil" is the high point as Gilliam and some of the Universal Studios execs discuss the crazy backstory that almost led to the demise of the film as we know it. The film's handlers and financiers all fretted that they had an arthouse piece that would go nowhere, but Gilliam refused to make the desired cuts or to swerve from the darkness of the ending. It wasn't until he managed to sneak a final edit of the movie to the Los Angeles Film Critics organization that he was able to outduel the execs. When the critics lauded the film and lavished their prizes on it, the naysayer's bluff was called and the film was released, albeit to only modest box-office that barely made back its money. Film critic Jack Matthews hosts this slightly more than an hour examination of the battle between the creative forces and the forces of pragmatism.

The second DVD also includes "What is Brazil?" a mostly throwaway behind the scenes look at the making of the film that features the cast and some of the writers. I didn't find it particularly illuminating.

The big disappointment in the second DVD is that many of the production notes covering the design, special effects, score, and more are not filmed, but simply text. I wanted more than that. Somewhat disappointing. There are some good insights into the flying effects in the dream sequences, though. That much of it was model work is simply amazing.

The last DVD features the bowdlerized, 94 minute TV syndication release of the film dubbed "Love Conquers All." This happy ending version was done apart from Gilliam and probably represents what the studio heads had hoped would be the released version. "Execrable" is too kind a word to use to describe this version. Critic David Morgan's commentary notes all that was left out, and a few scenes that were added back in. While this version isn't worth your time, it is worthy of inclusion in the set, fleshing out the madness that almost killed the movie entirely.

I have always considered "Brazil" to be genius, frankly. As a dystopia, the world it portrays out-Orwells them all. If you hate bureaucracy--and who but bureaucrats doesn't--then this is the film for you. And only Gilliam would be daring enough to make a renegade HVAC repairman a mythically heroic addition to that world.

Plenty of people don't get this movie and I don't know why. Roger Ebert loved "Dark City," but passed on "Brazil," inexplicably, so even critics aren't perfect. Many of today's films owe much to "Brazil" and that alone makes it important.

In the end, three stars for the package and five for the film itself. The lack of a more pristine print subtracts two full stars from what would have otherwise been a perfect review, however. Criterion's boxset, though flawed, is still the best way to experience the film, so if you are a fan of "Brazil" or Gilliam's work, this is the only way to fly.

Read Best Reviews of Brazil (1985) Here

Just a warning, but if you buy the non-Criterion Collection version of Brazil, you are getting the 2 hour, 11 minute American release, which is what people got in theatres in America in 1985, in other words, the Universal Studios domestic release.

If you buy the Criterion Collection Version, you get two movies, neither of which is 2 hours, 11 minutes long! The first disc is the International Release from 1985, as distributed by Fox, which is 2 hours, 22 minutes long. The other disc is the 94 minute cut (abomination, what have you) created by Sid Sheinberg and Universal Studios.

Again, even the standard release of the Brazil DVD is a product of Universal butchering, which, while it allows for a dark ending, cuts a couple of scenes at the end that help to tie the film together. If you have not seen all 142 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes) of Brazil, you have not been to Brazil...

Universal has continued to disappoint me with sub-standard DVD releases (the Jerk and The Sting, both full screen and poor digital transfers, Dune in its shortened domestic release, and many more), which brings me to my original point, which is that Criterion, who's special edition DVDs are consistently wonderful, should do all of Universal's DVDs, and put us out of our misery.

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This is the re-release of Brazil by Criterion, which stars Robert DeNiro, Jonathan Pryce, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins and many more, and directored by Terry Gilliam.... this is the ulitmate movie that all science fiction buffs must own...

So what is the difference between this release and the previous 3 disc collection???? Well primarily, it's for the new Anamorphic presentation of the film, it will otherwise be the same as the previous release......

For those who already own the previous release, my suggestion is to go for the single discer to replace the older non Anamorphic feature disc, but for those who don't have a copy... what are u waiting for ???? Get this boxset today!!!!This is the very defintion of what eXtras on a dvd collector's set should have..... Criterion accomplished the untinkiable!!!

For the benefit of those who do not have the previous release, this is the breakdown of all the dvd details....

142 minutes, Color,1.78:1 Aspect Ratio, Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0

Anamorphically enhanced, English.

DISC ONE:

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Terry Gilliam, with a remastered Dolby stereo surround soundtrack--NOW IN ANAMORPHIC!!

Audio commentary by Gilliam

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

PLUS: An essay by Jack Mathews

DISC TWO:

A treasure trove of Brazil-iana:

30-minute on-set documentary What Is Brazil?

Criterion's original exposé The Battle of "Brazil": A Video History, which reassembles players in the battle over the film's U.S. release

Hundreds of storyboards, drawings, and publicity and production stills

Rare raw and behind-the-scenes footage

Exclusive video interviews with the production team

Original theatrical trailer

DISC THREE:

The 94-minute "Love Conquers All" version of Brazil, with all the changes Gilliam refused to make

An audio essay by journalist David Morgan

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