Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (The Criterion Collection) (1983)

This marvelous film, based on my favorite novel "The Seed And The Sower" by Sir Laurence Van Der Post, is light years away from the stereotypical prisoner-of-war film. It is so because of its profound understanding of clashing cultures, the hatreds that drive them, and the love that redeems hostile nations time and time again. David Bowie is often cited as the main character, but in actuality, his is a compelling supporting role. Tom Conti has the best role of his career as Lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence, a British officer imprisoned in a camp on Java. Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto scored the film and also plays Captain Yonoi, the aristocratic, Shakespeare-quoting commandant of the camp. These two characters have a strong relationship which, nevertheless, is handicapped by the fact that Lawrence understands the Japanese better than Yonoi understands the British. Yonoi, and Bowie's character, Major Jack Celliers, are wracked with guilt over incidents in their past; Yonoi was unable to be with, and die with, his comrades, the "shining young officers" of Japan's February 1936 military coup. Celliers betrayed his deformed younger brother while attending boarding school. Lawrence is caught in the middle of these two tortured men. He is repelled by the brutality of the Japanese, even as he respects them, and their samurai code of honor. Indeed, wayward Japanese guards are dealt cruel and lightening-fast corporal punishment by their officers; and mistreatment of the prisoners is due to cultural belief, not simple sadism. The beauty of this film lies in the empathy that ostensible enemies feel for one another, and the unexpected kindnesses they show toward one another. But Yonoi's devotion to bushido, and blindness to the British sense of honor, leads to a startling climax. If the final scene doesn't make you weep, then get your heart checked, will you?

An amazing film, only slightly marred by a few botched scenes and poor editing. (Oshima rarely shot more than one take.)

I've been suckered into a few other DVD releases of this film, so I was skeptical about this one. However in selling my other two copies and taking the money from those sells and buying this one, well need I say this is the last version, but the one I'm completely satisfied with. The extras included filmed memories by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Producer JeremyThomas and Director Nagisa Oshima as well as an 1983 thirty-minute behind the scenes short. The film is beautiful and has been mastered from a new 35MM print and the haunting score by Ryuichi Sakamoto makes this DVD a treasured film for years to come.

Buy Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (The Criterion Collection) (1983) Now

A highly unusual war movie with as many detractors as fans, this English-language feature directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions and treatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the camp commandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken, spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a more conventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film has a way of evoking as many questions as certainties, and it is not always easy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. But that's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certain relationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The cast is outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way.

Read Best Reviews of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (The Criterion Collection) (1983) Here

I originally saw this movie many years ago on a cable premium movie channel, and I think that version had either English subtitles or dubbed English vocals for the Japanese dialog. Anyway, the particular VHS version offered here by Amazon has neither. Amazon's product description does not warn potential purchasers of this "missing piece." That said, I am glad that I decided to purchase this movie (VHS video) so that I could see it again. Also, for you viewers who are members of the NetFlix or Blockbuster rental video service, a Region 1 DVD is not available (as of Feb. 2007).

This movie is one of the most unique and interesting WWII movies I have ever seen. Tom Conti (Lawrence) and Davie Bowie (Celliers) give knockout performances. The Japanese actors are equally excellent. With the lack of subtitles, one has to guess what is transpiring when the characters are speaking Japanese (quite a lot of Japanese dialog). Fortunately, the Japanese actors are very good with facial expressions and body language, which provide some insight into what is going on.

Some reviewers have compared "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" with "The Bridge On the River Kwai" (1957). The former reflects the sensibilities of a Japanese director, and the latter the sensibilities of a British director (David Lean). Therefore, IMO, a direct comparison is not really meaningful. These two films are so very different in many ways. I also think that "Merry Christmas..." is not so much a "war movie" as it is a study in the contrast of Japanese culture and values with Western ones. The plot also explores, with the Celliers' character, the tortured mind of a man who finds himself in the most desperate of circumstances.

In summary, this is a very unusual WWII movie, but well worth the time you need to invest in understanding the character development of the Allied and Japanese soldiers without benefit of English subtitles. Perhaps sometime in the near future, this movie will be released in a Region 1 DVD format with subtitles and some digital restoration of the original film. Such an effort should well reward the owners of this film financially. And, of course, the many lovers of this movie (in Region 1--USA and Canada) will benefit, too.

Want Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (The Criterion Collection) (1983) Discount?

Tom Conti is a British Officer who questions a Japanese officer (R Sakamoto) at the end of WW2. He asks questions about another British officer (David Bowie) who had been a prisoner of the Japanese in a camp commanded by Sakamoto. Told in flashbacks it's tells the difference in cultures between the British and Japanese. Sakakoto tries to break Bowie but in the end is taken prisoner by the British. Good story but sometime brutal and disturbing. Overall I recommend it for the 3 actors and the way the movie portrays what being a POW in a Japanese prison was like. Criterion is the best when remastering these older movies.

Save 33% Off

Gridiron Gang (2006)

"Gridiron Gang" is the true story of Sean Porter (The Rock), a detention camp officer who tries to make something out of the kids in the camp at which he works. He attempts to instill discipline, honor, teamwork, and pride through football. He feels that this will help to keep them from going back to their old lifestyle once released. He wants to help them break the cycle of violence. Initially met with some resistance, he manages to schedule a season and help the kids make something of themselves.

While being a typical "feel good" sports movie, "Gridiron Gang" feels less clichéd than the majority of these kinds of films. The acting is good all around, and The Rock is well suited for the role of Porter. It is truly remarkable what the real Sean Porter accomplished. I liked this film more than I anticipated, and recommend it.

I would recommend this movie for anyone who wishes to watch a film that shows true emotion, that shows real characters overcoming obstacles in their lifes. This is without a doubt, The Rock's best performances in a movie. So if you enjoy a hard-hitting, emotional underdog story, then pick up The Gridiron Gang, because it won't disappoint. Absolutely awesome movie in my opinion. Its worth your money.

Buy Gridiron Gang (2006) Now

What Gridiron Gang lacks cinematic acheivement, it more than makes up for in heart.

For those that don't know, Gridiron Gang is based on the documentary of the same name which itself was the true account of a youth correctional facility using the sport of football to teach kids all the things the normal process was failing to do. It's an important film because it, like the documentary, point out real problems that cities all over this country have not only with youth crime but most importantly the failure we are as a society to rehabilitate.

The previews, and indeed the film, focus a lot on the football aspects of this film almost to a fault. I say this because this story is about the achievements made with these kids off the field rather than on it. We shouldn't be caring so much about whether these kids win a football game as much as we should be caring whether they do something to cause them to end up back in prison. I say almost to a fault because while there are considerable football scenes, it is important to see these kids' achievements on the field in order to make sense of their acheivements off it, and while there may be a lot of action on the field, it never overshadows the fact that this is a tough-love teacher film a la 'Lean on Me' and 'Stand and Deliver', not a sports movie.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as coach Sean Porter isn't going to be winning any academy awards for this film, but he does show considerable screen presence and enough talent as an actor to pull off a dramatic role like this. Xybit as Malcome Moore not only adds a certain credibility to this film, but I found his parts to be to few and far between which should speak to his talents. The rest of the cast and especially the kids I found to be highly believable. A few times the dialogue they would have to say was a bit too cheesy (or too profound), but one can hardly fault them for that.

The strength of this film lies in the characters and the story. Sean Porter is a hero who had to fight against a society that doesn't care about these kids. These kids, while criminals deserving punishment (and rehabilitation), are kids who live in a world where any one of us would likely have grown up the same way. Sean Porter doesn't work miracles and turn all these kids into honor students and model citizens. What he does is sacrifice of himself to make a dent. There is a touching realism to that as well as a profound realization that we could make miracles instead of dents if the rest of us were more like Sean Porter.

Gridiron Gang is a very enjoyable film. It has it's flaws, but at it's core it's a very human film capable of winning you over with it's moving and inspirational story. I found myself questioning some directorial decisions of the film, but I was never bored. It will almost certainly find it's way into my DVD collection eventually.

Read Best Reviews of Gridiron Gang (2006) Here

Who really wants to see another feel-good movie about a tough educator who takes on both the most violent juvenile delinquents and "the system," raising them from the abyss of failure and imprisonment to success that they wouldn't have dared dream of only months before? Do we really need another formulaic sports flick, "based on a true story" about a coach taking his rag-tag team of underdogs all the way to the city championship?

You bet we do!

In what's being touted as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's dramatic debut, Gridiron Gang showcases both the former professional wrestler's physical prowess and his emerging acting chops as tough-as-nails juvenile detention officer Sean Porter. Frustrated by the 75 percent recidivism rate of the teen felons in his charge at the Camp Kilpatrick reformatory in Los Angeles County, Porter sees that the vicious circle of violence, gang activity, and growing up without fathers has doomed them to wasted lives behind bars.

He keeps sending one troubled kid in particular, Roger (Michael J. Pagan), to "the hole" for punishment.

"Where're you gonna be in four years?" Porter grills him.

"In jail," the sulking youth answers.

"No! You're going to be dead!"

Sure enough, even though Roger is trying to go straight, while on release a week later he is gunned down in a drive-by shooting while hanging out with his old gang. Soon Roger's brother Willie (Jade Yorker) winds up at the same reformatory when he shoots his mother's abusive live-in boyfriend.

Driving home from work one night, Porter spots a group of kids playing football under the lights and has an inspiration. As a last-ditch effort to try to turn around the presumably unsalvageable lives of Camp Kilpatrick's murderers, rapists, and carjackers, he launches a football program.

Porter cajoles many of the toughest youths to join the Mustang team, where nobody gets a free ride and membership has to be earned. Attempting to convince the skeptical administration to fund his team, he reminds them that "these kids have never worked hard for anything in their lives." Once his kids amble onto the practice field, they learn that being tough is more than bullying and posturing, but requires discipline, commitment, and self-restraint.

What impressed me most were the sequences in which Porter builds up the team, drilling them through tough workouts and scrimmages, testing their endurance, and, for the first time in their lives, forging their characters. As with Spencer Tracy's Father Flanagan in the 1938 classic Boys Town, Porter operates on the premise that his boys are not inherently bad. "You are somebody," he tells them, "and are worthy of something." But his attempts to inspire the team go beyond mere pep talks: Porter instills in them the lesson that true self-esteem can be gained only by achievement, not merely by inflating their egos with false praise. "It's a whole new world out there when you earn things," he tells them.

Having Coach Porter as the first man in their lives to believe in them and serve as a father figure fills the youths with false expectations at their first game. Despite a couple of good tackles early on, the Mustangs get a rude awakening once their opponents gather steam. After getting stomped on for a 38-0 loss, not only do many on the team start to question whether the football program is worth it, but so do some of Camp Kilpatrick's administrators.

"We wanted to create self-esteem, but it was just the opposite," one of them laments to Porter. "These kids can't handle that kind of disappointment. We have to pull the plug."

Just as everyone seems willing to throw in the towel, one of Porter's players, Junior (Setu Taase), discovers that self-esteem is more than immediate gratification, and requires diligent effort even in the face of crushing defeat. Junior convinces his teammates why they must not give up. "It's like I told you, Coach," he explains to Porter, "we're tired of being losers." Predictably, the Mustangs improve and fight their way to the playoffs.

While the action on the field is shot a little too claustrophobically with telephoto lenses, the movie as a whole doesn't suffer much. Trevor Rabin (of the group Yes) provides an emotionally rousing soundtrack. But the pillar of the film is The Rock, who supports it with a strong performance. A former University of Miami football standout, he brings credibility and conviction to his role. While he's come a long way from his "Layeth the Smacketh Down" WWF days, The Rock is still not exactly an accomplished and subtle actor. Of course, tough kids don't need understatement and nuance--they need sturdy and straightforward. Think Lee Marvin's Major Reisman from The Dirty Dozen, crossed with Glenn Ford's Mr. Dadier in Blackboard Jungle.

In the durable genre of tough educators who turn around troubled inner-city youths, The Rock's turn on screen in Gridiron Gang doesn't rise to the level of Morgan Freeman's breakthrough performance in Lean on Me (1989), or Sidney Poitier's memorable turn in To Sir, with Love (1967). Neither does Gridiron Gang belong in the same league with other great sports flicks about underdog teams who go all the way to the top, like Hoosiers (1986) or Friday Night Lights (2004).

But, as a movie which straddles both genres, it really gels and will lift the spirits of most viewers. Sure, Gridiron Gang is formulaic. But what makes it enjoyable and moving is the true-life example of how one man turns around the lives of troubled kids by instilling them with pride, faith in themselves, and awareness that they are not born criminals, but possess the free will to make productive lives for themselves.

No-excuses self-esteem requires a formula, too; and Gridiron Gang shows how it's done.

Want Gridiron Gang (2006) Discount?

Heartwarming. It will make you laugh, make you cry. Make you want to work out.

I loved this movie. Based on a true story at the end, they show the real guys liked that.

the Rock, is a hunk, no need to argue that. Hot. mmmmmm. But, more importantly, he was really good in this film. He is a worker at this prison for boys, and gets disgusted with the return rate, and death rate of the kids who get out. so, he comes up with a plan to help these boys.

as a mommy, I loved all the boys. wanted to hug them all. sniff. very good casting of all of the kids.

truly a heartwarming story. good for kids over 14. swearing and some violence. actually would be very educational for boys that think they are real "tough" hummm, I can think of a few! Good lessons, good entertainment.

buy it.

Save 25% Off

Body of Lies (Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) (2008)

I have been awaiting the release of this dramatic action thriller directed by Ridley Scott and Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crow for a long time and I was not disappointed.

DiCaprio plays a C.I.A. agent in the middle east who is trying to collect intelligence and is running into twists and turns around every corner. DiCaprio's performance is outstanding. You completely forget who he is and become immersed as him as a C.I.A. agent who is undercover. This is quite an acting job considering that he is the furthest thing from that. He has the grizzled appearance of someone undercover and his scenes are so strong and commanding that he doesn't have that baby boy aspect to him that I've seen in other of his pictures. His was an Oscar worthy performance.

There is the eye in the sky tracking DiCaprio by camera from above as he goes about his seemingly rouge missions for the C.I.A. Russell Crowe plays the older C.I.A. family man who is in contact with Ferris (DiCaprio) as he walks the minefield that is intelligence gathering in the middle east. Crowe is absorbed in his daily life in America and seemingly is oblivious to the hardships and deadly consequences that Ferris is facing. This is an understated role for Crowe who also very good performance. He does not look at all like that same man who played The Gladiator. And I think this is the most relaxed character I've seen him play yet.

This film was expertly directed by Ridley Scott to the point that at times I felt as if I were there. You can almost feel the sand in your lungs and the stink of death and open air markets as you feast your eyes on this gem.

Although I'm not typically an action movie man this one reeled me in because you really didn't know what was next around the corner. The action scenes are great, by the way, even though that's not why I pick movies to watch.

This is a great movie and if you like the actors, director, and genre of this film then it is a definite for you to watch.

I give it all five stars and will watch it again.

Kevin W. Mattingly

Harrisburg Times.

You really have to admire Ridley Scott's moxie.

Even though the 70-year-old director has long established himself as one of Hollywood's best and most durable directors; having helmed some of the most entertaining films of all time, in virtually every genre (including sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner); and having been nominated no less than three times for the Best Director Oscar (Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down), to decide to take on theme that has produced exactly zero blockbusters thus far the Middle East and terrorism takes an incredible amount of chutzpah.

But it does help if you have the help of two of the biggest actors in Hollywood at the moment, those being Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe (who has worked with Scott on two previous films, Gladiator and A Good Year). It's ironic to think that the last time these two actors shared the screen was back in 1995, with the clichéd-but-entertaining oater The Quick and the Dead. Of course, at the time, Crowe was a complete unknown and DiCaprio was a 21-year-old newcomer with only a couple of notable titles under his belt. But oh, how that's all changed now.

It's not easy to describe the plot of Body of Lies without giving too much away. DiCaprio plays CIA operative Roger Ferris, who is trying to flush out a terrorist leader named Al-Saleem in Jordan. He gets his orders from Ed Hoffman (Crowe), a man for whom results are the only satisfactory outcome, delivered with a fair amount of arrogance and a cocky Southern drawl. Ed plays the situation like a kid playing a video game, and has the resources to change the rules anytime he feels like it, dispensing his orders from his office, from his backyard, from his daughter's soccer game, for Pete's sake! This, of course, infuriates Ferris to no end, because he is the one who is in the trenches, chasing the bad guys, dodging bullets, ducking explosions, and procuring the badly-needed intelligence that Hoffman needs. Ferris is also trying to build a productive working relationship with the head of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong), a relationship that is made even more tenuous by Hoffman's double-dealings and hidden agendas.

There are so many ways that Scott could have screwed this up. A lesser director might have chosen to ramp up the action, sacrificing intelligence for entertainment. A lesser director could have taken this story of espionage and twisted it into a convoluted and indecipherable Gordian knot. A lesser director would have gotten less convincing performances from his lead actors.

But Ridley Scott is not a lesser director. Though the plot is indeed complex, with many layers and sub-layers, deceit and treachery, Scott never lets you lose sight of the overall picture. He tells a solid, wonderfully entertaining story, without the need to drive home its message with sledgehammer subtlety (after all, very few things are black and white). And most of all, he gets electric performances from Crowe and DiCaprio, whose symbiotic relationship with a thinly-veiled veneer of mutual contempt is a pleasure to watch.

I don't know if Body of Lies will end up breaking through the barrier that every movie in this genre couldn't; but for what it's worth, I hope it does. One thing's for sure... if anybody can, Ridley Scott can.

Buy Body of Lies (Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) (2008) Now

Ridley Scott delivers again in a long line of excellent films. Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray], Alien (The Director's Cut), Thelma & Louise (Special Edition), and Black Hawk Down to name some of the more influential films he has directed.

The common theme, repeated again in Body of Lies, people's struggle to do the right thing, to fight for good. Scott also has a particular film style that he uses to great advantage in this film. This story in other hands would not be nearly as powerful. The pacing in Body of Lies is very similar to Blade Runner.

This is essentially a series of three short stories, or a play in three acts. Each act starts out calmly, building to a huge climax, and then there is the resolution. The common thread through each act is Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. It would appear at first that this is going to be a very complicated film, mideastern conflict films or news articles are usually incredibly complex and mind numbing. However, Scott has managed to use the appropriate names and complicated cultures, but keeps the film focused on the critical story line Roger Ferris (DiCaprio). In fact, the film is very simple and easy to follow.

In the first two acts, DiCaprio was believeable with his beard, dirty clothes, and speaking arabic languages. His character was a bit less believeable in the third act and as he started the relationship with Aisha. There were a few moments where the film wandered a bit. It was especially when Roger drove himself in a vehicle. That may sound strange, but it was emphasized several times, "do want to ride in the front or back?", that he was not driving. There was a loss of focus with him at the wheel.

Russell Crowe plays an overweight, southern boy, CIA director, named Ed Hoffman. He is simply perfect through the whole film. Never a misstep. Crowe has an amazing range in his acting ability.

The story is somewhat like 24, terriorist chases, a relationship with the pretty woman, trust me I know whay I'm doing, etc. But Body of Lies moves much farther ahead, and makes a stronger more believeable message than 24.

From a production standpoint, Ridley Scott is a master. This reviewer noted only a few missteps. One sadly obvious one was a pan to follow Roger walking across a hallway late in the film. Roger walks way out of focus and then back in the camera movement was too radical and quick to keep focus. It sadly was not on purpose. Otherwise, everything else was spot on perfect considering the film genre.

This is definately an R rated film. There is a fairly brutal scene at the end, and some punishing (this was the term used in the film) earlier on. There's enough language and violence to land appropriately in this category. Probably not a film for younger viewers at all. There is no nudity.

The DVD contains no bonus features at all. Simply the movie, sound choices, and chapters. But that's the way it should be, the focus was on the quality of the transfer and DVD. Ridley Scott is actually a bigger fan of releasing different versions later on, instead of bonus features.

This was an exciting, easy to follow and understand film from start to finish. The ending was well near perfect.

Read Best Reviews of Body of Lies (Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) (2008) Here

"Body of Lies" is a taut, riveting thriller that weaves a tale of terrorism, espionage, and betrayal amid the current landscape of violence and retribution in the Middle East. The film is based on the novel by David Ignatius.

Leonardo DiCaprio continues to prove that he's got the acting chops and is believable in action films. Here he plays Roger Ferris, a CIA operative working to track down a bin Ladenesque terrorist named Al-Saleem. Al-Saleem's trail leads Ferris to Jordan, where he must balance working with and between his CIA handler (played with relish by an overweight, aged Russell Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence (brilliantly played by Mark Strong), who are working at crosspurposes with each other. Ferris further complicates his mission by falling for an Iranian nurse (played by Golshifteh Farahani).

The movie uses wild technology, lies and counterlies, torture, and Ferris' growing disdain with the intelligence community. Some of the movie seems quite fanciful, and maybe it is, but except for a couple of places, it holds up as a brutually honest thriller.

"Body of Lies" isn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be. It's fiction. Some may find it unbelievable, but it's a movie, and that means it doesn't have to get everything right. It just has to entertain, and it certainly does.

Want Body of Lies (Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) (2008) Discount?

This movie is based on the novel of the same name by David Ignatius, Editorial Colmnist for The Washington Post.

Mr. Ignatius recently posted a column about the passing of the real-life spy, Gen. Saad Kheir, on whom he based the character 'Hani Pasha,' played by British actor Mark Strong in the movie.

Mr. Ignatius wrote:

Jordan's ace of spies

By David Ignatius

Sunday, December 13, 2009

When the spy movie ends, the suave intelligence chief -having outsmarted his enemies -dusts off the lapels of his perfectly tailored suit and disappears into his world of illusion and control.

That's not how it ended in real life, alas, for Gen. Saad Kheir, the brilliant but emotionally wounded spymaster who headed Jordan's General Intelligence Department (GID) from 2000 to 2005. He died in a hotel room in Vienna on Wednesday of a heart attack, the official Jordanian news agency reported. He was just 56.

Kheir at his best was among the greatest Arab intelligence officers of his generation. He ran a series of masterful penetration operations against Palestinian extremist groups and, later, al-Qaeda. "He set the standard for how we do it," said one former CIA officer who worked closely with him.

I got to know Kheir five years ago when I was researching a novel about the Middle East called "Body of Lies," which was later made into a movie that starred Leonardo DiCaprio. Kheir was the model for my fictional Jordanian intelligence chief, "Hani Salaam." Like all GID chiefs, Kheir was addressed by the Ottoman honorific of "pasha," so I gave the sobriquet of "Hani Pasha" to my fictional version.

Hani Pasha (played in the movie by British actor Mark Strong) stole the show, and for a simple reason -he was based on a true master of the game. My character's tradecraft, manners, even his wardrobe were all modeled on those of the real pasha.

It was George Tenet, then director of the CIA, who first described to me Kheir's brilliance as an operator. I asked Tenet in 2003 if any foreign intelligence services had been especially helpful against al-Qaeda, and he answered instantly, "The Jordanians," and continued with Tenetian enthusiasm, "Their guy Saad Kheir is a superstar!"

So the next time I was in Amman, I asked the royal palace if I could meet the legendary intelligence chief, and it was duly arranged. I was driven to the GID's fearsome headquarters, past its black flag bearing the ominous warning in Arabic "Justice Has Come" and escorted upstairs to the pasha's office.

Kheir had a rough, boozy charm -somewhere between Humphrey Bogart and Omar Sharif. He was dressed elegantly, as always -in this case, a cashmere blazer, a knit tie and a pair of what looked to be handmade English shoes.

The pasha told me a few stories, and others filled in the details: He made his name penetrating Palestinian extremist groups, such as the Abu Nidal organization. Once he had burrowed into the terrorists' lair, he was able to plant rumors and disinformation that set the group's members fighting among themselves. Before long, Abu Nidal's fraternity of killers had imploded in a frenzy of suspicion and self-destruction. I stole that idea for "Body of Lies."

Kheir researched his targets so thoroughly that he got inside their lives. A former CIA officer told me about one sublime pitch: Kheir tracked a jihadist to an apartment in Eastern Europe and handed him a cellphone, saying: "Talk to your mother." The man's mom was actually on the line, telling him he was a wonderful son for buying her a new TV and a couch and sending her money. "The spoken message was, 'We can do good things for you.' The unspoken message was, 'We can hurt you,' " explained the CIA officer. I took that scene, too, verbatim.

Like many Arab intelligence services, the GID has a reputation for using brutal interrogation methods, and I'm sure that it didn't get the nickname "the fingernail factory" for nothing. But Kheir's successes in interrogation often came from a different kind of intimidation. Colleagues recall him standing behind a suspect, his voice deep with menace, as he talked of the suspect's family, friends and contacts. That was much scarier than physical violence would have been. He waited for them to break themselves, and it usually worked.

Kheir ran afoul of his boss, King Abdullah, when he began pushing into politics and business. It was the classic overreach of intelligence chiefs in the Middle East, and he was sacked in 2005. His dismissal took a cruel toll: Kheir could be seen carousing late at night at his favorite restaurant in Amman, no longer a master of the universe or even, fully, master of himself. But in his prime, he was a genius, and it's hard to think of a foreigner who helped save more American lives than Saad Pasha.

Save 30% Off

Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011)

We bought this as a gift for our nephew for Christmas and he was really happy with it . He only wanted the first one the price for the two of them was hard to resist .

this movie is so funny. i laught everytime i watch this movie. and it's a good price 2 for one.

Buy Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011) Now

Several male comedians' have (in the movies) a character best described as their "alter-ego', ie: a character of the opposite sex engaged in an adventure of some sort or another.

Back in the day Flip Wilson had 'Geraldine', then Eddie Murphy with his (I forgot the name) and of course Tyler Perry's 'Medea'.

Well, Martin Laurence has 'Big Momma'. As far as my tastes go Big Momma is the best! She's sweet, funny, really not gross at all (as these characters' are wont to get, well there are a few, er, moments). Something about the way Martin Laurence executes his character is pleasing...and funny! No F-bombs, just a tad innuendo (ie: a wink wink to the camera) to remind the viewer that it is a male character playing a female role.

Big Momma #1 and Big Momma #2 are great as a set. Big Momma is not a one-trick-pony. The character has depth (to a degree) and the movies' are family friendly, crazy, and good for more than a few gut busting laughs!

I do think Big Momma #1 is the better of the two. Big Momma #2 is kinda like a re-do of #1 and drags abit. Big Momma's House #1 is ****, Big Momma's House #2 is **1/2. Average it out to @ ***1/2 for the set.

Read Best Reviews of Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011) Here

I would advise anyone one who wants a funny, family oriented movie and loves them some Martin Lawerence to go buy this!

Want Big Momma's House 1 & 2 (2011) Discount?

It is worth the money I paid for it. I think that any color and any age can watch these movies and laugh. It is a family movie that brings people together and makes them see life as humorous. There may be some gun scenes that may not be appropriate for children but overall, I think they took big mama and really made a movie that was unique and different fromother movies. Would buy again, well worth the money.

Save 28% Off

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

This is a story about a stubborn and arrogant man who needs to push his body to its absolute limits, but who dedicates very little of his energy to his soul or intellect. That's the concept the unites this film and the book on which it was based. But ultimately films owe no debt to the books or the reality on which they are based (read the book "Monster" by the late screenwriter and author John Gregory Dunne if you need to get that straight).

Brad Pitt is not unwatchable as Heinrich Harrer, but you may cringe at his Austrian accent. Just remember that this film may not have been made at all without his interest and participation, and it wouldn't have been permitted the sort of budget that gave us the amazing landscapes which dominate the movie.

I suppose once they had their big star, casting went for the very finest actors they could find regardless of their status: therefore, we have two beautifully resonant performances by David Thewlis as Pitt's climbing companion and Lhapka Tsamchoe as the Love Interest.

This movie is about Heinrich Harrer, but there is some focus on his ties to the Dalai Lama. Very little screen time is spent in the camp for enemy aliens (those were YEARS of his life) or the difficult scrabble simply to exist once he escaped. The shots of the Dalai Lama's early childhood are there not only to foreshadow the important role the Dalai Lama ultimately plays, but also to establish a link between the child who befriends Harrer and the son who Harrer does not know.

The authenticity and detail of Tibetan life, dress, buildings, and so forth is rare and overwhelming. Even if it was staged, it is a good record of a lost time.

Further praise to the screenwriter (Becky Johnston) who translated a good book into a good movie. The addition of a few good laugh lines and the general development of character were well done.

Heinrich Harrer is an interesting man and merits a movie about his life. Of course, the elements of living in Tibet and developing a friendship with the Dalai Lama are crucial to the interest. For my part I've watched the movie several times and I always get deliciously lost in the scenery.

SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

(USA 1997)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)

Theatrical soundtracks: Dolby Digital / SDDS-8

The only thing more beautiful than Brad Pitt in Jean-Jacques Annaud's low-key drama SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET is the astonishing location photography (Argentina, Canada, Austria and the Himalayas standing in for Tibet), rendered in glorious Panavision widescreen by cinematographer Robert Fraisse. Pitt, every inch the blond Aryan god, plays real life explorer Heinrich Harrer (on whose book this film is based), an arrogant Nazi bully who ran from his wife's unhappy pregnancy to conquer the Himalayas toward the end of the 1930's. Stranded there by the outbreak of World War II, Harrer found his way to the forbidden city of Lhasa, where his unexpected friendship with the teenage Dalai Lama (played with great warmth and sincerity by non-actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk) curbed his ruthless streak and provided him with a fresh outloook on life, until he was forced to flee the country following the Chinese invasion.

Suffering from unfair comparisons with Martin Scorsese's KUNDUN (1997), which opened shortly afterward both movies were denounced by mainland Chinese officials Annaud's film evokes the splendors of a remote mountain community founded exclusively on Buddhist principles (in an amusing sequence, Pitt is asked to build a movie theater without killing the hundreds of worms uncovered by his workers' excavations). It may be a Hollywoodized vision, but it's also respectful and, in places, deeply moving ("Do you think someday people will look at Tibet on a movie screen and wonder what happened to us?" the Dalai Lama asks Pitt in one of the movie's most self-referential moments).

When Chinese troops invade the Tibetan stronghold towards the end of the film, they display all the arrogance and hostility which had typified Harrer's behavior until he was transformed by the example of his gracious hosts. Distinguished by John Williams' majestic score (so much better than the tuneless dirge he provided for SLEEPERS the previous year), the film also features David Thewlis (NAKED) as Pitt's climbing partner, Lhakpa Tsamchoe as the beautiful woman who comes between them for a while, and B.D. Wong as a lowly Tibetan official whose vanity and cowardice prompts the downfall of his own culture.

Buy Seven Years in Tibet (1997) Now

There are so many spiritual moments in this movie. I was literally captivated from start to finish. The theme of mountain climbing was fascinating and the sheer beauty of the snow laden mountains gives the story a purity of spirit.

In my humble opinion, this is Brad Pitt's finest movie yet. As the Austrian mountain climber, Heinrich Harrer, he brings a sexy warmth to a freezing climate. At first Heinrich is only concerned with his own existence and is quite out of touch with his spiritual self. He abruptly leaves his very pregnant wife to fend for herself as he runs off to join an expedition to climb Nanga Parbat in British India in 1939.

He seems to be on a personal journey with destiny lending a hand. While climbing, he is captured and spends time as a prisoner of war. Not even this experience breaks the chains that seems to hold his soul captive. In his case, the enemy doesn't help him to develop patience and compassion. It takes the heart of a child to show him why he should climb down from the mountain of his own pride, so he can take on a higher challenge, love.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful story of two souls who find one another under the most hostile situation. For a brief moment in time, they know true friendship, despite the age and cultural differences.

Unfortunately, mankind is rarely happy with what they have and when Tibet comes under attack, the tranquility and harmony of the Tibetan city of Lhasa is completely destroyed.

While humans have the ability to destroy one another, they also have the ultimate responsibility to love one another and nothing is more difficult when your philosophies of life clash so horribly. While peace is the ultimate goal, this movie brings the realization that evil is alive and well and that at times, evil seems to have an upper hand in many countries.

Still, the hope for peace and happiness for every human burns in some hearts like a flame for the rest of the world to see. Finding a reason to live in a difficult situation and not running from your responsibilities to friends, family and country is also emphasized.

Thoughtful and will leave you with a feeling of peace and hope.

Quotes from the Dalai Lama I found recently:

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.

We have to take seriously our concern for all of humanity. When we focus on our individuality, humanity inevitably suffers. Whether we love humanity or not, we must realize that we are part of it. That is why being compassionate is actually in my own best interest. And a symptom of my own peace of mind that I can share comfort with others around me.

It is constructive and worthwhile to analyze our emotions, including compassion and our sense of caring, so that we can become more calm and happy. Hatred, jealousy, and fear hinder peace of mind. When you're angry or unforgiving, for example, your mental suffering is constant. It is better to forgive than to spoil your peace of mind with ill feelings.

Altruism is the best source of happiness. There is no doubt about it.

~The Rebecca Review

Read Best Reviews of Seven Years in Tibet (1997) Here

In this lengthy (132 min) basically true tale, Brad Pitt portrays an egotistical, selfish, pompous, despicable, Nazi jerk (admittedly, not a pleasant combination of characteristics) whose abhorrent personality ruins his marriage and alienates all around him. While on a mountain climbing expedition, he is captured and imprisoned by the British in India. After numerous escape attempts, he finally does achieve freedom and begins a long trek to the relative safety of independent Tibet. Unfortunately, outsiders are not welcome in Tibet, and thus begins a 7+ year ordeal which culminates in his becoming a tutor and friend of the youthful Dahli Lama. Through their interaction and strongly influenced by Tibetan culture, Pitt's character achieves a complete reversal of personality, emerging an infinitely better individual. How all this happens is both believable and beautifully presented.

I found Pitt's uneven German accent to be inaccurate and highly distracting, but this is my only complaint about the production. Photography, music and settings are magnificent....successfully capturing the essence of the Himalayas and 1940's Tibetan culture. For those not familiar with the Dahli Lama's current exile to India, this movie provides a clear and honest historical review of events that made it necessary. You will come to understand why, to this day, so many people support him and his country so fervently.

I recommend the movie to all mature viewers who appreciate superb scenery, epic scope, excellent acting (accents aside), insights into history and exotic cultures, and a heart-warming character renaissance.

Want Seven Years in Tibet (1997) Discount?

The Chinese genocide of the Tibetans is one of the most disgusting and disturbing events in modern history, on par with the Nazi treatment of the Jews. This is doubled by the fact that the western powers did and are doing nothing as members of an ancient civilisation dedicated to spiritual practice are exterminated by the chinese.

There are those who will deny this fact, if you are that ignorant then do not watch this film and write pathetic, twisted comments.

If you are more of a human being then you will enjoy this film. Far from perfect, the depictions of what Lhasa once looked like before the Chinese invasion are breath taking. The film shows Tibetan Buddhist monks being shot in cold blood by Chinese soldiers. This is shocking as it should be. This is what happened to thousands of monks in 6,400 monasteries. In the words of the Dalai Lama, 1,200,000 Tibetans have died as a direct result of Chinese occupation policies.

If you view this film and enjoy it, you might want to read of the plight of Tibet by the Dalai Lama himself. 'My Land and my People,' is an excellent book.

Save 25% Off

Easter Parade (2013)

I really like "Easter Parade" and was eagerly anticipating how beautiful it would look as a result of Warner's Ultra Resolution process. This is a method that electronically aligns the elements of the famous 3-strip Technicolor process to deliver greater sharpness and even details that weren't visible when the film was brand new. Unfortunately, this film doesn't look nearly as good as the other films that previously underwent this process: "Singin' in the Rain," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "Gone With the Wind." Even "The Harvey Girls" and "Annie Get Your Gun," which were restored without the Ultra Resolution process, look much better than "Easter Parade."

All of these films, although not perfect, look almost like they were filmed yesterday with wonderful sharpness and contrast range, an almost three-dimensional clarity, and beautiful, sparkling colors--rather like a Kodachrome slide. "Easter Parade," on the other hand, looks like a very old movie that's had it colors artificially pumped up--like an old tart that thinks a lot of warpaint will make her look young, but fools no one. This transfer HAS to be several generations removed from the negative. It has a thick, flat, dull look: very little contrast or modeling, flesh tones the color of red clay mud, and colors that look as if they were applied to the film with a spatula--no light or life can get through! When there is some contrast and a bit of brightness, the effect is very garish and detail is washed out. Warner Brothers either shortchanged this film financially in its restoration or it was working with elements that were far removed from the original negative or color separations. Yes, this is the best this film has looked on home video. Yes, it often has decent detail, but it looks everybit like a film from 1948--or even older--rather than the almost brand new look we have come to expect from Warner's other major restoration efforts.

"The Band Wagon," another classic musical that was released in conjunction with "Easter Parade," is better, but still has that rather dull, flat, copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy look, and reddish brown fleshtones. Compare it with "Singin' In the Rain," released just a year before: the difference is like night and day! We have come to expect better than this from a company that has given classic film fans the best DVD transfers of any company. I am more than disappointed; I am shocked! What happened, Warner Brothers?

Originally intended as a re-teaming of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, EASTER PARADE ran into trouble when Garland's doctors advised against her working under the direction of her husband, director Vincent Minnelli--and no sooner did director Charles Walters take the helm than Gene Kelly broke his leg. Out of such confusion are movie musical miracles born: although a bit old to act as Garland's leading man, Fred Astaire was coaxed out of retirement. He and Garland had tremendous chemistry, EASTER PARADE was a box office smash, and Astaire unexpectedly found himself reborn as an MGM star.

Set in 1900s New York, the film's story line is flimsy but enjoyable. After long-time dance partner Ann Miller abandons the act, Astaire hires chorus girl Garland and attempts to recast her in his former partner's mold--a situation which offers Astaire and Garland considerable comedy and gives Astaire the chance to parody several of his own famous dance of the 1930s. Garland eventually convinces Astaire that she needs to be herself, and once the act is revamped they become a hot ticket--and, once their several romantic complications are resolved, romantic partners as well.

Astaire is every bit as charming here as he was in his Ginger Roger days, and his choreography retains his signature sharpness, wit, and elegance. Although Garland isn't really a dancer, she holds her own with Astaire and she tears strips off a brillant score of Irving Berlin favorites. Both are well supported by Anne Miller, who gives a brilliant turn with 'Shakin' the Blues Away,' and Peter Lawford, who is quite charming as one of Garland's admirers. Although this really isn't as inspired as the truly great MGM musicals of the late 1940s, director Walters keeps it going at a smart pace, and the star power, clever script, memorable score, and those legendary MGM production values elevate it well above the pack. Musical fans will be in for a treat! Recommended.

Buy Easter Parade (2013) Now

Some movies (especially movies from today) are really to me just a waste of time and money. People just don't seem to care about what people see on the screen anymore. And that is one of the reasons I LOVE old movies! Because you can always, almost, well, you can really never go wrong!! And Easter Parade is one of those movies to just treasure. To save for your children and grandchildren. So they can's appreciate the past, and know that there once was a time when people cared about the things they put on that larger than life screen.

Easter Parade begins with the ballroom dancer, Don Hews (Fred Astaire). Who is in love with his goregeous partner (Ann Miller) Oh, what a star!

Those two are a great team that audiences love. But when Nadene, (Miller) becomes hungry for renown, she dumps him for the Zigfield Follies, and Don's best friend, the handsome Johnny Harlow (Peter Lawford).

Angry Don sets off to prove to Nadene that he can dance with anybody and he doesn't need her! So he finds the chorus girl working at a bar, the Lovely Hannah Brown (Judy Garland). Wonderful songs that put a smile on your face. And clever lines that will make you laugh! Easter Parade has it all!! And as Don Hews realizes he's fallen hoplelessly in love with Hannah. And he proves to the narrow minded, jealous, Nadene, he DOESN'T need her, and he CAN dance with anybody.

Clinton Sundberg plays the bar tender where Hannah used to work. And thinks he knows everything. Lines like:

Astaire: I bet you know alot about women.

Sundberg: I should, been single all my life.

Wonderful songs like: Easter Parade, Love the Piano, A Fella With a Umbrella, Michigan, shakin the Blues away, and more!

Ann also does a jaw droppin performance of Shakin your Blues Away. Wonderful!!! This movie is all smiles!! And let me tell you something, this movie DEFINETLEY cannot miss! I'm only practically 14, but my opinion is very decided, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!

PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR: SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Easter Parade (2013) Here

Hello everyone!

I just thought I'd share with you all that Warner Brothers is in the process of making Corrected Blu-Ray discs for Easter Parade. I got an e-mail today from a Representative at Warner Brothers after I e-mailed them with my concerns regarding the missing "Judy Garland: By Myself" that was advertised and not put on the disc. I was told that they were just made aware of the problem and are in the process of making the correction. They asked me for my address and told me that they would ship it to me as soon as it became available. So, I would e-mail Warner Brothers through their website (warnerbrothers.com) and express the same concerns as I did and someone SHOULD respond to you within a few days and hopefully, ask you for your address so you can get one sent to you. Hope you all didn't run out and buy the 2 Disc Special Edition on DVD just to get this missing extra. :)Easter Parade [Blu-ray]

UPDATE: 3-26-13 Well, I FINALLY got my copy and, as with the rest of you, it was Disc 2 of the DVD 2 Disc Special Edition. I must say, I am rather disapointed that Warner Brothers didn't fix the Blu-Ray version of this Movie and add the missing documentary. I'm sure all they did was tear open a bunch of the 2 Disc sets and take Disc 2 out and throw away the rest of the set; just to satisfy the requests for a fix from me and the rest of you. So, OK. They put a band-aid over the problem. What happens from this point onward?? Are they going to just keep sending out Disc 2 of the DVD collection everytime someone writes or calls to voice their concerns about the missing documentary?? Will they send a bunch of these Disc 2's to Amazon and everyone else selling this movie on Blu-Ray and tell them to include it with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it from them?? Are they EVER going to produce the Blu-Ray with the missing documentary and if so, will they send US a free copy to give us what we should have had all along?? I guess only time will tell.

"I don't wanna complain. But, I drove around that revolting block 51 times and my feet are killing me!" :)

UPDATE: 4-2-13 I just contacted Amazon Customer Service to ask them (now that they are begining to sell this as a "2 Disc Version" Blu-Ray) "Would I get 2 Blu-Ray discs or 1 Blu-Ray disc and 1 DVD disc containing the missing Documentary "By Myself" if I purchased this from Amazon"?? Well, I tried 3 different people and got nowhere. One person denied that this movie was ever put on "hold" by Amazon and only available to purchase through Marketplace Sellers. Are they SERIOUS!?!? So, my suggestion is, buy at your own risk! I suspect that Warner Brothers just sent them a bunch of the same DVD's they gave all of us who contacted them regarding the missing Documentary and told Amazon to just throw it in with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it. But, to call this a "2 Disc Version" is misleading to consumers if this truly isn't a 2 Disc Blu-Ray set. Unless Amazon can give us a straight answer, I would hold off on purchasing this. You want to know exactly what you're getting, don't you??

Want Easter Parade (2013) Discount?

This film is a joy from start to finish and, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the colour and sound reproduction on the DVD are excellent. On this `special edition' there is also an interesting extra in the making of documentary Easter Parade: On the Avenue in which you get to learn interesting little snippets such as the fact that Anne Miller had to dance her numbers in a surgical corset due to the fact that, shortly prior to shooting the film, her husband had pushed her down the stairs and broken her back! Also, some might not have known that, but for a similar, though not quite so severe injury, Gene Kelly might have been playing the lead. The aspect ratio also means that you get the full screen image rather than it being cut down.

There is so much to enjoy: not least, of course, We're a Couple of Swells, in which Judy had to persuade Fred to `dust on' and go very much against the normally suave, sophisticated and elegant grain! It is in this number that she seems almost always to be teetering on the edge of going overboard but just, somehow manages the restraint necessary to achieve a superb piece of vaudevillian pastiche. And then there is Fred's `Steppin' Out With My Baby', in which he ends the number by dancing in slow motion against a backdrop chorus dancing in real time: sheer brilliance.

In an era in which we are often served up garbage and expected to accord it the status of entertainment; of reality TV and Hello magazine and, seemingly, commonplace `mega stars' it isn't often that we get to witness and appreciate true and sublime genius on show.

Save 25% Off

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Don't get me wrongI loved American Beauty. I was shocked by The Sixth Sense. I was moved by Magnolia. But for me, the movie in 1999 that made me sit back and say "wow" was Being John Malkovich.

I am sure you know the plot, and words wouldn't help to describe how original (and ingenious) it is. The film works on so many levelsit is a screwball comedy, an existential discussion of the nature of existence, a study of sexual identity, and a satire of the modern desire to "escape" from life. On top of all of that, it is darn entertaining to watch!

The characters (played to perfection but Cusack, Diaz, Keener, and Malkovich himself) are all well-drawn, and the actors do a fantastic jobwait until you see Diaz, unrecognizable in frizzy hair and frumpy dress.

The directing is top notch as well. Spike Jonze (of Three Kings fame) has made a wise choicehe recognizes the script is the star and has directed a film without any flashy camera work, which would detract from the real focal point. That is not to say the work is pedestrianhe did everything that had to be done to make the film, and he did it well (note his Oscar nod for best director).

The production design is a big star here as well. The 7 1/2 floor is almost "Gilliam-esque"in fact, when I first saw the preview I assumed it was Terry Gilliam's (Brazil, 12 Monkeys) newest film.

The best word to describe this film is "giddy." I saw that because that is what I brought away from itI felt giddy watching it, and you can teel the cast and crew felt the same making it. The best thing I have read about the film was from a rejection letter from another studio, which neglected to option the screenplay: "I'm sure Being John Malkovich would be regarded as a work of genius on whatever planet it was written." If that doesn't make you want to see the thing, nothing will.

"Well, there's this guy...." That's all that some viewers could really come up with when asked to describe "Being John Malkovich", the latest film starring Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener and John Cusack. Oh...and John Malkovich is in it, too. This movie is so original, I can't even begin to explain this movie, other than that it was intelligent, fascinating, and hilarious. Because of the originality, it is completely unpredictable: you are so completely in the dark trying to guess what is going to happen next, that you end up not even bothering to guess-which makes a great movie-going experience.

Cusack plays Craig Schwartz, a puppeteer who believes he is not just a puppeteer, but an artist. Diaz, in a wig that makes her nearly unrecognizable, plays Schwartz' animal-loving wife, Lotte. Cusack, upon the realization that he might not make it as a puppeteer, decides to get a day job, at a place on the seventh and half floor of a New York skyscraper. It is here at this odd office floor, that Cusack stumbles upon a portal to John Malkovich's brain-where he is allowed to experience what it is like to be a celebrity for 15 minutes, and then be spit out somewhere outside the New Jersey turnpike. Hilarity ensues, and metaphysical questions are asked.

This movie is like a dream-and not in the sense that it's an incredibly great movie, although it is. It's like a dream because of the way that the logic is formatted. Things that have seemingly little significance, have a large significance by the movie's end. We are whisked away from plotline to plotline, that soon the rhythm of the rapidfire plot becomes catchy. Things that would not make sense in most movies makes complete sense here. Being John Malkovich's intentional irrationality make this a dadaistic masterpiece, a trend that I am unsure if I would want duplicated, because perhaps then motion pictures would become a medium for the insane.

The writer, Charlie Kaufmann, is quoted as saying that he wrote it not thinking that it would ever turn into a film. In response, John Malkovich said that only a writer who did not think that their script could become a film would write such a script. I'd have an inclination to agree with Malkovich, unless it has become hip to produce scripts that are risky, odd, and seemingly drug-induced. This may well be the one movie that you should see this year. Josh Bob says check it out. Five stars.

Buy Being John Malkovich (1999) Now

In case, you don't know, that's a line from an Oingo Boingo song.

Being John Malkovich is a movie about people. John Cusack is an unemployed puppeteer who gets a new job in a very peculiar place: the 7 & 1/2 floor of an office building. He soon discovers a tunnel into the mind of movie star John Malkovich.

That's the plot at it's most basic. Trying to summarize this movie is like trying to explain what color looks like to a blind man. It is a shockingly original, amazing film. It was truly robbed of an Oscar for best original screenplay: while American Beauty was good, it wasn't as good as Malkovich and not nearly as original.

The direction by Spike Jonze is strange and surreal. There aren't a lot of bright colors or beautiful shots, but the movie really draws you in with it's dark, strange atmosphere. As I said before, the screenplay is utterly brilliant. The movie kind of reminds me of Terry Gilliam's Brazil only it's not nearly as maddening to watch.

The performances are quite good, but really do serve the story. No one stands out in this movie. Not even Malkovich. One note: if you don't pay attention, the plot may confuse you a bit.

Being John Malkovich is a very rare kind of movie indeed: one that is stunningly original and incredibly well-done. Truly a must-see.

Read Best Reviews of Being John Malkovich (1999) Here

Being John Malkovich is one of the most thematically ambitious films of the 1990's. It delves figuratively and literally into the weaknesses and complexities of the human psyche through the self-revealing and often comical actions of the main characters. Through bizarre situations, a subtle but emotional soundtrack, and a tiny portal on the 7 1/2 floor of an office building, Malkovich investigates the multi-faceted aspects of human beings, and the troubles they face in trying to find themselves.

Each character in this film is aware, sometimes painfully aware, of his or her identity, and the extremes that they reach in trying to change, control, and manipulate their identities suggest that consciousness is perhaps more trouble than it's worth. Craig Schwartz, played by John Cusack, is a talented puppeteer, and therefore a master at adopting multiple personalities, but until he finds a real person to imitate, he remains in his workshop, alone and unsatisfied with his life. That is, until he meets the magnetic Maxine, who's confidence and boldness enchants Craig for the entirety of the movie.

It seems logical to assume that if Craig is unhappy with his identity, then he could be happier if he wasn't aware of himself at all. As Craig says, "Consciousness is a terrible curse I think; I feel; I suffer." Once Craig discovers the Malkovich portal in his office, people start lining up, literally, to partake in the life-altering experience; everyone, that is, except Maxine. Not once does she reveal the slightest interest in going through the portal. Maxine is comfortable in her own skin a quality which Craig, and pretty much everyone who meets her, greatly admires but it is not a comfort that comes from being ignorant of her own identity. Maxine is very aware of the power of self-assurance, a power which she uses to influence Craig, his wife Lotte, and Malkovich himself. While Craig proves that consciousness coupled with insecurity result in depression and desperation, Maxine exists at the opposite end of the spectrum, mixing consciousness with greed, and resulting in manipulation and callousness.

John Malkovich further reinforces the idea the consciousness kills; that "ignorance is bliss." Before he discovers Maxine's true intentions, he is blissful and carefree, with a strong acting career and a hot new girlfriend. But once he finds out, he becomes paranoid, frantic, and untrusting. When he consults his friend Charlie Sheen for advice, Charlie says, perhaps more revealingly than intended, "The truth is for suckers, Johnny boy." Indeed, it is Malkovich's conscience that steals his happiness.

If you've ever wanted to be someone else, or at least wondered what it would be like, then Being John Malkovich is a must see. A wry comedy that makes you think; an intellectual adventure that makes you laugh -Being John Malkovich is a non-oppressive, insightful, and captivating glance into the deepest of human desires and insecurities.

Want Being John Malkovich (1999) Discount?

One of the best films of the past decade is now available in a packed DVD that contains tons more than merely what the description states. I picked it up a week early and was so happy to see a beautiful animorphic image that presents the film exactly as I remember it on the big screen (for once, unlike "Eyes Wide Shut"), great digital sound, plus documentries on the real puppet master who performed for the movie, the 7th 1/2 floor docu and the Malkovich T.V. special in their entierty, the preview and tv spots, plus, and best of all, the hilarious "An Intimate Portrait of the Art of Backround Driving" and a Spike Jonze interview that defies description. A great special edition that doesn't overdo it, the best since the Criterion edition of "Rushmore."

Save 56% Off