4 Dead Girls: The Soul Taker [HD]

Complete Failure of a Horror Film On Any Measureable Level
First, there's `low budget' horror. The dirty little secret of `low budget' horror is that, despite the fact that some small studio or tiny group of investors ponied up a decent amount of cash to peddle the flick to audiences, there may (and I do mean "may") be some redeeming qualities to it. It might have some legitimate scares. It could even have some spiffy but practical make-up and effects. If you're lucky, then it should be blessed with a modest amount of nice acting - nothing grand, but just enough to show that the actors and actresses really put their heart into it, knowing that you'd at least have the spirit to make it to the very end.

Then, there's `no budget' horror, and 4 DEAD GIRLS: THE SOUL TAKER falls (sadly) into that category. No matter how much effort any of the ladies put into this affair, it's just way too hard to ratchet up any real thrills, chills, or spills when you're filming in a house with, basically, three rooms.

(NOTE: The...

Great acting and plenty of fun
Great horror movie about a group of female roommates who get more than they bargained for out of their new rental unit. Katherine Browning is phenomenal as the virginal Lily who must battle an evil spirit for control of the house and the souls of her friends. Mike Campbell is also creepy as hell as the evil spirit, Devlin Chito. Impressive effects, terrific scares, and some really attractive women make this a must-see fright flick.



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Troy Director's Cut (Unrated) [HD]

Director's cut gives additional depth and scope to an impressive looking film
Features 2 new extras: "Troy In Focus" a 23 minute interview and a new 5 minute introduction by Wolfgang Peterson. Most of the other special features have been ported over from the previous edition.

First the most important question is whether or not this double dip is worth it? Absolutely because the additional footage only enhances the film giving it additional depth. The transfer is striking (regardless of which format)as well. In many respects this isn't a double dip because we get a film that is superior to the original version.

Unlike "The Illiad" Wolfgang Petersen's film "Troy" seemed too short and for good reason; Petersen had to trim the film down to a shorter length for its theatrical release. Luckily Warner gave Petersen the opportunity to revisit this epic film and add more meat to the bones of a film that had the look of an epic but was missing much of the emotional depth.

Petersen restores roughly 32 minutes to the film giving additional...

Brad Pitt might be Achilles but David Benioff is no Homer
As a teacher of Classical Greek and Roman Mythology I was looking forward to "Troy." In the past I have put together a unit on the Trojan War that included not only Homer's epic poem the "Iliad," but also the plays of Euripides and Aeschylus and other ancient works on the stories of these characters. In other words I am familiar with this story to the extent that when Briseis showed up wearing a garment with long sleeves I was upset that we did not get to see the lovely arms that were part of her usual epithet. So, suffice it to say, that when characters who survived the Trojan War started dying in this film, I was not exactly happy. Consequently, the truth is that the less you know about the Trojan War of classical mythology, the more you will enjoy Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy."

I have no problem with the idea that Homer and the other ancients have to be adapted in making a modern motion picture about the Trojan War. The decision to eliminate the gods is appropriate,...

Director's cut improves on the original...worth the $ 14.99 price tag!
When I saw TROY in the theaters, I wasn't expecting much. After that first viewing, I knew there was something missing; the screenplay just didn't grab me, it failed to immerse me on the scenes. I am quite familiar with GREEK myths, also both Norse and Roman mythology. Well, I managed to purchase the director's cut of Troy, and although it is not as great as KINGDOM of HEAVEN Director's cut, it is a better cut of the film.

I presume that most of the folks who'll be interested in the director's cut are fans or at least the ones who saw it in theaters as I did. ONE OBVIOUS improvement this version has over the previous dvd is the PICTURE transfer. The Video this time out is more vibrant, sharper and cleaner. Another difference is the SOUNDTRACK on certain scenes; the training scene of Achilles and his cousin, the duel between Hector and Achilles. Also, the music is improved with added bass during the siege at the beach and on the gates of Troy. The music sounded more...

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Love & Other Drugs [HD]

Excellent movie!
I was very surprised to find this movie to my liking. I went (rather grudgingly I'll admit) to see this movie and I was blown away, it wasn't just a comedy, it wasn't just a romance, it was a deep, intricate experience that mirrors (to the best of hollywood's ability) the real relational component that we never really know what will come next with any of our relationships. This movie throws you for several unexpected twists and turns but this is one not to miss! Do be warned it's rated R for a reason, you see just about everything Hathaway and Gyllenhaal have to offer. This movie also packs some pretty good comic value. Ultimately its a heartwarming story about a man who had never found a desire to approach anything with all of his heart and/or ability until he meets Maggie, then everything changes. This will definitely be added to my personal collection just as soon as it comes on DVD.

Fantastic!
I loved this movie. It had me laughing, and crying, and it was sexy, and poignant, and very, very well acted. Jake and Anne are wonderful together. Very believeable. I could have done with a little less of the "brother" character, played by Josh Gad, and I wish Jake had more scenes with Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt, but I really did love it. When it ended, I just wanted to go right back to the beginning again!

Gyllenhaal and Hathaway Magic
LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS is based on Jamie Reidy's highly regarded novel 'Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesmen' and as adapted for the screen by Charles Randolph, Marshall Herskowitz and Edward Zwick (who also directs). It is a little jewel of a film. If the portion of the film that deals far too long with a silly Radio City Music Hall show of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals training program bores the audience (it should have been severely edited for many reasons), it is worth the wait for the actual romance story that follows.

Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) can't hold a job, preferring to focus on womanizing, much to the disdain of his wealthy obese brother Josh (Josh Gad), and his parents (George Segal and Jill Clayburgh in a role that was to be her last). Jamie best friend Bruce (Oliver Platt) joins Jamie in becoming a pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer and the two are placed on the road to push Zoloft and Zithromax, finding that the market is hoarded by Trey Hannigan (Gabriel...

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Gloria (1999) [HD]

Not so good remake
Movies which are remakes, such as Gloria, can make things difficult for yours truly. My first instinct is to compare them to the original. Then I realize that, more often than not, most of my readers haven't seen the original, unless it's famous, like Psycho or The Mummy. The situation is akin to that tag-line at the start of all movies on video these days. That's the one that tells you the movie has been formatted to fit this [TV] screen. What that means is that about a third of the movie image has been chopped off. Yet, if you didn't see the film in a theater, you don't miss what you never saw.

For the record, the original Gloria came out in 1980. It was a small independent film by John Cassevetes starring his wife, Gena Rowlands. I recall it's being a tight, first rate thriller about a gangster's girlfriend's one chance of doing good. The role was tailored for Rowlands, and her performance alone is well worth seeing the movie, if you can find it. My other memory of it is that it...

A different Sharon Stone!
Sharon Stone has proven that she is capable of handling any acting role! But it is up to us to go with what ever character type we like most. Here we see her as a caring woman after she gets cheated by her gang and rescues a child to whom she became a mother figure!

The element of suspense is there. The element of sweet unique drama is there and the satisfaction shall be there too if you can accept Stone in this new mold..

PS The point that we are not used to see Sharon Stone in such a role... doesn't mean we can't accept her out of the sexy manipulative character as in Basic Instinct or Diabolique!

I advise you to rent at least! It's worth it.

NOT AS GREAT AS I REMEMBERED
I remember seeing this movie when it first came out and thought it was great. Viewing it again, I can see it doesn't stand the test of time as well as I thought it would. Leggy Sharon Stone plays a mobster's girl who gets out of prison after 3 years, taking the rap for her boyfriend. Meanwhile members of this mob murder a Latino family who has crossed them, except for an asthmatic, unlikable, seven year old boy who left via the fire escape (Why the rest of the family didn't go, I don't know.) The mob catches the boy outside and takes him to "head quarters" an apartment that once belonged to Gloria.

Gloria shows up back at the apartment and the money promised to her for taking the rap isn't there. She leaves, and in an unlikely scene, takes the boy with her who grabs a floppy disc (remember those?) of all the mob connections. The mob hunts them down as she looks for a way for the two of them to survive because catching a plane out of there to buy time hasn't occurred to her...

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Puccini: Turandot

Excellent Opera!
The singing was good. The costumes and set were fabulous. I like the story of Turandot. Nice production. See more at vyctorynotes dot blogspot dot com.

Mostly wonderful.
Marton is wonderful. Carreras is very good. Ricciarelli is ok. The chorus and orchestra are very good. The costumes are fine. But the minimalist sets are dreadful. I dislike minimalist sets in any opera, but in Turandot, they are completely out of place. It should be the ancient city of Peking in all of it's splendor. Instead it is a bare staircase from a boiler factory. I recommend the Metropolitan Opera dvd, with Marton, Domingo, and Leona Mitchell. It has great singing and playing, great costumes, and wonderful, sumptuous sets.

An excellent staged version of Turandot
This strikingly-staged production of Puccini's final opera, "Turandot" was filmed with the Vienna State Opera under the direction of Loren Maazal in 1983. Set on a spare stage with a single ascending staircase rising up to Turandot's chambers, and with sumptuous, impressionistic costuming, the production allows the audience to focus not on the sets or lighting, but the performances, which are uniformly excellent, and lend the production a stark, other-worldly feeling. Carreras is near his prime here, commanding and sure on his arias, while Katia Ricciarelli is radiant as Liu. Eva Marton is pure and powerful as the title princess, giving a weighty sense of grief to her character's fate. This DVD is worth watching just for their performances alone (and you can find a low-quality VHS transfer of this production on YouTube for preview). As the previous reviewer noted, there are no subtitles for the production, but this is typical of older productions - it's simplicity itself to print...

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Tales of Beatrix Potter

Wonderful Royal Ballet Portrayal of a Childhood Favorite
Tales of Beatrix Potter with Dancers of the Royal Ballet (1971) is pure fun and innocence portrayed through top flight ballet dancing. Don't miss this production if you're a fan of ballet, Beatrix, and barnyard animals.

As the story opens, we see a young Beatrix Potter and the beautiful English countryside that was the inspiration for her family of adorable little creatures. Soon we see Beatrix's creations come to life in vignettes and costumes true to the original drawings.

The dancers appear to be dancing on an earthen stage (complete with clumps of grass, dirt, and hay), but pigs and mice on pointe were never this graceful. Watch the swine ham it up in a pigs' pas de deux, and see them escape their inevitable fate. Mr. Jeremy Fisher is one wonderfully flexible, high-jumping leapfrog. See mice go mad and perform a quick, clean petite allegro with the beautiful pointe work you'd expect from the Royal Ballet. Peter Rabbit comes in, dancing about very happily, having just...

Dancing animals in high spirits
This is ballet movie elevated to art in every possible respect. The English writer Beatrix Potter has been a long time favorite in the nursery and the movie is really a masterpiece. Sir Frederic Ashton did the choreography - masterly - and appeared himself in the role of old Mrs. Tiggywinkle (the hedgehog) - he must have had some fun! Rostislav Douboujinsky did the masks - wonderful - John Lanchbery composed the music.The fandango danced by two mice on a table is a true highlight. Why some movies or books become classics is a very difficult question to answer. Maybe one answer could be that with a mediocre work you have seen it, and that is that, easily forgotten. With a masterpiece you still discover new things at the fiftysixth viewing. That is the way it is with "Tales". One cannot possibly find a single fault with this lovely production. It is filmed in the rolling green pastures of merry old England. And here we are in the North of England, Beatrix...

My Childhood Nightmare
I give this 3 stars because it may indeed have some wonderful ballet that I could (or did not) appreciate as a kid. If I were to watch it now, I may have a different opinion.

I am 100% serious about this.

I don't know how young I was when my mother rented this for me. It terrified me. I had recurring nightmares involving the creepy heads. So much so that I still remember it, some 25 years later.

If your child is sensative to strangers in costumes with expressionless heads, like the Easter Bunny, Chuck E. Cheese (such as I was) please take this into consideration.

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Punto y Raya (Step Forward)

pure venezuelan movie
If you plan to rent this movie and never seen any venezuelan movie, don't waste your time and money, but if you like any type of movies from south america especialy from venezuela and colombia and others, you'll like this film. this movie is a comedy with a little twist, and is filmed with a digital tecnology camera, so don't expect like a hollywood movie. edgar ramirez also act in others movies and roque valero act in soap in venezuela. the movie is about 2 people, one voluntier to the army and the other one didn't but destiny put them together for the most funny times in their lives. si le gustan las peliculas venezolanas es recomendada.

From Both Sides of the River: A Comedy/Drama about Friendship
PUNTO Y RAYA ('A Dot and a Line') is a touching little film from Venezuela, a movie with low budget and high aspirations that manages to explore friendship and bonding between two warring factions in a most sensitive way. Director Elia Schneider and writer Henry Herrera deserve their 2005 Oscar consideration for Best Foreign Film, Venezuela and we can hope this talented team partners for other outings. Shot with a digital camera that bleeds the color to almost black and white, the production values may at first put off the audiences used to either classy black and white movies or richly colored ones, but this slight flaw should not deter the enthusiastic craftsmanship on the part of everyone involved in making this terrific little film.

The film opens and closes with battle scenes, setting the tension that exists along the river that divides Venezuela from Colombia, two countries who not only have the innate political differences but also are involved in the...

Strange But Interesting Movie
Cheito is a small time street hustler who is attempting to desert from the Venezuelan army. Pedro is a simple but honorable country boy from the Colombian army. They come across one another in the jungle and end up forming an odd but close friendship before falling victim to tragic circumstances.

This is truly one of the stranger films I have ever seen. It is an odd mixture of slapstick comedy and anti-war drama with plenty of sex and violence thrown in for good measure. Cheito is a cynical city dweller who is constantly challenging the religious and patriotic values of Pedro. Then, in one of the movie's more bizzare twists, Pedro loses his virginity to Cheito's sister while Cheito sleeps with Pedro's fiancee. In the end, it's hard to say what this movie is all about except it's clear challenge to the absurdity of war.

The film was shot on an extremely low budget and the production values reflect this. But still I found it interesting, definitely more original...

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Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo

All Creatures Great And Small--A Documentary Celebrating Japan's Fascination With The Insect Realm
Stop right there! If you're browsing "Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo" because it sounds like a terrific monster movie (and how can you not be enchanted by the title?), you may be surprised by this quietly effective documentary. Director Jessica Oreck serves up an intriguing and artful examination on the Japanese acceptance and fascination with insects. From beetles to dragonflies to crickets, Japanese culture embrace insects as a vital and beautiful part of the natural world. Through captivating visuals, historical vignettes, and even poetry--the film really explores this phenomenon and the symbiotic relationship between all species. It's smart and thoughtful and should easily appeal to nature lovers or people with a cultural interest in Japan. Beyond that, though, there is something quite spiritual in the film's tone.

Some of the more intriguing aspects of the film include how the insect world has developed into big business. People keeping insects as pets is very...

Fast service and product is great
Fast service - good product. What more do I need to say? It is exactly what I wanted and I would recommend this product and seller. I love this documentary. It combines science, culture and is wonderful. Expand your world and appreciate nature.

Awesome!
Excellent editing of fascinating subject matter and great soundtrack; film causes one to reflect upon life in general as well as wonderful cultural differences.

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Letters From the Big Man

A Beautiful Movie
I love this movie. Beautifully written. Beautiful directed. Beautifully acted. The music is absolutely lovely too. The story really touched me.

This year's must-see, feel-good Bigfoot movie (so far).
If you are a Sasquatch (or just a Sasquatch aficionado), I think you are really going to appreciate this movie.
The creators did a great job of researching and incorporating lore into this film.
I wish more films about Tsi?a'tqWu could be this well made.

Loved it!!!
This was a great movie and well worth the money. I think it portrayed how I like to think of Bigfoot. I only hope they are able to stay hidden from us.

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Troy [HD]

Director's cut gives additional depth and scope to an impressive looking film
Features 2 new extras: "Troy In Focus" a 23 minute interview and a new 5 minute introduction by Wolfgang Peterson. Most of the other special features have been ported over from the previous edition.

First the most important question is whether or not this double dip is worth it? Absolutely because the additional footage only enhances the film giving it additional depth. The transfer is striking (regardless of which format)as well. In many respects this isn't a double dip because we get a film that is superior to the original version.

Unlike "The Illiad" Wolfgang Petersen's film "Troy" seemed too short and for good reason; Petersen had to trim the film down to a shorter length for its theatrical release. Luckily Warner gave Petersen the opportunity to revisit this epic film and add more meat to the bones of a film that had the look of an epic but was missing much of the emotional depth.

Petersen restores roughly 32 minutes to the film giving additional...

Brad Pitt might be Achilles but David Benioff is no Homer
As a teacher of Classical Greek and Roman Mythology I was looking forward to "Troy." In the past I have put together a unit on the Trojan War that included not only Homer's epic poem the "Iliad," but also the plays of Euripides and Aeschylus and other ancient works on the stories of these characters. In other words I am familiar with this story to the extent that when Briseis showed up wearing a garment with long sleeves I was upset that we did not get to see the lovely arms that were part of her usual epithet. So, suffice it to say, that when characters who survived the Trojan War started dying in this film, I was not exactly happy. Consequently, the truth is that the less you know about the Trojan War of classical mythology, the more you will enjoy Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy."

I have no problem with the idea that Homer and the other ancients have to be adapted in making a modern motion picture about the Trojan War. The decision to eliminate the gods is appropriate,...

Director's cut improves on the original...worth the $ 14.99 price tag!
When I saw TROY in the theaters, I wasn't expecting much. After that first viewing, I knew there was something missing; the screenplay just didn't grab me, it failed to immerse me on the scenes. I am quite familiar with GREEK myths, also both Norse and Roman mythology. Well, I managed to purchase the director's cut of Troy, and although it is not as great as KINGDOM of HEAVEN Director's cut, it is a better cut of the film.

I presume that most of the folks who'll be interested in the director's cut are fans or at least the ones who saw it in theaters as I did. ONE OBVIOUS improvement this version has over the previous dvd is the PICTURE transfer. The Video this time out is more vibrant, sharper and cleaner. Another difference is the SOUNDTRACK on certain scenes; the training scene of Achilles and his cousin, the duel between Hector and Achilles. Also, the music is improved with added bass during the siege at the beach and on the gates of Troy. The music sounded more...

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Thor At The Bus Stop

Thor at the Bus Stop
Big names. Tons of special effects. Epic proportions. That's what I'd expect to see in the 2011 movie "Thor."

I'd also expect to be able to figure out the plot within the first 15 minutes. Maybe I'll catch "Thor" on TV someday, but I'll pass on the theater.

Instead, I recently shelled out $22 to buy a quirky, low-budget independent film called "Thor at the Bus Stop" made in 2009 by brothers Jerry Thompson (as "Thor") and Mike Thompson (as "White Trash Chuck"). It has no mind-bending CGI or Oscar-winning actors (its only recognizable star is magician Teller, in a rare on-camera speaking role, who is handcuffed in a police car completely forgotten by the arresting officer).

Yet what is endearing about "Thor at the Bus Stop" is that I never knew exactly how it would end, its gentle satire kept me chuckling for the entire 99 minutes, the background music was catchy, and I cared about what happened to all the characters, even the ones who started out...

Loved It!
A sweet story about Thor the god of Thunder and how he saves the world. Buy it, watch it, smile and be happy, rinse and repeat.

Great movie and a sweet ending
The film's Directors took an ordinary suburban Las Vegas neighborhood and some ordinary people and made a great film. The points on character and belief stood out. The reviews are as quirky as the film's characters and some are uneven but overall the film satisfies for a patient watcher.

Mr. Thompson LOOKS like the God of Thunder.

A great first effort from the Thompsons.

More satisfying than many of today's; soulless multi-million dollar CGI filled crap fests.

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Girls Against Boys

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?
Shae (Danielle Panabaker) is a student who studies male fantasies and how they view women as objects. She is hurt by an older male boyfriend who patches things up with his separated wife for the sake of his three year old daughter. Distraught, Shae is taken under the wing of a somewhat psychotic Lulu or Lu (Nicole LaLiberte) a woman straight out of a Billy Joel song..."She can carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding."

On the rebound, she goes out with Lu and gets involved in a situation where "No" doesn't carry any meaning. With the aid of Lulu, they go on a killing spree, after which you wonder where this movie will go. Unlike so many films in this genre, it smartly brings it home.

The film brought to mind "Shame" and "Compliance" two recent films sold as being "disturbing and thought provoking" which are nothing more than perv films. This one is the opposite. It is sold as a perv film, but is really more thought provoking as it looks into psyche of...

Women Kick Arse!
I really liked this movie I also loved Kill Bill so let's face it I just love to see females get their bloody revenge on the men that done 'em wrong,lol The lead actress is cool , sexy and very creepy Her sidekick is a little more shy but she gets in on the carnage too.I love the scene wear she's dressed up in a kimono type outfit with a samurai sword (a hatori honzo no doubt) and creepy geisha mask at the party.. trust me it does not end well. All in all I loved it It was totally not the run of the mill film you see everyday.

EXCELLENT
i have watched this 3x already - kept me very i nterested throughout the whole movie and on the edge of my seat

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Nobody Gets Out Alive

This is a Bad Movie... No Seriously...
I'm with the Young and Thebooksbrother. The 5 star reviewers on here sound like they were involved with the movie and are trying to fake their way to success. It's sad and pathetic. DON'T BE FOOLED!

It should be obvious from the synopsis alone, "A group of partying teenagers out in the woods..." that this movie is going to suck. And it does. Aside from some ridiculously bloody deaths, there is nothing intriguing about this movie. The acting is horrible. The script is worse. Even the camera angles and the way the movie is put together seem amateurish. This strikes me as something some college students might have made for an end-of-class film school project, but as far as entertainment value... it has none. I've seen more entertaining horror on the sci-fi channel--"Sharktopus" anyone?

FAKE REVIEWS
All of these highly rated reviews are fake! they're totally made up by the people who probably were in this crappy movie just to make cheap bucks. so sad. low budget, made in some woodland/forest so you know it's going to be budget friendly movie. lol.

Relies on an Idiot Plot + Not Very Cohesive Near the End
I had high hopes for this movie when I purchased it at Walmart because the blurb sounded good. It sounded like I was going to have some B-movieish, shoestring budget fun (I'm . . . really not that difficult to please when it comes to horror movies.)

Jeez, such potential wasted on an idiot plot.

Possible SPOILERS ahead!

The story opens up with a man's daughter being killed by a drunk driver. Later, we learn that the father went "crazy" after she was killed and reportedly spends his days in the woods now. Those who go into the woods don't make it out.

Cut to a group of friends going out for a party in the woods. The woods the psycho lives in. Yeah, that one.

From there, the plot devolves into an idiot plot. These characters had multiple chances to get the heck out of the woods to go get help. Instead, they stagger around until it's too late. At one point, most of them are together in their vehicle when the psycho-murderer-slasher...

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GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

Beyond The Camp: A Documentary Feature (With Nice Extras) Examining The Rise And Fall Of An Unlikely Phenomenon
Here they are! The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are back in the pleasing documentary "GLOW." In the mid-eighties, the campy idea of presenting lady wresting to the masses swept the world. This television endeavor established a colorful cast of characters (aligned into appropriate good versus evil camps) and made them entertainers, products spokespeople, and (oh yeah) athletes. The girls came from different backgrounds and had varying expectations, but were soon bound together in a one-of-a-kind phenomenon that no one could anticipate. This brief film (run time is only 76 minutes) can't hope to unravel the entire story behind this unprecedented journey, but it is good at highlighting the experience from the vantage point of the girls involved. Almost all the content is provided from the GLOW girls themselves and, as I said, that makes some of the more interesting aspects of the story left to speculation and rumor. But as a tribute to this new breed of entertainer, "GLOW" should...

Awesome for Nostalgia
I used to love watching this growing up. Hearing the stories, seeing all the bonus features and watching the reunion brought back SO many memories. Love this documentary.

Well done doc, paid homage to the people involved
I may not necessarily recommend this doc to people who had no recollection of the show (unless you are a fan of 80s pop culture or pro wrestling in general), but then again I watched it with someone who wasn't even born when it was on the air and she thought it was great.

As someone who watched every Saturday morning on WPIX New York in syndication, I thought this is a well-done film that gives fans a fun glimpse into what it took to produce the show and how hard the talent worked to make it a success. Special thanks to the stars and the filmmakers in case they read this.

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Mind of the Demon

Great Flick
I caught a screening of this film at a festival this year. It's sometimes tough to watch such a talented individual trying to tear himself apart--but it's entertaining and the music rocks. This was one of the better character pieces I'd seen in a while.

I look forward to owning this DVD.





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Saul & David

Modest Biblical epic succeeds where grander efforts fail.
Saul and David, though a modest production, succeeds in capturing the Biblical milieu where grander efforts fail. Two outstanding actors and a competent script raise this film above the common run of the epic genre. Norman Wooland as Saul journeys from arrogant confidence to piteous despair and failure. Handsome Gianni Garko as David evolves from reverent obedience to rebelliousness and doubt. This film leaves a more striking and lasting impression of its subjects than others in the genre. Outstanding period drama.

THE RISE TO POWER OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID
SAUL AND DAVID(1964) Written and Directed by Marcello Baldi. Based on
the book THE BIBLE by God.
Starring Norman Wooland(as King Saul), Pilar Clemens(as
Michal), Virgilio Teixeira(as Abner), Antonio Mayans(as Prince
Jonathan), Carlos Casaravilla (as Samuel), Stefy Lang(as Goliath) Paolo
Gozlino(as Joab) and Gianni Garko as David.
The tragedy of King Saul the first King of Israel whom, upon
losing the favor of the Lord, God of Israel, must watch as he is
gradually outshown and displaced by the Lord's annointed(and ancestor of
Ruth) David of Bethlehem whom after slaying the giant anakim Goliath
and growing to stature as a warrior, the increasingly tortured and
mentally unstable king seeks in vain to destroy.
Though an Italian film during the sword and sandal peplum era,
this happens to be the best film on its subject ever made. A fairly
strict adaptation of the first book of Samuel, the film might be a...

A Sunday Movie
Allways nice to have movies that can inspire us especially after services on Sunday. This is a good not great movie for family watching and childrens spiritual education.

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George: A Zombie Intervention

politically correct zombies
Once upon a time horror films were scary. As kids we would venture off to the Manhattan to check out the local grind house theaters to catch flicks that may not have always been well made from a cinematic perspective but typically they did deliver what they promised; a good old fashion horror story. Then, as politically correctness became the rallying cry of the population the horror flick took a decidedly different course. The horrid creatures of the night that would rip slash and devour the hapless victims morphed into really bad choices in relationships.
Instead of being terrified by werewolves and vampires teenage girls are now caught in a decision between necrophilia and bestiality. The modern horror film is so intent on the emotional impulses of angst ridden teenagers that that many have become unintentional comedies. J.T. Seaton, is a filmmaker working in the horror genre that appears to have rebelled against this regrettable `emo' trend and decided to throw caution to the...





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Man From Shaolin

Not action, drama film
I don't like giving bad reviews, but this film is not honest up front about what it is, which is a slow drama with very low production values. I can forgive the poor acting, but with very little action and humor, it's a drama and should have been advertised as such.

Great story/drama.
It is not a pure action flick. Yes there is some but that is not what the film is about. It is a very good drama.

Without giving much away, I enjoyed the film greatly. There are many subtle nuisances to Chinese culture. For a western audience the ending may be somewhat of a surprise. For a Chinese audience, the ending is already known. This would be like a version of Shakespeare play, adapted to a modern film. Or a version of something very familiar. Though it is nothing like this story wise, pretend a Shakespearean type movie came out, set in modern times. If you are familiar with the Shakespeare play you will have a good sense of how the movie goes.

So for a western audience it is a great drama. For a Chinese audience it is a very well done rendition of a known story.

Cute but Lacking
The Shaolin history lesson is interesting, and the story is cute... but the implementation is lacking.

There are a few transitions that didn't make sense, and while the main actor was fine, there were a lot of poorly acted support roles.

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The Girl Next Door (2003) [HD]

Saw a review copy - loved this entertaining comedy drama
There is a point in "The Girl Next Door - Unrated Edition' (which I received and promptly devoured, extra's and all, in one sitting) where the movie is in danger of changing in tone and focus from American Pie to Showgirls, but luckily for the movie - and viewers - it recovers itself and ends in a definite teen comedy spirit.

I never saw this movie in the theater so I cannot comment on what has been added to this "unrated edition" but there is certainly quite a lot of nudity, but nothing involving the main actors. There are some graphic scenes at a strip club (including lap dancing) and we get shots of one of the main actors watching a porn video at home. There are some nude scenes from behind of both principal actors Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert, but as Hirsch points out on Side B of the disc (where most of the extras are located) the movie used a stand-in for those shots.

I have a word of caution regarding the list of extra's on the Amazon page. One is...

So, is it better in Blu-ray?
The honest answer is no.
And that is extensive to the unrated version of the movie.
Why? Ok let me se...

For a movie that is only 5 or 6 years old, the transfer shouldn't look older than it does. The transfer is just a modest upgrade of the less-than-reference quality picture included on the original DVD.

Too much noise/grain and inconsistent color levels are the main offenders here, with the occasional edge enhancement creeping in as well. Night time and indoor scenes have the most issues, but our first reveal of Cuthbert in a wet, white shirt looks near-perfect, picture-wise. Colors are mostly set to a permanent dull hue, and in some instances are muddy, which is surprising given the quality of most Fox offerings. Trust me, this isn't blu-ray quality.

So if you have the DVD version of it, stick to it and don't change it for the Blu-ray version, you can even find a DVD unrated adaptation of it, plus you won't loose money on it!

As...

Fall For the Girl Next Door...
Teen comedies always turn up big business at the box office, this is generally due to the fact that the creative forces behind these movies include plenty of crude humor, sex, and nudity as can be allowed under the MPAA ratings system. Most of the time these teen comedies are a dime-a-dozen, opening big and fading shortly thereafter, with little lasting appeal with audiences. However, there have been some successes in the genre that have had more staying power than others, examples would be "Animal House", the `Scary Movie' franchise, and the `American Pie' series. With those examples of successful teen comedies, they all have some common traits in which they share, basically they are packed full of sex, nudity, and crude humor and language. However, one thing these examples of successful teen comedies, and even the unsuccessful ones lack is any amount of heart or soul in the story. In 2004, Fox Studios produced yet another teen comedy to appease the masses for a short while,...

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Puccini: La Boheme

Marvelous package for opera lovers
La Boheme, Royal Opera House production
Opus Arte Blu-ray Disc

Puccini's La Boheme is one of the most beloved operas of all time, and rightfully so. As one would expect, therefore, there already are many fine performances of Boheme available on DVD including, for example, the 2003 La Scala performance with Marcelo Alvarez and Cristina Gallardo-Domas, and the older, but still impressive, 1967 La Scala performance with a young Mirella Freni and Gianni Raimondi. In my opinion, however, this new Blu-ray DVD of a 2009 Royal Opera House performance, starring Russian soprano Hibla Gerzmava as Mimi and Rumanian tenor Teodor Ilincai as Rodolfo, deserves to go to the top of the list. Here's my rationale:

First; the mostly youthful cast brings a joie de vivre to their performances that is very appropriate and that compliments both the music and the Bohemian characters they are portraying. And equally important: they all sing beautifully! (It should be noted that...

surprise tears for this opera novice
I got this for my parents as an accompanying gift to the blu-ray player I was getting them for Christmas. I am not an opera expert -- but it was one of the only live productions on blu-ray, well-reviewed and some youtube searches of the leads checked out... so it felt like a no-brainer.

No surprise, the opera-loving parents loved it. Sound and picture-quality is crisp and full (looks beautiful on a big screen), the leads breathe life into the roles and sing BEAUTIFULLY, the production value is impressive, lots of goosebumps throughout -- but what I wasn't expecting was crying like freakin Julia Roberts at the opera in Pretty Woman during Rodolfo's aria to Mimi -- it was so darn pretty! For such a famous piece, it was like i was hearing it for the first time, like i finally "got" it. Ilinca as Rodolfo is dreamy, genuine, tender and passionate. It was the first time i watched a full opera and now i'm kinda hungry for more!

Opera experts, by all means make your...

Sumptuous and Glorious
I'll cut right to the chase here: The "unsung" (no pun intended) hero of this performance is the conductor, Andris Nelsons. Based on this performance, I rate him as the greatest conductor of Puccini that I have ever heard. (!!) He's that great. Most opera lovers (such as myself) would probably not rate Puccini on a par with Verdi or Wagner, but Nelsons shows no signs of such thinking here. In the Extras he describes this opera as a masterpiece and he conducts it with a love appropriate to that assessment: spirited where needed, limpid where needed, and always letting the music "breathe"; plus always being sensitive to his singers--they must love singing for him--; a "singers' conductor". You owe it to yourself to buy this dvd for Nelsons alone. You and I would say that the first love in this opera is between Rodolfo and Mimi and second love is between Marcello and Musetta, but in this performance the first love is between Nelsons and Puccini's music. Should you think I may be...

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Sinister

Scared the crap out of me
Horror movies these days don't really scare people. The only horror movie to really creep someone out more recently is the
first Paranormal Activity. But that's now been done to death. All horror movies now a days are either remakes or go for shock and become what is the newer term, "torture porn", until now. Sinister came along just in time for all of us to get our
Halloween chills and scared the crap out of America. I have seen a lot of horror. I even go for those really bad SyFy B-rated
ones for laughs. The newer horror doesn't scare because it's predictable and instead it disgusts me. The over use of torture and gore that have nothing to do with the plot. Sinister however does something different. Ethan Hawke plays the character of a true crime writer desperate to live his glory days, almost at the cost of his family. And he plays it well. The violence that actually has to do with the plot was creatively filmed. And because the story was unique and not a rehash,...

'Sinister' delivers the chills
Director Scott Derrickson's latest entry into the horror genre, the aptly titled `Sinister', is an instant classic.

Egomaniacal true-crime novelist, Ellison Oswalt, moves his wife and two kids into the house where an unsettling murder involving a family of five has recently taken place. He plans to write about the incident and the missing child, who was apparently spared and kidnapped by the killer, hoping that he can solve the mystery without the help of the local authorities.

As he stores boxes in the attic, he finds several reels of Super 8 film and a projector. Each film contains increasingly graphic and macabre footage of a family being murdered. Upon further inspection, Ellison discovers that a pale, hollow-eyed figure can be seen lurking in the background in each one of the home movies. A pattern begins to emerge, as Ellison becomes consumed with the dark secrets that lie within the films. Further investigation confirms that there are demonic forces at...

Best Horror To Come To The Theater In Years!!!
This movie I have to say, is one of the best horror film's I have seen in theaters since "Orphan" (2009). I don't get scared easily and the movie brought chills down my spine!!! The dialogue in the film was good, the acting was much better than expected (I am a huge fan of Ethan Hawk from Day Breakers, the cinematography was perfect, the story definitely carried out smoothly, and the idea behind the movie and having a descent original supernatural climax was really what kept this movie on the edge of your seat! A lot of horror films in the past that are about supernatural things but end up having a human climax is disappointing to me in most movies (cry wolf, sorority row, etc). The ending really caught me off guard, and ended in a way that makes u feel cold and creeped out. This movie makes you think. I don't know how anyone wouldn't find this film creepy, or sick to say the least and if you don't think so then something is seriously wrong with you. Amazing film! Wish there was an...

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Bridesmaids [HD]

I didn't WANT to see this movie...
To be honest with you all, I really was not interested in seeing this movie, but my sister and my girlfriend dragged me to it. I really thought it would be a much better time for them to bond without me, but well, they disagreed and so I went. Cut to the actual film...
I laughed so hard there were actual tears running down my cheeks. I fully expected this to be a chick flick but it surpassed that title 100%. Yes, there was definitely some chick flickittude to it, but overwhelmingly it was a fantastic comedy that went over the top a little but more than made up for it the rest of the time. Truly an amazingly pleasant surprise.

I laughed so much my cheeks were hurting
Oh...my...goodness...this movie was the funniest thing I've seen IN the theater in a long time. I usually wait for movies to come out on DVD, but this looked pretty interesting, and I wasn't disappointed. It was hilarious!
Finally, a film that shows women are funny too. Kristen Wiggs is stellar, her character is so messed up, but you know there is hope for her. I was sort of expecting a rom-com, but no, this was Sex in the City meets the Hangover. There is a part where they're going to Vegas, but don't quit make it, I would of LOVED to see them all go to Vegas. I don't think that place would be the same.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone looking for entertainment that just makes you laugh. And do keep an eye on the actress playing Megan, she is hysterical. I've seen her in other movies, as a supporting character looking completely different and much more subdued; in bridesmaids she is unfiltered and funny as hell!
Go see this movie, you'll be glad you did.

"You're no longer my number three!"
Here, I'll say it, BRIDESMAIDS is better than THE HANGOVER. The tipping point is that BRIDESMAIDS comes with a core of emotional truth whereas if you lift that sense of mystery from THE HANGOVER, what's left is a series of skits. BRIDESMAIDS comes with more heart. It passes the smell test, demonstrates staying power. Odds are, it won't be long before other films are being lauded as "the next BRIDESMAIDS." And, based on that comparison, I might check out that other film, too.

Our self-destructive lead character Annie (Kristen Wiig) is informed that "hitting bottom is a good thing," but I think we all know that's a bunch of baloney, a heap of hooey. Character building can go fudge itself if it means one has to go thru what Annie does just to learn valuable life lessons. Annie's had a bad time of it. Her bakery shop went south. Her boyfriend is this self-absorbed, belittling, non-committing assclown. She rooms with an odd and portly British brother and sister whose presence,...

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Argo (Blu-ray)

4.5 stars... "This is the BEST bad idea that we have"
"Argo" (2012 release; 120 min.) bring the story, based on true events but fictionalized for Hollywood purposes, of how CIA operative Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck) goes to Iran to help rescue 6 Americans who are holed up in the Canadian Ambassador's residence ever since Iranian fanatics violently took over the US Embassy compound. In order to get the 6 Americans out of Iran, Mendez proposes that they pose as Canadian film makers, who are in Iran scouting for appropriate locations to film Argo, a Star Wars-like adventure. When the various options and alternatives (foreign teachers? agriculture specialists? no, film makers!) are presented to US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, he looks incredulous, but when reassured about the various options available that "they are all bad ideas. but this is the BEST bad idea we have", Vance blesses the mission. In order to lend credibility to the idea that he is involved with this fake movie, Mendez and his Hollywood connections set up a fake...

ARGO: Declassified Extended Edition - List of New Special Features & Items included
Most people, myself included, really enjoyed "Argo". If you don't already own the film, this Extended Edition might be the way to go. But if you already own the original blu-ray release, then is it worth an upgrade? Well, hopefully the details below will help you make a decision.

Included on the blu-rays:
- Theatrical Edition of the movie
- Extended Edition of the movie (an extra 10 minutes added to the film)
- 3 New Special Features + all the special features from the previous blu-ray release

Included in the box set:
- 40-page book premium featuring behind the scenes photos, production notes, bios and more
- Argo One-Sheet Poster (you know they are going to fold it to fit it in the box, so it will have creases right down the middle)
- Map of Tehran movie locations (14" x 20")
- Reproduction of Tony Mendez's CIA ID card

So if you enjoyed the movie, then you might want to consider picking this up. I'm interested in...

Tense, intelligent, and even quite funny
Ben Affleck continues to prove himself one of Hollywood'd best, most intelligent 'mainstream' film-makers.
In Argo he manages to combine nail-biting suspense created with a minimum of violence or standard movie
action, a sharp, dark sense of humor about the weirdness of both espionage and Hollywood, and makes a film
about getting American hostages released from Iran without giving in to jingoism.

Affleck even takes the time at the beginning of the film to put the Iranian revolution into a larger context of prior American
involvement and manipulation in Iran's politics, thus making the Iranians' hostage taking horribly wrong, but also somewhat
human and understandable.

The story itself is a doozey, and definitely fits into the `you'd never believe it if it weren't true' mold. Using a fake movie as a
cover-up for a long- shot rescue operation sounds like a bad episode of `Mission Impossible' (or even `Get Smart'). But here
it...

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Dangerous Liaisons [HD]

Nobody Puts BeiBei in the Corner (Pun Intended)
Classics never go out of style. You can take any one of Shakespeare's great tragedies and set it, say, in the Bronx Zoo with talking animals and still preserve more than the lion's share (pun intended) of the dignity, drama, and pathos that the Bard intended so long as it's done right. You'd have to cast the right zebra to play Juliet, and you'd be a fool to settle for the most magnificent tiger for the part of Romeo. It'd definitely have to be lit well, and you'd better not be too stingy with the checkbook when it comes to bringing all of it to life. No doubt - if your heart and the animals are in the right place - you'll introduce a whole new generation to one splendid work of sheer genius, all on a reasonable budget, and earn kudos from the critics.

(NOTE: The following review may contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and character. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip...

A Stylish Literary Adaptation Updates A Classic Tale To 1930's Shanghai
The 18th-century French novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos has had a number of interpretations within my lifetime. A brilliant tale of manipulation and sexual politics, the story basks in a gleeful unpleasantness that only hints at the possibility of moral redemption. It is a clear-eyed view of the power of gamesmanship and societal gender inequality with the two protagonists waging a war that will undermine many an innocent party. Who will be the victor? Who will be the victim? And is the ultimate prize even worth winning? The original story is as much about a time and a place, though, with its dissection of the decadence and debauchery of the French aristocracy prior to the Revolution. So, it may seem like a bold move to shift the action to Shanghai in the 1930s. But while the political climate of the era may not match up exactly, the opulence of the period more than compensates. And if you like the story, this relatively faithful adaptation has...

A good remake of the original
This movie was a good remake of the original movie and I really liked the original movie. Either way it gives an eastern world spin the western original.

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Hall Pass

Comparison: Theatrical vs. Enlarged Edition
The movie itself, you can judge.. It has its moments, but is no Me, Myself, and Irene IMO...

There is an extended cut of the film (Enlarged Edition) which runs approx 6 minutes longer and has an additional 8 scenes. Sadly, other than one in particular.. the scenes are nothing too special nor do they change the film drastically. The movie is a mixture of comedy and seriousness (more towards the end). Sometimes the serious scenes outweigh the funny ones..

The additional scenes that are added in the extended version are listed below:

1) 30 min. Day One: The guys pick up Gary from the house. Apparently, his wife doesn't know about their plans because he climbs out of the first floor window. He suddenly falls down and limps the rest of the way to the car..

2) 43 min. Day Three: Rick and Fred finally start to put some effort in their pick-up attempts and are standing in front of a hip club. At first, the doorman doesn't want to let them in,...

I laughed and laughed
This movie was HILARIOUS!!!! You don't watch a movie like this thinking you're going to be mentally moved or enlightened, you watch a movie like this to be entertained. I was very entertained!!! However, if you aren't comfortable with the human anatomy and don't find jokes that are crass funny, this is not the movie for you. This movie was everything I wanted it to be and more!! I haven't watched a movie that's made me laugh as hard as I did while watching this movie in a looooong time (would I watch it with my parents? NO WAY!!!)

Hilarious
You have to already appreciate this type of humor. if you loved Old School, Wedding Crashers, that sort of comedy, then you may appreciate this. its more grown up, dealing with marriage and the what if's but it his home. Comedy is often funny because 95 percent of it is true. Don't expect a five star comedy, expect a great way to spend Saturday night at home with your honey and just crack of drawing similarities that you truly try to ignore. it was fun.

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Love Free or Die

Eye opening!
I first saw this on PBS. It's an eye opening look at the struggle of the Episcopal church and their views on gays! Very proud of the Episcopal Church!

Emotional and captivating
Bishop Gene was the first bishop in modern times to be truthful about his orientation while enthroned. His enthronement as 9th Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire was the beginning of a long debate over the inclusion of gay people in church sacraments. If you are opposed or indifferent about the issue, this documentary may change that. You will be moved by Bishop Gene's tears, anxieties, and frustrations as he breaks new ground and perseveres in faith.

An awesome documentary
This movie was very well done. It gives excellent background on Bishop Robinson, and all he has had to deal with. Highly recommended.

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More Than Me

Watch.
Brave doc. Watch , if you have the opportunity, before you lose your dad. It'll rattle some sense. If he's already gone , you'll remember the good stuff.

DEEP
This is such a wonderful film. It shows how important it is to (if at all possible) to get to know where you come from i.e the Parents that raised you. Self knowledge is sadly overlooked and it is SO important to "know thyself" ; it is one (if not THE) most important things to do in your life. This is one of the reasons most Human Beings are such a mess; they have not taken the time to understand where they come from, who they are and why they do what they do. As a person that has taken care of the Parents that raised me , i know what a difficult and yet a truly amazing deep journey that is. When we all have deeper self knowledge we can have real Love not only for ourselves; but also for the World we live in. And perhaps then we can all be more responsible to not only one another, but also to the Earth that sustains our lives.

entertaining, poignant and a "public service"
"More Than Me" helps to destimatize the aging process and caregiving. It deserves a Pulitzer, let alone an Oscar or Emmy, for that contribution to society. Plus, it is as entertaining as it is poignant.

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The Great Fight

PERFORMANCE WAS AWESOME
It's a great theme, specially for those who have children with Autism, people would be more understanding of them and their family.

Awesome Movie!
Really good film that is sort of a Rain Man meets the Karate Kid. Will appeal to anyone who likes MMA, a good story, and a chance to see Robert Loggia and Charles Durning (in one of his last films.)



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Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike [HD]

Better than Part 1
This is Part 2 of the Atlas Shrugged series; and it's a powerful continuation of Atlas Shrugged Part 1. I viewed this when it was released into theatres.

This part depicts the United States' further decline into the depths of economic despair. And it shows how increasing government oppression causes the decline to accelerate, even as more and more producers and innovators disappear from industry.

The acting is good to very good. Samantha Mathis brings a more dynamic range of acting skills to Dagny Taggert. Jason Beghe is first rate in his role as Hank Rearden, and Esai Morales is exceptional in his role as Francisco d'Anconia. In fact, I must say that these three are much better suited to their roles, especially at this point in the story. For example, Hank Readen's speech before the court was much more forceful, I think, than if it were rendered by Grant Bowler.

The camera work, computer graphics, scripting, and cinematography are all first...

Plan 2 from Galt's Gulch
Ayn Rand must be rolling over in her grave. As readers of Atlas Shrugged know, one of Ayn Rand's sacred words is "competence": she accords it the reverence that a Jesuit reserves for the word "chastity". Her villains aren't merely evil: they're morons who'd have trouble running an elevator. So it's a cruel irony that Atlas Shrugged is being so thoroughly botched.

The origins of this disaster go back some 20 years. In 1992, producer John Aglialoro paid $1 million for an 18-year option on the film rights to Atlas Shrugged. The outlook seemed promising, with big names like Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway being considered for the lead role. But first a contract with Turner Network Television fell through; then another with Lions Gate Entertainment. Meanwhile the years were ticking by.

Suddenly, it was 2010 with rights on Atlas due to expire on June 15 of that year. Aglialoro made the fateful decision to press on. The screenplay was still being written in...

True to Our Times
I went to see Atlas Shrugged, Part 2, at one of my local theaters the day of its first showing. The film is a pretty accurate reflection of the direction our Nation is taking. Little wonder that the movie makes Hollywood critics and D.C. politicians uncomfortable. The film reveals what they really are and what they are about. The characters are believable, the acting is supurb, and the plot ties into current events very well. I'm looking forward to Part 3.

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Sinister

Scared the crap out of me
Horror movies these days don't really scare people. The only horror movie to really creep someone out more recently is the
first Paranormal Activity. But that's now been done to death. All horror movies now a days are either remakes or go for shock and become what is the newer term, "torture porn", until now. Sinister came along just in time for all of us to get our
Halloween chills and scared the crap out of America. I have seen a lot of horror. I even go for those really bad SyFy B-rated
ones for laughs. The newer horror doesn't scare because it's predictable and instead it disgusts me. The over use of torture and gore that have nothing to do with the plot. Sinister however does something different. Ethan Hawke plays the character of a true crime writer desperate to live his glory days, almost at the cost of his family. And he plays it well. The violence that actually has to do with the plot was creatively filmed. And because the story was unique and not a rehash,...

'Sinister' delivers the chills
Director Scott Derrickson's latest entry into the horror genre, the aptly titled `Sinister', is an instant classic.

Egomaniacal true-crime novelist, Ellison Oswalt, moves his wife and two kids into the house where an unsettling murder involving a family of five has recently taken place. He plans to write about the incident and the missing child, who was apparently spared and kidnapped by the killer, hoping that he can solve the mystery without the help of the local authorities.

As he stores boxes in the attic, he finds several reels of Super 8 film and a projector. Each film contains increasingly graphic and macabre footage of a family being murdered. Upon further inspection, Ellison discovers that a pale, hollow-eyed figure can be seen lurking in the background in each one of the home movies. A pattern begins to emerge, as Ellison becomes consumed with the dark secrets that lie within the films. Further investigation confirms that there are demonic forces at...

Best Horror To Come To The Theater In Years!!!
This movie I have to say, is one of the best horror film's I have seen in theaters since "Orphan" (2009). I don't get scared easily and the movie brought chills down my spine!!! The dialogue in the film was good, the acting was much better than expected (I am a huge fan of Ethan Hawk from Day Breakers, the cinematography was perfect, the story definitely carried out smoothly, and the idea behind the movie and having a descent original supernatural climax was really what kept this movie on the edge of your seat! A lot of horror films in the past that are about supernatural things but end up having a human climax is disappointing to me in most movies (cry wolf, sorority row, etc). The ending really caught me off guard, and ended in a way that makes u feel cold and creeped out. This movie makes you think. I don't know how anyone wouldn't find this film creepy, or sick to say the least and if you don't think so then something is seriously wrong with you. Amazing film! Wish there was an...

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Tug

Background Type Movie
This movie didn't get off to a great start plot wise or actor wise. I ended up using it to watch while I worked on some paper work. It was a good movie to have on for multi-tasking with a movie. Playing in the background was good enough to glance at and listen to off and on to keep up with the plot. This could've been made a lot better if it had different writers. The plot had some potential and unfortunately the actors did not.
OK if you want a very little entertainment that is not music in the background but have things to get done.

Okay
In my opinion the movie is okay to watch once. It keeps you interested on how a guy thinks, and their definition of a good girlfriend and bad girlfriend. The ending could have been better. I did like however how they explained the movie title. "Tug"

Do not waste your time.
This could have been a good movie if it had been handled right. It was not, "Tug" was not worth the time or the money to watch. The blame is not with the actors, but the script.

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The Sweeney

Hardcore Grit
Let me preface this review with a statement that is required for UK residents: Have never seen the original tv program this film is based on.

That said, I was stunned to see some of the harsh and, in my opinion, completely undeserved criticism. (via Amazon.co.uk) And I'm already prepped and ready to take on all comers in stating this:

Fellow film fans in the UK have no concept of what makes a truly bad reboot, revamp, or remake. Let me tell you about being an American who regularly screens disappointment. 'Red Dawn' or the steaming pile called 'Dark Shadows' being prime examples. In all sincerity, you guys across the pond have gotten way too used to high quality moviemaking. Spoiled, you need to live here for a while, maybe get a good dose of '...

Gritty UK crime drama is worth checking out
It seems that "The Sweeney" has bypassed the US theatres altogether and instead gets released directly onto DVD. But by chance during a recent business trip to Sydney, I noticed the movie was playing in Australian cinemas and I took the opportunity to go see this.

"The Sweeney" (2012 release from the UK; 112 min.) brings an update/refresh of the movie and subsequent UK TV series from the mid-1970s. As far as the plot is concerned, the movie focuses on the London special crime unit called "the Sweeney". As the movie opens we see the unit successfully interrupting a heist, and then going out to celebrate and let off some steam (the latter even literally as we see two of the Sweeney colleagues getting it on). The tension mounts when an interal compliance officer announces that he is going to "observe" the unit to make sure it plays by the rules (which of course it doesn't). Then a brutal jewelry hold-up happens, during which one of the innocent bystanders gets brutally killed...

For a fan of the British cop genre this is great. Extremely entertaining and keeps you guessing. I highly recommend this. B+
"As far as I'm concerned there ain't another job in the world that'll give me the kind of buzz this one does." Jack Reagan (Winstone) is an old school detective that does things his way much to the dismay of IA. He is on the case of a string of bank robberies as well as being investigated by his department for questionable tactics. When something goes wrong and he is stripped of his badge it is up to him to clear his name, stop the bad guy and save his department. I am a big fan of the British cop genre and this one is not a disappointment. Great story and acting makes this very very entertaining. The movie is full of twists which keeps you guessing what is happening and who is on what side right up until the end. That makes a movie fun to watch. This is a under the radar movie that I could keep going on about but if you are a fan of this genre like I am then this is a must see. I really enjoyed this. Overall, one of the better cop movies I have seen in a while. I give it a B+.

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Stud Life

Secret life comes to light...
`Stud' Lesbian JJ (T'Nia Miller) and her gay best friend Seb (Kyle Treslov), work as wedding photographers. Charming JJ could have her pick of women but when she meets sexy Elle (Robyn Kerr) at a bar one night, she is smitten. Soon, JJ and Elle are head over heels in love and spending all their time together.

As Elle becomes more demanding, Seb is left neglected on the sidelines and JJ is torn between her beautiful new partner and her best friend. Elle however, hasn't been completely honest with JJ and when her dark secret comes to light, their relationship is thrown into crisis.

Director Campbell X examines London England's queer culture with stark realism, in this debut film. Stud Life explores the nature of love, sexuality, gender and the limits of tolerance within the LGBT community.

T'Nia Miller is amazing as the tough but softhearted JJ searching for love in the backstreets of London. Gorgeous Robyn Kerr admirably portrays Elle, caught between...

Real
i liked this movie because it was something i could relate to! it was entertaining, funny, and real. I would suggest any "stud" or butch should watch! kudos to the director and actors all great jobs!

Stud Life
The movie is a definite keeper. Not at all what I expected. One of the best black lesbian movies to come out in a very long time. I have to tell more people about this! Great story, acting and cinematography.

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The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc [HD]

Painfully Inaccurate
This movie is so painfully inaccurate, one could assume it was written by someone who not only has no notion of who Joan of Arc was historically, but also has no reverence for her as a saint. Joan of Arc had two brothers, not a sister. Domremy was not attacked by the Burgundians or the English, as it was already English territory. Joan heard the voices of Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret, and Saint Michael. Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret were the dominant voices. She also spoke of the voices comforting her, not terrorizing her for following their direction. I despise this representation of Joan as a broken, pathetic, and incredibly insane antihero. Anyone who has given the time and thought to reading her trial transcripts would know that she was so much more than this film could possibly pretend to portray.

Doesn't Represent Jean d'Arc
I have read like three books on Joan of Arc and I have seen the mini-series on NBC, starring LeeLee Sobieski (I love you!). Everything I have seen or read about Joan of Arc, Jean d'Arc, was better than The Messenger. Joan was a kind, wonderful person but this movie made her look like a maniac that should be put away. Though I have to say Milla Jovovich played a wonderful crazy person. Joan's visions weren't even correct. In the movie she saw some man that looked like Jesus, while in life she saw Saints, such as St. Catherine. The war scenes were gruesome, but I liked them; they were realistic. Another thing wrong was how Joan found her sword. She didn't find it in a meadow, as if someone dropped it there and she found it. Her voices told her that the sword was in St.Catherine's temple around the alter, so she sent some of her men to the temple and they found it buried by the alter just as she said. No one else knew it was there before. I was so upset after watching this...

Brilliant filmmaking with a fatal flaw
This is a rather irreverent and disturbing look at the life of Saint Joan of Arc. The portrayal of her early life was very good, giving her a sincerity and piety that made the child Joan an attractive character. However, once Milla Jovovich took over as the teen Joan, she became a raving lunatic. Clearly, this was no accident. She and director Luc Besson are husband and wife, and it is obvious that this is their combined interpretation of Joan.

The problem with this portrayal was that Joan was made to be appear so demented that she lost credibility as a believable character. Her belief in her voices was depicted more as mad fanaticism than unshakeable faith. Personally, I have no problem with this interpretation, since I am more apt to believe her voices were the result of an unbalanced psyche than the voice of God. The problem I have is believing that anyone, even in the 15th century, would give an army to someone who is so obviously over the edge. Moreover, it is a...

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A Tribute to Jerome Robbins

See 09March2012 Update; the rest, for the record
Note this blu ray is shown under Product Description as being region B/2 encoded which means it will NOT play in most US/Canada machines (which are region A/1). Amazon normally displays such information prominently. They failed to do so here.

HOWEVER if one looks at the rear of the box, one can see the imprint of the seal denoting the blu-ray to be region free. European sites show the blu-ray being region 0, that is, region free.

So, it seems Amazon probably made a mistake in the Product Description. I called them and the people on the phone have no product access, they see what we see. So, what is one to do?

UPDATE 09March2012: Amazon has corrected its entry to note that it is indeed a region-free blu ray. I got it in Amazon France and it is beautiful. The performances are exquisite even if, good as the Paris Opera Ballet soloists are in the Ravel, the eloquent Maire-Agnès Gillot and Florian Magnenet, they do not erase memories of Suzanne...

A Fantastic Tribute to Jerome Robbins
'Tribute to Jerome Robbins' contains some excellent ballets by Jerome Robbins; En Sol, In the Night, and The Concert. This is one of the most perfect collections of his genius, showing one of his lighter ballets, an emotional and genius one, and finally, a comedic one. The music, a collection of Ravel and Chopin, is played exquisitely. The first of these ballets, En Sol, is a Broadway musical-esque balletic scene of a day at the beach, with somewhat abstract scenery and costumes. The ballet is fun, exciting, light-hearted, and touching. Ravel's music stunningly fits into every single movement of Robbins' dance. Marie-Agnès Gillot is excellent here, as well. The next ballet by Robbins is In the Night, a testament to his genius. It is emotionally complex, yet so simple and effective - an amazing effect for the viewer. The ballet is based on the structure of Les Sylphides - to the music of Chopin, in a series of 'atmospheric variations'. The scenery is of a starry night sky, with...

A Great Tribute to a Great Choreographer.
We don't see much of Jerome Robbins in ballet discography. Perhaps he has been overshadowed by his colleague, George Balanchine, or he has been too often considered only a movie musical choreographer. But Jerome Robbins has made great contributions to serious(and comically serious!) ballet. We see three of his ballets in this recording of a live performance: one to the music of Ravel, and two to the music of Chopin. These ballets feature many solos and small groupings including pas de deux. Each ballet is wonderfully danced by Etoiles of the Paris Opera Ballet, along with dancers of lesser rank(but not lesser talent!) One interesting aspect of this performance is that we actually have Etoiles partnered by not only Premier Danseurs, but also Sujets, Coryphees, and Quadrilles. (The ranks of the Paris Opera Ballet from the highest to the lowest are: Etoile, Premier Danseur or Premiere Danseuse, Sujet, Coryphee, and Quadrille.) That is unusual for the Paris Opera Ballet, but I love to see...

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Falstaff

Novità
The newest addition to a crowded and distinguished DVD field for Verdi's final (greatest?) opera comes from Glyndebourne 2009. Richard Jones's production places the action in the England of the 1940s. Jones recently received brickbats for a severely updated Munich LOHENGRIN (Decca), in which Lohengrin wears a T-shirt and track pants. The temporal facelift given FALSTAFF is inoffensive, although it fails one test: the update leads nowhere that justifies it, so it seems novelty for its own sake. Say what you will about Robert Carsen's Salzburg ROSENKAVALIER (recently reissued by Arthaus; see review), but Carsen followed through on his impulse. There proved to be a rationale for his transplanting the opera to the Vienna of just prior to WW1, and his production could not have worked in the Vienna of another period, whether the 1740s (as prescribed by Strauss and von Hofmannsthal) or the 2000s. Jones's FALSTAFF is a more arbitrary affair. The Blitz does not begin in the Windsor Park scene,...





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Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events [HD]

Very good interpretation of Snickett's superlative books
It's somewhat difficult to review this film. Any adaptation of a book sets certain expectations for those who are seeing the movie - and the most common expectation is that the movie is going to parallel, as accurately as it can, the books.

Does this do that? Yes and no.

The central plot elements of the books are there: the greedy Count Olaf who wants to steal their fortune; the bumbling Mr. Poe who can't seem to understand anything; Uncle Monty, who makes them feel at home for the first time since losing their parents; and their Aunt Josephine, who is afraid of so many things - radiators, ovens, falling refrigerators, and, of course, realtors.

However, the movie moves rather quickly to the second book, skirting swiftly around the first book and inserting a segue that didn't happen in any book to cause the movement. I was puzzled by this. There were other liberties taken, but as I ruminate over them, they seem rather insignificant. The resolution of...

A Wonderful Wonderful Movie!
Alot of people are going to hate me after this, but the worst problem with "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" is Jim Carrey, but I don't think the role of Count Olaf was meant for him. I like Jim Carrey, and I think he's very talented. He proves he can do great comedy, like in "The Mask" and "Bruce Almighty," and he proved that he could great do drama, like "The Truman Show" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," but he is just too big of a star for this movie. He was doing his own thing throughout, and while everybody else was on one level, he was on another, and the two didn't mix very well. I mentioned in my review for "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" that the second half of 2004 has been great visually. "Hero," "House of Flying Daggers," and now "Lemony Snicket" have great things to watch, and I think this movie actually requires a second viewing so you can look around and find all the little visual quirks you might have mixed. Look around the front hall...

Better than I expected!
I have recently seen this movie, and I have to say that it exceeded my expectations. It was filled with jokes and laughs, but don't worry, the jokes don't steer away from the story. I was quite doubtful on the fact that Jim Carrey would be playing the part as Count Olaf. Jim Carrey is usually in Comedic Films and I thought that he would not fit this character, because in the books, the count isn't supposed to be funny, but cruel and greedy. But, it turned out fine. In fact, I felt Jim Carrey was a big plus to the movie, and the rest of the cast was picked perfectly. I highly recommend this movie to the fans of the series!( also, you Harry Potter crazies)

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The Three Musketeers [HD]

Festive Musketeers
Alexandre Dumas may or may have not liked the Disney version of his story, but your whole family should. This often remade classic is more comedic in this version. I personally liked it. But then I have liked most versions in their style. The 1973 version with Oliver Reed as Athos and this version with Keifer Sutherland as Athos stand out above the rest in my humble opinion. The 1973 version for the drama and this one for the comedy.

Tim Curry is marvelous as Cardinal Richelieu. He is so borderline outrageously lecherous you think he is going to burst out laughing like a madman or go into song from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". He never plays the piety like Charlton Heston did in the 1973 version. He goes more for the deviousness of an outright power mad religious leader.

The entire cast is great. With Charlie Sheen, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, and Rebecca DeMornay how could it be anything but well acted. I would bet the entire cast had a great time filming this...

Not the book, yet still a great movie!!
I must agree with everyone who wrote reviews on this movie that it is not at all like the book by Dumas, but I don't think that's a good reason not to like this movie. It's lots of fun and has plenty of action and adventure. And I think that's it's not only great for kids but for teenagers and adults alike.

Here's the summary of "The Three Musketeers". Chris O'Donnel is D'Artagnan, a young, brash, proud, yet courageous 'kid' whose only dream is to become one of the king's musketeers. But when he gets to Paris, he finds that the musketeers have been disbanded by the young King Louis's (Hugh O'Conor) evil Cardinal, Richelieu (Tim Curry). But three musketeers who are the best of friends, Athos (Kiefer Sutherland), Aramis (Charlie Sheen), and Porthos (Oliver Platt), are suspicious of Cardinal Richelieu and his henchman Rochefort (Michael Wincott). D'Artagnan is put in jail for fighting the Cardinal's guards with the three musketeers. Though he tries to escape yet fails, he is...

Get off your high horse people.Geeez
If I see another review from someone saying this is not like the book I will get another ulcer to match the ones I already have.This is just great entertainment.I read the book in high school and again in college.You know what.....great book,great movie and they stand on their own.Disney wasn't trying to make a faithful adaption to Dumas's work.They wanted to make good family fun and they did.Lighten up people.

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Dewitt & Maria

lovely romantic comedy
Written in the vein of the romantic comedies of the 50's and 60's....a feel good old fashioned lovely film and with rich characters and witty dialogue!





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Simon Blanco

hello!
hello!
just want to say thanks for such good products and an apology for not doing it before
Thanks again





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La Muerte de Un Gallero

buena para los amantes de gallos
muy buena pero necesita mas peleas . Su amigo luis altamirano





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