Dawn of the Dead - Unrated Director's Cut [HD]

Great Modern Horror Flick!
Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of the Romero trilogy, and believe that those movies are irreplaceable. Every fan of the horror genre should own those films. However, this does not mean that I was not able see this remake without an open mind. In fact, I loved this movie. Rather than try to completely re-do the Romero film, and in so doing step on Romero's toes, the filmmakers went for a different spin on Romero's basic concept.

For those of you who are familiar with the original Romero version of Dawn of the Dead, you know that Romero was not going for the full-fledged horror movie effect. Sure, the movie had some jumps and some gore, but for the most part Romero's film was a satire. Romero did a great job of combining social commentary with some horror elements, which is, in itself, a statement. This remake, however, merely goes for the thrills and chills.

The 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead throws you immediately into the horror/gore, and right from the...

Blue Ray Quality Review
I'm not going to talk about the movie, there's 700+ other reviews for that. Basically, is this worth buying on Blue Ray if you already have it on DVD? Probably not. The sound is crystal clear, as seems to be the case even on movies with the worst transfers. However, the picture isn't that great. It's slightly better than standard definition, but the blacks are grainy, and the sharpness comes and goes. It IS slightly better than SD, but fairly underwhelming otherwise. I think only big fans of this movie who will watch it often will benefit from HD.

I wouldn't re-buy it for your collection if you have to dust off your SD version when you watch it. So if you're thinking hey it's only $10 should I get it? Only if you don't already own it on SD or you're a big fan of the movie. No doubt, it's a great movie, probably the best remake in the series and probably best overall in the series including all the new ones and all the originals. But the upgrade to BR probably won't be worth...

You've woken up the demon in me
Imagine. A clam peaceful morning. A promise of a new day. A promise of love, of hope, of joy and prosperity. A promise shattered. A new dream takes over . . .

Welcome to this brave new world, teaming with the hungering legions of the damned and demented. An inexplicable virus has taken over the barren husks of those who have died and has risen them as new beings - - - beings who must sate themselves on the gory, writhing remains of the living. And, in the soulless eyes of these macabre creatures, a new world takes form - - - a world filled with the wails of the tormented dying, a world drenched in the blood of innocents, a world where corruption and decay rule all, a world where hope has died and been buried. In this Stygian realm, the few survivors must make a new way of life, must lock themselves in a fortress of solitude for their physical safety. They must, regardless of the consequences, band together against the gruesome hordes that await their warm flesh. However,...

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9 To 5 [HD]

Best Comedy Ever!
This film is one of the rare achievements in comedy: I can watch this over and over (and I have) and still laugh at the same parts. The jokes never wear out after a viewing or two. That's due in part to the excellent camaraderie between Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. I simply can't imagine this film without any of those three, for they made their roles what it is and the interractions between the three of them are hilarious. Dabney Coleman as their sexist boss with an extremely naive wife is also hilarious as he gets his comeuppance.

Jane Fonda plays a mousy lady who enters the work force after her husband runs off with his secretary. Seeing her flustered by the photocopier is hilarious and it's fun to watch her transformation into a confident lady who can hold her own (gun) against the boss.

Lily Tomlin plays the lady who's been at the company for a long time and is passed over for a rightful promotion because she's a woman. I love her scene when she...

FEMINISM TURNED INTO COMEDY BUT THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN
FIRST THOUGHTS - -

This movie is among the greatest 100 minute entertainment fests in existence. "9 to 5" reaches and touches everybody, both male and female somewhere personal and strangely satisfying. Though the plot is great and really moves, it is the smart "fantasy-revenge" ideas, dialogue and strong characterizations that keep this from becoming mean-spirited and thereby enable this movie to work so well for a diverse audience.

We need to salute Director/Screenwriter, Colin Higgins first. Higgins was the Screenwriter for "Harold and Maude", "Silver Streak" and "Foul Play", picking up a Golden Globe nomination for "Foul Play" in 1978. All of Higgins films have an air of sophistication and display a refreshing respect for the audience particularly in avoiding the obvious mean-spirited cliches that many of his films' topics' encompass. Also, Editor Pembroke J. Herring who was nominated for 3 Academy Awards for Editing and also edited "Ground Hogs Day", did an...

Great Movie, Bad DVD Transfer!
I purchased 9 To 5 - Sexist, Egotistical, Lying Hypocritical Bigot Edition - Widescreen DVD and was really excited as 9 to 5 is one of my favorite films. I expected alot from this DVD as I heard it had alot of extras and a brand new remastered transfer. Well only half my expectations were met. The extras were great, they included deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes and more. The only problem was with the supposed new remastered transfer. When compared to the previous bare bones copy, it just didn't stack up. I did notice that alot of the cracks and pops were removed but the film was very dark. Where as the older transfer was very bright. Another thing I noticed was the audio track on the new transfer sounded very distorted and muffled. I quickly send this DVD back as I wasn't having this awful transfer. When you purchase this DVD you have to think to yourself, what is more important the movie transfer or the extras it provides. With me, the extras just wasn't enough to make...

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I Was A Male War Bride [HD]

Some Like It Cool
This is a cool, quiet comedy that floats just below the radar of what we ordinarily consider comedy to be (actually, this is very similar to the British Ealing comedies of the same era). Cary is a master of subtle comedy. He can say more with a straight face than anyone since Buster Keaton, and he is perfectly cast with Ann Sheridan here, who matches Cary's every nuance of subtlety and intelligence. The movie deftly skewers that oxymoron we all know and loathe: "military intelligence". There are some priceless lines throughout, like the Permission To Immigrate To The US form that Cary must sign, which asks hilariously inane questions like "name your father's gender". The military is so shortsighted and inflexible, poor Cary ultimately has no choice if he wants to get into the US - he not only has to lie about his identity, but his gender as well. I first saw this movie some twenty-plus years ago and was amazed at how ahead of its time it was in terms of being a `gender-bender'...

Terrific Comedy by master Hawks starring Grant & Sheridan
This film was destined to be a "classic", after all Howard Hawks had been responsible for both, Cary Grant's masterpiece of the screwball comedy "Bringing Up Baby" (opposite Kate Hepburn) and one the fastest-paced-dialogue-comedies ever, the great "His Girl Friday" starring Grant and Rosalind Russell.

It's a pity that Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan weren't ever teamed up again, because it's such a wonderful and great chemistry that develops between these two stars!; I'm short of words in praising their talent, especially since at the beginning of the picture they have to "work-out" this weird "love & hate relationship".

Grant plays a french captain on duty in Germany, after World War II, who's had shared too many missions and lots of "experiences" together, with American lieutenant (Sheridan), but in this last mission together, they're going to have (unknowingly) one of the greatest adventures of their whole lives, with exhilarating results!!!

It had been...

Mr. and Mrs? Or Is It Mrs. and Mrs?
For those that appreciate well written marital comedies a good old fashioned laugh feast is guaranteed in Howard Hawk's delightful farce set in post war Europe, "I Was a Male War Bride". The film's main claim to fame of course is the sight of Cary Grant attired in full female army uniform trying to make his way to America with his new wife, however it also has much else to offer in the determined battle of the sexes that goes on between the two antagonists Cary Grant and the always delightful Ann Sheridan. Grant was always superb when playing these types of disgruntled male lead roles where he often found himself being put through the emotional ringer by a woman who generally has the upper hand on him. In this funny story the woman in question played by Ann Sheridan enjoys a long standing love/hate relationship with his character that while filled with verbal insults and slights, hides underneath a real love just waiting to come to the surface. This film also very amusingly chronicles...

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Firestorm [HD]

Dumb, brainless action but fun in a way
This movie only lasts for barely 89 minutes. This makes me wonder if anything was cut out of the movie in the editing room. I think there was when I watch the film. It could have been so much more. What's left is a very brief and entertaining movie about a prison break. With very little Firestorm.

Many people have said that Howie Long's performance in this film is quite poor. I think that he did a fine job. I can honestly say his performance is totally adequate. William Forsythe is quite a decent villain too. Neither hammy nor campy. I'm glad he was in the movie.

But I'm not glad the film was a flop. It would have been a big hit if it was longer and had more plot. You can't call a film FIRESTORM and have only a few seconds worth of fire in it. I don't know what has been cut from this film but it has damaged it severely. Chris Soth is the only person credited with writing this film but rumor has it that Graeme Yost actually wrote the first draft but used his...

Unparalleled realism, Howie's hygiene is beyond reproach
As a real-life wildland firefighter I am here to tell you that this movie is perfection and grace. The writers themselves must have eaten smoke in some former life. Indeed they nailed every aspect of wildland firefighting. From DOC crews who are chained to their bus while traveling to the fire and released with a potential deadly weapon in a camouflage ridden forest---to Howie's masterful portrayal of a smokejumper with a heart and the childlike demeanor of an alcoholic scoutmaster, this film is pure gold. If one flaw should be cited, it is, that the incendiary, helicopter launched, ping pong ball machine failed to explode with enough devastating force! Firefighters know that ping pong balls do not make a grenade sized explosions, but one more akin to a bunker buster launched from an F16. The chainsaw scene took my breath away, Howie's acting was certainly slighted by a lack of an academy nomination. The fire at the movie's end was the first true-to-life portrayal of a wildland fire...

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT - A MACHO MOVIE - GREAT SUBJECT
A macho movie -- just means that the guys are out there doing their job with a few nuts thrown in.

I am always looking for Scott Glenn's movies and enjoy the few that I have.

I have always had the greatest respect for paratroopers covering any job. I can't imagine a job much more dangerous. You got to admire these guys.

Loved the movie and all the color - the terrain - the characters - and hey, how about that heliocopter pilot. Wow! look at that long hair.

Would love to have had a feature on the making of the movie.

Oh, and Howie Long still looks better that the baby faced actors being used today.

Well worth seeing - will be added to my collection.

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Brown Sugar [HD]

Great movie ONLY if you were exposed to hip-hop, pre-1990
This movie is brilliant and entertaining and fresh, but sadly most the the reviewers of this movie TOTALLY MISSED the point.

If you thought this was just another romantic comedy, then of course you'd think this was just a run-of-the-mill, predictable movie.

If you weren't exposed and/or have no concept of what hip hop was before it's crossover period, circa-1990 with FAKE, gimmicky artists with no skill like Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer who put out anything that would sell records, don't watch this movie -- someone else will only have to break it down to you later.

Like the Amazon.com Review (Jeff Shannon) says above (please read carefully), the LEAST entertaining aspect of this movie is Dre & Sidney's relationship.

The gist of the movie is how Dre & Sid's relationship is written as a direct parallel and with commentary on the music business of how hip hop lost its soul when it crossed over and became commercial.

Every scene in the...

"WHEN IT'S MEANT TO BE"
Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan, my favorite actor and actress coming together, it has to be good! But you don't need to know either one of these two to love "Brown Sugar". This movie involves two adults that grew up as best friends but later realised that they were in love with eachother, it raises a question of whether a man and a woman can be friends without sexuality being in the way but at the same time it goes beyond that; having a lover as a best friend is as good as it gets. What makes this movie good is the trouble these two best friends go through to realize how they feel about each other but that's not a bad thing, it just helps them realize how they truly feel. Most movies would just show the physical attraction between two people but Brown Sugar shows you two people understanding eachother in every way possible. It is truly the best romantic movie that I have ever watched, it's not only touching but it has humor along the way which makes it open to a lot of different...

At Last!
It's nice to see African-Americans depicted in a positive light for a change and Brown Sugar does just that. It is infused with ambition, humor and romance!

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Vinny The Chin: The Long Island Legend

rented this out of boredom, wish i hadn't to be honest
i've followed Vinny the chin since i saw him as a guest on a bodybuilding website tv show about 2 years ago or so. I've seen most of his stuff on youtube and i give the guy credit, he is entertaining to watch. But this documentary was just boring to me. A lot of bad acting from the people in the set up "confrontations" he gets into. I'd say about 70-80% of the encounters where he messes with people are obviously fake and scripted. In hindsight i wish i would of just kept the 4$ for something else.

Vinnie The Chin is the balls!
This movie is funny as hell! I loved it! Vinnie is so cool I would let him ball my sister.

The Most Legendary Movie Ever
Hilarious movie, honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I've seen all of The Chins videos on youtube and finally had to order it. It is worth it for the fact that there is 90+ min of extras which are all hilarious too. Awesome movie. A must see. Can't say enough good things about it, probably the MOST underrated movie of 2013.

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Highway [HD]

Definitely a Movie to smoke & laugh too!
Very Funny movie! Definitely a movie 2 smoke then watch! Devin the Dude & Lil Duval are 2 Funny & U will watch it over & over! Much funnier than Mac & Devin (the Wiz & Snoop movie) #IJS

I'M TALKING ABOUT A TRAIN WREAK
This is another African-American stoner film. This one stars Devin Copeland and Roland Powell and is a cut below others in this genre such as "Budz House." The inconsistent plot (which is okay for a stoner film) concerns our heroes trying to steal plants from hillbillies in western Kentucky. The film incorporates "chronic breaks" or mellow trips at certain times to add to the pot humor.

The production exhibits many low brow qualities with its frequent racial humor directed at both blacks and whites. Frequent use of the N-word. A poorly and immaturely written script, that in spite of all the short comings and as disgusted as I was, I did find myself laughing at some of the confrontations.

I loved the cartoon Chronic Break sequence of "Kush" which combined classic "Heavy Metal" type animation with a "Kill Bill" type hero. If only the whole film had measured up.

This is a film that is better if seen stoned and by someone who never lived through the early...

Hillbilly Highway
I bought it because i'm in it and I wanted to see how the project turned out. The union had to sue them before I got paid.

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Of Two Minds

Good performances and portrayal of mental illness
A schizophrenic woman must move from one place to another as her sister tries to figure out how to deal with her outbursts and the effects on her family. Good acting, especially from Rachel Blanchard.

Great Performances
From personal experience, I thought both main roles (the 2 sisters) plus the role of the son of the one were very true-to-life. The affects and confusion with everyone involved were very effectively portrayed. For these reasons, I LOVED it. The happy- ending follow-up was, sadly, NOT very realistic, although the "choices" that were declined, unfortunately WERE. Still, I would highly recommend this performance.



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Cell Count

YOU ARE APPRECIATED AND WE THANK YOU
I enjoyed the horror/mystery/thriller aspect of the film, even some of the plot details. The problem is the execution was horrendous. Sadie (Haley Talbot) has a deadly new disease. Her doctor (Christopher Toyne) claims he can cure her in three weeks if she submits to an experimental procedure in a remote secure location. In order for her husband to be able to go with her, he agrees to contract the disease and undergo treatment. The doctor has had the disease and has been cured.

The facility has that sanitary institutionalized feel to it. There are several other patients there also. You immediately realize things are not what they seem and you want to know more about the cure.

The acting was acceptable for a "B" horror film. The script needed some polish. For effect, the camera was a bit jerky, for that live feel and during crisis scenes, the voices were removed which I found took away from the film more than added. Sometimes more is more.

F-bombs,...

Great piece of horror/action!
I've been excited about this project for months and now I've seen it and can finally say that it's great. Excellent special effects and director Todd Freeman has real talent. The movie ends on a cliffhanger that only serves to wet our appetites for Cell Count 2, which is already in pre-production.

Decent.
Hearing about the part with the dog and the thing with an anus for a mouth got me interested in watching this movie. There were only a few good parts in the movie, the story so slow, and nothing is really explained. All you hear is "The cure" "the disease" nothing about the origins of "The cure" which hopefully in part 2 which they are working on they will explain what those two things are.

The story could have been told better and some details to what "The cure" is and how they found it and what the disease actually is would have been a good thing to flesh out the story some. This is a decent movie if you want to kill some time.

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Dare Not Walk Alone [HD]

Dare Not Walk Alone
Millions of visitors come every year to the nation's oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida. They wander down the narrow streets and marvel at the balconies and horse carriages and coquina stone fort, but they leave entirely ignorant of the most important modern event in the Ancient City's history: the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

St. Augustine was a great battlefield of that movement, like Montgomery and Birmingham and Selma and Memphis--but it is the only one of those cities that does not yet have a museum dedicated to telling the civil rights story.

That is not because it lacks significance: it was the demonstrations in St. Augustine organized by Dr. Robert B. Hayling and Dr. Martin Luther King that led directly to the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed racial segregation in motels and restaurants, and also job discrimination (not just against blacks, but also against women, so it has really changed the face of the...

A Different Kind of Civil Rights Film
I think many kids today see civil rights marches as sedate affairs with much banner waiving and hymn singing; they don't get why the non-violence movement was so brave, so heroic. This movie shows the kickings and beatings that marchers endured without retaliation, creating scenes that decent Americans found intolerable, thus exerting enormous pressure on politicians, like LBJ, whose White House tapes are hear on the soundtrack.

As the great struggles in our nation's history recede further into the past they are packaged into familiar textbook images and well-worn phrases, becoming comfortably distant and increasingly irrelevant to the present. Watching this film I felt that the young director, Jeremy Dean, was determined to prevent that happening to the civil rights movement. Apparently, according to the interview that appears on this DVD, Dean found himself living in a battle ground of the sixties, hearing war stories from those who were on the front lines, people who...

My favorite uncle was one of the rabbis at the pool
St. Augustine was about to celebrate its 400th birthday in 1964 and because African Americans were treated so poorly there, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. thought it was the perfect place in which to agitate. Dr. King was arrested on June 11, 1964 at Monson's Motor Lodge. It was his twelfth arrest and his only arrest in the state of Florida. It was at that point that he asked rabbis and priests to come to his aid. He wanted them to agitate at Monson's in order to raise awareness about the horrendous treatment of blacks in the nation's oldest city.

Clyde Sills (my Uncle Mickey) was my mother's younger brother and he was a rabbi. My uncle had two very small children and a wife who didn't relate to or approve of his idealism. My uncle was very torn about whether or not to go to St. Augustine, and after giving it a lot of thought, he decided he couldn't turn his back on his African-American brothers and sisters. On June 18, 1964, I was in the den of my New York home with my then...

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Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony

Beautiful and accurate
This movie is an excellent introduction to a little-known conflict. I lived in the Saharawi refugee camps for several years and know people who have been tortured by the Moroccans as well as several of those interviewed. The information presented here is compelling and heart-wrenchingly true, and I was very impressed by the 1975 footage and the interviews they were able to obtain. Politicians were bluntly honest in a way rarely seen.

Informative, engaging and well done.
Bardem's activism is powerful. The status quo must end! For the sons of the clouds to return to their families and for justice and democracy to return to the western sahara.

Biased
Movie is biased. Missed to mention who is really behind the suffering of the refugees besides Morocco. The Movie didn't mention how these people were really made refugees. Did not mention the plight of Algeria on this conflict and how without it, this conflict would have never existed. Fail to mention the independent Western Sahara is supported by Cuba, Algeria, Libya of Qaddafi..
I don't know where the Last Colony in the title came from. The Spaniards believe the last colony is Gibraltar as they still demand for its return to the mother land Spain from the British.

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Nitro Circus: The Movie

3D review. This packs a punch.
Nitro Circus takes a group of daredevils and shows what happens when you take stunts to the absolute limits. This is truly a heart pumping ride worth taking. You'll see tri-cycles jump ramps across buildings,huge car flips,insane dirt bike jumps,buses flying across the sky,wheel chairs attempting to go through loops,and the whole time the cast takes it as if it's just another day at the office. The whole films leads up to a finale which highlights the first live Nitro Circus show in Vegas.

The 3D here is a nice supplement. The material doesn't need it,but it certainly adds to the overall experience. The movie itself is quiet a knockout,but the 3D insures you stay down for the count.

Pros: The stunts are insane here. Without a doubt it's hard to believe no one has been seriously,life crippling injured attempting any of this. Some of it is pretty funny as well.

Cons: I felt at times they took too long in between shots to get the input of celebrities and...

BORING!!
I am a big fan of Travis and Friends and have purchased all the previous videos. I was not entertained. I called my friends to watch for the first time and most left early.
Looks like they must have had a contract to fulfill and were just going through the motions.
Second: I would like to ask ....Did Travis retire? its seems all he did was congratulate others for doing stunts.
SO DISAPPOINTED

NITRO!
If you liked the show, you'll love the movie. It's Nitro Circus, what's not to love? I mean, it's Travis, Jolene and the crew. Buy it. Now.

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A Burning Hot Summer

Beware Of The Title: Not Much Heat In This French Relationship Drama, More Of A Chilly Aloofness
With its incendiary title and its provocative DVD cover, it might be easy to mistake Philippe Garrel's new "A Burning Hot Summer" for a racy and hot-blooded melodrama. Instead, the film is a quintessential French character piece that has a moody aloofness that should be familiar to anyone that has sampled Garrel's other works. A quartet of friends struggle with relationships, debate political theory, and mainly just exist in an isolated world of idealism and hypocrisy. This "hot summer," therefore, is punctuated by inaction, extended silences, and a rather mundane ordinariness for much of the picture. This is not a movie made for audiences expecting big moments or actions, but one that succeeds on a smaller story which relies heavily on the things that people leave unsaid.

At heart, "A Burning Hot Summer" tells the story of two interwoven relationships. Louis Garrel (the filmmaker's son and frequent leading man) and Monica Bellucci play an established married couple that...

"A DRAMA THAT TUGS AT THE HEART!"
A couple who were once very much in love and happy got married. At first their marriage was going good with love and passion. But then, the husband who is a painter begins to have struggles and challenges with his movie-star wife. Before you know it, their marriage begins to fall apart. Acting Performance Excellent, and the story holds your interest from start to finish. Overall, Enjoyable and Entertaining. Highly Recommended!

Love and marriage in today's secular society
Don't be misled by the title, the box cover photo, or the trailer: "A Burning Hot Summer" (ABHS) is not a titillating French sex farce or lighthearted romp through the sheets. It is a serious film about relationships, love and marriage in today's modern secular society. The setting is Europe, but the social mores of the main characters will be familiar to those who live in secular regions of the United States.

The film focuses on two couples, one which may be nearing the end of the relationship and one which may be beginning. As the two couples face challenges to their relationships, and as the four characters interact with each other, a variety of important questions get explored. Is it possible or desirable to have a lifetime monogamous relationship, and if not, should one bother entering into a serious relationship? Why get married or divorced? How should couples handle infidelity? Does a one-night stand mean anything? The rules of the relationship game have...

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Dark Horse [Blu-ray]

Amazing. Hillarious. Thoughtfull. Better than The Master.
Yeah I said it. I enjoyed this more than The Master which I saw on the same day as this. The Master was beautiful in many ways but this movie leaves you with so much more. Justin Bartha deserves an Oscar nomination for bringing this miserable character to life with out making him annoying or any more ridiculous than he needed to be. Donna Murphy was also incredible and deserves all the supporting actress awards that will be bestowed upon others.

No one makes movies like Todd Solondz. One of the only true independent filmmakers out there. Shoe string budget, unconventional storytelling, great performances and respect for the audience. Check this out while you have the chance. I would love to see more films like this (that are only released in a handful of cities) receive the accessibility and cost effectiveness of the digital format. Doesn't replace seeing it in the theater but if you live in bum-f*** Utah this might be your only shot.

NO CREDIT, NO EXCHANGE, NO REFUND
There is nothing like getting two dysfunctional people together to create a successful quirky indie. What I liked about this film more than many of the others in this genre such as "Jack Goes Boating" or "Greenberg" is that I felt comfortable laughing at the plight of the main characters.

Abe (Jordan Gelber) works for his dad and lives at home with his parents (Mia Farrow/ Christopher Walken). He still collects toys and hasn't reached his maturity potential. He lives in the shadow of his successful brother (Justin Bartha). At a wedding, Abe meets Miranda (Selma Blair) a shy, overly medicated woman once married to Mahmoud (Aasif Mandvi). Abe is supported by his secretary (Donna Murphy) who becomes his imaginary conscience.

The setting takes place somewhere in New Jersey between Eagles and Giants country. The title "Dark Horse" is a reference to Abe. His dad likes dark horses. i.e. like the old days when the Giants would lose, but cover the point spread. Abe...

A Different Direction from Todd Solondz
Dark Horse is the latest film from Todd Solondz and is a markedly different animal from his previous films. It still maintains his misanthropic spirit but it's lacking much of the provocative material that so often brings attention to his work. That's not to say Dark Horse isn't provocative; it just shows Solondz at his most gentle and forgiving.

Solondz has long had a knack for great opening scenes and this is no exception. Abe (Jordan Gelber), an overweight and balding man, sits at a wedding next to Miranda (Selma Blair). He begins hitting on her, completely unaware of her disinterest. Following her outside, he asks for her phone number and seems oblivious to her obvious reluctance to give it. From here Abe goes home and we see he epitomizes arrested development. He lives with his parents (Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow) in a room filled with action figures, he works for his father but brings nothing to the company, he blames all of his problems on the failings of...

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All Screwed Up

I JUST KISSED MYSELF
This is another trading places movie. One of the victims is the unlikeable Teenisha (Chyna Layne). She is a bit spastic and the product of her own doing, being disagreeable because she can be, engaging in half-truths and playing the victim. Pete (Jake Waldman) is the other lost soul. He is the center of the basketball team and is the closet thing Teenisha has to a friend. Pete gets ridiculed for his friendship with Teenish, the worse coming from his girlfriend Hillary (Allison Carter Thomas) a cheerleader who is also the leader of the "mean girls."

Teenisha acquires a rare CG elephant beetle from Africa, one that can survive in a sealed plastic container. Through various circumstances they trade places with the formulaic results.

This movie has big pluses and big minuses. The acting of Allison Carter Thomas was completely overdone and approaches camp as she is the stereotypical mean girl without chance for redemption. Once the characters were switched, the actors...

Not just for teens
I loved this movie I rented it on instant video and have watched it twice already I wanted to watch it before i bought it for my niece and i am happy to say i really enjoyed it. It made me laugh and everything that you want to do during a movie. i will definitely be buying this for my niece along with a copy to put in my collection.

Cute Film
All Screwed Up is a film about a nerdy teenage girl named Teenisha and a popular teenage boy named Pete who switch bodies when an African Beetle bites Pete. You might think the old switching body routine has been played out, and normally I would agree, but this movie managed to pull off a unique version of it. I've seen people switch with their parents, switch with their siblings, their friends, and even their pets, but this was the first time I saw a boy and girl with a potential for romance change places. It leads to a lot of crazy antics when Teenisha tries to take over on the basketball team and Pete has to figure out how to act like a lady. Throw in a nasty stereotypical mean girl, you have the makings of a teenage classic.

I really enjoyed this film. I thought the cast did a great job and there were some laugh out loud moments. Yes, there are a few incongruities, like the beetle staying alive in container with no air holes. But since its a magic beetle, I didn't...

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Quicksilver [HD]

Fine entertainment for cycling fans, less so for others
I don't know where the editorial reviewer got the idea that there's an "uprising ... against the evil bosses" at the end of this movie. There's no such thing, the climax of the movie is a showdown on the street with a vicious drug dealer. Perhaps the reviewer didn't actually watch the movie...

There's lots of great footage of urban cycling, even if some of it is a tad unrealistic. It's a fast-paced movie with lots of cycling action and actually has a multiple interesting plot lines, not related to cycling.

not the most realistic movie but still a great one
Yes, this movie is kind of unrealistic but so what. And just to re-clear up the bike thing. It wasn't a coaster brake bike like you had on your old banana seat bike when you were a kid. It's a track bike with a fixed gear. Which means the pedals spin as long as the rear wheel spins. And backward pressure slows your speed but does not completely stop it.That why he always jumped off the back and grabed the seat when he wanted to stop quickly. That is also why anyone crazy enough to ride a track bike on the street usually has a front brake installed. Look at the scenes where he is freestyling in his apartment. He is pedaling backward. This can only be done on a fixed gear. No coaster brake. If you look really closely at some of the scenes you will be able to see different bikes. Like when Bacon rides down the stairs, you can see the bike he's on has brakes. Obviously for the stunt. But I really like this movie. I've been a messenger and I always wanted the place I worked to be like that...

Doesn't Really Go Anywhere
I saw this film late last night on cable. I've got a feeling it might have glamorized the life of bicycle messengers a tad. If "Quicksilver" was meant to inspire all the kids out there who want to be couriers, I'm doubtful that it worked.

Kevin Bacon stars as a trailblazing stockbroker (Jack Casey) who loses everything. Now he does his trailblazing in another way: he becomes a bicycle courier. His failure on the trading floor dented his confidence, and now cycling around the city, delivering messages, has become his life.

Some of the camera angles with the cycling scenes were pretty good. Did Bacon do his own stunts? The movie lacks a few things such as plot and believability, but it's fairly watchable. The best part was towards the end, when Jack was gallantly leading the "bad guy" away from "the girl". The relentless car chase was funny.

Some of the filming was done in New York (I think) and also in San Francisco. I assumed the film was set in...

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My Girl 2 [HD]

Sequel Better Than The Original...Warm Hearted and Sweet
Usually sequels aren't as good as the original (although there are exceptions such as the Star Wars trilogy and the Back To The Future series), but this movie is much better than its predecessor, "My Girl." It is a warm and fuzzy family film with a great soundtrack featuring songs of the early 1970s. Vada is now 13, tackling a school assignment in which she decides to write about her mother's life. A trip to California to visit her uncle aids in her quest to track down her mother's high school classmates and friends. With each person she interviews, Vada makes some unexpected discoveries about her mother. Her search culminates in a touching, sadly sweet moment when she is able to "meet" her mother. Along the way, Vada finds love from Nick, (played by Austin O'Brien), her somewhat reluctant escort who was paid by Vada's uncle to accompany her around town. I love the fact that all of the primary actors were retained for the sequel (except for Macauley Culkin, whose...

Put on your mood rings, this film's groovy
Pixie-ish spitfire Vada Sultenfuss has grown up quite a bit since the first film. She's now thirteen years old, is no longer obsessed with death, and seems to have fully come to terms with the deaths of her mother and best friend. In the last film, Vada's father, Harry, got engaged to Shelly. In this one, they're married and Shelly is about eight months pregnant with Harry Jr., and Vada seems okay with it. Vada's a little miffed that her father still doesn't seem to understand her passion for writing, and she's worried that Shelly might die in childbirth like her own mother did. She also wants to know more about her mother. "I wish I could see her just once, even if it were only in a dream," says Vada. A school assignment to write about a person who's achieved something great, who she's never met, prompts Vada to research her mother. Her father, unfortunately, had such a "whirlwind courtship" with the late Maggie Muldovan-Sultenfuss that he can't...

AMAZING!
Wow, I didn't think that a movie could be so touching. From beginning to end, I was blown away by the determination of Vada to find out about her mother. Although I was born a decade after this movie takes place, I felt that it depicted the late '60s and early '70s very well and there was such a good feeling throughout the movie. The actors are amazing, especially Anna Chlumsky. RECOMMENDED!

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Parade's End [Blu-ray]

A Handsome Five Part Miniseries: A Great Benedict Cumberbatch Plays In A Romantic Triangle Set Against A World War I Backdrop
Oddly enough, this handsome co-production (BBC and HBO) of "Parade's End" isn't even the first adaptation of this wartime saga that I've seen this month! BBC has also dusted another version from 1964 out of their archives for DVD release, and I watched that one prior to settling down to this most current version. Although it has no particular bearing on my comments about this interpretation, it might be of interest to you if you love the story. It features nice performances (Jeanne Moody is merciless as Sylvia) and boasts a young Judi Dench as the second female lead Valentine. I love Dench, so it was a win-win! Ford Madox Ford's "Parade's End" is an epic tale of love, scandal, marriage, and war. It is also about propriety, integrity, and retaining gentlemanly values as the world crumbles around you. It has a very moral center which is why the 1964 version didn't even feel particularly dated, and this lovely new adaptation is nicely stylized between the modern and the...

Superb character study
This HBO miniseries is a masterpiece. It is beautifully written and acted, and unusually accurate historically. The film is emotionally devestating on the incompetence of the British military leadership in WWI, and on the hypocracy of social mores in the period before that war. From excellent novels by Ford Maddox Ford, but even better. Also, this is Benedict Cumberbatch's best film performance to date. Buy the video!

Brilliant and poignant mini-series
I've just completed watching Parade's End for the second time and much to my surprise, it was just as enjoyable as the first time. Second time around watching usually loses something... but not in this case.

The stoic and admirable character of Christopher Tietjens is beautifully played by Benedict Cumberbatch and without question, one of his best roles. He shows such pain in the situations faced - whether it be the result of being honorable or often being caused by his manipulative wife, Sylvia, played by the stunning Rebecca Hall. You cannot help but loathe her character due to all of the crap she pulls on everyone. But in the same breath, you also feel some pity for her - the obvious desperation to be needed and loved by the one man she cannot - maybe even shouldn't - have. Then in walks Valentine Wannop - a kindred spirit to Tietjens and against what is "right", you're rooting for them to be together.

The characters were fantastic and the story is captivating...

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Head Games

Very Important
This is a very important documentary for anyone who is in a sporting activity, has kids in sports or who is in healthcare in general to watch.

Head Games
Very interesting and informative. I showed it to a group of athletes and had a great discussion afterwards.
Two days later the Belcher incident happened!

Enlightening, educational, without being Preachy
Thie documentary was fascinating. It raises so many questions that as a health care professional, sports fan, & parent that I would have never pondered otherwise. It it informative and damning, yet it doesn't seek to end sports or convince us NOT to let our children play sports. It just seeks to educate.

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The Epic Drama Collection

Like Being There
I got this set for my husband and he loved it. He said it was so well done he felt like he was there. It is a set you can watch more than once. He would recommend it to anyone who loves good acting, and a well written program. It surpassed our expectations. Well worth the money.

Epic Drama worth the money
i received this as a gift for Christmas and love it. the attention to detail in Shackleton was as close to the book as it could be and still not drag on for several hours.

The Epic Drama Collection
If not the - certainly one of the best collections of movies I've ever purchased. Great acting and realistic real life history regarding some rather under reported events. I already own "Shackleton" but wanted the rest of the movies in any event. Not a boring moment in any of the movies - and I would say an excellent thing to give as a gift to younger folks since the portraits are so well done all the way around. I wish there were more historical dramas of this caliber.

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Robin And Marian [HD]

Dark and wistful take on Robin and Marian (VHS Edition)
This film wonderfully directed by Richard Lester offers an entirely different take on the legendary characters of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. It is 1199, Robin and Little John, return to England, after King Richard the Lionheart's death during the siege of Ch

Barking Water [HD]

Homecoming
Exquisite rendering of --and by -- Oklahoma Native Americans as life turns full circle. It's a pilgrimage to the altar we call HOME, wherever it may reside, of two extraordinary members of all-NA cast.(You'll never forget their faces: sheer windows to the soul)
It's director, Sterlin Harjo -- whom I met during premiere at Native Cinema Showcase,Indian Market 2009 -- can't even stretch out a hand yet to 30-years-old, is funny and definitely down to earth.
Moreover, he's not 'promising' here -- he delivers bigtime in "Barking Water".
In Creek, this translates into Wewoka, incidentally my hometown.
From Santa Fe, New Mexico...
("Barking Water" is also a place name -- and gurgling noise -- on creek north of town. Photo taken during recent local Sorghum Day festivaties can be seen @ FaceBook's homepage for Wewoka Chamber of Commerce)

Down to earth movie..........
It is a movie with real issues in life, not only in the Native American community but in life of families throughout. I enjoyed the movie as well as Sterling's other projects. A good movie and looking forward to other movies of Sterling Harjo to come. This movie has all the emotions that one can experience and has experience in their real life issues. I would recommend this movie to others.

deserves a wider audience
For those of you who feel you would not be interested in "a Native American movie", let me assure you that while this is a wonderfully Native-American made film, the appeal of the story is as universal as it is specific to the lives of its Native American characters.

This is a beautiful film. The writing is wonderful. The two lead actors never put one step wrong in their portrayals. I won't discuss the story line because it and the characters within it should unfold for you as they are intended by the film to do.

I hope this lovely film finds the wider audience it deserves.

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Side Out [HD]

Great movie until the end!
This would have been THE movie for beach volleyball, filmed in Manhattan Beach, has appearances from Sinjin Smith, Steve Timmons, Randy Stoklos, all the major pros of the time. Very fun to watch. Great movie except that the very last scene, without spoiling it for you, makes everyone who plays beach volleyball cringe because they end it with a very illegal hand set. This movie had so much potential but became the laughing stock of the beach crowd because of those 3 seconds of footage right before the credits roll. Too bad the film's editor didn't catch that, this would have been a much more popular movie.

FOR THE 90's BEACH VOLLEYBALL FAN
A MUST HAVE MOVIE FOR THE 90's BEACH VOLLEYBALL FAN. AN ENTERTAINING FAMILY FUTURE STARTING WITH MOST OF THE REAL BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS CAMEOS, INCLUDING THE KING OF THE BEACH DUO FOR THOSE TIMES, RANDY STOCKLOS AND SINJIN SMITH, AS THE UNBEATABLE RIVAL TEAM.

Classic 80's style
I can't believe I'm reviewing this, but after seeing it again after so many years it just struck me......eeeekkk! It is one of the quintessential 80's films but was released in 1990. Oh and it's all their, bad hair, bad clothes, bad sayings, bad music. And of course set at the beach, there is a lot of skin. It's actually not a bad story, C. Thomas Howell plays a wannabe lawyer out in California for the summer working for his uncle. On his first assignment, giving eviction notices, he meets Peter Horton (from beloved "thirtysomething" fame) and they become volleyball partners in the big tournament. It sounds bizarre but works as only those '80s movies can. Courtney Thorne-Smith and Harley Jane Kozak support the cast, as does Terry Kiser who plays another Bernie but doesn't get killed this time! Oh what fun and pain at the same time to watch this movie and remember that this is what it used to be like back in the 80's! So now I've written the review, and if you come across Side...

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Ship Of Fools [HD]

Excellent adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter novel
A stunning, powerful examination of how racism and xenophopia, if unchecked, can overtake society, Ship of Fools is set aboard a German liner sailing from Mexico to Bemerhaven just after the Nazis have taken over. Among the passengers are Vivien Leigh as an embittered divorcee, Lee Marvin as a down-on-his-luck baseball player, George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley as an artist and his lover, Jose Ferrer as a vociferous anti-Semite, Simone Signoret as a Contessa having an affair with ship's doctor Oskar Werner, and Michael Dunn as Greek Chorus. With few exceptions, the entire cast is terrific. Leigh, in her last film, seemingly assimilated all the heartache of her life into this role, and her Charleston near the end is a highlight. The standouts, in my opinion, are Signoret and Werner; they inject their love affair, obviously doomed from the start, with an emotionalism that is genuinely heartbreaking. Ship of Fools is undeniably Stanley Kramer's finest hour as a director,...

A blue ribbon film with excellent character portrayals
Given its setting of sundry characters en route to Germany from Mexico, this film could have easily degenerated into something predictable, mawkish and trite. Instead, it is a truly fabulous cinematic work, with flesh-and-blood characers whose various predicaments, interwoven against the burgeoning Nazi sentiment of the early 1930s, grab the viewer from the very start. As Glocken, the "little person" who delivers a welcoming narrative, said: there's a ball player, a doctor, dog lovers, emancipated ladies and others whose assorted problems unravel themselves and somehow get resolved through the weeks of the sea journey. Simone Signoret and Oskar Werner deliver bravura performances as doomed lovers, while middle-aged disillusioned socialite Vivien Leigh turns in a wonderfully tart portrayal of a closet romantic hidden beneath a sarcastic facade. Lee Marvin is also good as a rough, contemptible athlete whose unmannerly words and actions manage to alienate just about...

A Voyage Not To Be Missed
It's a cliche to say it, but it's true - they don't make movies like this anymore. Ship of Fools is an intelligent film populated by a variety of beautifully drawn characters portrayed by a cast of actors who know the subtle art of making their interior feelings exterior. Abby Mann's splendid script is based on a book by Katherine Anne Porter and makes some of the usual concessions of adaptations - the hunchback in the book becomes a dwarf in the film, for instance. But the themes and passions remain intact - and the characters and their emotions are as involving now as they were when the film was first released back in the sixties.

Often called a kind of floating Grand Hotel, the ship of the title is a second rate tub taking its crew and disparate collection of passengers from Mexico to Germany in the uncertain days of the mid-1930's. The impending doom of World War II and the Holocaust loom large for everybody to see, but the mostly self-centered characters remain oblivious to all...

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Murderer's Row [HD]

NOW THAT'S COOL, BABY!!!
I admit to having a great affinity for Dean Martin. To me he was the essence of cool in the 1960's. Considering he was 49 years old when he did the first Matt Helm movie, The Silencers, that's really saying a lot about his popularity and influence back during that period. I Just loved watching these films on TV as a kid. My brother always preferred the Bond films, but even as a youngster I appreciated the humor and charm that martin brought to his role as Super Spy Matt Helm. The plots of the four films are almost secondary to Martin's scenery chewing, and that's just how I like it.

In "The Silencers" Helm, an agent for ICE (Intelligence and Counter Espionage) is out to stop the usual baddies The Big O from detonating a nuclear bomb and starting world war III. The gorgeous Stella Stevens is along for the ride as is dancer Cyd Charisse. Victor Buono best know as Batman villian King Tut, plays a Chinese baddie!

"Murderer's Row" is the second Matt Helm film...

This product (not the movies themselves) deserves 0 stars!
This is a review of the DVDs and not the movies. I like all four movies and I am a big Dino fan. However, I am greatly disappointed in the current presentation of these movies. None of the formats are in widescreen and they have all been edited for television. This is ridiculous and unacceptable. With the world moving to high definition, these formatted to fit your tv DVDs will soon be outdated. You know that once this occurs the DVD company will re-issue this box set in widescreen format and charge us more money !!! Booo !!! As for the editing, I am calling it censorship. If you want to edit your product for whatever reason, then let us (the buyer) know somewhere on the package. I bought these movies under the false pretense that I was getting the full version of each picture. I don't care what is edited out or the reason why, but the DVD producer should inform us that these are edited versions and let us determine whether we want to buy them. Don't waste your money on...

Swingin' Sixties Party
It wasn't until 1971's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER that the James Bond films decided to cut loose and have some fun, but Dean Martin had already started the Sixties spy party four times with the Matt Helm series. The OUR MAN FLINT movies (2 of them) with James Coburn seemed hipper, partly because of Coburn's serious convinction as he went through the spy motions, but Dino's spoofs mixed the spy film with the party atmosphere of a Rat Pack show and the casual cool comedy of his TV show.

The films go from best (first) to worst (last)--but who's squawling, baby?

One of my favorite moments happens in MURDERER'S ROW, when Dean wanders into an apartment, plays a record (where he sings "I'm Not the Marryin' Kind"), and helps himself to the bar--until a dead girl falls out of a refrigerator. Not a big deal, but there was something incredibly hip about it.

And another review points out the purely Sixties moment when Dean, driving a wood-paneled station wagon, pushes...

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Good Old Boys

IN THE SPIRIT OF MONTE WALSH
Tommy Lee Jones brings the Elmer Kelton western classic to life with The Good Old Boys. Like Monte Walsh, the story follows a tried and true cowboy's nostalgic efforts to hold on to the only life he knows. Even being roped down in order to help his brother keep his homestead and an appealing lady friend aren't enough to make Huey Calloway (Jones) settle down.

A wonderful movie, The Good Old Boys features terrific performances by Jones, Sissy Spacek, Francis McDormand, Sam Shepard, Wilford Brimley and Matt Damon.

A cameo performance by Larry Mahan, one of the greatest rodeo cowboys ever, adds some wonderful spice and authenticity,

As Jones rides off into the sunset, like Tom Selleck in Monte Walsh, the hope and the dream that cowboys will continue to ride is very artfully expressed.

Where in the heck is the DVD for this one?

Tommy Lee Jones and Elmer Kelton - What a combination!
TLJ does a superb job of both acting and directing. The entire cast is wonderful, but not enough credit is given to Elmer Kelton, a great western writer. What Sam Elliott has done with Louie L'Amour, TLJ does with Elmer Kelton. A story without diabolical killers, crazed lunatics, super heroes, terrible corporations, mass killings, ... and the other ingredients that are so common, these actors, directors, and writers have told a great story of the time of change in the west. A real story with heartache, humor, sweat, and tears, and have done it without vulgarity. Awesome!!

JONES BRINGS THIS KELTON WESTERN TO LIFE
Tommy Lee Jones brings the Elmer Kelton western classic to life with THE GOOD OLD BOYS. Like Monte Walsh, the story follows a tried and true cowboy's nostalgic efforts to hold on to the only life he knows. Even being roped down in order to help his brother keep his homestead and an appealing lady friend aren't enough to make Huey Calloway (Jones) settle down.

A wonderful movie, THE GOOD OLD BOYS features terrific performances by Jones, Sissy Spacek, Francis McDormand, Sam Shepard, Wilford Brimley and Matt Damon. A cameo performance by Larry Mahan, one of the greatest rodeo cowboys ever, adds some wonderful spice and authenticity,

As Jones rides off into the sunset, like Tom Selleck in Monte Walsh, the hope and the dream that cowboys will continue to ride is very artfully expressed.

Where in the heck is the DVD for this one?

THE HORSEMAN

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The Night of the Generals [HD]

Night of the Generals
I'd waited a long time for this to come out on DVD and was excited when I found this print available on Amazon. Regrettably, upon receiving the DVD I discovered that the quality was dreadful. This is undoubtedly the worst transfer of a film I've ever seen, and after looking at it for just a minute or so, I found myself getting a headache. The print is so blurred I actually adjusted my glasses a few times to ensure that it was not me.
Do yourself a favor and wait for a cleaner version than this wretched one.

Good movie, Poor qualty
I've purchased the movie because I love the movie. Returned it because of its awful picture quality. The foreground is blury, the background is dark and snowy. Take my words for it and don't buy it! You buy it, you'll suck it. supplier must improve the qualty. For $21 it must have a quality.

From a viewer in Pennsylvania who likes dialogue in films.
The object of any murder mystery is to keep the viewer or reader in suspense. The Night of the Generals succeeds. When I saw this film in the mid-sixties, I was spellbound. Yes, I was distracted with subplots and a film with a somewhat sluggish pace. But shouldn't a murder mystery work at distracting and confusing the viewer? When the murderer is finally revealed, you will feel rewarded at the final outcome. Although I enjoy Omar Sharif's acting abilities, I think someone else could have been better suited for his role as the investigator. Sadly, no one has bothered to complement Maurice Jarre for a brilliant score. His macabre waltz which is played throughout the film is chilling. View this film with the lights off and the receiver off the hook.

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Nicholas And Alexandra [HD]

Making History Live
One of the most beautifully crafted and moody epics to come out of Hollywood (or, to be accurate, Britain), "Nicholas and Alexandra" has never acquired the reputation it deserves. Released at a time when big budget spectaculars were considered passé, hostile contemporary reviews have shaped the film's reputation. While hardly perfect, the film nonetheless provides a reasonably accurate, if politically conservative overview of pre-revolutionary Russia and does an excellent job of individualizing the two monarchs.

The two central, completely convincing performances are by relative unknowns Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman. Several first-rate actors (Laurence Olivier, Eric Porter, Ian Holm, Alan Webb, Harry Andrews, Irene Worth, Jack Hawkins, Michael Redgrave, John McEnery, Curt Jurgens and others) support them in small parts and manage to make us forget their familiar presences to concentrate on their characters. The actors are cushioned by Yvonne Blake and Antonio...

History as Drama
The unadulturated history of the Russian monarchy has produced more compelling drama than anything Hollywood could produce in its wildest flights: Ivan the Terrible's descent into madness; Peter the Great's violent childhood and adult retributions (including the murder of his son) as the backdrop for supreme political accomplishments; Catherine the Great's seizure of a throne from a madman and her emergence as the dominant monarch of her age; Alexander I's possible complicity in the assasination of his father, his defeat of Napoleon, and likely faking of his death to live out his life as a religious hermit; Alexander II's death at the hands of terrorists. And the curtain drops on the Russian monarchy much as the play ran -- in pools of blood. The main difference in the Nicholas and Alexandra saga is that their predecessors created their own dramas, whereas Nicholas and Alexandra succumbed to the drama of events swirling around them.

This movie is inaccurate in many...

A spectacular yet flawed film
My beef about the film is that they took liberties in telling and condensing the story when it wasn't necessary. In Tobolsk the family lived in the Governor's Mansion - not a log cabin in the woods. Yekaterinburg looked like some Spanish town rather a city in the Urals. None of the movie was filmed in Russia or Finland (for obvious reasons). The execution involved eleven people - in the movie they cut down the number. Other scenes were outright inventions.

None of the church or religious scenes came off right. They seem more Catholic or Anglican than Orthodox.

Nicholas was taught English from the age of 8 by a Scottish teacher, Mr. Heath. He had an accent in English, but it wasn't identifiable as "Russian". They all would have sounded 'upper crust' so the accents were fine for me.

Suzmann and Jayston were superb. Suzmann was a little too glamorous and Hollywood looking for the role, but she pulled off the characterisation well.

I don't know if it's well...

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The Talk Of The Town [HD]

Excellent Screwball Comedy
- The five stars are for the film itself not the dvd edition-

This is one of those landmark films that really lives up to its well deserved fame, when one finally has the opportunity to watch it.

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, are perfectly matched as the ever-quarreling wife and husband, who, in spite of loving each other, for rather childish reasons, are granted a divorce, but before it's final, they have the chance to think it over one last time.

Really hilarious scenes by the two leads and by the excellent supporting cast, especially Ralph Bellamy as Dunne's suitor, Cecil Cunnigham as the wisecracking Aunt Patsy and Esther Dale as Bellamy's mother. Nice bit by Joyce Compton too, as an "air-head" southern-accented, singer, who gives a very peculiar singing-act.

Perfectly paced, at 91 minutes running time, there's no time left to breathe between scenes, so expertly tied to each other, that it's hard to believe it was filmed, as it was told by the actors, mostly unaware of what...

Holiday issue aside, a great box set
I do agree with all of the Holiday issues-it should be released on a separate disc, and that is why this set is not rated 5 stars. However, the movies in the set are all GREAT. They are some of the best of Cary Grant and all of the other reviewers seem to completely ignore that. If you don't have two or three of the movies aside from Holiday, I would highly suggest this set-it is most certainly worth it. For those who already own three of the four previously released, I would think about how much I really loved Holiday before buying this.

A quick rundown of the movies in this set (for those who do not already know about them.):

His Girl Friday (1940)-a hilarious comedy, one of Cary Grant's best, is an update of The Front Page with Rosalind Russell as reporter Hildy who is attempting to leave Grant's newspaper to get married. Great comedic timing and perfomances turn this into an instant classic-and one of AFI's top 20 American comedies of all time. Directed by...

Five of Grant's best in one attractive package
The problem with some DVD box sets is that there's usually a film or two included that you could very well do without or perhaps would not even like in your film collection. No such problem with the simply named "The Cary Grant Box Set" which includes five movies that are all among Grant's very best. That alone makes this a must-have for Grant fans. So the featurettes, the vintage replica movie postcards and the overall attractive packaging are bonuses -- significant ones at that.
The films feature such wonderful leading ladies as Jean Arthur (twice) Rosalind Russell, Irene Dunne and the incomparable Katherine Hepburn. Hepburn appears in "Holiday" directed by George Cukor, a depression era film that skewers the upper class. Grant plays Johnny Case an up and coming young business man who thinks more of exploring life than of making money. He finds himself in love with the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur but it is soon obvious that he has more in common with the girl's...

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The Three Stooges Meet Hercules [HD]

It's about time...
This is the one Three Stooge feature film the 1960's with Joe DeRita that I have been waiting for. "Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze" is a close second. This film proved that the Stooges comedy could be maintained in a feature film, the one thing Moe and Larry wanted after the 25 years of making short features. And it was an excellent film, especially after the abominable "Snow White and the Three Stooges". The only drawback, like the other Stooges features, is that there are no special features. (Since this would have deducted a half a star, and this was not a choice, I left my rating at a 5.)

Probably their best feature
Not that it's saying much, considering the type of material they were given to work with in the DeRita era, but this is probably the best starring feature they did. Most of the DeRita features have very weak scripts and really embarrassing cringe-worthy childish storylines, something that generally only children and nostalgic aging Boomers actually like, but there are a handful of them that have pretty good scripts and supporting casts, such as this one. It was also directed by the wonderful Ed Bernds, which might account for the surprisingly positive change in direction, going from bad kiddy fare to a movie that, while not nearly at the same level as classics like 'Hoi Polloi' or 'Brideless Groom,' can still be watched multiple times and be enjoyed by non-Boomers and people over the age of ten. Under Bernds's direction, they look and act decades younger! Sure there are some moments (like the scene with the hokey-looking Cyclops) that do seem geared to the kiddy matinee audience,...

Great for all ages
This film was made at the height of the Stooges popularity in the late 50s and early 60s. It grossed about two million dollars at the box office, exceeding expectations, and landed the Stooges a three-picture deal. Those three would turn out to be Three Stooges in Orbit, Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze, and Outlaws is Coming. Two million gross at the box office is pathetic these days, but it was substantial 43 years ago.

People already know the premise of this film. It's repeated several times on this page. But this is the type of film anyone with an appreciation of comedy would like. Be it a five year old or a 75 year old. It's just a fun, quick-paced, and clean film. I'm a Stooges fan, and this is one of my favorite things they ever did, including their short films.

This flick is the best place for anyone to start in the DeRita era, which tends to be frowned upon by many Stooge fans, but I liked DeRita. He was a good actor.

5 stars for...

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Neighbors [HD]

I'm glad the NEIGHBORS are here to stay!
I truly love the late-John Belushi's work, seeing as his acting in "Animal House" and "The Blues Bros." were sensational, but "Neighbors" offers a different type of role for Belushi. The film has a bizarre usage of dialogue, lighting, costuming, and an exceptionally uncanny soundtrack, not to mention the twisted storyline and 110% intriguing plot. Belushi works so hard to play his serious-character and comes out looking like an pro in the end. The role was definetly for him! Aykroyd, this time, is the zany, manic "salesmen-type" personality, similar to his SNL sketches, to play Belushi's next-door neighbor. Totally humorous on the part of Aykroyd, the novelty of his character keeps the laughs going. Cathy Moriarty, from "Raging Bull" is sultry and sensual as Aykroyd's "wife.". Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. "Neighbors" is a dark, surreal jaunt as many of the fans make it out to be -- it's simply a...

I'm not alone anymore...
Wow, I thought I was the only person on the planet that loves this movie. I am pleasantly surprised to see so many reviews here (positive, no less). When I tell people this is my all-time favorite dark comedy, they have no idea what I'm talking about. "Neighbors...what's that?"

For those not in the know, here is the basic story: Earl (Belushi) lives on the end of this cul de sac which appears to be in the middle of nowhere. There are only two homes on the street. Earl lives in one and the other is vacant. There's a swamp in the yard (how cool is that?!) and there are these dangerous-looking power lines running through the back yard emitting bolts of electricity every few minutes.

The movie begins with Earl coming home with his wife from a hard day of work. He's this ultra-conservative guy with a boring evening routine. As he sits in front of his TV to watch the evening news (as his wife prepares dinner in the kitchen) he hears a car door slam shut...

John plays a great straight man
I first saw this movie when it came out in 1981.I laughted out loud watching Belushi playing the straight man.Just looking at his face was all I needed to crack up.Dan Aykroyd is always fantastic,but Cathy Moriarty really steals the movie.Everywhere John goes,in the shower,to bed,any part of the house,Cathy's there.I know this movie wasen't a big hit,and the reviews were terrible,but there's something about this film that's special.People hate this movie,or love it.I happen to love it,Its just ashame its Belushi's last film.

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The New Kids [HD]

SPADER 4 LIFE
Simply put, this movie rules. You've got James Spader. You've got Lori Laughlin. You've got Sean S. Cunningham directing, and he not only produced HOUSE IV: HOME DEADLY HOME, he also produced LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and directed some movie called FRIDAY THE 13TH.

But the kicker, and the reason I really sought it out, is novelist Harry Crews' involvement. After some research, I've found it difficult to determine exactly how much he had to do with the script. He's not credited, but is thanked in the end credits. Stephen Gyllenhaal and Brian Taggart get screenwriter nods, but in an old Crews interview, he mentions, "I wrote this script called THE NEW KIDS" (but that's all there is of the interview, the snippet posted on his website). So who knows. Actually, I'm sure there's someone fatter and uglier than me out there who knows, and assuming the person surely doesn't have anything better to do, they should contact me with more information.

THE NEW KIDS...

Fun and Fantastic Trip Back To The 80's
I can't believe I bought a cheap VHS of this movie only to find out they now have it on DVD. I'm buying it anyway.

I think the acting is fantastic and the thrills will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's also fun to see James Spader, Eric Stoltz and Lori Laughlin in their younger years! I find Shannon Presby hot now that I'm older.

This movie always makes me want to work! I can't imagine why! The song "Stand Up" is awesome (wish I had it on CD). But the transitional music between the scenes is bad - though appropriate for 1985 when the movie was made.

It's a must see!

"New Kids" disapoints old viewer
well, i remember seeing this horror flick when i was about twelve on tv and thought it was a really cool movie. but, unfortunately, i couldn't find it anywhere till finally amazon delivered the goods to me. as the old saying goes, memory is a selection of images for which we think are accurate, but not quite the truth. this film fits that description. Lori Loughlin and Shannon Presby are two recently orphaned young kids who move down to Florida with their aunt and uncle and look to start over again. but, as always a cliche in horror films, their hopes for a new beginning by the local bullies led by James Spader who just decide to terrorize the kids up until a bloody showdown which is both predictable and a bit cheesy. it might have faired better with a better writer at the helm and not such a quick paced ending. as a loyal moviegoer and film addict, i was quite saddened, the good thing about the film was the good performance by shannon presby and lori loughlin...

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Wholly Moses [HD]

Great with one reservation
This is a great movie. I enjoyed it as much now as when I saw it at the theaters. Highly recommended. John Ritter, Richard Prior and James Coco shine. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the DVD is standard. The film (as shown by the credits) is VERY wide screen and you lose so much of the picture that it hurts some of the scenes. Please release it in widescreen!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweetness!
This is one of the best movies out there today. It is an older movie, yes, but you have to know a little about old-school comedy to realize just how FUNY this movie actually is. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!

The story of Herschel and Zerelda
The late Dudley Moore's film career was starting to strengthen in the late 1970's,starting with a supporting role in 1978's FOUL PLAY,then co-starring with Bo Derek in "10" the following year. However,this film was a box office disappointment despite the all-star cast. Moore is Harvey Orkin,a language professor at a New York college. Harvey is taking a trip to Jerusalem's Holy Land to recover from the break-up with his live-in girlfriend. Sitting next to Harvey on the bus is Zoey(Laraine Newman,late of TV's Saturday Night Live). Zoey introduces herself as "Zoey from Los Angeles"(Newman is a Los Angeles native). The Pilgrimage Tours bus is driven by an Israeli named Mohammed. When the bus stops and the passengers get off,Zoey's hat is blown by the wind off her head. She discovers a scroll which Harvey reads(obviously what was written on it was not in English). Moore and Newman play dual roles. Their respective others are Herschel and Zerelda. The biblical story begins with infant...

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Cinderella

Keep your VHS tapes, folks!
I looked forward to this DVD release for months and snagged a copy the first day it was available. My excitement turned to dismay, however, as I began to watch it. From the moment the birds open the curtains to reveal Cinderella in her bed, it became painfully obvious that Disney truly had "enhanced" the picture to within an inch of its life. Instead of restoring this beloved classic film, the images have been changed; this is NOT Cinderella as she was first seen in 1950. Just to make sure I wasn't mistaken, I did a comparison between my parents VHS tape (the original video release) and the DVD. True, the picture on the DVD was much sharper and the sound was crystal clear, but Cinderella's hair was NEVER that color of yellow, and lines that were part of the original animators drawings, faithfully inked and painted onto the original cells, are no longer visible. For instance, right at the beginning of the film, when Cinderella turns over in her bed to shut out the sun, there were...

Magical
In an effort to revive his sagging animation department, Walt Disney turned once again to a fairy tale. This time around, he chose one of the best known and oldest of them all, Cinderella.

The tale is familiar. A beautiful girl is abused by her stepmother and stepsisters and forced to work as their slave. When a ball is given for all the eligible maidens in the kingdom, Cinderella dreams of going too, only to have her hopes dashed at the last minute. With a gift of magic, she is able to go, but only until the stroke of midnight.

The story is so well known, if fact, that any story about an underdog coming from behind and winning is called a Cinderella story. Disney's job here was to make the story entertaining for 75 minutes. The solution here was creating the animals. Mice Jaq and Gus and their constant struggle against the evil cat Lucifer is funny and tying this sub-plot to the ultimate outcome is brilliant. The other standout character is the...

Cinderella sparkles like never before
Stunning new 2-disc `Platinum Edition' of Disney's 1950 fairytale confection CINDERELLA. The story is as old as the hills: Cinderella is mistreated horribly by her cruel Stepmother and stepsisters Anastasia and Drisella. Her only friends are some pet mice, the birds and her faithful dog and horse. When the Prince invites all the eligible maidens in the land to his grand ball, Cinderella is heartbroken when her Stepmother forbids her to go. Enter the magical Fairy Godmother, who, with a little "Bibiddi Bobiddi Boo" magic, enables Cinderella to live out her happily-ever-after dream.

From a historical perspective, the Disney studio was pinning it's future on the success of CINDERELLA. World War II had virtually wiped out the studio's international market and films like PINOCCHIO, BAMBI and FANTASIA had lost a lot of money on their initial releases.

Disney has performed a complete restoration on the film, including an extensive frame-by-frame cleanup of the...

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Richard Pryor: Live on Sunset Strip [HD]

So Funny You'll Need the Pause Button
I first saw this film with a friend and we were both laughing so hard we constantly had to stop the film just to recover. Richard Pryor is absolutely one of the funniest and most honest human beings who ever lived. As far as I'm concerned the only comedian who has even come close is Bernie Mac. But Bernie is tame compared to the full throttle antics of Pryor.

Pryor approaches the show knowing the audience has read a lot about his troubled personal life so he comes out and point blank explains everything. From how he ran down the block after setting himself on fire accidentally, to his troubled marriage, to his trip to Africa and how it changed him.

There's a lot of F-bombs (surprise) so you probably don't want to watch this movie in mixed company. If you're sensitive to "white people are so funny" routines then you should probably get a life. But if you wanna hear about how even the African hares intimidated Pryor ("I ain't never seen a rabbit look at me like that...

Pryors finest hour
Richard Pryor has influenced scores and scores of comedians and theres a good reason why....because hes one of the greats!!! This show which was filmed in Vegas is truly his finest hour. Taped after his infamous freebasing incident, he touches on his cocaine addiction....and as brutal as it was he makes it funny. Also, he talks about gangsters he used to work with and them telling murder stories!! No comedian would dare touch on things like this, and to make these things funny takes TALENT. Of which Pryor has an abundance of.

So if you want a revealing, awe inspiring, provacative and funny comedy show, this is it. Pryors finest hour, the show of himself.

Pryor at his turning point
This is a watershed performance for Richard Pryor. This was filmed shortly after the infamous freebasing fire nearly killed him in the early 1980s. Here, he talks frankly about that incident (the joke with the match is an amazing example of how he could find humor inhis darkest moments) and his need to quit drinking and dope. The tour de force here is the Africa routine. The cologne and body odor gag falls back on some un-PC stereotyping of Africans(of course, PC types aren't gonna watch this anyway), but his announced decision in this piece to never use the N-word again in comedy got a standing-o from me then and still makes me proud of him today. Sadly, this was his last truly great comedic work. From here on in, it would be unbearably bad movies and lackluster comedy like "Here and Now" before he succumbed to MS. So this is truly important as the last great work of Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor. Enjoy.

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Who's Harry Crumb? [HD]

WHO'S HARRY CRUMB? YOU WON'T BE SORRY YOU ASKED!
IN A NUTSHELL -- "WHO IS HARRY CRUMB?":

John Candy plays bumbling Harry Crumb, the last survivor of a family of great detectives. This Crumb works in the agency his legendary grandfather founded, but he's been exiled to their "Greater Tulsa" office. Eliot Draisen (Jeffrey Jones) who somehow has become the Director of "Crumb and Crumb" assigns the inept Harry Crumb to find the kidnapped daughter of a multi-millionaire (played by the affable Barry Corbin from TV's "Northern Exposure"). There is a catch, however ... Draisen doesn't want the kidnappers found, for reasons of his own. While Crumb bumbles along through various mishaps (aided by his able assistant, Shawnee Smith) which are articulated via a series of ridiculously funny comedy skits, the kidnappers feel completely secure. In the meantime, Elliot Draisen tries to have his way with the millionaire's wife (Annie Potts), but does that have anything to do with the plot?

OKAY IT SOUNDS KIND OF PAT -- BUT:...

Great movie for the collection
I was about seven or eight years old when I first saw This movie, but it was instantly my favorite. The only thing is that it's most physical comedy. Now that I'm older I realize that it's not his best movie, but it's still a great comedy classic.

Wishing for deleted scenes
I really enjoyed this movie, even though I'm not the biggest John Candy fan. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon when Saturday night is still keeping you from getting off the couch.

My only complaint is that I remember first seeing the movie on TV when I was visiting a friend in New York, and there was a hilarious scene that took place in the wine cellar, John Candy accidentally starts a machine that shoots clay pigeons all over the cellar and floods it with wine.

The scene must have been added to the TV broadcast to cover the bra scene being deleted, but was not part of the theatrical release and is not on the DVD. Which is weird, because if you watch the scene where they play footsie under the table at dinner, one of John Candy's pant legs is stained halfway up the shin with wine. With the deletion of the scene, that makes no sense.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Maybe if they ever release this movie in Blue Ray they will have the "director's...

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Switching Channels [HD]

One Of My Favorite Comedies!
Gets better and better with each viewing. This is a highly enjoyable and entertaining remake of His Girl Friday and The Front Page. Ted Kotcheff (First Blood:Rambo, Whose Killing the Great Chefs of Europe-also one of the producers of Law and Order Special Victims Unit) directs with terrific pacing and a wonderfully likeable cast that includes Henry Gibson, Kathleen Turner(giving one of her absolute best performances-which is saying quite a lot), Christopher Reeve in a brilliant and over the top comedic turn, Burt Reynolds (charming as usual) and Ned Beatty who basically steals the show from everyone in every single scene he is in. I love this movie! It has been coming on cable for years and it is having seen this film literally over a hundred times that I realize just how good it really is...It is HIGHLY underappreciated. Very funny, well made and lots of fun. Great script. One of the better remakes.

Deserving the DVD treatment
Turner is unstoppable, Reynolds is his smarmy, manipulative best, and Reeve is...so darned statuesque, even in the elevator scene, in a just-right comedic turn. Excellent performances right down to his honor, the Gov. A fun romp.

I keep looking, hoping for a DVD release. But alas.

Hilarious Modern Adaptation!
Despite comments made by the reviewer from NY - I think you'll find this to be an absolute roar of laughs! A smooth and hilarious "modern" translation of The Front Page and His Girl Friday. What the other reviewer didn't understand is that these are supposed to be caricatures of real people and situations - not an actual behind the scenes look at a 24HR news channel. If that's what you're looking for you might be better off with Broadcast News.

Originally written for Broadway in the 1930's the producers/writers have done an amazing job of writing it for the then-current 1990's.

Very quick, fast paced dialogue - this isn't for the mental midgets of the world who are used to having their movies hand delivered to them. To keep up you have to sharp, sharp, sharp!

Bravo for the casting director - well done! Special kudos to Ned Beatty who is gut bustingly funny as District Attorney Roy Ridnitz! Keep trying to read his lips as he only marginally controls profane slurs about...

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