Something to Talk About Presents: The Last White Knight

Amazing...
Paul Salzman returns to Mississippi, decades after his last visit as a freedom rider in 1964. This fascinating documentary shows two sides of one of the most racially turbulent times in US history. The most surprising aspect is the way Salzman uses his interview w/ an active member of the Ku Klux Klan, the very same man who brutally assaulted him decades earlier. This man also happens to be the son of the convicted killer of Medgar Evers! This conversation is interwoven w/ interviews w/ Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman (a Mississippi resident), and survivors of several deadly assaults by the KKK. One of the best docs I've seen in quite some time, especially the (mostly) direct answers from the Klansman to Salzman's questions, and the genuine respect the two have somehow developed for each other. There are some semi-uncomfortable moments, including an interview w/ some Klan members in full hood and robes. Also, at one point, Salzman is caught off guard when a .45 automatic pistol is...

Racist
Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman. 2 racist mental minnows good thing I read the first review and saw the racist interviews of these two men.



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American Reunion '12

UP TO PAR WITH THE FIRST
When "American Pie" came out in 1999 it was a box office smash. It was a movie that cost $10 million and banked over $235 million. That was enough to spawn two legit sequels and two not-so-legit sequels. The two legit sequels, "American Pie 2" & "American Wedding", in my opinion, failed to capture the magic of the first movie. "American Pie" was about high school kids, teen angst and sexual exploration but the thing that put it over the top was the honesty and truthfulness behind it. They weren't afraid to tackle taboo subjects, but they did it with honesty. The sequels relied too heavily on the angst and gross out jokes.

Another thing "American Pie" did was make stars out of Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth, Tara Reid and Seann William Scott. All of them rose to quick fame and some of them, Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother), have managed to hang onto that fame or increase it. Some of them have fallen right off the map, so it was a perfect time...

Hilarious, raunchy..... most fun I've had in the theater in a long time!
Just got back from a sneak preview of this and I LOVED it.

If you liked American Pie and it's first sequels (and their raunch level), you will really enjoy this great return from the original cast.

The Class of 1999 gets together for their 13th year reunion (really? 13th? well, that's not going to spoil the rest of the movie) and we get to catch up with what life after high school is like for everyone. For the most part, everyone's personalities are the same, and the writers and actors did a great job of projecting those characters into adulthood. Although projecting an older Stifler still doesn't seem like "adulthood..."

I don't want to give away any of the jokes, but this was a really funny movie.... funnier than I expected, to be honest. And not only will the audience be consistently laughing out loud, but viewers will also feel an unexpected nostalgia in watching.

As I said, I did expect it to be funny, but this movie is MUCH better...

I don't care what anyone says...
I am going to repeat the title of this review. I don't care what anyone says, I love the American Pie movies. Not the crappy, straight to DVD portions of it, but 1, 2, American Wedding and this little gem. Despite the gross-out gags and gratuitous nudity, the American Pie franchise is actually quite sweet and a very conservative heart beats underneath. Good films versus great ones usually work out that way. You think its about one thing, and it surprises you with depth. When I first saw American Pie, I didn't want to go, thinking it would just be another vapid, teenage sex comedy. I was dragged kicking and screaming (I wanted to see The Haunting) and it turned out to be a gem. The other films have continued this funny but deep trend. If you can handle it, I would suggest this film.

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Christmas Child

Heartwarming Christmas Story
Just in time for the holidays, Christmas Child is a return to those heartwarming Christmas movies that we grew up loving. William Moses plays journalist Jack Davenport and Megan Fellows portrays his wife Meg. The movie takes us through their marriage struggles during the holidays as Jack seeks to find his roots after the death of his father. Both actors come across as genuine and engaging. Steven Curtis Chapman is surprsingly good in his role as Pastor Curtis. Although shot in Oklahoma, a timely snow in Tulsa makes for a convincing portrayal of the Chicago scenes.

With the recent onslaught of zany Christmas comedies and off-the-wall perspectives on the holiday, Christmas Child provides a more traditional and yet entertaining Christmas story. Best of all, this a movie you can watch with the kids without having to hit the mute button or explain adult humor. A movie that all ages should enjoy.

retracing the past for a meaninful future
An updating of Max Lucado's book "A Christmas Cross", this film is about a successful Chicago journalist, whose marriage is at a breaking point as he is about to celebrate both his 40th birthday and Christmas; he is sent away during the Holidays to Texas for a story, and there reflects on his life and its meaning.
There is a lot in this film about adopted children, and the parents who take them into their hearts.
The film has some nice music as well, and the Christmas show is laugh-out-loud hilarious, with children that will capture your heart.

William Moses is convincing as Jack Davenport, Megan Fellows plays his wife Meg, who feels shut out of his life, and singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman plays Pastor Curtis, who reaches out to Jack with warmth and Christian love; Vicky Taylor Smith (Naomi) and Muse Watson (Jimmy) are among the excellent supporting cast.
A small and unpretentious film that was shot mostly in Oklahoma in 3 weeks, its simplicity is...

A heart warming story
I saw this video surfing through Amazon, and decided to buy it. I am a big fan of Christmas in general and especially the movies. I read other reviews about Jack being a jerk and this a dull movie. I thought completly otherwise. For someone who has ever lost a family member would know what this character is feeling. He is having a difficult time dealing with the passing of his adopted father. He seeks answers from his home town. He is a typical man that does not want to speak about his feelings with his wife and is why he kind of closes off to her. Both my two children are adopted and I often wonder if they will have the same feelings as Jack did. I knew he would eventually seek the comfort from his wife, but it was in his time to do so. The ending was very emotional for me when he finally finds some answers and I was very touched by the ending. I really enjoyed this movie and was glad I purchased it and would definately watch it again. The other characters in the movie...

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

STAY AWAY FROM ULTRAVIOLET!!!
Ultraviolet is another feeble, doomed attempt by some dinosaur brain Hollywood execs to restrict the use of your legally bought digital purchase. Ultraviolet is NOT a digital copy that resides on a device of your choice to be used on a device of your choice. It is a streaming service, for which you have to sign up and maintain an account, at the expense of your bandwidth, compatible with some but not all mobile devices. If you're willing to wait another 4 weeks, order this disc set from Amazon's UK website you can do this with your current US account). Not only are you getting a REAL digital copy, but the Blu-ray disc is region free too!! Price + shipping is the same as the price in USD with free shipping.

*** How to get the digital copy of the movie to work on iTunes from ultraviolet***
*** How to get the digital copy of the movie to work on iTunes from ultraviolet***

I just wanted to share with everyone my outstanding experience with ultraviolet customer service, in resolving the issue of not being able to access the movie on iTunes.

After reading the reviews on Amazon, I was going to return the movie as I specifically wanted the Blu Ray and a digital copy to play on my iPad and iPhone.

After receiving the disc, I read the print on the back of the packaging and noticed a website address for the ultraviolet service: [...]
I contacted their customer service department and advised them that i was disappointed that the disc will not work on iTunes. I was not really expecting a response back and was amazed, as their Customer Service department contacted me almost immediately and requested that I provide them with the Reference Code (to verify my purchase of the movie) and they would send me an activation code which will allow me to...

And So It Ends: a look back at why Potter matters
When all is said and done - when the eye candy special effects of Quidditch matches and fantastical creatures has been superseded by advances in technology in Hollywood blockbusters yet to come - it is the little moments that this viewer and his wife will return to.

When a friend one time bemoaned the fact that `Half-Blood Prince' gets bogged down in pointless hormonal teen-angst instead of getting on with the story, I smiled... and shook my head.

No, I said, that IS the story and it's what I love about the Harry Potter series: it never loses track of the characters. It never forgets that, when viewed as a whole, these eight movies are a story of growing up, of the transition from childhood to adulthood. Of love and friendship and death. Because without those little funny and touching moments between the characters - if all you want is for the movies to rush from one plot element to another - then all you're left with is plot... and no story. Remember: plot is...

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Jurassic Park (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

The 3D is great with a couple cautions, TIP:deactivate BD-live to avoid BD advertising spam Aaarrgh
***This review really is for the 3D Blu-ray version. I preordered it and it arrived the day before official release :) ***

My wife and I watched it and the 3D is very well done, they clearly did full 3D mapping with curved shapes for faces and pixel infill behind things when you can now see around them. My wife found it as good as 3D gets. As an engineer with image processing background I noticed a few things like artifacts around fast moving stuff and places where (of course) things would not be in focus that were not originally in the plane of focus. I think if you don't go looking for flaws it will just be a great 3D experience, this isn't a cheap cardboard cutout change to 3D, it's the good kind.

The Bluray took a while to start up and then would repeatedly get stuck showing "downloading new attractions from BD-live"; until I turned off BD-live for the Bluray player. .... Update on BD-Live: It would seem that getting stuck at "downloading" was likely due to...

Jurassic Park Is Ageless...and in 3D It Deserves Six Stars!
I am writing this review after having seen the 3D-IMAX version of this movie yesterday at the theater. I can only hope this is the version being released later this month (April 2013).

All I can say is WOW! I and my family were immensely pleased. This is every bit as amazing as I remembered it, and then some.

The 3D was definitely a benefit here, and it heightened my appreciation of the movie. While of course Spielberg had no inclination that this would eventually go 3D, the movie has several sequences that really seem to have been made specifically for it. As anyone who has seen the movie can guess, there are all sorts of scenes that almost literally jumped out at the audience in the original, and they're even more super-charged here.

While this has to be one of the most-watched movies ever, I'm sure there are many who have never seen it -- in fact, I could tell there were a few in the audience nearby me, as they jumped more than a few times at key...

Probably the best 3D Blu-ray Available. Stunning.
My review pertains to the quality of 3D:

As someone who loves home theater 3D, I have probably every major 3D Blu-ray release, and I'm pretty sure this tops them all.

Literally every scene has been remastered for 3D conversion, and it shows. Its a beautiful, fun, and awesomely entertaining 3D showpiece. Exceeded my expectations in every way.

Also, the "Extras" has an overview of how they spent 9 months transferring the source material to 3D. You really can't go wrong with Jurassic Park 3D.. get it now.

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Genesis 7 - Episode 2: Journey to the Sun [HD]

why it just was a fair review
it spent to long on showing ship and it got too religious also was very short and some of the scenes seem to skip





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Pedal-Driven

What Exactly Is A Bikeumentary? A Technically Impressive And Surprisingly Even-Handed Documentary
The new documentary feature "Pedal-Driven" examines a conflict that, frankly, I had no awareness of. In federally regulated wildlands, there has been an on-going rift between mountain bikers who want to enjoy these areas and the managers and rangers tasked with protecting them. This self-proclaimed "Bikeumentary" takes the issue at hand and brings it down to its most basic components. The 63 minute film, by its very nature, seems predisposed to be on the side of the bikers. It would appear, at first glance, to wear its bias on its sleeve. But I have to credit writer/director Jamie Howell for creating an end result that is surprisingly even-handed and illuminating. Both sides are given equal time, and both are allowed to present credible testimony to why the conflict exists. The question, therefore, never really becomes who is right and who is wrong. Instead, the film challenges us to see the necessity of compromise and communication. The two factions don't have to be on...

Love it!
Great movie! Really enjoyed it! Shows lots of cool riding spots and really motivates you to be more involved in your local cycling community.

What we don't know about the off-road bicycle sport
This is not just a DVD about Off-Road Bicycle riding. This is a real education on the Bike Riders that started from a grass-roots level and developed Bike Trails through the wilderness parts of many states in our country. At first the U S Forest Service treated the Bikers like the enemies of the wilderness that they were there to preserve as the Bikers made all sorts of nifty trails that were exciting & often challanging to ride on, often creating curves, bridges, jumps, etc., that the U S Forest Service would tear down. Finally a showdown between the Bikers and the U S Forest Service happened and the rest is history that you'll have to watch this grass roots but professional DVD to see what developed from a lot of people challanging the Forest Service for THEIR rights to enjoy the wilderness. After all, This country belongs to all the people to enjoy, not just for some government agency to ride rough-shod over its citizens. An agency that we ALL as private citizens pay for. A GREAT...

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Westward Ho

Westward Ho (2 1/2 Stars)
The older surviving brother of a wagon train ambush, seeks revenge on the leader of the gang responsible for the murder of his parents and the kidnapping of his younger brother. Years later, he is the leader of a group of 'vigilantes' who oppose lawlessness and unknowingly confronts his 'long-loss-brother' who has since learned the tricks-of-the-trade from the outlaws.

Early Republic Western Worthy Of Notice.
Newborn Republic Pictures utilizes the solid directoral ability of Robert Bradbury, and the presence of John Wayne along with Yakima Canutt and his troupe of stuntriders to produce this strongly scripted film of 1860s vigilante efforts to rid the Far West of outlaw bands that were involved in widespread robbery and cattle rustling. Bradbury, whose skill with Westerns dates back to the early silent period, directs and edits with a solid awareness of suspense, building his typically short scenes with sparse and, at times, stilted dialogue and an eye for proper cast placement which makes excellent use of defined personalities such as Wayne, Frank McGlynn Jr., and Glenn Strange, and gives particular value to the hard-riding stunt performers, who are splendid throughout this well-made (and musical) adventure filmed in California's Owens Valley, at the base of the Sierra Nevada.

Fun to go West
Great to see how the traveling to the west was done back in the early days of the West. Westward Ho lets go.

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Earth's Final Hours

Earth's Final Hours......
Bizarre radiation storms erupt when space debris blasts a hole clear through the planet. A federal agent, his son and a government scientist uncover a magnetospheric nightmare that begins to stop the Earth's rotation. Our only hope lies in these three to save all mankind.

Sure, it has your basic end-of-the world plot that you see in movies like this. Course, most of them hardly ever make any sense. Despite the fact that it, too doesn't make too much sense; it is a pretty good movie. Robert Knepper, Julia Benson, Cameron Bright, Bruce Davison, Michael Kopsa, Roark Critchlow and Julia Maxwell all brought believable performances to their respectable roles. The cinematography and whatnot was great. Special effects and CGI were great enough that they would rival any seen in a multi-million dollar movie(which is saying alot considering this was, indeed, a SyFy movie that aired way back in 2011).

There wasn't anything of note that I had any gripe with. Honestly, I wish...

Blu-ray Review: "Earth's Final Hours"
If you've seen one SyFy Channel Original Movie, then you know what to expect from all of them. The simple formula consists of a couple of familiar television or genre actors, some type of otherworldly threat or attack, and some budget special effects that aren't quite as bad as what we get with The Asylum's movies. However, they still don't quite live up to the expectations set forth by years of watching films crafted with the help of ILM.

"Earth's Final Hours" is no different except for a premise that isn't quite as hard to swallow as an alien attack or over-used as a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Don't get me wrong; matter from an asteroid figures into the story. It's just not the size we're used to from years of movies like "Meteor," "Armageddon," and "Deep Impact."

The dense matter from a white hole in "Earth's Final Hours" is about the size of a soft ball and hits one side of the planet and exits through the other. This causes Earth's...

A great syfy movie. On the edge of your seat action.
I just read a stupid review after seeing this movie about this movie being leftwing, accusative. What is this person talking about. He obviously is trying to start trouble. This movie is an on the edge of your seat disaster film. It had great effects, a great story, good acting, and it's realistic. This will be one of those movies I watch over and over.

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Nancy Drew (2007)

Kids ages 8-13 Will Love it!!!
I turn 40 on June 23rd, so I am old enough to remember the Nancy Drew books that my sister had. The movie is faithful to her character. Nancy is a precocious, mature young teenager with an aptitude for cracking complex cases. The storyline follows a similar pattern to the books: Nancy gets engrossed in a mysterious case, she makes progress, people threaten her, she gets in trouble, etc.

In this particular movie, Nancy and her dad are on business in Los Angeles. They are staying at the former mansion of the late actress Dehlia Draycott, who died under notably mysterious circumstances. Nancy is fascinated by the case and works to resolve it, getting herself and her friends in hot water in the process.

If you've never read a Nancy Drew novel, then watching this movie will remind you of a Murder She Wrote episode geared toward the kids. That's what this movie is in essence (except of course that Nancy is not a writer per se).

The film makers choose to...

An INNOCENT, fun teen movie!
At last- a teenage girl movie where the NICE girl doesn't change into a tramp to fit in! My nieces; ages 12, 13, & 14 LOVED it and I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it too. The clothes were adorable! The kid did a good job as Nancy Drew. I hope they make more movies in this series.

fun movie for all
I'm not the harsh critic that others are here. I saw this movie at the theater with my adult sister, adult daughter, and young neice & nephew. All of us enjoyed the it. Beforehand, I wasn't sure about Emma Roberts as an actor, but she did a good job.

There's just is not enough family-type movies (non-animated), to go see these days. That's why I gave this one a 5-star rating. It was fun to see a haunted house and the variety of locations used. A lot of adventure and ingenuity with Nancy. Interesting characters and good dialogue. I like to see articulate, clever dialogue (does not stoop to swearing & vulgarity to get our attention), as in classic, older movies.

I plan to buy this Nancy Drew 2007 movie on DVD. And will probabaly see the sequel, too.

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Horrible Bosses: Totally Inappropriate Edition

Jennifer Aniston Unleashed
Perhaps this is partly due to the very vocal and very packed theater I saw Horrible Bosses in, but I have to say that it was one of the best experiences I've had watching a comedy in a long time. This movie is funny, really funny. The writing is vulgar and clever, often at the same time. There is not one weak link in the cast. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis play the three main guys getting pushed around by their evil bosses. They then hatch a plan to kill each others bosses. Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell play those three evil bosses. You also get other big names like Jamie Foxx, Donald Sutherland and an unexpected cameo from Bob Newhart. Everyone is great, but I have to give a special props to Jennifer Aniston. We finally get to see her in a role that showcases more of her talent than everything else she has done combined. She's funny, sexy and pulls of some nasty lines with ease.

I didn't plan on seeing this today, but I got bored, read...

A breath of fresh air to the R-rated comedy genre
There have been quite a few R-rated comedies this year, but they've all left something to be desired. Your Highness collapsed under being nothing but improvised toilet humor, The Hangover Part II was a complete rehash of the original, Hall Pass was just a disappointing attempt by the Farrelly brothers, and Bad Teacher was too tame to really be called "bad" at all. Paul and Bridesmaids were both pretty decent, but Paul wasn't nearly as good as the movies Simon Pegg and Nick Frost collaborated with Edgar Wright on and Bridesmaids pretty much played out like every other Judd Apatow movie out there. It was beginning to feel like every R-rated comedy from here on out would be so similar to everything before it that the laughs it tried to provide wouldn't be very funny at all. Thankfully, Horrible Bosses came along to prove that theory wrong.

What's interesting is that Horrible Bosses kind of follows the same formula as The Hangover; three guys getting themselves into a really...

Hilarious!
I was hesitant to rent this movie because it only had two and a half stars here, but we gave it a shot. This movie was freaking hilarious. My wife and I both loved it. Then we read the reviews to try to figure out why it was only two and a half stars. Some people are having some issues with the digital copy and therefore the actual movie rating is being affected. This is my first review here and I just wanted to write it to give the ratings a boost because it deserves 5 stars.

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Black

A wast of time
Very dumb movie, the lack of consistent thought. Just writing this is a wast of my time about a movie that made very little sence.

Did not hold my interest.
This is not my kind of flick. It was hardcore low budget and just too crude for me to watch.

meh
Really suprised at all the good reviews of this movie. It starts out as a very interesting thriller, then changes into almost a cheap Ocean's Eleven, then transforms again in to a supernatural . . . something. We did watch the movie to the end, so it seems to have that much going for it. But I wouldn't recommend it; even for free.

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About Sunny

Intense Drama
I love Lauren Ambrose from Six Feet Under so was really excited to check this out. Her performance is gripping!! Check it out.

Hope in Desperation
This film is artfully written and directed. The performances will wow you. I never expected to be so moved by a character's struggle to keep her head above water. Well-worth watching, especially if you are a cinephile or an indie-film lover. Rewards all viewers, though. Check it out!

It's all "About Sunny"
"About Sunny" is a bleak story about Angela and her daughter Sunny, who live pay-check to pay check in a deserted, lower income area of Nevada. As Angela does her best to provide for Sunny it takes everything you have not to look away as they are put through the wringer. The number of misfortunes they are faced with, in a relatively short period, of time is almost unreal. But there are quiet moments in between Angela's collection of bad decisions that highlight the bond between this mother and daughter pair than can't help but make you root for them.

Even though there isn't much of a character arc - and it is sometimes painful to watch Angela make choices will obviously lead to her into the mouth of more misfortune - the exceptional performances grasp the reality of how difficult it is to be a single parent. With this film Bryan Wizemann paints a portrait of just how much a mother will sacrifice for her child...the question as to whether or not it's the right choice is left...

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Katy Perry the Movie: Part of Me [Blu-ray]

Made me cry!
Even though I love Katy Perry's music, I didn't expect to love her movie. There's a big difference between enjoying a five minute song and watching a two-hour movie. I only saw the movie because my two daughters wanted to see it.

As it turns out, I really loved the movie. Viewers get a unique glimpse not only into Katy's current pop star lifestyle and concert tour madness, but also into her struggle to get a music label in the first place as well as her efforts to hold together a failing marriage.

But the reason I really ended up loving this movie is because Katy the person (not Katy the pop star) really appears to be genuinely sweet and likeable. I loved seeing her interact with her siblings, her friends, her fans, her evangelist parents, and even her adorable grandmother. Katy's "realness" really touched my heart . . . and even watered my eyes more than once.

This is a touching movie about a charming girl!

The Pied Piper of Genuineness
"Katy Perry Part of Me" is a rare and unique glimpse into the life, childhood, upbringing, ups and down and tag along journey for the concert tour of a lifetime for Katy Perry. In the capable hands of producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, this isn't just your ordinary run-of-the-mill documentary/concert video, this is a story and a behind the scenes insight like I've never seen before.

A few things grabbed me as the movie starts with the preparation of her monster first world tour. They start with the setup for her first concert and her associating with her crew, dancers and staff before going into the opening number. She treats the people around her like gold. The people she hires to do her costumes, makeup, manage her schedule and organize her life aren't industry people. They are her friends. They were ordinary, run-of-the-mill people who Katy worked with when she was a nobody and she kept them. She loves them, and they love her and that is the nuts and bolts of "Part...

Fun but brand management-y
This is a fun movie. With a lavish concert in 3D plus the colorful personality of Katy Perry, it'd be hard to accuse this movie of being boring. It will certainly appeal to Katy's fans, and it will also appeal to non-fans for a peek at the life of one of the biggest musical celebrities since Michael Jackson.

The lead producer is Brian Grazer, who is one of the most prolific and successful producers of dramatic thrillers (The Da Vinci Code, American Gangster, Robin Hood, 24, Tower Heist, Cowboys & Aliens, etc.). I'm guessing that Katy picked him primarily because of his work on Eminem's "8 Mile."

I am calling this a "movie" instead of a "documentary" because Katy Perry is one of the producers, which means that it cannot honestly claim to be impartial or unbiased. Boxoffice Magazine criticized the movie for that reason, saying, "this supposedly honest behind-the-scenes look at Perry's 2011 world tour often feels more like sharp brand management." What's...

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Blu-ray/DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy Combo Pack)

Wait until Chrismas 2013
Almost clicked the order button, but due to my love of the extended versions of the original trilogy, I decided to do a little research before I made that mistake. in doing so, I discovered that the Blue-Ray/DVD set for release on March 19th will contain only the theatrical version of the movie. Warner Bros is including a teaser trailer containing Dragon Smaug with this version in order to entice people to buy it. The extended version of 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' will be released in time for Christmas 2013. As with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Warner Bros. is trying to stick it to the consumer again by hoping people will buy both versions. Sorry, WB... I can wait another nine months. In the meantime, I'll rent a copy to satisfy my urge to see it sooner.

The Hobbit Amazon Exclusive Extended Edition
Since Amazon doesn't list the release date (11/05/13) or have the special features detailed, here you go:

-The Filmmakers' Commentary - Director/writer/producer Peter Jackson and writer/co-producer Philippa Boyens provide their perspective and stories on creating the first film.

-New Zealand: Home of Middle-Earth - From Matamata to Queenstown, travel with Peter Jackson and his team across the stunning locations of New Zealand, transformed by the filmmakers into Middle-Earth.

-The Appendices Part 7: A Long-Expected Journey - A 14-part chronological history of the filming of An Unexpected Journey, covering pre-production in the various departments of the film in the months leading up to the start of principal photography, the boot camp training for the main cast, and the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects. Chapters include:

*The Journey Back to Middle-Earth
*Riddles...

What we can expect in the EXTENDED EDITION.
WHAT WILL WE SEE IN THE EXTENDED EDITION:

1. More of DALE, including the BLACK ARROWS. Director Peter Jackson mentions a previously unseen character: "Girion, who is defending [the city of] Dale using black arrows against Smaug. And the black arrows play a part in an ongoing story, for they are the one thing that can pierce the dragon's hide."

2. More king of the wood elves; THRANDUIL. Peter Jackson: "There are also issues with Thranduil. We get some of the reason why he and the dwarves had a falling out - to do with these white gems..."

3. More of HOBBITON. Producer Phillipa Boyens: "You are going to get more of Hobbiton. We always wanted to wend our way through Hobbiton, but in the end Bilbo has to run out of the door."

4. The OLD TOOK'S PARTY: In which we see a younger Gandalf meet Bilbo Baggins as a young child, convincing the wizard of the young hobbit's bravery and courage. I won't spoil it for you, but it involves a dragon and a bit...

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The Thing (2011)

Many THINGS to consider...
The reviews were very interesting and there are some good points.
I'll start by saying I was only 12 when I saw "John Carpenter's The Thing" in the theater. Obviously it made a huge impression (through slightly closed fingers). I was at that point already a HUGE horror/sci-fi movie fan and even at 12 LOVED the original 1951 "The Thing From Another World". I still love the old B/W movies and it's too bad more people don't appreciate that. With that said movies need to advance...Lord of the Rings, Jurrasic Park...great CGI.

Now if you are a true Fan of JC's version of "The Thing", you will know two main thngs:
1.) This is a pretty faithful version of the short story ALL of them are based on, John W. Campbell, Jr. "Who Goes There?" The original 1951 (although awesome) was not. Keep in mind, JC did a wonderful job giving a nod to the 1951 movie. Not to mention featuring it as the movie the kids are watching in "Halloween".
2.) You will have seen the extensive...

Do you really think thats a good idea??
Thats one of the early lines in the film from Kate, it could also be asked about making a prequel to the much loved '82 classic. Just like in the movie, my answer is "yes I do". Making a film this many years after a classic and trying to make the story before that movie is challenging. When watching The Thing from '82 you had to wonder about the Norwegians and the back story, thats why this film is interesting. I went into the film with an open mind. It surprised me in the amount of detail. They really tried to match this up with the prior film as best they could. With the age gap between the films, I think they did a great job.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Kate a paleontologist, brought to Antartica to help in bringing a frozen "thing" out of the ice. She starts out observing and asking questions while Dr. Halvorson conducts his analysis of the specimen. As the story unfolds however, its Kate that uses her head and leads the group. The question throughout the film is-...

Not a "Thing" wrong with this prequel!
My expectations were low and I was BLOWN AWAY! Great prequel, fills in gaps. Quality, cast, story first rate. Others crying about CGI - they would have cried anyway even if they didn't use it. Get a life. Looked fine to me. If you loved the JC 1982 version, you will love this prequel. Remember to stay for the credits - truly awesome tie-in. Something you don't see much these days.

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Tim

Tim: Mel Gibson in an Australian Sleeper
One of Mel Gibson's earliest films, "Tim" has been overlooked by most Mel Gibson fans. Gibson plays a young, mentally challenged Australian in a romantic relationship with an older, American business executive (Piper Laurie). A youthful Mel Gibson shows his talent to create believable characters and make us forget he's acting.

The film examines the theme of star-crossed lovers in the context of age, mental capacity, and social acceptance. The emotional tide of Tim's family, his lover, and their peers pulls at our heart-strings, and forces a sometimes uncomfortable self-examination of how we judge others and how we may define "love."

This movie is a great, romantic tear-jerker. The slower pace and gritty texture of early Australian cinema may deter some viewers, but the fresh story-line alone makes this movie well worth watching.

You'll like this movie if:
You liked Kevin Costner's "Message in a Bottle," and enjoyed Mel Gibson in "Man Without A...

Beautiful, Poignant
Having read the book, I can see why Gibson was chosen for the role. Tim is described as someone with features that would have inspired Praxiteles.-Classic and beautiful in Greek purportions. Despite the lack of blond hair that Colleen McCoullough ascribed her mentally diminished hero, Gibson gives him the vulnerabilty and nobility that McCoullogh describes. Piper Laurie is marvelous as Tim's employer, caretaker, and eventual love interest. The Australian landscape was gorgeous(it reminds me of Hawaii, where I lived as a child). But I was glad this film spares us the full descriptions of how Tim was treated by his co-workers. This is a very sensitive, well-thought piece, and I guess I can overlook many inconsistancies with the book and just enjoy the beauty of it.

TIM IS TOPS...
This is a gem of a film, starring the underrated Piper Laurie in the role of a well to do, but lonely, business woman, Mary Horton, who befriends a very nice, good looking day laborer, Tim Melville, earnestly played by a very young Mel Gibson. Tim happens to be a little simple. His family describes him as being "a few short of a full quid".

While he does work around her house, she gets to know him, as well as his working class family. As time goes on, a deep fondness that ripens into love develops between the two. He brings her out of her shell, and she teaches him to read and explains concepts that will enable him to function better in the world around him. Based upon Colleen McCollough's book of the same name, this is a very well acted film, with fine performances by the supporting cast, as well as the leads.

The quality of the DVD is bargain basement with no additional features. That is to be expected, as the price of this DVD is likewise bargain basement. One...

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All Quiet on the Western Front

Exceptional DVD treatment of a classic
All Quiet on the Western Front has finally gotten the DVD that it deserves. After languishing for years in a stopgap DVD release that was difficult to hear and had terrible picture quality, this classic anti-war film has been restored by the Library of Congress and digitally remastered. The results are fantastic.

Note: This review refers to the new Universal Cinema Classics release (black case with close-up of Lew Ayres), not some of the older releases (bluish monochrome case with a German helmet) which Amazon has seen fit to post this review on.

Picture: Huge improvement. The previous release was dull, low-resolution, sometimes blurry, and reproduced lots and lots of distracting scratches and dirt from old reels. Now the picture is crisp, very sharp, and as clean as it has ever been.

Sound: Another huge improvement. The 1930-vintage sound effects are still rather clunky and the dialogue is hard to understand once or twice, but overall the restoration...

One of the first war movies is still one of the best
This reviewer give this move 5 stars. It is actually 10 out of 10.

Some people will say the movie's black and white color is distracting. This the Great War we are watching. Only the paintings were color. Color photography was not invented yet. So it actually enhances the feel of the movie.

This movie is a great. It completely captures what trench warfare was like. It was a muddy, miserable life with rats and little food. Somebody was always shooting at you. That is trench warfare.

The basic plot is about a school student, Paul, who is convinced by his school teacher to join and fight with the army in 1915. The class enlists in mass, goes through training together, and then march off to fight at the Western front.

The movie is like chapters in a book. Most Americans don't understand what old Germany was like. Old Germany was a land of Christian values. The Kaiser (translation: the emperor) was seen as a direct official working...

The Sound of Silence
Winner of the 1930 Oscars for Best Picture and Director, "All Quiet on the Western Front" remains a stunning and timely film. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's classic anti-war novel, the movie follows a group of patriotic German schoolboys as they are urged to enlist in World War I, and shows how their initially idealistic spirits are forever changed by the brutal reality of death and dismemberment, suffering and sorrow. Beautifully acted by its entire cast (with special kudos going to Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, and Slim Summerville), the film also features some incredible special visual effects (those two detached hands clinging to the barbed wire fence never fail to shock) and some meticulously staged battle scenes that manage to put the viewer into the heart of the action. Arthur Edeson's cinematography is often truly astonishing in its artistry; his visual choices are impeccable. Worth a special note is the film's soundtrack; how incredible the terrible sounds of exploding...

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Heaven is Waiting

Decent movie with an odd emphasis on material wealth
I enjoyed several aspects of this movie. The script is smart and funny. The plot device of having the deceased wife show up from time to time to give advice to her still grieving husband is fairly original and works well. The consideration of the emotions we experience when we don't want to betray those we have loved and lost by moving on is nuanced and thought provoking. And I enjoyed the open and unembarrassed references to God and church throughout the movie, which are not at all heavy-handed.

So what's not to like? For me, it is that far too many elements of the characters' lives are glamorous or successful beyond what is typical for normal folks. The main character--the widowed husband--has apparently retired at the age of 43 and lives in an enormous, beautifully furnished house and is tall and handsome to boot. His college-age daughter also lives in a large, beautifully furnished home while attending school and is perky, loving and cute. The father's eventual...

heaven is waiting
this was a bad movie. I like happy/sappy movies but this was neither of those. the acting was strained, there was no humor, it just didn't go anywhere.

Rather Bored...
There is nothing inherently bad about this movie, but that doesn't exactly make it worth watching. All in all, it was a very vague, undefined, cliched story.

1) as far as I can tell, there isn't really much of a message to the story...
2) the plot is extremely one-dimensional. The first half of the movie is the story of a protective father who doesn't like his daughter's "perfect" suitor - not a terribly original plot device. The second half is about the man's daughter trying to convince him to date this slightly creepy woman who he does not like, when he's not ready to date at all. It mentions that the man is a pastor, but that doesn't play into the plot a bit - there is no mention of God, no "working through grief" overtone, and not even any church patrons are involved.
3) the script/dialogue was stilted and also rather one-dimensional
4) the characters were also one-dimensional. The only thing I know about the man is that he misses his wife and is...

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Dream House

Subtle thriller, not a horror flick
I've seen "Dream House" a couple of times, and thought it was a very good movie, despite all the bad reviews I've read. I agree with only one review so far, from geeksofdoom.com: "a distorting and turning journey of mind-bending proportions, taking elements of...horror fiction and re-energizing them as 21st century psychological thriller...admirable performances [Craig and Weisz]...." "Yes, the plot is disorienting at times - but this is completely by design. While the audience is looking in a hundred distinct places to get a feel for where the movie is going, there are numerous elements hidden in plain sight that don't bubble to the surface until they're needed. The craftsmanship is the highlight and strongest facet of `Dream House', and make for a thrilling first viewing experience." I think there are many subtle hints that a great many viewers probably won't understand until they've seen the movie a second or third time. "...while it is not perfect, it sure is a hell of a lot of...

Beautiful and Touching
The Number one tip I can you watching this movie is not to have any expectations. It's not a horror or a thriller. It's a drama. Watch it. It is one of the best movies I have seen in awhile. MY whole family loved it. How's a man to survive when the lives of his family are at risk? This movie delves into how we can become slaves to our grief and loss. I would love to give more details but the less you know about the better. Give it a chance and make your own conclusion about this movie. You won't regret watching a beautiful movie as this one.

Do NOT watch the trailer...
I hope you haven't read Amazon's editorial review either since they are both spolier-heavy. I unfortunately have seen the trailer. After watching it thought that the movie might be rather interesting but then realized while watching the movie with a friend who had also seen the trailer that the trailer gave away some very important facts about the movie which takes away much of the suspense. If you are one of the lucky few who hasn't seen the trailer and if you haven't read Amazon's review but are interested in the movie for whatever reason but want to know something about it before watching it then let me tell you that this would fall in the suspense/thriller genre...If you haven't seen the trailer and want to know a bit more about the movie without wanting to reveal a bit too much I'll just say that the trailer gives away who Peter Ward(a suspected murderer and potential danger to the protagonist, Daniel Craig, and to his family)is and how to find him. One thing that might put off...

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Cowboys & Aliens (Extended Version)

Spoiler-Free
You should watch this movie expecting a great check-your-brain-at-the-door flick, and it doesn't disappoint on that count. There are wild west gunfights, love interests, and aliens trying to take over the world -- what more could you ask for?

Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde are residents of an old western town attacked by what a local preacher calls "demons." Those demons -- what we call aliens -- pillage and plunder, terrifying the locals and motivating them to drop old rivalries to defeat the new threat.

The plot is simple, although it has a couple unexpected twists. You won't walk away with your mind blown, but you also will have enjoyed the show. The aliens are designed well, the characters are intriguing, and the plot has just enough mystery to keep you interested. This movie won't likely be winning any Oscars, but it's a fun film.

Spoiler-Free Review
A man awakens in the desert to complete memory loss. The only clue to his past is a picture of a young woman and a metal contraption locked around his forearm. When he arrives in a nearby town of Absolution, trouble isn't far behind. But when strange lights from the sky arrive and begin shooting up the town and abducting its residents, the survivors decide to risk all to hunt the kidnappers and find their loved ones.

Daniel Craig plays the amnesiac who comes to be known as Jake Lonergan. Craig is a stoic, hard man with a soft heart. When his past is revealed it's a bit of a shock, since it seemed to be against his nature. Harrison Ford also stars as Woodrow Dolarhyde, a tough war veteran, now rich and feared by the town and his employees. Sam Rockwell is Doc, a saloon owner who tries to toughen up to save his wife from abduction. And Olivia Wilde is the mysterious and beautiful Ella who seems to know something about Jake. The acting is solid and believable. Each character...

A well-made, generally entertaining film
"Cowboys & Aliens" is a film with a simple plot with a few surprises. It takes place a few years after the Civil War and Harrison Ford is still complaining about the Union generals at Antietam, as well as having to deal with a spoiled, drunken son. Daniel Craig has amnesia and a strange bracelet clamped on his wrist. And Olivia Wilde is a beautiful, gun-toting woman who seems to know what's going on with Craig, as alien spacecraft start blowing up a town and the area's cowboys, and later robbers and Apaches. The film meanders along for quite some time, but heats up in the second half, as humans band together to try to save humanity from extinction.

"Cowboys & Aliens" has some good action sequences and photography, and the aliens are ugly and scary. The main actors all do a good job, as does Keith Carradine as a sheriff and Sam Rockwell as a non-violent saloon owner who learns to shoot a rifle.

All in all, this is a well-made film, which is generally entertaining,...

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Tower Heist (Extended Edition)

UNCLEAR DIRECTIONS
I didnt want to stream I thought I was buying the video. the directions were unclear and I am upset about it

Ben Stiller is funny as always, but this movie takes a serious turn......
Loved this movie. It was funny, serious, and most of all a SURPRISE.

Ed Murphy was not his usual self, and vulgar as usual.



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Eyes to See

AWESOME!
Another great movie in my humble opinion, again i love it when negative situations cause a person to do something good and positive> Wonderful that he is continuing to work with the haitians

Eyes to See
It's a very short movie, for the price on how short it was, is not worth it. The shipment was quick, just not worth the price.



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Back to the Future Part II

THE MOST EPISODE COMPLEX OF THE TRILOGY
IN A NUTSHELL: DOES WHAT A TIME TRAVEL MOVIE IS SUPPOSED TO DO!

This sequel of the superb "Back To The Future" is a very earnest attempt to follow a winning formula up with a truly worthwhile effort in this sequel. Complex, yes, but interesting. Unfortunately, at times it gets a bit too mechanically contrived with the time sequence derivations, and I find myself mentally checking the continuity which detracts from the theme. Nevertheless, if you liked the first "Back To The Future" you will probably enjoy this movie. All the characters are present from the original and they are playing multiple generations almost simultaneously. After all, isn't that what a time travel ovie is supposed to do?

Highly Recommended!
Marty McFly and Doctor Emmett Brown travels to the future to prevent Marty's future son from facing jail time. They ultimately succeed, and when they travel back to the present (1985), they find everything to be entirely different than the way they left it. They find the source of this problem, and they must fix it in order to return 1985 to it's former state.

Highly enternaining with some humour and great special effects makes this a great film. I like the fact that some scenes from Part 1 are incorporated in this movie. This incorporation is what makes this movie very entartaining... especially the scenes where we see two Martys, or two Doc Browns. I would highly recommend this movie!

Back to the Future Part II(1989)
In 1989, Universal Studios, director Robert Zemeckis and writer/producer Bob Gale brought us Back to the Future Part II. This second film has gotten some bad reviews, but it really is an underrated sequel. Marty(Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown(Christopher Lloyd) travel to the year 2015 to stop Griff Tannen from sending Marty McFly Jr. to jail. While in the future, Marty buys a sports almanac and plans to use it to bet on sporting events in the past. Doc Brown throws the almanac in the trash and Old Biff Tannen(Thomas F. Wilson) fishes it out of the garbage can. Old Biff steals the DeLorean time machine and gives the book to himself in the past. When Marty and Doc Brown return to 1985, Hill Valley, California has been turned into a crime-filled, gritty, polluted dystopia. Biff is filthy rich and married to Marty's mother, Lorraine(Lea Thompson). Marty finds out that George McFly was murdered in 1973! Marty and Doc Brown must travel to the year 1955 and destroy the sports almanac in order...

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Dolphin Adventures

before the "fall"
The movie shows us what the excitement was (and is) but before it became dangerous to mingle with the dolphins. meaning before we tainted their habitation with "friendly parks" where you can pet the trapped. the early days were exciting to discover, and this video shows us that excitement. thanks for bringing it back to us.





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Of Human Bondage - Digitally Remastered (Amazon.com Excluive)

Great movie, poor DVD transfer
Yes, this movie is "dated" in a stylistic sense, but so what. Davis and Howard are both so good it doesn't matter. And there is nothing dated about being hopelessly "in bondage" to something or someone - that realization is ultimately what makes the movie so depressing to watch. We can "identify" with Phillip's horrendous treatment at the hands of Mildred because he is obsessed beyond his ability to respond rationally.

The film's most famous line...."You cad!, you dirty swine! I never cared for you not once! I was always makin' a fool of ya! Ya bored me stiff, I hated ya! It made me SICK when I had to let ya kiss me. I only did it because ya begged me, ya hounded me and drove me crazy! And after ya kissed me, I always used to wipe my mouth! WIPE MY MOUTH!"..... is so emotionally charged and devastating one can not help but relate to it at a gut level. The viewer is completely drawn in to Phillip's psyche and his unbearable pain. Davis is...

The fascinating film that made Bette Davis a star
Of Human Bondage, based on the novel by Somerset Maugham, is a powerful but melancholy film that I find strangely mesmerizing. Leslie Howard stars as Philip Carey, an introverted, artistic man who comes to London to study medicine after abandoning his dreams of becoming an artist in Paris. Carey was born with a club foot, and we watch rather mortified as one of his instructors makes him show his foot to the class, revealing the embarrassment that he normally keeps contained on the outside. One day in a nearby café, Carey sees waitress Mildred Rogers (played fabulously by Bette Davis), a rather ill-natured, brazenly taciturn waitress. Her attitude is rather rude and certainly strange and cold, but Carey is immediately fascinated by her. After inexplicably falling in love with Mildred, he succeeds in winning a few dates with her, putting up with her mind games, deception, and seeming lack of humanity. She is frustratingly noncommittal in everything he asks her, replying "I...

Great movie, but loses a star or two due to the shabby DVD
If you take into account when this film was made and that the film medium was still developing its language, you'll likely enjoy "Of Human Bondage". It's well acted and- with its wide array of "let's see what we can do" directorial tricks and flourishes- entertainingly told.

Leslie Howard gives a low-key, effective performance, but it's Bette Davis who really shines. Ms. Davis realized correctly that it should be somewhat confusing to the other characters- and to us- why Leslie Howard's Philip character is so taken with her character, so she grounds her character with a kind of plainness and commonality. But she also realizes that there should be SOMETHING that we as viewers can touch on, so we can at least somewhat understand what is going on inside Philip. So Ms. Davis peppers the plainness of her character with occasional glints of edge, ice, passion, etc., things that a man would notice and be moved by, both in a positive and negative manner. These little glints of...

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The Achievers

Show us the movie, Lebowski!
I'm a Little Lebowski Urban Achiever and I'm really looking forward to being able to see this on instant video. Love the trailer.





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Hop [HD]

Finally, a good animation/live action movie
With films like Yogi Bear, Alvin & The Chipmunks, Scooby Doo, Marmaduke and worst of all Garfield littering the cinescape with dreadful dreck involving live action people and computer animated cartoon animals, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy when I saw the trailers for Hop. In place of a nonsensical farce filled with more rubbish than a fleet of garbage trucks, in Hop we are treated to a whimsical tale with positive messages and loads of good old fashioned fantasy style fun. Anyone who grew up watching Rankin Bass holiday specials on TV will appreciate the classic themes beautifully updated for the modern day in Hop. Usually it works to advantage, occasionally it falls short.

The visual landscape and the animation of the characters is startlingly realitic and very quickly has you feeling you're just watching a regular movie where animals really do talk and there really is a secret lair of the easter bunny.

Like some other reviewers noted, there is a definite...

FUN MOVIE...
Fun movie. Certainly for kids. It's not in the category of "Despicle me" or "Toy Story-3" (or 1, or 2) but still lots of fun. In the beginning it has a bit of Willy Wonka feel to it, while more to the end, it leans more to Santa. But it's all Easter-bunny power (sorry for the chicks). I liked it better at the beginning, and the middle. Quite some surprise-jokes there. But somewhere before the end, I get the feeling, the makers suddenly realize they need to bring to movie to an end. From that point on everything gets very rushed and quick-paced and to me the movie looses some of it's magic at that point. But still we had lots of fun. Definitely a movie to watch with the (young) kids.

Awesome Family Fun!!!
This movie was a lot better than I was expecting. It was heart-warming, and had the right amount of comedy suitable for any age. E.B. was adorable and hilarious. Russell Brand was the perfect choice. E.B.'s dad is retiring and wants his son to continue on and become the new Easter Bunny, but E.B. doesn't want that life. He runs away to Hollywood to start a new life, but is almost run over by a slacker named Fred O'Hare. Fred is having trouble with his family as well. While Fred is house sitting, E.B. decides to crash with him. Back at Easter Island, a chick named Carlos plots to take over the Easter holiday, unless Fred and E.B. can stop him. I highly recommend HOP!!!

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Ken Burns: The Central Park Five

4.5 stars... why did the innocent confess? Watch!
In late 2011, Sarah Burns published the "Central Park Five" book, and in late, 2012, the documentary based on this book, or perhaps more accurately stated, made in conjunction with this book, was released in the theatre (I saw it at the Landmark E Street Cinema in Washington DC about a month ago). This co-documentary is directed by the book's author as well as David McMahon and Ken Burns (yes, that Ken Burns).

"The Central Park Five" (120 min.) brings in excruciating (but riveting and enraging) details the background of the infamous "Central Park jogger" case of a woman who was savagely attacked, raped and left for dead while jogging in New York's Central Park in 1989. By coincidence that very same evening a bunch of black and latino 14 and 15 yr. old teenagers were hanging out in Central Park and pretty quickly the New York police rounded up a number of them, eventually causing 5 of them to admit to a crime they did not commit. This of course then goes to the very heart of...

The Counter Turfseer Review
My initial reaction to reading the Turfseer review of this film was a belief, based on the errors and the distortion of facts in the review,that the reviewer saw a different film from the one I saw or was merely ignorant of the truth because he didn't understand the film.. A closer reading leads me to believe that something more serious, perhaps even sinister, is afoot here: a deliberate attempt to mislead those without direct unbiased knowledge of the events discussed in the film, and to advance the unsupported theories and suppositions of some of those directly involved in the original miscarriage of justice.

To wit: Turfseer writes ( I shall hereafter include Turfseer's accounts in quotes and my answers below them):

"the Central Park Five (CPF) were not only convicted of rape (in most cases) but also assaulting other people in the park that night. Burns and the CPF want you to believe that they merely observed two serious assaults in the park and acted...

Ken Burn's "The Central Park Five"
Ken Burns did a great job of reporting the facts surrounding this explosive case. The five teenagers accused and the victim were treated with care, and still yet the truth. This movie is worth seeing, as it is an example of rushing to judgement, an example racial tension, and an example of poor police. Thank God for Reyes finally stepping up to prove what an injustice, and still there has been no reconciliation in monetary compensation for the injustice. Again, I say that Ken Burns and others did an excellent job of reporting.

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Romancing in Thin Air [HD]

Beautiful
Just finished watching this film a couple minutes ago. The cinematography is beautiful, as is the location and the music. There are times when the story feels cut, as if scenes have been deleted in editing, so I would like to see an extended version, but the story is solid. The characters are believable, and the romance doesn't include the bedroom, but happens outside it, in the subtleties of everyday life. Definitely adding this one to my video library.

Great RomCom
Great Johnnie To film. Super plot with very good characterizations by great actors. As usual with Johnnie To, good ending but not quite what you're expecting.

Nice opportunity to see a movie you won't get locally or on TV
If you're reading this review it's probably because you are trying to decide if you should watch this. I invested my 2 hours and felt like it was well worth it. It's a wonderfully written and acted romance movie from China. In my opinion just as good as anything coming out of Hollywood these days (at least as far as romance/love story type movies.)

Interesting story: Man on the rebound falls for the the grieving 'never gives up hope' woman not willing to admit she's a widow yet. They help each other with their emotional demons and fall in love, but have to overcome so many roadblocks to get there.

Well acted, sympathetic characters, all in all pretty good. No sex, violence, cursing or nudity. Just drama and romance. 2 hankie ending.

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Cowboys & Aliens

Spoiler-Free
You should watch this movie expecting a great check-your-brain-at-the-door flick, and it doesn't disappoint on that count. There are wild west gunfights, love interests, and aliens trying to take over the world -- what more could you ask for?

Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde are residents of an old western town attacked by what a local preacher calls "demons." Those demons -- what we call aliens -- pillage and plunder, terrifying the locals and motivating them to drop old rivalries to defeat the new threat.

The plot is simple, although it has a couple unexpected twists. You won't walk away with your mind blown, but you also will have enjoyed the show. The aliens are designed well, the characters are intriguing, and the plot has just enough mystery to keep you interested. This movie won't likely be winning any Oscars, but it's a fun film.

Spoiler-Free Review
A man awakens in the desert to complete memory loss. The only clue to his past is a picture of a young woman and a metal contraption locked around his forearm. When he arrives in a nearby town of Absolution, trouble isn't far behind. But when strange lights from the sky arrive and begin shooting up the town and abducting its residents, the survivors decide to risk all to hunt the kidnappers and find their loved ones.

Daniel Craig plays the amnesiac who comes to be known as Jake Lonergan. Craig is a stoic, hard man with a soft heart. When his past is revealed it's a bit of a shock, since it seemed to be against his nature. Harrison Ford also stars as Woodrow Dolarhyde, a tough war veteran, now rich and feared by the town and his employees. Sam Rockwell is Doc, a saloon owner who tries to toughen up to save his wife from abduction. And Olivia Wilde is the mysterious and beautiful Ella who seems to know something about Jake. The acting is solid and believable. Each character...

A well-made, generally entertaining film
"Cowboys & Aliens" is a film with a simple plot with a few surprises. It takes place a few years after the Civil War and Harrison Ford is still complaining about the Union generals at Antietam, as well as having to deal with a spoiled, drunken son. Daniel Craig has amnesia and a strange bracelet clamped on his wrist. And Olivia Wilde is a beautiful, gun-toting woman who seems to know what's going on with Craig, as alien spacecraft start blowing up a town and the area's cowboys, and later robbers and Apaches. The film meanders along for quite some time, but heats up in the second half, as humans band together to try to save humanity from extinction.

"Cowboys & Aliens" has some good action sequences and photography, and the aliens are ugly and scary. The main actors all do a good job, as does Keith Carradine as a sheriff and Sam Rockwell as a non-violent saloon owner who learns to shoot a rifle.

All in all, this is a well-made film, which is generally entertaining,...

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The Colony

4 Humans Against the Aliens
A brutal race of expansionist aliens has just target Earth for harvesting. The planet will be stripped of its resources and the inhabitants will be enslaved. But before the fleet arrives, there is a chance to discover more about humans; particularly why so many are resistant to the alien's mind control.

Four humans have been collected for study. Three are resistant to mind control and one is not. But while the alien scientist pushes for understanding, the commander pushes for elimination of the humans. The scientist has been worried. The normal expansion methods enslave alien races but they have all died out within a year of servitude. Can this be prevented? Meanwhile, the captive humans keep trying to escape and pull every trick they can think of.

This is a good drama where characters' behavior is more important than effects. The sets are rather crude, looking like old sci-fi shows of the 70's but as such they do not distract from the real point of the film. The acting...

SWISS CHEESE
The Scifi Channel coproduced this lame, low-budget yawner. Once everyone gets on the space ship, the set looks like something thrown together by a junior high thespian troupe. Isabella Hofmann plays Harper, an alien out to experiment and study humans to find out their makeup. (ho hum). John Prosky is the alien leader, shaved head and filled with misanthropic nothings. Michael Weatherly is the somewhat hunky hero; Cristi Conaway is the sexy but bland other alien; only Eric Allan Kramer as the almost beefcake Bravo makes an impression: watch as he follows Conaway's sinewy, sexy glide in an attempt to pick up girls--it's funny. Even Jeff Kober (from Falcon Crest) doesn't do his usual seedy job as a snarly redneck. Low production credits, a meandering pace, and relatively poor acting sinks this one fast.

Do not waste your time on this one.
Not all low budget movies are crap, but this one certainly fits the bill as being really lousy. The only positive element I could find was that the movie ended, but not soon enough.

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In The Dark

NOT A HORROR film
This is a great thriller! Was made for TV but really stands on its own. This is by no way a HORROR movie whats so ever, so if you want a horror film this is not for you, if your looking for a thriller, this is for you.

Surprisingly Good
Don't let the jacket of this DVD mislead you. This is not a dungeon-torture flick. Most of the action takes place in an artist's lovely loft apartment and involves more realistic relationships.

It's true that this ground has been covered in many other movies, including the similarly named "Wait Until Dark." A blind woman is threatened by someone whose full intentions she cannot see. But this movie does include some uniquely chilling shots. Look at what happens to the family pictures on the artist's wall.

The first 3/4 of the film takes its time unpeeling the extent of the villain's derangement. Then the pace of the film switches to a rather abrupt realization and resolution. It's as if the directors feared they might be running out of film and wanted to cover the essential elements of the plot as quickly as possible.

Despite this final yank on the viewer's leash though, this remains a worthwhile, effective thriller. I watched several high-budget...

Purchased for a friend
I bought this movie for a friend. She is the one who really enjoyed the movie and I was happy to buy it for her.

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Great Kat - Beethoven's Guitar Shred

Creepy and weird. Low quality freak show.
I don't know who this female guitar shredder is, but her skills are lost in a bloody, gothic pastiche that is almost comical.

HORRIBLE
Unattractive, plays horribly, videos are jumpy and nonsensical. Beethoven piece was nothing at all like he intended it. It was merely a battle of her trying to play over his song. It does not matter how fast you can move your hand if it just sounds like nonsense. I recommend that it be taken off Amazon.

Classical Sliced & Diced!
I like my guitars fast and loud. I'm a big fan of Dave Wronski of Slacktone and Gabriela Quintero of Rodrigo y Gabriela. So, I really enjoyed The Great Kat's new DVD- Beethoven's Guitar Shred. The new release features a loud and fast mix of heavy metal and classical played by the leather halter and black fishnet stocking-clad Great Kat with blazing riffs on Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Flight of the Bumble Bee," Beethoven's "5th Symphony," Paginini's "Caprice #24," Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto #3" and Rossini's "William Tell Overture." But be prepared for some bizarre bloody images on the videos for "Torture Techniques," "Blood" and "Islamofascists."

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House Party

Old School Fun
Adult comedy. Not recommended for kids. Language warrning. Dancing and music great to watch and remember the days of old.

One of my favorite movies of all time.
Its not going to win any Oscars or anything. But if you are just looking for some entertainment, its a good choice.



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Dick Tracy

Hey Warren, how about the Director's Cut?
I have been a fan of this movie since it came out in 1990. I saw it in the theater, bought it on video tape and finally on DVD.

Imagine my surprise when I read Mr. Beatty was putting together a director's cut of this movie for a propose "Vista Series" release.

I read on various sites, including "Ain't It Cool," that 20-30 minutes would be added and the overall tone of the picture would be darker.

This was a couple of years ago and I haven't seen anything new on it.

I understand Mr. Beatty and Disney have gotten into some legal issues regarding who has rights over the film. I just hope they are resolved quickly and Mr. Beatty can get the Director's Cut out.

I love the first cut of the movie, but felt at times they were holding back on certain themes in order to bring in as many people as possible to make the picture profitable. If you look at the original comic, it was violent.

I loved Beatty as the honest cop, Madonna...

Well, not bad!
The script lives up to its subject, a cartoon strip, but fans of the old Dick Tracy won't be disappointed. Our old favorite characters are all there and the soundtrack, especially Madonna's sexy "Sooner or Later" is fabulous. The production values are great, with a definite comic book feel and appearance, and even if we didn't get all these great items to enjoy, there's the cameo and casting with some of Hollywood's brightest stars. Definitely worth adding to your DVD collection

A Great Movie with Amazing Picture and Sound Quality
The DVD may not be fully loaded with extras or special features, but the outstanding picture and sound quality makes up for all of that..."Dick Tracy" is an incredible movie and can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages...Warren Beatty stars as Tracy; a tough detective who is determined to fight crime at any cost. One of the main bad guys he is trying to get off the streets for good is none other than Big Boy (Al Pacino). But Big Boy isn't going down without a fight, and is willing to put a stop to Tracy's career with his gang of colorful hoodlums... I really did enjoy this movie, and it is a classic. There are still elements of danger and suspence... The actors did a great job. Beatty is awesome as Tracy, but I have to say this; as always, it is Pacino who steals the show. He is so alive and colorful in this movie. Had it not been for his famous voice, you would've never known it was Al...Warren Beatty also directed the movie and did an awesome job at doing so. Everything about...

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Yanks

A sweet, sad movie about people in wartime
My husband and I have watched Yanks many times on VHS. I am glad to see that it is finally available on DVD. Every time I watch this movie I marvel at the small touches that bring this era to life, from the tiny grocers shop with lines to the boredom of the men in the barracks.

All the actors have a freshness in their roles. I don't know if Richard Gere every played a more grounded, real character. Vanessa Redgrave has a bittersweet role as the married woman who enjoys a dalliance with dashing American William Devane.

From the arrival of the soldiers until their departure for the the D-day invasion, the movie sweeps through the changes wrought on the lives of English and Americans. The stories of the various characters intertwine, and it is not until the end that we realize how interconnected they hae become.

IN LOVE AND WAR
John Schleshinger's YANKS is more a slice of life, character study. Heavy on atmosphere, which is done quite nicely, and buoyed by good performances, the movie is low key, but resilient with the feelings of the British and the Yanks during this crucial time in WWII. Richard Gere is very good as Matt, the sensitive, polite soldier who finds himself falling for English shopkeeper Lisa Eichhorn, but is afraid of the commitment once the relationship becomes serious. Eichhorn is beautiful and parlays that fragile beauty into a sympathetic and engaging character. The movie's other romantic duo isn't given as much screen time, but Vanessa Redgrave does a marvelous job as the Red Cross volunteer who is becoming close to dashing William Devane. Redgrave's skills as a character actress enable her to bring more depth into the role than was written. Two other performances of note are Rachel Roberts as Eichhorn's mother and Wendy Morgan as the bus steward who ends up marrying one of the...

View the Power of the essence of Love.......
Wow, I don't know where to begin. I always wondered where the days went, when a man would kiss a woman and she would lift her leg behind her. As a man who is married with two young kids, I found this movie to be beyond romantic. I pursued my wife in college with the same vigor as Matt (Richard Gere) pursued Jean (Lisa Eichhorn). In an odd kind of way my wife resembles Jean, a naive beautiful woman whom I decided that I could not live without. As a self-proclaimed romantic and one regularly read Frost, this movie captured my heart. I can't stop talking about the subtlness of the love between Matt and Jean. Also, I found Helen (Vanessa Redgrave) and John (William Devane) to be absoulety devine, their story touched my soul. Specifically, toward the end while she was in the church. The ending of this movie is a marvel, I can only hope that it is nominated or re-nominated for an Oscar... Thank you Matt, Jean, Helen, and John, thank you for allowing Love to be so...

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28 Days Later

Blu-ray review on the video resolution (know this before you buy)
First off, my four stars are for the movie itself - an excellent re-imaging of the "Zombie" genre.

Now, onto the video resolution issue that many reviewers are complaining about. I was also shocked when I rented this Blu-ray and saw the awful video resolution. Basically, it's no better than a standard DVD except for the closing scene.

The reason: The film was filmed mostly in standard DV resolution, using a Canon XL1s camcorder (the closing scene being the exception - it was filmed in 35mm). DV is very low resolution in comparison to HD or 35mm film, so the problem (if you consider this a problem) is with the source material, NOT the transfer to Blu-ray. It was the director's decision to film in standard DV, so this is the best resolution that you will ever see of this film.

So, if you don't have this movie and the Blu-ray and the DVD version are the same price, I'd probably stick with the Blu-ray version just for future compatibility. But, if you...

Horror film? Nah... Great film? Yes, definitely!
There is very little about this movie that can be considered "horror" per se. At best, in this sense, the film is a suspense flick, with a somewhat spooky score/soundtrack (that added plenty to the tension in its atmosphere), and a great cast who portrayed the best and worst traits in human nature.

I can understand those who give the movie a bad review since they were expecting something extremely scary (that's the way in which it is being marketed) and ended up watching an intelligent, well presented study in good and evil, right vs. wrong, loyalty vs. survival, and many other concepts that one wouldn't expect from a "horror" flick. This movie, in that sense, simply was not what the average goer was promised.

Now, as far as good films are concerned, this is definitely a worthy effort. It has more depth than one could ever expect; the cinematography is done extremely well; and the acting is superb (even on the part of the nearly silent and secondary infected characters)...

Stylish Homage to '70s Flicks
28 Days Later is stylish, lonely, bloody, desperate, wet, violent, frantic, thoughtful, scary and, ultimately, hopeful. Danny Boyle artfully directs Alex Garland's script while paying homage to movies like the Omega Man and George Romero's Dead trilogy. As hard as it is for me to say, 28 Days is a much better film than any of the films mentioned above.

The movie focuses on the people who have not been infected with a virus that turns humans into rage filled zombies. In fact, the zombies only make a few screen appearances, the fear factor of the movie coming mainly from the reactions of the uninfected people to their situation. The main characters are well acted and I cared about what happened to them. Visually the movie is a masterpiece and the scenes in an empty London are incredible.

I recommend 28 Days Later to fans of the other movies mentioned above or anybody looking for a thoughtful, scary zombie film. People looking to pull their brain out for a few hours or for...

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Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas

Spectacular Animation!
I am a huge fan of any craft that demands exceptional talent and requires painstaking patience (neither trait exhibited by me, incidentally). Having said that, I don't care all that much for the computer-generated images of "Shrek" or "Nemo"; to me, it doesn't have the look of actual "animation." So you could have knocked me over with a feather when I stumbled across the little jewel SINBAD--LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS, a film that apparently disappointed during its theatrical release, yet a film that delivers jaw-dropping entertainment and crystal-clear, vivid animation.

Granted, the story itself is somewhat shallow and superficial, yet SINBAD succeeds through the skill and artistry of its makers. The film explodes with colorful images--some of them computer-animated, most of them drawn by human hands--that overwhelm the viewer; within seconds, the outside world exits stage left as the viewer is absorbed into delightful aesthetic imagery. Sure,...

Very underrated movie
I love 2D animation movies and this one is a very good one. Too bad, traditional animation doesn't do well in the box office these days. People are now more into 3D animation like Monster Inc., Shrek and Finding Nemo. It doesn't mean that they are not good. I personally prefer this one over most recent Disney movies such Treasure Planet, Atlantis and even Lilo and Stitch. This one is by far the most technically advanced animation movie I have seen lately. The character animations are superb, the 3D CGI effects are well combine with the 2D elements and the story is good enough. Sinbad is a very popular character and the kids love him. The action never stops. The voice acting is excellent in my opinion. If you love 2D animation from Disney or DreamWorks you should definitely buy this movie.

Personally, I think that DreamWorks has now surpassed Disney in 2D animation. The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Sinbad are way better then most...

Swashbuckling fun
I'm confused. Although I'll admit that's a natural state of being most of the time, it isn't regarding this fine film; critics slammed Sinbad when it came out. Is it because the animation, writing or voice performances are bad? No, actually all are exceptional. I personally believe it's something of a Dreamworks backlash of some sort (or, perhaps, a backlash against hand drawn animation after lots of CGI animated features).

Parents need to throw out all expectationst that this has anything to do with the Sinbad films Ray Harryhausen made or that it might have something to do with the Arabian Nights; neither is the case. Instead, what we are given is a very entertaining original film scripted by John Logan (The Time Machine and Star Trek; Nemesis).

Unlike Harryhausen's epic adventures, this Sinbad is a pirate raiding vessels on the Seven Seas. He's intent on stealing the Book of Peace a magical, legendary book that will fetch quite a surprise. What he doesn't intent on discovering...

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