Brazil

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

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

If you purchased the three disc set and want to upgrade you could just...

Quite possibly the reason DVD was invented
Three discs? *Three* discs? That's what you're probably thinking if you're looking at this and *not* a fan of one of the finest films of our time. But this exquisite three-disc treatment is probably the best argument for DVD (and thankfully, for Criterion) that I can give you: Watch these discs, listen to the extensive audio commentary, compare Gilliam's brilliant vision with the Hollywood Studio "Love Conquers All" bastardization, er, sorry, recutting (how many directors would include a admittedly contradictory vision of his film on a DVD set just to *show* how Hollywood can drastically reshape a vision?), watch the documentary...you'll come away from this boxed set experience understanding more about film and directing, and sadly, studio politics, than you'll ever get from reading "Variety" (certainly more than I got from filmmaking college courses!) At the heart of it all, though, the many extras and made-with-care package would add up to nothing if...

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

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

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

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Troublemaker

Relatable
A sometimes humorous, sometimes serious story of coming to accept the past and take control of the future. Rehka's disillusionment with life and struggle to put her past behind her and Omar's desire to move on with his life but reluctance to leave behind his best friend make both the story and characters very relatable. Troublemaker is definitely worth a watch with its interesting mix of personal conflict and humor.

Not my usual style
Dramas aren't my usual cup of tea. Despite this, I gave it a shot and ended up really enjoying it! The family strife was certainly something familiar to me, but I think the relationship between Rehka and her boyfriend is what really drew me in. Peter Pasco did an excellent job portraying the struggle between caring for someone, and being pulled into their lack of ambition. This one is definitely worth watching!

Worst movie
Nothing interesting in the moving and felt like boring movie overall. not sure how the IMDB rating is 8.2 on this movie.

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Masquerade

(4.5 STARS) The Man Who Wanted to Be King
"Masquerade" (original title "Gwanghae, Wangyidoen namja") is a 2012 Korean historical drama that became one of the country's biggest hits of all time. Lee Byung Hun ("The Good, the Bad, the Weird" "I Saw the Devil") plays the double role of the 17th century Korean King Gwanghae of the Joseon Dynasty, who is afraid of being assassinated, and a clown named Ha-sun, who resembles the monarch. When the King is drugged and in coma, Ha-sun is secretly whisked to the court, where he is forced to live as the King.

Only a few know the truth, which must be kept from the ministers vying for power. Even the Queen (Hyo-ju Han) devoted to the King must be kept in ignorance of what had happened. Ha-sun at first bumbles through official duties as the "King," but as he comes to notice the corruption in the court, Ha-sun begins to think maybe he can change the country and life of the people.

Some understandably compare the "Prince and the Pauper" premise of the film with that of...

A Fun to Watch Historical Drama
As far as I know the movie was shown at two theatres in my area (SF Bay) for a week, and then it was gone, and I've
been trolling Amazon and other sites since then attempting to buy it so that I can share it with others. Its a fun historial drama, in which an irreverant noncourt jester is forced to masquerade as the king of Joseon when the real king is nonfatally poisoned. He has humorous problems adjusting to life at court, which I don't want to give away, and problems dealing with politics, and in the end, with what will happen when his reign is ended with the return of the real king. Humor, compassion, rightous anger, political intrigue, betrayal, and a beautiful girl make a good mixture.

You'll Never Quite Look At A King And His "Throne" The Same Way
The rags-to-royalty story has been done to death. Still, every now and then, an aspiring actor or actress comes along with the right script and voila! The past is made new again. That's the case with MASQUERADE: THE KING OF FA

Eden

A gripping and inspirational film
"Eden" tells the story of a young Korean-American girl who is kidnapped and sold into slavery by human traffickers. The movie follows her on her terrifying ordeal as she ascends the ranks within the organization and tries to plot her escape. "Eden" takes a very real subject that is little talked about here in the USA and turns it into a highly suspenseful and riveting movie that is both entertaining and enlightening.

The acting is phenomenal across the board, with Jamie Chung especially shining in the lead role. Beau Bridges and Matt O'Leary also turn in excellent performances as the villainous leaders of the trafficking ring. Also deserving of mention is the superb direction by rising female director Megan Griffiths, who brings a level of emotional sensitivity and realism to the film that is often lacking in most mainstream movies. All in all, this is an emotionally exhilarating movie will leave you on the edge of your seat while still delivering an important message about...

Very Well-Done
A friend sent me the website about this movie because she knows that human trafficking is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart. I watched the trailer and thought that it looked amazing but was disappointed that there would not be a showing in my state. I was thrilled when I found out that not only could I watch it on Amazon on Demand, but that some of the proceeds would go to organizations that fight human trafficking, like the Polaris Project.

This movie blew me away. The acting was superb and the portrayal of human trafficking in the US was dead on. The movie did not try to sensationalize anything and the violence is not too graphic. The movie tells the story in a very dignified way without resorting to shock tactics. "Eden" is a very entertaining, suspenseful thriller. Even if Human Trafficking is not a topic that interests you, I urge you to see this movie.

Harrowing and thoughtful
Well done all around. It deals with the difficult topic of human trafficking without being salacious. Not for the squeamish.

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Somm

Articulate, Intelligent, and Funny People
This engaging documentary follows six fellows who are prepping for the prestigious Master Sommelier exam. Less than 200 candidates have passed this test since it began in 1969; it has one of the lowest pass rates of any exam in the world.

Our 2013 Seattle International Film Festival screening audience was interested, entertained and invested in the outcome. We each had our personal favorites and were appropriately anxious as the test day neared.

Award-winning Director Jason Wise has accumulated wonderful interviews with articulate, funny, intelligent (and ambitious!) candidates. Many of them have photographic memories and when you learn all the minutiae that they must master, it would seem that ONLY candidates with photographic memories could compete! The scope of their education (and those flash-cards) is mind-boggling.

It's fun to get acquainted with the candidates, their wives and girlfriends, other Master Sommeliers, and interested professionals...

Very good!
Very entertaining, very informative and well edited. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself rooting for a few of the characters. I have recently started to enjoy wine and it is amazing to see how deep the subject matter is. I have a new respect for the somms that come to our table.

Excellent documentary showing the difficulty of the exam
I attend the yearly Sommelier conference TEXSOM even though I am not a sommelier and have an interest in wine. It has been a great learning experience meeting the different level sommeliers including Master Sommeliers, 7 of which right now are in Texas. When this documentary was first announced I knew I had to see it because I wanted to understand what the candidates taking the Master exam went through. Wow, I give every person who attempts this exam credit. The documentary shows the effort and time four candidates put into taking the exam and the eventual outcome for each of the candidates. If you have any interest in wine, this movie is a must see!

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Dischord

Ewwww
Oh why did I watch this film all the way to the bitter end? The film was too smart for it's own good. Yes I get it, two married musicians, one is jealous of the other; brother who had a difficult childhood and maybe did some evil things; retired cop that still wants to be on the job; and a homeless beachcomber that speaks in riddles - yes all kinds of conflict that reflected the title. Ha, the film is about musicians, dis...chord instead of discord; sorry I blew the only joke in the film.

Oh the story line, the mystery, will Gypsy go back on tour, why did she leave, when will the brother get caught, who will figure it out....it was all just so darn obvious. The acting was just slightly a cut above daytime soap opera. The film is billed as some kind of love triangle that never remotely happens. And the film is not rated and is supposed to have a sort of drive in appeal. Well that never happens either. Frankly, if they'd never shown the two dead women with no clothes on, the...

Beautiful Music
I was really surprised how the violin sounded and the movie as a whole was very well done and the acting as well. Really worth a Watch. Never let go of your dreams.



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Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Unrated Cut) (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

You might feel guilty enjoying this.....but don't let that stop you!
Let's start off by clearing the air a little bit: if you are looking for the next best picture nod and/or the next great fantasy epic, this is not it (and, quite frankly, I'm curious as to why you thought this one WOULD be it). If, however, you can enjoy movies without deep character development or scenes of life-changing consequence, then this is a movie that I highly recommend. I can unequivocally state that this movie did not make me re-evaluate my life, nor did I shed a single tear over, well, anything in this movie due to its emotional narrative...but it was so much fun! I'm someone who can watch best picture movies that stretch your brain and emotions and enjoy them intensely - I am also someone who can fall in love with a movie simply designed to entertain, and, well, I fell in love with this one. I felt that each character was played correctly and hit the tones they were supposed to. There was plenty of action and - contrary to popular opinion - there WAS a plot. I went to the...

Hansel & Gretel all grown up
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is like a bloody and F-Bomb filled version of Van Helsing. In this case, that is a good thing. Van Helsing was pretty bad, but they pushed this one far enough with the R rating to please the horror fan inside me. The witches look nice and creepy and most of the CGI is well done. Jeremy Renner (Hansel) is a fantastic actor, though he is mostly wasted here and Gemma Arterton (Gretel) is more of the focus based on her looks and her character's personality. Famke Janssen has fun with the lead evil witch role. This film barely runs 90 minutes and it is light on story and high on action, but I had a good time watching it. Worth a future rental if you don't mind turning your brain off and just enjoy the fact that it is not as bad as you feared it would be.

Oh, the IMAX 3-D was better done than most non-blockbuster type action films.

Edit (7/6/13): I had to knock it up a star after watching the Unrated Cut. Still a very fun movie upon...

Hansel and Gretel the after math!
My grandfather and I saw this film Saturday night. I knew I would enjoyed it but I really loved it! I loved the story line that after Hansel and Gretel encountered their first witch as children they make it their holy mission to be witch hunters. And there was a twist with Hansel and Gretels mom. I also thought they picked great actors for the movie and Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton were of course the ones that shined. I was surprised critics hated this movie but don't go by what they said, if you like magical twists on fairytales go see it. I will warn you that this is not a movie for children. The witches were very frightening and they made me jump. And there's a lot of cursing and violence so it's not for the little ones. I hope you enjoy it like I did. This film I felt kicked Snow White and the Huntsmans butt by far.

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