DVD

Average customer rating:

Miss Potter - a life of courage and beauty
Light-hearted, charming and full of colorful friends
a gem
An Outstanding and Heart Warming Film
Renee Zellweger deserves 6 Stars as does the Movie!!!

Miss Potter
Starring: Renée Zellweger , Ewan McGregor , Emily Watson , Barbara Flynn , and Bill Paterson
Director: Chris Noonan
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000N4SHOE
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Description

(Drama) The story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", and her struggle for love, happiness and success.

Customer Reviews:

Miss Potter - a life of courage and beauty.......2007-07-02

The quiet introduction of a watercolorist at work, sparkling with swirls of vivid color, set the mood for this wonderful, gentle film. The settings were a feast for the eyes, and the story development moved at an satisfactorily eighteenth century pace, but the impeccable characters, wonderfully played, are the life-blood of this movie. The brisk energy of Beatrix [Zellweger], the engaging smile of Norman Warne [MacGregor], and the directness and kindness of Millie [Watson] created a marvelous chemisty. In joy and in sorrow, each character rang true. Though a less central character, Lloyd Owens adds value in his role as Willie Heelis as well. Potter's indomitable spirit, however, is what keeps this movie from sinking into mere romanticism. In spite of pain, disapproval, and deep loss, she found happiness in her art and in her determination to live life forward. It is more than a feel-good movie; it is an inspiration to courageous living wrapped in delightful artistry.

Light-hearted, charming and full of colorful friends.......2007-07-02

I rented this DVD for my wife, thinking it was the kind of thing she'd enjoy. She loves period films and adores Renée Zellweger. I'm not typically fond of either of those two things so I didn't figure on watching much if any of the movie. But as the film started, and I happened to be in the room, I realized quickly that this is a charming and warm movie built on a strong character.

Notably, Renée Zellweger seems to nearly disappear into the role of Beatrix Potter and you quite forget that you're watching her act. It's rare to see that kind of skill but when it is captured in a movie like this it's magical.

Ewan McGregor is every bit the modern leading man but with a respectful nod to the dashing gents of yesterday's Hollywood. He is easy-to-like and doesn't for a moment feel as though he's trying to 'star' in this movie. He's more than happy to let the movie become its own entity in which he is but a part.

I began by saying that I wasn't sure I'd even sit down and watch this film, so it's worth noting that I sat entertained straight through to the end as was glad I did. This is certainly something you can watch with the kids, though the romance and the character development might be a bit slow for some of the younger ones.

One very odd thing to mention is that the DVD cover art is quite strange in that it shows Ewan McGregor clean shaven. But when you watch the movie you'll realize that he sports a moustache throughout. Not sure why the difference in appearance from one to the other but it was something that caught my eye as I navigated to this page to leave this review. It hardly matters though... this movie is about so much more than just a moustache. :)

5 Stars! Highly recommended!!

a gem.......2007-06-29

you can say this movie is perhaps avoiding the much mentioned darker side of miss potter- who seems almost delightfully frothy throughout most of this great bio pic-- u could say mcgregor's performance was a bit superficial---tho there is more chemistry between them here than say between drew barrymore and hugh grant in music and lyrics-- an unwatchable mess of a movie ! but this labor of love-- w a very interesting director's commentary-tho i wish miss zellweger was there to chime in--is probably one of the best movies ive seen recently---- the attention to detail is thrilling actually-- the art direction impeccable ! and ms zellweger-- gives her best performance to date by a long shot---- her sustained performNCE is a revelation---was she even nominated for an oscar?? who remembers ?? but i give her my own right here----and the actors who play her parents--are also so in character so convincing-- so relaxed and nuanced in their work---what goes on between these three actors is just a sheer joy to watch ! very uncommon stuff in any movie---kudos to everyone involved in this charming touching & delightful and very well wrought gem of a movie----i`ve seen this movie 4 times now showing it to different friends---enjoying it more and more each time- i swear!!!beautiful !!!!!!!! i'd like to see the same cast and direcors/producers do chekov's three sisters-- w renee as masha---- and the mother here as the brother's crazy wife who takes over the household--- anyway -- miss potter is golden as they say-----check it out now !! its rich !!

An Outstanding and Heart Warming Film.......2007-06-29

This is an excellent film with truly delightful characters. The most evil person in the film is not really evil -- just clueless. Rene Zellweger makes a great Potter and shows her to be ahead of her time as she opts for independence from male domination. Ewan McGregor does a good job in playing her shy suitor. This was a wonderful film that had no profanity, no nudiy, no explosions, no car crashes, and relied totally on the characters, who came across as realistic and believable. Watching Beatrix grow from a shy spinister into an independent woman in love with a man who loved her for herself was a treat to watch. True love grows by inches and this is what was shown here, so when the kiss came it was powerful and had meaning.

This is really not a guy's movie, but any guy who wants to get on the good side of girl should rent this movie because I think most women will relate to Beatrix and for the guys it is a lesson in how patience is better than haste when it comes to women. I liked the film -- my wife loved it!!

Renee Zellweger deserves 6 Stars as does the Movie!!!.......2007-06-28

Beautifully brought to life, not only the love and beauty of her characters, but of her life as well. Renee Zellweger is American, but she speaks the British accent so brilliantly as she did in Bridget Jones' Diary. It gave me the pleasure of focusing on her acting and how beautifully she does it too. So well written that I found myself there. This movie is being added to my library of everything English!!

Average customer rating:

This unbelieable viewing.
EXCLLENT
Bought this as a gift
Band of Brothers is EXCELLENT!
Easy Company- A remarkable Dramatization Worthy of It's Subject

Band of Brothers
Starring: David Frankel , Tom Hanks , Damien Lewis , and Ron Livingstone
Manufacturer: HBO Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006CXSS
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Amazon.com

An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows a company of airborne infantry--Easy Company--from boot camp through the end of the war. The brutality of training takes the audience by increments to the even greater brutality of the war; Easy Company took part in some of the most difficult battles, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the failed invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the liberation of a concentration camp and the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. But what makes these episodes work is not their historical sweep but their emphasis on riveting details (such as the rattle of a plane as the paratroopers wait to leap, or a flower in the buttonhole of a German soldier) and procedures (from military tactics to the workings of bureaucratic hierarchies). The scope of this miniseries (10 episodes, plus an actual documentary filled with interviews with surviving veterans) allows not only a thoroughness impossible in a two-hour movie, but also captures the wide range of responses to the stress and trauma of war--fear, cynicism, cruelty, compassion, and all-encompassing confusion. The result is a realism that makes both simplistic judgments and jingoistic enthusiasm impossible; the things these soldiers had to do are both terrible and understandable, and the psychological price they paid is made clear. The writing, directing, and acting are superb throughout. The cast is largely unknown, emphasizing the team of actors as a whole unit, much like the regiment; Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston play the central roles of two officers with grit and intelligence. Band of Brothers turns a vast historical event into a series of potent personal experiences; it's a deeply engrossing and affecting accomplishment. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elete rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.

DVD Features:
DVD ROM Features:Weblinks to the orignal Band of Brothers website and more!
Documentary:"We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company" - 80 minute documentary featuring interviews with the real men of Easy Company
Featurette:30-minute "The Making of Band of Brothers" The Premiere On The Beaches of Normandy - includes interviews with Easy Company vetrans and heads of state for the United States, Great Britian, France and Canada.
Interviews:Ron Livingston's Video Diaries - The experience of making "Band of Brothers" through the eyes of one actor.
Other:Interactive "Field Guide": An extensive reference feature that details the people, places and events associated with Easy Company's campaigns through Europe, and World War II as a whole, including sections such as: soldiers, timelines, maps, chain-of-command and glossary of terms.
Scene Access

Customer Reviews:

This unbelieable viewing........2007-06-27

The Greatest Generation, I now know just why they are called that. I could only hope I would have the kind of courage these boys had back in 45. I would just like to say a sincere THANK YOU to all who have served our country so bravely. This is great TV!

EXCLLENT.......2007-06-16

Oh my god! It's such a good series I watch it all the time. I never get sick of it. Plus almost every guy is smoking hot! ;) But seriously if you don't want to buy it, at least give it a try at a video rental place, you will not be disappointed! Beautifully written, directed, and acted out! This is on my top movie list!! What makes it even better is that it is a true story; the men are portrayed so well. I love anything to do with WWII and by far this is the best series/movie about WWII that I have ever seen. AMAZING!

Bought this as a gift.......2007-06-08

I bought this as a gift for someone who was a military soldier and is a WWII buff and an overall history buff. And it was an absolute hit! Definitely worth adding to your collection if you have an interest in military/WWII/history. Makes you remember those who sacrificed so much.

Band of Brothers is EXCELLENT!.......2007-05-30

I just love owning this series! Not only do you get all the shows, but you get an extra DVD with more about the making of BoB. The series was excellent and being able to watch as much as I want is wonderful. I even purchased my older son his own set.

Easy Company- A remarkable Dramatization Worthy of It's Subject.......2007-05-29

Band Of Brothers is the Best TV mini-series depiction of WWII ever made, plain and simple. The story based on Stephen Ambrose's book follows a single company of GI's through the battles fields of Europe. The men portrayed here are real people with merits and faults and the characterizations lend the film it's realism. The combat scenes are as well filmed as anything in a feature film.
For WWII buffs, or anyone interested in history this is an indispensible box set to own. For those who had a father or a grandfather who served in Europe this is a fitting tribute. What a generation we're slowly losing !

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment...
Boo, I'm so tired of this series
Sympathy for the Devil
Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?
The Best Hannibal Ever

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Helena Lia Tachovska , Richard Leaf , Michele Wade , Martin Hub , and Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Director: Peter Webber
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NVT0SO
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

Though Hannibal Rising's Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) is a pussycat compared to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, this sequel's story of revenge is grizzly enough to satisfy lovers of Thomas Harris's epic tale. After young Hannibal (Aaron Thomas) is forced to watch his little sister, Mischa (Helena Lia Tachovska), devoured by starving soldiers in his homeland Lithuania, Hannibal vows to avenge his sister's death by slaying those who committed not only war crimes against the Lecters, but also against other families during WW II. In detailing Hannibal's revenge plan, the film investigates the psychological implications of witnessing cannibalism to justify Hannibal's insatiable appetite for human flesh. The most interesting aspect of Hannibal Rising—its analytical connections drawn between Hannibal's childhood traumas and his murderous adult obsessions—is also the film's weak point. The links oversimplify Lecter's complex character. For example, though titillating to see flashbacks of Lecter's sister hacked up and boiled while Lecter visits a Parisian meat market, the reference is too obvious. One learns why he excels in his medical school classes dissecting cadavers, and we're given explicit explanation for why he slices off and eats his victims' cheeks. The story only complicates when Hannibal interacts with his sexy Aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li). When Murasaki educates him in the art of beheading, the viewer sees Hannibal's sword fetish as a manifestation of physical lust. --Trinie Dalton

Description

(Horror/Suspense) The terrifying Silence of the Lambs prequel that reveals the history of the infamous Hannibal and how he came to be a cannibalistic murderer.

Customer Reviews:

It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment..........2007-06-30

In the history of cinema there are many great cinematic villains that have terrified movie audiences over the years. Often times they are frightening in appearance or deeds, sometimes they are misunderstood or victims of circumstance, and they can even be so captivating that you can't help but pay attention to their many evil acts. These great villains range from the dreaded Darth Vader, to the slashers known as Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface, or the brilliant evil genius' of the James Bond films, to the most feared psychological villain of all time, Hannibal 'the cannibal' Lecter. Moviemakers lately have felt the need to explain the origins to some of cinema's classic villains from George Lucas' prequel trilogy of 'Star Wars' films, to Leatherface's lackluster origin story in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning", the most recent addition to the list of villains getting the origin treatment would be Hannibal Lecter in the Weinstein Company's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel, "Hannibal Rising".

"Hannibal Rising" is the origin story of Hannibal Lecter, showing how he went from being an innocent young boy in Lithuania to society's most deadly, cannibalistic serial killer. As a young boy in Lithuania, Hannibal witnessed the deaths of his parents in World War 2, leaving he and his sister Mischa to fend for themselves. Just when Hannibal thought things couldn't get worse, a group of militia men invade their home, taking Hannibal and Mischa hostage. Soon, food begins to become sparse, and the militia gets desperate and chooses to survive by taking Mischa's life for food. Some time after that, grown up and in college, Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), is mastering every course he takes, and well on his way to earning his doctorate. Little does his professors know that Hannibal hides a dark, deadly secret. In his own time he is obsessively pursuing the men that formed the militia that took his sister's life, and if there's one thing Hannibal intends to do when he finds them, it's take his pound of flesh for their crime.

The decision to make a prequel to the popular Hannibal Lecter trilogy of films seemed like a waste of time and space, simply a way for the studio to just cash in on the character's well-known name. Which left me feeling like this would be a pathetic movie, because more than likely not a single person associated with the previous films would be involved, and for the most part I was right on that count, but there was a glimmer of a chance that this movie would be more than expected. Shortly after the film was greenlit, it was announced that the movie was being written by none other than Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter, based on his novel of the same name that he was in the process of finishing up. With that prospect, I thought that "Hannibal Rising" (at the time the movie was being called "Young Hannibal") just may stand a chance of equaling its predecessors in terms of quality storytelling and acting that is among the best Hollywood has to offer.

Well, as good of a writer Thomas Harris is, or I should say was (his other three books in the Lecter series are great works of fiction), this novel and the screenplay that was based on it are far inferior to anything offered in the other installments. I was disappointed by the movie for several reasons; first I felt the actor chosen to portray young Hannibal was only okay. I understand he was trying to only give hints as to what this character will become later on, and I'll give it to the actor, there were a couple of times that I saw a glimpse of Anthony Hopkins' creepy portrayal seep in, but these were few and far between. For the most part the actor was just flat in his performance and apparently the only expression he really knew how to make was a snarl, he didn't really have any of the nuances that Anthony perfected in this character. Second, it seemed like Hannibal took to cannibalism a little too easily. I understand that he saw his sister suffer at the hands of evil militia men, and seeing that would definitely scar a young child, but when he kills the first soldier and commits his first act of cannibalism, there is no uncertainty or disdain for what he's doing. He simply does the deed, doesn't appear to be bothered by it, in fact he may even have enjoyed it (the movie really doesn't explain this), and moves on in search of the next victim on his list. Which brings me to my third problem with this movie; aside from revenge being his motive for killing the killers of his sister, he doesn't show any further conviction to commit murder. Leaving one to wonder why he continued after achieving his vengeance, did committing all those acts of murder and cannibalism become such an obsession for him outside of revenge that he just felt compelled to do more or what? This was an aspect that wasn't explained, and I felt should have been, especially since this was to be the origin of his evil life and a deep psychological profile into the why of his life of crime. Instead, Thomas Harris' screenplay and novel barely scratched the surface, no doubt because the Weinstein's are hoping to cash in on further installments of prequels, since Hopkins is probably through portraying the character. And my final complaint would have to be that there was no cameo by Anthony Hopkins, the least they could have done was bring him in during the final moments of the film to link it in to the other three. Instead, he gets his revenge, the story ends, and the credits roll. Nothing linking it in to the other films, aside from the name of the lead character.

"Hannibal Rising" is not the worst film ever made, it's actually an average movie, and if it was the first in the series to be made, it may have seemed better, but when comparing it to the other three already in the franchise, it pales in comparison. The other movies contained many psychological aspects to them, especially "The Silence of the Lambs", "Red Dragon" and "Hannibal" did to an extent just not as much, but this film didn't contain any. There was potential, especially given that Hannibal endured a horrific childhood which is the root of his evil, but aside from a few dream sequences we don't get much insight into his character, and the dreams only serve to show us exactly what the militia did to him and his sister. Which is probably where the biggest problem of this film lies, is that in trying to explain why Hannibal is who he is, the makers of the film try to make the audience feel sympathy for him. This is one of modern cinema's greatest movie villains, I don't want to feel sorry for him, I want to see what made him who he is. The filmmakers tried to accomplish the why of the character, but went about it wrong, all they explained was why he was killing the militia, it never explained why he felt the need to continue killing other people that weren't involved in his sister's death. So, because of that the audience feels that his killing is justified, at least in this movie (it's just a really sick brand of justice), and in doing so you sympathize with him. What this all boils down to is that the filmmakers, especially Thomas Harris, really dropped the ball on explaining the origin of Hannibal Lecter, opting simply to give audiences an average revenge tale, just a little gorier than most.

"Hannibal Rising" is unrated containing violence, gore, and language.

Boo, I'm so tired of this series.......2007-06-28

Ok, the first movie was shocking and told a gripping tale with a human
dimension, although decidedly opaque. Now it's just regurgitating.
Furthermore, if it has to be unrated to tell a story, forget about it.
There's enough real gore in the world as it is.

Sympathy for the Devil.......2007-06-28

Hannibal Rising suffered severely at the box office because it was implied in the trailers that we'd mainly see a young Hannibal Lecter slashing up the countryside. That kind of marketing certainly didn't lure me into theaters to see it, and--based on its less than $30 million box office gross--much of the public had the same sentiment.

At the end of May, Hannibal Rising gets released on DVD and the memory of the slash-'em-up trailer is still in my head, so I'm not compelled to see it, but 4 weeks later I finally do. And it turns out to be one of the better movies that I've seen this year.

Funny though...I'm not sure that I'd have appreciated Hannibal Rising as much without first seeing 1991's Silence of the Lambs The Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) . Oh, it certainly isn't necessary to see Silence of the Lambs prior to seeing Hannibal Rising. Ironically, seeing Lambs before seeing this prequel just puts a better perspective on the things to come as you watch Lecter in his early years. It did for me anyway.

In Silence of the Lambs you fear Lecter and what he'll do next. In Hannibal Rising you actually find yourself rooting for him with a kind of sympathy. Hannibal Rising is more a story of revenge than it is a story about a serial killer...kind of like a Rambo First Blood (Special Edition) with class.

In Hannibal Rising, you get a great directorial from little known Peter Webber and a terrific performance out of mostly French film actor Gaspard Ulliel. In the beginning sequence Webber went a little overboard with getting us to believe that those who committed the atrocities that ultimately turned Lecter into what he bacame would all be so unified in the decision to commit the atrocities. But the movie really is done well overall and Ulliel played a masterfully diabolical young Hannibal Lecter.

So forget that the movie poster and DVD cover have a picture of Lecter in what looks like that this'll-prevent-you-from-bitng-me mask (turns out that's not what it is at all). And forget that the trailers showed mainly a young, sinister looking Hannibal Lecter as if about to cut someone open. Hannibal Rising ultimately is less gory than you probably think it will be, and less gory than 2001's Hannibal Hannibal . It's not a Horror movie. It's just a very good movie like 1986's Manhunter Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition) and/or its 2002 remake Red Dragon Red Dragon - Collector's Edition (Widescreen) .

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Hannibal Rising is a classic, as Silence of the Lambs was, but it's very good. Fans of Lambs should take a chance with Hannibal Rising.

The missing story in the Lecter chronicles is his doings in the US leading up to his capture by FBI Agent Will Graham (between Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon). Can't wait.

Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?.......2007-06-27

I just got done watching "Hannibal Rising" this evening. Hmmmm, not sure what to make of it! I've read and seen "Red Dragon" (which I loved by the way), "Silence of the Lambs", & "Hannibal"....

After reading many negative reviews for both the book and movie versions of "Hannibal Rising", I wasn't sure if I wanted anything to do with the book or the movie.... However, decided to watch the movie for myself and form my own opinion.

Honestly, I don't think "Hannibal Rising" is as bad as everyone has made it out to be. It is suppose to be a prequel, giving us the idea of why Hannibal is the way he is as an adult. I thought "Hannibal Rising" was suspenseful and well acted by the cast members. We see Hannibal as a monster out for revenge for those who killed his younger sister. This is where Hannibal begins to learn and refine his murderous appetite that we later refined when he becomes an adult..... What starts out as revenge turns into gruesome psychopathic behavior.

The Best Hannibal Ever.......2007-06-23

Love this movie, amazing acting with hannibal and lady murasaki... I don't know why people bashes this movie, in every serial killer their is always a beggining. Oh well this is just the bomb... very recommendable...

Average customer rating:

THE Shaolin Temple movie
Gordon Liu Pre-Kill Bill 1+2
AKA Master Killer
One of the best kung fu movies I've seen...

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Starring: Gordon Liu , and Lo Lieh
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MM0LEG
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Customer Reviews:

THE Shaolin Temple movie.......2007-06-27

Gordon Liu (also known as Lau Kar Fai) stars as a young man who's friends and family have been killed by the new government. He wakes up at the Shaolin Temple, a place he has only heard about a couple of times. When he realizes he is at the best place possible to learn kung fu, he begs and begs to learn so that he can revenge his family. He does finally get taught, but has to start with the basics. Every part of his body must become stronger before he can learn how to fight. After he finishes the first stages of training in record time, he is now highly respected and moves onto learning actual fighting styles. He breezes through this and becomes a great fighter in only 5 years or so. This is not one of those movies that has 1 or 2 training sequences. Gordon is shown in at least 13 of the chambers and half of the movie is spent at Shaolin. So after he has become a master fighter, he is given a high honor and told that he can become second in charge of any of the 35 chambers. A senior monk played by the great Lee Hoi San objects to this and says that he can't have this honor unless Gordon defeats him in a weapons duel. Lee Hoi San does not play a villain, but he does not think that Gordon is a good enough fighter to receive so much praise. His plan works better than he could have ever imagined. He ends up helping Gordon improve as a fighter and as a person. Gordon is told he can leave Shaolin now, and he goes to take revenge on the evil General who killed his family.

One thing that sets this movie apart is that it tries to be a real movie, and it succeeds. Watching Gordon grow up into a man is remarkable to see. The commentators didn't notice, but a lot of the stuff in this movie is very real. When Gordon has to use the pole with the wieght on the end to hit the bell over and over again, that is a real weight on the end of the pole! Gordon talks in the interview (included on this disc) about how the sabres that Lo Lieh uses in the final fight are real, and it just makes the movie that much better. Dont expect your average tale of revenge. I was touched deeply when I first saw this and there are not many kung fu movies that have as much meaning and feeling.

Rating- 5/5

Picture quality is remastered very well. It does get a bit darker and lighter in some scenes, but other than slight print damage once or twice, the picture quality is perfect. The Mandarin, Cantonese and English tracks all sound excellent. In fact, I have never heard the English dub sound this good. The subtitles should have been written better, and the English dub is actually a better translation. They are not horribly written, but could have been a lot better. I am not complaining though since this is the only fault on the DVD.

Special features include a great commentary from The RZA and this Andy Klein guy who does not know very much about the genre. Luckily RZA is there to help him point out actors like Lau Kar Wing, Wilson Tong and Hsiao Hou. I found the commmentary enjoyable. RZA talks about his experiences with this movie, and he is definitely a 36th Chamber expert. And I found it pretty funny that he seems to think Gordon Liu is a monk in real life.

The 17 minute interview with Gordon Liu is very interesting. He talks about many things such as training day and night and how great of an honor it was to work with a megastar like Lo Lieh. Gordon skips over the years like people should know what he is talking about, but just in case you don't, I will fill you in. In 1974 Lau Kar Leung was Chang Cheh's top action director and Gordon Liu was cast as a villain alongside Johnny Wang Lung Wei and Leung Kar Yan in movies like '7 Man Army'. When Lau Kar Leung split up with Chang Cheh he started directing his own movies for the Shaw Brothers, starting with 'Spiritual Boxer'. In his next movie 'Challenge of the Masters', Lau Kar Leung cast his younger adopted brother Gordon Liu as the lead. This is what led to Gordon becoming the star of 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin', the greatest Shaolin Temple movie ever made.

There is a 17 minute documentary on Shaolin that is basically another 17 minutes of awesome info from Gordon Liu.

The 8 minute interview with film critic/scholars Andy Klein and David Shute is a very good description of how great of a movie this is.

The RZA gets a 10 minute interview where he talks about where he first started watching these movies and also gives his thoughts on the Shaw Brothers and explains why the Master Killer in his rap group took that name.

The trailers are the best special feature. The trailer for 'Shaolin Mantis' is very unique. Instead of showing clips from the movie, the actors introduce what kind of kung fu styles are going to be used (be sure to look for Lily Li!). Lau Kar Leung is the director of 'Shaolin Mantis' and doesn't even have a role in the movie, but he gets to show off his ultra awesome kung fu skills quite a bit in the trailer. I think I have watched this trailer about 50 times, and I will eventually master that Shadow style!

Also included are ORIGINAL trailers for 'The 36th Chamber', 'Return to the 36th Chamber', 'Disciples of the 36th Chamber', '8 Diagram Pole Fighter', 'My Young Auntie', 'One Armed Swordsman', 'Infernal Affairs 3' and the original Master Killer US TV commercial.

The last special feature is a gallery of original movie posters and movie stills.

Gordon Liu Pre-Kill Bill 1+2.......2007-06-21

Here he is in his most important role EVER!!!! OK well that's a matter of opinion but it is in this movie that gordon Liu cements his position in the martial arts movie lexicon by totally nailing this role. He would go on to play a mon many times after this but this is the best of those movies, hands down. For years it's only been available in the dubbed version that many of us probalby saw many years ago. but this beautifully restored and fully remastered version should be a part of every martial arts fans movie collection.

AKA Master Killer.......2007-06-21

This is an excellent martial arts classic. It is a must see flick. Typical of martial arts films, there is a training period, and the training this young monk endures is quite interesting and entertaining (don't want to give anything away).

It is one of the few martial arts films I can watch over and over. There are some moderately humorous parts that keep things moving along (not as funny as Jackie Chan, but still some fun).

If you haven't seen this one, you should.

One of the best kung fu movies I've seen..........2007-06-19

What can I say about this movie that hasn't been said before? A classic. Yes. Influential? Absolutely. Entertaining? Most definitely. This movie is as good a place to start as any if you're interested in the Kung Fu cinema. And if you're already into Kung Fu, you've probably heard of this in the least, and I can't imagine why you haven't seen it. As to this release, really the best I've seen. The picture and sound are great, and the language option is nice. Most of the features are nice as well. Though I don't know how useful the Wu-tang clan video was. Still...a worthy DVD to a great movie.

Average customer rating:

Compelling Battles, a Social Conscience, & a Different View of France's Liberation.
Not an Epic - but still a good movie
They were so so days.
worth owning, a war movie that tackles racism and cultural questions
Flawed, but very good overall

Days of Glory (Indigenes)
Starring: Jamel Debbouze , Samy Naceri , Roschdy Zem , Sami Bouajila , and Bernard Blancan
Director: Rachid Bouchareb
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)
The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
The Good German
The Painted Veil

ASIN: B000NVT0RU
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Description

(War/Action) Set during WWII, North African soldiers enlist in the French army and battle their way across Europe to liberate the "fatherland" and confront discrimination.

Customer Reviews:

Compelling Battles, a Social Conscience, & a Different View of France's Liberation. .......2007-06-30

Director Rachid Bouchareb made "Days of Glory" to draw attention to the plight of men from France's protectorates and colonies who served in the French military during World War II but who were denied their pensions after 1959, because their countries had won independence from France. The film is very politically charged in France, where its title is simply "Indigenes", meaning "natives". It inspired President Jacques Chirac to finally address the pension inequities. Bouchareb doesn't hide his agenda or his bias: The North African soldiers in the film joined the French army mostly for money, occasionally for opportunity. They fought valiantly and loyally to free France from German occupation. They were stifled by discrimination and quotas during the war and discarded afterward. The specific events and characters in the film are fictional, though some French towns were, indeed, liberated by regiments of mostly North African soldiers.

In 1943, France's African Army recruits soldiers from Algeria, among them a young shepherd named Said (Jamel Debbouze), and from "goumiers" in Morocco, including Yassir (Samy Naceri), who hopes to make enough money for his brother to marry well. In 1944, the 7th Algerian Infantry Regiment, under the command of French "pieds-noir" Sergeant Martinez (Bernard Blancan) and Arab Corporal Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila), win France's first victory against the German army in Italy. They arrive in Marseilles to much fanfare, where their marksman Messaoud (Roschdy Zem) begins a relationship with a French woman (Aurelie Bouab). Abdelkader is increasingly frustrated with the lack of promotion and "liberte, egalite, and fraternite" for African soldiers, inspiring a minor civil rights movement. But the war goes on, and the Regiment will be the first French in Alsace, as they attempt to hold the Germans off until the Americans arrive.

"Days of Glory" won't pack the political punch for Americans that it does for French, but this is a terrific war movie. It tells a World War II story that we haven't seen before, and it features two of the most compelling battle scenes I've ever seen: Flushing the Germans out in mountainous Italy elucidates the fear of the soldiers in their first battle and the utter randomness of who lives or dies. The defense of the Alsacian town is in some ways the opposite, as we know the soldiers well by this time and hope they will survive. The four North African leads represent diverse types: Unsophisticated Said's boyish devotion to his Sergeant, mature Messaoud who is not savvy enough to see the hypocrisy around him, mercenary Yassir whose dedication to his comrades grows, and idealistic Abdelkader who hopes their service to France will advance the position of North Africans. Viewers inevitably sympathize with those most like themselves, but those characters involve us emotionally in the events. In French and Arabic with optional subtitles.

The DVD (Weinstein 2007): "The Making of Days of Glory" (24 min) interviews the director, producer, and writer Olivier Lorelle about researching the film, bringing the story of their ancestors to the screen, and shedding light on the role of North African troops. The cast discusses their preparation and characters. Subtitled. "The Colonial Friend" (8 min) is an animated film by director Rachid Bouchareb about the experience of Senegalese infantrymen who fought for France and met a worse fate than the North Africans. The animation style is a unique, eye-catching black-and-white. No dialogue. English and Spanish subtitles are available for the film.

Not an Epic - but still a good movie.......2007-06-25

I would not call this movie an epic, not by a long shot. It is good, yes, the acting in fact is very good - but it is no "Saving Private Ryan".

Much of the fighting is small scale, still good, but not to the beach assault scenes that we have come to expect of great WW2 movie epics. The story to be told, is certainly political, and while it is difficult to get emotionally attached or close to any of the characters in the movie you find yourself angered at the manipulation and lies that are used by the French Officers to coerce and cajole the Algerians to blindly continue the fight for their beloved France.

My only criticism of the movie would be that I found it extremely distracting that one of the main characters, Sai`d (actor Jamal Debbouze) went through the entire war with his right hand stuck in his jacket pocket and I kept wondering why? I later found out that Debbouze, lost the use of his right arm in a childhood accident. But surely, in a war movie such as this you would be able to find ample opportunity to write into the script a reason that would adequately cover such a wound - other than just having the arm super-glued into an army jacket pocket??? I mean to take nothing away from Debbouze's skill as an actor, because I thought he did a great job in the part as Sai`d in this movie, I just think it a shame that rather than allowing me to focus on the character he portrayed so well, my attention was constantly drawn to his damn right hand in that damn pocket!!

They were so so days........2007-06-22

The movie is incoherent. The acting is stiff, not convincing.
There are two touching scenes in the whole DVD. One is where an Algerian soldier stepped on a case of fresh tomatoes and said to his French captain "If tomatoes are not given to everybody, then nobody will get one".
The second is where another Algerian soldier rushed to a room and tried to carry his wounded French captain away from the house while the Germans were entering it. They ended up being killed by the German anti-tank gun. Had the soldier just run away by himself and left his commander behind, he would have had escaped death.
The film is good in term of anti-racism. It is worth renting not buying.
Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, the Longest Day, the Lost Battalion, Gettysburg and Gods and Generals are still the only titles on my list of Best War Movies of All Times.

worth owning, a war movie that tackles racism and cultural questions.......2007-06-21

I like war movies, i glanced at the box in the video store, quickly misinterpreted what it was about and rented it.

From this fortunate mistake came an interesting and worthwhile experience. For i knew nothing about the colonial French army in WW2 and this is an excellently done movie, that not only informs but motivates and interests me in the topic as well.

Usually movies with an deeply felt political or social point, loose the film making quality, sacrificing it for the bigger emotional point that the authors wish to get across. It is rare for a movie to have good historical knowledge-it's often twisted to fix predispositions, good film making technic-character development, coherent plot, and good filming, and a deep political point or as this movie does tackle currently hot button topics. "Z" and "The Battle of Algiers" and "Hell in a Very Small Place" are the only other movies quite like this one that i can remember, combining war with political and social commentary and not loosing sight of the need to present the film technically well.

The big point is explained in the "making of days of glory", the usual dvd additional features, for once worth watching and much better than the usual shovelware. That is for those French citizens today of North African (or Sengalese) descent to relearn the sacrifices their grandfathers and great-grand fathers made in liberating France from the Nazis. As a second point, for those French citizens of European descent to be more aware and thankful for the few remaining ex-colonials soldiers in their midst before they die, and to acknowledge that those people in their lives from Africa have long ago paid in blood for their right to be there and to be genuine Frenchmen.

The movie is about racism, judging a person by the color of their skin or the culture of their parents without making any attempt to hear their stories, to see what they have done, where they have come from or what they believe. The movie in a rather nice but complex way shows several ways that racism twists and distorts human relationships. It is also good to see the arena as something other than the US, for racism is not just an American problem but a human one.

The scene with the tomatoes. Only white French troops are given them, the North Africans and Sengalese are not. But as the movie points out, bullets don't discriminate, they indiscriminately kill anyone wearing a French uniform. The scene with the ballet dancers, culture is deeply embedded in us all and we can only see it oftentimes when it grinds into another one and the differences are made obvious to us. When the main character mounts the box and tells the soldiers that both France and the colonials must change, there is a veiled reference to the post-WW2 colonial wars of independence that make the issues of the movie so complex and difficult to understand. When you see the violence with which the sargent responses to the knowledge that he is a son of a Berber women, you can (as all good movies do) feel both his shame and the surprise of the other man at his comment being so hated when it was offered in deep and understanding sympathy. And that is the great value of learning with movies, the visceral, the emotional impact of images and a story told with them. Now i can, and probably will, look into the issue with more reading, but this is an excellent place to learn something about a neglected and important time in recent history.

Pieces of the movie are very attractively done, the uniforms-baggy North African turbans and robes with sandals, in the French winter (how can anyone live in this cold?, a point echoed in me). The fear, the brotherhood of warriors, the French white women plus the Berber soldier and the way society seems to conspire to destroy their relationship, the way some of them steal from the dead. The movie is full of unique and moving pieces that will make it a movie worth owning and watching again, there is too much going on, too many new connections for the viewer to make to be satisfied with a single pass through it.

I think that this movie is a genuine contribution to the ongoing dialogue between not just the European colonial powers and their African colonies, but between Islam and Christianity, racism and cultural conflicts. I need only remember that Augustine was called names because he was small and dark, for Monica was a Berber, to remember that Christianity is not European, not in origin nor in extent. I can hate and fear Islam as the greatest competitor of my faith, but that does not mean that every Muslim is my personal enemy, nor does it mean that i can't respect and honor them for their good deeds.

it is a worthwhile experience, not only for the excitement and passion but for an analysis of the deeper and more important issues that it tries to teach and push us into. thanks to all involved in making this movie and making it available to me to watch

Flawed, but very good overall.......2007-06-16

As a military history buff, I must first say that I am pleased that a film was made at all about this subject, which is little known by most people,especially Americans. World War II was the swan song of the old "Armee D'Afrique", the French colonial army that was similiar in many ways to the British Indian Army of the Raj. Since the vast bulk of metropolitan Frenchmen were under German occupation, or in German POW camps as a result of the defeat in 1940, the bulk of any French Army had to consist of the North African Regiments, from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, along with Senegalese and other colonial troops.
Anyone who has read the book "France, Soldiers, and Africa" will not be surprised by the events depicted in this movie; the treatment of the "native" troops was often shameful and ungrateful, despite their sacrifices on the battlefield, for a country that most had never seen.
The acting I believe was generally good, but the characters were not as fleshed out as I would like; perhaps as result of the number of major characters portrayed. The first set piece battle scene had large numbers, but was weakly drawn, and not that coherent; the final action scenes were better, in my opinion. Uniforms and equipment seemed to be reasonably authentic, but a mention of the U.S. 37th Division was incorrect; the 36th Division would have been correct, but I nit-pick.
Could the film have been improved upon? Yes, but the fact that was done at all, and reasonably well, made it well worth my time.

Arthur and the Invisibles (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Not Besson's Best But Still Good
delightful movie
Cute movie but ugh the voices...
Great Film, Bad DVD
delightful

Arthur and the Invisibles (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jason Bateman , Robert De Niro , Mia Farrow , Harvey Keitel , and Adam Le Fevre
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: The Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

3-6 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000N4SHNU
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

First released in France, Luc Besson's Arthur and the Invisibles is a touching computer animated adventure that makes up in look and in character for what it lacks in narrative originality. As a direct hybrid of Excalibur and A Bug's Life, Arthur stars a heroic ten year-old, Arthur (Freddie Highmore), who draws a sword from a stone to fight a miniature battle in the garden before finding treasure valuable enough to save his grandfather's farm from purchase by developers. Arthur's grandfather, Archibald, having long ago discovered the miniscule world of Minimoys, garden gnome-like elves that lived in his yard, shrunk himself in order to hunt elusive rubies that were hidden in their evil Mecropolis, headed by Maltazard (David Bowie). Now Arthur must assist the benevolent Minimoy clan, ruled by The King (Robert De Niro) and Princess Selenia (Madonna), in challenging Maltazard for possession of the jewels. Shots taking the viewer down through grass blades into the microscopic, yet gigantic yard world readjust one's sense of size, as do scenes, for example, in which a small, elven Arthur fights mosquitoes with catapulted tomatoes. Meanwhile, live action scenes of Arthur's worried grandmother (Mia Farrow) provide respite from a completely computerized world. Bowie, as he did in Legend, steals the show, bringing to life his Darth Vader-like character who chose evil over good in a past adventure. Corny one-liners sometimes spoil the mood, but overall the film's thematic blend of fantasy and environmentalism, like Princess Mononoke, will delight children with its positive message. --Trinie Dalton

Description

(Family) Ten-year-old Arthur, in a bid to save his grandfather's house from being demolished, goes looking for some much fabled hidden treasure in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in harmony with nature

Customer Reviews:

Not Besson's Best But Still Good.......2007-06-28

Luc Besson fan's may be a bit disappointed but most people would probably really enjoy the movie as I did. Madonna was surprisingly good as the voice of Princess Selenia. De Niro's voice over work did not seem to fit at all. I honestly have no idea why the director was cool with it. Freddie Highmore was also very good. I believe that using unrecognizable voices in movies like this can add to the charm. Sometimes using "A" list actors takes away from the charm of a movie.

delightful movie.......2007-06-27

Both of us really loved it. The morphed kids were delightful, the backgrounds very cool, the villians a hoot, and the ending was perfect.

Cute movie but ugh the voices..........2007-06-27

I loved everything about this movie except for most of the choices of voice actors for the characters. David Bowie was great as the villain. The rest... Bateman, De Niro, awful! Madonna as the princess and little kid's love interest?! PLEASE! Sadly, I feel these things really ruined an adoreable movie. I understand they got big name actors to help draw people, but the casting was bad... really bad. I would have much rather had no named people who's voices fit the look of the characters.

Great Film, Bad DVD.......2007-06-11

When I origionally saw this film in the cinema, it was great! full of action and the jokes where quite witty.
Unfortunatly this dvd version has been censored to a point where quite a few of the action sequences have been cut out and the film just dosn't flow.
The film cuts from diferent scenes, missing out sections that leave the viewer quite puzzled about how the characters got to the point they are at.
I don't understand why they would censor an animated film that is rated PG anyway.
All in All if you can get your hands on the origional version its a must!
but for the time beeing I'd stay away from it, it kind of ruins the real fun the story has.

delightful.......2007-06-11

I have watched this movie three times, and each time find something new that I missed before. Great plot line, great actors-both real and voiced, and all in all a delightful family movie.

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Must See!
"Chicks"?
Dixie Chicks saying what they think
You Go, Girls!
For Thinking Americans...and you can be one!

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Natalie Maines , Emily Robison , Martie Maguire , Rick Rubin , and George W. Bush
Director: Barbara Kopple , and Cecilia Peck
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000KX0IN6
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Shut Up & Sing finds two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple (American Dream) and co-director Cecilia Peck following the lives and career developments of the Dixie Chicks in the wake of singer Natalie Maines' denunciation of the Iraq war and President Bush in 2003. The film returns to the pivotal moment in which Maines, speaking to a London audience, raised opposition to America's invasion of Iraq, resulting in a backlash in America. The Chicks, as one sees, have had little peace of mind since then, banned from country music stations, picketed at concerts, and targeted by death threats. Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Robison respond to the extensive and sometimes scary criticism they've faced, though their latest music, including a song called "Not Ready to Make Nice," also speaks for itself. Kopple and Peck spend a lot of time with the band on a human level as well, in homes and dressing rooms and recording studios. The collective--and quite touching--portrait is of three women who wish only the best for one another and back each other's decisions all the way. This is essential viewing for fans of the gifted Kopple as well as the always-against-the-odds Dixie Chicks. --Tom Keogh

Description

(Documentary) "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." This film documents how those 15 words in 2003 took the Dixie Chicks from the peak of their popularity as the top-selling female recording artists of all time, through the days, months and years of mayhem that followed.

Customer Reviews:

Must See!.......2007-06-27

An incredibly well made movie which really gets you thinking about what really happened and how the Chicks handled the situation and turned it around for themselves. Also great if you love their music. Have played it many times.. they are an inspiration and their team work pulls them through.

"Chicks"? .......2007-06-25

The Dixie Chicks, once an extremely popular CW band, got hate mail and death threats after dissing President Bush. Their music was boycotted by CW radio stations, their CDs were smashed and burned. Their intelligence, patriotism and musical talent were attacked. "Just shut up and sing!" I think the issue here is not freedom of speech or whether George W. Bush deserves criticism. Nor even whether entertainers should make political statements. In fact, only a year before Natalie Maines stated her opinion, Willie Nelson jibed in an overseas interview: "[Bush]is not from Texas and he ain't a cowboy, so let's stop trashin' Texans and cowboys!" Willie got a laugh at the time and some grumbles from the ultra-right. But CW stations continued playing his songs, and his concerts and albums are still popular. The difference between Willie Nelson and the Dixie Chicks is image. Willie is, after all, the outlaw and rebel whose outspoken "ornriness" endears him to bikers and truckers, cowboys and convicts. By naming themselves "chicks" -- cutesy, ditsy, fluffy little featherheads, sex-objects, "prey" -- the Dixie Chicks made it difficult for anyone to take them seriously. "Chicks" aren't smart enough to have political opinions; "chicks" should know their proper place! "Just shut up and sing!" But Natalie Maines dared to suggest "chicks" might also be eaglets. Their music, songs, voices are quite good, if one could get past the self-denigration of the band's insipid name. The film is worth watching, if only to see how female entertainers can go from being loved to being hated overnight for the crime of stating their opinion as their male counterparts do.

Dixie Chicks saying what they think .......2007-06-13

Living in France, I have been appreciating this band for a long time now. I have discovered them by random on the Internet and regreat that they are not known in France. Nobody here on TV or radio broadcast their songs, so the majority of the French people don't know their excistence. I think that because country music is a particular American music and that perhaps only fans of this kind of music in France must know them. Not being a particular fan of country music, I was delighted by their music and have listened it hundred of times in my car.
I think that if they would be known in France that they would sell a lot of CDS!
In short, I have become a big fan of the Dixie Chicks only by the Internet, having never heard about them in the French medias. I must say that what they said in public in England has nothing to do with the fact that I like very much their music.
For when next live concert dvd of the last album ?

You Go, Girls!.......2007-06-12

Saw this picture the same evening as THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON, and together that experience produced a feeling of deja ju all over again. It's a disgrace that so often the people running this country (or running their mouths about how it's being run) can't get the idea of free speech through their heads -- you'd think some of the uberpatriots on display here might pause long enough to actually absorb the principles on which America was founded. Koppel and Peck's documentary provides a fascinating chronicle of the Dixie Chicks/Bush flap, worthwhile to the ladies' fans and those of us unfamiliar with their music alike. They were only names in news stories to me before seeing this picture; I'm heading right out and picking up their CDs now -- the music is terrific! This picture, though often infuriating, is ultimately heartwarming in the best way, with a moral victory that's won by the courage of this band's convictions. A marvelous movie.

For Thinking Americans...and you can be one!.......2007-06-11

Every American should view this film and The U.S. vs. John Lennon before choosing our next president. Truth prevailed in their cases but will it continue if our "majority" doesn't start making better leadership/power choices.

Average customer rating:

Bobby deserves a 10!
A Political Version of "Crash"
Good movie just know what you are expecting
Good Acting, Some Problems - Not About Bobby Kennedy
Poetry

Bobby (Widescreen Edtion)
Starring: Demi Moore , Anthony Hopkins , Lawrence Fishburne , Lindsay Lohan , and Elijah Wood
Director: Emilio Estevez
Manufacturer: The Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000MEYJI8
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Description

(Drama) A re-telling of the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968. The film follows 22 individuals who are all at the hotel for different purposes but share the common thread of anticipating Kennedy's arrival at the primary election night party, which would change their lives forever. This historic night is set against the backdrop of the cultural issues gripping the country at the time, including racism, sexual inequality and class differences.

Customer Reviews:

Bobby deserves a 10!.......2007-07-02

Through the eyes of the twenty-two people that worked and stayed at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968 we see how the assassination of Senator Bobby Kennedy affected them all. Written and directed by former `Bratpacker' Emilio Estevez and featuring an all star cast, 2006's Bobby will be remembered as one of the great movies depicting the assassination of RFK.
Born nine years after the death of Robert Kennedy this film fascinated me. After studying about the war in Vietnam and the racism in the 60's, it was clear Kennedy wanted to put a stop to it all, but like his brother before him he died before he could really make a difference in the world.

A Political Version of "Crash".......2007-06-13

I only got this movie because of the all-star cast. Having lived through the events I didn't feel the movie would do it justice but I was wrong. The movie uses all real footage of the events leading up to June 4, 1968 and focuses on the hotel on that fateful day. It is basically like the movie "Crash" and has many different stories going on at once inside the hotel where Kennedy's victory party and shooting took place. Like Crash the stories come together when the Senator is shot just after he makes his victory speech. There is a lot of inspirational footage, excellently interspersed throughout the film of Kennedy talking political issues both in California and about the country at large. Many of his thoughts ring true today with the concerns about the war in Iraq, global warming and poverty.

Each of the stories presented in the film are excellent by themselves and with so many big name actors, none have any bigger roles than any others. My favorite is one where a young man came with his girlfriend to the hotel to get married so he would not be sent to the front-line in Viet Nam. The girl's father calls him a coward, if that is the actual reason for the marriage. Another good tale involves Harry Belefonte dealing with the onset of Alzheimer's disease, while his main goal is to win a game of chess before he dies. Also, there is a tale of a Mexicano kitchen worker who wants to take off because he has Dodger tickets on the night that Don Drysdale is going for the consecuitive shut-out innings record. He talks about the Latinos being the next group to win their "civil rights."

The tales were so intriguing that this movie held me spellbound until the ending credits.

Good movie just know what you are expecting.......2007-06-13

Bobby is a good movie, however realize what the movie is portraying before you watch. I did not know much about the assasination of Robert Kennedy and I was expecting more of a biography on the specific events that led to the assasination. However, the movie is really more about a short glimpse of specific lives that were directly affected by the assasination of Kennedy at the Ambassador hotel.

Do not expect to learn more about the events that took place but rather the individuals who played some sort of role immediately following the assasination. The movie wasn't great, nor was it bad yet I think if I knew a little more about what to expect before I saw the movie I would have enjoyed it more.

The film making and the story line are extremely thought provoking and keep your interest throughout entire film. Although, you may be left somewhat dissapointed by the abrupt end. But what do you expect when you know exactly how this movie will end? Enjoy the film, just realize it is not about Bobby Kennedy, it is about the lives surrounding him on the day of his assasination

Good Acting, Some Problems - Not About Bobby Kennedy.......2007-06-07

I was very interested to see this movie, in part because of the historical period, and in part because of the cast.

1. The cast was generally wonderful, with an all-star cast playing regular folks going about their business at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on the day that Robert Kennedy was assasinated in June, 1968. Two of my favorites were Ashton Kutcher as a drug dealer turning two Kennedy staffers on to LSD, and Christian Slater as a rather unlikeable racist kitchen staff manager. Kutcher's real-life wife Demi Moore played a soggy alcoholic singer who passes out in the beauty shop chair with a martini in one hand and a Marlboro in the other. It seemed as though writer/director Estevez was aiming at something like "Babel", "Traffic", or an Altman picture in the way that the various stories danced around each other, all culminating with Kennedy's murder and the non-fatal wounding of a number of bystanders. Some of the writing was actually quite poetic, as when Martin Sheen's character talks to his materialistic wife about the real values in their marriage. That was really a great speech. At other times, the writing felt contrived.

2. Estevez' handling of the period was patchy, but that is understandable, since he was only six or seven years old when Kennedy was shot. Sometimes his "take" on Los Angeles 1968 was spot-on (as with the fabulous big hairpieces, earrings, and indoor smoking like chimneys), and sometimes way, way off. As, for example,when a young kitchen staffer says "I'm not a Mexican, I'm a Latino" - my recollection is that the PC term used at that time in Southern California wasn't "Latino", it was "Chicano". There were a number of other times when the language used was not accurate to the historical time frame, as when someone referred to "getting down", and (as all senior citizens know), people didn't start to get down until the 80's.

I thought about going with 3 stars here, but the actors were generally just too good. It is worth seeing for that alone, but it's not Altman and it's not "Traffic".

Poetry.......2007-06-03

I thought this film had great poetry
its a beautiful film and you should see it,
Bobby kennedy - the once and future king.
Peace
x

Cinema Paradiso (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

My fault, but still frustrated
a film with a great concept....I just wish I had liked it more!
A Love letter to Cinema
"The endings justify the means, (all of them)"
Cinema PERFECT

Cinema Paradiso (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)
Starring: Antonella Attili , Enzo Cannavale , Isa Danieli , Leo Gullotta , and Marco Leonardi
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Il Postino
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Ciao, Professore!

ASIN: B000I0RNV6
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com essential video

Giuseppe Tornatore's beautiful 1988 film about a little boy's love affair with the movies deservedly won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film and a Special Jury Prize at Cannes. Philippe Noiret plays a grizzled old projectionist who takes pride in his presentation of screen dreams for a town still recovering from World War II. When a child (Jacques Perrin) demonstrates fascination not only for movies but also for the process of showing them to an audience, a lifelong friendship is struck. This isn't just one of those films for people who are already in love with the cinema. But if you are one of those folks, the emotional resonance between the action in Tornatore's world and the images on Noiret's screen will seem all the greater--and the finale all the more powerful. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com

Cinema Paradiso's complex, interwoven tales of wartime Italy, a boy's coming of age, and the history of cinema can be viewed in their entirety on the Director's Cut included in this Deluxe Edition. Director Giuseppe Tornatore's additional 50 minutes of footage provides closure for the saga's detailing Alfredo's death, and Salvatore Di Vita's lost relationship with his teenage love, Elena. Most of the 50 minutes serves as a continuation of the story, rather than as previously deleted scenes. The original, already celebrated Cinema Paradiso follows Toto (Jacques Perrin), a Sicilian boy who persuades the town projectionist, Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), to teach him how to show films. Spanning nearly 50 years, the film craftily draws parallels between Toto's life and those lives he sees on screen. As Toto matures into Salvatore, a successful Italian filmmaker, the Cinema Paradiso ages as well. Salvatore's return home for Alfredo's funeral is also a goodbye to his Paradiso, demolished to become a parking lot. The film's heightened sense of nostalgia subtly mirrors our humanistic love of movies, making it a tribute to cinema as an artistic genre. The Director's Cut can be fulfilling if one felt unsatisfied by the more ambiguous ending of the theatrical release, but it also feels slightly overwrought. Two documentaries in this package feature fans and critics praising Cinema Paradiso, proving its endurance as a classic. However, as Salvatore discovers over the course of the film, there is no need to improve a masterpiece. --Trinie Dalton

Description

A famous film director returns home to a Sicilian village for the first time after almost 30 years. He reminisces about his childhood at the Cinema Paradiso here Alfredo, the projectionist, first brought about his love of films. He is also reminded of his lost teenage love, Elena, ho he had to leave before he left for Rome. Cinema Paradiso is one of the most beloved Foreign films of all time! Winner of the 1990 Oscar for Best Foreign Film!

Customer Reviews:

My fault, but still frustrated.......2007-05-29

In searching for this title, almost all of them were sub-titled in English. I selected, purchased, only to find out that is was all in Italian. So, it's basically useless for me. Ended up renting it from a video store.

a film with a great concept....I just wish I had liked it more!.......2007-05-16

CINEMA PARADISO is one of the most well-loved and talked about Italian films, made in the last twenty years. I generally hear people speak of CINEMA PARADISO and IL POSTINO in the same breath. I was completely enamored of IL POSTINO (THE POSTMAN), so I really thought that I would be equally infatuated with this film. Unfortunately, the combination of melodrama and sleepy direction didn't sustain my attention. Though, I was completely in love with Marco Leonardi, who plays the more mature version of the protagonist, Salvatore. Leonardi is also well-known for his role as Pedro Muzquiz, in LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, the love interest of perpetual cook, Tita (Lumi Cavazos).

In CINEMA PARADISO, Salvatore (Leonardi), a well-established filmmaker recounts his formative years as a young boy at the knees of Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), a film projectionist who introduced him to films, and ultimately helped shape the course of his life. Also, Salvatore has great love for Elena (Agnese Nano), that is ultimately ill-fated.

Yes, this sounds great. Yes, I am the only who doesn't think so. It's just my opinion. Honestly, I think you should see it for yourself and decide, but I wouldn't buy a copy today, as readily as I would IL POSTINO and numerous other Italian films that deal with coming of age and romance--one example that comes to mind is Fellini's great AMARCORD. You be the judge, though.

A Love letter to Cinema.......2007-05-14

Cinema Paradiso is what I would call it "the perfect picture of all times" for anyone how loves movies, this one is definitely a masterpiece. Tornatore's best achievement. This is a movie about a movie-lover, a story of Toto who fall in love with the magical world of movies, a world that he was introduced to by his friend Alfredo, it is also a about cinema and how it is dying due to the change of time and the aggressiveness of TV. This is a love letter to movies and what it represents in our life... a masterpiece by all means; if you love movies then you must see this one either in the Director's cut or in its original version.

"The endings justify the means, (all of them)".......2007-05-14

I loved this movie. It is well done dispite the typical Italian artistic whimsical touches. The characters are all bigger than life, (whimsical at times), but loveable. The story line is very good and reveals the life style changes in this Sicilian town as prosperity overtakes poverty after WWII. It is a "Must see" movie. It is the story of rags to riches set in post war Sicily.
My only problem is that I have seen three, (Count them), different endings to this movie. The endings are all quit good, but disturbing because I liked them all and had to see the three versions to understand what really happened, or could have to the hero. Incidentally, I have not viewed the "Directers Cut" yet; I have no idea how it will end.

Phillip A. Purpura

Cinema PERFECT.......2007-05-13

I believe this is one of the most perfect films ever made. While appearing to be a simple "coming of age" story it reaches into the depths of human relationships; Mother and child, child and Mentor, Friends, Lovers, Priest and Parish, Idividuals to their community. All of these within the context of Movies, our fears and fantasies made visual. It is a story of courage and of cowardice, of monumental love and devastating loss, Enormous acts and emotions all contained in a small and somewhat insignificant village. This is the story of a community and how it shaped the life of one boy - and sent him out into the world. It is also a love story. And a director's gift of love to his audience [note* I urge you NOT to buy the director's cut of this film it is awful, the theatrical is perfection.] The last moments of the film are soo touching that I found myself, like toto, laughing and crying at the same time. This film enriched my life, if by reminding me of all the wonderful people I have known and the times we spent together. A Classic film - don't miss it.

The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Another Movie I'm Drawn On...
Best martial arts action since Bruce Lee...you have to see it believe it
action-packed slug fest.
bad editing job
Jaa does it again! Only BIGGER!

The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Tony Jaa , Petchtai Wongkamlao , Bongkoj Khongmalai , Xing Jing , and Nathan Jones
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000I0RNWU
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Amazon.com

Thai-born martial artist Tony Jaa, whose gravity-defying stunts wowed American audiences in Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, returns in an equally eye-popping stunt fest that should thrill all but the most jaded action fans. The very simple plot has the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Jaa as a young man from a rural community dispatched to Australia to recover a pair of sacred elephants. Once there, he discovered that a female crime boss (played by transgendered actor Jing Xing) is behind the missing pachyderms, and Jaa pulls out all the stops to recover the animals for his village. As in Ong-Bak, the appeal of The Protector is watching Jaa unleash his muay thai skills on a host of villainous types, and he gets several astonishing showcases in this film, most notably a nearly-unbroken take in which he dispatches some 50 goons as he makes his way up a four-story structure. Those looking for the depth of story or character found in the best of Hong Kong action cinema won't find it in The Protector, but the rewards for action fans are plentiful and thoroughly entertaining. The two-disc Collector's Edition of The Protector includes a wealth of extras, most notably the original Thai version of the film (titled Tom Yum Goong), which runs approximately 30 minutes longer than the American version. Commentary by martial arts writer and fan Bey Logan is featured on the American edit, along with a deleted scene, a featurette about Jaa with Logan and rapper/producer The RZA (who scored the American version and, for some reason, is described as a major force in bringing Asian entertainment to the States), making-of featurettes on both the English and Thai versions of the film (the latter features a subtitled Thai-language commentary track with Jaa, director Prachya Pinkaew, and stunt coordinator/mentor Panna Rittikrai), and three fair short films that were produced for a promotional tie-in contest. -- Paul Gaita

Description

Thai martial arts virtuoso Tony Jaa stars as Kham, who travels to Australia to take on a gang and rescue a kidnapped elephant.

Customer Reviews:

Another Movie I'm Drawn On..........2007-06-26

I can't give this a 5. I am a person who is interested in movie plots, and the plot for this movie was ridiculous! All of this over a elephant? LMAO. That's all I could think as I watched this. And while the action was pretty good, I think this movie went overboard with it. This movie was one long fight scene to me. You mean to tell me one person can take on 30 people AT ONE TIME and barely be harmed?!?! And also, after fighting and beating about 80 people he was almost beaten by one woman?!!? I know this is meant to be an action film which is why I'm not too h