DVD

Average customer rating:

Pixar's First and Best To Date!
Toy Story
One of my favorite movies
All Time Favorite!
One of the best Disney's movies ever!

Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , Don Rickles , Jim Varney , and Wallace Shawn
Director: John Lasseter
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Toy Story 2 (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
A Bug's Life (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Platinum Edition)

ASIN: B0009MAO46
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com Essential DVD

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark film repackages most of the extras found in the original Ultimate Toy Box set plus a few more. Two keen retrospectives are new, one with an assortment of talents including Roy Disney and Peter Jackson chiming in on the film's impact. The other is a roundtable with Lasseter and three of the creators simply talking about the experiences without--thankfully--any cutaways to noisy film clips. There's a load of other extras since the Ultimate Toy Box was one of the first and best DVD sets. Missing (besides the second film, which will be released separately) is the effects- and music-only tracks. Added is a whopping DTS soundtrack along with a remixed Dolby 5.1 track. The DVD has a higher transfer bit rate for a better picture, but only high-end enthusiasts will notice it. Since the film is a digital-to-digital transfer, both versions are eye-popping. A must-have set unless you have the Ultimate Toy Box.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

The Pixar Feature Films

Toy Story, 1995
A Bug's Life, 1998
Toy Story 2, 1999

Monsters, Inc., 2001
Finding Nemo, 2003
The Incredibles, 2004

Description

Experience a hilarious fantasy about the lives toys lead when they're left alone. Woody (Tom Hanks), an old-fashioned cowboy doll, is Andy's favorite. But when Andy gets Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) for his birthday, the flashy new space hero takes Andy's room by storm! Their rivalry leaves them lost with a toy's worst nightmare -- Sid, the toy-torturing boy next door. Woody and Buzz must work together to escape, realizing along the way that they've got a friend ... in each other! Now, in a magnificent special edition, TOY STORY shines even brighter. With an all-new enhanced picture and a spectacular home theater mix as well as exclusive bonus features, including deleted scenes and a retrospective special with director John Lasseter, this modern classic is one you'll enjoy to infinity and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

Pixar's First and Best To Date!.......2007-06-26

TOY STORY is one of those classic movies that should be around for generations. Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear and Cowboy Woody are two of the most lovable and fully developed animated characters ever created. The movie is hilarious throughout though there are also many poignant moments (like Buzz's "I Will Go Sailing No More" song). Many talented actors contributed their voices most notably Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Jim Varney, John Ratzenberger and Don Rickles and the movie includes three memorable songs - "You Got a Friend", "Sailing No More" and Strange Things. And like all good stories it has some important themes including the meaning and value of friendship. Nothing scary for the little ones except perhaps some brief scenes of mutated toys and Syd's threatened violence toward Woody. This is a clever movie with heart that everyone should see.

Toy Story.......2007-06-12

A boy named Andy had a cowboy doll named Woody . Andy loved and had a good time with Woody ,until Andy's birthday . Andy's mom decided they were going to move . Andy got many toys even a Buzz Lightyear action figure for his birthday and everything changed . Andy stopped playing with Woody, and all of the posters , wallpaper, and many other things changed too. Everything changed into Buzz Lightyear.
Woody got angry , so he pulled a trick on Buzz . Buzz had to dodge a globe and flying thumbtacks and he had to jump out of the window. All of Andy's other toys blamed Woody. They said he pushed Buzz out of the window.
Andy's mother took Andy, his little sister, and Woody to Pizza Planet. Woody found Buzz in the car. Buzz was very mad, too. They stopped at the gas station. Wood and Buzz tustled out of the car and began to fight. Andy's car drove away and left them there, luckily they hopped into the Pizza Planet truck. They were driven to Pizza Planet where they find Andy, but Buzz has a different idea. Buzz and Woody hop into a crane game. Six, the crazy neighbor wins an alien, Woody, and Buzz in the crane machine and takes them home.
Six gets a big firework in the mail and attaches the rocket to Buzz. Woody and Sid's broken toys help Buzz out. They miss Andy's car but they get into the moving truck. Sid's dog, Scud, takes Buzz away but Woody takes Andy's remote control car and finds Buzz.. They race for the moving truck but the race car runs out of battery, so Buzz lights the firework and Woody and Buzz go flying in the air and land right into Andy's car. Andy finds them and they all live in a new home together as friends.
I love this movie. This has been my favorite movie since I was little. I think it is a very good movie for all ages to enjoy. I love all the adventures of Woody and Buzz.
I recommend this movie for people of all ages and people who love thrilling adventures.

One of my favorite movies.......2007-06-04

and I got it half price on here. What a deal! I actually bought it to watch with my kids, and they love it as much as I do. If you don't have a copy, you're missing out.

All Time Favorite!.......2007-05-16

I first saw this movie at the theatre while I was in college. I never DREAMED I would be watching it with my kids, and it would still be a favorite 12+ years later! This movie is destined to be on the all time classic list. The lessons learned in this movie are great for kids of all ages, while still being enjoyable for adults to watch. My kids can quote whole blocks of dialogue from the movie, love to re-enact scenes, and still ask for toys from this movie. We first had it on VHS, and had to replace it because we literally wore out the tape. Now you would think that we must watch a lot of TV in our house, but we don't!! We have a movie night once a week as a family, and this is one they would watch almost every time if I let them. It's a great movie for the whole family.

One of the best Disney's movies ever!.......2007-03-14

The 3D animation is awesome, in fact it was the first movie using this technology so it made history because of that. The story is very funny but also teaches a lot of good values to kids and adults, like loyalty work team and friendship. the bonus and dvd box is great too.

Average customer rating:

back to the future back in the day!
A wonderful classic
Quality Family Viewing
Flight of the Navigator
Remembering My Childhood

Flight of the Navigator
Starring: Joey Cramer , Paul Reubens , Veronica Cartwright , Cliff De Young , and Sarah Jessica Parker
Director: Randal Kleiser
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Last Starfighter
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*Batteries Not Included
The NeverEnding Story

ASIN: B0001I562I
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Disney's 1986 Flight of the Navigator combines a strong ensemble cast and classic '80s soundtrack with dazzling special effects for a high-flying sci-fi adventure. While searching for his little brother in the woods, 12-year-old David Freeman (Joey Cramer) falls down a ravine and is knocked unconscious. After what seems like minutes, he returns home, only to discover that eight years have passed since he was declared missing and presumed dead. Even more mystifying is that David hasn't aged, nor can he account for the time lapse. Meanwhile, NASA officials stumble upon a futuristic spacecraft and are determined to assess what David knows about it by locking him in a top-secret lab for scanning and testing. His only chance of escape is in the spacecraft manned by Max, a wisecracking robot. Cramer gives an earnest performance, which overcomes an imperfect script, while enough one-liners and imaginative animation will keep families engaged. Watch for Sarah Jessica Parker in one of her first film appearances. Rated PG for language. (Ages 6 and older) --Lynn Gibson

Customer Reviews:

back to the future back in the day!.......2007-06-18

This is definetly a classic!! I showed my kids this & that became an instant movie to watch!

A wonderful classic.......2007-05-08

I love reminiscing about watching and enjoying this movie as a child. Viewing it now, I find a different and delightful humor that I hadn't conceived in my early years. Great fun for the whole family.

Quality Family Viewing.......2007-05-08

I recently bought this video to watch with my 5 year old son and he loved it. I remembered enjoying it when it came out, and my memories did not disappoint me. The story-line is rather simple, which make it fairly easy for children to follow, but remain interesting enough for adults to enjoy as well. Like the plot, the graphics and special effects won't bowl you over but are done well enough to tell the story. A great addition to the colection of young sc-fi lovers.

Flight of the Navigator.......2007-04-10

I have been looking for this movie for awhile and i am so glad to been able to purchase it. Wonderful family movie.

Remembering My Childhood.......2007-03-29

I grew up on "Flight of the Navigator." I wanted my own children to see it, but our local video store did not have it for rent. Amazon always has what I am looking for, so I ordered a copy. My kids absolutely love it! I recommend it for anyone looking for a good, clean, family film that everyone will enjoy. Thank you Amazon!

Average customer rating:

Dumbo
The little elephant with the big ears
Gorgeous original Dumbo movie.
Mixed feelings on this one
Great movie...

Dumbo (Big Top Edition)
Starring: Edward Brophy , Sterling Holloway , Verna Felton , Cliff Edwards , and Herman Bing
Director: Ben Sharpsteen
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Bambi (2-Disc Special Edition) (Platinum Edition)
Lady and the Tramp (50th Anniversary Edition) (Platinum Edition)
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The Little Mermaid (2-Disc Platinum Edition)

ASIN: B000EYK4GW
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com

A Disney "classic" that actually is a classic, Dumbo should be part of your video collection whether or not you have children. The storytelling was never as lean as in Dumbo, the songs rarely as haunting (or just plain weird), the characters rarely so well defined. The film pits the "cold, cruel, heartless" world that can't accept abnormality against a plucky, and mute, hero. Jumbo Jr. (Dumbo is a mean-spirited nickname) is ostracized from the circus pack shortly after his delivery by the stork because of his big ears. His mother sticks up for him and is shackled. He's jeered by children (an insightful scene has one boy poking fun at Dumbo's ears, even though the youngster's ears are also ungainly), used by the circus folk, and demoted to appearing with the clowns. Only the decent Timothy Q. Mouse looks out for the little guy. Concerns about the un-PC "Jim Crow" crows, who mock Dumbo with the wonderful "When I See an Elephant Fly," should be moderated by remembering that the crows are the only social group in the film who act kindly to the little outcast. If you don't mist up during the "Baby Mine" scene, you may be legally pronounced dead. --Keith Simanton

Description

With high-flying entertainment and messages about friendship, acceptance, courage, and believing in yourself, Walt Disney's DUMBO is "a timeless classic for children of all ages. Walt Disney at his finest" (Us Weekly). Meet Dumbo, Mrs. Jumbo's sweet little "Baby Mine" who charms all who see him . . . until it's discovered that he has huge floppy ears! With the support of his very best friend, Timothy the mouse, Dumbo soon learns that his spectacular ears make him unique and special, allowing him to soar to fame as the world's only flying elephant. You'll love all the daring adventure, colorful characters, award-winning music, and a circus tent full of fun bonus features! Go behind the scenes with DisneyPedia's "My First Circus," an all-new activity where you can learn about your favorite circus animals. This Big Top Edition also features Sing-Along Songs, a DVD Storybook, a new digital transfer, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Dumbo.......2007-06-21

Disney's fourth full length-feature (running just over one hour) remains a powerful, poignant family film, offering kids a clear and useful lesson on the virtues of tolerance. Dumbo's initial cruel treatment is still hard to watch, since we've all witnessed similar behavior. The empathy we feel for this misfit elephant only makes his ultimate triumph more satisfying. A defining classic in Disney's film legacy. Best for smaller fry.

The little elephant with the big ears.......2007-06-10

Who won are hearts is still flying high.

Gorgeous original Dumbo movie........2007-05-15

What a wonderful original Disney movie and such great quality. It is nice to know that you can still get the original movies in a new format, especially all the extras.

Mixed feelings on this one.......2007-05-07

One of the interesting things about having children (among the many wonderful and interesting things) is getting the chance to re-experience childhood and to see movies I enjoyed as a child. I was somewhat disappointed with "Dumbo," though, because of the scene in which the baby elephant Dumbo (who is ostracized by other elephants for having oversized ears) gets drunk, making it seem as if underage drinking is a harmless, playful activity that produces fun and funky hallucinations of dancing pink elephants. Other than that scene, the movie had a good message about overcoming adversity and turning personal weaknesses into triumphant strengths.

Great movie..........2007-04-10

We bought this movie as a birthday gift for our 2 year old grandson and now it's his favorite movie...An old favorite renewed for us and for his parents!

Average customer rating:

Shakespear at it's best
Good enjoyable interpretation.
Mel Gibson Does Shakespeare...
Odd ingredients make maybe the most accessible hamlet
Hamlet as he should be played

Hamlet
Starring: Mel Gibson , Glenn Close , Alan Bates , Paul Scofield , and Ian Holm
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Romeo & Juliet
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ASIN: B00019072G
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com essential video

Franco Zeffirelli's stripped-down, two-hour version of Shakespeare's play stars Mel Gibson as a rather robust version of the ambivalent Danish prince. Gibson is much better in the part than many critics have admitted, his powers of clarity doing much to make this particular Hamlet more accessible than several other filmed versions. The supporting cast is outstanding, including Glenn Close as Gertrude, Alan Bates as Claudius, Ian Holm as Polonius, and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia. Zeffirelli's vigorous direction employs a lively camera style that nicely alters the viewer's preconceptions about the way Hamlet should look. --Tom Keogh

Description

Treachery. Madness. Murder. The story of Hamlet has been told for 400 years...but it's never been told like this! Mel Gibson (the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films) takes on his richest part to date, the title role in a dynamic new version of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Romeo and Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth), the location-shot production has a sumptuous look that won Academy Award nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design. Gibson plays the prince of medieval-era Denmark, who senses treachery behind his royal father's death. Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons) plays Hamlet's mother Gertrude, all too dangerously entangled in that treachery. A brilliant supporting cast, including Alan Bates as Claudius, Paul Scofield as the ghost of Hamlet's father, Ian Holm as Polonius and Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia, adds its powerful presence to this immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds. Big, bold and heroic, this is a vivid and virile Hamlet for the modern age and all time.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespear at it's best.......2007-06-08

Stunning acting by Mel Gibson, Shakespearian art hasn't been lost from this DvD a must buy if you have read the story before or just getting into Shakespeare. Truly a intellectual movie you will watch for years to come.

-SBJ

Good enjoyable interpretation........2007-06-04

I liked this version of the tragic prince's tale. As someone who's spent a lot of time studying Hamlet, the portrayal of the closet scene irritated me, but is entirely forgivable. The acting is very good, though the editing and arrangement of the script might throw you for a loop. If you're not a student who's read the play umpteen times, you should be fine though. Regardless, it's very enjoyable, and definitely worth the price.

Mel Gibson Does Shakespeare..........2007-06-02

1991's "Hamlet" featured action star Mel Gibson as the melancholy Danish Prince of the title of Shakespeare's famous tragedy. Gibson, whose resume was based on the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchises at that time, is surprisingly effective in a role thought be a stretch. Director Franco Zeffirelli had the good sense to let Gibson's energetic performance drive the pacing of a very brisk two-hour version of the story. The result is a very accessible production about murder and revenge in the Danish Royal Family, and a vigorous portrayal of the normally languid and moody Hamlet.

Zeffirelli's movie features beautiful location shooting, excellent costumes, and an extremely talented supporting cast, lead by Glenn Close as Hamlet's mother Gertrude, Alan Bates as the treacherous step-father, and Helena Bonham-Carter as the doomed Ophelia. At the center is Hamlet, as played by Gibson, visibly disturbed in his madness over his father's death, and movingly emotional in his approach to his mother and to Ophelia.

This movie is highly recommended as a different but highly entertaining version of Hamlet. It may appeal most to those without preconceived notions about how Hamlet should be portrayed, or to those who know Mel Gibson only from his later films.

Odd ingredients make maybe the most accessible hamlet .......2007-05-31

I laughed my head off when I was told that Mel Gibson had made a version of Hamlet. But even though casting a then action star as the meloncholy dane made as much sense as casting Charlie Sheen as King Lear, Gibson actually pulls it off, making for a more accessible and relateable Hamlet without cheapening or selling-out the material. The rest of the cast is perfectly acceptable: Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Ian Holm etc. And director Zeffirelli (already a notch on his belt with a definitive version of Romeo & Juliet) brings an interesting visual style to the mix: Matching the film to a rugid, harsh, grey, landscape the mirrors the rugid, harsh, grey content of the film to an effect that would have made Igmar Bergman proud (along with an, of course, wonderful Ennio Morricone score). The play is abridged which means that there isn't nearly enough of (amoung others) Helena Bonham Carter's Ophelia, but I suppose it's better to wish you could spend more time with someone than for them to wear out their welcome.

Hamlet as he should be played.......2007-05-27

I saw this in the theater in 1991. I was familiar with the play and with the way I was taught to understand Hamlet. The problem was that I never believed that the traditional interpretation of Hamlet, as a fairly weak and troubled youth, as it did not seem right to me.

This Hamlet is troubled, no doubt. However, he is wracked with anger and pain. His rage bubbles forth in a sometimes psychotic set of behaviors which always keeps its hold on reality. He is suicidal, but he intends to take any and all villians with him.

This made sense to me. This is how I really saw Hamlet. Mel Gibson does this edge of crazy perfectly. He is not weak, but tortured and seeking revenge.

Furthermore, he makes the traditional script (not completely faithful, but very close) very understandable. Even the novice will be able to understand what he is saying after the rhythym of the piece is understood. To me, this means Gibson understands the role. When Shakespeare is not understood by the audience, it is somebody on the production side that does not get the role.

I understand why critics don't like this Hamlet, but in my opinion it is the most accurate version yet on film.

If you know someone you wish to initiate into the Shakespeare circle, view this film with them.

The Butterfly Effect (Infinifilm Edition)

Average customer rating:

Will altar your mind...
Change Your Life, Change Everything
GREAT MOVIE, BUT BE PREPARED FOR A DARK EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER
Ashton proves he's more than a goofy actor
Dark thriller that just misses the mark

The Butterfly Effect (Infinifilm Edition)
Starring: Ashton Kutcher , Melora Walters , Amy Smart , Elden Henson , and William Lee Scott
Director: J. Mackye Gruber , and Eric Bress
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Secret Window
The Butterfly Effect 2
The Forgotten
Gothika (Widescreen Edition)
Saw - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0001Z52RU
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Amazon.com

Despite box-office dominance during its opening weekend, The Butterfly Effect is better suited to guilty-pleasure viewing at home. When writer-directors Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber (who penned Final Destination 2) aren't breaking their own haphazard rules of logic, they're filling this sordid thriller with enough unpleasantness to make eternal damnation seem like an attractive alternative. In a role-reversal from his That '70s Show persona, Ashton Kutcher plays a college-age psychology student who discovers, by re-reading his childhood journals, that he can revisit his past and alter traumatic events, hoping to improve their previously unfortunate outcomes. Instead, this foolhardy experiment in chaos theory (the titular "butterfly effect," popularized by Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park) results in a variety of nightmarish permutations, each having dire consequences for him and/or his friends. This intriguing premise is explored with a few interesting twists and turns, but with subplots involving child pornography, animal cruelty, and profanely violent children, it's a stretch to call it entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A young man struggling to access sublimated childhood memories finds a technique that allows him to travel back to the past. Occupying his childhood body, he is able to change history. But every change he makes has unexpected consequences.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes:included in the Director's Cut Version of the film
Alternate endings:included in the Director's Cut version of the film
Audio Commentary:with Director and Screenwriters Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber
DVD ROM Features:Script-to-Screen Link to original Website Exclusive On-disc ROM Content Exclusive content at infinifilm.com
Deleted Scenes:with commentary
Documentaries:--The Science and Psychology of the Chaos Theory --The History and Allure of Time Travel
Featurette:--The Creative Process --Visual Effects
Other:infinifilm Fact Track DIRECTOR'S CUT OF THE FILM--only on DVD (120 minutes) DTS ES 6.1 Sound
Storyboards
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Will altar your mind..........2007-06-22

Many people had mixed feelings about this film when they heard that Ashton Kutcher was to play the lead role. Could he manage to pull of such a dramatic role, profoundly different from his normally comedic role on "That 70's Show?" The answer...yes, without question!

The plot of this movie centers around the subject of time travel and what altering the past can do to the future. However, unlike many other films that deal with the same topic, this keeps an aura of dark reality about it. Not only does it deal with changing future events, it also delves into a deeper meaning than that.

Aside from the obvious premise, this film also shows that your life is your life and you are dealt the cards you are dealt. There is no need to change past events because no matter what you change, there will always be elements of your life you will not be happy with. Also, not to give anything away but unlike many Hollywood movies, this one doesn't necessarily have a happy ending which in my mind is a good thing and perfectly justifies the movie as a whole.

I must say I also felt a lot of good chemistry between Kutcher and Amy Smart. To me, Ashton has proven himself a worthy actor in not only the comedic genre, but also the dramatic roles. Amy Smart seems very natural in this role and doesn't seem to force anything.

Overall this movie is well worth owning and truly shows the potential Ashton has in becoming a serious actor. I have not and don't intend to see the sequel. This is the only "Effect" you'll need to see.

Change Your Life, Change Everything.......2007-06-19

My oppinion: The Butterfly effects is a outstanding sci-fi drama movie. This movie is awesome.

about The Film: The butterfly effect is about a colleage student Evan(Kutcher) who re-reads his childhood jurnals and seems to have the power to re live his life while reading them. most of his childhood was bad so he goes back and tries to fix it. and everytime he does it everything gets worse than What it was.

My second Oppinion: The butterfly effect is a motional trip that people will never forget i recomend this awesome movie to everyone.

if you liked this movie also check out, The Butterfly Effect 2, The Butterfly Effect orginal motion picture soundtrack andt The Butterfly effect movie novel.

GREAT MOVIE, BUT BE PREPARED FOR A DARK EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER.......2007-06-08

I first saw previews for this movie while watchin another in the theater, and was fairly interested(reminded me of Jacob's Ladder-GREAT FILM). However, upon release the critics slammed it so I waited for it to come out on DVD. The critics don't know sh**t. This was a great film!! I was mad at myself for listening to dumbass critics and not seeing it sooner. On the flip side seeing it on DVD was A good thing because I got to see the original ending that New Line would not allow. This movie is about how our decitions effect ourselves and the people around us, as well as sacrifice(wich is why the original director's cut of the movie is far superior). The movie starts with a young evan, who after visiting his friend, starts to have blackouts. After the first blackout, A doctor tell Evans mother that he should keep a journal to help him remember events that occur during the blackouts. The movie shows Evan at different parts in his like, all dealing with very traumatic events followed by a blackout. Flashforward years later, after a rocky visit to his childhood friend, she commits suicide. After her funeral he find that by reading his journals he his able to mentally time-travel to the point of the blackouts(did he cause the blackouts himself by projecting his mind? interesting paradox). Evan then proceeds to alter the past to save Keyliegh, but with every change, he alters the present to unexpected and disasterous consequences(hence the term "Butterfly Effect-from The Chaos Theory). The time travel is used in the background and to compliment the very emotional drama. fans of Jacob's Ladder, Twelve Monkeys, and the Sixth Sence will love this movie. cult classic!!!

Ashton proves he's more than a goofy actor.......2007-04-28

I thought the movie was great psychological thriller, involving a pretty typical storyline about alterations to the past causing the future to turn out in "unexpected ways"... rarely ever the way the protagonist really wants it to be. This is one of those movies that will keep your full attention for the entire length. Ashton Kutcher, in his first serious role, plays surprisingly well in this movie. He shows us a side that I hope we'll see again. But for the kind of person he is, Kutcher does an excellent job portraying his character. Amy Smart, William Lee Scott, and Elden Henson all have done a great job on acting out on different levels of their characters with the same core in each variation.

Who ever wrote this was a smart person. There needs to be more intelligent writers. It is a big responsibility to entertain our public. A movie such as this makes us think about "what if" affects us emotionally, yet changes our physical world, thus putting great responsibility on the writer. This writer did very well and I thank him. We could use more thought feed movies in our world today. Imagine no war and always peace. Would our Bush agree to war, and What would happen if we all could go back to September 11th. Too many people focus on personal gain. Would it not benefit us all in a personal way to have peace? One act of kindness can be felt around the world. One violent thought not acted upon can cause a positive movement, just like that of a butterfly. The tension builds up quickly and you're never quite given a chance to relax before the end. I like that in a movie...it keeps you on your toes.

This movie is very well done and well structured. There are no low points in this movie - each scene has a point and ties directly into the main idea of the movie. The ending is great as it made me feel sad but happy of its outcome. I'm glad that this movie was brought to my attention because its simply fantastic. I'll definitely watch this again just in case I missed anything. Recommend to those who haven't seen it yet.

Dark thriller that just misses the mark.......2007-03-29

Taking on a the plot gimmick of changing the past much like Bedazzled, Back to the future, or the TV show Quantum Leap. This isn't new territory, but this movie takes a fresh approach to the theme of changing the past and how it never works.
Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher), who suffered severe traumas as a boy copes with the pain by blacking out at moments of high stress. While searching for an answer to heal his emotional wounds, he finds that when he reads from his adolescent journals and focuses on those moments, he travels back in time, and is able to essentially fix parts of his past. There are consequences to his every choices. His alternate futures vary from frat boy to prisoner to amputee. As he continues to do this, His intentions are in the right place, the actions he takes always have unintended consequences. You know what coming from there, the butterfly effect becomes the snowball effect.

The story takes many leaps of faith and if you can get past the idea of being about to go back in time just by thinking about it you can enjoy it on some level. Ashton Kutcher does a decent job, noting that blows you away but he does what's necessary to move the story along. The supporting cast does about the same, just enough. The concept has some value and the situations are interesting and somewhat predictable. But when dealing with a movie like this where everything gets worse then gets tied up by the happy theatrical ending seems to not fit with what this film should have been. I know there is another ending but this review focuses on the original,(The Director's cut of the movie adds some amount of depth to the storyline, but differs only a little from the theatrical version of the film, as well as providing a bit more detailed look at Evan's ability) The directors cut ending is more fitting but still is a bit of a stretch, it works well to tie up some lose ends and try's to paint a certain picture about the character but still seems kinda funky to me. I liked many things about this movie but disliked about as much. The movie gets very repetitive and slightly predictable. The scenes with the children were a stretch and a bit to over the top for my tastes in this film. The level of intensity never really hit it's peak that was needed. this is a film that i can see where they were going with it and wasn't that far off, but in the end just fell short of a home run. I think with a better director and maybe a more seasoned dramatic actor this film could have reached for something more than the popcorn movie that it is. This movie is based to much in the "real world" to really sell most of these over the top ideas and situations, if it was done more in the vein of lets say a 12 Monkeys where the reality is slightly surreal and blurred as well as the theme of psychosis that the main character isn't really experiencing what he thinks he is. This is just my opinion of course but never really felt in the movie. It's worth a watch and if you can get into the movies ideas you'll enjoy it on some level.

I will mention that I'm a big Sci Fi fan and this movie was nominated for the prestigious Saturn award for best Sci Fi film in 2004 It lost to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and should have.

Failure to Launch (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Entertaining comedy with an important point!
A polished, fun romantic comedy
As Much Fun as You Can Have Without Leaving Home
loed it
bleh

Failure to Launch (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Matthew McConaughey , Sarah Jessica Parker , Zooey Deschanel , Justin Bartha , and Bradley Cooper
Director: Tom Dey
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FILV1Y
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Amazon.com

The plot of Failure to Launch is utterly implausible, yet the movie is thoroughly fun. Tripp (laid-back Matthew McConaughey, Sahara, Dazed and Confused) is a 35-year-old man who still lives with his parents (Kathy Bates, Misery, and ex-quarterback Terry Bradshaw)--and they aren't happy about it. Eager to get him out of the nest, they hire Paula (Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker), a professional motivator who feigns relationships with boy-men so that their improved self-esteem will lead them to leave the nest. But Tripp's not the usual insecure shut-in Paula's used to, and as sparks fly, Paula finds herself losing her professional distance. This sort of set-up drove classic screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s; once you embrace the absurdity, the movie zips along with a surprising balance of humor and bittersweet shadings. Failure to Launch gets a huge boost from the supporting performance of Zooey Deschanel (Elf) as Paula's housemate Kit--part sourpuss, part tomboy, and entirely sexy and winning. McConaughey and Parker have enjoyable chemistry and carry the movie well, but Deschanel is an oddball romantic-heroine-in-waiting. Also featuring Bradley Cooper (Alias) and Justin Bartha (National Treasure). --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

Matthew McConaughey is Tripp, a 35 year-old who still lives with his parents. And who can blame him? It's free, he's got a great room, and mom (Kathy Bates) does the laundry. Desperate to get him out of the house, his parents hire a gorgeous woman, Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), to give him a little…push. They just didn't expect Tripp would push back! Zooey Deschanel, Terry Bradshaw and Alias' Bradley Cooper co-star in this romantic battle of wills that proves there's no place like home.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining comedy with an important point!.......2007-06-29

As a comedy, this has plenty of merit. Terry Bradshaw (who is nearly as good a comedic actor as he was a quarterback) and Cathy Bates (who is a truly gifted actress in every respect) play the roles of a couple who cannot get their adult son to leave home! They retain the services of a young lady to resolve this problem, and shall we say that complications arise (not to spoil the plot for you).

Anyway, I can fully recommend this movie as a comedy. For those who have been unable to get their 20+ offspring to leave the house and go off on their own, well maybe watching this movie together will give them the hint. If not, you can always change the locks! :-D

A polished, fun romantic comedy.......2007-05-23

I don't watch a lot of this type of movie, but I found "Failure To Launch" to be good fun, and even a little clever: I liked the way various animals kept biting and attacking Matthew McConaughey's character, because they instinctively sensed his antithetical-to-nature lifestyle (sponging off his parents, continually keeping true responsibility at bay, etc.). It also spends a little time fleshing out the supporting characters and giving them funny things to do... though I could have done without Terry Bradshaw's extended nude scene (I'm not kidding). I mean, the guy's still in good shape and actually turns out to be a pretty good comedic actor (plus, yeah, it's more of a comic nude scene and not a sex scene), but c'mon.

A sharp picture, a handful of adequately illuminating extras, and a main feature running time that doesn't overstay its welcome (the movie is a shade over 90 minutes) make this an easy DVD to recommend, at least for a single viewing. Romantic comedy fans, and fans of Mr. McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, likely wouldn't regret taking the further step and owning it.

And, oh yeah, I have to give credit where credit is due: there's a wicked funny scene that sends up Star Wars/science fiction movie geeks that's absolutely priceless. As someone often accused of being such a geek, I just had to laugh, raise the white flag and admit, "they got me."

As Much Fun as You Can Have Without Leaving Home.......2007-04-20

A concept film that doesn't stray far from home. The story is everything it sets out to be: a light, romantic comedy about boys who need a gentle shove to start behaving as men. The themes of friendships, comfort zones, family love, and fear of commitment get fair treatment with laughs throughout. Without being over-analytical, you can have fun and have a diversion that comes out pretty much as you expect.

loed it.......2007-04-14

I loved this movie. It pokes fun at a son who does not want to leave home. His dad and mom scheme to get him to move out, but it backfires on them.

bleh.......2007-04-10

Matthew McConaughey is quite possibly the most annoyingly bad actor ever. This movie has a stupid story and even stupider comedy. Stay away.

Average customer rating:

A little gem about loneliness
Auto route to detox
Uniquely Odd and Refreshing
WONDERFUL FILM!
Intensely Human...

The Station Agent
Starring: Peter Dinklage , Paul Benjamin , Jase Blankfort , Paula Garcés , and Josh Pais
Director: Thomas McCarthy
Manufacturer: Miramax
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ASIN: B0001WTWDI
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

A strong ensemble and director Tom McCarthy's sweetly low-key observations make Sundance fave The Station Agent a treat. The film revolves around a reserved, somber dwarf (Peter Dinklage, immortalized by his brilliant ticked-off tirade in Living in Oblivion), a train enthusiast who inherits a small depot in rural New Jersey. He makes friends, somewhat reluctantly, with a group of eccentric locals: the guy at the coffee stand (buoyant Bobby Cannavale), an artist (Patricia Clarkson, impeccable as usual), a librarian (Michelle Williams). A few of the plot strands feel forced, but whenever the actors are simply playing off each other with McCarthy's nicely understated dialogue--which is most of the time--it ambles along winningly. You'll also learn more than you ever thought you'd want to know about trains. The key is Dinklage's smoldering performance, one of those reminders that a single scowl is worth pages of conversation. --Robert Horton

Description

Winner of 2003 Sundance Film Festival awards (Best Drama, Audience Award; Best Screenplay, Tom McCarthy; Best Performance, Patricia Clarkson), THE STATION AGENT stars Emmy Award winner Patricia Clarkson (TV's SIX FEET UNDER, FAR FROM HEAVEN), Peter Dinklage (ELF), and Bobby Cannavale (TV's 24, THIRD WATCH) in a comedy about friendship that will have you smiling long after the final credits. Fin McBride (Dinklage), a loner with a passion for trains, inherits an abandoned train station in the middle of nowhere -- a place that suits him just fine because all he wants is to be alone. But that is not to be. Soon after moving in, he discovers his isolated depot is more like Grand Central Station. There's Olivia (Clarkson), a distracted and troubled artist, and Joe (Cannavale), a friendly Cuban with an insatiable hunger for conversation. With absolutely nothing in common, they find their isolated lives coming together in a friendship none of them could foresee.

Customer Reviews:

A little gem about loneliness.......2007-06-15

Finbar McBride is a dwarf. He works with his aging boss at the Golden Spike, a shop for model railroad and train enthusiasts. His boss dies suddenly leavin Fin a dilapidated old train station in the middle of nowhere New Jersey.

The story revolves around the lonely Fin, the lonely Joe who operates a hot dog truck, the lonely Olivia grieving over her lost child and marriage and Emily, the librarian, who is lonely in a different way.

It's a stark little film, filled with fine performances. I really can't say more without giving away more of the story than should be given away. See it for yourself if you want a walk through the lonely side of life. Don't fear: the movie isn't depressing. In its own way, it is kind of uplifting as these lost souls come together.

Jerry

Auto route to detox.......2007-05-27

Well, I couldn't but write about this one. Though probably just another regular Amazon purchaser, I'm not a habitual writer of reviews except i personally feel a movie/ CD is exceptional (good or otherwise). This one really deserves a mention and boy! it also merits all the accolades it received (22 worldwide award wins in total), not that awards always translate to mean quality but when one them is a BAFTA award then it's got to be worthy, yep! the Bafta is indeed a much more credible 'seal of quality'.

I really have to recommend this movie as it just completely 'hits the spot' and there were loads of times that we spontaneously burst out in uncontrollable fits of roaring laughter probably upsetting the (by now frustrated) neighbours. As with the general synopsis and personal opinions all of which i agree with e.g one from top reviewer Joseph H (somewhere above), it's a movie about a (possibly taunted by the mainstream world & subsequently tired) deeply reclusive, train/ railway lover, Fin (Peter Dinklage, someone i feel should be taken seriously as an actor) and his journey to and stay in New Jersey, all as a result of his dead employer's surprise estate bequeathal ... he eventually turns out to be the star of this NJ outback with all those that really got to know him being genuinely drawn to him, his mental wisdom & courage and not out of pity/ amusement because of his dwarfism. It's one of those movies that remind or make us come to realize that spending time with, getting to know and understanding people & things can really change our sometimes bigoted, tainted outlook and approaches.

The movie is purely a drama/ comedy and one that MAKES ALL THE SENSE in the world, I think it's one that anybody or family should/ could watch on a day when there's time to catch a movie. Every character in the movie contributes at least one very funny scene, starting from the young, persistent, 'free spirit' black girl, right down to the library attendant, phew!!! I laughed pretty much all the way through it and that's hardly something one sees in many drama movies, some comedies might achieve this with that odd bit of the producer's or script writer's (just for kicks) senseless/ inane scenery here and there.

Two of my funniest scenes remain 'Post-drinking, morning after' scenes, the first of which was when Olivia (Patricia Clarkson the Emmy winning, Oscar and Screen Actors' Guild nominee) overslept at Fin's house and the coffee/ hotdog dude Joe (Emmy winning, Will & Grace actor Bobby Cannavale) saw her leaving the house and the second scene was the reverse, when Fin and the coffee dude overslept at Olivia's and someone saw them. Some other more thoughtful, more sobering scenes include when Fin gets drunk in the bar and eventually crashes out seemingly paralyzed on the rail tracks which (being a true train lover) apparently was his routine daily way back home, with that oncoming train, Gosh!!! The scene then leads to one with the discovery of Olivia's unconscious body on the floor.

All round good acting and I have to make a mention of the commendable child actress Raven Goodwin, who even by her pre-teen years had already been recognized with a Screen Actors' Guild and also the Black reel award nominations. Bobby Cannavale aka Joe, is extremely hillarious in most parts and i'm still laughing even as i write this.

Considering the movie's current going price even here on Amazon (approx $10 or £5), it's indeed a bargain for that much needed stress detox.

Uniquely Odd and Refreshing.......2007-04-27

This movie takes a spot on my top ten with Lost in Translation and other brilliant movies that give simplicity a new name. If you love movies for their complex and real characters, this is a movie for you. If you love movies for action, climax, and drastic twists only, don't bother. This simple and unique movie demonstrates that not all movies have to have a loud and explosive or dramatic climax to be intriguing. Do yourself a favor and get this movie; you won't regret it.

WONDERFUL FILM! .......2007-04-06

It's amazing how some movies just pull you in. I was flicking through the channels on my TV and this movie had just started. I could not look away for the next two hours. I have since bought the DVD and have watched it a few times. It is a incrediblely good film that should not be missed by movie lovers!

Intensely Human..........2007-03-26

I love movies like this where the characters are off-beat but totally believable. The three main characters are all somewhat displaced, with Fin, the "little person," inheriting a train station in the middle of nowhere; Olivia staying at a "get-away" home purchased by her husband before he "got away" and still grieving the sudden death of her young son; and Joe, the chatty hot-dog vendor who loves to talk and cook, who has returned to care for his ailing father and run his vending truck. These three characters apparently have little in common but a need to care and be cared for. Fin wants isolation, but the quirky characters in his midst won't allow that. He feels like a freak because of his size, but that goes away when he is spending time with his new friends. The tenuous bonds break, leaving the three characters with a terrible sense of loss that almost becomes tragic for two of them. Love truly triumphs in this film (not the romantic kind of love), and you know by the end that they will be okay. Beautifully written and acted, this film is a joy to behold. Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Heartwarming!
Magic 'America'
Hit Home
Do you believe in magic? You will, you will
irish immigration

In America
Starring: Paddy Considine , Samantha Morton , Sarah Bolger , Emma Bolger , and Neal Jones
Director: Jim Sheridan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JLR8
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

In America stars the incandescent Samantha Morton and Paddy Considine as two young Irish parents who have lost their only son. Trying to run away from their grief, they move (illegally) to a junkie-infested apartment building in New York City with their two daughters, Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger). Though they struggle with meager jobs and suffocatingly hot weather, a friendship with an artist in an apartment below them (Djimon Hounsou, Gladiator) becomes a catalyst that allows them to rebuild their family. In America is splendidly acted throughout--of particular note are the two girls, real-life sisters whose on-screen charisma is clearly a family trait. But it's Morton who anchors the movie; her every emotion seems to glow from her skin. The commitment of the actors keeps the movie compelling, despite some dangerously sentimental patches. --Bret Fetzer

Description

From Academy Awad Nominee Jim Sheridan comes this deeply personal and poignant tale of a poor Irish family searching for a better life In America. Through the eyes of their spunky daughters, two anguished parents find hope and the ability to once again believe in love and magic…even amidst the dangers of New York's harrowing Hell's Kitchen. With mesmerizing performances by Samantha Morton and Djimon Hounsou, In America is "a classic" (USA Today) you won't ever forget.

Customer Reviews:

Heartwarming!.......2007-05-12

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The child who plays
the lead role is just wonderful. Watch it with your children and
grandchildren. You'll probably watch it over and over. A wonderful
and humorous story, with a few very exciting moments and a nice
ending.
N.

Magic 'America'.......2007-02-28

In America is a beautifully done and heartfelt film about an Irish family's struggle to make a fresh start in New York after the death of their young son. Director Jim Sheridan has done some remarkable work over the years focusing on true-to-life Irish characters (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father). He turns to his own experiences for this film, an intensely personal and lyrical rendering of the American Dream, written by Sheridan and his daughters, Kirsten and Naomi.

As told from a child's point-of-view, the depiction of a poor immigrant family is somewhat idealized. Christy, the eldest of the two daughters captures their lives on camcorder and, with three wishes at her disposal, fancies herself as the person who piggybacks her family through their difficulties. But the story really takes a turn into the realm of magic realism with the introduction of the character of Mateo (Djimon Honsou), a Basquiat-like artist who lives in the same drug-infested building as the family. This leads to an unexpected ending for which Sheridan brings up M. Night Shyamalan of all directors as an inspiration in the superb director's commentary.

The cast is excellent. Samantha Morton is, as always, immanently watchable. As we know from her role as Sean Penn's muse in Sweet and Lowdown, no actor may be as capable of saying as much in their expressions alone as Morton. Real-life sisters, Sarah and Emma Bolger, who play the young girls are so fine and natural in their roles it will send shivers down your spine. Paddy Considine, who plays the father, can't be overlooked as the film's anchor; he is the person who goes through the greatest transformation as he struggles with grief and trying to be the emotional rock for his family.

As the commentary reveals, much of In America was actually filmed in Ireland, but there are few recent films that depict New York, and especially the New York of the underprivileged, as sweetly.

Hit Home.......2007-02-20

All the actors and actresses carried this movie and made it so believable. You could sense the exhilaration, frustration, danger and opportunities in "coming to America". The melting pot, indeed. The Bolger sisters absolutely were the touch of grace in this story....the phrase "Goodbye Frankie....say 'goodbye Frankie' Dad..." will indelibly be etched in my mind. Tough, heartbreakingly real and giving a glimpse of the aspirations of millions who've come ashore.

Do you believe in magic? You will, you will.......2007-01-30

Name the film directors whose first film won Academy Awards for their co-stars. There's only one: Jim Sheridan, who directed "My Left Foot" in 1989. Brenda Fricker won an Oscar for Best Actress. Daniel Day-Lewis was named Best Actor. And Jim Sheridan established himself as a director who could plumb deep emotion without wallowing in it.

Two more films, four more Oscar nominations --- clearly, Sheridan has a way with actors. And then, in 2003, he co-authored and directed "In America," starring Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, Djimon Honsou (who went on to co-star in "Blood Diamond") and two sisters, 12-year-old Sarah Bolger and 8-year-old Emma. Morton was nominated for Best Actress by the Academy. Honsou was a nominee for Best Supporting Actor. The Bolger sisters were robbed.

But then, so was "In America," which has embedded itself in my memory as one of the wisest, most affecting films I've ever seen. I just watched it again. On second viewing, it's just as powerful.

I suspect this is, in part, because "In America" is the kind of story that the Irish do best. There's plenty of painful, gritty realism --- there's also a rich stream of magic. They merge at the start of the film. The strands never separate.

It works like this: Johnny Sullivan, his wife Sarah and their daughters sit in their old station wagon at the Canadian border, waiting to be admitted to the United States as "tourists." In fact, this Irish actor and his family plan to be illegal aliens in New York City. Johnny presents his documents....

Immigration Officer: How many children do you have?
Johnny: Three.
Sarah: Two.
Johnny: Two.
Immigration Officer: Says three here.
Johnny: We lost one.

That lost child is Frankie, recently dead at 5. His legacy is grief --- grief like a lead blanket, grief so heavy there's no point talking about it because everyone feels it and no one knows what to do about it. Christy, the older daughter, has been "talking" to Frankie every night and believes that he has given her three wishes. Seeing that this moment could go either way, she uses one: Please let us into America....

In New York, the Sullivans find an apartment in a druggie-infested slum. The girls like America. But Johnny is stymied in the land of opportunity --- his auditions are flat, he can't get a part, he becomes one of that army of actors who drives a cab. More stress: Sarah gets pregnant and learns that the baby could endanger her health. And the kids have befriended Mateo, a neighbor --- a fierce, hostile African artist who, unknown to them, is dying of AIDS.

You watch all this, mouth open, as if you are watching a documentary. Credit the writing and, equally, the performances: Samantha Morton is all eyes and hope. Paddy Considine is a tormented block of ice. And the girls --- well, here's Jim Sheridan recalling how he cast them:

There was an open audition and Emma was the very first girl. I got Emma to read, and I thought she was a bit too good, so I went to get another girl, and Emma pulled my coat really hard, and I looked 'round and she just looked at me with pity, as if I'd crossed the line of etiquette, and she said, "Is she reading my part?" I waited and looked in her eyes, and she didn't back down, so I said, "No, Emma, nobody's reading your part. She said, "Good, my sister's in the car." I said, "What age?" She said, "10," but I thought that was too young. She said, "Well, see her anyway." And I went down and cast her after three minutes. So that was the first two kids out of 300 --- I never saw any others.

There are scenes in this movie that will haunt you all your days. At a street fair, John bets every dollar they have in order to win an ET doll for the kids....Sarah, wild-eyed, briefly loses her mind in the maternity ward....Christy sings "Desperado" at a school talent show....Johnny confesses to Mateo, "I asked God a favor --- take me instead of him. And he took the both of us." And then there is a line that was, for me, the killer: Christy announcing, "Don't `little girl' me --- I've been carrying this family on my back for more than a year."

Oh, the wisdom of kids. These girls find the words than no one else can say. They form the friendships that lead the family back to life. You can see some kind of happy ending coming, but you absolutely can't see how --- and then Christy uses her third and final wish.

When I saw "In America" in a theater, people all around us were blubbering at that wish; how simple it was, and how hard. Christy's words to her father cut deep, but they cut with such love. And then there are words --- three words, and you'll never guess them --- that Johnny has to say.

The catharsis, when it comes, is glorious. There's a second one, a printed line at the start of the credits --- the dedication of the film "to the memory of my brother, Frankie." A little research reveals that Jim Sheridan was 17 when his younger brother died. But the ages don't matter, only the emotions. And there is no director on this planet who handles emotional truth better than Jim Sheridan.

As you will see in those moments when your tears don't blur the screen.

irish immigration.......2007-01-25

Sarah and Johnny move with their two young girls from Ireland to tenement housing in New York City. A few floors below them Mateo of Nigeria has scrawled "Keep Away" on his door in bright orange letters, and screams in rage. Why he does so, and what happens when Johnny's family discovers why, form the crux of this film. In America is only partly a story about immigration, and more about grief, loss and friendship among these five people. This was a good but not great film, even though it earned three Academy Award nominations.

Average customer rating:

Springer Grote Style
All Time Favorite
An Anthem to Endurance
The WWII from the eyes of a younf boy in London
Hopeful and glorious

Hope and Glory
Starring: Sebastian Rice-Edwards , Geraldine Muir , Sarah Miles , David Hayman , and Sammi Davis
Director: John Boorman
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005AUJS
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Amazon.com essential video

This winning 1987 epic written and directed by John Boorman (Deliverance, The General) serves as a picaresque and semi-autobiographical remembrance of a boy's coming of age during the Second World War. Exhibiting a defiant and humorous take on life during the London blitz, the family of the young boy at the center of the story (Sebastian Rice-Edwards) is a close-knit and resilient bunch, undeterred in the face of the war and reveling in each other even as they hide from the incessant bombing. To be sure, there are some poignant moments in this childhood reminiscence, such as when the boy's older sister (Sammi Davis) falls in love with a Canadian, becomes pregnant, and marries him, only to see him taken away by the military police. And the boy's mother (Sarah Miles) serves as a strong influence in the boy's life as she leads her family through this tumultuous time. The majestic sweep of the film is contrasted with so many comic moments as the people in town go about the mundane details of their daily lives yet also engage in the most absurd rituals in dealing with the onslaught of German artillery, from taking the air raids for granted to wearing gas masks at school. Boorman doesn't dwell on the horrors of war; instead he celebrates the richness and resilience of the people he remembers so fondly. An adventurous and nostalgic slice of life, Hope and Glory is a superb and memorable film. --Robert Lane

Description

British writer/director John Boorman (The Emerald Forest) draws us into an astonishing and exhilarating portrait of his own childhood, set against the terrors of a London torn apart by the onset of WWII. Seven-year-old Billy Rohan (Sebastian Rice Edwards) finds his childhood to be atime of great dangerand even greater discovery. From thunderous bombings at his own doorstep andthe constant threat of Luftwaffe air raids to the landing of a German paratrooper in his neighborhood and the joyous obliteration of his much-hated school, Billy's young life is shapedand even enrichedby the one positive thing war has brought him: liberation from the ordinary. And though Billy is surrounded by decimation and the smoking remnants of ruined lives, his sense of enchanted wonderment and innocence in the face of man's most destructive folly affect him in a way that alters his life forever.

Customer Reviews:

Springer Grote Style.......2007-05-12

I've always loved this movie. I really don't know why, but it has to be that my papaw recorded off of HBO years ago and I watched it and it just reminds me of him so much. The movie is British so, its never played on TBS or USA or anthing like that here in the good ol USA. If you are into WWII era type movies its good for the collection. Just an entertaining movie to get a bowl of popcorn and relax w/ the Mrs.

All Time Favorite.......2007-03-29

First let me say that I am an Anglophile which may have something to do with my particular interest in this movie. Hope and Glory takes me back to a time that was at once Britain's most difficult and its best. It depicts the British spirit at its most gloriest. This movie has been watched and enjoyed many times.

An Anthem to Endurance.......2007-02-16

Director John Boorman's semi-autobiographical elegy to the Blitz is a poignant, comical, and occasionally hard-core look at the realities of war through the eyes of a young boy. Given the roles of his wife and son in the piece, it's also a rather lovingly crafted family project.
We first meet young Bill Rowan (a rosy-mouthed, freckle-faced imp named Sebastian Rice-Edwards), the son of a closely-knit middle class English family, as he plays in the backyard of his London home on the day war is declared between Germany and Great Britain.
His little sister, Sue (Geraldine Muir, who could definitely pass for the daughter of David Hayman, who plays Bill's father, Clive) pedals about the backyard singing a pop ditty of the day, and his older sister, Dawn (a vivacious and overly-flirtatious Sammi Davis)angrily storms about trying to find her mislaid stockings as the children's careworn parents (including an emotional Sarah Miles as Grace Rowan)listen to a radio report of how their world is about to change.
Oftentimes, with the accompaniment of their friends, Mac and Molly (Derrick O'Connor and Susan Woolridge), we follow the Rowans through the emotional dilemma of whether or not to send Bill and Sue overseas to escape the air raids in those uncertain times, Bill's difficulties with intimidating authority figures(Susan Brown, Gerald James) in school, the disruption of a school day by an air raid, and a German pilot (Charlie Boorman) landing in a victory garden.
Air raids soon hit close to home and, and while Mr. Rowan is away in the Army, his wife and children endure a night of terror as Luftwaffe bombs shatter their windows; the following day, they deal with shattered lives.
In the meantime they find ways to lift their spirits amid strains of Cole Porter, Frederic Chopin, and later, Mozart.
We observe the complexities of the relationships between the adults in Bill's life, the crude realities of gangs among the rubble, and an obscene game involving a neighbor(Sarah Langton), recently left motherless by an air raid.
Soon enough,the reality of how parents lose control of their children in wartime settles in as well, when Dawn begins dating Canadian Corporal Bruce Carrey (Jean-Marc Barr). Reportedly, upon viewing this film, Boorman's sister collapsed and took to her bed for a few days, having seen many antics she thought she'd gotten away with as a teenager portrayed onscreen.
Another major crisis causes the Rowans to seek refuge in the riverside home of Bill's maternal grandparents(the comically exasperated Ian Bannen, and stalwart Annie Leon). Bill's three aunts, Faith, Hope and Charity(Jill Baker, Amelda Brown, and Kathrine Boorman) provide support during this time.
But even as air strikes destroy lives and property, in an ironic twist, they provide the Rowans with an answer to the problem of food shortages, and Bill, in particular, with one of the most joyous moments of his life.
Watch for a scene where Bill observes a film being made in the middle of the road; it is a portrait of a young lad glimpsing his future career.
While certain scenes may make a viewer squeamish, overall, "Hope and Glory" is a poem to hope and family solidarity in the hardest of times.

The WWII from the eyes of a younf boy in London .......2007-01-04

A fantastic story that gives a great look into the war from a young boys point of view and the effects a father away from home has on his family. Funny and sad, it's a great movie.

Hopeful and glorious.......2006-11-24

I am showing this to a Year 9 History class in Australia. They are engrossed in it, laughing at the funny scenes and being genuinely touched by the dramatic scenes. What an amazing film! After 20 years it still feels fresh and fantastic. One of the most extraordinary films I've ever seen. If you don't own this movie, then do yourself a favour and buy it.

Average customer rating:

wonderful Cannon MovieTale version
snow white! much better than the disney version!
Grimm story reborn.
The Fairest One of All!
snow white

Snow White
Starring: Diana Rigg , Billy Barty , Sarah Patterson , Nicola Stapleton , and Mike Edmonds
Director: Michael Berz
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD