Emperor

Great historical war drama
"Emperor" (2013 release; 98 min.) brings the true story of how General/Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces MacArthur (played here by Tommy Lee Jones) was sent to Japan following Japan's surrender to end WWII, to assess which top ranking officials from Japan, including possibly Emperor Hirohito, should be brought to justice and stand trial. MacArthur enlistens the help of General Fellers (played by Matthew Fox) for the actual investigations, focusing on the Emperor, the Prime Minister and a few other top Ministers. The problem is that Washington demands a conclusion in only 10 days. The movie's script (based on the book 'His Majesty's Salvation' by Shiro Okamoto) intertwines the political and military aspects with a romantic involvement by Fellers with a Japanese woman whom he gets to know in the 1930s in the US, but who eventually returns to Japan without telling Fellers. Fellers is determined to find her now that he is back in Japan. Will Fellers find his former flame? Will...

Thought-Provoking Historical Drama
At the conclusion of the War in the Pacific ("V J Day," for those of us old enough to remember), the Allied forces had a dilemma: Should the Emperor of Japan (the Emperor of the Chrysanthemum Throne) be tried (and hung) for war crimes? Few of us gave it a moment's consideration at the time, but here is a thought-provoking drama that examines the issue.

It stars:
* Tommy Lee Jones ("Lincoln") as General Douglas MacArthur, tasked with reconstructing Japan, writing a constitution and restoring the economy. (Plus MacArthur really wants to run for President of the United States.) Is Jones getting all the good parts lately, or does he just make his parts seem that good?
* Matthew Fox ("Alex Cross") as General Bonner Fellers, the guy who understands that if Emperor Hirohito is hung, an insurrection will be inevitable and the war will NOT be over. Fox does great suppressed rage. Watch for it!
* Eriko Hatsune ("Norwegian Wood") as Aya, the sweetheart Fellers met...

Masatoshi Nakamura
I saw emperor shortly after it was released. I went to see it not only because I am interested in Japanese culture and history, but because I wanted to see the renowned Japanese actor and singer Masatoshi Nakamura in one of his rare appearances in an, American movie. He had a small part in it, but in my opinion he did a wonderful job. He had about a 5 minute speech which was quite powerful and moving. Mr. Nakamura has a long list of accomplishments and is very well known in Japan, so I am very happy that he had the opportunity to play an important role in an American movie.

Overall I think the movie was very well done. I would recommend it to anyone especially those who are interested in American and/or Japanese history.

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Nacho Mountain

Shane
I usually don't go for anything but big blockbuster type comedies that I've already heard about, so this was a gamble for me. It paid off! It was freaking AWESOME. I've loaned it out like four times already

Hilarious!
This was hilarious. Campy comedy...I bought it because I love comedies that aren't so mainstream. This one was actually better than I expected. I suggest you watch with a big bucket of movie theater style nachos.

super funny
This was hilarious. Campy comedy...I bought it because I love comedies that aren't so mainstream. This one was actually better than I expected. I suggest you watch with a big bucket of movie theater style nachos.

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Meet the Fockers

Number 2 is better than the first !
Funny movie with fantastic array of stars. Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman were meant for each other. They really make this movie something special.

Meet the fockers. Brilliant.
Surreal and witty. Great entertainment at its best. I keep watching it over and over again. Impressive star line-up. Dustin Hoffman is a riot!

Can't go wrong
This is a favorite for DeNiro, Hoffman, Stiller, and Streisand fans! Hoffman shines as usual and works great with Streisand!

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This is Martin Bonner

4.5 stars... quiet but captivating drama could've been called "This Is Travis Holloway"
"This Is Martin Bonner" (2913 release; 83 min.) brings the story of Martin Bonner (played by Paul Eenhorn), an Australian native but long-time US resident who recently has taken a job in Reno, NV, helping inmates at the Northern Nevada Correctional Facility to prepare for life back on the outside. By happenstance, Bonner gets to know Travis Holloway (played by Richmond Arquette), who was just released after a 12 year stint (we only learn much later what for). Both men being new to the area, they come to rely on each other for moral support. As the movie unfolds, we learn more of the personal background of each. To tell you more of the plot would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is one of those "little movies that could", and delivers a deeply moving story of two men trying to adjust to new circumstances. "This Is Martin Bonner" moves at snail's pace, and I mean that as a compliment. Check out...

An introspective look at two men trying to find themselves
For some, this may be a slow-moving film, but that's really the whole idea, as Martin Bonner and a just-released prisoner find a friendship based on discovering that they have more than a few things in common. You'll believe that the actors are, indeed, the characters they are playing! For older teens and above, since this is rated "R" for language and sexuality.

A quietly perfect story
The story involves an older, gray haired man starting a new job in a correctional institute in Reno. We see him unpacking his few belongings in a modest apartment and endure a difficult first day at the job. Then he picks up a fellow on the road who has just been released. What unfolds is the friendship between the two and the way each of them copes with the challenges of his new life.

The actors are first rate. I was particularly impressed by Richmond Arquette as Travis Holloway, the ex-con. From the first moment when we see him hunched down to protect himself from the cold, he portrays a very believable person. As wonderful as all the actors were it is Travis' face that stuck with me long after seeing the show. He's just so ordinary...he isn't handsome, sexy, charismatic or smart. And yet there's more to him than that, too. In a way it's really Travis' movie and I have to wonder why it's titled after Martin. Sam Buchanan as Diana, Travis' daughter gives a killer...

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The Lone Ranger and the City of Gold

Who was that masked man?
The Lone Ranger and Tonto ride to the rescue when a gang of hooded-raiders spreads murder and terror searching for a legendary treasure on Indian land. As a nostalgic treat, this Western movie is perfect for those who remember those thrilling days of yesteryear. Clayton Moore's portrayal of the Lone Ranger is part of childhood memories for many loyal fans. Jay Silverheels will be forever identified as "his faithful Indian companion, Tonto." Amidst a plethora of cereal commercials, The Lone Ranger and Tonto chased the bad guys right off our B&W TV screens back in the baby-boomer '50s. This is the second of two feature length films produced after the TV series ended first-run episodes in 1956. The color photography enhances the excitement of larger-than-life heroes. The script and other production values are Grade B, at best, but, who cares? When The Lone Ranger, on his fiery horse, Silver, rides over the horizon outlaws are out of luck. The Lone Ranger's...

A Great Lone Ranger Movie!
This Lone Ranger movie is action-packed from the beginning until the end, and it's even in color, too! This was the last Lone Ranger movie ever made, and it was the last film in which Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels was Tonto. A great finale to their careers! The whole plot centers on five silver medallions cut from the same plaque that, put together, lead to a long-lost city of gold. These medallions belong to Indians, three of whom have been killed by the Hooded Raiders who wish to obtain the riches for themselves. Can the Lone Ranger and Tonto stop the Hooded Raiders from killing the two remaining Indians? Buy the film and find out. Anyone who loves the Lone Ranger will love this movie! A must-have for any Lone Ranger fan!!!

My Hero
Not only did Clayton Moore try to live up to his role as the Lone Ranger, so did I. Thank God I had role models like this when I was growing up. What a different country this would be if kids still tried to emulate the silver screen cowboys of yesteryear. As for the movie, it has everything. Rich color, beautiful scenery, some of the best fight scenes ever put on film, and a subtext about the evils of racism. Put aside your modern world cynicism and just enjoy this movie and every other film you can put your hands on about this great American hero.

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9 To 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Give a Girl a Break (1953)

really brialliant dance numbers!
i think this film, Give a Girl a Break," is very good, and the choreography alone in it, makes it well worth watching. Debbie Reynolds does some lovely dance numbers. Also Marge and Gower Champion really shine in this film and in my opinion do some of their best dance numbers in it. It doesn't have the most interesting plot, bt is worth it for the song and dance. I think any fan of 50's musicals would enjoy it. It's colorful and a fun film to watch. I have to nore, the costumes are first rate, some of the lovliest I've seen in musicals.

Stanley Donen's fine follow up to "Singin in the Rain".
"Give a Girl a Break" was Stanley Donen's first film after "Singin in the Rain." It features a rare opprotunity to see director Bob Fosse dance on film. His numbers with Debbie Reynolds are the highlights of the film.

Definitely worthwhile
While this film does not stand up to many classic movie musicals, it is a definite must for anyone with a fondness for Debbie Reynolds or Bob Fosse. Absolutely worth owning.

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VeggieTales: King George & the Ducky

Perhaps my favorite Veggie Tales video yet!
These videos are so clever. They include humor that only an older child or an adult would understand while still having great kid-appeal. This series is truly whole-family viewing material!

In this particular episode, King George (aka Larry the Cucumber) is playing in the bath with his rubber duckie. He has a whole collection of duckies, but he spies a little guy taking a bath with *his* duckie from his window. (Think of David and Bathsheba here) Even though he has plenty of duckies, he wants the little guy's (Junior Asparagus') duckie!

Before the story begins, Jimmy and Jerry gourd try to take Bob and Larry's place introducing the show - with hilarious results!

I guarantee you'll love this video - it's for children of ALL ages!

God bless you all and check out my other reviews!

Cream of the Veggie Crop
This has to be one of my favorite Veggie videos! Jimmy and Jerry Gourd attempt to host the show (something they've wanted to do since Dave and the Giant Pickle) disguised as Bob and Larry. They show a story entitled "The Englishman who went up the hill and came down with all the bananas." You have to see it! A classic! Fortunaly, the real tomato and cucumber come and show King George and the Ducky. At first I found it hard to believe that Big Idea made a children's video on the story of David and Bathsheba, but the only thing King George (aka Larry) desires is Thomas's (aka Jr. Asparaus) rubber ducky. This video has wonderful music (I Love My Duck will be running through your head for hours!) and the Silly Song is truly wonderful. This video is fun, and the lesson is a wonderful lesson for children.

A tale of selfishness...
This is another great installment in the Veggie Tales series. It is a very cleverly disguised retelling of the story of David and Bathsheba. The video opens with a brief stint by Jimmy and Jerry Gourd, who are not so cleverly disgiused as Bob and Larry, as hosts. After their parable about not being selfish, titled The Englishman who went up a hill and came down with all the bananas ( you have to see it, it's priceless), the real story unfolds. King George, played by Larry, is in love with his rubber ducky. His kingdom is engaged in the Great Pie War but he has no interest in it. He would rather be in the tub with his duck. All is well until he spies Thomas down in the village, in a tub, with a duck (that is identical to his own). He decides his duck, or any of the other ones in his closet, is not good enough and he must have Thomas'. So, he sends Thomas off to the war and takes his duck. I don't want to give away the end but he learns his lesson. Like the other...

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My Geisha

Please give this movie the DVD treatment!
I know I would give this film an even higher rating if it was ever brought to DVD with a widescreen presentation. There are so many scenes in this film where the actors heads are cut in half(vertically) and so many spectacular shots of Japanese vistas that having this film seen only on VHS(fullscreen) is actually a felony in the history of color filmmaking. That aside, the story is a comedy laced with genuine drama and fantastic character acting from both Shirley MacLaine and Bob Cummings surrounding the filming of "Madame Butterfly" at authentic Japanese locales. Fans of Yves Montand will not be disappointed for he brings a surprising range of emotions from one scene to the next, alternating between witty banter(particularly with Bob Cummings) to gripping heartache near the end of the story. The supporting cast is solid, led by veteran actor Edward G. Robinson in a role that is a far cry from his "Little Caesar" days. One of my few complaints lies in the fact...

East meets West in a sweet comedy
Shirley MacLaine stars as a movie star and Yves Montand plays her director-husband. He wants to film Madame Butterfly in Japan with an all-Japanese cast. She plots (with producer Edward G. Robinson) to disguise herself as a Japanese actress and do the film without telling her husband, to prove she can do a serious role, even though Montand wants to prove he can make an important. She dresses as a geisha, gets the part, and they start shooting, but her co-star, Robert Cummings, starts to fall in love her.

MacLaine is overly-cute and almost annoying, until she redeems herself in the final scene. Yves Montand is very, very attractive, French accent and all. He is good at playing the sensitive man whose pride is crushed by his tricky wife. Robert Cummings is the comedy relief and keeps things lively as the leading man who chases all his leading ladies. Robinson is properly gruff and cranky, as one supposes rich and powerful produces might be. This is a really enjoyable...

Beautiful!
I thought "My Geisha" was an extremely enjoyable film. It really captures the struggle of a foreign woman trying to learn the meaning of becoming a Japanese geisha. I must note that this movie, filmed in the 1960's, was able to show geisha in their prime, which is very pleasant to see in an age where the art of geisha has become to wither. For any geisha fan, this movie is worth watching.

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Dogtown And Z-Boys [HD]

40 Going On 14...
When I first heard about this movie, back when it was debuting at Sundance, I couldn't wait to see it. When it did finally come to my town, I dragged my husband to it; it certainly confused him, seeing his 39 year old computer nerd wife turn into a teen age skate rat overnight!

In my mispent youth, I lived about 20 miles south of Dogtown & idolized Tony Alva. I had his magazine shots covering my walls; I memorized every issue of Skateboarder when it arrived in my mailbox. I also spent every available moment gonzoing the local hilly streets with my friends. As soon as I was old enough to get my own place, where did I move to? You guessed it, Dogtown. I don't talk much about those days now, or at least I didn't until DOGTOWN & Z-BOYS came out.

This movie is wonderful. It really captures what that time felt like, when skateboarding was still closely allied to surfing & just finding it's own identity. The archival footage is amazing, especially the P.O.P. sequence, &...

Henry Hester
Although it's been out for a number of months, it took me way too long to get to a theater to see it. I can't tell you how important this film is. As this ground breaking documentary starts to unfold, Stacy and Craig give you a bird's eye view of their 70's concrete playground, complete with historical reasoning for why Dogtown ever existed (and where, exactly, it existed). The editing style is incredible. At one point, Sean Penn makes a verbal mistake yet keeps on going through his description. Any other editor would have cut it and retaped the audio but keeping it in made the whole thing way more real, like Sean was talking to YOU. In addition some of the skaters, in their interviews are "Fast Forwaded" on screen. Very slick way of clipping the bull and getting to the meat.

This movie is a cultural document that should be played in schools, design studios, city halls and to every youngster who ever thought he knew everything about skating, the X games, Bob Burnquist and...

"Dogtown and Z-Boys" fresh, unique, and infectious
Almost 30 years before the world had heard of Tony Hawk, three-sixties, or even Jackass, there was a place called Dogtown, a singed wasteland of ruin in Venice, California where a then overlooked group of rebellious youthful outsiders shared one passion...Skateboarding.

Spearheaded by the unbelievable skating prowess of Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Stacy Peralta (who also serves as director here), the Zephyr Team would go on to revolutionize the world of skateboarding in only a few short years, and bring what was once a passing trend into a national, and inevitably commercialized obsession.

"Dogtown and Z-Boys" passionately chronicles the skyrocket rise and subsequent fame of the Zephyr Team, particularly Alva and Adams with remarkable freshness and purpose. Rare and raw footage and pictures of the infamous Z-Boys blazing the asphalt and riding the dry-bone swimming pools of the early 70's is art in itself creating gripping visual moments set against a
soundtrack courtesey of...

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VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Fib from Outer Space

Great for kids, fabulous for adults
This one, of the whole Veggie Tales series, is my personal favorite. There's a lot here to love. First, it teaches youngsters a valuable lesson about telling the truth both in its wholesome story and in the larger metaphor that first you control the lie but in time the lie controls you. Second, it's amazingly clever in its dialogue and concept and design, from the Larrymobile with its suction cup wheels to the way Larry-Boy, always the consummate nerd, screams "I--AM--THAT--HERO! " But best of all, adults can watch this video and be entertained as well as the kids, as the creators gleefully spoof Batman and superheros in general, bad sci-fi monster flicks, the Franklin Mint, pop culture and, in the final segment, music videos. All the Veggie Tales series are very funny, but this one makes you laugh so hard you'll have to rewind it in spots to re-watch the stuff you missed while recovering from cracking up. This deserves to be a classic. If the gang from Big...

Another VeggieTale movie to add to your collection!
Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato are again hosting another VeggieTales video, this time giving a lesson in telling the truth (John 8:32b "The truth will set you free"). The story begins in the small town of Brumblyburgwhere Jerry and Jimmy are 'supposed' to be monitoring the area for aliens. And when an 'unidentified object' lands, it's up to Larry-Boy (aka Larry the Cucumber) to find out what it is. But Junior Asparagus is the first one to find it; it's an alien called Fib. And when Junior gets into some trouble, Fib gives him the perfect solution; to tell a little lie which of course wouldn't hurt anybody! Junior soon finds out that his little friend can become a HUGE problem! It's up to Larry-Boy and his Larry-Boy Mobile to save the day... if everything goes well...

Totally hilarious, I find this Veggie Tale to be thoroughly enjoying. With great Christian values, they're perfect for kids, teenagers, and even have adults interested with the wry humor, catchy and fun songs,...

Mom and Dad Love This One As Much As The Kid Does!
Larry Boy Rules! My husband and I love watching this video as much as our toddler does. Larry Boy is a SuperHero after our own hearts - so comically inept and so very well intentioned! The music is great in this video and the story is superb. Junior Asparagus learns the hard way that a little fib can turn into a big problem - my daughter adores this show! So many children's videos start to drive me nuts after a couple of viewings, but the VeggieTales videos are so clever and funny that I never tire of them - and I catch something new every time I see them too. Larry Boy would be a wonderful addition to any home video library!

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Cyrus

A Deft Blend of Comedy and Drama
A film starring John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill is going to attract a certain audience...And that is not the correct audience for this film. While Reilly is an accomplished dramatic actor, he's become well-known for appearing in successful comedies lately; Hill is best-known for his work in the Apatow-cannon. Cyrus is the type of film the average moviegoer dismisses as "too weird" or "not funny," which both miss the point entirely. To use a term I'm not fond of, Cyrus is a "dramedy," that seamlessly blends both comedy and drama avoiding cheap punchlines and dramatic, emotional cues. If you think Step Brothers is the "best movie ever" and you're expecting typical Jonah Hill-fare, this is not your movie. If you watch it with an open mind, you'll find it quite rewarding.

John C. Reilly plays John, still wallowing in loneliness seven years after his divorce. Now, his ex-wife Jamie (Catherine Keener) is getting re-married and she takes John to a party in the hope that he'll find...

A Paean to the Passive Aggressive
*** This review may contain spoilers ***

No, I don't usually like movies that feature quite a bit of improvisation and jerky cinematography. Nonetheless, 'Cyrus' has enough crazy moments in it, that it's actually kind of funny. This is not your usual laugh out loud comedy. Rather, it's a farce where we're asked to laugh at (not with) a set of sharply defined, passive-aggressive character types.

A central characteristic of the passive-aggressive personality type is that he/she rarely is able to express anger in a direct, forceful way. Instead, the anger is expressed in a series of short, aggressive bursts and passive retreats. The passive aggressive personality lives in a pressure cooker and inevitably must end up exploding. But once the explosion is over, they will end up where they started: in the same passive aggressive holding pattern, leading nowhere. Passive aggressives can also be thought of as belonging to the larger family of masochists who enjoy...

Serious issues
John C Reilly got all the attention, but it's Jonah Hill who kicks butt as the "mama's boy from hell". It's certainly a low-budget Indie effort, but I applaud all involved; Marisa Tomei plays a woman at wit's end, Reilly plays a loveable schlub, and Catherine Keener watches it all from afar as if nothing could be more fun.

It's a new take on an old story, except the "kid" is in his 20's. I enjoyed the film; some clever banter.
Reilly got some award recognition, but it's Jonah Hill who makes it all interesting.

I'm glad I rented it, but wouldn't buy it for future viewings.

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Waking Life

A triumph
Richard Linklater is one of the great independent directors working today. No matter what you think of his work, you cannot deny that he is an original voice. I don't like all his movies, but I invariably look forward to trying out each new one. Waking Life is one of the good ones.

To start with, its very existence is a sign of this man's imagination. He films the whole thing and edits it into a feature. Now at this point, most directors would consider their film finished. But not Rick Linklater. No, now he gives it to Bob Sabiston at LineResearch to totally cover over with rotoscoping animation using Sabiston's own software. So, basically, he's made two films in one. And we're the luckier for it.

If you've seen Slacker, you'll be familiar with the style. In that film, one scene blends into another through the use a minor character from one scene (often no more than a walk-on) becoming the focus of the next scene. Well, here the blend is not so logical. Several scenes appear to...

Ideal late-night college hallway conversation
Richard Linklater calls this a "movie about ideas," and it is indeed unlike most movies. It has only the slightest semblance of a plot. The unnamed narrator, played by Wiley Wiggins, seems to be trapped in a neverending dream in which he encounters a whole series of characters who expound on ideas about existence, dreaming, identity, time, religion, society. It reminded me of conversations with peers in college, sitting in the hallway of a dormitory, in the middle of the night, our minds bursting with ideas, grappling with problems and not finding any solutions but enamored with the quest. Like that, except amplified. The ideas in Waking Life are not like, whoa, you know, the ramblings of a pot-smoking college flunkie, but actual thoughts from intriguing street philosophers like Speed Levitch, fictional characters like Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's characters from Linklater's Before Sunrise, artists like Steven Soderbergh, or academics like philosophy professor Robert...

Extraordinary feast of images and ideas
No movie that I have ever seen contains such an overwhelming abundance of ideas. Good ideas. Penetrating ideas. Ideas about life, reality, the meaning of existence, and lots and lots of ideas about dreams. Linklater must have been a philosophy major at the University of Texas. I say this partly because of the sheer abundance of philosophical explorations of a huge variety of topics, but the presence of actual University of Texas philosophers. I spotted two with whom I am familiar (Louis Mackey, author of one of the best books on Kierkegaard and who portrayed the "Old Anarchist" in SLACKER, and Robert C. Solomon, a prolific publisher of books on a variety of philosophical topics).

But I don't mean to mislead someone and intimate that this is a movie that solely addresses the head, and not the imagination or the heart. It does. Visually, this is one of the most remarkable films I have ever seen. Most individuals anticipating seeing the film are probably already...

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Sex and the City 2

I guess nothing is as good the second time around.
"Sex and the City 2" has nothing on the HBO series and isn't nearly as good as the first film. However, as a huge fan of the franchise, I still enjoyed it because I got to see the girls on the big screen.

This film picks up two years after the first "SATC" movie. Carrie and Big are married and still living in NYC, but Carrie's afraid they're in a bit of a rut. Meanwhile, Samantha is struggling with menopause, Miranda's irritated with her new boss, and Charlotte's kids are driving her crazy. When Samantha lands an all-expenses paid trip for all four girls to enjoy a week of luxury accommodations in Abu Dhabi, all four women are thrilled at the chance to escape from reality for a little while. During the trip, Carrie is shocked to run into her ex-fiance, Aidan, in the middle of a Middle Eastern marketplace. How will this chance encounter affect her relationship with Big? Watch the movie to find out.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the movie. (Warning: I'm...

Let them wear Louboutins!
This. Movie. Was. Just. Too. Much. It showed absolutely no restraint on all fronts. There were so many reasons to hate this movie, but I'll name a few:

1) It was another road trip. I think the rationale for setting this movie in the middle east was something like, The audiences enjoyed the exotic road trip scenes in the the first movie, so let's create that. Plus the girls will have the opportunity to wear some bright, showy clothing.

2) It was culturally insensitive. The movie was written so that ladies would applaud at the strong women being strong women and sexually liberated antics, but when it is done at the expense of another person's culture, it is wrong. They should have hired a consultant from the middle east to run a sensitivity check on some of these scenes. It just felt like the typical American egocentric, index-finger shaking stance of "Our way of life is the right way to live. Your culture is backward!" Let the middle eastern people live in the...

Hideous
Where do I start? Let me start with the ugly, jarring harsh makeup. What happened to SJP's lovely face? It looked like her original face was made of latex and then melted over a gas stove and stretched. Sweetheart--you're too OLD to have long dark two-toned hair. You're also too old to be that thin. SJP had the sex appeal of a dried-out stalk of wheat in this movie. Her character, Carrie, is unrecognizable now. The imperfect bubbly cute Carrie has been replaced by this humorless stretched out elitest shrew. She's the kind of woman now that Carrie would not have liked in the series. She's awful to everyone in the movie--condescending to the other characters. In fact, all of them are incredibly rude to "lesser" people--servents, foreigners (they're only foreigners after all!).

Worst things (for me):
-Samantha's wardrobe. WHY do they insist dressing Kim Cattrall like a bad drag queen version of Joan Crawford? She has a lovely figure and they always stick her in these...

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Three Days of the Condor

Superb Spy Thriller; Best Of Genre!
I first saw this suspense/spy thriller when it was first released in the theaters sometime in the late 1970s, while living in London and working for the American government. There's nothing that compares with the paranoia associated with seeing a taut spy thriller, only to exit the theater into a cold, foggy late evening in downtown London. The picture it paints of a murderous renegade network operating within the Central Intelligence Agency is both frightening and plausible, and is delivered by Robert Redford and his production team in a tight, well-developed tale with a convincing thread of interconnecting events that spins way out of control as the protagonist tries desperately to figure out who is at the center of the plot and why he and his cohorts at a special studies institute sponsored by the Agency are targets. For me, this movie is a nonstop roller-coaster ride, with Redford trying in vain to jump off the damn thing before it crashes below!

The level of paranoia as well...

A Post-Watergate Staple
What is it about this movie that makes it so compelling? After countless viewings, I still can't put my finger on it -- but let's consider the crucial elements of "Condor."

First, the paucity of dialogue -- in other words, what Redford displays and emotes rather than says -- is powerful. It seems that for the first time in his career, Redford is really challenged to act instead of being just another pretty cinematic face. If ever a man could give the impression of being both haunted and hunted, Redford's a cinch in "Condor."

This is also a great New York City film. Its streets, back alleys, and buildings -- in particular, the World Trade Center -- all play supporting roles. Sidney Pollack makes good use of the then-newly finished twin towers in "Condor," and this viewer lamented their destruction after watching scenes featuring the main lobby and a top-floor office inhabited by CIA deputy director Cliff Robertson.

The grainy quality of the...

A TImeless Classic
THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR is one of the finest espionage thrillers ever filmed. But it's not just entertaining. The script is thought-provoking and reflects fears and paranoias that still pervade our country's consciousness today. Robert Redford has never been better. His character is a refreshing hero who succeeds using his brain, not his brawn or some ridiculous firepower. There are so many great supporting performances as well, including Cliff Robertson, John Houseman and Faye Dunaway (who looks simply gorgeous). Max VonSydow plays the ultimate assasin for hire, equalled only by Edward Fox's turn in THE DAY OF THE JACKAL. The film's editing is perfect and the music score (by Dave Grusin) still sounds great, (quite a feat since the music from many films of this period sound terribly dated). All in all, I consider this possibly the best example of a domestic (versus international) espionage thriller and faultless in all aspects of production. The final freeze-frame shot is...

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Shanks

Wow...at last!
This must surely be one of the most neglected fantasy films of all time. By all accounts a flop at the time of it's release, it has become the hardest to see of all William Castle's movies - until this BluRay and DVD finally come out it has been impossible to get hold of. It's also in colour, which is another rarity from this director.

French mime/actor Marcel Marceau plays the title role of Malcolm Shanks, a deaf mute puppeteer who scratches out a living putting on shows for children, while bearing the brunt of a miserable home life with his money grabbing brother and sister-in-law, who take all the money he earns for themselves. One day, an elderly professor (also played by Marceau in a dual role) sees his puppet show and offers Shanks a job - to come to his home to assist him is some experiments involving the artificial stimulation of dead animals via electricity, or something...why or how it actually works is not expanded on, but it involves small implants being...

very cool film
This film has got to be one of the strangest films ever made. It combines elements of many different genres. To say more would
spoil the fun.

William Castle's One-of-a-kind Final Masterpiece!
The legendary director's final film has to be seen to be believed. Filmed in the classic silent-film style with title cards and a haunting score by the great Alex North. The world-renowned mime Marcel Marceau as a mute puppeteer who discovers that he can re-animate the dead with electrodes and manipulate them like marionettes. Featuring wonderful performances by mimic greats Tsilla Chelton and Philippe Clay as Mrs. and Mr. Barton, Marceau's evil sister and brother-in-law. Marceau also plays an elderly scientist and inventor who befriends the mute puppeteer. A MUST SEE!

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Buckskin

Cool western!!
In this cool western about an honest marshall trying to clean up a corrupt Montana town starring Barry Sullivan and Joan Caulfield.Check it out!!





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Anywhere But Here

Great acting, small story
One day I did a weird thing. I went to the cinema and watched this movie by myself. Some people found it strange that I, being a guy, would go see a real girl-movie alone, including the man in the ticket-office who looked really nonplussed and asked me if I really wanted only one ticket.

Well, I did, and I'm glad I did it.

Anywhere But Here is, exactly as its poster says: A movie about a mother who knows best and a daughter who knows better... And it's good.

The story is quite thin: Ann August (Natalie Portman) is a young girl whose single mother Adele (Susan Sarandon) hasn't quite lost her youthful lust for adventure. They move from bay City, Wisconsin to Beverly Hill where Adele hopes to find a better life. But she forgot to take her daughter's feelings into account...

As you might expect, there are lots of emotional outbreaks in this movie, but it never becomes too much. Also, it's refreshingly devoid of sentimentalism and happy-go-lucky lovestories, which makes...

Superb acting by Portman and Surrandon make this film
A provocative, lonely single mother (Susan Surrandon) decides to risk it all and take her teen daughter (Natalie Portman) to Beverly Hills. Her choice causes friction between mother (Adele) and daughter (Ann) and their family back home in smalltown Wisconnsin.

Ann has to struggle with a mother she loves and hates at the same time and to try to survive a new environment, being away from her beloved cousins back home and her mother's whims.

They live from apartment to apartment with hardly two sticks of furniture trying to sustain an illusion of success in Beverly HIlls to the family back home.

The story tests the bonds of mother and daughter who are constantly at odds, but also the only true support they each have. The mother wants to hold on to her daughter and the daughter wants to be "anywhere but here."

A number of scenes will evoke tears from even the most poker-faced movie-goers. The acting is the most beautiful thing about this film. It could have...

Brilliant performances by Sarandon and Portman
The mother-daughter bond, especially with an only child, is one of the strongest human bonds there is. Some say it's stronger than husband and wife. It tends to be intense and it almost always develops into a situation where neither side has the clear upper hand because both are vulnerable.

And they fight. Tooth and nail. And they love each other intensely. For the mother it is scary because everything is in the daughter and for the daughter, especially when the mother is divorced or single, as is the case here. For the daughter it can be a nightmare because the mother is the adult and has the power and is a total embarrassment. This is especially true when the mother is delusional or dysfunctional as is Adele August (Susan Sarandon).

The story from Mona Simpson's novel is familiar in plot and theme although the details here are unique and especially well done. Adele's judgment is more than suspect and she's careless with other people's feelings, and...

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Men With Brooms

A great curling comedy. No, seriously!
A bunch of friends and I found this movie in an attempt to have a movie night of "non-sport" sport movies. We thought, "Surely, a Canadian movie about curling made by and starring the star of ASPEN EXTREME and featuring Leslie Nielsen will have to be so bad, it'll amaze us." Well, we were amazed, but not by its badness. It wasn't what I would call a genuinely amazing movie, either. I guess it was amazing in how NOT bad it was. Paul Gross and company do trot out many of the underdog sports movie clichés but always with just the faintest hint of tongue-in-cheek to keep the viewer from feeling like it's just another silly sports movie. Leslie Nielsen is also a nice touch. He gets to exercise his straight comedic talents for a change, and I personally think he's much more interesting when he does. It's still a silly comedy, but it's fun that you won't feel so guilty about liking. I recommend you check it out if you get a chance. (Besides, you have to see it if...

Quirky, lovable Canadian comedy with star power
"I think that there is something really fantastic about Canadian iconography," confesses actor/director/writer/musician Paul Gross, better known as überpolite, by-the-book RCMP Constable Benton Fraser on "Due South." "When you think about it, it's sort of bizarre--beaver, maple leaf. There is an oddball quality to it that is both noble, melancholy and laughable all at the same time, and I think that there is something really wonderful in that." Which pretty much sums up "Men With Brooms," a quirky Canadian comedy that sweeps audiences off its feet (bad curling pun intended).

If "Men With Brooms" suffers from one particular ailment, it would be that it tries to be a number of different films rolled into one: a love story, a buddy film, a curling documentary of sorts, the quintessential Canadian comedy. But the strength of its original script and ensemble cast really shines. Big name Canadian talent includes Paul Gross ("Due South," "Hamlet" at Stratford), Molly Parker ("Five...

English type movie about... curling!!
Some of you might not even know what curling is, but it is big in Canada and some northern European countries. The object is to slide big stones over ice to some kind of bulls eye... Just wait for the next winter Olympics!
This story is about a great team that had to split up after the captain cheated. Ten years later their coach has died and in his will asks them to once more try and win the title.

'Men with brooms' feels like some of the great comedies from Brittain in the last 10 years like 'The Full Monty', 'Billy Elliot' and 'Bend it like Beckham'. The characters are down-to-earth but have a comic twist. Some running gags like trying to get pregnant are also hilarious, especially because the guy is the biggest dork around.

It's fun, maybe not worth the price though. Oh yeah, Leslie Nielsen (Naked Gun) also plays in this movie and is funny.

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VeggieTales: Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson's Hairbrush

Missed the Mark?
Some Veggie Tales are safe to plop your kid in front of so you can fix dinner in peace, because you know it's just a fun break for them with encouraging themes and a much better alternative to programming on TV. This isn't one of them.

Not to state the obvious, but different parents are going to have different ways in which they want their kids dealing with situations. Parents should simply be aware that in this episode of Veggie Tales, "turning the other cheek" means telling kids that it's okay to get beat up by a bully as long as they show the bully they're not afraid. What?!

The second story segment with Minnesota Cuke simply talks about not using a position of ability or prominence to hurt others--even if they've earned it. No problem, and good idea--I'm all about the mercy thing.

However, it's the first segment, with Junior Asparagus dealing with a playground bully, that's more disturbing, and unfortunately, purposely made to be very realistic. I...

Oh Where is The Hairbrush?
With two letters asking what to do about bullies, both Larry and a slightly bullied Bob decided it's the topic to cover in this episode.

"Bully Trouble" is up first. It finds Junior Asparagus faced with a bully that doesn't want to share the neighborhood playground. Will his daydreams help? Or will a talk with his father set him on the right path?

Our main feature is the title. Our hero, Minnesota Cuke, is on a quest to find Samson's hairbrush and gain its power to defeat all the bullies of the world before it falls into the wrong hands. Like the Canadians who want to control both sides of Niagara Falls. Or his old nemesis Professor Rattan. But will Minnesota turn into a bully himself? And does the hairbrush really have Samson's strength?

And of course, I can't forget the silly song. "Pizza Angel" reminded me of some song, I just can't place it. Either way, it's the tragic tale of Larry late at night waiting for the pizza he's ordered. As...

The Kids and Parents All Loved It
I was able to attend a preview of this DVD on Sunday before it was released on Tuesday. The kids were all given stickers and activity books on their way into the showing and had snacks following. A puppet play with Veggie Tales characters preceeded the showing.

As with all the Veggie Tales series I thought it was cute, but a little silly. It is an obvious satire of Indiana Jones. The theme (stand up to bullys with kindness, strength, and a willingness to turn the other cheek) comes across very strongly.

The kids and their parents loved it. It makes a good addition to the Veggie Tale collection.

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Sands Of The Kalahari

FIERCE BABOONS & STUNNING LOCATIONS ENHANCE THIS ACTION ADVENTURE
SANDS OF THE KALAHARI is an absorbing, retro action adventure about of group of random people who survive a chartered plane crash in the wilds of an African desert. Their pack leader is Stuart Whitman who devolves to a brutal animal -- all the better to fight the bloodthirsty baboons circling their make-shift encampment. But when the final confrontation comes, will it result in justice or revenge or rescue? The Blu-ray disc looks great. This much-wanted cult classic finally arrives with no fanfare and no extras. Fine direction from Cy Enfield, a great cast, stunning African location as well as the fierce colony of baboons add immensely to the authenticity of this riveting survival drama.

david h
This film is a classic from the mid 1960s. It is a struggle for survival under adverse conditions. It begins in a very similar manner to "Flight of the Phoenix" (in fact both films were made at about the same time) in which a plane with a handful of passengers crashes in the desert, this one caused by locusts.

The characters consist of several men and one woman, namely Susannah York. The search for food and water along with fighting the elements becomes critical. Stuart Whitman's character assumes leadership of the group in an aggressive and autocratic style while Stanley Baker endeavours to ensure everyone's safety.
Inevitably tensions between these two lead to violence in the fight for control (shades of "Lord of the Flies").

I won't give away the ending, but it is quite alarming. This movie is exciting and well put together with superb character development and well worthwhile watching.

The Greatest Baboon Movie Ever!
Long ago, I saw this as a child back in the Sixties when it was shown on television. Decades later, with the internet available to track it down, I finally got a knock-off DVD of it. Now I am excited to see it has been given the final glory- bluray!
This is one of those excellent plane-crash in remote areas genre of films from the Fifties and Sixties. The cast is terrific, the location is gloriously desolate, and then there's those baboons. My favorite character is Whitman's who devolves into a primal man, willingly abandoning civilization. There seems to be a backstory to him, but that is left as a mystery.
And now an observation after viewing this fine film 40 years later. And this is a spoiler, so don't read further if you haven't seen it. When O'Brian has his final battle, I had always assumed the worst. But, as he did kill the leader, what if the others are not attacking him, but gathering to recognize the new baboon king? This would complete his devolution. Just a...

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LA BALADA DEL PEQUEÑO JOEL (BALLAD OF LITTLE JOE)

costa rica
i cant wait to share this with a group of kkids i work with in costa rica they will enjoy the movie so much

Well done!
The nice thing about this Spanish version is that it is not just a dubbed work. They kept the melodies of the English songs and rewrote the lyrics in Spanish to fit! It's so nice to see a Spanish language work so well done. They even wrote a version of the theme song in Spanish. Overall, this is a clever combination of Joseph, his dreamcoat and Bonanza.



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Fat Albert's Holiday Collection

Plenty of laughs
Love the opportunity for my grandson to laugh and learn! It doesn't preach but it does show how to make good choices!

Bill Cosby's Fat Albert Holiday Specials
I grew up watching Bill Cosby's Fat Albert cartoons on Saturday mornings and loved the Holiday Specials. I looked forward to watching these Holiday Specials every year, along with other Holiday Specials which never made it to DVD. Some never made it to the public for purchase at all and can only be seen in bits and pieces on YouTube without any real clarity.

I'm very pleased to see that Fat Albert's Holiday Collection did make it to DVD and has been made available for purchase in the Amazon Instant Video store. I do wish they had split the Holiday Specials up though, so they could be watched separately.

I'd like to see a lot of other older Holiday Specials make it to the Amazon Instant Video Store, like Raggedy Anne and Andy, The Berenstain Bears, John Denver and the Muppets, The Flinstones, Casper, The Little Drummer Boy: Book 2, etc., just to name a few. I'm sure they would bring joy to a whole new generation, and generations to come.

I gave...



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VeggieTales: Rack, Shack and Benny

Crisp Bible Storytelling From Big Idea's VeggieTales
Fans of "Toy Story," The Bible, or fresh salads (guess that covers everybody) will enjoy VeggieTales, half-hour videos telling faithful (ungarnished?), fun Bible story adaptations starring a tomato (Bob), cucumber (Larry), carrot (Laura) and asparagas (Junior) aimed to kids'(and adults')pressures and problems.

"Rack, Shack, and Benny," (aka Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) is one of the series' best. It retells the story of the Fiery Furnace as a parable about peer pressure with catchy songs ("The Bunny Song" is a favorite despite its intentionally inappropriate message, "Dance of the Cucumber" is a hilarious "silly song" and tension breaker), cute one-liners ("What does being a junior executive mean?" "It means you have to wear a tie.") and kid-friendly suspense leading to God's climactic rescue where the three ("Now there's four, and one looks real shiny") are saved. The lesson is summed at...

In with the old out with the new.
Rack Shack and Benny brings many fine moments to the Veggie Tale franchise. It boasts the first appearance of Mr. Lundt, Mr. Nezzer, Laura the Carrot and George,the security guard narrator who also narrates the Toy that Saved Christmas. With Dave and the Giant Pickle, which came out the same year, Rack Shack and Benny departed from the previous and current Veggie format of two stories regarding the episodes theme by telling a longer story interspersed with a silly song at intermission. And what a silly song at that: An Argentinean cucumber folk ballad sung in Spanish by Larry, translated in to English by Bob; often at the interpreters expense.

The story itself adapted from the book of Daniel takes Shadrach (Bob) Meeshach (Junior Asparagus) and Abednego (Larry) from captivity to cavity prone by making them workers at a chocolate factory. It capably tells the story of standing up to persecution for doing what you know is right. The boys are commanded to bow down to a...

Our Very Favorite Video!
In our family's opinion, this is the best VeggieTales Video - and we love them all! VeggieTales is the best thing to happen to kid's entertainment [and adult entertainment!] ever. Our whole family enjoys watching these videos over and over, and we know the songs by heart - toddler and adults alike! VeggieTales truly has something for every age group and I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy these videos [even my non-Christian family members can't help but enjoy them!].

Rack, Shack, and Benny is the best in our opinion - even though they are all awesome. The music in this one is GREAT [all the songs stick in your brain and make you want to sing out loud]. We also like the characters in this one. As the mom of a small daughter, I really like the fact that Laura the Carrot [the only real recurring female character in the whole series] gets to do something brave to try to save Rack, Shack, and Benny. This a great tale and is redone marvelously in this video! I highly recommend...

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Dana Pieper's Everybody Fitness: Kickbox Challenge

Repetitive with little to no kicking
I was really excited to get a new kickboxing DVD, but I have to say I was a little disappointed with this one. There are a few things I liked (see list below), but the routine had little to no kicking! Kickboxing to me is about 50/50 with punching and kicking. You use your knee, but I was sad to see there were little to no kicking combos. For the price I bought it at, it's not worth it. I don't think I'll use this workout again anytime soon, but maybe in the future? It's not a terrible workout since I did enjoy it at first. It's very repetitive though with a lot of punching and doing the same movements over and over again. Also, you might need to hit pause every once in a while. My feet were starting to hurt at some points since there was a lot of stepping and jumping.

Pros:
-I really loved the routine with the weights. My arms are actually sore today! That was probably my favorite thing out of the routine.
-It was nice to see different types of people doing the...

NOT For Every Body or Everybody
I love kickboxing so I jumped at this opportunity to try a new vid. Sadly, this is going into the "in a few months maybe...maybe never" pile. Unfortunately, the instructor moves at breakneck speed (even her background exercisers have a hard time keeping up) with only OK cueing. And don't let the overweight woman in the back fool you...she's clearly in better physical shape than a lot of people despite her weight. If you are a beginner you will have no hope of keeping up. The warm-up was fun and left me with high hopes of things to come. However, the instructor moves into a severely awkward stretching segment that I will skip if I ever do this workout again....the cues were awful and the moves made it difficult sometimes to look at the tv for guidance. When the awful stretch is finally over, you move into the first half of the program which focuses on upper body moves using light hand weights. The Good: this section will fry your shoulders in a good way. The Bad: the cueing...

A Keeper Work-Out
What I really enjoyed about this work-out is that the first segment of the dvd utilizes light weights. I like that I am getting both an arm, leg, and cardio work-out in at the same time. After tiring the arms out, the second segment of the dvd drops the weights and is focused solely on kickboxing and cardio. Dana is a great instructor and this work-out is for everyone.

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The Mountain

Tracy shines
I have long awaited this film's conversion to DVD. As a kid I remember so well watching this in black and white on "Saturday Night At The Movies".

The DVD of this film, produced by Olive Films, is a fairly good transfer, although there are some scenes where the color seems to fluctuate...but then again, that may just be a result of the age of the film (well over 50 years). Certainly not enough of a problem to make the movie less enjoyable, although oddly enough, it's the in-studio "mountain climbing" where the color varies the most, not the natural Alps footage. And, considering that much of this movie was actually filmed in the French Alps, well, it's still magnificent Vista Vision photography! And, they do a great job of combining in-studio footage with Alps backgrounds, making this more realistic than many films of its era. Unfortunately, despite being in the Alps and it's snowing...you can't see their breath! Even in Ronald Colman's 1937 film "Lost Horizon" they...

One of my Spencer Tracy all time favorites
This is absolutley one of my favorite all time movies. Spencer Tracy plays an old famous Mountaineer who has retired to his modest home to tend sheep. Then an Airplane crash on a nearby mountaintop changes his life. His young greedy womanizing brother (Played by a very young Robert Wagner) gets him to lead a climb to the crash site.

It's also a good love story. The old man makes some very heart wrenching decisions.

The climbing scenes are very authentic for mid-1900 style climbing styles and I believe this is Spencer's finest movie. Some of the others actors aren't quite as good but I watch the movie at least once a year on VHS to rejuvenate me.

Bad audio hum
Video looks great but audio has very bad hum . I thought there was a diesel truck idling outside in the street !

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Veggie Tales: 'Twas the night before easter

All Flash, Little Substance
Marlee Meade (played by Petunia Rhubarb) is a young reporter in Crisper County who is tired of the veggie interest fluff pieces she normally does. She quits her job to revitalize the local theater. Teaming up with her cameraman/writer (played by Larry the Cucumber), she decided to put on a new musical "Up with Bunnies." It will premier right before Easter and use musical theater to spread hope to others.

Then she learns that local girl made good Cassie Cassava (voiced by American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle), winner of the TV talent show is going to be in town to sing at her home church on Easter Sunday. Marlee knows that if she can get Cassie to perform during opening night, she'll reach a wider audience. Can she do it? Will that really help the community?

Now please don't misunderstand what I am about to say. I found this video to be quite fun, possibly one of the funnier videos that they've put out recently. I laughed a few times at some of the pop...

Surpisingly disappointed
I have never written a review on this website before, but I was so thoroughly disappointed in this Veggie Tales movie that I had to share with other potential buyers that there is a much better Easter story for kids on the market...Easter Carol, also from Veggie Tales.

I confess to being a huge Veggie fan, and even though my kids are older now, we continue to buy the new releases and enjoy them as a family. I was surprisingly disappointed in Twas the Night Before Easter, which I found lacking in any real explanation of what Easter was, as well as so redundant of past Veggie movies (this time it isn't Larry and Bob as Cavis and Millword trying to save an old theater by stealing a star, but Petunia Rhubarb as Marlee who was committing the theft...and this time the star was a celebrity "star," not a physical light-up star...but the motives were the same in each.)

I think Big Idea is trying to hard to crank out two movies a year these days and rushing through the...

Star Of Christmas redo
We saw the promo for this on Meaningful Life ( great one, btw) and when we saw it was out, we snagged it.
except the promo is NOT what this movie is.
It's Star of Christmas redone...and not even redone well.
they even admit in the commentary that they changed it after the promo- dont elaborate on why- and that its basically the same as Star of Christmas.
They dont even touch on the True meaning of Easter- which is what i wanted and am trying to teach my children.
they LOVE the robot bunny... but thats REALLY not what i had in mind.

there have a few good veggie tales lately- this is not. avoid this one!

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Roustabout

A Lot of fun with Elvis and Stanwyck!
In one of his best movies, Elvis Presley plays a handsome, bonafide jerk who, on route to his next job, accidentally encounters Barbara Stanwyck, her even jerkier husband, and her beautiful step-daughter (Joan Freeman). Maggie (Stanwyck) decides to let Elvis become her dying carnival's roustabout, but he does more. When Elvis sings, well, you know what happens! The carnival begins to attract attention and the money starts rolling in. But when Elvis is offered a bigger salary by another carnie, he is torn between the prospects of a better life and his loyalty to Stanwyck, and particularly, her step-daughter. Every song in the film is "a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful" experience. Elvis's fun rockin' with "Poision Ivy League" to his romantic wooing of Freeman in a ferris wheel, to the upbeat "It's Carnival Time" the big production number, "Little Egypt", and the final, memorable number, "And The Whole World's Gonna Be...

Poison Ivy League.
This Elvis flick leans to the dramatic. Not great drama, mind you, but more serious than the usual EP Grade B frolic. By 1964, Elvis was getting too old to be convincing as an "angry young man," but he gave it his best shot. Elvis is the motorbike-riding rebel whose singing peps up business at a struggling carnival. Elvis clashes with the hard-drinking ramrod, Joe (Leif Erickson). Joan Freeman and Elvis moon around each other, but find romance a rocky road. Movie veteran Barbara Stanwyck lends stature to the film as the carnival owner. The song writing teams of Giant-Baum-Kaye and Leiber-Stoller wrote some of the music, but the results are only mixed. On the plus side, the ballad "Big Love, Big Heartache" and the comic "Little Egypt" number are worth the effort of viewing. The other music is less memorable. One amusing footnote is Pat Buttram as a rival carnival owner. This was shortly before he enjoyed popular recogniton as Mr. Haney on TV's "Green Acres." Given the movie's emphasis...

One of John Rich's Best Films
John Rich later became a TV titan and directed many of the best episodes of the best TV series, as well as taking a hand at production. But his feature film career is even more interesting. Like many journeyman directors, he was assigned a brace of Elvis pictures--this one and the later, hippie-themed EASY COME, EASY GO. But he was also responsible for some of the most under-rated programmers of the 1960s, including THE NEW INTERNS and BOEING BOEING--and WIVES AND LOVERS as well. In ROUSTABOUT he demonstrates a flair for working with actors of all stripes, from the legendary Golden Age star represented here by Barbara Stanwyck, to the neophyte starlet--in ROUSTABOUT there are plenty of them, and the most sparkling is a very young Raquel Welch, who makes her film debut in the opening scene as a college coed mesmerized by Elvis' singing. Raquel looks great and seems quite believable. It's no wonder her fi;lm career soared after making this film. As Elvis' leading lady, Joan...

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The Swan Princess [HD]

One of my all-time favorites
I'd just like to say that, as a 16 year old, I STILL sit down and watch this movie. As do all of my freinds -we're getting ready to go off to college and wondering how in the world we'll afford DVD players to watch this movie.

The real reason I'm reviewing is because there's a particular review that totally bashes this movie that rather infuriated me. I would like to state here and now that this is a children's movie, and therefore of course it has holes in it. But I've noticed that a lot of things in real life have holes in them as well; nothing is perfect. And I'm also appalled that a mother who watched this movie through to make sure it was all right for her kids even suggested that the evil villain kill Odette and marry her double. Why didn't the villain of Barbie's Swan Lake just kill the Prince instead of bothering to leave him alive? That whole CHILDREN'S MOVIE thing comes to mind...

Personally, I love just about every song in this movie. I find all the...

A Classic Fairytale
This classic fairytale story is based on possibly the most famous ballet of all time - Swan Lake. It is loosely based however, and follows the traditional Disney pattern of storytelling with romance, adventure, slapstick, musical numbers animal sidekicks, and of course with love conquering all.

Princess Odette (Michelle Nicastro)and Prince Derek (Howard McGillin) are betrothed from an early age by their parents in the hopes that their two kingdoms will be united. The only problem is - the two can't stand each other. However, unlike most other romance movies where the hero and heroine go through many trials before realising they're in love, Odette and Derek fall for each other within the opening five minutes of the film as they grow from child to adult during the opening song. However, due to Derek's claims that Odette's beauty is the only thing that matters to him, Odette rejects his marriage proposal and she and her father return home to their kingdom. They do not get far however -...

An excellent musical cartoon along the lines of Swan Lake
Princess Odette and Prince Derek have been urged since childhood to wed and unite their kingdoms by their nosey parents, only truly learning disdain for one another. When Odette's father is killed by a mysterious shape-shifting beast and Odette is kidnapped, Derek must search and train for a fight against an unknown power for the hand of his true love. The songs are enticing and the animation, while not-quite Disney quality, is still engrossing. John Cleese voices one of Odette's nature-friends, which is always a bonus.

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Jet Lag

a real charmer
***1/2 "Jet Lag" is a French romantic comedy that takes place almost entirely in an airport terminal and an airport hotel. Juliette Binoche and Jean Reno are two strangers who meet at the Paris airport and end up sharing a room when all flights are cancelled due to an air traffic controllers strike (think of how this affair would have been thwarted had Reagan been France's president at the time!). Rose and Felix are both riddled with insecurities and anxieties, having been largely unlucky in the ways of love. Yet, after some predictable initial tension between them, they somehow manage to find a mutual strength - and attraction - in their combined weaknesses.

"Jet Lag" is so simple and unassuming in its early stages that we are amazed to discover, about a third of the way through, just how completely it has managed to sneak up on us and win us over. Unlike most American romantic comedies, "Jet Lag" allows its characters to actually talk and get to know one another. It sure...

Another Parisian Surprise
JET LAG is a rare treat. It is a smart, saucy film that takes two well known actors and gives then a chance to play different types and the result is very successful.

Juliette Binouche steps into the tacky clothes and glitzy makeup of a superficial loquacious beautician who needs her makeup, perfumes, and wacky clothes to complete her 'self', an unlucky-at-love waif on her way to Acapulco from the Charles DeGaulle airport. She encounters a neurotic, fastidious (except for his groungy hair and beard) chef play by the usually dark 'hitman' Jean Reno and because of strikes in the Paris airlines and trains preventing scheduled flights, she agrees to share a room wiht him for the night until their separate flights are available. Well, of course, the 'odd couple' find subtle but strong needs in the opposite persons and the way their rather bizarre cohabitation results in their mutual and individual awakenings is the source of the plot and the delight for the viewer. Both Binouche and...

a little gem
One of my perennial romantic comedy favorites, this French film is delightful. The sets, as well as the characters, are very colorful and the actors who play them (Jean Reno and Juliette Binoche) are marvelous. This movie is always a lovely rewatch. The only lamenting thing about rewatching it is realizing how pitifully and dully Hollywood makes romantic comedies.

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Night Of The Demons Ii

A pleasing Second Take
Night of the Demons 2 disappointed many people, mostly due to the fact that they seemed to expect something more akin to its predecessor. I don't count myself amongst those individuals, however, because I've come to expect sequels, especially the 1980s horror-based ones, to become more humorous as they progress. Personally, I thought this movie was actually very enjoyable, in part because of the return of Hull House and our favorite possession candidate and in part because of the humor involved. Sequels that take themselves too seriously oftentimes fail as frightening follow-ups.
The movie borders around Halloween once more, the only time the demons can truly be a happy-go-luck bringer of evil. Enter a group of kids from St. Rita's Academy that thought it would be fun to have a party at the infamous Hull House, and you have yourself the beginning of a bloodbath. Added into the story are a few new concepts as well, like the question of what would happen if something were carried...

Equally entertaining sequel.
Highly enjoyable sequel features another group of teens going back to the same mansion. As before, all hell breaks loose eventually. Played more for laughs, this one's just as fun as its predecessor(though the pacing isn't quite as good as the original)and it has even more gore, nudity, and lesbian kisses (Cristi Harris, yum!)! Steve Johnson's make-up effects are excellent and probably his best work to date.
*** 1/2 out of *****

It will scare the hell out of you -again!
This movie was a little corny than the first.It was about teenagers from st. rita's acadamy that want to throw a party at hull house.Among the teenageers is Angela's sister Milissa(mouse) and wierd things start happening so the teens leave thinking they were safe.Boy were they wrong.One teen brought back lipstick from the house and relised Angela!At a church dance Angela unleashes evil.So a nun a priest and the surviving teens must face Angela and her demon buddies at hull house!This movie had a lot more nudity than the first and It will scare the hell out of you!

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Papa's Delicate Condition

What a treat!!!
For years I had been vaguely aware of the existence of this film, but wrote it off as being a product of it's time such as "Cheaper by the Dozen", which by todays standard is SO DATED. Boy, was I wrong. Papa's Delicate Condition was funny, witty, and refreshing. Jackie Gleason's sly sarcasm is as hilarious as it is timeless. For those of you who only know Jackie Gleason from "The Honeymooners", you will be delighted to see Gleason's artistry go way beyond his character as Ralph Cramden. Though the movie is filled with great character actors, Gleason definitely carries the picture.

I found the relationship between the father and his youngest daughter to be particularly endearing. In one scene, he tells the older sister and the mother to stop ganging up on the little girl. It is at moments like that which cause the picture to break away from the mold and stereotypes of it's era.

This is a great family picture. The storyline is simple enough for children to...

Good Vehicle for the Great One
When Jackie Gleason passed some years ago I remember a couple of tidbits from his obituary. One relates a doctor telling him that he had lung cancer and suggesting that he cut back on his smoking. Heeding his doctor's advice Gleason cut back from six packs a day to four packs. Gleason had his own little Algonquin Round Circle that consisted of Salvador Dali and Mickey Mantle among others. What did these seeming unlike public figures have in common? A love of the bottle. Gleason made something of a mark in films after his "Honeymooners" heyday. He was absolutely mesmerizing as Minnesota Fats in "The Hustler". I'm still waiting for a DVD release of "Soldier in the Rain" with Steve McQueen. "Papa's Delicate Condition" is an interesting film in that it was probably promoted as a comedy but dig a little deeper it's a sober look at the scourge of alcoholism. Gleason's Jack Griffiths is one of those larger-than-life gregarious personalities whose impulsive behaviour, usually when...

Still fresh comedy after 38 years
Jackie Gleason is great in this movie. He play a troubled man who has no idea how to be a good father. But when he finally trys to do it, he goes to far. The result must be seen to be believed!

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Drive Me Crazy

Not as bad as I expected
Isn't it funny how some films don't quite fit their stereotypes? I settled down to watch Drive Me Crazy because I was in the mood to watch a mindless teen movie, and given that this film stars Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina The Teen Witch fame, I was expecting really more of the same. It doesn't help that the beginning of the film reinforces the stereotype (complete with cheesy pop background music, neon-lit opening titles and slow pan across a typical teenage girl's bedroom followed by Melissa answering the phone in her best "a la Sabrina" perky voice).

What I encountered was a film that is still very much rooted in the teen "prom" genre, but is slightly deeper and sophisticated (as well as more ponderous and slow-moving) than I expected. It's quite a biting and penetrating observation of the high school social hierarchy as well as the conflicting emotions of young love. Think of it as a more serious version of Clueless with a dash of Dangerous Liaisons thrown in...

Good and different
I must admit right off the bat that I'm a sucker for these type of movies with the predictable, happy ending. However, I must also say that I truly believe this was a good movie because it both hit the mark with what high school can be like yet it was different from many of the recent high school flicks that have been made. It is different because neither character is chasing the other one and they are former friends rather than 2 people who know nothing of each other. Also, even though Melissa Joan Hart's character is the popular, perky one, Adrian Greiner's character is not your typical "loser" character nor would I classify him as a loser. He is not an academic nerd either, but a rebellious person who gets in some trouble. That being said, I do have some beefs with the movie. First, the "falling for each other" between Hart and Greiner doesn't develop as it should. It also bothered me that neither one says how/what they feel even at the end. The audience...

Really really fun!
I'm honestly not one to be a big fan of teenage movies, USUALLY. But...when I saw this movie I notcied that the world of teenage cinematic productions really DID have potential, can you imagine! Adrian Grenier is the cuuuutest, and Meslissa Joan Hart acually acts in this movie, hard to believe, but yes, she does! It has an interesting plot and is one I could watch over and over again. It is funny, smart, and witty. Never leaving you yawning this movie receives a 5 in my book! I would reccomend it to anyone!

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CAPTAIN CAREY U.S.A.

If you like a good Alan Ladd film
Well tailored Ladd adventure film. No big name costars, no fancy production values, just Ladd doing what his fans wanted him to do - dominate the screen. He does plenty of that in this one. It has the sharp, tough dialogue and physicality that was expected in his films. Glad to see it coming out on DVD. Now if the powers to be would just release his other late 40's - early 50's films. Beyond Glory, Chicago Deadline, and especially The Great Gatsby deserve to be seen and enjoyed.

A good post-war thriller with Ladd on good form - but a disappointing Blu-ray transfer
"I'm going to stick around and bother people."

Best remembered, if at all, for introducing the song Mona Lisa, 1950's Captain Carey, U.S.A. aka After Midnight is a very decent little thriller that sees Alan Ladd's former O.S.S. agent returning to the small Italian village where he was betrayed, his lover (Wanda Hendrix) killed and 27 villagers massacred by the Germans to find out who was really responsible. It's not a popular return: the villagers blame him for bringing death to their town (so much so they gang up to stone him in the street) and there are more emotionally painful reunions in store before he uncovers the truth. It's not particularly challenging, although surprisingly the most obvious suspects turn out to be innocent, but it's at times surprisingly bitter, with Ladd much better than usual as the disenchanted hero who's been letting his wounds poison him for years.

Although you'll never believe for a moment that you're in Italy rather than...

captain carey USA
I enjoy OLIVE label DVD. These are old movies and are mostly seen by old people, as me. So why don't put the english subtitles ?
It would help sales. Same problem with Assault on a Queen and Come blow your horn.
Giuliano Fournier

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The Affairs of Dobie Gillis

Serendipity
What a pleasant surprise for a hardened old cynic like me. Ordinarily I would avoid a title like The Affairs of Dobie Gillis as if it were the plague. But the sheer bounce and charm of Weis's direction along with Van and Reynolds proved completely beguiling. Sure it's dated. The innocence and idealized portrayal of college-age youth belong to a bygone era. Still, Van's easy way with a song and a smile continues to captivate, while even Reynolds' manages an energized side that doesn't annoy (the sight of her pony-tailed wholesomeness crouched demonically over a boiling witch's brew is hilarious). Surely these two were made for each other in some malt-shop heaven. There are so many nice touches, including: Hans Conreid's arrogant professor (his tight-lipped barbs at Dobie are priceless), Kathleen Freeman's gap-toothed Polish band (I'm sorry we didn't hear more), and the utterly delightful song and dance numbers (a whole lot simpler and more spontaneous than MGM's over-produced...

PLEASANT!
Why don't they make movies like this one anymore? Let's face it, the world needs them. No violence,no swearing, no explosions except for the Science Lab. Good harmless clean fun. Of course this movie would never set the world on fire, but who cares. Extremely likable and easy to watch. Hurry up with the DVD version!

But one sad note, all of the main actors with the exception of Debbie Reynolds have all passed away at the time of writing (2004)

Lightweight wholesome and seditious
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis, is a lightweight entertainment and a pleasant viewing. It is amusing to read the reviewers speak to the wholesomeness and innocence of the movie, the time it portrays, and the time when it was filmed. At bottom this is a movie about a college slacker who will cheat on a major essay, routinely break college rules while aiding and abetting equal slacking on the part of his girlfriend. Much of this movie can be viewed as a 1950s Fast Times at Ridgemont High combined with Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A young and talented Debbie Reynolds sings a couple of popular tunes. Bobby Van stars with his more open and easy-going dance styling with the acting debut of Bob Fosse, a more precise dancer and soon to be leading choreographer of this day. Adding value to this movie is Hans Conrad as the uptight and easy to dupe English professor.

The plot, such that it is traces the pairing off of Dobie Gillis (Bobby Van) and his great love Patsy Hammer (Debbie...

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Texas Carnival

The swimming star
This is a great movie with lots of laughs and nice singing by Howard Keel and great dancing by Ann Miller. I like the special effect of Esther Williams swimming in Howard Keel's living room. Of course Red Skelton is funny as usual and Keenan Wynn. They don't make them like this anymore.

A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING...
This is an odd pastiche of a movie that seems put together just to allow each of its stars to do what they each do best. Red Skelton has some zany moments of slapstick and face mugging. Ethel waters has her requisite water and swim scenes. Ann Miller has her song and dance numbers. The ever handsome Howard Keel sings his heart out. Keenan Wynn...well, believe it or not, he just acts.

The film revolves around carnival dunk show impresario (Red Skelton) and the star of his water show (Ethel Williams) who are down on their luck and close to starving. They run into a Texas oil tycoon (Keenan Wynn) who, while on a drunken spree, befriends the carnival impresario and leaves him his car while he goes off in a cab, as he is too drunk to drive. Our impresario, with his star, later drives the car to the hotel where he believes the tycoon is staying in order to return the car. There, he is mistaken for the very person he's looking for, and his dunk show star is mistaken for the...

Texas Carnival
I love Red Skelton and this is one of his best. He and sister played by Ester Williams are starving while working in a broken down carnival. Accidentally, Red meets wealthy drunk Keenan Wynn. Red finds himself in an elegant hotel being mistaken for the millionaire and Ester the millionaire's sister. Lots of laughter, dancing by Ann Miller and singing by Howard Keel make this a classic to enjoy.

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