Rooster Cogburn (...and the Lady)

Customer Reviews:

rooster cogburn.......2007-08-05

this is a classic movie with john wayne & katheryn hepburn. had great color. thoroughly enjoyed.

Rooster Cogburn.......2007-07-27

This is a pure John Wayne movie except you know that John was really dieing in real life as in the movie. I love the movie for the story line and just to view him doing his work under such hard conditions.
If you loved or liked John Wayne this is one you need in your collection due to it's revelance.

For any John Wayne Fan out there.......2007-05-06

I have been a Duke fan for a long time and Rooster Cogburn (... and the lady) is one of my favorites. This amazing DVD gives vivid beautiful color and enhanced sound that makes you feel like your there hunting "Hawk" with the one eyed brute himself "Rooster J. Cogburn, U.S. Marshal" I recommend this movie for any John Wayne fan or any western fan cause they just don't make movies like this anymore.

GREAT !!!!!.......2007-01-03

GREAT! JOHN WAYNE AND KATHERINE HEPBURN HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY. VERY ENJOYABLE SHOW !!

Rooster Cogburn.......2006-11-12

wonderful partnership of talent in this updated version of African Queen.
love the verbal jabs and duels. They do it so well!
definitely a keeper!

The Ultimate Fighter: Season 3 - The Ultimate Grudge

Average customer rating:

Not the Best Season, but some of the best fights!

The Ultimate Fighter: Season 3 - The Ultimate Grudge
Starring: Ultimate Fighter 3
Manufacturer: Ultimate Fighting
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QCU9WQ
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Description

As seen on SPIKE TV

16 of the best Mixed Martial Arts fighters, 8 Light Heavyweights and 8 Middleweights, have come from around the world to Las Vegas with one dream….to be named The Ultimate Fighter and given a contract in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization.

During the competition, UFC legends and bitter rivals, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, will coach the fighters. The men will endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters will continue after they leave the gym, at The Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors will be forced to live with each other, knowing that any day they could be forced to fight each other in the UFC Octagon.

When only two men remain in each class, they will fight in the finals at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to decide who is The Ultimate Fighter.

This 5 DVD set includes:

12 episodes, plus the finale

Fighter profiles

Behind the scenes footage

Best & Worst of the Ultimate Fighter auditions

Over 13 hours of non-stop action!!

Customer Reviews:

Not the Best Season, but some of the best fights!.......2007-07-23

Tito vs Shamrock is a bit tired. It was "fresh" in 99, but seems to be way played out by the time the filming of Season 3 of TUF rolled around. Nevertheless, ratings went through the roof and casual fans were drawn in by the recognizable names of the coaches, even if they are both past their primes. The trash talking is all there, if not staged. Tito Ortiz has always played the bad guy, but comes off as a concerned and dedicated coach to his team during the six weeks they trained. On the other hand, Ken Wayne Shamrock, Lion's Den leader, Pancrase Legend, UFC original and WWE star shows us that he could really care less about his boys. He does seem concerned with their physiques though as he brings in a bodybuilder as an assistant. He likes his days off to regroup as well. What exaclty were they learning in the Lion's Den all those years? And perhaps, this is why they no longer are relevant....TUF Season 3 unleashes some new stars on the masses like Michael Bisping, Ed Herman and Kendall Grove. Plenty of exciting fights to entertain you for hours. Plus you can fast forward through all the Shamrock nonsense.

Average customer rating:

would...
A worthy next chapter but can't stand alone
I thought it was good
It just does not measure up
It Goes On and On and ...

The Grudge 2 (Unrated Director's Cut)
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Amber Tamblyn , Edison Chen , Arielle Kebbel , and Jennifer Beals
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LRZHQY
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

The Grudge 2 is a spooky installment in Takashi Shimizu's hardworking Ju-on/Grudge series of horror pictures. It doesn't carry the disorienting thrill of the very first Japanese Ju-on features, but it's a lot creepier than anybody could have expected. The story picks up from the end of the first Hollywood version of The Grudge, and has nothing to do with Ju-on 2, Shimizu's Japanese sequel. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns (a distinctly supporting role) as an American woman traumatized by her experiences with a haunted house in Tokyo; younger sister Amber Tamblyn flies over to help out. This particular storyline doesn't have much meat on it; the murder house is still there, and people who go inside have a disconcerting habit of dropping dead. Fortunately, two other plots thread into the basic one: a group of American schoolgirls in Tokyo become intrigued by the legend of the house, and some Chicago apartment dwellers are unsettled by domestic anxiety and the weird sounds coming from next door. (This storyline, featuring Jennifer Beals, gives the film its extremely satisfying opening sequence.) As usual with these movies, sequences come to us in non-chronological order, and it's up to us to piece it together. You can guess where the film is going, but the slow trajectory toward its final sequences is surprisingly involving. The movie was widely panned upon its release, which says more about the presumption of the law of diminishing sequel returns than the film itself--it's a decent little horror flick. --Robert Horton

Stills from The Grudge 2 (click for larger image)

More The Grudge 2 at Amazon.com

The Original Grudge
More Horror on Amazon.com
Japanese Horror on Amazon.com

Product Description

Acclaimed producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Taka Ichise have re-teamed with director Takashi Shimizu and screenwriter Stephen Susco to present this heart-stopping sequel to the smash-hit thriller, The Grudge. When Aubrey Davis learns her sister Karen (Sarah Michelle Geller) has been hospitalized, she immediately flies to Tokyo. Once there, she learns her sister's horrifying story and discovers that the fatal supernatural curse has been unleashed. Now, as the grudge spreads across the world, a new host of unsuspecting victims are about to become infected by the force that can't be stopped -- and won't be killed.

Customer Reviews:

would..........2007-09-16

I would give this 0 stars if I could but amazon doesn't have it available. This is the WORST movie EVER. Stupid and retarted. This movie is NOT even worth a rent. Don't waste your time.

A worthy next chapter but can't stand alone.......2007-09-12

The great problem with making a seqaul of a film that wasn't planned as a serries is that you have to make it similar enough to show it's a part of the original without being just a re-run. "The grudge 2" does that but it does have it's problems.

Set after the first film Sarah Michelle Gellar movie where we learn a house is so cursed that anyone who crosses the threshhold is doomed. Amber Tamblyn plays her younger sister who is sent to Japan to collect her sister (Gellar)who is in a hospital having had a break down and is accussed of burning down a house. this picks up from where the last movie ends with Gellar in hospital, though the first film implies she is about to die as the credits roll. Tamblyn finds her sister a wreck, in restraints and regularly trying to escape from the hospital's care.

Naturally Tamblyn sets out to see what caused her sisters problems and joins up with a japanese reporter to try and track down the history of the family. This is a success filmwise. instead of just recreating the mistakes made by people in the first film, Tamblyn strikes out in a new direction. The movie has a B and C plot as well. the B plot, harkens back to the original jun on in which school girls enter the haunted house as a prank and as being haunted by the curse afterward. The C plot is set in an apartment house in chicago that seems to be haunted. it is said that when she burned the house Gellar didn't destroy the curse but freed it to spread-but why Chicago? hmmm.

filmwise the sequal follows new ground while still staying true to the original but it really relies on the view to have seen either of the originals to get some of the repeat horror. A great part in the original grudge was gellar being obviously ill at ease in japan, knowing she's an outsider and just trying to get through the subway system. something we probably would all do. also a major problem is Tamblyn, having stammered "do you speak english?" to two nurses when she gets to Japan she quickly seems comfortable taking a long train and bus journey into the wilderness. it breaks some of the fear of being completely isolated that Gellar brought to the first film.

One scene from the b plot that must be mentioned for good acting is when one of the school girls goes to a "love hotel' with her boy friend. She has been coquettish and a flirt but as she waits for him while he showers a serries of emotions play on her face and you realize she's a virgin and scared to death of being in the hotel with her boy friend. it's a case of great direction and excellent acting to watch it run accross her face- excitment, curiousity, fear, exictment etc.

In short the movie is well worth watching if you like Japanese horror AND have seen either the Grudge or Ju-on. If you haven't seen them, get one of those first, then rent this.

I thought it was good.......2007-09-07

You know I have seen many bad reviews on here about this movie, but I think that it's just so many people today are just so desensitized, and they have to over analyze every frame. It's just ugh.... Will it win a Oscar? no. Is it just a good movie that you can sit back and watch with a bowl of popcorn? yes. Get 1 and 2 or rent them and sit back and enjoy a couple of good movies.

I have also seen both of the original japanese movies and they are really good also.

It just does not measure up.......2007-08-26

To the original Grudge that is. The first movie I thought was very scary and down right super freaky in some parts. This movie does have a few parts that are are scary . But I must stress the word (few) very brief and far in between . The movie is only about 90 minutes but it feels so much longer because of a slow story. I will also agree with some of the other reviews that say that this movie recycles too much of what was seen in the first movie. That about sums it up .

It Goes On and On and ..........2007-08-21

In "The Grudge 2" Kayako and Toshio, two horrible ghosts with bone-white skins and goggling eyes (or whatever they really are) return to us. And they just don't return; they have become more "ubiquitous." They pop up whenever and wherever they want, and never fail to send signals before they terrorize the victims with strange noise or something else.

That means, you can read the pattern; once you do, you only wait for the next scary part to be delivered. The film becomes a series of set-pieces. They are cleverly staged, but they soon begin to be less and less shocking as the film goes on. The dark, brooding photography by Katsumi Yamagijima (famous for collaboration with Kitano) is fantastic, and yes, there are some jump-in-your-seat moments and unpredictable things (like that "milk" scene), but nothing really scary or chilling.

"The Grudge 2" has three stories loosely connected to each other (one of them is set in USA though the "Chicago" scenes are in fact shot in Japan) and none of them is hard to follow, but none of them is really intriguing either. You don't know what really happened to the main characters until the last chapter where different times and spaces start to merge with skillful editing. (This is a method the director used for his Japanese film "Reincarnation.") By then, however, most of us have lost interest in the film itself, which only repeats the same trick as the first "Grudge" installment.

After all with this jumbled storyline, we cannot relate to any of the characters, and we just don't care if someone is dead or survives. There are some nice twists given to the plot (relations between Amber Tamblyn's character and Kayako, for instance), but they are introduced so abruptly that it is neither surprising nor interesting. And as to Sarah Michelle Gellar, she is here to remind that we are watching the sequel.

Average customer rating:

THE GRUDGE IS WICKED GOOD!!
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Americanized J-Horror But Better Than Grudge 2
Great location, solid horror film.
Stylistically, it's all there.

The Grudge
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Jason Behr , William Mapother , Clea DuVall , and KaDee Strickland
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006SGYL0
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com

It's not the scary hit that The Ring was in 2002, but The Grudge makes a similarly convincing case for American remakes of popular Japanese horror films. Barely a year passed between the release of Takashi Shimizu's creepy ghost story Ju-On: The Grudge and the production of this American remake, set in Tokyo and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in her first post-Buffy horror film. About the only significant difference between the two films is the importing of a mostly-American cast (including Bill Pullman, Clea DuVall and Grace Zabriskie), but The Grudge was reconfigured (by screenwriter Stephen Susco) to allow Shimizu to refine and improve the spookiest highlights of his earlier version, which enjoyed previous incarnations as a short film and two made-for-Japanese-video features. Surprising box-office analysts with a $40 million opening weekend, The Grudge may disappoint hard-core horror fans because it lacks gore and graphic violence, but as a creepy tale about a very haunted house, it's guaranteed to send a few chills up your spine. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

THE GRUDGE IS WICKED GOOD!!.......2007-09-07

this movie was a different kind of horror. the kind that grips you and freaks you out a bit. i saw it and i loved it. what's better than a spirit bent on revenge and taking out whoever comes into her domain. takashi did a great thing here. the whole aspect and creating the woman who was to be the grudge. the whole makeup and the hair, and let's not forget that evil stare. her sound effect was memorable. you just can't forget it. sounds like a creaking door. excellent job, scary, and believable. sarah michelle gellar did very well on her part. she really brought this other side of herself out, to play this role. she feels this presence, but she doesn't know why this is happening or who this is. she's on a mission to find out, when she does she has to find a way to destroy it. the grudge is after her, and there's no getting rid of this woman full of rage. the scene where she's coming down the stairs all broken like, loved it. i thought it was a spooky one.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

The scariest thing to come out of Japan since Pink Lady, The Grudge tells the story of a young woman who travels to Japan with her underwear-sniffing boyfriend and soon finds herself in the clutches of an evil curse (as if having an underwear-sniffing boyfriend wasn't bad enough). Bill Pullman co-stars, sort of, in that he speaks several lines of dialogue. In contrast to a high body count slasher film, The Grudge is infused with a suffocating sense of dread, very much like an average episode of According to Jim. Kevin Murphy and Mike Nelson settle their own grudge in this not-to-be-missed RiffTrax.

Note: This Grudge works only with the theatrical release of the movie, not the Director's Cut

Americanized J-Horror But Better Than Grudge 2.......2007-08-08

I felt that with the first grudge movie that at least it followed with the original Ju-on movie somewhat if you watch the first half of the movie follows Karen a caretaker for the mother of an american family in japan who have just moved into the cursed house and the family and what happens to them when the curse starts taking the family. After you see what happens to the family Karen finds out that strange things begin happening to her as she finds out what happened in the house with a previous family (Karen gets a little info from a police detective who was investigating to what happened to both families in the house) she tries to find a way to stop the curse.The first Grudge movie was decent (Definitely Way Better Than Grudge 2) but I say go for the japanese version Ju-On.A lot of people feel that Sarah Michelle Gellar was a great actress in this movie but after seeing her in this I couldn't wait for the grudge to take her out and I really cheered for what happens to her in Grudge 2.That being said for the price of the movie I say is 50/50 if you want good horror and effects this would be ok but if you want good actors and actresses my advice is to look elsewhere..

Great location, solid horror film........2007-07-12

The Grudge starring Sarah Michelle Gellar is cleverly thought out and insightful. What I enjoyed about this film is the scenery and the elaborate storytelling. People seem to hate The Grudge but I think it is one of the better horror films I have seen in quite some time. There's not blood or guts, just a pure psychological thriller. I highly recommend checking The Grudge out. Too bad Bull Pullman can't pull off a decent performance, oh well.

Stylistically, it's all there........2007-06-24

This film has everything I hate about horror. The manipulative music, the gross-outs, the suspense without the suspension of disbelief, and a lack of an Eternal Cosmic Truth bore me. In fact, most horror has the same message: "Humans are powerless against evil."

So we have this infidelity which leads to a curse, and the curse leads to "random acts of violence." At its core, this is an infection story, similar to communicable vampirism, Night of the Living Dead, or the Borg's assimilation. Consequently, this is a treadmill, or rat-wheel plot: it goes round and round, but goes nowhere. Buffy Michelle Geller can do nothing to stop the curse. Her best efforts are not enough.

Stylistically, however, it's all there. The lighting, framing, and composition are all there. Retaining the original Japanese setting adds to the eeriness. We speaking of losing something in translation, but this film adds something in translation. As Merian C. Cooper, of King Kong (1933) (Single-Disc Edition) fame, said, "Keep it distant, difficult, and dangerous." Well done, Rami!

Average customer rating:

One Of The First Great J-Horror Movies
*Meow* . . . Toshio? . . . Is that you?
Great but sometimes hard to follow
A Flawed But Worthy, And Occasionally Frightening, Dark Ghost Tale
Ju-On the GREAT

Ju-on (The Grudge)
Starring: Megumi Okina , Misaki Ito , Misa Uehara (II) , Yui Ichikawa , and Kanji Tsuda
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JNJR
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Product Description

An eerie tale of a family who is brutally killed in their own home, leaving behind an evil spirit lurking in the shadows. When an unknowing homecare worker enters, the spirit is awakened and a terrifying chain of events begins, passing through all those who step foot in this dark house.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Commentary by Legendary Director Sam Raimi

Ju-On the True Story

Making of Featurette

4 Cast interview

Director interview

Behind the Scenes

Outtake Footage

Alternate Ending

System Requirements:

Running Time 92 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Following in the footsteps of The Ring cycle, the Ju-On series of horror films has taken Japan by the throat. According to this movie, the title refers to a curse placed upon a house where violence occurred. Sure enough, we see a string of unhappy encounters in a seemingly ordinary home, where ghosts have settled in the aftermath of murder. Director Takashi Shimizu (who also directed the Hollywood remake, The Grudge) constructs the picture out of separate fragments, not told in chronological order; the haunted house is the main character, not any one of the unsuspecting human characters. Cult mavens might suggest that Shimizu uses devices and images that have already worked well in films by Hideo Nakata and Kiyoshi Kurosawa--the Japanese horror film does have its conventions. But none of that matters if you're watching this movie alone at home on a dark night. Click, click, click.... --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

One Of The First Great J-Horror Movies.......2007-08-07

I'm sure by now most people have heard of the american version of this movie the 'Grudge and Grudge 2' but these version are what the true horror of the movies should have been about in the japanese version you felt sad when one of the characters was taken by the curse and I know that I wanted a few of them to get through it alive unlike the american ones I couldn't care less if any of those people got it and I was rooting for the grudge to take care of Sarah Michelle Gellar I definitely liked what happened to her in the early start of Grudge 2 so I say if you're choosing between this or the Grudge go for the better version THIS ONE

*Meow* . . . Toshio? . . . Is that you? .......2007-02-15

American Horror cinema has been in hibernation for too many years (or am I alone in thinking this?!) . . . and while we await a resurgence in original American horror, we give thanks for Asian Horror (note the word "original" because I have little interest in seeing remakes of "Texas Chain Saw," "Black Christmas," and "Halloween" . . . ohhhh yeah, just in case you didn't know, Rob Zombie is remaking Carpenter's "Halloween." Grrreeeaaatt.)

But let's face it . . . Asian Horror accomplishes what American Horror rarely does (even the best of it) . . . it gives its audience "the creeps." It exploits every iota of the uncanny . . . leaving its audience a sweating, quivering wreck. Nonetheless, often times, you will find a delayed reaction to these films . . . you'll be driving home from work and instantly feel a cold shiver . . . "Toshio? Is that you?" Or worse, they appear in our nightmares . . . "Toshio? Is that you, again?" They work on a VERY deep, VERY subconscious level. Understand, there are rarely the "cheap thrills" that you find in American Horror, rarely the predictable scares . . . instead, the tension in these works builds to a skin-crawling crescendo. And Ju-On certainly is the quintessential example. (This film will show you why hiding under your covers is a VERY bad idea!!)

The approach to Ju-On is rather surprising. It is a series of interconnected vignettes (think "Pulp Fiction"). And while this is initially confusing (especially if you experienced the American remake), it is a valuable approach . . . so, be patient. And if you do not understand everything the first time through, that's perfectly normal;) Many people enjoy multiple watches . . . enjoy unraveling its layers of mystery!

Ju-On falls into the sub-genre of "Haunted House" . . . but not in the cheesy "Amityville Horror" way (which I actually love), but in a "Ummm, someone should burn down that house NOW" way. Trust me, you will never, EVER think of your attic in the same again!!

As a final note about this film, take time to listen to the audio commentary reel . . . it is Sam Raimi!! If anyone has ever given America genuinely original horror, it is Sam Raimi (and Romero, but I digress!!)

So, do not sit around waiting for the next great American horror film . . . I do not believe it is not coming anytime soon. Instead, watch Ju-On. And then watch Ringu, and Honogurai Mizu No Soko Kara (the original "Dark Water"), and Marebito, and Audition . . . you get the picture;)

Suggested Reading: McRoy, Jay. "Cinematic Hybridity in Shimizu Takashi's Ju-On: The Grudge." Japanese Horror Cinema. Ed. Jay McRoy. Honolulu: U of Hawaii P, 2005. 175-184.

Great but sometimes hard to follow.......2007-01-14

I personally loved Ju-on. This is the original movie that the american "Grudge" was based on. If you saw the american version it follows the original pretty well with a mix of america's sequal. It's in japanese and english dub. The only problem with this movie is that I can be hard to follow because you don't have a strict time line. You find yourself skipping around through characters and ultimately in a time warp. Sometimes you see what is happening now and in the past at the same time and you're not quite sure what is real. Other than that the movie is wonerful a suspense that is definately worth watching!

A Flawed But Worthy, And Occasionally Frightening, Dark Ghost Tale.......2007-01-10

Several years ago, two made-for-tv movies were released in Japan - "Ju-On: The Curse 1" and "Ju-On: The Curse 2". Extremely well received, they spawned the theatrical movie "Ju-On: The Grudge", constructed so that it could be viewed either as a remake or as a sequel to the two earlier efforts (with the two "Ju-On Curse" movies being the only Ju-Ons I've yet to see, I can only speculate as to how the connections go, but that's the story anyway). The theatrical movie would go on to spawn a Japanese sequel (with a third entry reportedly in the works), plus an American remake and its sequel (which is actually totally unconnected to the Japanese "Ju-On: The Grudge 2").

The basic premise, apparantly based on real legends from Japanese folklore, is this: when a person dies unnaturally, in the grips of powerful emotions like rage, they sometimes fail to pass on to the afterlife but instead become a 'Ju-On', a restless, violent spirit bent on havoc. Those who die at the hands of one of these Ju-Ons become new Ju-Ons themselves, and the curse spreads in this way. In this movie, a young Japanese health-care worker who makes rounds to different homes to care for the infirm, has as one of her patients an elderly woman who has recently moved with her family into a new home. Unfortunately for all, this home is inhabited by Ju-On spirits.

It's a great premise, with wonderfully bizarre visually imagery and some genuine frights, including the unearthly, absolutely creepy sounds that emanate from the Ju-On ghosts. Unfortunately, a lot of the movie doesn't make sense. It's not the Ju-Ons themselves - I love horror movies where a rational explanation for the supernatural phenomena is never uncovered; it often adds to the atmosphere of mystery, eerieness and fright. It also wasn't the unusual way the story was told, flashing through different time periods; it was a little bit hard to follow (perhaps more so than it should have been given the cryptic, attention-demanding nature of the few other movies that have used a non-linear story like this but remained fully comprehensible; perhaps it would have worked better if I'd gotten to see the two "Ju-On Curse" movies first) but it was innovative and allowed the film to follow some really unexpected paths. The parts that I just couldn't figure out involve the human characters.

For example, early in the movie the home health care worker is shocked to discover a strange, silent little boy locked up behind some boards in a room upstairs. She immediately rushes to the phone to report this, but (though the scene itself doesn't last this long) one gets the impression she leaves him alone up there for about twenty minutes while talking to the authorities on the phone, and then fretting about what to do next. Wouldn't any remotely rational person have tried not to leave the kid alone for any longer than absolutely essential, and try to talk to him and see if he's alright, try and get him to tell them who did this? There are a couple of other examples of this level of illogical behavior from different characters later in the movie (I don't want to get too specific there; I used the example I did because it happens so early in the movie) so it can't be attributed to one character just being overcome by shock and therefore acting in an unwise way - almost everybody seems to act in implausible ways. In the case of one example later in the movie, I've heard it suggested that it may be a cultural thing - that people in different parts of the world would react differently. I don't think I can fully accept that explanation - react differently to certain things, maybe, but everybody consistently reacting in ways to seem to defy all common sense and all credibility (the reactions of the characters in 1981's "Madman" look believable compared to some of the behaviors in here)? Besides, I've never found that problem of repeated implausibility in any other Japanese movies I've seen. Just using horror as an example, "Audition", "Infection" and "Ringu", to name a few, all made sense.

Credit where it's due: despite these flaws, the characters somehow stay interesting and even likable. It's just that these strengths could have been so much more effective without the contrasting flaws.

Production-wise, "Ju-On: The Grudge" looks and sounds beautiful, as is par for the course with most Japanese productions. The country's filmmakers as a whole seem to take the importance of things like lighting, cinematography, sound, etc., very seriously, and the results are impressive. The acting is high caliber, although again, I have to wonder how much more impressive it could have been if not for the character implausibilities.

Overall, the movie is still worth seeing for its own sake, but it's especially reccommended for one reason: it leads right into "Ju-On 2", which is a tremendous movie. And one probably should see this one first, even though it and the American remake are extremely close. "Ju-On: The Grudge" is a good movie in spite of its shortcomings, it's just not anywhere near the cream-of-the-crop in the rich field of Asian horror.

Ju-On the GREAT.......2007-01-04

I loved The Grudge...until I watched Ju-On! Now I am hooked on the Asian version...and the Asian counterparts of all English version films. After watching Ju-On, I decided to start watching all the other Asian versions of horror/thriller movies that I liked in English. The Asian versions are SO much better!
If you like The Grudge, do yourself a BIG favor and buy Ju-On. You will not be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

After Lockup Sid the Elf says DTA is now DTL which stands for Dynamic Tantayzing Leone
most underrated stallone film ever
Welcome to Hell. I'll Be Your Tour Guide...
Derek from Johannesburg
It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!

Lock Up
Starring: Sylvester Stallone , Donald Sutherland , John Amos , Sonny Landham , and Tom Sizemore
Director: John Flynn
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MEYKEG
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Amazon.com

With vanity projects like 1989's schlocky Lock Up to his credit, it's a wonder Sylvester Stallone survived to make some better movies in the '90s. This is a brutal dose of macho action that Stallone squeezed in between Rambo III and Rocky V, and his fans didn't seem to mind, so who's to judge? It's not as bad as Sly's other 1989 disaster (Tango & Cash), but you'd have to be demented, drunk, or have really low standards to call this a good movie. But if you're in a primal mood you'll get a kick out of this grimy flick, which would qualify as Z-grade exploitation if it weren't for Stallone's beefy presence as Frank Leone, a cooperative prisoner who's six months shy of parole when he's relocated to a hellhole called Gateway Prison. The wretched high-security facility is commandeered by Warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland), who is determined to settle an old score with Stallone ... and you can pretty much guess the rest. Director John Flynn didn't exactly distinguish himself with this one (he'd go on to direct forgettable fare like Out for Justice and Brainscan), but there's more visual style here than you might expect, and Sly manages to take it all so seriously that you can easily enjoy this gut buster as an unintentional comedy. --Jeff Shannon

Description

"This is hell and I'm going to give you a guided tour!" With these chilling words, the warden (Donald Sutherland) welcomes Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone) to Gateway Prison, a nightmare jail where every minute is hard time. The warden wants vengeance for the past; Leone wants only to survive the present. Their explosive battle of wills is the electrifying heart of one of Stallone's most heroic thrillers, LOCK UP. Stallone gives a monumental performance as Leone, a convict driven to break his own cherished code by a warden who will stop at nothing to get him.

Customer Reviews:

After Lockup Sid the Elf says DTA is now DTL which stands for Dynamic Tantayzing Leone.......2007-08-07

In Lockup, the old boy Sly Stallone, plays Frank Leone (hence our great title). Leone is without question the most beloved tragic figure in modern American cinema. He is a rough and tumble yet lovable parpadelle and brocolli eating machanic who remarks on a nice kiss from his girlfriend by simply saying "that's Italian." It doesn't really make any sense to us, either. But it makes sense to Leone, and that's just going to have to be good enough. This film did NOT recieve its due ammount of critical acclaim or box-office sucess. We, Sid the Elf, have just one question: why?

Lockup has everything you can ask for in a movie. It has a really tough nut to crack in the ledgendary Chink Webber, who gives us so many great lines. For example "Move it Ace, that's my spot," and "When are you going to paint your nails and start answering to the name (explitive deleted)?" You have First Base, who contributes a heaping helping of comedy just by speaking. There's the immortal Eclipse, who touches the heart when the solitary tear rolls down his face at witnessing the destruction of his baby, Maybeline(a car by the way). And, if the room doesn't get officially dusty when Leone is seemingly caught trying to escape because his close friend, Deep-fried Dallas rats him out then you have no soul.

We could go on for pages and pages on Lockup because it is one of Sid the Elf's favorite movies. We were discussing this during our current screening, which kicked off our Stallone season, and we are putting it behind only the zenith of B Death Ring. So, naturally, Lockup gets the Sid the Elf Seal of Approval. See this movie! You'll thank us, yet again. That means everything's ok.

most underrated stallone film ever.......2007-03-18

This simply is the most underrated film stallone has ever done since the other most underrated stallone film before it over the top.Wonderfull film about frank leone who sits out his prison scentence quietly until donal sutherland transvers him to his prison with the goal to kill him.
Watch stallone play a nice guy who just tries to survive.And once again
bill conti delivers a perfect score for a stallone film.The music here is just perfect.

Welcome to Hell. I'll Be Your Tour Guide..........2005-08-04

This is possibly Stallone's best movie since the original 'Rocky'. He plays Frank Leone, a convict on the verge of being a free man when he gets transferred to the worst possible prison imaginable. This movie is like the unbeatable 'Shawshank Redemption' with some action scenes sprinkled in. Donald Sutherland plays the demonic warden of the prison who has a grudge against Frank.

Along the way, Frank befriends many of his inmates and helps them understand that once they become a part of the system and break, then they're owned by the warden. It quite frankly makes you care about some of the men inside the prison, like 'Shawshank' did, even though you know they pretty much all deserve to be in there.

It's a shame that many people have never heard of this movie, because it is Stallone's best effort aside from 'Rocky' and 'Cop Land'. This is a very emotional movie that really keeps you involved with multiple twists and a great story. See it! You won't be disappointed!

Derek from Johannesburg .......2004-11-08

BEST PRISON DRAMA MOVIE

After Rocky 1, this is Stallone's BEST movie! (the reason why this is in my DVD collection)..

Anyone that can say that the Shawshank Redemption was a better prison drama, obviously wasn't watching this movie.

The movie shows the tough side and the human side to a man trying to make the best of a bad situation (in prison).
Stallone's brilliant performance highlights both these qualities.

There'll never be another Sylvester Stallone - only modern-day imitations..

It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!.......2003-02-06

Ok, so the guy who did the Amazon.com Editorial review calls the people who enjoy this movie demented, drunk, or having really low standards. Who says you have to take the movie seriously...just enjoy it; I think we all realize that what happens in this movie would never happen in real life, and that's what makes it so cool. I say Lock Up is one of Stallone's more memorable movies for me although it is one of his lesser known roles. This movie probably wouldn't be good if it were played by anyone other than Stallone, but it isn't so it's great. Stallone plays Frank Leone, a man serving a short and normal prison sentence, when he is suddenly and inexplicably sent to Gateway, a hell-hole of a prison, with the evil Warden Drumgoole in charge, played very well by Donald Sutherland. Drumgoole employs a bully named Chink, (played by Sonny Landham) to make sure Leone's time at Gateway is as unpleasant as possible. The most memorable moment in the film for me is when Leone goes after Chink when he crosses the line. On the front of the DVD one critic states, "A surprisingly human film." I must agree. You really start to feel for Frank Leone after he is given such a hard time, and you want to see him exact his revenge like only Stallone can.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

THE GRUDGE IS WICKED GOOD!!.......2007-09-07

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

Americanized J-Horror But Better Than Grudge 2.......2007-08-08

Great location, solid horror film........2007-07-12

Stylistically, it's all there........2007-06-24

Average customer rating:

This Movie Scores
Harmless Fun
Great, fun, feel good movie.
Cute and fun
A GREAT FEEL GOOD MOVIE

Guys & Balls
Starring: Eileen Eilender , Leon Breitenborn , Dietmar Bär , Saskia Vester , and Anna Koesling
Director: Sherry Horman
Manufacturer: Regent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GBEWI4
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Customer Reviews:

This Movie Scores.......2007-09-05

Director Berry Hormann's German film "Guys & Balls" does for the gay community what the recent American movie "Pride" did for African Americans. Ecki (Maximilian Bruckner) is a blond, goodlooking soccer player who gets drummed off his local small-town team when his arch rival Udo discovers him kissing another male. All hell breaks loose from all sides including his father who is not going to accept the fact that his son is gay. The director treats the subject with enough humor for everyone. The father early on goes through Ecki's closet and discovers a loud shirt that "all of them wear," only to be reminded by his wife that the shirt belongs to him. There is a lot of locker-room humor that takes place in the locker room. Ecki's gay soccer team-- after getting kicked off his team for being gay, he organizes a group of motley gay men to challenge the heteros in a soccer match-- replaces naked girley photos in their lockers with naked men photos as well as other assorted sordid items.

Although the ending is predictable and some of the characters are a tad stereotypical-- the three leather bikers, the effeminate character, closeted guy, et al., there are certainly touching moments. One of the bikers, for instance, has been forced out of his small son's life by an angry ex-wife; and the son of course misses his dad. Ecki's sister, for the most part except for her screaming at one point that all the goodlooking men are gay and therefore off limits, is very supportive of her brother, allowing him to move in with her when he leaves home to round up a new soccer team.

Anyone who has ever marched in a gay pride parade, for instance, and felt his or her adrenalin flow when the gay-haters are shouting from the sidelines will love this movie. As one of the characters says, "it has to do with respect."

Harmless Fun.......2007-08-04

Take "Bend it Like Beckham" and substitute the young girls for an all-gay ( almost) men's soccer team. Nothing particularly original here--with a most predictable ending. Guess who wins the soccer game between this all-gay team and the very homophobic former team of the lead character? But it is by no means a disaster. The gay stereotypes are all over the place, but this movie never really intended to say anything particularly important. So if you want a sport's comedy with a focus, of sorts, on the gay community--this is it. But don't expect to learn very much or to see the interaction of characters with any sort of depth to them.

Great, fun, feel good movie........2007-02-28

This is an endearing story, without too much focus on nudity and sex.

Cute and fun.......2006-12-28

There isn't much in the way of criticism I have for this fun and interesting and colorful (and German) sports movie (which isn't really about sports.)

The characters are a bunch of gay misfits who take on the evil (and straight) soccer studs of the primary character's hometown. It's the underdog story done with a gay team and in German style and language. It's worth wading through the subtitles and covers a range of gay and family issues. It's topical and refreshing, and the ending is suitably fun.

This is a film worth your time. It's a charmer gay underdog story with a fresh German flair. Recommended.

A GREAT FEEL GOOD MOVIE.......2006-11-21

This will not be an Oscar winner but it is one that will be there for you when you had a bad day or when winter gets to you !!!!
In the league of Full Monty it is all predictible.
It is funny - soft and the actors are good looking too.
A very good quality / feel good movie a good little wine and pizza to go with it PERFECT.
And you don't have to be a footy fan to enjoy !!!

Average customer rating:

More of an interesting production than a great horror movie
Sound System Not Good for UMD Movies
Now have the curse right in your hands.

The Grudge (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Bill Pullman , Grace Zabriskie , William Mapother , and Ryo Ishibashi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Product Features:

From filmmaker Sam Raimi (Spider-Man®, Army of Darkness) and acclaimed Japanese director Takashi Shimizu comes a terrifying tale of horror in the tradition of The Ring and 28 Days Later. Sarah Michelle Gellar (TV s Buffy The Vampire Slayer ) stars as an American nurse who has come to work in Tokyo. Following a series of horrifying and mysterious deaths, she encounters the vengeful supernatura

ASIN: B0009FU10K
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Product Description

The Grudge PSP UMD Movie
MODEL- 11335 VENDOR- UMD MOVIES

FEATURES- "The Grudge" PSP UMD Movie
Watch movies on your PSP handheld with DVD picture quality in
widescreen. This full length movie fits on a single UMD disc.
This American remake of director Takashi Shimizu's popular Japanese
movie franchise The Grudge puts Buffy the Vampire Slayer alumna
Sarah Michelle Gellar back into the line of supernatural fire. When
Karen (Gellar), an American student working with a Japanese health
center for college credit, comes across a mysterious curse, she
quickly finds herself embroiled in a fight for her own sanity, and,
ultimately, her very survival. Known as a "grudge," the curse was
born inside of a house after its inhabitants died while consumed by
rage -- according to legend, the curse touches all who come into
contact with it, and will torment those unlucky individuals until
they, too, become part of the grudge . Each time the curse finds a
new victim, it is, in a sense, reborn, and will continue on its
path unless Karen can free herself from its control over her.
* Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea
Duvall, Kadee Strickland, Bill Pullman.

-- SPECIFICATIONs -----------------------------------
MPAA Rating : PG13
Genre : Haunted House Film, Supernatural Thriller
Theatrical Date : 2004
Run Time :
Distributor/Studio: Sony Pictures

Customer Reviews:

More of an interesting production than a great horror movie.......2006-05-17

I knew this 2004 horror film was a remake of the Japanese movie "Ju-on," in the tradition of "Ringu"/"The Ring," but I did not know that it was filmed in Japan by the same director, Takashi Shimizu (I tend to avoid finding out a lot about films until I actually see them so that I be pure of mind when I first watch them). This makes a big difference because the idea behind this production is behind both the strengths and the weaknesses of "The Grudge" as a film. However, since I lived in Japan for a couple of years, have enjoyed Japanese films in general and "Spirited Away" in particular, and have an ability to understand non-linear narrative forms, I have to admit that I have a peculiar position from which to view the film (so take what follows with a grain of salt).

As the opening of the film explains, "When someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage a curse is born. The curse gathers in that place of death. Those who encounter it will be consumed by its fury." When you listen to the DVD extras you learn that there is another key ingredient: the source of that rage is that the victim does not know why they were murdered. This is important because this is not your typical American horror movie where the guilty die grizzly deaths. The innocent are the only items on the menu this time around. If you want other clear indications that this is a Japanese horror movie then notice that Shimizu goes for the creeps over suspense (guessing who is next to die is never difficult), the camera never lingers on the film's grossest images, and seeing the ghost happens early and often. The last one presents the most problems in terms of cultural translation because the Japanese conception of demons is so foreign to American audiences (I know, duh, but it is true) as is the idea of a Japanese monster house ("Obakeyashiki").

Executive producer Sam Raimi had seen "Ju-on" and came up with the idea of remaking the movie in Japan with the same director but with American actors for an English speaking audience. So this is not the same thing as splicing in scenes of Raymond Burr to turn "Gojira" into "Godzilla," but it is somewhat pointed in that same direction. Stephen Susco's screenplay has to come up with reasons why the American actors are working (and dying) in Japan and while he certainly comes up with plausible means of employment, there is an elephant in the living room in that the body count consists mostly of gaijin but that is never a part of the equation. Granted, Detective Nakagawa (Ryo Ishibashi) is suspicious of the house given what had happened three years earlier, but this film really needed to deal with the gaijin issue better (I was going to say that having more Japanese killed off in the movie would help, but then we have the problem a gaijin being the heroine in a story set in Japan).

However, at some point a decision was made for Jeff Betancourt to edit "The Grudge" in a non-linear fashion. Now, what they came up with is an interesting approach, but clearly most viewers are not picking up on what is happening right away. Beginning with the opening deaths before the title credits are over, "The Grudge" follows the first death backwards to the beginning of the tale and the second forward to the ending. These two plotlines alternate to the climax in which they actually come together. Unfortunately, this is just way too convenient as the only way that our heroine can understand what is going on. At a point where the puzzle is coming together we are wondering how this is happening when the focus should be on understanding why everything is happening.

Another way in which the production is more interesting than the movie is the limited use of CGI. Throughout the commentary track, Sarah Michelle Gellar talks about the lengths to which Japanese filmmakers keep things real. The shot of the hand coming out of the back of her character's head in the shower is not a CGI shot. The ghost creepily crawling down the stairs is all the performance of actress Takako Fuji and not a puppet on wires or anything else. When characters listen to messages on an answering machine, there are actually messages on the answering machine. But, again, unless you check out the DVD extras you have no way of appreciating the realism of this particular movie. The more you check out the more you will rethink what is going on in the movie.

"The Grudge" is a creepy movie where the ghost is a lot more interesting than Karen the heroine. But then most of the characters are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time so that bad things can happen to them. Still, my wife screamed twice and jumped three times while watching this, so it can have the desired effect (at least on those unaccustomed to the way modern horror films work). More importantly, the attempt to make a Japanese horror movie for Americans, versus an American version of a Japanese horror movie, is worth paying attention to. Ultimately, I am trying to convince you to watch this movie twice, after checking out all of the DVD features in between.

Sound System Not Good for UMD Movies.......2005-08-22

The Grudge is a 4 star (out of 5) movie, but for the PSP... the sound system must be higher quality. I bought this for 20 bucks at a store, because I was going on a trip soon. I tried the plane's, my own, and the PSP's headphones and none of them produced good sound quality. The games get good sound quality, while the movies are so much lower, that sometimes you can't hear what they're saying. It's so annoying. Get it on DVD, and you'll at least be more satisfied than this.

Now have the curse right in your hands........2005-06-03

This movie is scary plain and simple and now you can have it and watch it anywhere you go.

Average customer rating:

would...
A worthy next chapter but can't stand alone
I thought it was good
It just does not measure up
It Goes On and On and ...

The Grudge 2
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Amber Tamblyn , Edison Chen , Arielle Kebbel , and Jennifer Beals
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LRZHQO
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

Stills from The Grudge 2 (click for larger image)

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Product Descripition

Customer Reviews:

would..........2007-09-16

I would give this 0 stars if I could but amazon doesn't have it available. This is the WORST movie EVER. Stupid and retarted. This movie is NOT even worth a rent. Don't waste your time.

A worthy next chapter but can't stand alone.......2007-09-12

I thought it was good.......2007-09-07

It just does not measure up.......2007-08-26

It Goes On and On and ..........2007-08-21

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