Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition)

Product Description

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

System Requirements:

Running Time 140 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Cowritten by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

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Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

I got that batmobile for my son thats probably the best part of the movie. They need to make that next movie they hinted at in the end with the joker. Bottom line- roof top batmobile chase, more please, Christian Bale batman eeeygh I don't think so.Batman Begins Deluxe Batmobile Vehicle

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Batman Begins as a movie is great. The plot and settings of the movie really makes it feel like a real batman movie. Not colorful and very dark. The HD DVD transfer is amazing, with black levels beyond belief. If you have the standard def version and compare it to the HD version, you will notice a huge difference on any size high def t.v thats over 27 inches. I recommend this to any HD DVD owner, even if you have the standard dvd. a must.

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

Tim Burton's original Batman was truly groundbreaking and did deserve the huge amounts of praise it recieved (I never really cared for any of the sequels. While the Joker was surreal, at least he was accetable. Batman Returns carried the unreality a little far). However, it was flawed. Mainly, it was small things that caught my attention, such as the fact that Batman's suit was so stiff that he could hardly fight in it (did it bother anybody else that he couldn't even turn his neck?) and the movie made me wonder how organized crime could realisticly be so obvious in a city and no one do anything about it. Batman Begins makes the corruption of Gotham's judicial system and police department very real and makes you realize that an independent like Batman, as unlikely a hero as he is, is badly needed. And instead of skirting around the issues with the batsuit we finally see every part of it explained from the horns on his head to the reason for the design of his cape and(GASP!) it actually seems plausable, even almost likely. Other pluses include: Unlike in so many other movies, the special effects are not just there for themselves, but really add to the story. Other portrayals of Batman make him seem unstable and even dangerous to those he is supposedly protecting, while here he is an immovable, if dark, force for good with solid, sain reasons for doing what he does. (This movie just goes to show how adaptable Batman really is. There are so many good ways to portray him!) The villains, too, are unbelievably lifelike considering their origins (like Batman, the comics), good acting and a well devised plot draw you in and keep you wide-eyed, and, though some may say the movie was just too long, I loved every minute of it!

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

I've noticed that everyone wants to review the film but nobody talks about its HD muscle. After buying many HD-DVDs I will say that Batman Begins is the overal best combination of amazing picture and fire setting audio! The Dolby TruHD audio track is stunning and somehow manages to make your house sound more like a movie theater than anything else out there. 100% recommended

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

When I was a kid, I'll admit that I kind of hated Batman, thanks to reruns of the 1960s television series. On TV, Batman was sanctimonious, shallow and corny. In 1989, however, the advent of Tim Burton's Batman movie exposed me to a whole new side of Batman: a flawed, moody outsider who lived in a corrupt, gothic metropolis, and who was more than willing to act lethally if he felt it was needed. Batman became a huge success, and was one of the first "summer megahype movies" to benefit from the new Hollywood press machine. While the movie may have emphasized style over substance, seeing Michael Keaton's Batman (using an arsenal of high-tech vehicles and gadgets) take on Jack Nicholson's deformed Joker was pure entertainment. Batman fever reigned high at the time, but Burton's sequel, "Batman Returns", couldn't match the freshness of its predecessor, despite being a quite solid effort. Keaton and Burton left the franchise, leaving Val Kilmer in the unenviable position of tackling the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's inordinately campy "Batman Forever". Val Kilmer's almost psychadelic take on Batman wasn't enough to overcome the gaudy neons and cartoonish portrayals which plagued the movie; nonetheless, the movie was financially successful. With George Clooney as Batman, 1997's "Batman and Robin" was the inevitable straw that broke the camel's back, and was so terrible that it stalled the careers of Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone, and led Clooney to admit that he "was the guy who screwed Batman up". It looked like the franchise was dead, and the Batman movie license languished for years in development hell. After some false starts, "Memento" director Chris Nolan was the guy who was to revive the Batman franchise with this movie, which chronicles the very beginning of Batman's career.

While it has become fashionable to subscribe to the revisionist position that Tim Burton's "Batman" was a bad movie, the truth is that Nolan was clearly inspired to some degree by Burton. The look of Batman's armored outfit, the militaristic motif of the Tumbler (aka the Batmobile), the gritty take on city corruption- these are all clearly derived from Burton's work. However, Nolan's Gotham, while still dark and menacing, is not steeped in gothic fantasticism, but rather in a slightly more modern take on the classic noir urban setting of the mid 20th century. The characters are all portrayed and explored much deeper than the 1989 movie, and both the hero and villains behave more realistically.

The storyline hews closer to the various Batman comic books as well. The movie begins with Bruce Wayne (played by "American Psycho" star Christian Bale) locked in an Asian prison, being recruited by the enigmatic Ducard for the League of Shadows, a mysterious organization of vigilantes run by the even more mysterious R'az Al Ghul. Wayne trains to become a crime fighter, and through flashbacks, we see Bruce Wayne's childhood shattered when his wealthy and well-intentioned parents are killed by a desperate mugger. After college, he returns to Gotham City to kill the mugger, who is about to be released in return for testimony, but is beaten to the punch by Carmine Falcone's mob organization. Realizing that mere revenge is a doomed path, Wayne disappears to live life as a criminal, and gain insight. Back in the present day, Wayne is about to be inducted into the League, but things turn sour when he learns their true plans. Barely escaping with his life, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham with an idea in his head- to create an alter ego which will strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Back in Gotham, he finds his father's company is in danger of losing its way, and is about to go public, thanks to the machinations of Earle, who was trusted with the company. Wayne finds allies in family butler Alfred, Lucius Fox, a former Wayne Enterprise executive who was demoted to a dead-end job in research, Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend turned idealistic assistant D.A., and Sergeant Jim Gordon, an honest cop in a district overrun by corruption. However, things are about to get "complicated", with both Carmine Falcone and corrupt Dr. Jonathan Crane (whose alter ego is the Scarecrow) acting as pawns for an even more sinister force preparing to unleash hell on Gotham.

First off, with the exception of Katie Holmes' flat portrayal of Dawes, the acting is top notch. The cast is a treasure trove of outstanding actors, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, and Linus Roache, to mention a few. While some may object to the slower pacing of the movie, it works well, and creates tension. The movie is saturated with browns, yellows and oranges, creating a warm glow to contrast with the sinister atmosphere brought by the story, while the minimalist soundtrack is appropriately gothic when needed. The movie seems busy at times, with not one but three main villains, and the requisite goons. The action sequences are presented at a frantic pace, and some may take issue with Nolan's filming of fight scenes in such an "indirect", chaotic manner. But in the end, this is a superhero movie of the highest order, which tries to balance the fantastic with the realistic, and usually succeeds. The movie viewer has been pretty fortunate with comic book movies as of late, with Superman Returns, the X-Men movies, and the Spiderman movies. By returning to the noir roots explored by Tim Burton, yet filming things his own way, Chris Nolan managed to restart the franchise without disrespecting what was done well in past iterations.

The single disc DVD version has literally no extras, whatsoever. However, the movie was so good I'll overlook it....this time. Whichever version you get, the movie is outstanding.

Average customer rating:

28 "zombies" later
Stop calling it a zombie movie
ONE OF THE GREAT ZOMBIE MOVIES!!
Charming, Poignant, and Inspiring
Entertaining movie

28 Days Later (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Alex Palmer , Bindu De Stoppani , Jukka Hiltunen , David Schneider (IV) , and Cillian Murphy
Director: Danny Boyle , and Toby James
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JMA8
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

The director/producer team that created Trainspotting turn their dynamic cinematic imaginations to the classic science fiction scenario of the last people on Earth. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma to find London deserted--until he runs into a mob of crazed plague victims. He gradually finds other still-human survivors (including Naomie Harris), with whom he heads off across the abandoned countryside to find the source of a radio broadcast that promises salvation. 28 Days Later is basically an updated version of The Omega Man and other post-apocalyptic visions; but while the movie may lack originality, it makes up for it in vivid details and creepy paranoid atmosphere. 28 Days Later's portrait of how people behave in extreme circumstances--written by novelist Alex Garland (The Beach)--will haunt you afterward. Also featuring Brendan Gleeson (The General, Gangs of New York) and Christopher Eccleston (Shallow Grave, The Others). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Hailed as the most frightening film since The Exorcist, acclaimed Director Danny Boyle's visionary take on zombie horror "isn't just scary…it's absolutely terrifying" (Access Hollywood).

An infirmary patient awakens from a coma to an empty room…in a vacant hospital…in a deserted city. A powerful virus, which locks victims into a permanent state of murderous rage, has transformed the world around him into a seemingly desolate wasteland. Now a handful of survivors must fight to stay alive, unaware that the worst is yet to come…

Customer Reviews:

28 "zombies" later.......2007-09-07

Ok, first and foremost..."28 days later" is not a zombie movie, no matter how it was marketed, or reviewed or talked about. The bad element of 28 days are people infected with a viral toxin (rage), that causes them to succumb to extreme violent acts. They are not dead, or undead. The do not devour their victims. They are not rotting...etc.

While 28 days shares familiar territory with Romero's classic Living Dead movies and an introduction to the lead character ripped from Day of the Triffids, the zombie genre ends there.

What "28 days later" is, however, is a very good low budget suspense flick with a great opener, a good middle section and an ok end section, which despite being entertaining kind of loses its way. It starts of well, with the actions that release "rage" virus and its scenes of a deserted London with unknown unseen danger and drips with atmosphere. People from Britain (or anyone whose spent some time in the city) could easily imagine themselves in Jim's dilemma, played admirably by Cork's Cillian Murphy.

Going into too much detail will spoil the suspense for those who haven't seen the film, but needless to say Jim eventually meets and runs away from the "infected", right into other survivors (including another Irishman Brendan Gleeson) who have been managing to hide out and stay "normal" in the face of overwhelming odds. Together this group decide to hook up with a military outfit that has set up the "answer to infection" in Manchester.

"28 Days Later" has enough to hold the viewer for its duration, in fact it rewards several viewings (I seen it three times now). But the budget constraints do show at times and the story does seem to run a little out of steam. It's very apparent that director Danny Boyle wasn't sure how to end the film and one is left a little let down at the films conclusion. This feeling may disappear however, now that "28 weeks later" is out and the second installment of the drama lets us into other areas of life in infected Britain, although I have yet to see that particular episode.

All in all, "28 Days Later" is an effective and entertaining film, with some fine scenes...but it ain't "Day of the Dead", but then again, nothing is.

Stop calling it a zombie movie.......2007-09-06

OK, 28 days later is an OK virus movie. A monkey that's been experimented on and infected with the "Rage" virus bites an activist who in turn is infected and attacks her mates. Explodes and you have a post-apocalyptic story with some great shots of abandoned streets and markets and some good chase scenes taboot. Add some great film treatments and good camera work and it's an edgy flick with some nice emotional touches.

BUT! It completely fails to be a Zombie movie.

Aside from breaking all conventions in Zombie movies, there aren't any walking dead. Between 28 days later and 28 weeks later, we find out that the infected, although usually killed through conventional zombie means (remove the head or destroy the brain) can also drown, bleed to death, asphyxiate, die from being gassed, starve, and be generally mauled. All their primary bodily functions are still going and that's what keeps them alive. Zombies (as originally portrayed in Night of the Living Dead) die and then start causing trouble.

If you don't look at it as a Zombie movie, it's an OK flick. If you're expecting a Zombie movie (and you know what a Zombie movie IS), you'll be disappointed.

ONE OF THE GREAT ZOMBIE MOVIES!!.......2007-09-01

a city ravished by disease, millions of zombies, only a few survivors, and you turn with just one drop of blood...crazy. loved this movie, i thought it was very well done. all the chaos, a world of the dead, where's saftey, how do you get out? i love zombies, i think they're the freakiest. they're people and they're dead, and all they want is to eat people. pretty damn scary. the whole movie was very good, i really liked it. i didn't get scared, but the film in general was wicked good. two thumbs up no doubt.

Charming, Poignant, and Inspiring.......2007-08-03

Having long been a fan of Sandra Bullock's, I expected 28 Days Later to be another one of her light-hearted, action-packed comedies (or are they comedy-packed action flicks?). I was in for a real surprise, however, as we are taken through the story of Gwen Cummings, played by Bullock, who is sent to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. At first she resists getting involved in the program, and refuses to admit that she has a problem, but as she gets to know her fellow patients and as she gets the chance to look deeper inside herself, she learns to accept that she does in fact have a problem, and only then is she able to have true hope for the future. She then wakes up 28 days later in the abandoned hospital only to learn that the world has changed drastically while she was in her unconscious stupor, and most people have been infected by a horrible and extremely contagious virus that turns even the kindest person into a hate-filled zombie filled with uninhibited violence. And she must face the question: who is the real enemy here? The blood-vomiting zombie-like infected who would love nothing more than to bite her throat out...or is the real enemy HERSELF?

Entertaining movie.......2007-08-02

Although the plot is not original this was a well made film. Good acting, good script, good directing and excellent camera work. Well worth seeing.

Felicity - Junior Year Collection (The Complete Third Season)

Average customer rating:

Ben Covington has never looked so dreamy!!!
Felicity is the greatest!
Felicity is the greatest!
Felicity Junior Year
Junior year...

Felicity - Junior Year Collection (The Complete Third Season)
Director: Ken Olin , Danny Leiner , Michael Schultz , Elodie Keene , and Joan Tewkesbury
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001I55RY
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Amazon.com

Felicity: Junior Year Collection is an improvement over year 2--perhaps inevitably, as the characters are lurching toward adulthood more rapidly and definitively. For the most part, Felicity (Keri Russell) and the gang still face the same challenges--commitment, academic momentum, conflicts over values, pressure from parents--but the stakes are higher because everyone has outgrown adolescent defenses and revealed more of themselves to lovers and friends. The third season begins with lots of smiles and hopes as Felicity, boyfriend Ben (Scott Speedman), would-be filmmaker Sean (Greg Grunberg), kinky Wiccan Meghan (Amanda Foreman), and the rest return from a summer break to get reacquainted. Felicity, expected to move in with pals Julie (Amy Jo Johnson) and Elena (Tangi Miller), impulsively decides to move into an apartment with Ben instead--without telling Ben. The funky hovel becomes a source of conflict (even more after Ben lets a beautiful neighbor take a bath in his and Felicity's living-room tub) that exacerbates the couple's ambivalence about one another.

But a lot of things do that, including a visit from Felicity's mom (Eve Gordon) that finds the latter lobbying against Ben (who hasn't chosen a career and gets into a couple of fights this season) and for Noel (Scott Foley, whose character seems destined for success and who remains, secretly, in love with Felicity). Meanwhile, Sean and Meghan deal with the former's possible testicular cancer, Elena grapples with her virgin boyfriend's insistence on no pre-marital sex, Julie disappears while depressed over her relationship with her father, and newcomer Molly (Sarah-Jane Potts) tries to break off a relationship with a gun-toting drug addict (Robert Patrick Benedict). Typically, season 3 has frequent, jaw-dropping dramatic highlights, including a shooting that results in a profound experience for nearly everyone, an episode in which Felicity wakes up naked in a fraternity house, and another in which she is the recipient of an awkward pass by Ben's alcoholic father (John Ritter). Life is never dull in this series executive-produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, and the subject of growing up, when treated with as much insight as Felicity offers, is always interesting. Among the special features is a great parody of the series from Mad TV. --Tom Keogh

Description

The education continues during Felicity's junior year. Felicity, played by Golden Globe winner* Keri Russell, returns to the University of New York for a new course in self-discovery. Her big decision to move in with Ben shapes the direction of the school year, but it's just one of the many exhilarating challenges in a spectacular season of passion, heartache and excitement in the city.

Customer Reviews:

Ben Covington has never looked so dreamy!!!.......2007-08-24

Perhaps the best show ever crafted, the insatiable J.J. Abrams, has struck a chord with viewers across the nation, maybe even across the globe. Junior Year has ripened each character giving us a glimpse into their interworkings. Whether you are a pre-teen in middle school, a confused high schooler, a lost college undergrad, or a middle-aged single gentleman like myself, you can certainly find a commonality with each of the characters.

Felicity is the greatest!.......2007-08-13

I remember when Felicity first premiered on t.v. and I refused to watch it. I didn't like Dawsons Creek and I knew I wasn't going to like this show. However, recently one of my coworkers insisted that I watch a few episodes and I am hooked. The show is very good. The writing is very good. It's pretty close to real college life (for those who were in dorms).

Felicity is the greatest!.......2007-03-08

I have already seen this whole season 3, after the first and second season. All I can say is - BUY IT! I can't wait to buy the last season of Felicity. Nothing can compare with it. :)

Felicity Junior Year.......2005-08-03

After a perceived sophomore slump by the critics (I still think it is good especially towards the end of the season), Season 3 reinvigorated the show by raves from the critics and improved ratings. Season 3 is probably the most ensemble based seasons of the show as more of the supporting characters (Megan, Javier, Sean) become more part of the gang.

Some of the best episodes of the season are:

-The Christening (a great season opener, it was funny and cute and just a nice way to start the season)
-Hello, I must be Going (Julie's goodbye via videotape to the gang was beautiful, a nice farewell episode for Amy Jo Johnson)
-Greeks and Geeks (so many wonderful things, Megan's phone sex job, the ping pong match, the laptop fiasco, just a great episode)
-Surprise
-One Ball Two Strikes (Ben and Felicity reunited after the pingpong-Randy fiasco)
-And to all a Good Night (great Felicity-Ben episode especially ben's speech to her mother about how important Felicity is to him)
-Blackout
-The Breakup kit
-The Last Summer Ever

Season 3 is a strong season, with some very funny, romantic, dramatic, moving and at one point even suspenseful episodes.

Grade: A

Junior year..........2005-07-19

Nominated for 2 Emmys and 2 Golden Globes, including Best TV Series - Drama, Felicity gathered a large cult following in its short four season stint. Premiering on the WB network in September 1998, the show (along with Dawson's Creek) helped ignite a firestorm of highly successful original series on behalf of the upstart network, with such hit shows as Angel (1999), Gilmore Girls (2000), and Smallville (2001). The brainchild of writer J.J. Abrams (creator of the two hit series Alias and Lost), Felicity follows the life of a recent high school graduate, not through seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4, but through Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years. Similar in genre to its contemporary, Dawson's Creek, Felicity's cast is of approximately the same age, but the setting is college instead of high school...

Felicity begins when the star of the series, Felicity Porter (Keri Russell), graduates from high school. Having harbored a four-year crush on classmate Ben Covington (Scott Speedman), despite the fact they've never talked, Felicity musters the courage in the aftermath of their commencement ceremony to ask him to sign her yearbook. When Ben writes some surprising comments, Felicity decides to follow him to fictional University of New York (UNY) instead of pursuing her goal of pre-med at Stanford. Against her parent's wishes, she enrolls in the school and moves cross country where she becomes roommates with Meghan Rotundi (Amanda Foreman), a girl whose lifestyle clashes with her own, and where she meets resident advisor Noel Crane (Scott Foley) who immediately develops a crush on her. When Ben learns of the true reason for Felicity's enrollment, he's both flattered and a little uncertain about Felicity's mental stability. In the ensuing four years, Felicity goes through the basic trials and travails of a maturing college student, experiencing the ups and downs of life, love, and adulthood...

The Felicity (Season 3) DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere "The Christening" in which Felicity learns from Javier that a man is giving away his furniture before moving to another state. When she visits his apartment, she falls in love with the place and agrees to rent it so that she and Ben can live there together. Ben, however, is out of town at the time and must live with Felicity's decision despite his belief that the place is a dump. Meanwhile, Noel has dropped out of school, eloped, and decided to become a full-time party animal... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Kissing Mr. Covington" in which Felicity's attempts to console Ben's estranged father result in him kissing her, much to her and Ben's dismay, and "Blackout" in which everyone gathers together to watch Sean's "Docuventary," only to have a storm knock out the power, prompting a series of interpersonal conflicts...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Felicity (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 46 (The Christening)
Episode 47 (The Anti-Natalie Intervention)
Episode 48 (Hello, I Must Be Going)
Episode 49 (Greeks and Geeks)
Episode 50 (Surprise)
Episode 51 (One Ball, Two Strikes)
Episode 52 (Kissing Mr. Covington)
Episode 53 (A Good Egg)
Episode 54 (James and the Giant Piece)
Episode 55 (Final Touches)
Episode 56 (And to All a Good Night)
Episode 57 (Girlfight)
Episode 58 (Blackout)
Episode 59 (The Break-Up Kit)
Episode 60 (Senioritis)
Episode 61 (It's Raining Men)
Episode 62 (The Last Summer Ever)

The DVD Report

Average customer rating:

It doesn't get any better
Humble, simple, and with great emotional impact
Of Mice & Men
Solid adaptation and even more solid performances for OF MICE AND MEN
Brilliant adaptation of a classic story

Of Mice & Men (1992)
Starring: Alexis Arquette , Mark Boone Junior , Joe D'Angerio , Sherilyn Fenn , and Moira Harris
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007KQA4
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Amazon.com

A strong argument favors Gary Sinise's 1992 Of Mice and Men over the classic 1939 version that critics have historically preferred. As adapted by the great playwright-screenwriter Horton Foote, John Steinbeck's Depression-era masterpiece comes alive with timeless simplicity, more candid in language and behavior, and therefore more honest in its embrace of Steinbeck's beloved pair of lowly dreamers George (Sinise) and his retarded cousin Lennie (John Malkovich). On the lam, they find work as farmhands, joining a close-knit crew and trying to avoid trouble stirred by the dangerously seductive wife (Sherilyn Fenn) of the boss's sadistic son (Casey Siemaszko). There's not a false note or bad performance in the entire film; as veterans of Chicago's acclaimed Steppenwolf Theater, Malkovich and Sinise possess the compassionate chemistry that makes George and Lennie inseparable until the tragic, inevitable final scene. As director, Sinise serves the material with no-frills fidelity; it's easy to believe that Steinbeck would have approved. --Jeff Shannon

Description

John Steinbeck's classic comes magnificently to life in this beautiful and stirring film starring Oscar® nominees* John Malkovich and Gary Sinise. Directed by Sinise from an adaptation by Oscar® winner** Horton Foote, this "flawless miracle of movie-making" (Susan Granger, "American Movie Classics") is a must-see for all audiences. Best friends Lennie (Malkovich) and George (Sinise) find themselves unemployed in Depression-era California, unable to keep jobs because of Lennie's childlike mentality. But once they get hired at the Tyler Ranch, they enjoy a brief period of stability - until their supervisor's wife (Sherilyn Fenn) becomes the victim of Lennie's compassion, forcing George to make a compassionate decision of his own.

Customer Reviews:

It doesn't get any better.......2007-09-09

Steinbeck could have written this for these actors. The movie is understated and loyal to the novel. The acting superb. It is clear that the actors, screenwriters, everyone involved loved this story and treated it with respect and great care.

Humble, simple, and with great emotional impact.......2007-09-08

I agree with other reviewers...this is a great film and deserves far more recognition than it ever received. I was never a big Gary Sinise fan, but after seeing this film realized how gifted (as opposed to "talented"), he is. His direction infuses this film with far more emotional impact than almost any I have seen. To this day, I especially remember the scene where George and Lenny, sitting in the room shared by several men, are discussing their "dream." Ray Walston lay on a bed across the room, and he was hearing George tell the story...Ray sits up and says, "Do you know of such a place?" The lighting, the direction, the acting all absorb the viewer and you are there in that room, with others whose lives have been broken down beyond salvage, and for a moment you can feel the spark of hope that such a person may feel when they begin to think they may have "one more chance" at something of value in life.

I can't say any more about the performances than have already been said... Remarkable is a word that doesn't begin to describe it.

A great film.

Of Mice & Men.......2007-08-29

John Steinbeck, in his usual fashion, weaves a story that seems so real, so possible in such a time period, that seems to be possible even today. The story draws you in as though you are part of it. I highly recommend it.

Solid adaptation and even more solid performances for OF MICE AND MEN.......2007-08-15

5 STARS FROM THE GIT-GO!

This 1992 adaptation of John Steinbeck's Depression Era novel is as solid a film as solid can be. From the very opening of the film, we see cousins George and Lenny running and a woman in a ripped red dress screaming for help.We are alerted from the start where this story is going.The thing is, we don't want it to go there,but it will;it is inevitable.So sit back and you will NOT relax because the tension is palpable and the result will come.Now that is a very different take from many films today in that you will be surprised by outcomes and all the twists and turns;but not so in this amazing Gary Sinise directed-Horton Foote scripted tale of two men who must come to their fate.

Gary Sinise is the tough but tender George who has always looked after the dim-witted but lovable Lenny.It is obvious early on that George has considered Lenny a millstone around his neck;but there is a genuine love there for him despite that.Lenny (the best John Malkovich other than DANGEROUS LIAISONS) is the clumsy,oafish "gentle giant" who caresses things too tightly often killing them unintentionally.Their relationship is played out among the migrant working men of the Tyler Ranch,California.Curly (Casey Siemaszko) is boss's "short" tyrant of a son who beats and neglects his wife (Sherilynn Fenn) and has a Napoleonic complex that sets him squarely against the giant innocent Lenny.The wife is always hanging about all the men.She is desperately lonely.She spells trouble from the start.Sinise takes us very deliberately through each scene,allowing each character to develop just enough, only to bring them to their ultimate reckoning.

There is not one false note,one false step in this film;it is seamless in it's direction and flawless in the screenplay and acting.It is tough and tender and forceful.I cannot recommend a film more highly.

Mark Isham provides a beautiful Aaron Copelandesque Americana soundtrack.

Great companion films would be DOMINICK AND EUGENE and FRANKENSTEIN (believe it or not) and INFAMOUS for the misunderstood "gentle giant" feebleminded character. SEABISCUIT is a great film for the Depression-Era angle.

Brilliant adaptation of a classic story.......2007-05-12

It's risky business whenever a classic piece of American literature is adapted to film (especially when it already was years before to boot), but somehow everyone involved here managed to pull it off. John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is brilliantly adapted here and directed by Gary Sinise. Sinise also stars as George, and John Malkovich is sublimely cast as George's retarded, hulkish cousin Lennie. The two drifters appear to finally find a home to call their own, and a dreamish future that is closer to ever than happening, only to have everything tragically fall apart. What makes this 1992 adaptation of Steinbeck's classic so great is Sinise's sensitive direction as well as his strong and understated performance, but it's John Malkovich who steals the show in one of his career best performances as the sympathetic Lennie who is trying to survive in a world he was never meant for. The DVD itself has some nice extras as well, including an insightful commentary from Sinise and screen tests for some of the actors. All in all, films adapted from classic literature rarely get better than this.

Average customer rating:

Big Fan
No Sophomore Slump Here!
Detective Series, Quality of a well made movie
Prime Suspect 2
Prime Suspect 2

Prime Suspect 2
Starring: Helen Mirren , Colin Salmon , John Benfield , Jack Ellis (III) , and Craig Fairbrass
Director: John Strickland
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000X2ET2
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

In the first Prime Suspect, Helen Mirren's ballsy woman Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennyson battled the boys club and their sexist barbs to prove herself in a chauvinist department. In Prime Suspect 2, she's assigned to head a racially charged murder investigation in a largely African/Caribbean neighborhood. It's politics as usual in the image-conscious organization, so the superintendent adds to the team black Detective Robert Oswalde (Colin Salma), a sharp but hot-headed investigator who has just broken off an affair with Tennyson. Now Tennyson grapples with her own conflicted feelings while fighting political and public-relations battles both in the media and within the police system itself in the midst of investigating the labyrinthine case. Between the scant clues left to sift, a prime suspect on the verge of death himself, and divisions in her own team that result in a devastating death, Tennyson soon begins to suspect she's been hung out to dry by the department. Screenwriter Allan Cubitt dives into the murky waters of volatile racial and social relations to create an even more complex and compelling mystery in Tennyson's second appearance, and Mirren rises to the challenge to explore the contradictions of an uncompromising cop in a compromising position. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Helen Mirren is Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in the second season of Prime Suspect. This case involves a death in the Afro-Caribbean community that puts D.C.I. Tennison and the rest of the police force in the middle of a racial controvery.

Customer Reviews:

Big Fan.......2007-07-06

I really enjoyed the 2nd episode. It has all the original cast, and shows the transition of Det. Tennyson. Its a rehash for me, I saw all on PBS. Its great to see quality in this dumbed down world.

No Sophomore Slump Here!.......2007-04-24

Prime Suspect 2 is just as well made and compelling as its predecessor. This story was especially interesting because of the race relations angle that was a focus of much of the program. Helen Mirren's Jane is not always a likable character but she seems very very real and the series really showcases what a fine actress Mirren is.

Detective Series, Quality of a well made movie.......2007-03-15

Helen Mirren is the best. I wish I had "discovered" her and this series a long time ago. Great stories without all the trappings of plastic Hollywood series.

Prime Suspect 2.......2007-01-22

Another great movie with Helen Mirren.. Great for detective and crime story fans!

Prime Suspect 2.......2007-01-10

This is brilliant gritty British TV at its best. Every one in the series is excellent, I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys great acting (Helen Mirren is fantastic) and strong story lines.

Memento (Widescreen Two-Disc Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Unique and refreshing, the type of film that keeps you guessing as well as entertained...
Memento is well thought out.
A Very Original and Highly Entertaining Piece of Cinema
Memento
Memento: My favorite film

Memento (Widescreen Two-Disc Limited Edition)
Starring: Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss , Joe Pantoliano , Mark Boone Junior , and Russ Fega
Director: Christopher Nolan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000640SA
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com essential video

Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) shine in this absolute stunner of a movie. Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information.

Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.

Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

Unique and refreshing, the type of film that keeps you guessing as well as entertained..........2007-09-17

`Memento' is probably one of the only films that must be watched from beginning to end, no if ands or buts, in order for it to be even enjoyed. I mean this with all sincerity, if you miss the first thirty seconds you're screwed. That said, when caught from the very beginning `Memento' is also one of the most enjoyable and richly rewarding films to be watched. It's a true stunner of a film, from plot to execution, and is one that will instigate lots of post-watching conversations. The acting is top-notch, especially from the likes of Guy Pearce (looking like a scraggly Brad Pitt covered in interesting tattoos) who just blew me away here. I've never really been a fan of Pearce. In `L.A. Confidential' I felt he was the weakest link and pretty much everything else I see him in I just don't feel him, but here he just soars. The direction of the film is a thing of beauty really, and Christopher Nolan has pretty much established himself as one of our greatest new-wave directors. He truly gets into his material and delivers this masterful story in a very unique way which proves to be the grandest embellishment.

The film centers around Leonard Shelby, a man who's lost his wife to rape and murder and in the process lost his mind. He has set out to find the man who did this and punish him. The movie opens with him killing a man named Teddy. This is the end of the film, or I should say the end of the story. Teddy is, for the sake of discussion, the man who raped and murdered Leonard's wife. The film them jumps back in ten minute segments until we get to the beginning of the film, or should I say the beginning of the story, where we uncover who Leonard came to this conclusion. What makes this direction so interesting is that the film gives you just enough information to keep you guessing. It tells you just a little bit and then takes you back and fills you in, leaving new doors open for interpretation before taking you back again and filling you in. It's truly a masterpiece of a film and executed so well it's a real shame the academy snubbed Nolan his directing nomination.

Like I mentioned, Pearce is a spectacle in this film, but there are two other performances within `Memento' that deserve attention. For one we have Carrie-Anne Moss' who plays a barmaid who is helping Leonard for reasons yet to be uncovered. Is she really concerned with Leonard's plight or is she using him for her own selfish gain? Moss surprised me here because I'm really not familiar with her work aside from `The Matrix' and a film like `The Matrix' doesn't really allow the actors to shine, but here she delves into the meat of her character and delivers a great performance. The real star though, the actor that outshines them all, is Joe Pantoliano of `The Sopranos' fame (yes, that's Ralph). As Teddy Joe is spot on and delivers an exciting, fresh and completely absorbing performance. It's funny because my wife and I are HUGE `Sopranos' buffs and when we saw `Ralph' we just about died (since his character was one we loathed from start to his finish) but here he completely sheds his `Sopranos' persona and delivers a separate performance altogether and it paid off wonderfully for him.

`Memento' is a film for the ages. It's one of those movies that may not be your cup of tea, and for that I understand, but really, there isn't much to dislike with this film (that is if you catch it from the start). There are so many films where one is advised to sit back and turn your mind off but here I'm telling you to sit up and turn your mind on because `Memento' is the type of film that will keep you thinking, keep you guessing, and in the process keep you completely entertained. The end, or should I say the beginning, plays out in a wonderfully inventive way that is unexpected yet ultimately rewarding. It packs a huge `wow' factor and I just love that about this film. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoilt he surprise, but just be aware that it's not what you'd expect, and that's a beautiful thing!

Memento is well thought out........2007-09-14

Rarely have I watched a film that demanded that I pay such rapt attention to detail. Its series of segments, progressively reveal more of what happened but in backwards order. I had to expend a lot of mental energy comparing the events in each segment and piecing together what I thought actually happened. This method of filming alone is challenging but especially so given the main character's mental limitations. It is worth energy to figure out though!

For those who don't know, "Memento" is a story of a man who loses his wife in a rape attack inside their home, pledging that he will track down a murderer for revenge and peace of mind. The main problem is that Lenny (Guy Peirce), after the attack, was left with a problem in that he cannot retain any long term memories. Well that's one brief summary of how to look at it, but there are others. Indeed this film is excellent and played with my emotions, emotions of sympathy, anger and questioning my own morals and judgments. Peirce is exceptional as the lead, and the characters that come into contact with him also give fine performances (notably Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano). Focusing on the problem of losing a memory after approximately 15 minutes, we begin to appreciate just how frustrating Lennys plight is.

The film is beautifully shot and the editing and photography is even better. The best part: the film starts at the end and works it way to a middle point. That's because when the film comes to its end you really don't know if it's the beginning since you don't know what Leonard (Guy Pierce) did before arriving at an isolated place. This film can really be seen as reminiscent of the film style of Film Noir. It uses black and white scenes to give that off as well as the characters in the film constantly sucking Leonard further down into this world where he has no idea who and what to believe, including himself and the things he's done. Not only that but all the characters, yes even Leonard who is our protagonist, has a dark side of human nature to them. And that's what Film Noir is, exposing the dark side of human nature. The film has such a great Psychological deepness and by all means breaks the conventional art that goes into filmmaking. It really was a shame this film wasn't nominated for best picture. It greatly deserved that award and Nolan greatly deserved best director for it. Bottom line: Flat-out brilliant film-making and story-telling. One of the best films I've ever seen. I don't throw high ratings around but this one deserves 5 stars.

A Very Original and Highly Entertaining Piece of Cinema.......2007-09-07

Christopher Nolan has amazed me with every movie he releases. From Following to The Prestige but Memento stands out as my favorite. Why? It's not only one of the most original movies in a long time. It's one of the best movies of the 2000's.

Memento is the story of a man trying to find out who killed his wife, although he has more obstacles to face than your average revenge character does. He has a problem with his memory. He can't make new memories and can't retain anything for too long of a time.

This movie is extremely engaging. You don't want to miss a single moment of this film. It's quite good too. The story, although it seems to be told backwards, is actually told in a different non-linear way. It jumps from place to place, although it's still easy to follow. This isn't your normal blockbuster entertainment flick. It's deep.

The Limited Edition DVD release is one of the best releases of all time. It is loaded to the brim with special features. Includind an excellent audio commentary from Christopher Nolan, plenty of features, a trailer, making of featurettes, and some amazing hidden features including a chance to watch the movie chronologically. I haven't yet tried this but it's definitely worth it to better understand the entire movie.

This is a definite Must Have. A thoroughly engaging movie and a DVD that gives it due respect.

Memento.......2007-09-05

My daughter brought this over for us to watch one afternoon. The movie didn't quite click. However we discussed the possible plots of the movie for over an hour. We looked on the main page and found the extra "hints" at the bottom right. Suddenly the whole movie made sense. There were still some items to discuss, but we thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the discussion.

However, it's not the type of movie a person can pick up on a whim and not expect to spend some time really thinking about it. I had been warned.

I'm going to have to watch it another few times!

Memento: My favorite film.......2007-09-05

In this movie, which runs backwards, Guy Pearce stars as Leonard (a man suffering with short term memory loss). Leonard is in search of his wife's killer, but because of his memory loss, Leonard has to rely completely on his notes (which he tatoos on his body).

This movie has everything: interesting characters, great thought provoking plot, and emotional background music ambiance. The best part is that the ending isn't clear cut. Everytime I watch this movie I noticed something new and draw a new conclusion as to what is really going on. This movie leaves me with many questions, but they can all be answered by watching the movie again. However, once one question is answered, others spring up, and that is the true beauty of this film.

I also reccomend Nolan's other film Insomnia. Guy Pearce has also done a few interesting films (Ravenous and The Count of Monte Cristo). both are fantastic

Average customer rating:

Entertaining...
Great cast wasted on over-stylized drivel
Cool Quick, Delightful Dead!!!
a good movie. fun to watch
You'll Need A Bottle Of "MESCAL" To Get Through This One!

The Quick and the Dead
Starring: Sharon Stone , Gene Hackman , Russell Crowe , Leonardo DiCaprio , and Tobin Bell
Director: Sam Raimi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767817710
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com essential video

Director Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead) tries gamely to recapture the exotic mysteries of spaghetti Westerns in this stylish but empty film, which stars Sharon Stone as a stranger who comes to the town of Redemption in time for an annual shooting contest. Her real motivations for being there are the stuff that might have found their way into a film by Sergio Leone--in fact, much of this film is a pastiche of Leone's greatest hits, including A Fistful of Dollars and Once upon a Time in America--but one can't quite believe Stone in the role. Gene Hackman gives a predictably solid performance as the town tyrant, and Leonardo DiCaprio is good as a lucky young gunslinger who gets to kiss the heroine. But not even the cast can help this failed project. Raimi brings a lot of razzle-dazzle to his camera work, but it doesn't make the film any more substantial. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining..........2007-09-16

An entertaining movie with plenty of star power but no subtlety or depth. Good guys and bad guys and of course one really bad guy. But gene hackman in this film is like a caricature of his little bill character from unforgiven.

Look at the guy(ace) who walks into the bar right after sharon stone early on. It's comedic, the guy isn't scary or intimidating just stupid looking. Later we see a guy with a babe on each arm proclaiming his desire to be in the tournament for the state of texas. Right away instead of gun fights and life and death it is more like real life cartoons.

The story is decent, the acting is decent and i think dicaprio outshines them all including hackman! Sharon stone looks hotter in this film than ever if that means anything.

It's not that this is a bad film just that there are 100 westerns that are better you can own and this film has been all over television for free. Charles bronson alone made 7-8 better westerns.

Great cast wasted on over-stylized drivel.......2007-09-15

This could be one of the worst directed movies I've ever seen by an accomplished director. You like super fast cuts and close ups for no reason, yes Sam, I get it! Tilt the camera and zoom in on someone's face twenty times in one minute and see how quickly you can piss off the viewer. This film at times is totally unwatchable because the lack of motivation to direct a simplistic western instead of an over stylized piece of garbage. I will give the director a nod, he does a wonderful job of distracting me from the equally dreadful script. Sam most have read the script and knew he needed something to jazz it up. Come on man, you were handed about the best cast you could ever get. Leo, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackmen, Russle Crow, Gary Senies...what else do you want. Wow, this movie is awful in so many ways and I love westerns. The plot is so stupid and the drama is so over the top. the gun fights made me think I was suffering from vertigo. Oh, did I mention how awful the directing is. Yes, it's another stupid remake that makes you wonder what this director was thinking when he said, yes i have a vision for this film. it's no surprise to me when i scrolled down to see what people also bought when they bought this film, Young guns 1 and 2, need I say more. This movie got four to five stars from most every reviewer on amazon, this is also a statement on the sensualities and utter ignorance of how a motion picture should be made by the average reviewer on this site. There is nothing original here, Stones character is a Hack impersonation of an old western archetype that has been played a hundred times better than see ever could. Every other character is cliche and even the towns name, "Redemption" is awful. I love Sam Raimi's directing style in the Evil Dead movies, sorry Sam it doesn't work here. Later when he makes the film "the Gift" he has learned the subtitles of film making and when to hold back the style and give in to substance. Maybe this film was a learning experience for him. You got your chops down in time for Spider-man but you really S#!T the bed on this one. I gave this review an extra star because i love the emotion Crowe puts into his expressions when he looks up at the clock. Magnifico!

If your a recent recipient of a lobotomy go ahead and buy this movie, I'm sure you'll find it compelling in every way.

Cool Quick, Delightful Dead!!!.......2007-06-30

Take one of the many martial arts contests to the death movies, transplant it to the Wild West, and you have the general idea what The Quick and the Dead is about. The head bad guy, Herod (played by Gene Hackman) sponsors a gunfight. First prize is enough money to choke a herd of horses. From all corners of the country they come, some nasty and some nice. There is Russell Crowe's character, a former outlaw who has renounced violence. There is Leonardo DiCaprio's character, only know as "the kid", who's fate is irrevocably intertwined with Herod's. Finally, there is the mysterious gun woman, played by Sharon Stone, who has her own agenda.

In theory, this movie should be a disaster. Not that many critics liked it, in some circles the nicest thing said about it was "ridiculous". This is regretful, because it is an excellent, exciting movie with precise, supercrisp camera work. The duels, while bloodless enough to avoid an "R" rating, nevertheless come across as rough, tough and nasty.

This is a must-see movie.

a good movie. fun to watch.......2007-06-05

not accurate, but it is fun. It is very easy to get into the story. Gene Hackman is awesome.

You'll Need A Bottle Of "MESCAL" To Get Through This One!.......2007-05-17

In THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995), Sharon Stone plays a cheroot-smoking, Clint Eastwood-mimicking 1800s gunslinger, and Gene Hackman plays Gene Hackman - think of a wood plank; you know, something just a little less rigid and a little more emotional than Clint Eastwood. For the intelligent reader, this is all the review that should be necessary. Sure, I could proceed point-by-point in illustrating what makes this movie such a putrid corpse (a real "Boot Hill" special), but frankly, it is not even worthy of a serious critique. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD - along with Jack Nicholson's THE SHOOTING (1967) and Jane Russell's THE OUTLAW (1943) - represents "The Dreck Of The West" on celluloid, and it is a good example of why I completely stopped going to the movies two decades ago. I was tired of paying money to have my intelligence insulted (as well as having Hollywood's immorality paraded before my eyes).

Although this movie is an empty-headed, overly-produced, ultra-dippy "cartoon" (the Biblical allusion was especially stupid and any Yosemite Sam cartoon would be funnier and equally believable), it did amply show me what I borrowed it from the library to see - namely, MESCAL.

MESCAL is a frontier town movie set where numerous Westerns have been filmed. It is located near Benson, Arizona, just three miles North of Interstate 10 (exit #297) and on "the other side of the tracks." (I've always wanted to say that!) My brother, Napoleon, my friend, Pooh, and I sneaked into MESCAL a number of years back (a REAL Outlaw Trio), but I have since longed to take the "official" $8.00, 45-minute guided tour, and on May 3rd that dream was finally realized. The tour begins in the large saloon built specifically for THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, and there are no phones, johns, or refreshments available. (No saltwater taffy here folks! This is the REAL West . . . uhm, built for moviemaking.) Some other FAR BETTER Westerns that have largely or partially utilized the MESCAL set include:

The great Monte Walsh (1970) featuring Lee Marvin and Jack Palance (will this film EVER be released on DVD?!) MESCAL represented both Harmony and Charleyville. It was Roy Bean's Langtry, Texas, in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), and Paul Newman's courthouse/saloon is still standing! It stood in for (if memory serves me) Hays, Kansas in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), where that old cigar-store Indian of an actor, Clint Eastwood, asked the Confederate soldiers, "Are you going to pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?" And it played the part of Tombstone, Arizona in Val Kilmer's Tombstone (1993). On the MESCAL tour, you will walk into The Oriental saloon (now an empty shell of its former self) where Kurt Russell slapped around Billy Bob Thornton and where later, Ol' Doc Holliday matched Ol' Johnny Ringo's gun tricks with a fancy exhibition of silver cup-handling. (The MESCAL tour operates on a very limited schedule, so call ahead -- (520) 883-0100; press menu option #7.)

I watched THE QUICK AND THE DEAD - filmed entirely at MESCAL - solely to see the movie set. And if you haven't got any gardening to do; a house to clean; children to watch; a good book to read; quality music to hear; a dinner to cook; letters to write; bills to pay; windows to wash; a dentist to see; a room to paint; a leaky faucet to fix; a friend to visit; a car to repair; a play to attend; a wife (or husband) to love; a drawing to sketch; a good movie to view; an enemy to fight; a dog to walk; a cat to kick; a geriatric to help; a mouse to catch; a fly to swat; a walk to take; dishes to scrub; laundry to fold; prayers to pray; shopping to do; a bank to rob; a supermodel to stalk; a nap to sleep; a game of solitaire to play, or a Louisville Slugger-wielding friend to batter you into unconsciousness, then by all means, I recommend that you borrow THE QUICK AND THE DEAD from your local library.

But be forewarned, if you do borrow it and your trigger finger doesn't hit that "eject" button QUICK enough when the movie turns stupid (which it does very QUICKLY), then this movie might render you brain-DEAD. Of course, if you actually PURCHASE this movie, then you probably already are!

Average customer rating:

horrible dialogue, bad white actors
Fantastic
Movie fan
Last of the Dogmen
Last of The Dogmen

Last of the Dogmen
Starring: Tom Berenger , Barbara Hershey , Kurtwood Smith , Steve Reevis , and Andrew Miller
Director: Tab Murphy
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00002E220
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Amazon.com

Despite an irritating, tacked-on voice-over narration that somebody must have thought was necessary to make sense of the story (it wasn't), Last of the Dogmen is actually a very moving and magical film. Tom Berenger plays a Montana bounty hunter who helps an anthropologist (Barbara Hershey) search for the descendants of a Cheyenne tribe who disappeared in the 1870s. What the two find in a remote mountain stretch is an entire community of Cheyenne who have kept themselves cut off from the modern world. A Dances with Wolves parallel emerges as the white outsiders gradually fit in, but Last of the Dogmen stands up just fine without comparison to any other films. As in Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning movie, however, there are ways in which this film captures a similar sense of yearning, mystery, and loss. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

horrible dialogue, bad white actors.......2007-09-17

This movie may have good scenery and the Indians acceptably portrayed (kept mysterious), but the white actors (onscreen 90% of the time) were terrible, and their dialogue was worse - just cheesy, un-believable two-bit Hollywood portrayals. I was looking for a meaningful Indian movie like Powwow Highway or Thunderheart and was misled by reviews. This is nothing like Dances with Wolves, which was thoughtful. This movie is not thoughtful, and has a third-rate script. Dances with Wolves also had the Indian dialogues translated so we could empathize with the Lakota, whereas I'm glad the dialogue in Cheyenne was left "untranslated" by the scriptwriter - it surely would have removed any remaining merit from the movie.

Fantastic.......2007-07-06

This movie was SO good!
I could watch it over and over again.

Movie fan.......2007-06-11

I enjoy Tom Berringer's movies and being a horse owner, love the animals too. A bit of Hollywood but a great story for those who appreciate the simplier life

Last of the Dogmen.......2007-04-10

Great adventure / love story. Both my wife and I really enjoyed this movie.

Last of The Dogmen.......2007-03-23

This is a very hard DVD to find and when I found one that was brand new and at a great price I was thrilled. I love the movie and well worth any price now that I have seen it.

The Steve McQueen Collection (The Great Escape / Junior Bonner / The Magnificent Seven / The Thomas Crown Affair)

Average customer rating:

Steve McQueen Collection
A nice sampling from McQueen's career
Flawless
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

The Steve McQueen Collection (The Great Escape / Junior Bonner / The Magnificent Seven / The Thomas Crown Affair)
Starring: Steve Mcqueen
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B0007O38YY
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Amazon.com

A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges's The Great Escape (1963) is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music, this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen gives a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding "Cooler King." The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn, and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging, and ferreting activities are authentically realized thanks also to technical advisor Wally Flood, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climax with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivializing the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight.

Akira Kurosawa's rousing Seven Samurai was a natural for an American remake--after all, the codes and conventions of ancient Japan and the Wild West (at least the mythical movie West) are not so very far apart. Thus The Magnificent Seven (1960) effortlessly turns samurai into cowboys. The beleaguered denizens of a Mexican village, weary of attacks by banditos, hire seven gunslingers to repel the invaders once and for all. The gunmen are cool and capable, with most of the actors playing them just on the cusp of '60s stardom: Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn. The man who brings these warriors together is Yul Brynner, the baddest bald man in the West. There's nothing especially stylish about the approach of veteran director John Sturges (The Great Escape), but the storytelling is clear and strong, and the charisma of the young guns fairly flies off the screen. If that isn't enough to awaken the 12-year-old kid inside anyone, the unforgettable Elmer Bernstein music will do it: bum-bum-ba-bum, bum-ba-bum-ba-bum....

Millionaire businessman Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) is also a high-stakes thief; his latest caper is an elaborate heist at a Boston bank. Why does he do it? For the same reason he flies gliders, bets on golf strokes, and races dune buggies: he needs the thrill to feel alive. Insurance investigator Vicky Anderson (Faye Dunaway) gets her own thrills by busting crooks, and she's got Crown in her cross hairs. Naturally, these two will get it on, because they have a lot in common: they're not people, they're walking clothes racks. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) is a catalog of '60s conventions, from its clipped editing style to its photographic trickery (the inventive Haskell Wexler behind the camera) to its mod design. You can almost sense director Norman Jewison deciding to "tell his story visually," like those newfangled European films; this would explain the long passages of Michel Legrand's lounge jazz ladled over endless montages of the pretty Dunaway and McQueen at play. (The opening-credits song, "Windmills of Your Mind," won an Oscar.) It's like a "What Kind of Man Reads Playboy?" ad come to life, and much more interesting as a cultural snapshot than a piece of storytelling.

Junior Bonner (1972) is director Sam Peckinpah's lovely, elegiac look at the world of the rodeo--and his only film with nary a bullet wound. Steve McQueen, engagingly easygoing but determined, is the title character, a rodeo rider out to win a big bull-riding contest in his hometown. Even as he confronts his dwindling days on the circuit, he also must deal with his feuding parents, marvelously played by Robert Preston and Ida Lupino. Preston is particularly good as the randy old con artist; he and Lupino strike real sparks. Peckinpah's slow-motion camera is put to particularly good use filming the balletic violence of the rodeo, at once more terrifying and awe-inspiring than any gun battle. A lovely country-western valentine to a dying breed.

Customer Reviews:

Steve McQueen Collection.......2007-07-16

I've been a Steve McQeen fan since Wanted Dead or Alive first appeared on TV. I'm wrapped in this collection I have purched from Amazon

A nice sampling from McQueen'

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