It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition)

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Now perhaps the most beloved American film, It's a Wonderful Life was largely forgotten for years, due to a copyright quirk. Only in the late 1970s did it find its audience through repeated TV showings. Frank Capra's masterwork deserves its status as a feel-good communal event, but it is also one of the most fascinating films in the American cinema, a multilayered work of Dickensian density. George Bailey (played superbly by James Stewart) grows up in the small town of Bedford Falls, dreaming dreams of adventure and travel, but circumstances conspire to keep him enslaved to his home turf. Frustrated by his life, and haunted by an impending scandal, George prepares to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. A heavenly messenger (Henry Travers) arrives to show him a vision: what the world would have been like if George had never been born. The sequence is a vivid depiction of the American Dream gone bad, and probably the wildest thing Capra ever shot (the director's optimistic vision may have darkened during his experiences making military films in World War II). Capra's triumph is to acknowledge the difficulties and disappointments of life, while affirming--in the teary-eyed final reel--his cherished values of friendship and individual achievement. It's a Wonderful Life was not a big hit on its initial release, and it won no Oscars (Capra and Stewart were nominated); but it continues to weave a special magic. --Robert Horton

Description

George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all - and it's Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence. Clarence then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn't been for all of his good deeds over the years. Will Clarence be able to convince George to return to his family and forget suicide?

Customer Reviews:

It is really wonderful........2007-09-06

I have tried to buy this DVD twice before from non-Amazon Internet vendors and failed. Finally I bought it from Amazon. It is really wonderful to watch "It's a wonderful life". I especially enjoyed the special features of the DVD with Capra Sr. and Jr. and Jimmy Stewart recapturing the making and the history of this movie. Can you imagine it wasn't a hit when it was first released? It is a very interesting story, almost as good as the movie itself.

Nothing less than 5 stars!.......2007-08-27

It's a classic movie with a thought provoking message that we all can make a positive impact on the people's lives around us.

Things to consider.......2007-08-26

This is a classic, not just for Christmas. Everyone should reflect on their lives as Jimmy Stewart's character does.

Merry Christmas.......2007-08-12

If you want a great Christmas movie, this is one of the best X-mas movies I have ever seen. The old Miracle on 34th Street and this movie (It's a Wonderful Life) are the two best Christmas movies ever made. I remember watching it as a kind (I'm 28) and loving it even then, watching it over and over again!

It's a Wonderful Life.......2007-07-30

A brilliant movie with excellent values. Very moving and encouraging. Makes a wonderful gift for Christmas or any other time. Continuously voted one of the best movies of all time. Highly recommended.

Some Kind of Wonderful (Special Collector's Edition)

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80's Culture!
Excellent piece of work by John Hughes
Review of Some Kind of Wonderful
Some Kind of Good Movie
Some Kind of Wonderful

Some Kind of Wonderful (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Eric Stoltz , Mary Stuart Masterson , Lea Thompson , Craig Sheffer , and John Ashton
Director: Howard Deutch
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000FZETKC
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Amazon.com essential video

After dominating the teen-movie genre for the bulk of the 1980s, writer-producer (and sometimes director) John Hughes proved that he had at least one good movie left in him before squandering his talent on lame comedies throughout the 1990s. Like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful treated its teenaged characters like real people with real feelings, hopes, fears, and desire. Mary Stuart Masterson gives a great performance as a tomboy drummer named Watts who's secretly in love with her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), an aspiring artist who is oblivious to her affection because he's got a crush on Amanda (Lea Thompson), the popular high school beauty. Watts will even go so far as to chauffeur a date for Keith and Amanda, if only to prove--after a lot of patient, emotional anguish--that she's better for Keith than Amanda could ever be. The movie's drama comes from Keith's gradual realization that there's more to love than surface attraction, and Hughes gets extra mileage out of the romantic confusion by allowing Thompson's character to be more than a shallow campus cutie. All three of the leads are good fits in their roles, and this was one of the few teen films of the '80s to add genuine depth to its mainstream appeal. It's one of the few John Hughes movies to stand the test of time. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A young tomboy, Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), finds her feelings for her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school, Amanda, (Lea Thompson). Unfortunately, the girl's old boyfriend, Hardy (Craig Scheffer), who is from the rich section of town, is unable to let go of her, and plans to get back at Keith.

Customer Reviews:

80's Culture!.......2007-07-23

this movie has to be one of my most favourite movies from the 80's. Eric Stolz plays a quiet guy who likes the popular girl in school, who has a boyfriend is such a player. Then he has his best friend Watts, who is so in love with him and this sets up a triangle of sorts. The best scene is when Keith (Eric Stolz), turns up at the party that Arty is having, and stands up to him in front of all his friends. Just goes to show that the tough guy can be intimidated and look like a loser. Great soundtrack too, and it's so 80's that i love watching it over and over.

Excellent piece of work by John Hughes.......2007-06-28

This is a movie that didn't get the attention of others movies in the 80's (Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club) but it sits right up there with them, this film has one of the best soundtracks of the 80's but is missing to songs Beats so Lonely from Charlie Sexton and Catch my Fall of Billy Idol.

In some parts is like Pretty in Pink but with a more real feel to it, all the young actors are in the top of there game (Eric Stolz, Lea Thompson, Mary Stuart Masterson and the always good Craig Sheffer) here but Candace Cameron and Elias Koteas steal this film with there portrait of Keith Sister and the School Badie, vintage John Hughes for the people that where in High School that time this is a must have DVD in your collection of great eighties films about High School crowd.

Review of Some Kind of Wonderful.......2007-06-27

This is a well-acted film about young love and all its ups and downs. The three main characters are excellent in their roles, and there's a good supporting cast. If you want a happy ending, you'll get it with this movie!

Some Kind of Good Movie.......2007-06-27

I have been a big fan of the 80's movies and this one is one of my favorites! The story flows well with the characters, and the cast works very well together and they seem very believable. My favorite character was the typical bad boy who became friends with Eric Stolz and the party scene towards the end was the real highlight of the movie for me. It was somewhat predictable but has a great ending. I can watch this movie over and over again and not get sick of it. Enjoy!!

Some Kind of Wonderful.......2007-06-20

Wonderful movie. One of John Hughes best efforts.

Average customer rating:

It is really wonderful.
Nothing less than 5 stars!
Things to consider
Merry Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life
Starring: James Stewart , Donna Reed , Lionel Barrymore , Thomas Mitchell , and Henry Travers
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
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ASIN: B00062J00S
Release Date: 1995-09-19

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Customer Reviews:

It is really wonderful........2007-09-06

Nothing less than 5 stars!.......2007-08-27

It's a classic movie with a thought provoking message that we all can make a positive impact on the people's lives around us.

Things to consider.......2007-08-26

This is a classic, not just for Christmas. Everyone should reflect on their lives as Jimmy Stewart's character does.

Merry Christmas.......2007-08-12

It's a Wonderful Life.......2007-07-30

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl

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Portrait of the last Nazi
fascinating and chilling
The wonderful Leni...
Lovely Lady
The Judgment of History

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
Starring: Marlene Dietrich , Walter Frentz , Josef Goebbels , Rudolf Hess , and Adolf Hitler
Manufacturer: Kino Video
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ASIN: B00000INUB
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

Director Ray Muller's three-hour portrait of controversial filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl grapples with the central controversy of her career: was she a "pure" filmmaker whose political naiveté allowed her stunning visions to be harnessed by Hitler, or was she the key mythmaker of the Nazi propaganda machine? The dancer turned actress turned director is well represented with generous clips from her work both in front of and behind the camera, from the ethereally beautiful The Blue Light through the romantic fantasy Teifland, with special focus on her two most famous works: the stunning propaganda piece The Triumph of the Will (a chillingly brilliant work of demagoguery which she helped design and stage as well as film) and the poetic, technically breathtaking documentary Olympia. After her exile from filmmaking, she became an acclaimed ethnographic photographer and more recently a scuba diver and underwater photographer. Though she was over 90 at the time of the interviews, Riefenstahl's energy and commanding presence dominate the film and overpower Muller. At one point she practically grabs the directorial reins from him. The film never really resolves her complicity as a Nazi propagandist; she maintains her innocence while Muller questions her assertions with contrary evidence, but he appears too awed to really push the issue. Whatever your feelings, it's hard not to come away from this film just a little awed by the talented and tenacious Ms. Riefenstahl yourself. --Sean Axmaker

Description

In this remarkable documentary, Leni Riefenstahl--the woman best known as Hitler's moviemaker--addresses her past for the first time on camera. Creator of the single most effective propaganda film ever made, Riefenstahl has spent much of her life trying to live down her association with the Nazi Party--which she never actually joined. Feisty and charismatic at 91, Riefenstahl revisits the landmarks of her turbulent life. A riveting story that leaves the viewer in total awe of its controversial subject.

Customer Reviews:

Portrait of the last Nazi.......2007-03-21

While this is indeed an excellent film, it's also at best a rather shallow one. True, Reifenstahl does come across as creepy, at best, and her excuses ring hollow to anyone who's read the facts of her well documented life. But the filmmakers pretty much gave her a free ride here, never challenging or pressing her on her lies and denials, and presenting a very sanitized view of her life.

What really distrubs me is the number of reviewers who are willing to suspend judgment of the moral dimension of her acts, and even praise her- one even calls her a strong model for women. I suppose that's true, in the same sense that Stalin was a strong model for men. But it's also disturbing. It reminds us all how easy it is for a charismatic leader to find weak minded followers who will willing blind themselves to evil, and even encourage it to flourish.

fascinating and chilling.......2007-01-15

I had no knowledge of Leni Riefenstahl, her social/political significance in society or why she was so controversial until this aired on PBS, in 1994. Riefenstahl, best known for directing two infamous documentaries, THE TRIUMPH OF THE WILL and OLYMPIAD, that sympathetically depicted the Nazi party. Riefenstahl, born in Berlin, began as an interpretive dancer, a movie star, a mountain climber and then a filmmaker.

What was my perception of Len Riefenstahl? I think that she was an incredibly charismatic individual (even at the age of 90, when the film was made). I felt a little sick when they were discussing the Nazis, and her part in (her words) unknowingly glorifying the party's beliefs. I am not sure if I was convinced of that at all. However, this is a very important film that takes a look at the body of work of a very prolific, independent and fiesty woman who stood on her own two feet, up until the very end of her life.

The wonderful Leni..........2007-01-08

It has always irritated me to no visible end that people, to this day, blame Ms. Riefenstahl for Nazism. It shows how people can be so narrow minded as to lay the blame of a horrifying political movement at the feet of an artist. Richard Wagner also gets blamed for Nazism as well, but that's another review. Leni is one of the few female film directors who has a great visual style (which is used to great effect, and horrifying effect, in Triumph of the Will). Her film Olympia is still amongst the greatest sports documentaries ever made. The techinques she uses are still used by TV sports directors today. In this film, we see a 90 year old Leni Riefenstahl, who is as tenancious, vivacious, and as combative as ever. Leni is the most beautiful 90 year old woman I have ever seen, personally. She talks passionately about her work, and remembers the filming of the 1936 Olymipics and the Nuremberg rally as if it was only yesterday. I think she is a great artist, and it is ridiculously narrow minded to blame her for the Nazis. It is always easy to blame an artist for society's ills. This usually shows the stupidity of politicians more than anything else. Yes, she was associated with Hitler, one of the world's most heinous dictators, but that shouldn't dismiss her contribution to cinematic art. At the time of this film, Leni was scuba diving, engaging in underwater photography, and had a male companion/boyfriend a third of her age. Despite her age, she was incredibly active, and I think that's fantastic. She is a great artist, period.

Lovely Lady.......2005-11-13

We'll probably never know if she was a nazi collaborator or just an artist who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. All that I know is she was quite a hotty in her silent films.

The Judgment of History.......2005-10-15

The question of 'controversy' inevitably comes up in this film. As a film maker for the Nazi Party, wasn't Riefenstahl equally guilty for the crimes of that regime? So Ray Muller tentatively asks Riefenstahl, so too do contemporary viewers of the 21st century.

This is an ahistorical attitude, typically made by people with no understanding of history (and no interest in it) and who have a simple minded view of the function of art (that it makes people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do). We have all been educated to abhor the Nazis. But this condemnation of Riefenstahl is witch hunting and itself has fascist overtones.

What was it like at the time, the 1930s in Germany? Riefenstahl effectively answers the charge. She says, correctly, that at the time she worked for Hitler the Nazi Party was seen as the saviour of Germany. Hitler was widely popular, not just in Germany but in both England and America. The discovery that he was a 'monster' and a war criminal was revealed by the Nuremberg Trials in the late 40s, and it has been promulgated ever since as anti Nazi propaganda. Riefenstahl was tried and exonerated by the Nuremberg commission, but has nevertheless been punished all her life, her right to film denied, her reputation tarnished. Courts mught need them, but public opinion has no need of proofs.

Riefenstahl impressed me in this film as a great intelligence, wiser by far than those who criticised her. Atrocities in war have been committed by all countries, and as citizens we all have moral complicity in these outrages to humanity. Does anybody remember the story about the woman taken in adultery, about those without sin throwing the first stone? (this comment a good Zen koan by the way).

Riefenstahl, most importantly, is a great film maker, one of the greatest. Seeing her and her team reminisce about how their films were made is to see people who have had an enormous influence on the lives of all who watch films today. Riefenstahl's comments and responses showed her as someone who could see around the questions in which her critics were bogged down. The film is a valuable presentation of an individual who could be correctly described as a genius. There is no denying the impressiveness of the woman, just as an interviewee. The fact that she taught herself to act, and to direct, inventing many staple technologies and techniques of the industry as she went on, puts her on a level with someone like D W Griffiths (interestingly, Griffiths has been tarred and feathered as a white supremist because he concurred in the beliefs expressed in Birth of a Nation). Denied access to film making (to the world's great loss) it is almost not surprising that Riefenstahl went on to be one of the world's greatest photographers, active till her 90s. Muller's film is an immensely valuable record of an extraordinary person.

Average customer rating:

It is really wonderful.
Nothing less than 5 stars!
Things to consider
Merry Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life

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ASIN: B00005QCVY
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Product Description

Excellent condition, includes the original DVD, case, and paperwork, fast shipped, ask me for my DVD List! :)

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

It is really wonderful........2007-09-06

Nothing less than 5 stars!.......2007-08-27

It's a classic movie with a thought provoking message that we all can make a positive impact on the people's lives around us.

Things to consider.......2007-08-26

This is a classic, not just for Christmas. Everyone should reflect on their lives as Jimmy Stewart's character does.

Merry Christmas.......2007-08-12

It's a Wonderful Life.......2007-07-30

It's A Wonderful Life (2-Disc Collector's Set)

Average customer rating:

Looks promising Wonderful Life.

It's A Wonderful Life (2-Disc Collector's Set)
Starring: James Stewart , Donna Reed , Lionel Barrymore , Thomas Mitchell , and Henry Travers
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000VDDDVO
Release Date: 2007-11-13

Customer Reviews:

Looks promising Wonderful Life........2007-09-08

This is a wonderful story about a man who has big plans but settles for the simple quiet life as he marries and has a couple of kids. but when a big problem arises in his life and he feels there is no way out. He thinks the unthinkable to end it all, only to be saved by an angel and his friends and family. he then realizes he has a wonderful life and true happiness is with family, i just love this film. It's got a good story, the kind of story you don't find nowadays. long live Jimmy Stewart he's the man. i'm sure this will a be great edition of the film. it looks as if it contains both B&W, Color Versions of the film that are in the set to be released, i've already preordered a copy for myself and hope this is the last reissue. because there have been tons of other copies made by various companies, i say if it's not broke don't fix it that's my opinion anyway. Paramount had already released the 60th edition last year so let's hope this is a perfect edition of this classic film, that keeps on selling for years to come . I always get a tear in my eye at the end i must confess it's a tender part.

All in All Like The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade this film is one that warms my heart and soul around christmas time in the arms of love ones and friends. This Film is an American Institution to me, It's a classic, pure and simple everbody should own a copy.

Highly Recommended Film.

P.S. But if none of you can wait that long until Nov 13th. You can go and purchase one of the other versions of this film just make sure it's a Republic Or Paramount Edition either one's good.

Average customer rating:

A superb, highly intelligent film
serendipity
...and it is WONDERFUL
Top Drawer
Can anyone give me a roadmap to this town????

Wilby Wonderful
Starring: Maury Chaykin , Paul Gross , Rebecca Jenkins , Daniel MacIvor , and Sandra Oh
Manufacturer: Film Movement
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ASIN: B0007TZV3K
Release Date: 2005-01-01

Product Description

Wilby Wonderful is the February selection in the Film Movement Series. A bittersweet comedy about the difference a day makes. Over the course of twenty-four hours, the residents of the tiny island town of Wilby try to maintain business as usual in the face of very unusual business.

Customer Reviews:

A superb, highly intelligent film.......2007-06-26

This is a marvelous "small" film. I don't mean "small" to denote anything perjorative. It is merely that the film tells a small story very close up and personal with a fairly small ensemble cast. I didn't check the closing credits but there may not have been a special effects coordinator. The film tells in subtle fashion the story of the lives of several residents of the Canadian island Wilby. The town looks peaceful enough, but it opening shots reveal a simmering scandal. The names of individuals who meet at a secluded and undeveloped area of the island -- presumably for homosexual encounters and drug use -- are about to be revealed. Not coincidentally we see a man climbing onto the rail of a bridge, presumably to jump into the river below. We later learn that he and another resident of the island were likely to be among the names released.

Very little beyond this happens in the film. We meet people and witness the small but familiar stresses in their lives. A police officer (played by the wonderful Paul Gross) who is tempted to have an affair with a woman he went to high school with who has returned to the island to run a diner. His marriage with a high strung, highly driven realtor (Sandra Oh) is not going well and his wife forces herself to be oblivious to problems they have. The woman who runs the diner desperately wants to be loved and is concerned her young daughter (played by up and comer Ellen Page, who I loved as Kitty Pryde -- my favorite X-Person -- in THE X-MEN 3) will repeat her mistakes. The daughter, on the other hand, thinks she has found love with a young boy and is contemplating losing her virginity to him. The town handyman (played by Callum Keith Rennie, Gross's former costar in DUE SOUTH and one of those delightful, fun loving Cylons on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) is more or less resigned to his forced outing and is more concerned with reaching out to Dan, his co-conspirator. Dan, on the other hand, seems more determined to end his life.

Thoreau wrote that the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation and that certainly applies to the residents of Wilby. These are not happy people and are generally not admirable people, except perhaps for Duck (Rennie's character) who is not only an apparently kind person but also steps in as a hero in saving the young girl from a sexual assault. But despite all the problems of these decidedly limited souls, the movie ends quite, well, wonderfully.

I liked this movie a great deal. I'll be honest: I think the plethora of 5-star ratings is not quite deserved. To me 5-star ratings should be reserved for unquestionably great films. This is a very, very nice, good, pleasant, unambitious, small film. And there is nothing wrong with that. If you like thoughtful, intelligent films you should definitely see it. If you have attention deficit disorder you should seek out something else entirely.

serendipity.......2007-01-10

I bought this DVD based on multiple recommendations I've seen on the web and from friends with shared interests. Initially, I mostly went for the Callum Keith Rennie factor, and he was terrific in this movie, no questions about it. For CKR fans, this is one of the most enjoyable roles he's played where his talents are not abused by scripts looking for a brilliant and intense villain.

On top of that, I was most pleasantly surprised by how well the ensemble of great actors came together -- everyone else on the film carried their own weight and made the gestalt so much more than I ever could've expected. This is a refreshing treat for those tired of the graphic violence, gloom, or cheesy inanity plaguing the postmodern cinema.

...and it is WONDERFUL.......2006-12-21

"WILBY WONDERFUL"

...and it is wonderful

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

If you need a boost or just want to feel good, get a copy of "Wilby Wonderful" (Film Movement) and your spirits will rise from the monument the opening credits roll especially when you see that Sandra Oh of "Gray's Anatomy" is in the film. Wilby is a small town a short ferry ride from mainland Canada but the people who live there rarely go anywhere because they love their town so much. On the outside peace and tranquility are the norm but Wilby has a collection of eccentric characters and lots of drama. The movie looks at what happens to several people who live in Wilby when secrets (that are not so innocent) threaten to reveal themselves and make a mess of a well-knit community.
This is a multi=plot comedy-drama with an excellent ensemble cast and a wonderful low-key approach with quirky touches and warm emotions and it pulls you in. We first meet Carol (Oh) who is a control freak trying t promote Wilby Island where no one can seem to do anything right. The townspeople cannot even hang the town banner correctly. She has no idea that her husband (the town cop) is lusting after a single mother in the town whose teenage daughter is being pressured by her football player boyfriend to have sex. Then there is a character named Dan who sashays around town deep in thought about suicide and distracted from actually going through with taking his life by a friendly builder. There is so much happening that no one seems to be bothered by a local scandal and there are more characters who are involved in other strange activities.
On Wilby Island, everyone seems to get along but they are all afraid to be themselves and have nothing to fear from each other. Some of the residents are highly judgmental while others could not care less of what is happening around them. Almost everyone has some obsession with sex--either they want it or they are afraid of it, or they are jealous of those that are having it and this is all very obvious. Below the surface of this sweet little community everyone is disgruntled and frustrated that they are not where they want to be in life.
So welcome to Wilby where all hell is about to break loose. This is a short story on the silver screen which covers one single day in the eccentrics of Wilby. As desperate as the characters are, they are all connected and much can change in one day especially in a small town where everyone knows everyone else.
The scandal that is about to break in the town has something to do with the gay men having sex in public places but there is so much else going on that no one really has time to notice. When the scandal does break there is an interesting reaction. Some do not care, some are frightened, some are shocked and some just could not care less.
This is wonderful storytelling with several scenes that are truly brilliant. Writer/director Daniel MacIvor has captured something unique in this film. By the time the movie is over, you feel like you actually live in Wilby and know everyone in town and that shows the power of this amazing little film.

Top Drawer.......2006-06-03

"Wilby Wonderful" is a delightful gem I encountered through the Magnolia Arts Center. This Canadian film was directed by Daniel MacIvor who plays the little role of Stan, a cop that keeps trying to plant drug paraphernalia on a pristine beach to further a plot hatched by the mayor to turn it into a golf course. Unfortunately, Stan doesn't know the difference between an unused insulin needle and a heroin addict's discard. James Allodi who starred this year with Carrie-Anne Moss & Signorey Weaver in "Snow Cake" does a great job as the hapless divorcee Dan trying to kill himself rather than come to terms with his attraction to other men. Callum Keith Rennie plays Duck MacDonald, the town workman, who has an attraction to Dan, if he could ever catch him between suicide attempts. MacIvor generates comedy such as in the scene where Sandra Oh happens upon the hanging Dan and we hear the body clunk to the floor as she cuts him down off-camera. We know what's happening and hear it, and laugh harder because we don't see it. Rennie won the Canadian Oscar, the Genie, as best supporting actor for "Last Night" and also appeared in "The Butterfly Effect." Sandra Oh who has become prominent via the hit TV series "Grey's Anatomy" and films like "Under the Tuscan Sun" & "Sideways" turns in a stellar performance as the real estate woman Carol French who'd rather hide a body in an empty house rather than blow a sale. Her husband is Buddy who is the town cop played by Paul Gross who we saw as the Canadian mountie in the "Due South" TV series. Buddy is tempted toward an affair by local restaurant owner Sandra Anderson played by Rebecca Jenkins who was in the "10.5" disaster TV movie. She also received a Genie nomination for Best Original Song for "Wilby Wonderful." Her daughter Emily has to sort out her relationship with a boy. Emily is played by Ellen Page who currently appears in "X-Men 3" and garnered a Best Supporting Actress Genie nomination for "Wilby Wonderful." The little cafe patron who hates gays named Irene played by Mary Ellen MacLean also gives a delightful cameo performance. "Wilby Wonderful" is a film that speaks about tolerance and people's need to be loved and find love. The characterizations are top drawer in this delightful little gem. BRAVO!

Can anyone give me a roadmap to this town????.......2006-03-16

What a little life-affirming gem this is; if it does nothing else, it leaves you with hope. Performances are everything in a film of this nature........and, here, not one of them lets you down. These guys and gals 'put out' what the multi-millionaire, cookie-cutter stars of Hollywood quite often do not. So, just a comment or two concerning them and/or their characterizations:

==Sandra Oh---Gee whiz, where has she dropped out of? If you're a fan of hers from TV's "Grey's Anatomy" and think she's the greatest, you ain't seen nothing yet (til you see her here........can there be any wonder why she won a 2006 Golden Globe award?).

==Paul Gross---Playing the 'almost' disillusioned husband and the oh-so-wise town policeman, he sneaks in under our radar and becomes 1 of the main axles of the town of Wilby. He's one of those types we all know who "keeps things running," someone with a mission to do the right thing.

==Rebecca Jenkins & Ellen Page---Being mother and daughter, they bring us into their skins (what tremendous performances).

==James Allodi---As 'one of life's saddest,' he gives us two instants on film when, in the lifeless eyes of a benumbed man undergoing both marriage breakup and devastating lifestyle change, we see appear a "spark" (the first a scarily breathtaking moment for us; the second a joyous one---you'll easily recognize them both).

==Callum Keith Rennie---If Allodi's Dan is the one begging redemption in this movie (its "life-loss" so to speak), then Rennie is its "life spark." Aside from the town policeman, no other is as sensitive to everyone else and their needs as is Duck MacDonald (to be stable, a vehicle needs at least 2 axles; Duck is this town's other). He is amazing in his perceptiveness, his caring, his persistence in landing who he knows to be the "love of his life." Showing my partiality (and preferences, I guess) I must say I only wish that every film of a lighter, romantic nature (containing gay aspects, or not), had a Callum Keith Rennie.

Lastly, what great and uplifting closing moments we've been given: the depth of feeling and the emotional intensity reached in the final scene's pairing is palpable, almost overwhelming........perfectly capping a little---but monumental---film belonging in every movie lover's collection.

PS: In its release year, if any film would have been worthy of consideration for one of the several "Best Ensemble Acting" awards, this film certainly should have been foremost (I can't believe the multi-cast acting in the recently awarded "Crash" could be of any higher caliber).

Classic Christmas Collection (It's a Wonderful Life / White Christmas)

Average customer rating:

It's a Wonderful Life is not color
Wonderful sincere schmaltz
Movies ok, but....
Two Feel Good Holiday Classics To Be Watched ANYTIME You Need A Lift
It's a Wonderful Life

Classic Christmas Collection (It's a Wonderful Life / White Christmas)
Starring: James Stewart , Donna Reed , Lionel Barrymore , Thomas Mitchell , and Henry Travers
Director: Frank Capra , and Michael Curtiz
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HWZ4KM
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Description

This 2pk includes 2 of Christmas's all-time classics - It's A Wonderful Life 60th Anniversary Edition and White Christmas

Customer Reviews:

It's a Wonderful Life is not color.......2007-06-05

Just so no one else buys this and thinks they are getting a color version of this movie. It's in Black and white. In the descripion on Amazon it says it is in color. The color version is only on VHS.

Wonderful sincere schmaltz.......2007-05-07

Yes, from all I've seen it was a pretty wonderful life, for most Americans, from 1945 to 55 when we ruled the world. Both of these movies capture some of that unquestioning nationalistic sentimentality and disingenuouness that would finally evaporate completely in the jungles of Viet Nam. For now though we had a ton of food and tent space and it was worth a try since nothing we did ended badly, yet.

Jimmy Stewart is perfectly cast as the George Bailey,kindhearted but bitterly disappointed by life so far. With techniques that borrow heavily from AA and Charles Dickens he is finally convinced that his life has been is a force for good. The sentiments are soggy but the movie has an almost noirish realism especially in the nightmare of what his quaint small-town turns into without him.
This movie ends with a rousing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "White Xmas' ends with a rousing, (What else?")"White Xmas" as the long-awaited snow falls behind them. There is no pretense of realism in this movie, and much of the enjoyment here is just the tremendous camp fun especially with Dany Kaye devouring the set in every other shot.

Movies ok, but...........2007-03-24

The movies were great and what I wanted, with one exception... In the description it states that they are in color, where in fact "White Christmas" is in color but "It's A Wonderful Life" is not. That is the only gripe that I have about this duo-set. I have been trying for several months to get a copy of the colorized version of "It's A Wonderful Life". I saw this advertized as color and ordered it. I received it and watched the movie, only to find out that it is not in color, but in fact black & white. I am very disappointed of this fact.

Two Feel Good Holiday Classics To Be Watched ANYTIME You Need A Lift.......2007-02-10

You do NOT have to wait until Christmas to open this gift. Frank Capra's wonderful film of 1946, may be enjoyed anytime of the year. "It's A Wonderful Life" is THE feel good movie of the all time.It should be watched anytime you need a lift!(Okay, Okay , you can watch it at Christmas time too!).

ASC(Angel Second Class), Clarence Oddbody needs to get his wings.George Bailey is desperately in need of an Angel. So the powers up above arrange a meeting. It's a story made in heaven.

Clarence gets to view George Bailey's life from the time he was a young boy until the present, when George is having so many problems he thinks he would be better off if he'd never been born (it may be safe to say we have all had days like that!). We watch as George touches the lives of so many from boyhood to adulthood. He saves his brother's life,he stops his boss(a druggist) from making a fatal mistake, he saves the family business, "The Building and Loan Assoc" from the hands of the Scroogelike Mr. Potter, is friend and mentor to so many, and although never gets to follow his dreams of travel, settles down with the girl next door in his town, "Bedford Falls".

But things start going amiss for poor George,an accidental misplacement of a large sum of money, and the auditor showing up just at the wrong time, causes George to face loosing everything he THINKS is important. He's on the bridge, ready to pack it all in when his guardian angel Clarence shows up in the nick of time.Clarence shows George what life would REALLY be like if he was never born. It's not good! George must realize that "It's A Wonderful Life" before he can exist again.

Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey. He is just tremendous in this role. We see the full range of his talents as he runs the course of going from carefree, to distraught, to bitter and finally elated with life as he discovers Zuzu's petals have reappeared in his pocket.The petals that disappeared from his pocket when he disappeared from existence. Henry Travers is Clarence and there has never been a more cherubic angel than he. Donna Reed as Mary(George's wife) is exceptional at making a wonderful life for George and looking great doing it. And Lionel Barrymore is the mean Mr. Potter who we love to hate. There are so many other famous faces to look for that do such a superb job, here are a few...the great character actor Thomas Mitchell is the forgetful "Uncle Billy", Lillian Randolph is "Annie", the housekeeper, Beulah Bondi as Mrs. Bailey, Ellen Corby, the lady who only wants $17.50, Gloria Grahame is Violet and don't miss Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, mischievous as ever at the pool scene.

So it's clear as a bell(oh..I think an Angel just got his wings!)if you're feeling a little down, watch this movie and like Zuzu's petals, your smile will reappear.

"White Christmas"...The film is a treasure. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye,Rosemary Clooney,and Vera-Ellen are the stars of this 1954 musical with songs by Irving Berlin that you'll want to sing along with and keep humming long after the film has ended. Directed by Michael Curtiz it's a feel good film that although takes place during the Christmas season, is another one that you can pull out and watch anytime of the year.

Bing and Danny were Army buddies, now a successful song and dance team and are out to help their favorite old retired General(Dean Jagger),who is having trouble coping with retirement. The General is now running a country inn in Vermont, but the big problem is there is no snow to bring up the tourists. Bing and Danny to the rescue, as they turn the inn into a showcase of talent, and fall for the Haines sisters along the way. Can these wonderful voices also bring the snow out of the sky?...well..you know.

This film is filled with Berlin's wonderful tunes. When Bing takes Rosemary's little hand in his and croons "Count Your Blessings" to her..well it's movie heaven. Rosemary also treats us to several numbers, Vera-Ellen does some fabulous hoofing, and Danny clowns and keeps us smiling like only Danny can. And how much fun is it watching Bing and Danny do the "Sisters" number together?...alot! Then there's the goose bump evoking, wonderfully nostalgic scene of the four of them singing "White Christmas" together with the Winter Wonderland of Vermont as a backdrop.I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful character actress Mary Wicks, she's a great busy-body who causes misunderstandings, and also keep an eye out for George Chakiris and Barrie Chase.

Thanks Paramount for bringing us this great old classic holiday films on in one package.

Happy Year-long Viewing, ...Laurie

It's a Wonderful Life.......2007-02-03

A Christmas classic. All these years later, life can still be the same as in this movie. Lot's of us are always striving, longing for a "better" more exciting life and many times if we stepped back and looked at ours it couldn't get any better, we just need to appreciate what we have and make the best of our life.

The Cliff Richard Collection (The Young Ones / Summer Holiday / Wonderful Life)

Average customer rating:

And About the Picture Quality
A Great Find
Interesting
Silly gone on that Cliff Richard
all cliff richard films

The Cliff Richard Collection (The Young Ones / Summer Holiday / Wonderful Life)
Starring: Cliff Richard , Robert Morley , Carole Gray , Hank B. Marvin , and Tony Meehan
Director: Sidney J. Furie , and Peter Yates
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005UW7T
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com

The three nostalgic British musicals in the Cliff Richard Collection are a good reminder that, thanks to a few short years in the 1960s, Sir Cliff can legitimately include "film star" on his already exceptional show business résumé. The Young Ones (1961), Summer Holiday (1963), and Wonderful Life (1964) would make tame fare for a teen audience today, but they retain a polished and honest charm that might surprise the sharpest of cynics.

First and foremost, of course, they were Cliff Richard vehicles: designed to showcase his all-around talents and capitalize on his first, heady wave of pop chart success. They are also unashamed homages to the heyday of the MGM B-musical with familiar themes: let's put on a show/save the youth club/make a film. But with up-and-coming directors Sidney Furie and Peter Yates making imaginative and sophisticated use of wide-angle camerawork and fresh, snappy choreography by Herbert Ross and Gillian Lynne, they also have plenty of assets other than Richard's wholesome appeal. There are some fine set pieces and surreal flashes, notably the history of cinema in Wonderful Life and the extraordinary mime sequence in Summer Holiday. They also tap into the very British energy of a group of young actors and dancers including Una Stubbs, Susan Hampshire, Melvyn Hayes, and Richard O'Sullivan, as well as Richard's band at the time, the Shadows. For sheer verve, the films deserve to be seen on their own merits. --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

And About the Picture Quality.......2007-04-06

I bought this collection because I'm a big Cliff Richard fan, and these musicals are a lot of fun. I was expecting an OK picture transfer onto DVD, because these are pretty old and I figured no one would really care.

What a pleasant surprise!

I had just bought a new HD-DVD player, and even though these aren't in HD, the picture quality is just stunning. All three are fine transfers, with good sound too.

Like the other comments say, "Summer Holiday" is the best of the lot, but all three are good nostalgic fun.

If you like 1960's era musicals, you can't go wrong with this set.

A Great Find.......2007-01-11

I was very happy to see this item on Amazon. I had watched all these movies as a child growing up in the UK and wanted my kids to see them. They were in great condition and the movies ran without any problems.
I am very happy with this purchase

Interesting.......2006-03-11

I really enjoy these three films!!! It's quite dificult to look in stores, but I found it here.

Silly gone on that Cliff Richard.......2004-04-29

As handsome as his marionette Cliff Richard Jr. in the 60's british movie Thunderbirds Are Go, Sir Cliff Richard shows as the brightest star in the universe through three delightful movies. I was just glad to have found the collection after listening to Richard's songs on karaoke. My favorite is Summer Holiday, but I recommend watching it last out of the three movies. They are all brimming with laughs, love, and heart melting vocals. You're in for a real treat!

all cliff richard films.......2003-06-17

lively- original - vibrating - good voice - catchy and beautifully sung songs + film locations ..what a singer- did not know - janeeta,shyama and savdas and cuddle -please ply more songs on radio/show movies on tv - much better/safer and good humour - best i have seen

Average customer rating:

It is really wonderful.
Nothing less than 5 stars!
Things to consider
Merry Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life

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ASIN: 6305064490
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

It is really wonderful........2007-09-06

Nothing less than 5 stars!.......2007-08-27

It's a classic movie with a thought provoking message that we all can make a positive impact on the people's lives around us.

Things to consider.......2007-08-26

This is a classic, not just for Christmas. Everyone should reflect on their lives as Jimmy Stewart's character does.

Merry Christmas.......2007-08-12

It's a Wonderful Life.......2007-07-30

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