Kissin' Cousins

Description

Man tries to convince his hillbilly cousin to allow a missile site to be build on his land.

Customer Reviews:

kissin cousin dvd.......2007-09-04

I was very impressed with the DVD which even came with a set of pixs inside :)

Wrong aspect ratio listed on amazon........2007-08-17

It is a very narrow 2.35:1 There will be black on the top and bottom of even a wide screen tv.

Average customer rating:

Irish Blarney at the Point
The Best All Around!!!
Long Gray Line
Dulce et Decorum...?
Super movie no matter who you like

The Long Gray Line
Starring: Tyrone Power , Maureen O'Hara , Robert Francis , Donald Crisp , and Ward Bond
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005RYKW
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Amazon.com

John Ford pours on the sentiment like syrup in The Long Gray Line, a tribute to the traditions of West Point. Tyrone Power ages 50 years to play real-life West Point legend Martin Maher, the scrappy Irish immigrant who rises from "another Mick waiter" to hot-tempered cadet to one of the best-loved instructors of the institution. Power is at his best as the charming rogue with a thick brogue, who ages into a feisty, gray-haired foster father to the cadets he and his fiery Irish wife (Maureen O'Hara) adopt over the years, among them Harry Carey Jr. (as young Dwight D. Eisenhower). Ford claims he didn't care for CinemaScope, but you wouldn't know it from the handsome, lush images that fill the frame. It lolls along at a lazy 140 minutes, balancing the respectful tributes with boisterous humor and boyish pranks but always centered by the generous heart of Maher. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Irish Blarney at the Point.......2007-06-30

This touching film lays it on thick with the Irish brogues! One would almost think West Point was an Irish military academy! Tyrone Power does a great job portraying this stock Irish character at the Point. I assume someone like this was actually there for that amount of time. But one wonders if this was truly so. I doubt the Point would have a swimming instructor who could not swim!

What makes this movie more than anything else are all the nice shots of the grounds at the Point. This is what gives you a feel for the film. The USMA Acadmey Band and Hell Cats put in some nice martial music, again much of it strangely of Irish nature. The famous "Wearing of the Green" is here used as a Point song with special words to honor a popular Tavern that often served the cadets near the gronds. They have changed the words here to honor the character in the film.

Many famous US generals have gone through the Point over the years. One interesting observation once made about the instruction there is that because of the heavy emphsisas on engineering most of the Civil War graduates were often inclined to entrench and this is one reason way the war became so stagnant. West Point often encouraged a conservetive officer class in the 19th century, although there can be little doubt that engineering skills were greatly praised in the growing US. Many civil works projects were over-seen by Point graduates, and the old boy network in private industry endures until this day.

This is a nice a film, with a sense of time and history, but like most John Ford films it lays it on thick with the sentimental stuff and the Blarney! Still, a classic in its own way, and a big push for the traditions and honor of the Point. I would say its almost like the "Quiet Man" but has a bit more body to it.

The Best All Around!!!.......2006-03-23

Very rarely in my life have I come across a movie that makes me cry. All you would have to do is watch the last 10 minutes of this movie to understand what I'm saying. However, you should see the entire movie - what perfection. It has comedy, drama, and great acting on all parts.

Tyrone Power (my favorite actor) gives a grade A performance. Never will you find him as loveable, or as dignified than as Martin Maher, Jr. I find it hard to believe that John Ford (the director) originally wanted John Wayne for this movie. Not to nock Wayne, but Power can convey sensitivity better. As a side note, John Wayne's son Patrick appears in the movie.

Maureen O'Hara, lovely as ever, gets back to her Irish roots in this film, and it makes for a point-perfect characterisation from the Queen of Technicolor. It isn't any wonder John Ford loved her as an actress. She's one of the best.

The movie spans 50 years at West Point Military Academy, and the life of Martin Maher and the people's lives he touched. It is a great American story. Definitely, worth every bit of the two hours and seventeen minute running time. I love this movie, and if you read this you really should be watching the movie.

Seriously, it made me cry!!!

Long Gray Line.......2005-08-03

The movie overall is really a great story; the quality of the DVD is what really is what I find as poor quality. It's almost as though some one copied it using a video camera recorder. I already own a copy of the VHS tape and it is a far better version of the film. The actors are classics. I can only say good things about Maureen O'Hara and Tyrone Powers. Ward Bond also. There were others who were in supporting roles who deserve mention; still the story is one that really what is s classic piece of Americana that deserves remembering.

Dulce et Decorum...?.......2004-06-11

"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" -- "Proper and sweet it is to die for the Fatherland." These words from Vergil's "Aeneid" apply in spades to "The Long Grey Line." Beneath the film's overt message of patriotism, honour and glory lies one constant, recurring theme: It's a good, grand and glorious thing for young men to be so filled with dreams of militaristic "glory and honour" that they are ready to die for "The Reich." And it's a good, grand and glorious thing as well for the loved ones they leave behind in mourning.

Am I being a touch judgemental? Darn right. So why did I give it four stars? First, any film with Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Ward Bond and the score of other fine actors (and an actress or two) is already worth at least three stars in my book. Secondly, the film is so over-the-top in its melodramatic depiction of "fantasy patriotism" that I wonder whether its creators didn't mean to suggest the folly of militaristic utopianism through the expedient use of a near lethal overdose of hyper-pious hands-over-hearts whenever Old Glory passes by, the ultra-dramatic portrayals that "my tragic loss is really my strength and glory," and the continuous flag-waving, death-worshipping and militaristic sentimentalising that saturates this film from start to finish.

On the one hand, the war-sentimentalisers who have always sent and who continue to send young men to early graves for the sake of political and/or corporate interests will undoubtedly see this film in one light. One that appears to validate their own far-from-honourable interests and agendas. On the other, those who despise the fantasy of militaristic glory may well see a brilliant portrayal of the waste of young lives, a waste that brings the hero of the film to sanctimoniously mark the deaths of his former youthful cadets with a black ribbon in the appropriate yearbook. In either case, the message will be in the eye -- and prompted by the true nature of the heart and soul -- of the viewer.

Whatever the case, I recommend that any viewer of this classic film follow up with a sobering shot of "Taps." And that in viewing that rather different presentation of military school cadets special attention be paid to the professional soldier who accuses his own honour-enraptured cadet son of being "in love with death."

Super movie no matter who you like.......2004-05-31

Pay no attention to Pine Hurst reviewer. I like Jane Fonda and I like this movie. Everyone in my family is a Jane Fonda fan (including my father who was 20years in the Marines), and we all like the film. It's story telling at it's best. One of Tyrone Power's best performances and Maureen O'Hara is simply radiant. It made me want to know more about Martin Maher and his Mary. See this, and you won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

One of the best anime
What does the animation matter if there isn't a story
some of the budget should've been spent on story and editing
Starts out strong and ends even better!
A Must See

Karas - The Prophecy
Starring: Keith Burgess (II) , Yuri Lowenthal , Steve Staley (II) , Melissa Fahn , and Jay Hernandez
Director: Akira Takata , and Kei'ichi Sato
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EDWLXC
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Amazon.com

Karas: the Prophecy (2005) is the first installment in an OVA marking the 40th anniversary of Tatsunko Productions, the studio that made Speed Racer, Gatchaman, and Generator Gawl. Karas was obviously a big-budget production, and the English dub features Jay Hernandez, Matthew Lillard, and Piper Perabo. Karas ("The Crow") is the guardian spirit of Tokyo, but the city is thrown into disarray when Eko, a former Karas, returns and attempts to seize power. Yurine, an entity who embodies the will of the people, summons Nue, a sort of Karas-in-training, to defeat Eko. The two-part fantasy saga borrows from numerous animated and live-action sources, including Ghost in the Shell II, Demon City Shinjuku, Spider-Man, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Action fans may enjoy the aerial combats, sword fights between armored foes, 2-D/3-D transformations, explosions, monster attacks, and car chases, but director Keiichi Sato's nervous camerawork and choppy cutting rob what should be show-stopping scenes of their punch. Although highly anticipated, Karas is an overproduced mess. (Unrated, suitable for ages 17 and older: graphic violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Stills from Karas - The Prophecy (click for larger image)

Description

MIKURA IS ON THE RISE AGAIN... Tokyo - a city populated by both humans and by ghostly beings. They exist in both dimensions, seen and unseen: spirits, apparitions, demons. The balance between these two dimensions has long been upheld by the city's guardian raven Karas and his masters. But that balance has been thrown into disarray as Eko, a former Karas, has attempted to seize power and bring order to the streets through force. The entity Yurine, who represents the will of the people, stands in his way with her newly risen Karas. Now an ageless battle stretching across both dimensions and killing humans and spirits alike is in progress between the two sides and their armies. Karas is humanity's last hope.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best anime.......2007-08-23

This is a great movie!!!! I can't wait for the 2nd one to come out. A must BUY!!!!!

What does the animation matter if there isn't a story.......2007-07-31

I spent the entire movie in utter confusion over the storyline. It wasn't even clear who Kara's was until halfway through. Sure, it got clearer toward the end and I'm sure the next chapter will sum things up, but what's the point of that! A better story would have wrapped the veiwer up in the first five minutes. Sure the animation was good, but there was no character development and no other reason to watch. Definitly not fit to be lumped in with the clasics like Nija Scroll, Vampire Hunter D, Akira. If I hadn't purchased it, I would have turned it off after the first 15 minutes.

some of the budget should've been spent on story and editing.......2007-07-28

KARAS is a highly produced, beautiful piece of work, packed with action, CG, effects, and exquisite design. But perhaps too much, as KARAS comes across like a pent up teen orgasm. It's an unfocused mess spilling everywhere, without any intent. It's all about the action. No foreplay, no cuddling afterwards, just a hyper-heated kettle letting out pressurized steam. Was there a story somewhere in this? The CG guys forgot to render out a coherent plot and character development! It's as if a rabid director with intense visions (and a lot of money) escaped from prison and molested a top notch animation studio.

If they took 30% of the budget out of the visuals and put it into a real story department, it STILL would have been great looking, and it would have had a good story... a watchable story, too.

But alas, it was not meant to be. What a shame.

Fast forward through this mess. You'll see all the great work, without having to bother trying to decipher the bad script.

Starts out strong and ends even better!.......2007-07-05

As soon as this anime began I knew I was going to like it. It was instant action with organic and dynamic camera work. The camera really gives you the feeling of speed that the characters are moving at! The story is very well written and is complemented by great voice acting! I can not wait for September when the second set of 3 episodes of this OVA are suppose to be released! I went down and pre-ordered mine directly after watching this first set.
This dvd is a great buy if you love action oriented animes with a great story line too boot!

A Must See.......2007-07-04

This beautiful film is candy for the eyes and mind. The traditional animation is flawlessly blended with the CGI, giving a wider variety of visual effects that are unique and ingenius in their creativity.

The story itself is a bit confusing the first time around. It mixes the modern day world with otherworldly happenings. A basic knowledge of Japanese mythic and supernatural beings and their cultural standings would be helpful, but not neccessary.

I really like the animation style and character designs. The movie is beautiful and extremely interesting. Hopefully the sequel will answer so many questions left over from this film.

Average customer rating:

An overlooked Oliver Stone film with a twisted plot and first-rate cast
Ridley + Stone + Penn = serious rock 'n roll.
Not Stone's best, but thoroughly entertaining
Great film noir
My two-cents worth...

U Turn
Starring: Sean Penn , Nick Nolte , Jennifer Lopez , Powers Boothe , and Claire Danes
Director: Oliver Stone
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767805763
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com

Oliver Stone used such words as "liberating" and "fun" to talk about U Turn's relatively quick production schedule of 42 days. Stone's ideas of film fun, however, are something older generations would call sick. This film is a Southwestern noir tale about Bobby Cooper (Sean Penn), a hotshot who is stuck in the tight confines of Superior, Arizona, when his car breaks down. His subsequent adventure is a meatball comedy--loud, obnoxious, and violent, and stuffed with diffused light, a hot cast, and a no-fat Ennio Morricone score. This film has plenty of odd characters, but you never really find out much about them. Bobby's first encounters include a repulsive mechanic (Billy Bob Thornton under the grease) and a blind Indian (Jon Voight under the makeup). Then there's Grace McKenna (a sizzling Jennifer Lopez), who is as dangerous as the curves of her red sundress. Bobby's got time to kill, and Grace seems more than willing. Unfortunately, it seems that Bobby has never seen a movie such as A Touch of Evil; if he had, he would know it can only get worse. About the time Grace's husband, Jake (Nick Nolte), shows up, Bobby is knee-deep in murder plots and double-crosses.

The first 40 minutes or so are "fun" to a point. Penn is the perfect near-creep to root for, and as he wanders back into town after meeting Grace, the eclectic characters pile up. But soon it gets monotonous, tiring, and just plain ugly. And when incest and bloody fights begin, the fun is gone. If Penn weren't so solid an actor and able to be empathetic in the most morose situations, the movie would be unwatchable at stretches. Lopez makes another good impression, but this is not a performance that stands out. Nolte, raspy and ill-looking, is the Lee Marvin of the '90s. Before U Turn is over, you are already wondering if Oliver Stone will do something else, something more important, soon. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

An overlooked Oliver Stone film with a twisted plot and first-rate cast.......2007-04-30

Oliver Stone's U Turn is a small town Arizona story with love crosses and plot twists galore. A drifter (Sean Penn) breaks down in the Arizona back-woods and gets entangled with a spitfire (Jennifer Lopez) who wants to leave her twisted, abusive husband (Nick Nolte). The husband, on the other hand, wants his wife murdered. The town mechanic (Billy Bob Thornton) is a greasy local who dislikes city slicker outsiders and doesn't aim to make Penn's character's life any easier. Our hero also gets mixed up with a cute local waitress (Claire Danes) seeking refuge from her abusive boyfriend (Joaquin Phoenix).

The movie is a day-in-the-life-of look at a strange little desert town with hidden undercurrents and long-standing family secrets. With an all-star cast and plot upheavals galore, the viewing is a full-on thrill-ride. Highly recommended. Also check out Clay Pigeons.

Ridley + Stone + Penn = serious rock 'n roll........2007-04-13

U Turn (Oliver Stone, 1997)

I'm a big fan of Stray Dogs, the John Ridley novel upon which U-Turn is based, and I avoided the film for while because, really, how many film adaptations of your best-loved novels actually work the way you want them to? I shouldn't have worried, though; U-Turn is the stuff, most decidedly.

The plot: Bobby Cooper, an on-the-run tennis pro (Sean Penn) has his car conk out on him just shy of a very, very weird little desert town. One of its residents, Grace McKenna (Jennifer Lopez), immediately catches his eye, but he soon finds out she's married to a nasty old character named Jake (Nick Nolte), who'd just as soon see her dead-- and offers Bobby fifty grand to do the deed. Immediately, a complex web of deceit unfurls among all the characters, complicated by a number of even stranger events happening at just the wrong time to make Bobby's life miserable.

The main thing that sticks out about this movie is the caliber of its cast, and the caliber of the performances they give. When you have to stick Jon Voight and Billy Bob Thornton seventh and eighth in credits order, you've got a high-powered cast working for you. All of them are spot on. The plot moves forward at almost blinding speed (just as it did in the book; Ridley adapted his own novel), and the viewer has very little time to do anything but clench his teeth and hang on for the ride until the final credits roll. It's just plain fun. I'm not sure why I stopped watching Oliver Stone flicks in the late eighties (okay, yeah I am-- Born on the Fourth of July, The Doors, and JFK back to back got a little heavy in to the world of way-out conspiracy theory for me), but I'm glad I've started again. *** ½

Not Stone's best, but thoroughly entertaining.......2006-12-03

Anyone who doubts Jennifer Lopez's acting abilities, as I once had, needs to see this movie. In this movie, she shifts from seductive and manipulating to vulnerable and desperate and back again with surprising ease. Jennifer Lopez can be a good actress when she isn't stuck in a bad movie.

And now to the rest of the film. U Turn treads on familiar territory of the mysterious drifter Bobby (Sean Penn) who, on his way to pay his debt to some kind of mob boss, finds himself stranded in a creepy desert town. He quickly becomes enraptured with the town sex object Grace (Lopez) whose husband (Nolte) catches them together. But instead of getting mad, Grace's husband asks Bobby to kill her so that he can cash in on her life insurance. When Bobby is robbed at a convenience store, he is left without the money he owes to the mob, so he takes up the offer to kill Grace. Thus begins a very complicated and violent series of events.

My only complaints are the underused characters of the wild-child town Lolita (Claire Danes) and her very short-tempered boyfriend (Joaquin Phoenix). It is kind of funny, though, to see Joaquin Phoenix basically dressed like Johnny Cash in a scene where "Ring of Fire" is played in the background.

U Turn also treads on a lot of the same metaphorical territory as Stone's Natural Born Killers--the desert, dead animals, prophetic Native Americans, etc. In this way it sometimes feels like a rehash of Natural Born Killers; and if I hadn't seen that movie, I'd probably like U Turn even more. But the story is gripping enough and the performances are intense enough that the movie is definitely worth watching.

Great film noir.......2006-10-24

I am not a big fan of Olvier Stone, but this is a great movie with interesting characters and great actors. I don't want to reveal any details and spoil the movie, but it is great if you enjoy film noir type movies.

My two-cents worth..........2006-10-20

This is a great, dark, funny, scary, roller-coaster ride of a modern noir B-movie that felt like it was discovered in Jim Thompson's waste paper bin. It might be pastiche, but it's entertaining pastiche. I don't know! Give you people a good film and, firstly, you don't go and see it and, secondly, if you do catch it on DVD, all you do is moan, moan, moan, not even like would-be critics but distributors or accountants. Everyone knows by now that the B pictures are usually much better than the A pictures. Now, of course, they make B pictures with A budgets. True pulp should be made for chump change, not $20 million, with big stars. For me, Stone is interesting but deeply flawed. He just loves the big subject. Here he has virtually no subject at all, and it's great fun seeing him take a breather and let his hair down. I understand this did no, or little, business but now has cult status, which is justice of a sort and probably the best you can hope for these days. Hay, lighten up. Have a few beers and slip it on the DVD. If you're disappointed then you have no taste and deserve what the studios throw at you. By the way, I'm an English noir fan. What do I know?

Steamboy - Director's Cut (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Otomo returns but this is no Akira
Movie review
Through the Past Darkly
Visually wonderful, but boring story
Beautiful Gears, but Cogs in the Works

Steamboy - Director's Cut (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Anne Suzuki , Masane Tsukayama , Katsuo Nakamura , Manami Konishi , and Kiyoshi Kodama
Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009P42S2
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Amazon.com

The first feature Katsuhiro Otomo has written and directed since his watershed Akira (1988), Steamboy offers a fantastic, sepia-toned vision of the past-as-future. In place of the dystopic Neo-Tokyo of Akira, Steamboy is set in England in 1866. Young Ray Steam receives a Steam Ball, a mysterious, powerful device, from his inventor grandfather. Governments and businesses covet the Steam Ball, and Ray finds himself in a murderous conflict over its possession. He's also caught between his father, a 19th century Darth Vader who builds terrible weapons for an American arms merchant, and his grandfather, who believes science should improve people's lives. Otomo uses computer graphics to create dazzling visuals that few recent films--animated or live action--can match: monumental systems of gears and pistons; machines that dwarf the Tower of London; antique weapons of mass destruction. But the dazzling imagery can't disguise the lack of a coherent plot and the flimsiness of the characters.

Steamboy is being released in a dubbed version that's been shortened by 20 minutes, and a more satisfying subtitled version that preserves Otomo's original pacing. Both versions suggest that Steamboy is the work of an important filmmaker who can't quite shape his awesome visions into a effective narrative. (Rated PG-13 for action violence.) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Otomo returns but this is no Akira.......2007-08-26

As far as Anime goes, Katsuhiro Ôtomo is a heavy hitter. This movie is not as grand and ambitions as anything he's done that I've seen, ok I'm comparing it to Akira. I enjoyed Steam boy, the story was fun and very interesting and the setting (1866 England) was very well done and added a certain depth and intrigue to the storyline and characters. I think this film does't have the "teeth" that Akira did but I'm not sure it need them or is trying to be that. This film is not depressing or sinical but up lifting and spited. Like many Amine's of recent memory the plot is very evolved and looses you in points of the film. All in all you know what's going on most of the time. This film has its flaws and some annoying character with some pacing problems. The action lags on at times but it's a good little movie for anime fans. Is it Spirited away or Princess Monake (sp?) not at all but it's good to see Otomo back in the saddle.

Movie review.......2007-08-25

Absolutely loved this film and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of anime. The choice of voice-over actors was a wise call and the level of animation was second to none. Highly recommended!

Through the Past Darkly.......2007-07-01

Taken on its own, this is a dazzling film. Fans comparing various anime might find reason to cavil, but I probably like it for reasons others don't. It doesn't mix and match CGI effects or use up its bag of tricks. It's not given to constantly shifting camera angles merely because computerized cameras can do that, which still seems a novelty to live action producers. It stays largely to its color palette, the dark, forbidding tones of a Dicknesian Victorian England. By comparison I found the preview for Final Fantasy VII, which some fans probably consider state of the art, extremely boring.

Steamboy plays like a filmed book, very deftly showing more than it tells. When there is speaking, it rarely clears things up, but merely adds more red herrings to the story. The film obviously owes a lot to Sherlock Holmes, as well as the earlier mechanical (as opposed to later electronic) ingenuity of The Wild Wild West TV show. But it draws subtly from these inspirations. Steamboy ends as it has to, in the epic fashion of Jules Verne and all Victorian and Edwardian visionary novels. One scene is also quite similar to the visually arresting opening of Chesterton's 1905 novel, The Ball and The Cross, although the story line is entirely different. I expect that except for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the future visions of this era are largely unexplored as film territory. The ending also suggests that a sequel, or even a series could follow. But instead it does something else: depict the "continuing adventure" in poignant scenes behind the closing credits. Choosing one of the extra features runs this imaginative portrayl without the credits.

The main characters are all inventors, and all in the same lineage. The father and grandfather's long- winded speeches about Science are hard to take seriously, but the same optimistic view of a rosy future exists in numerous Victorian era books. The show also revolves around the London Exhibition and the famous Crystal Palace, then the showplace of British and world progress. But what else is the film? A parable? A puzzle? An exploration? Does the use of steam for military purposes echo other sorts of energy harnessed for destruction, as foreshadowed in the aeroplane sequences during the credits? Is the economic thralldom in which Britain was held in the nineteenth century meant to resonate in our own? If the denouement seems predictable and the ending somewhat forced, the issues that puzzle the characters nevertheless remain "live" questions in this visually spectacular and intriguing film.

Visually wonderful, but boring story.......2007-06-08

I loved Akira, Appleseed,really most everything Studio Ghibli has ever done (Kiki, Nausicaa, Spirited, etc), Cowboy Bebop, Gundam, etc.

This one didn't grab me. The animation is every bit as good as you would expect, but the story is just weak. I was really excited when I realized this was being released, but just ended up being disappointed. Some people love it, so DEFINITELY watch before you buy!!!

If you are new to Anime - this is not a good starting point and if you have already seen it and DID enjoy it there is a whole world of great movies waiting for you! Visually, my favorite is Appleseed (2004 - there are older un-enhanced anime series shows floating around). Storywise, pick up the Studio Ghibli movie pack. This contains Spirited Away and MANY more classics (I think mine has 12 movies and it cost me a whopping 15.00 on ebay plus shipping).

Beautiful Gears, but Cogs in the Works.......2007-03-29

The hand-drawn artwork combined with CGI is simply stunning in this movie, it's a treat to the eyes.

The setting is 1800's England, in an alternative Steampunk past where machinery powered by steam has advanced civilization to a new age of reason - the promise of steam that if it would've maintained dominance in lieu of combustion, would've reinforced England's dominance. That's what steampunk is all about, after all, the investment that England made in infrastructure built for steam locked them into a future path that turned out to be weak and ill conceived in hindsight. It's a wonderful fantasy and when done well, it can be a rich alternate history. Tim Powers and Bruce Sterling create interesting Steampunk tales, and I can imagine if they'd written a story for Katsuhiro Otomo to direct, the combination would be magnificent. That said, the story just didn't work for me.

At first it was predictable, like stock parts off the fiction workshop shelf. A boy gets a powerful item of technology and has to fight his own father for the rights to assert his own will, his own ingenuity, and strike out on his own. There isn't enough background to allow the viewer to believe that this boy has the skills necessary to pull off his part in this story. There also isn't enough plot to sustain the believability of the entire story.

Bad guys are comical and wooden, good guys are stereotyped and predictable. If the movie hadn't been so pretty, I'd have given it a lower rating. Fortunately, with the volume off, it's a beautiful show.

- CV Rick

Average customer rating:

Shaming The Name Of Catwoman
I Love This Movie
It was FRESH & NEW!!! I LOVED IT!!!
I must confess that I sincerely enjoyed it!
It has it moments

Catwoman (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Halle Berry , Benjamin Bratt , Sharon Stone , Lambert Wilson , and Frances Conroy
Director: Pitof
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00064MW6K
Release Date: 2005-01-18

Amazon.com

For a certain segment of the population, the vision of Halle Berry in shredded skin-tight leather is reason enough to see Catwoman. As Patience Philips, Berry plays a mousy graphic designer for a cosmetics company who learns a little too much about her employer's new beauty cream and gets flushed down a waste-disposal pipe. A supernatural cat brings Patience back to life and brings up a new persona from the depths of her psyche; soon she's bounding around fire escapes, cracking a whip, and getting framed for a couple of murders by a villainous ex-supermodel (Sharon Stone, Total Recall, Basic Instinct). If you're hoping for a Catwoman with bite, this is not your movie--this Catwoman rescues children from malfunctioning ferris wheels and apologizes for stealing jewels. The movie's script and visual style are as fresh as used kitty litter. Also featuring Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality), and Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Catwoman is the story of meek, mild-mannered artist Patience Philips, who works for Hedare Beauty, a mammoth cosmetics company on the verge of releasing a revolutionary anti-aging product. When Patience inadvertently happens upon a dark secret her employer is hiding, she is attacked and killed. But Patience is given a second chance - a second life in which someone not quite human resides. Someone with the strength, speed, agility and ultra-keen senses of a cat. With her newfound power, Patience becomes Catwoman, and sets out to stop Hedare's callous plan to unleash an appallingly dangerous product into the world.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes
Alternate endings
Documentaries:The many faces of Catwoman
Documentary:HBO First Look Special

Customer Reviews:

Shaming The Name Of Catwoman.......2007-08-31

When I first saw the previews for this particular movie, I thought it looks good, great even. But when I went to see Catwoman in theaters I was sorely disappointed.

First off Catwoman's name is Selina Kyle not Patience or whatever her name was in the movie. That just drove me nuts! Also I'm not as familiar with Catwoman's origin story as I am with like Batman or the Teen Titans, but I'm pretty sure she was not the heir of some ancient line of cat women. I'm sure to know well about the origins of Catwoman though once the copy of Catwoman: Her Sister's Keeper arrives for me at the library.

The costume.. Wow I didn't know Catwoman was suppose to be so racey. If I had to guess the costume in Catwoman was designed for a guy's eyes. I know that Catwoman is known for her whip and tight, form fitting costumes, but it is almost always a form of a body suit. I don't think Catwoman has ever really been known for prancing around on roof tops half naked.

In my opinion they should have stuck with a proper version of Catwoman's origins and explained them like they are explained in the comics and most novels. Also they should have kept her name Selina Kyle. I think a lot of fans were upset about the name change. It was totally uncalled for. Lastly, I think if would have been better if they went with a costume similar to the one Selina Kyle currently wears in the comics. That is such a cool costume and it probably would have been cool on the big screen.

Overall, I wouldn't reccommend this. If you want to find some real Catwoman stuff read Batman Hush or maybe Catwoman: When in Rome. Something along those lines, but I wouldn't watch this movie. It sucks.

I Love This Movie.......2007-07-26

I can not figure out why most of the other reviewers of this movie give it two stars and then proceed to write a review of how good the movie is. This is just a great movie to kick back and watch and relax. Halle Berry "slinks" and struts around in this movie in a way that I find totally provocative and sexy. When the movie ended, I found myself wishing that there was more. If you like cats and/or Halle Berry, you are really going to like this movie.

It was FRESH & NEW!!! I LOVED IT!!! .......2007-06-25

I think am the one person who LOVED this movie when I saw it! I don't understand why everyone hates it. Sure it isn't THE BEST but it was fun. I liked that the BIG PLAN of the villian was about cosmetics and not some big machine or money it had a "GIRLY" (I hate it when people say that though) feel to it that most super hero movies don't. It was about make-up, feeling beautiful, standing up for your self, and a little girl power. I say "GIVE US A SEQUEL!!!"

I must confess that I sincerely enjoyed it!.......2007-06-16

As soon as I saw that catsuit, I thought "This is going to be the camp classic of the year!" Then as the reviews started pouring in and I heard things like "Halle slurps tuna out of cans," "Halle is given mouth-to-mouth by a cat," and "Halle says insipid lines like 'cat got your tongue?'" I knew I HAD to see this. I went on opening night for the express purpose of laughing at it, hoping that the entire audience would be with me. Imagine my shock and horror as I found myself actually enjoying it.

Don't get me wrong, this is by no means a GOOD movie. The plot in particular hinges on one ludicrous conceit on top of another, and many developments don't stand up to the SLIGHTEST scrutiny, but you know, the whole thing is just so over-the-top ridiculous that you stop caring after a while. Even all the ridiculous elements (i.e. tuna cans), in the context of the movie, don't stand out as glaringly, and since they play it off as Halle is in effect possessed by her cat side, all these compulsive things she's doing sort of work in that context.

I didn't like the CONSTANTLY moving camera (and I was sitting in the 3rd row, so it really was nausea-inducing) and the CHEEEEEEEESY digital effects work, but I felt that his idea was to create this entirely pop fantasy comic book universe, so at least it was an IDEA. It didn't work that well, but it was an IDEA.

I think it's clear that the Sharon Stone part of the storyline was inspired in large part by THE WASP WOMAN, a 50's horror film in which a woman is the owner of a cosmetics company, and was once the lead model, but is now growing older and has to step down as model. She experiments with wasp royal jelly [though I am pretty sure that wasps don't make royal jelly] in order to hold on to her youth... and of course it turns her into a vicious wasp woman! Sharon Stone in this film follows the same storyline except that the face cream turns her face indestructible. Until it destructs, of course, but let's not quibble.

All of the Spice Girls-level "feminism" this movie supposedly espouses--the usual shtick about how a woman is "empowered" by dressing in outrageously skimpy outfits and becoming a walking product placement for Revlon--is undone by the ending, in which Sharon Stone, her face finally [and inexplicably] cracked, decides that it is better to die than live life as an unattractive person.

I can't say I recommend it, but I will say I had a MUCH better time watching this than I did at Hellboy, Chronicles of Riddick, or the Matrix sequels... You know, bad movies just aren't what they used to be.

It has it moments.......2007-05-19

This movie takes a long time to even get to where it's suppose to go. And honestly, I sort of enjoyed some of the cheesy dating scenes with Berry and Bratt. The whole let's sell toxic beauty cream is laughable. Why didn't she just turn in a jar of the stuff to the authorities or a newpaper organization??? But Berry does look good in her suit. I'll give her that. Stone looks good, though her acting is less than steller. But it looks like everyone agrees that the number one problem with Catwoman is the script. Was this written by a first time screenwriter? Save your money. I caught it on a slow cable night.

Alexander - Director's Cut (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Turkey of Epic Proportions
A great sleep aid
Alexander The Great or The Gay
Flawed but no dud
Much better than expected

Alexander - Director's Cut (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , David Bedella , Jessie Kamm , Angelina Jolie , and Val Kilmer
Director: Oliver Stone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009PLLN6
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Description

Academy award winning director Oliver Stone presents a breathtaking new cut of his sweeping epic film, ALEXANDER, the true story of the world's greatest warrior. Using new footage and dramatically reshaping dozens of scenes, he brings to life the overpowering forces and fierce personalities that forever changed history. Torn by the war between his parents (Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer), Alexander (Colin Farrell) left Greece to face massive armies in Persia, Afghanistan and India -- and was never defeated. "Fortune favors the bold" Stone powerfully demonstrates in this bold new film, ALEXANDER DIRECTOR'S CUT.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Oliver Stone
Documentaries

Customer Reviews:

A Turkey of Epic Proportions.......2007-08-03

This film could undergo The Death Of The Thousand Cuts and never emerge as anything more than just a Turkey , not the legendary Phoenix Bird , but just a Turkey. Mr. Stone has gone on record as saying America's " religous Fundamentalism " was the cause of the film's failure in this country. It failed because it is a Turkey.

I read somewhere that Angelina Jolie is playing Grendel's mother in the upcoming Robert Zemeckis film " Beowulf ". I hope this is not the kiss of death for my favorite Epic poem but, Who knows ? next spring I might be writing a review called " Oedipus Lupus Tanks at the Box Office ".

A great sleep aid.......2007-07-08

I liked Gladiator; liked Troy; liked King Arthur; and liked Kingdom of Heaven.

So, Alexander has got to be something I would enjoy, right? Wrong, I fell asleep less than halfway through the first part. I did not try to watch it again.

Nothing about the brief part of this movie that I saw captured my interest. Nothing.

Alexander The Great or The Gay.......2007-05-17

Its one of the worst historical based movie I have ever seen. The implication that Alexander was a homosexual or bisexual does not cut it in terms of Macedonian society of the time period. There were strong friendships between men, which persist today, that have no sexual connotations. As a matter of fact men who dressed, painted themselves and acted as women were shunned by society and made fun of from Assirya in the east to Carthage in the west.The actress chosen for the part of Roxanne has no physical characteristics similar to her historical predecesor, except maybe her great body. But maybe casting a more ravishing woman in that part would have downgraded the supposedly homosexual relationship that Alexander is shown to have. The only good casting made was that of Alexander`s mother. I do not want to rehash other areas of criticism except to say that this is not a movie about Alexander The Great but rather of Alexander The Gay.
Maybe the director`s next movie will be making Richard The Lionhearted into Richard The Gayhearted, in which case he would again be sadly mistaken.

Flawed but no dud.......2007-05-09

To believe many of the critics, professionals and movie mavens alike, Alexander is one of the worst movies ever made. It is not. In fact, it is quite good...in spots.

The film drags a bit. The story line moves back and forth in time, alternating between Alexander as king and conqueror and as son/heir apparent to Phillip. Some like that device. I, personally, feel that it is overused, somewhat cliche.

The characters are well developed. Colin Ferrell and the rest of the cast did admirable work. The battle scenes are enjoyable but sometimes confusing (particularly the battle at Guagamela) and few and far between.

Post Braveheart, movies about "great" men tend to deify them, tend to thrust upon the virtues or values of our civilization. It was a bit hard to swallow that Alexander wanted conquer the then known world, not for riches, the spoils of war or the glory of conquest, but to free slaves and spread Greek civilization to the "heathens." This much is suggested by Alexander in the film, a position that seems to starkly contrast berating of his generals for viewing Asians as an inferior civilization/people.

There is a lot of information packed in the story. One of the side benefits of a film like this is that it causes history lovers (like me) to learn the "true" story about Alexander, his family, his enemies, etc.

Much is made about the bi-sexuality exhibited. Anyone that has even a cursory knowledge of ancient history knows or has heard that Greek men were lovers of other men and kept women as wives and mothers. I certainly don't proclaim to be an expert on the subject, but it seemed that the "men" or "boys" to which Alexander and his generals were attracted were extremely effeminate, almost drag queens. I understand that Greek men loved men precisely because they were men, not because they looked like flat-chested women. It is a rather minor point, but since the sexual themes in the film seem never to be ignored, it is worth discussion.

Overall, it is a good film. It's by no means great. I wouldn't purchase Alexander, but it's worth a rental.

Much better than expected.......2007-04-28

having read all the reviews about how bad this film is I didnt expect much when I finally got round to watching it. Thing is, the film is not all that bad at all. I can remember when this film was being made the complaints coming from Greece because Alexander was shown as bisexual (I can only assume those Greeks who were complaining must be living in denial about their history) Its kind of sad that this aspect was 'toned down' to make it more 'acceptable' What was equally odd were the complaints from Iran because the film showed flied buzzing around the heads of Persian soldiers, some of them wearing Turbans (yeh ok that is anoying considering it isnt an Iranian head dress and this is supposed to be a historical epic) but most daft of all where the complaints that the film showed Iran (or Persia) in a bad light.

Come on now, first of all this is a film. Now are you seriously trying to tell me that there are not films made in Iran showing victories of historical Persian arimes over their enemies? All cultures have their own history and their own conception of history.

Now on with the film. First off everyone will have a complaint about this film as it is impossible to cronicle Alexanders entire life in a few hours of cinema what the director here has done is attempt to capture some of the most important aspects of it and in this I think he has done a fairly good job.

The greatness of the Persian empire and its capital, the warlike Greeks, the strange cultures that Alexanders men met on their journey east, the battle scenes are welll directed (especially those in India) the whole hedonistic culture of the ancient world also is well captured. Perhaps there could have been a better choice of actors for some of the roles (Alexander for example) and not entirely sure about Angelina Jolie in this role (not too sure about her in any role for that matter, wasn't too bad in Gia though)

Still, think the critics were a little too harsh. Watch it a couple of times and it will grow on you.

Alexander - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Turkey of Epic Proportions
A great sleep aid
Alexander The Great or The Gay
Flawed but no dud
Much better than expected

Alexander - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , David Bedella , Jessie Kamm , Angelina Jolie , and Val Kilmer
Director: Oliver Stone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0009PLLNQ
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Customer Reviews:

A Turkey of Epic Proportions.......2007-08-03

A great sleep aid.......2007-07-08

Alexander The Great or The Gay.......2007-05-17

Flawed but no dud.......2007-05-09

Much better than expected.......2007-04-28

Average customer rating:

Shaming The Name Of Catwoman
I Love This Movie
It was FRESH & NEW!!! I LOVED IT!!!
I must confess that I sincerely enjoyed it!
It has it moments

Catwoman (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Halle Berry , Benjamin Bratt , Sharon Stone , Lambert Wilson , and Frances Conroy
Director: Pitof
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0006L0LOS
Release Date: 2005-01-18

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Shaming The Name Of Catwoman.......2007-08-31

I Love This Movie.......2007-07-26

It was FRESH & NEW!!! I LOVED IT!!! .......2007-06-25

I must confess that I sincerely enjoyed it!.......2007-06-16

It has it moments.......2007-05-19

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2 - Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure

Average customer rating:

Gee, I miss Chevy.
Unenthralled
Why oh why...
mildly amusing
C'mon!!!!This isn,t that bad!!!!

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2 - Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure
Starring: Randy Quaid , Miriam Flynn , Dana Barron , Jake Thomas , and Sung Hi Lee
Director: Nick Marck
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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