Waking Life

Amazon.com

Waking Life is a film that never settles down. Or maybe it never wakes up. Regardless, Richard Linklater's animated meditation seems to strike a perfect balance between the plotless meanderings of Slacker and the unquenchable knowledge-seeking of Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. Any way you look at it, this is a weird, original movie.

As he attempts to figure out what separates dreams from reality, the protagonist (Dazed and Confused's Wiley Wiggins) hears an earful from everyone he stumbles upon. Ramblings range from the scholarly (Linklater's former college professor Robert C. Solomon gives a monologue) to the banal (of which there are plenty). Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Steven Soderbergh, and Adam Goldberg all get animated cameos, basically playing themselves. The dream-centered dialogues eventually grow mind-numbing, but that's OK; the animation steals the show. Each frame of the movie, which was first shot with live actors, was painted over, and the process renders a distorted and trippy collage of sights and sounds. Linklater's film is ultimately quite poignant, but, as with any good journey, you'll need to sit through some fairly tedious moments before reaching the destination. --Jason Verlinde

Description

From the director of Slacker and Dazed and Confused comes one of the most imaginative animated features ever made. This funny, ingenious film, which Rolling Stone Magazine calls "nothing short of amazing," explores the fascinating question: "Are we sleep-walking through our waking state or wake- walking through our dreams"? Join Wiley Wiggins as he searches for answers to lifes most important questions in a world that may or may not be reality in the "most visually alive movie of the year." (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times)

Customer Reviews:

Eye-opening. Wake up and watch........2007-09-09

Now, here's something you don't see every day. Waking Life is a movie that isn't afraid to be smart, but it manages to be sexy at the same time. And the painstakingly crafted visuals are guaranteed to keep you watching long enough to - gasp! - actually have an original thought or two by the time you're all done.

Imagine you're dreaming, and you know you're dreaming, but you can't seem to wake up. What would you do? In the world of Waking Life, you'd free your mind, that's what. The twenty or so teachers you'll encounter here each have a unique message to share. You'll meditate on death, contemplate the future of human evolution, and reject your plateau. And if you do get around to waking up, things may never be the same.

If you're into movies where the person who changes the most at the end is you and not the protagonist, you won't wanna miss Waking Life.

It's a series of holy moments, if you're looking closely.

Interesting times with Waking Life.......2007-08-23

This movie was originaly recommended to me by a college friend while discussing mild-altering experiences. After seeing it, I now understand why. This movie is an exercise in expanding your mind. It's pretty much one long trip through different "conversations" the main character is pressumably having regarding how we view our world and what that means. We're never sure exactly how these conversations are taking place and why the main character moves from person to person, but each one tells us something about how we understand our waking/dreaming time. Again, as this movie was recommended during conversations about shrooms and pot, I wasn't sure what to expect but now I have to thank my friend. If you've ever wondered about reality and dreams, this movie shows you you're not alone. It also puts forth some pretty convincing arguments in between interesting stories about life's little quirks.

Something like a daydream.......2007-07-22

If you enjoy hearing folks wax philosophical and don't mind spacey visuals, you may enjoy this film. Here is a sample from Robert Solomon:

"The reason why I refuse to take existentialism as just another French fashion or historical curiosity is that I think it has something very important to offer us for the new century. I'm afraid we're losing the real virtues of living life passionately, in the sense of taking responsibility for who you are, the ability to make something of yourself, and feeling good about life. Existentialism is often discussed as if it's a philosophy of despair. But I think the truth is just the opposite. Sartre, once interviewed, said he never really felt a day of despair in his life. But one thing that comes out from reading these guys is not a sense of anguish about life so much as a real kind of exuberance, of feeling on top of it. Its like: your life is yours to create.

"I've read the postmodernists with some interest, even admiration. But when I read them I always have this awful nagging feeling that something absolutely essential is getting left out. The more that you talk about a person as a social construction or as a confluence of forces or as fragmented or marginalized, what you do is you open up a whole new world of excuses. And when Sartre talks about responsibility he's not talking about something abstract. He's not talking about the kind of self or soul that theologians would argue about. It's something very concrete. It's you and me talking, making decisions, doing things, and taking the consequences.

"It might be true that there are six billion people in the world and counting, nevertheless, what you do makes a difference. It makes a difference first of all in material terms. It makes a difference to other people. And it sets an example. And in short I think the message here is that we should never simply write ourselves off and see ourselves as the victim of various forces. It's always _our_ decision who we are."

Merily merily merily merily, life is but a dream... ok, great, we get it........2007-07-21

Robert Solomon has a very small part in this film and it wasn't enough to save the movie. Check out any of his books or teachings in The Teaching Company (TTC) series. He is one of the greatest teachers of existentialism. But this movie is based around one question... What is reality? Instead of leaving me with questions of What is it to exist? I was left with the questions, "why did I watch this movie" "did I expect it to get better?" "how did it get worse", and "how did anyone get anything deeper out of this movie than "Space Balls?"

This movie is a high school philosophy project based off of the movie "Open Your Eyes," or the americanized version (just as good) "Vanilla Sky." (except I don't remember if you get to see Penelope Cruz naked in Vanilla Sky;)

Honestly... if you want to watch a movie about philosophy or that will at least leave you with existential or profound questions/answers, please check out the following: What the Bleep, Big Fish, Adaptation, Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which is drenched with Sartre) Dark City, or as I just suggested, Open Your Eyes. As far as other philosophies... Moralism/Responsibility, check out: The Cider House Rules or Babel. For Futurism/Postmodernity: Brazil, 12 Monkeys or Children of Men.
There are a lot of great movies out there... don't waste your time on this one. It sucks beyond all understanding... it's one philosophical accomplishment.

Typical of Linklater....talky, uneven, occasionally insightful, occasionally banal and tiresome..........2007-06-16

I like Richard Linklater more as a person than a filmmaker. Here is a good example of his work. The ideas put forth are interesting and necessary, but the film overall is very ponderous, talky (almost all of Linklater's films are talky), pseudo-intellectual (like his generation, Gen X), and kind of boring in spots. The conversations veer from passable to banal, and the rotoscoping, while interesting, isn't really groundbreaking. Rotoscoping has been done for quite some time, but it looks better than it used to, because of digital technology. The film is average. I like Linklater's intelligence and ambition, and he's very personable in interviews, but his work is usually disappointing. It's not terrible, but it's not as good as it can be.

Average customer rating:

Hold on tight!
How fast is it...
Perfect Fav. Movie
Very Exciting.
action movie

Speed (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Keanu Reeves , Dennis Hopper , Sandra Bullock , Joe Morton , and Jeff Daniels
Director: Jan de Bont
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GANOQ
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com

Everything clicked in this 1994 action hit, from the premise (a city bus has to keep moving at 50 mph or blow up) to the two leads (the usually inscrutable Keanu Reeves and the cute-as-a-button Sandra Bullock) to the villain (Dennis Hopper in psycho mode) to the director (Jan De Bont, who made this film hit the ground running with an edge-of-your-seat opening sequence on a broken elevator). This is the sort of movie that becomes a prototype for a thousand lesser films (including De Bont's lousy sequel, Speed 2: Cruise Control), but Speed really is a one-of-a-kind experience almost anyone can enjoy. --Tom Keogh

Description

Hold on tight for a rush of pulse-pounding thrills, breathtaking stunts and unexpected romance in a film you'll want to see again and again. Keanu Reeves stars as Jack Traven, an L.A.P.D. SWAT team specialist who is sent to diffuse a bomb that a revenge-driven extortionist (Dennis Hopper) has planted on a bus. But until he does, Jack and passenger Sandra Bullock must keep the bus speeding through the streets of Los Angeles at more than 50 miles per hour - or the bomb will explode. A high-octane chase of suspense, non-stop action and surprise twists, Speed is a joyride sure to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

Customer Reviews:

Hold on tight!.......2007-07-12

Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock is still the best action movie of all-time. This film was released in 1994 and still to this day, Speed never grows tepid or outdated. How can you not love Sandra Bullock? This film put her on the map, she's spunky, fearless, and funny as Annie. So glad Reeves got to play a serious guy who turns into a hero, anyone remember Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? (so not the movie for him). If you enjoy a good action film then Speed will be your new best friend. A must-have!

How fast is it..........2007-07-09

Cool film great plot and excellent twist. Just when you thought it was over, it's just begining again..

Perfect Fav. Movie.......2007-05-26

The movie I received was in great shape and I have watched it many times, thanks!

Very Exciting........2007-05-12

This movie keeps you on your toes, very exciting and entertaining, not a dull moment, just great.

action movie.......2007-05-12

One of my favorite mindless action movies. Just turn off, sit back and enjoy. Dennis Hopper was terrific.

Average customer rating:

Cool for a 1st grader
The Best of the Speed Racer Releases
Memories
Go Speed
Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11

Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11
Starring: Katsuji Mori , Michiko Nomura , Yoshiko Matsuo , Kinya Aikawa , and Teiji Ômiya
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008IHAV
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Product Description

The world's favorite high-octane animated hero is back!Roaring into action aboard his trusty Mach-5 it's the intrepid young race car driver who sparked an international cult phenomenon: the one-and-only Speed Racer!Now for the fiFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 012236116509 Manufacturer No: 14591

Amazon.com

One of the first "Japanimation" series to air in the U.S., Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) debuted in syndication in September 1967. Eighteen-year-old Speed Racer wants to become a race car driver, but his father, automotive engineer "Pops" Racer, "blows a gasket" at the idea. Pops, who designed the amazing Mach 5, relents when Speed demonstrates his extraordinary driving skills. He embarks on a series of fantastic adventures that pit him and his friends against Skull Duggery, Snake Oiler, Mr. Wiley, and the Alpha Gang. With their wide chins, large mouths, and small eyes, the Speed Racer characters reflect the influence of contemporary Hanna-Barbara series, rather than the indigenous style the Japanese animation industry would later develop. Members of Gen-X who grew up watching the original show will enjoy this "collector's edition" that offers the first 11 episodes, a theme song sing-along, a villains' gallery, and an interactive demonstration of controls of the Mach 5. (Unrated: suitable for ages 6 and older: mild cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Cool for a 1st grader.......2007-08-31

I really dug Speed Racer when I was in 1st grade, it had the coolest car, Racer-X was mysterious, and Trixie was hot. Having seen it again years later as an adult, It was fun to watch, but I'm not sure I can sit through more than a couple of episodes. I gave it to my girlfriend's son who is 4 and he appreciates it far more than I do now. I look forward to the live action version by the Wachowski brothers. However, one critique after seeing a still of the movie car, the camber is totally off on the wheels for the Mach 5 to make it effective in the corners. I'm just saying, not even Michael Schumacher could win a race with that much postive camber.

The Best of the Speed Racer Releases.......2007-05-14

I finally picked up the first of the volumes the other day. This is the best of all of them. I am still enjoying the on screen Mach 5 demonstrations. Way to much fun!
I can remember being a kid and watching this show in the morning before school. It's been so much fun to recapture the energy of this show on dvd.
The other following volumes are only ok. I mean they're good each on their own, but nowhere near as great as this first release of the set. The quality of the show went downhill as can be seen throughout the volumes subsequent releases.
It was my first taste of Japanimation; even at an early age. And it isn't going to be my last all these (30 +) years later.

Memories.......2007-04-09

It's about memories! One of the reasons I enjoyed this DVD so much is because of childhood memories of running home from school to watch Speed Racer and a few other 70s classics. Cartoons have changed tremendously! So, the one thing that will make a difference other than quality (in which I thought the DVD was of good quaility), is your early memories. My children even watch it.

Go Speed .......2007-03-31

It takes you back to the good ol'days. I wish the picture was clearer - a little fuzzy.

Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11.......2007-03-30

This will take you way back to your childhood. My children love Speed Racer.

Average customer rating:

Great Series
A true classic that is truly fun
I must not be too smart!!!
Speed Racer - Episodes 12-23...
Great Series

Speed Racer - Episodes 12-23
Starring: Katsuji Mori , Michiko Nomura , Yoshiko Matsuo , Kinya Aikawa , and Teiji Ômiya
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001US62S
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Amazon.com

In this second set of adventures, Speed and his friends race against a madman's robot-controlled car in "Race for Revenge." Trixie gets jealous when Speed pays too much attention to the pretty title character in "The Girl Daredevil." In "The Desperate Desert Race," the gang is taken prisoner by rebel army leader Ali ben Schemer, a character who may offend Arab-American viewers.

When Mach Go Go Go debuted in syndication in the U.S. as Speed Racer in 1967, the series had been extensively re-edited to excise much of the violence. These edits cause some continuity problems: in "Girl Daredevil," new tires appear on the Mach-5 between two scenes, and a villain steals the car, although it was out of gas minutes earlier. As the exploits of Speed, Trixie, Sparks, Spritle, and Chim Chim remain a touchstone for fans who grew up watching them, members of Gen-Y are unlikely to be troubled by these awkward moments. (Unrated, suitable for ages 6 and older: cartoon violence, tobacco use, minor ethnic stereotypes) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Great Series.......2007-09-11

This DVD is just as good as the first. Really enjoy the series. Will be purchasing the remaining discs soon. Unfortunately, the special edition light up/theme song DVD case did not work. The batteries were probably dead by the time it arrived.

A true classic that is truly fun.......2007-09-10

Speed Racer is just plain fun animation for all ages. The storylines are pretty complex considering it's a kids' cartoon and the animation is just good fun to watch. Whether it's parents who remember watching Speed, Trixie & Co. firsthand or the kids who are just now getting introduced to this series, it's really a lot of fun.

I must not be too smart!!!.......2007-08-04

I dunno! I felt a bit compelled to write this review only in response to some other reviews I'm reading on this series. People praise this show as "good family viewing" with "entertaining characters", but there are a few things about this show that elude me. Although I am aware this is mainly a children's show (though I heavily doubt that a great number of today's children would watch it), I still find myself questioning certain things about it... Things most people hardly pay attention to...

For starters, how can one call the characters featured on this show interesting or entertaining when they are vurtually invulnerable? Like, nothin hurts any of them!!! Not even a fall off a cliff!

Then, what fun is there in watching a show about someone who wins all of the time? Can't Speed Racer occasionally lose? Then there's this Spritle Character who's supposed to be a kid right?--more like a midget that looks like a kid. His parents hardly watch him. He goes off on his own all the time, with that monkey, to follow Speed (his older brother) by hitching rides in car trunks and sometimes airplanes or other vehicles--did I mention virtually invulnerable?--then at the same time, he goes around commiting murder constantly: his prime victims usually being sub-intelligent adults with IQ's lower than even mine!!! I wonder if this is actually so good for kids to watch at all...

Maybe we should be thankful that most of the people who watch this are yesterday's kids, who would know better than to take these things seriously. But anyway, I just wrote this to get it off my chest because I'm too dumb to understand this cartoon's psychology--not that I still don't enjoy it at times--but I fully welcome ANY comments someone may have explaining the derrogatory psychology of this show.

Speed Racer - Episodes 12-23..........2007-06-02

I'm a Speed Racer fan - what can I say? - I rate the disc 5 stars!

Great Series.......2007-03-09

What a great series this was. It brings back allot of happy memories. I used to watch Speed Racer every day when I came home from elementary school in the 70's.

It's interesting to compare cartoons from this period to those of today. People were actually hurt and killed in these old cartoons, though over-all there was less violence. Perhaps it was better to show the consequences of violent actions? Anyway, the stories continue to be entertaining to me even today.

Speed Racer, Vol. 4 - Includes Collectible Die-Cast Toy

Average customer rating:

Love it!
Love Speed Racer
VOLUME FOUR IS RUNNING ON FUMES !!
Skimping on storylines
Dissapointing

Speed Racer, Vol. 4 - Includes Collectible Die-Cast Toy
Starring: Katsuji Mori , Michiko Nomura , Yoshiko Matsuo , Kinya Aikawa , and Teiji Ômiya
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E5N670
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Customer Reviews:

Love it!.......2007-02-24

Obviously Speed Racer is timeless. Our kids love the DVD. We don't leave home without it.

Love Speed Racer.......2007-02-16

I have all 5 DVDs of Speed Racer. What a nice blast from the past. It's also somewhat refreshing to let my child watch it vs. the endless drone of Dora or Diego. He loves it. We watch all of the DVDs depending on his mood and he even wants to be Speed Racer for Halloween. It's a shame that the Speed Racer "comeback" on the internet seems mindless. Speed Racer was almost like James Bond, fighting bad guys back then. You don't see that nowadays in many cartoons. I was 3 when I first was watching these and I still think they are all awesome. Even more fun to watch now that I'm older and understand what is going on now.

It's too bad they aren't bringing it back, old school style. That would be the way to do it.

VOLUME FOUR IS RUNNING ON FUMES !! .......2006-12-17

Speed Racer volume 4 is a complete disappointment.Why did the studio decide to split the final 16 episodes of speed racer into two volumes?.The entire series only had 52 episodes,so why 5 volumes.The studio has resorted to cheap gimmick's from the start to sell their dvd's and that's just wrong.The first season had rubber tire packaging(neat).The second season had a slip cover with music and blinking headlights(cool).The third season was a dvd in a cheap tin can(very cheap).The fourth season contains only 8 episodes and comes with a 1/64 scale diecast mach 5(big deal).I don't know about the rest of you but i stopped playing with dinky cars a long time ago and would have liked the final 16 episodes on one volume.Why didn't the studio just release the entire series in a limited edition boxed set.Maybe some tv shows need gimmick's to sell, Speed Racer certainly doesn't!.

Skimping on storylines.......2006-08-30

If you enjoy Speed Racer, this is an essential part of the series to have as a die-hard regardless. However, most of the episodes are only one part episodes. They wrap up much too quickly. I say get the other volumes if you like the multi-part episode series. The two-part storylines are needed to make a good plot and development. There is only one two-part series on this DVD. And the collector's car isn't anything special to look at. It's just a neat little bonus to have I guess. If you want a better looking model car, Johnny Lightning brand is the ticket if you can fine one.

Dissapointing.......2006-05-23

Only 8 episodes not in order as the Tv broadcasted,the last one compressed and fast paced.Only the die cast collectible makes the set worth.I hope Lions Gate learn the lesson and the last release of the series can be better.I'll be waiting.

Average customer rating:

Good Japanimation cartoon
Go Speed Racer GO!
Great Birthday Gift for my little brother (He's 41 yr old)
Speed Racer Ends With a Bang
Misleading photo and description

Speed Racer, Vol. 5
Starring: Katsuji Mori , Michiko Nomura , Yoshiko Matsuo , Kinya Aikawa , and Teiji Ômiya
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEVZLC
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Customer Reviews:

Good Japanimation cartoon.......2007-06-24

Here the last 8 episodes of Speed Racer in the 1960s.Speed Racer is a professional racer who competes in all races in the world with his advanced and unique car the Mach 5.He and all the grease gang(Sparky,Sprite,Chim Chim,Pops)travels over the world to defeat the most siniester and weird adversaries and racers.One known as Racer X is the older brother of Speed Rex Speed who runs away from home after Pops forbids him to become a professional racer.Interesting eps are the two part Race Around the World,Trick Race.

Go Speed Racer GO!.......2007-06-10

A favorite show of mine from when I was a little boy. A part of my past I was able to ACTUALLY recapture.

Great Birthday Gift for my little brother (He's 41 yr old).......2007-05-09

My brother and I used to watch Speed Racer as kids together. He now has the full set, all volumes.

Speed Racer Ends With a Bang.......2007-03-27

This is the last entry in a five volume set collecting all 52 episodes of the 1960s Speed Racer. This series has a very self-contained air, with a beginning, a middle and an end. It begins with Speed's first professional race and ends when he becomes world champion. With all the episodes now available to fans on DVD, we can evaluate the series as a whole. And I am forced to the conclusion that while the beginning and the end rock, the middle fairly sucks.

As the series progressed I suspect the creators began to run out of money because episode quality dropped immensely. Most of the truly excellent eps, "The Great Plan", "Challenge of the Masked Racer", "The Race Against the Mammoth Car", "The Most Dangerous Race", "The Fire Race" and "The Fastest Car on Earth" are two-parters (or in the case of "The Most Dangerous Race" the show's only three-parter) clustered in the series' early days; they're all on Volumes 1 and 2 of the set. Toward the middle/end (the stuff on Volumes 3 and 4) we get a bunch of single ep stories with artwork, scripting, and even the amount of animation all noticably inferior to earlier efforts.

Which brings us to Volume 5 (the last eight eps). Episode quality on this DVD varies wildly, containing both Speed's absolute worst adventure and one of his very best. Other eps range from mediocre to good, with, thankfully, rather more of the latter.

I've always had a weak spot for "The Great Car Wrestling Match" (Episode #45). True, its animation is limited, but the artwork is good, and the storyline amazingly strong. If I may be allowed to seemingly digress for a moment: one reason so many fans love "The Race Against the Mammoth Car" I feel is that it's one of the few times in the series Speed uses the Mach 5 offensively against another vehicle. When Speed breaks out the saw blades and starts slicing tires off the Mammoth Car that just flat DOES it for people. For "The Great Car Wrestling Match" they came up with the absolutely deranged idea of having Speed enter the Mach 5 in a demolition derby. This episode gives us what we love most about "Mammoth Car" - the Mach 5 in car-on-car battle - only instead of a few brief moments within a larger storyline, it's the focus of the entire ep. Thus Speed uses every trick he can pull out of that fantastic car to trash about fifty-seven million other vehicles AND one of his opponents has a highly tricked-out car of his own with a built-in arsenal of weaponry specifically designed to kill the Mach 5.

Ah, good stuff.

I despise "Motorcycle Apaches" (#46). To my mind it's the single worst ep. Speed and the gang look really, really stupid wearing cowboy hats. The characterization of the Apaches is more than a little racist. "Ugh!" indeed. Don't all "Indians" talk that way? Then we have Speed's comments, courtesy of Japanese writers, on what a horrible, selfish thing it is that the Apaches have a problem with their land being used, without their permission, for a facility to build better and more powerful nuclear bombs. This struck me, even as a kid, as self-righteous tripe propounded by outsiders who didn't know what the hell they were talking about.

"Car With a Brain" and "Junk Car Grand Prix" (#s 47 & 48) are forgettable examples of the aforementioned inferior writing, artwork and animation.

"The Car in the Sky" (#49) is decent. "The Trick Race" (#50) features the return of the Car Acrobatic Team from "The Most Dangerous Race" and co-stars Racer X, always a good thing. "The Trick Race" relies heavily on footage from earlier episodes, chiefly "The Most Dangerous Race". Even some of the events happening within the storyline use footage cribbed from other eps. Whenever new footage is intercut with old, the wide disparity in quality of animation (often none at all as characters talk without moving their mouths) and artwork is evident. "The Trick Race" is a pristine example of talented creators turning necessity into virtue; because they had very little money to produce the ep, about half of it is stitched together from previously existent footage. Amazingly, with an ingenious script, "The Trick Race" works, and works well. What happens between Racer X and Speed at the end of the ep has to be seen to be believed. It's genuinely moving and was picked by TV Guide as one of the most memorable moments in television history.

Then there's the series finale, the two-part "Race Around the World" (#s 51 & 52). Obviously the creators wanted to end the series on an up note. None of that weinie single episode stuff, Speed Racer needed to end with a two-parter, and it needed to be great! It was, due to an amazingly inventive script combined with some of the series' best artwork and animation. Speed competes in the Around-the-World Grand Prix requiring him to pilot a Formula 1 car, rocket powered raceboat, airboat, biplane, raft, submarine, snow tractor, ice yacht, truck, motorcycle, kayak - and of course he finishes in the Mach 5 - all while nature and two other racing teams pull every dirty trick they can think of to knock him out of the running. In the final ep, Racer X shows up one last time. Really, they should have called this adventure "Everything But the Kitchen Sink". For my money "The Most Dangerous Race" will always be the best Speed Racer, but "Race Around the World" is in a strong 2nd place, a fine and worthy send-off for our hero.

Looking over the entirety of this five-volume collection, here's my advice to Speed Racer fans. If you want to enjoy the series' worthwhile eps, you should buy Volumes 1 and 2. Volumes 3 and 4 are for completists only. However you NEED Volume 5 for "Race Around the World". Speed Racer may have gotten a bit soft around the middle, but it ended rock hard.

Misleading photo and description.......2007-03-07

Amazon's DVD does NOT come with the collectible miniature license plate (even though the photo shows it and the description mentions it). Save yourself the trouble of getting and then having to return it(like I did). I went and bought mine for $2 less than Amazon's price (and with the license plate) at Best Buy.

5 stars for Speed Racer vol 5.
1 star for false item description
------------------------------------
Averages out to 3 stars

Average customer rating:

Hold on tight!
How fast is it...
Perfect Fav. Movie
Very Exciting.
action movie

Speed (Blu-ray)
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000ICLRHK
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Hold on tight!.......2007-07-12

How fast is it..........2007-07-09

Cool film great plot and excellent twist. Just when you thought it was over, it's just begining again..

Perfect Fav. Movie.......2007-05-26

The movie I received was in great shape and I have watched it many times, thanks!

Very Exciting........2007-05-12

This movie keeps you on your toes, very exciting and entertaining, not a dull moment, just great.

action movie.......2007-05-12

One of my favorite mindless action movies. Just turn off, sit back and enjoy. Dennis Hopper was terrific.

Average customer rating:

Echoes for Danny and Tom
Violence in The Salton Sea
Slick, grimy noir.
Best movie I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.
Great Drug Culture Noir Movie

The Salton Sea
Starring: Vincent D'Onofrio , Adam Goldberg , Doug Hutchison , Val Kilmer , and Shirley Knight
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKM2
Release Date: 2002-09-10

Amazon.com

In the real world, drug use is unimaginably boring to watch--but it inspires spectacular visuals in movies like Trainspotting and Drugstore Cowboy. To this list add The Salton Sea, a moody thriller starring Val Kilmer as a musician who goes undercover into the world of speed freaks to find the men who killed his wife. Though that plot summary may sound trite, creative direction, strong performances, and a solid script that shifts to and fro in time make The Salton Sea worth a look. Kilmer has an erratic track record but he's always an intriguing on-screen presence; Vincent D'Onofrio has a field day playing a noseless speed dealer called Pooh Bear. The cast is full of excellent character actors, including Anthony LaPaglia (Lantana), Peter Sarsgaard (Boys Don't Cry), B.D. Wong (Jurassic Park), Deborah Kara Unger (Crash), Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan), and Luis Guzman (The Limey). --Bret Fetzer

Description

In the Imperial Valley of Southern California there is a little known body of water 226 feet below sea level, one of the lowest points in the United States. As there is no outlet from this sea, water is being removed only by evaporation, which results in a salinity level more than 25 percent higher than the Pacific Ocean. There is an eerie stillness to this vast sea, and a peculiar density to the water. This lake is the Salton Sea. Set against this remote and mysterious landscape, an unexpected and brutal crime leaves an innocent woman, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, dead at the hands of masked gunmen. Her husband's life is left in ruins, his every waking moment haunted by the recurring imagery of the murder he witnessed, but was powerless to prevent. "The Salton Sea" is a character-driven crime thriller about an unlikely hero entangled in a web of deceit and treachery. Full of unexpected twists and turns, this is a compelling and emotionally-charged story about loss and recovery set to the lonely resonant tones of jazz great Miles Davis' horn. Danny Parker (VAL KILMER) is a man in search of redemption, consumed by a sense of loneliness and alienation. Following the death of his wife (CHANDRA WEST), he is set adrift in a seedy underworld inhabited by an eclectic, and often comical, cast of characters united principally by their choice of drug: crystal methamphetamine. An accomplished jazz musician, Danny is now a low-life "tweaker" in Los Angeles who leads us through a frenzied maze, one from which he must emerge before his tenuous grip on reality snaps for good. In a bold attempt Danny secretly hatches a plan to serve as middle-man in a lucrative drug deal. With the help of his friend Jimmy "The Finn" (PETER SARSGAARD), Danny is introduced to Pooh-Bear (VINCENT D'ONOFRIO), a methamphetamine baron with a penchant for sadistic recreational games, who seals the deal. But in this mad world, nothing - most of all Danny - is what it seems.

Customer Reviews:

Echoes for Danny and Tom.......2007-09-05

Two personalities under the face named Val Kilmer. If Amazom would ever increase the star giving to more than five, this picture would be one reason. Many great scenes of SOCAL, LA, Salton Sea, the desert etc. Neo-noir at its most beautiful. Echoes to the reviewer who agrees.

Violence in The Salton Sea.......2007-07-28

This is a well made film with some great photography. The main problem I had with it is the non-stop violence and the ugly images (and sounds) to which one is subjected. (At one point, we hear a man screaming as an animal tears him apart.) Val Kilmer is excellent in the lead role and Vincent D'Onofrio does his usual fine job even though his character has to wear a fake nose because the plot has taken away his real one. (Don't ask!) "The Salton Sea," by the way is the name of a strange and somewhat creepy part of eastern Los Angeles. There is a fine documentary available concerning The Salton Sea, narrated by John Waters and it might help in viewing this film.

Slick, grimy noir........2007-05-27

The Salton Sea (D. J. Caruso, 2002)

It took me a while to get round to seeing this movie, and I regret that now. For some reason, there was about a five-year stretch where neo-noir was huge in Hollywood (blame Fargo, I guess), and then they just stopped coming. With a few exceptions that pretty much everyone ignored, The Salton Sea being one of them. This is a travesty, because The Salton Sea manages to avoid a lot of the cookie-cutter noir trappings from which so many of those films suffered from. I grant you, I'm not saying it's anything original. No noir film is, or it wouldn't be noir. But it stays firmly in the present in its sensibilities, rather than either being a period piece or being set in the middle of nowhere so it can act like a period piece (viz. U-Turn or the aforementioned Fargo). Caruso also roped a stellar cast into this project and got top-notch performances out of the lot, and that's often what makes the difference between a Sunset Blvd. and a [insert generic fifties noir no one, including you, remembers anymore].

Danny Parker (Val Kilmer) is a jazz trumpeter who also happens to be a crystal meth addict. He developed the addiction after the untimely death of his wife. As we open, we have no idea what killed her, or why, only that Danny's life is a pretty ugly mess. He hangs around with a similar batch of meth addicts, but the only one who he can really consider a friend is Jimmy (Peter Sarsgaard). We quickly find out... oh, hell, I can't tell you that. Everything after the first five minutes of this movie is spoilersville. It's not that the plot is terribly complex, but it's terribly linear--this isn't one of those mysteries where you get dropped a piece of information, and then everyone assumes you forget it until miss Marple is in the drawing room. When Danny finds something out, he immediately uses it. Tony Gayton's screenplay approaches the doling out of information to the viewer the same way. When you get something, you can immediately paste it into the bigger picture the movie is drawing for you. (This is by design, as Danny challenges you to figure out who he is, and why he's playing a trumpet in a burning room, in the opening scene of the film.)

I vaguely remember the critical reaction to The Salton Sea being lukewarm. I'm hoping that my memory is, as usual, less than reliable, `cause this movie has, and delivers, the goods. If you missed it the first time round, and you're fond of noir, I recommend it highly. *** ½

Best movie I have ever had the pleasure of seeing........2007-02-17

This is my number one film. Its the best example of neo-noir. Its kinda hard to get through at first, but as he says, just bear with him. It does a great job of screwing with your mind. Great flick, especialy if your into films like Memento or Fight Club.

Great Drug Culture Noir Movie.......2007-01-31

Largely panned by critics, this is one of those movies that takes you into a culture that not many movies have done before. The tweaker world is a rich source of material, and this film takes pretty good advantage. You have to pay attention, though; It's tricky and hip, both in it's dialog and look. The cinematography and locations have some astounding moments; The violence is brutal, the situations unpleasant, and the humor surprisingly good. All the supporting performances are excellent, and the ending packs a wallop. This is a personal favorite; It's off-kilter, but that's the way I like them.

Average customer rating:

Go Speed Racer!
Great Collection
Mark Twain meets Ninja Theater in the;The Royal Racer.
go speed go!!!!!
Speed RULES!!! --- but WHERE ARE THE JAPANESE EXTRAS?!

Speed Racer , Vol. 3 - Episodes 24-36
Starring: Katsuji Mori , Michiko Nomura , Yoshiko Matsuo , Kinya Aikawa , and Teiji Ômiya
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007XBM34
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Product Description

Get behind the wheel of the all new speed racer™ volume 3 DVD! Awesome limited Edition packaging features a collectible embossed time in the shape of a steering wheel! While supplies Last!Featuring13 EpisodesFirst time On DVDFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: NR UPC: 012236175063 Manufacturer No: 17506

Customer Reviews:

Go Speed Racer!.......2007-03-21

I love going back to my Speed Racer days! It is so much fun showing my own little guys. I am not a critic but, there's no doubt that these collections are great! I have two others and I enjoy them all.

Great Collection.......2007-02-24

A must have for the Speed Racer fan. A new cartoon for kids and a definate blast from the past for grown ups. Speed Racer was wayyyyyyyy ahead of it's time! Great episodes. Definately appreciate the details more as an adult!

Mark Twain meets Ninja Theater in the;The Royal Racer........2006-09-01

This episode mixes the plot of "Prince & the Pauper" with ninja spies and Formula racing! Sprital nearly causes an international incident when he trades places with Prince Jam, a young Asian prince who some how looks exactly like Sprital. The real prince gets spanked by Pops,teased by Trixie and is subjected to all the problems Speed's little brother deals with dailey. Sprital, as the prince, is targeted for assassination by a would be usurper to the throne. He gets to fight ninjas along side his brother and actually gets a chance to participate in a real,genuine car race, and a Formula One race at that. As one might expect, any episode that focuses on Sprital rates high on the laugh-meter. This is one of the funniest Speed installments ever. It's also got plenty of action and interesting animated backgrounds. Essential viewing for any Speed-o-phile.

go speed go!!!!!.......2006-05-03

as a man who grew up on speed racer i'm glad to see taht the third instalment of the shows is out,but i take one star away for the package which makes it hard to store. other wise this is one fine set and my kids are loving speed as much as i did.

Speed RULES!!! --- but WHERE ARE THE JAPANESE EXTRAS?!.......2005-09-15

Speed Racer was my favorite cartoon growing up. I would pass up an after school KickBall game to watch Speed and the Coolest Car on Earth. I always laughed myself onto the floor watching Spritle's tears spraying out like a fountain. These cartoons were crude ... but they had a unique character and spirit that made refined art, sound, and production irrelevant. In fact the mismatched mouth movements (seemingly due to more than translation) and coarse animation only added to it's unique charm. I've waited a long time for a collection like this.

HOWEVER, I agree with other reviewers in that Lion's Gate should include the ORIGINAL JAPANESE theme song, and it would be GREAT to have a whole episode in Japanese as it aired in Japan. That would make this a much better collection.

Also, they should put forth some effort to improve the video quality. I have a VHS tape that provides better image quality. It's as if they are not using original masters.

Average customer rating:

My Favorite
One of my favorite films
Thre is no double standard for George Sand
Excellent, Entertaining Satire
ho hum

Impromptu
Starring: Judy Davis , Hugh Grant , Mandy Patinkin , Bernadette Peters , and Julian Sands
Director: James Lapine
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005UJYA
Release Date: 2002-03-19

Amazon.com

Still more Victorian country-house shenanigans: novelist George Sand (Judy Davis, affected but pretty darn charming) has eyes for Franz Liszt's young protégé Chopin (Hugh Grant, solid as always, but burdened by a silly Polish accent and a script that never lets him stretch out), but various lovers, jealous rivals, and Chopin's own overdeveloped sense of propriety conspire to confound her. Impromptu is witty but overlong--probably 20 minutes of hijinks and repartee, not to mention several completely gratuitous and redundant characters, could have been sliced from the film. Davis plays Sand as an impetuous, overgrown tomboy, outraging her genteel hosts by wearing pants, chomping cigars, and falling off horses; her coterie of artist-friends assure us, in a series of naked plot devices, that she nonetheless has a heart of gold. It's all good silly fun, and about as feminist as your average Def Leppard video--the other two developed female characters are ugly stereotypes: a featherbrained, feckless social climber (Emma Thompson, who once again proves she's up for anything) and a spiteful, back-stabbing shrew (the ever-capable Bernadette Peters). Director James Lapine clearly belongs to the Dr. Quinn school of historical accuracy, so don't expect to learn anything about the period or the artists themselves. Impromptu is far more Melrose Place than Mrs. Dalloway, or perhaps best described as an episode of Entertainment Tonight set in the 19th century. --Miles Bethany

Customer Reviews:

My Favorite.......2007-09-17

Impromptu is my favorite all time movie. It well written, well acted by a flock of fine performers and it's funny plus being historically accurate
and filled with beautiful music. George Sand (Judy Davis)pursues Chopin (Hugh Grant)and at the end they go off to Majorca. Impromptu is intentionally funny. A Song to Remember is almost as funny but not on purpose. George Sand (Merle Operon) carts Chopin (Cornel Wild)off to Majorca and they have problems. Together they make a great pair of movies for a weekend.
Helen

One of my favorite films.......2007-07-28

This has to be one of my all time favorites. It is a wonderful, funny, romantic look at the beginning of the relationship between Chopin and Georges Sand. Judy Davis is a marvel as Sand, conniving, volatile, loving. Hugh Grant at the beginning of his career invests Chopin with an otherworldly charm that is unforgettable. The whole cast is marvelous. You cannot help but laugh out loud at the antics this group of artists (Liszt, Delacroix, Sand) get up to. Do yourself a favor and watch this wonderful film. It will take you to another world for a few hours. You'll enjoy the journey.

Thre is no double standard for George Sand.......2006-09-04

James Lapine is best known as a playwright and director. He is most famous for his collaborations with Stephen Sondheim including Sunday in the Park with George, Passion and Into the Woods. He brings this talent to the big screen.

George Sand was a great French writer. Since society thought that women should be subservient housewives, George wanted to fly in the face of society. She wrote under a man's name and dressed like a man. She treated men as playthings. Therefore, she was the scandal and titillation of Paris.

That is until she is introduced to the shy Polish composer Frederic Chopin. When she hears his music, she becomes enchanted with him. But Frederic wants nothing to do with such a notorious woman. So George decides to give Frederic a woman that he wants.

This is a brilliant romantic comedy with a cast of up and coming actors. Judy Davis has always chosen interesting role from her early Australian films to her television roles. This is another great meaty role for Judy and she eats it up. Hugh Grant was a relative unknown when this film was made but this film would be the first of the quintessential Hugh Grant characters. In supporting roles are Lapine regulars Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin. Also in the film are early roles by Emma Thompson and Julian Sands.

If you are looking for something witty and intelligent, Impromptu is definitely the film to watch.

DVD EXTRAS: NONE

Excellent, Entertaining Satire.......2006-08-28

I would unreservedly rate Impromptu five out of five after two viewings, the reason being it's the most successful period drama I've watched that combines history and farce in a most effectively entertaining manner.

Each of the main characters (practically everyone has a distinct voice) are imbued with nothing short of humour and definitive caricature - a steadfast George Sand, a neurotic Chopin, an irreverant Musset, a virile Delacroix, a hyperbolic, quietly intellectual and mild Liszt, a haughty, spiteful and duplicitous Marie D'Agoult and a hysterical Countess who has been so effectively parodied as the patron of minor talents but huge inheritance.

As with countless of historical dramas, Impromptu has not been spared a degree of measurement with regards to historical accuracy. I feel that a certain dispense from the facts is acceptable, so far as they remain relevant, and conducive to the development of the story and in this case, the humour.

Emma Thompson has proven time and again, her mastery of period drama and her multi-faceted talents.

Judy Davis and Bernadette Peters are truly brilliant and entertaining in their convincing and riveting portrayals of Sand (whom you love to emphatize with) and D'Agoult (whom you love to hate), eventually placed at loggerheads.

The DVD also comes with a French voice-over not found in many films of French background filmed in English. The dialogue is much more hilarious than the original in English! (especially with George Sand and Marie D'Agoult's parts)... A boon for viewers who wish to improve on their non-native language.

The soundtracks are strung together in a most admirable fashion, beginning most lightheartedly with Chopin's fleeting-paced but good-natured Impromptu in A flat, the theme of Sand's "romantic calling" in Chopin's first Ballade and the Fantasie-Impromptu near to the end of the film, which should be familiar to almost any viewer.

Lush orchestrations have been "mixed" in certain parts with the original solo piano excerpts to enhance the dramatic flow. Musical purists need not be overly concerned with this mild cosmetic effect.

Overall, it is a film I would recommend without hesitation to lovers of classical music, historical drama and comedy.

ho hum.......2006-08-10

Feels like a stage play -- and not a very good one -- a stage play with the stilted dialogue and lack of action that plague that genre. Hugh Grant, the biggest star at the center of this film, is vulnerable and feminine, and the rest of the cast arranges itself around him. So far so good.

But really in the final analysis, this is not the most compelling film in any category in which it might offer itself. Historically, it's a bit off (the youngsters hitting their palms together "YES" telegraphs the extent to which this is not a well researched historical film); the "art for art's sake" message is way too heavy-handed; the script, the cast, the cinematography, the music -- all of it feels way too choreographed. I could have passed this one up with no disadvantage to myself or my sensibility.

DVD:

DVD

DVD