Kontrast

Great heart felt story -- Well done!!!!
Great movie, I really enjoyed it. I wish it was much longer. I really wish we could see more of this in the world today. At the end of the day love is all that matters.





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The Descendants

A Unique Family Dramedy About Searching For Truth, But Finding Something More Important
It seems hard to believe that it's been seven years since Alexander Payne's "Sideways" became the critical darling of 2004. Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winning Payne an Adapted Screenplay Oscar--that picture (along with Election and About Schmidt) signaled a talented filmmaker with an unorthodox worldview. Blending elements of comedy and drama, Payne has crafted complex characters simultaneously frustrating and sympathetic--but altogether real. In adapting Kaui Hart Hemmings' intimate novel "The Descendants" to the big screen, Payne demonstrates (once again) a deft balance of emotions to create a picture both funny and heartbreaking. I so admired how Payne made vineyards and fine wines a major component, an extra character really, in the sublime "Sideways." In much the same way, Hawaii is a principle character (and I would contend one of the most pivotal) to "The Descendents." It would be easy to imagine someone jettisoning much of this rich texture,...

Memorable film with Clooney at his best
I had missed this highly rated (by the critics) movie in theaters, so I finally got around to renting the Blu-ray over the weekend.

It's mostly a sad drama about a man slowly losing his wife after a boating accident, but there are a few comedic moments along the way that are realistic, rather than forced. The writing and the entire cast are great. I'm not the biggest George Clooney fan, but his work in Up in the Air and The Descendants has totally made me a believer in his acting talents when given the right material. The girl who plays his oldest daughter is very good as well. One of the better movies I've seen in 2012 and worth checking out.

Life As It Is (In Alexander Payne's Style)
It is pretty difficult to describe what kind of a film Alexander Payne's new film "The Descendants" is. Some will think it is a comedy drama about messy nature of life. Others may feel the film is rather sad, dealing with life's most devastating moment. Perhaps both views are right.

The story itself is simple. George Clooney plays Matt King, a successful Hawaiian lawyer and sole trustee of pristine land on Kauai Island. His wife Elizabeth has been in coma since the boating accident a few weeks ago. Having been too busy, he doesn't know how to talk to his two daughters, precocious 10-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and rebellious 17-year-old Alex (Shailene Woodley). In his voiceover Matt pleads with his wife to wake up.

Ironically it is Matt who has to "wake up." He learns that his comatose wife had been "seeing" someone. With his wife's health deteriorating, Matt sets out to seek the truths about that guy, with his daughters and Alex's slacker friend Sid (Nick...

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Angel of Evil

4.5 stars... excellent 1970s Italian crime drama
I was browsing my local library's section of foreign movies the other day and noticed this movie. Didn't really know much, ok, anything about it, but picked it up, and boy, am I glad I did...

"Angel of Evil" (originally released in 2010 as "Vallanzasca - Gli angeli del male"; 125 min.) brings the story of Renato Vallanzasca, a notorious bank and other heist robber in Italy in the 1970s. The early part of the movie brings the "trophy" moments of Renato and his co-horts, as they rob and thieve their way through Northern Italy, but the movie really delivers in the last 45 min. or so (when Renato is serving a long prison sentence), and things go from there (I don't want to spoil more of the plot, you'll just have to see it for yourself how it all plays out). Besides the plot itself, the movie showcases a time capsule of Italy in the 1970s, I couldn't stop marveling at the Alfa Romeos and Fiats that appear so prominently in the movie.

I really enjoyed this movie from...

Drugs, Alcohol, Easy Ladies and Alfa Romeos!
This Italian Crime Drama is based on the real life antics of Renato Vallanzasla, who committed his first `crime' by liberating the more ferocious animals from Milan Zoo at the age of nine - they did him for the tiger, a fair cop really. This was as a statement against bullies apparently.

Whilst at Reform School he became well educated in the life skills one requires to take a life of crime really seriously. As well as learning how to annoy guards in a maximum security prison, he also develops what can only be described as silver tongue with the lucky ladies and a taste of finely executed diction. In short he has rules bordering on the sociopath and not very much to like about him. He is played rather well by Kim Rossi Stuart. We first see him in prison in 1981 getting some extra curricular kicking from the guards, a theme that reoccurs throughout the film.

When he is out he has some henchman including his best friend Enzo ( Filippo Timi), and just like girls they...

Real Life Italian Gangster without Mafia ties
Super handsome bad boy Italian gangster Renato Vallanzasca terrorized Milan in the 1970's and 80's. He is no Tony Soprano, that is, he isn't Mobbed up. He was an independent contractor. I saw this in the theater and then purchased the DVD. Why? I study the Italian language and Renato speaks the language perfectly and without dialect. He even beats up a prison guard for speaking slang to him and using the informal 2nd person singular form of address. Kim Rossi Stuart is a hottie. Could he be the new Marcello Mastroianni? Forse.

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SBG Vol. 2 - Mastering the Closed Gaurd

Helpful
Not the best production in the world - just some dude with a camera taping a class. But still, quite helpful - lots of good tips - especially with regards to posture control, Some really nice subs and sweeps too. Definately worth watching........





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Hitman (Uncut) [HD]

This was a hit with me
I didn't expect to be impressed with this movie because in my mind it was simply another flick made from a video game but man, I was blown away! In fact it was so enjoyable that ten minutes after finishing it I wanted to see it again, and that rarely happens. Never mind the few geographical errors, this movie is all action and there is no waste of precious minutes on mindless love scenes - the one actually has one cut short by the main hero and it was humorous, how he was all business, him being this monk killer for hire who lives a chaste life. In a way it was like a James Bond character who actually didn't try to bed all the babes, impressive. And Timothy Olyphant was flawless, even thought I prefer men with longer hair he looked cool and totally acted the part, mysterious, brooding but with a heart in there somewhere.

Bald and serious, dressed in an expensive suit, red silk tie and an impeccably crisp white shirt the Hitman is a force to be reckoned with. He's not too...

It helps that he is a little bit HOT!
I really enjoyed this movie....I mean what is there not to like. You have a hitman (the sexy #47) who has been trained from childhood to be the best at what he does. Trained to hold his breath, shoot anything that moves from any distance, armed with sexy weapons and a barcode (tattooed beautifully in his scalp), along with an air of calm (that would make anyone scared who he faces), he is the perfect killing machine and running for his life. Determined to protect Nika, a prostitute to the President of Russia, from who else (her lover), #47 goes about the task of fighting the bad guys and righting what he thinks are wrongs. With a Interpol Cop on his heels, he attempts to uncover the truth about why someone he thought he killed wants him dead and what the whole thing is about. I enjoyed this movie...with its cool fight scenes and nice special effects. It was definitely worth renting on a Sunday afternoon.

Much Better Than I Heard
I had heard a lot of bad things and bad reviews about this movie. I was suprised when I watched it that it was as good as it was. I thought Timothy Olyphant did a good job and that the girl who played his love interest was also good and HOT. The guy that plays T-Bag on the TV show Prison Break was also good. I have never played this game but I thought the story was pretty solid. It kind of reminded me of The Bourne Identity as he is a trained super assassin from a place that churns them out and he has flash backs of good and bad things.

Anyway, the action rocked and it was exciting and entertaining beginning to end. It was pretty good and fun to watch.

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Because Of Winn-Dixie

A "Kid's" Movie that respects your intelligence
I was annoyed to find that 2/3 of the reviewers (or at least one) who gave this movie one star haven't even seen it; they judged it purely on the ads they saw and automatically assumed that the book was much better. I loved the book dearly, and I actually read it when I was already 14!! I was so tired of all these stories about boys and their dogs, and how a boy needs a dog to have a good childhood; this was different, because I could associate with Opal so much better!

Sure, there are a few minor differences--Opal is a blonde not a red-head, and that dog is anything but ugly. Big deal. It's not as traumatic a change as having Harry Potter be a blonde and have no scar. People made too much an issue out of that, and also complained that AnnaSophia Robb could not act. This I must disagree with. That kid drew every emotion out of me that a filmmaker would want. She almost made me cry (on five occasions), and not just any kid actor can make tear up. She is a good actress in her...

Not too sweet; real sad; occasionally funny
I'm a 51-year-old guy, and I took my best friends' little 9-year-old girl to see this film (recommended by my own mother!). Previously, we'd seen "Lemony Snickets: A Series of Unfortunate Events," which I enjoyed immensely. Normally, we go see computer animated films. "Robots" is next!

"Because of Winn-Dixie" is a true family film, and that is a genre I usually avoid like the plague. Maybe this film hit me at a time when my heartstrings were ripe for plucking, I don't know. But I began shedding tears almost immediately after it began, and those tears kept pumping, even though I laughed here and there. I might add that my "niece" did not cry, but she liked the film a lot. (She's never owned a dog, but this movie isn't really about the dog, anyway.) I don't know how this film would strike me on a second viewing. It has some obvious flaws, but it's a wonderful film in so many ways that I have to give it 4 stars based on this one viewing. With respect to the young star,...

The very best movie for families!!
The movie "Because of Winn Dixie" has been kept true to the book. I found it to be as charming, heartwarming and even a bit better in some instances in comparison to the printed version. I think it's mainly Cicely Tyson's 'Gloria Dump' that takes it up a notch. She was a perfect choice to play the blind women who teaches India Opal what it means to truly 'see.' I pictured Gloria very differently and was pleasantly surprised by the uncharacteristically scruffy Tyson. Jeff Daniels and Dave Matthews are men who have been hurt but still manage to take the risks needed to keep love flowing to them and from them. "Winn Dixie" is set in an old, rural town in Florida which made me yearn for a simpler time when it was safe for children to ride their bikes around town, explore, and just be kids. In that way, "Because of Winn Dixie" reminds me a lot of "Sandlot."
This movie is all about heart and it is a perfect family movie, for boys and girls, young and old alike and should be on...

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The Suite Life Movie [HD]

The Best!!!!!!!!
I love this movie. Along with several other things, like the complete 2-series Suite Life, Complete Jessie by season and others, I wish this movie would be released on DVD/Blu-Ray as well. I would still buy them that way even if I have them digital. This movie is totally awesome and I recommend it to everyone.





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Kingdom Of Heaven

Too bad it didn't do better at the box office
I really enjoyed the theatrical cut, and now, get ready for all the nice storylines that were deleted. What you'll see on the director's cut (referenced from AICN) SPOILERS AHEAD!!:

- did you realize that the priest at the beginning is actually the half-brother of Balian (Orlando Bloom)? Their relationship is much more complicated and unpleasant in this version, and we learn that Balian is in jail following his wife's death, thanks to his brother's claim that he is possessed by the devil.

- We also learn that Balian was an engineer before he became a blacksmith, that he built war machines when he was part of an army, and he's released from prison because the local lord needs Balian's help. So much more work is put into the establishment of Balian's character that by the time we actually meet him in the film now, we have a sense of who he is.

- The lord that Balian works for? Turns out, he's Neeson's brother, and when Godfrey shows up in the village,...

Exceptional presentation for an exceptional film that was butchered previously
(Please note: This is for the 4 disc director's cut--for some reason this is combined with ALL versions of the movie including the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray features ONLY the first two discs of this set on one Blu-ray disc. None of the discs with extras are included as part of the package).

Sometimes longer is better particularly when you have a complex story. The theatrical version of "Kingdom of Heaven" was flawed from the beginning with significant narrative gaps that undermine the character development and the smooth momentum of the story. That's because Fox had Scott cut the film by nearly an hour deleted significant and important character development at the expense of trying to fit in more showings per theater. The result was a sprawling ambitious project that had the epic scope of "Lawrence of Arabia" without the narrative strength. Thank God for DVD. "Kingdom of Heaven: The Director's Cut" restores the material demonstrating that the original 3 hour cut was a brilliant...

wait for it
UPDATE: I originally wrote the following because of the notice that there would be an eventual extended edition of the movie. The update is that Amazon.com now has a listing for said extended edition that comes in at 191 minutes and is to be released on 23 May 2006.

I wrote a review for the theatrical release of this film which I will post below if you are curious what I think. I really wanted to just point out that if you enjoyed this film, you might not want to purchase this version. Back when the movie was first released in theatres, Ridley Scott was interviewed and stated that there was almost an hour taken from the movie. He also said there would be a director's cut that would have that material restored. Its not being released now, presumably, so that the studios can get their double dip. Look at Sin City (the "longer extended cut" comes out in December 3 months from its original release date) or Saw which is coming unrated this month to support the sequel. It...

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Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Love, Life, Family and the Wall Street Collapse of 2008
I've worked on Wall Street my whole life. The first film was cut throat Ivan Boseky insider trading and raw greed at its finest. Michael Douglas was simply riveting. I had been waiting for the sequel ever since announced. Going opening day, I was stunned after watching it the first time. Yes, Oliver Stone nails the Collapse of Wall Street in 2008 with the mortgage meltdown. Every character can be parlayed into a real life individual involved in the Bear Stearns and Lehman collapse. But the real story is about second chances in life, fighting for family, doing the right thing, commitment to work and the price paid for loyalty. Shia Labeouf (Jake Moore) is at his best when he sets out on a course of vindictive revenge after James Brolin (Bretton James) causes the "perceived" collapse of Keller Zabel(KZI) and the suicide of his mentor and KZI's leader Lou Zabel.
Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko) and Shia Labeouf team up given that Jake is engaged to Gordon's daughter Winnie. They...

Douglas Still Delivers!
** SPOILER ALERT ** Do not read if you do not want to know details **

I saw the original in the theatre in 1987 and was hoping for a sequel since then. This film was originally to be released in April 2010, but was pushed back to September 2010 as it was included in the Cannes Film Festival, and the studio probably did not want the film to get lost among the summer flotsam.

That said, this film was worth the wait. If you are an aficionado of the original, you will appreciate the homage that this film pays to it. The soundtrack features David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame, featured in the original soundtrack), Gekko bumps into Bud Fox at a party, and LaBoeuf has the same real estate broker as Fox and Darian used...the lady with the annoying voice. Upon his release from prison, Gekko is also handed his brick-sized cellphone, which gives the viewer a glimpse of just how much things have changed since the original. Would have also been nice to bring back Sean Young...

Ollie got the details right
This might not be the five star entertainment that the original was, but it's still damned good. Contrary to popular belief Gordon Gekko is there, he's just in the details. "Bulls make money, bears make money. They pigs? They get slaughtered." This is rock solid entertainment with wisdom to spare. And, it warrants MULTIPLE viewings.

And to top it off, as a former Wall Streeter who spent endless hours on the trading floor of one of the biggest brokerage firms, I can tell you that they got the details right.

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Alien: The Director's Cut [HD]

Don't listen to the "official" reviews which appear above
Amazon's reviewer calls this movie overrated and drawn out, while the Leonard Maltin movie guide review seems a bit baffled that some people like this kind of entertainment. Don't listen to either of them. Alien is, quite simply, one of the best movies ever made in both the sci-fi and horror genres. Those who complain that the film takes too long to get going suffer from some kind of cinematic attention span disorder; Ridley Scott draws his scenes out because he wants to build tension and establish a sense of realism before introducing H.R. Giger's terrifying creation. Unfortunately we can all see that the monster is just a guy in a suit during the closing sequences when Scott finally lets us see what the big slimy nemesis really looks like, but otherwise the film hasn't aged a bit since it came out two decades ago. The DVD is great too, with excellent picture quality and a really great commentary track, despite some disastrously inappropriate menu screens (the...

Alien - A true Sci-Fi treasure in the genre!
"Alien" is one of the most intense Sci-Fi thrillers to have ever graced the silver screen or the home theater in any format! It is the film's intensity that provides such an incredible draw to this extraordinary film. If you're looking for a lot of action, this film is not really what you're looking for; "Aliens" is where the intensity and action comes into play in the line of Alien movies; the whole theme behind "Alien" is to scare to pants off of you with extremely intense scenes and if you've never seen this movie before, it may very well do just that! Never before in the history of this genre had there been a film of this magnitude and few have matched it in it's intensity since.

Now, with this latest release, fans of "Alien" are treated to the best release of this film yet. The very first thing you'll notice when you put this DVD into your player is that you have the option of playing either the 1979 Theatrical Release or a 2003...

Iconographic Horror
ALIEN received mixed reviews when it debuted in 1979--largely from science fiction critics, who accused it of being little more than a sort of "Friday the 13th in Outer Space," a blood-and-gore horror flick given a futuristic twist via some problematic special effects. But while these accusations have more than a little truth, it has been an incredibly influential film--and even today, in the wake of CGI effects, it still holds up extremely, extremely well.

The story is well known: the crew of an interstellar craft responds to what seems a distress signal, only to encounter a remarkably lethal alien life form that boards their ship and sets about picking them off one by one. Some of the special effects are weak (the alien spacecraft and the android "revival" are fairly notorious). There is little in the way of character development, the film has a fairly slow pace, and the story itself is predictable; you can usually guess who is going to die next.

BUT. The art designs are...

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There Be Dragons

What an ending!
Because cinemas in this area dismissed this one as "very limited release," it's been a long wait. It was worth waiting.

This is the story of two childhood friends who take different life paths that cross during the Spanish Civil War. When one is proposed for sainthood in the 1970's, the son of the other begins research to write a book about him. An old picture links his father to the dead priest for the first time, and the writer begins digging into the story, finding that "there be dragons" in the past.

The movie is a mix of pshychological/spiritual with the action of a bloody war, and the ending is one very few would guess.

.
There Be Dragons is a wonderful and inspiring film! However, if you think that particular comments about films constitute "spoilers," please read no further....

Told in "flashback," There Be Dragons is a journalist's investigation of the life of Saint Josemaria Escriva and the surprising discovery of how his own dad's life had been intertwined with that of the saint. Much takes place at the time of the Spanish Civil War. Late 20th Century and Early 21st Century America lacks an understanding of that incredibly brutal, bloody place and time.
* In his bizarre, apocalyptic ballad, Miami 2017, Billy Joel casually alluded to the burning of churches "Like in that Spanish civil war."
* In Entertaining Angels' fictional conversation between Dorothy Day and...

Powerful Movie!
When the movie ended, I sat frozen in my chair, too moved to do anything else. I have never seen such a movie and will own it on DVD when it becomes available. I will buy many copies and give them away. It didn't get much attention in the theaters, but as the word spreads the DVDs should reach many people. No one seeing it will walk away unchanged. This is a movie to own and to ponder.

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Alien Resurrection Special Edition [HD]

Strange and provocative vision of a post-human future
What people forget when they respond to this film is that Alien 3 shut down the series, very deliberately and very conclusively. Not only did Ripley die, but the driving concerns of the series that were set up in the first film had been addressed. So there was nowhere to go but in a radically new direction, and that's what Jean-Pierre Jeunet did. While the first films used the aliens and the technological context in which they appeared to address the question what makes us specifically human, this new contribution to the series is more interested in the question of a possible "post-human" future.

In Alien the enemy was not really the monster. The monster's unique method of reproduction merely served to highlight the "human condition": that we are vulnerable, that our bodies are ill-equipped for survival except in the most...

Underrated and misunderstood
Okay, so the first Alien is the best. It always was and always will be. Aliens was an excellent sequel with high tension, drama, action, and Bill Paxton, and the really charming scene where Apone and Hicks are watching with fascination as Ripley straps into the loader, grabs a big carton, and says, "Where do you want it?" Apone (with a beautiful grin, and cigar in his fingers), "Bay 12, please." Alien 3 may have lacked the overall power of the first two, but there we see a truly grief-stricken Ripley, one ready at last to give her own life.

What makes Resurrection pay off for me is Sigourney Weaver's acting. This Ripley is a trip! She speaks in a sly, wink-wink manner, but can as easily rip your head off. Her senses are heightened, and she tears it up on the court. This hybrid Ripley, part-human/part-alien, has red acid for blood, already sees the impending doom, and seems rather amused by it all.

I find it entertaining, sly, even philosophical...

A little different, but still excellent!
Different is good. The horror is packed in a different way, but very effective.

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Vampires Suck

This Movie Was Created Just For ME!!!
This movie only got a 4% on the Rottentomato Rating and in spite of that I still watched it because I knew it would be just for me. I've read the twilight saga(several times)and just loved it. When the movies came out I knew I couldn't possible like them because the book is almost always better than the movie. But curiosity got the better of me and I watched them anyways and to my great horror they were ever worse then I had imagined they would be.
However, Vampires Suck was AWESOME! Just watching Jenn Proske's phenomenal impersonation of Kristen Stewart's twitchy performance was enough to have me laughing like a maniac. So if you fall into the small category of people who've seen and disliked the Twilight movies and also know a lot about the series through the books then you will like this movie.

Great film for all the boyfriends who were draged to the twilight movies!
I saw this film in theaters. I am in NO WAY a fan of the twilight books, or movies. But, even though I am a sane adult male, I have seen the films, and read all the books. Needless to say, am an informed on the matter of twilight.

I usually stray away from parody movies of late, mostly due to the fact that they are getting dumber and dumber... not to mention more vulgar as each new movie is made. However, the writers of this movie really did their homework. This movie does a great job of taking all those people obsessed with Twilight and giving them a big 'ole middle finger.

All in all, a great movie for anyone who was forced to see or have anything to do with the twilight saga. 5 Stars!

Twilight fan forever but THIS was funny
I saw the previews for this film and thought, "I'd never in my next lifetime watch this bull." But I accidentally flipped to it while watching TV and the scene with James, Laurent and Victoria (in this film Jack, Antoine and Rachel) about to kill the boat guy was on. When Antoine started eating Cheetos, that did it for me. I had to see what this goofy movie was. By the time I figured out it was the film I'd been protesting seeing (diehard fan, read 2 of the 5 books twice, own all the films, went to Comic Con to meet cast members, have a Taylor Lautner umbrella and blanket), it was way too late and I was laughing too hard. Usually parodies don't even bother to get the scenes right. They just jumble a bunch of big scenes together and make fun of them, but the writers/directors/cast really went above and beyond to mimic every single detail in the "Twilight" saga, including the vampire grimace when they're around humans, the apple-shoe scene, the countdown by the window, and even the...

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Master And Commander

Unquestionably brilliant visually
Those of us who have read the entire series of Patrick O'Brien's books on the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his dear friend, Dr. Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic wars and have soaked up the atmosphere and sense of history so unfailingly captured in those books, are going to be hard to satisfy with any film representation. So although I have great respect for Peter Weir, I did not have high hopes as I sat down to watch the movie.

The opening scenes, of a darkened sea and a silent three-masted 'Surprise', with only night watch on deck and most hands asleep below, gives as true a sense of period as any I could possibly imagine - and captivated me immediately. The attention to detail is remarkable and the handling of the crew; surely one of the most difficult aspects of making such a film; utterly masterful. You can smell the lower deck with the hammocks tight-packed with sleeping, farting, snorting bodies and livestock penned into the same quarters. The battle scenes are...

The Battle Is On
Master and Commander is not just for Patrick O'Brian fans. Anyone who enjoys action and drama will enjoy this film. It ranges from great battle scenes with the tang of salt spray to human drama. The primary plot involves a cat and mouse game, set in 1805 during the Napoleonic wars, between Captain Aubrey's (Russell Crowe's) ship Surprise and his enemy a French ship Acheron. The Acheron is by far the superior ship in speed, size, and firepower. Captain Aubrey has orders to take the Acheron, while the French seem all too aware of his orders. The chase passes around the tip of South America leaving the Atlantic and entering the Pacific Ocean where Acheron will raise money for Emperor Napoleon by raiding English whalers. The sailing is marvelously recreated.

Along for the ride we experience sailing, sea tactics, and life on board a ship of this era. The apprenticeship approach to schooling officers during the Napoleonic era placed children on board fighting vessels. We even see a...

An exciting tale of naval warfare
"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," directed by Peter Weir, tells the rousing story of HMS Surprise, an English warship sailing around South America during the Napoleonic era. The ship's captain (played by Russell Crowe) engages in a battle of wits, wills, and firepower with a rival captain during the perilous sea trek.

This is a vivid, exciting tale of naval warfare, but it's also a satisfying and moving portrayal of a unique community: the company of a warship. The film is full of stirring action scenes, but it is equally rich in the details of the men's everyday life: their food, shipboard entertainment, naval tradition, etc. It's a sweaty, muscular portrait that really puts you in the midst of this fascinating world.

Weir gets superb performances from the large ensemble cast. Crowe won my heart as the captain: he portrays a man who is tough and witty, but also humane and reasonable. Paul Bettany plays the ship's surgeon, both a loyal friend and...

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Alien 3 Special Edition [HD]

Special Edition vs. Theatrical Release
ALIEN 3 was disliked so much. To all the people who hated this movie, I would like you to give it a second chance and watch the Special Edition version of the movie. There are 30 minutes of restored footage that really helped fill in the plot holes. There is more depth with Golic showing his relationship with the prisoners, how he gets caught, how he gets loose, and how he dies. There is about 8-10 extra minutes added after the fire starts and before Dillon finds a prisoner's throat cut. There is one more thing ALIEN 3 didn't do. They didn't show how Eric died! Eric started up the piston and we never saw him again. Anyway, ALIEN 3 SE gets 5 stars and is my favorite movie in the ALIEN series.

The theatrical version of the movie was pretty good. The alternative begining on Fiorina 161 was better and you got to see the outside of the planet. Instead, for the TR, they made it more simple. The ending in the theatrical version was also different. The Queen chestburster came...

Alien 3 - Much better than I remembered it to be!
I remember the long wait between the release of this movie and "Aliens" and the great amount of anticipation that was built up around this movie considering how extraordinary the first two films were and just imagining how great this one was "going" to be. Then its release date came and it received generally bad reviews and collectively, the majority of the fans were highly disappointed by it, including myself. That being said, I was quite reluctant to spend the money on this DVD but after reading some of the other positive reviews I decided to give this film one more chance and now, after having watched it again I would have to say I've completely changed my mind.

Alien 3 just wasn't as bad as I remembered it to be from that one time viewing in the theater so many years ago and in fact, stylistically, it's a movie that was ahead of its time. Ultimately, I think what turned so many people off of this film when it was released is that it was so dramatically...

Not the best in the series, but definitely not the worst
Nope. Alien: Resurrection holds the title as thje worst Alien movie. This film simply should have been the END of the Alien series, or at least for Ripley. As far as I am concerned, this IS the last movie, because Resurrection is not a part of the Alien series, it is more of a 'wacky spin-off adventure'.

In this violent, but sometimes poignant film, we see the survivors of the Sulaco, Ripley, Hicks, Newt and Bishop peacefully in hypersleep, drifting home. Unfortunately, they had failed to realize something very important. When the Queen managed to get on the dropship, she had also laid an egg where she hid on the ship. While drifting back to earth, the egg hatched. The facehugger tried to get into Newt's capsule, and the shattering glass pierced the creatures, its acidic blood eating through the floor causing a fire. Then the terror begins yet again...

The Sulaco's emergency prep drops the cryo tubes into an EEV(Emergency Escape Vehicle) and ejects it out into space, with...

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Never Die Alone [HD]

"We reap what we sow..."
"Never Die Alone" is a dark and bleak crime drama/noir that never makes any apologies for its brutality or harshness. Definitely not something for people with weak stomachs, the movie is a great example of showing you what goes around comes around, even if you decide it's time to change your life. As harsh as the movie can be, I think it was very well done and took some really good risks. This is definitely something that doesn't come out of typical Hollywood.

DMX plays King David, a notorious drug dealer who has a solid rep and one hell of a dark past. He decides it's time to make things right and hopefully find some sort of redemption. Well, things don't work out like that as his past mistakes finally catch up to him with unrelenting results. A would-be reporter gets caught in the middle of the crossfire and ends up learning about David's horrible past through his own cassette tapes that he had made. What is revealed to him is a grim story about drugs and violence...

Excellent acting and a good story.
I was impressed by the quality of the acting, even in small secondary characters, such as Ella (played by beautiful young actress, Drew Sidora). All performances were convincing, gritty and professional.

If Drew Sidora manages her career the right way, we may see a lot more of her acting talents in the future. She reminds me of Drea De Matteo (of "The Sopranos" fame)perhaps for the way she was made up.

The story is interesting, adding new twists to old schemes. It is somehow a little bit difuse, but that is because it mixes with two other plots.

The movie is worth buying and I am glad I did. I will see it many more times.

Reagan-Gomez Preston was Fab and This Movie Was A+
I admit I am not a big fan of DMX movies, but this movie is truly excellent. The acting was great. DMX shined as King David because of his grimey rap lyrics he was very believable as the dirty shady character. The character that impressed me the most was the acting by Reagan Gomez-Preston. She has played such goody-goody roles in the past I never imagined that she could so convincingly play a dramatic role but she was a scene stealer. Michael Ealy and David Arquette were great too, as was the storyline. It looks like the movie was shot on film and didn't make the transition to DVD that great, it seemed grainy and dark in parts but I loved this movie, although it was a bit violent for my taste.

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What Happens in Vegas (Extended Edition) [HD]

It may be stupid, but it's still kinda funny...
Okay, so sue me; I laughed a lot while watching this movie. My wife said that the film was horribly stupid but I didn't care. Sure, it was predictable beyond belief but why would you expect anything but a predictable romantic comedy? I mean, yes, at times the humor was a little off color or just plain ridiculous, but in a world embracing the comedic genius that is Judd Apatow (don't get me wrong, this is no where near as good as an Apatow production) why would you get mad over that?

`What Happens in Vegas' is exactly what you'd expect from a comedy starring Aston Kutcher.

The film tells the story of control freak Joy and slacker Jack. Joy was just dumped by her fiancé and Jack was just fired by his own father. When all goes wrong the only viable option is to go crazy in Vegas, so that is what they decide to do. It is in Vegas where they meet and get drunk and get hitched only to wake up desperate to end their relationship; that is until Jack wins...

With two beers it's better
This is a funny "no brainer" movie with a sweet ending. You don't have to think about the plot, it is very predictable. Just relax and enjoy the slap stick humor. This is a good movie to watch after a hard day of work with a couple beers and some popcorn. It will make you laugh and you don't have to bring your brain. This would be a great first date movie too.

Barely worth the gamble
Two people down on life do what losers do. Jack (Kutcher) is a grown up adolescent who just got fired by his own father. Joy (Diaz) is a control freak who just got dumped by her fiancé - in front of all her friends.

Naturally, the two dimwits think going to Vegas will solve all their problems. What follows is pure Britney Spears - they get trashed, party, and do incredibly stupid things. Awaking the next morning, they learn one of the stupid things was a drunken marriage. No longer inebriated, they agree that the marriage was a mistake, and after a brief argument, they agree to an annulment. Moments later Jack uses Joy's quarter and wins 3 million dollars. Naturally, they argue over ownership, and the wacky paint-by-numbers script ensues.

Considering that I find Kutcher and Diaz two of the less appealing stars in Hollywood, the movie didn't have a great chance of impressing me. The two stars were OK at best, providing a few chuckles along the way...

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Aliens Special Edition [HD]

WATCH OUT
Use EXTREME caution when buying either "Alien" or "Aliens" on blu-ray in the single disc formats. There are virtually NO BONUS FEATURES included. All of the great bonuses are only available in the big Blu-Ray box set that has all 4 Alien films (which sucks because most people dont want or need Alien 3 or 4). I waited until "Alien" and "Aliens" were available individually and after purchasing them, was disappointed to learn that the bonus stuff wasnt included. It really sucks. I guess its a good way to force people to cash out for the box set. I wish the companies wouldnt do that kind of stuff.

Deluxe edition of Cameron's classic film sequel
Revised for Blu-ray:The Blu-ray edition of "Aliens" features a stunning looking transfer. Yes, it does still have film grain (well, it should-it was shot on film and removing the grain using digital noise reduction would also remove much of the fine detail). Fox has done a masterful job of transferring this for its Blu-ray debut.

The Blu-ray includes both versions of the film--the original theatrical cut as well as the extended version.

The Blu-ray looks exceptionally good in its presentation here. Audio sounds positively stunning at times with a nice immersive mix of the soundtrack (for a film of its time).

Cameron did the smart thing with Aliens--go in a completely different direction from Ridley Scott's film and create something unique that still had his signature on it. In fact, Cameron already had a story he had written with the same basic premise--it just didn't have Ripley nor did it have the Aliens from the film series. He adapted it and made...

Classic Sci-Fi
Excellent Sci-fi film. The premise of this movie is that Sigourney Weaver must go back to the original planet where her deceased crew made first contact with the Alien, this time with a troop full of marines. This is a great movie that has classic Cameron action sequences and special effects, but also a frantic and claustrophobic atmosphere. All of the acting is well done, namely Sigourney Weaver, Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton, and the little kid. The Alien Queen at the end still looks AWESOME. Quick warning, though, this is the SPECIAL EDITION, and that means you CAN ONLY CHOOSE THE DIRECTOR'S CUT, not the theatrical version. This may make a difference because about 17 minutes of footage are added, mostly for good reason, but occasionally it is unnecessary and/or slightly damaging to the suspense. My advice to you is RENT THE DVD first, just to make sure you like the new version and extra footage, and buy it later. In case you were wondering, most of the restored footage has to do...

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Millions

Shows the constructive and destructive power of money
This was a great film that really shows what money can do to people. It is also fascinating that it is the youngest person who actually has philanthropic ideas on how to spend it.

Spurred on by the urgency that England is switching over to the Euro in a few days (not gonna happen,) freckle-faced Damien and his brother, Anthony, have to think fast. Damien feels the money came from God and therefore should be used to help the less fortunate. Anthony feels like they *are* the less fortunate and should use it to help themselves. Damien is also helped by odd visions of saints who counsel him. Meanwhile, Anthony is out pricing real estate.

Of course, tossing money on unsuspecting children is not really God's style, as the boys' father states. The money was actually tossed by a bank robber who wants it back at any cost.

This is a fun yet profound film that accurately shows greed, kindness, faith, and selfishness all resulting from the same event. The...

Faith, Hope, and Charity - with a little help from the Saints
Danny Boyle ('28 Days Later', 'Trainspotting', 'A Life Less Ordinary') has a way with stories that transports a good script (in this case one by Frank Cottrell Boyce) into a cinematic range that creates magic. MILLIONS may seem like a little family tale on the surface, but in Boyle's hands this story about the struggle between Janus ethics vaults off into magical realism, happily taking the audience along for a journey of wonder and joy and the importance of charity.

Damian (Alexander Nathan Etel) and his older brother Anthony (Lewis Owen McGibbon) are moved by their father Ronnie (James Nesbitt) to a new housing project after the untimely death of the boys' mother. The brothers are devoted to each other yet Anthony is the pragmatist while Damian is the dreamer, a lad who regularly has visions and poignant converations with dead saints, always asking if they know anything about St. Maureen (his recently deceased mother). Damian believes in miracles and when suddenly a...

What a Charmer!
Well worth the ticket price of movies these days! This lovely film focuses on the story of two little boys who have a bag of money literally descend on them, and of course, the older brother is a financially savvy entrepreneur and the younger one a visionary with a heart of gold. It is a great story for every reason imaginable. While the younger lad sees Saintis who may or may not actually be there and is concerned rpimarily for the welfare of his Mom in the afterlife, the boy sees also the importance of sharing wealth that really isn't yours to begin with. The father, his new girlfriend and the older brother are all ultimately enraptured by the young fella's heart, and along the way there are hilarious episodes, bad guys, silly pranks.

Danny Boyle has got it absolutely right what it means to be a kid. This film is perfect. And as an extraspecial gift, he has used a Clash tune more creatively than anyone could ever have imagined!

Go see this, you'll be enchanted.

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Date Night (Extended Cut) [HD]

A modern screwball comedy
This is in the tradition of the screwball comedies of the 30's and 40's, briefly reborn in movies like "What's Up Doc." The chase scene is actually one of its weaker elements, except for the part where the two cars get locked together, which is hysterical. Yes, the ending is a little pat, but some good points are made. And who cares, if you're laughing along the way? Tina Fey and Steve Carell are in top form; they can do more with facial expressions and tone of voice that most comic actors can do with the whole screen. Of the cameos, the one with the "real" Tripplehorns (James Franco and his wife?) is the real delight. I can't see why anyone wouldn't enjoy it, but I would say this is most likely to appeal to actual married couples--maybe not so much to the younger set, the kids. To those who think the "bored couple" part wasn't funny: you've either never been part of a bored couple (congratulations!) or you're part of one now and can't see the humor in it (sorry).

A charming, big-hearted comedy
I saw this in the theater twice with different friends and then watched it again last night with my husband. Even on the third viewing, I was laughing out loud. Now admittedly I enjoy almost all comedies (even dumb ones) and I'm a huge fan of both Tina Fey and Steve Carell. If you don't like Frey in 30 Rock or Baby Mama or Carell in 40 Year Old Virgin or Little Miss Sunshine, of course you're not going to enjoy this movie; the actors aren't breaking any new ground here.

I found Date Night not only funny but charming, one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen recently. While the couple fights at times, ultimately they are genuinely kind and enjoy each other. The humor isn't mean-spirited and snarky, like, for example, Get Him to the Greek or Grown Ups. (I loved Get Him to the Greek, btw, and hated Grown Ups, which was too dumb even for me.) Date Night manages to be warm-hearted but not sentimental or cloying. It's refreshing.

I will say it gets off to a very...

Tina Fey & Steve Carrell are excellent in this frantic, uneven comedy
In order for a movie packed full of unlikely plot-developments and general silliness like DATE NIGHT, a cast that's easy to love who have razor sharp comic timing and mastery of their tone is needed. Fortunately, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey meet all three requirements, and thus, DATE NIGHT works on many levels.

Carrell and Fey play a nearly middle aged married couple with kids. They have a comfortable suburban life, and are still fond of each other, but they are also clearly just a bit worn out by life. "Date Nights" for them consist of going to a local steak restaurant, with worn-out décor and no sense of romance whatsoever. And in time-honored, clichéd tradition, they wonder if they are still in-love with the other...because they see their closest friends getting divorced. I hate the way Hollywood likes to make us think that no long term marriage could possibly still be happy and fulfilling. True, raising a family and nurturing a career and paying...

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The Girl Next Door (Unrated) [HD]

Saw a review copy - loved this entertaining comedy drama
There is a point in "The Girl Next Door - Unrated Edition' (which I received and promptly devoured, extra's and all, in one sitting) where the movie is in danger of changing in tone and focus from American Pie to Showgirls, but luckily for the movie - and viewers - it recovers itself and ends in a definite teen comedy spirit.

I never saw this movie in the theater so I cannot comment on what has been added to this "unrated edition" but there is certainly quite a lot of nudity, but nothing involving the main actors. There are some graphic scenes at a strip club (including lap dancing) and we get shots of one of the main actors watching a porn video at home. There are some nude scenes from behind of both principal actors Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert, but as Hirsch points out on Side B of the disc (where most of the extras are located) the movie used a stand-in for those shots.

I have a word of caution regarding the list of extra's on the Amazon page. One is...

So, is it better in Blu-ray?
The honest answer is no.
And that is extensive to the unrated version of the movie.
Why? Ok let me se...

For a movie that is only 5 or 6 years old, the transfer shouldn't look older than it does. The transfer is just a modest upgrade of the less-than-reference quality picture included on the original DVD.

Too much noise/grain and inconsistent color levels are the main offenders here, with the occasional edge enhancement creeping in as well. Night time and indoor scenes have the most issues, but our first reveal of Cuthbert in a wet, white shirt looks near-perfect, picture-wise. Colors are mostly set to a permanent dull hue, and in some instances are muddy, which is surprising given the quality of most Fox offerings. Trust me, this isn't blu-ray quality.

So if you have the DVD version of it, stick to it and don't change it for the Blu-ray version, you can even find a DVD unrated adaptation of it, plus you won't loose money on it!

As...

Fall For the Girl Next Door...
Teen comedies always turn up big business at the box office, this is generally due to the fact that the creative forces behind these movies include plenty of crude humor, sex, and nudity as can be allowed under the MPAA ratings system. Most of the time these teen comedies are a dime-a-dozen, opening big and fading shortly thereafter, with little lasting appeal with audiences. However, there have been some successes in the genre that have had more staying power than others, examples would be "Animal House", the `Scary Movie' franchise, and the `American Pie' series. With those examples of successful teen comedies, they all have some common traits in which they share, basically they are packed full of sex, nudity, and crude humor and language. However, one thing these examples of successful teen comedies, and even the unsuccessful ones lack is any amount of heart or soul in the story. In 2004, Fox Studios produced yet another teen comedy to appease the masses for a short while,...

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The Tree Of Life

The only way to be happy is to love
What a film means to you kind of depends on where you are in life. I think if saw this film 20 years ago, I probably would have hated it. Now, I'm faced with big decisions - whether to start a family, and all the concerns that come with it. This movie raises issues I'd rather not think about. I almost wish I hadn't seen it. If you're looking for escapist Hollywood fare, the film might seem boring. It plays like a movie where nothing happens. The first third of the film, the director puts you into the head of a mother who has lost a child. Yeah, it's pretty heavy. And most of the rest of the film is of the kids growing up. The film is a meditation, more heavy on emotion than story. And it's more of a spiritual/religious film than a traditional drama. There is little dialogue in the movie. The imagery is compelling, though. Some of the imagery is surreal and dreamlike - and yeah, dinosaurs make an appearance in the film. But it's not Jurassic Park. I wrote down a quote...

Visually Stunning and Deeply Moving
The Tree of Life is not only a movie, but an experience. It's a visually stunning, deeply moving and perfectly acted film. And if you know what to expect, you may enjoy it as much as I did.

But be warned. The Tree of Life does not have a linear narrative, and doesn't tell a story as much as it shows it. And the regular viewer--that is, most of us--, used to be told in images and words what we are supposed to see and feel, may find this story hard to follow.

The movie starts with a flaming light and a quotation from the Book of Job: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation...while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Then we are shown a woman (Jessica Chastain) as she learns in a letter the death of her son, age 19. In her grief and despair, enhanced by the absence of sound in the subsequent images, the mother questions God's design in such a seemingly cruel act.

From here, the movie proceeds in...

What I can't Understand...
What I can't understand is actually the fuss surrounding this film. People aren't just confused by it, they're acting offended by it. Apparently audiences in a lot of showings were yelling at the screen and snapping at people who tried to shush them. This movie was unusual, but I don't get what caused people to be so actively offended by it when they can sit through most movies, ambitious or otherwise, without any real problem. Is it the norm in our culture now to react to unexpected or strange images on the screen by getting angry and yelling? Could I just go out on a limb and say that if you leave before a film's over or spend the entire time yelling at the screen, I have no respect for your opinion of the film?

Chimps parading as people aside, I at least enjoyed the movie. I saw it late in its run so I never had to worry about an audience yelling at the screen.

I'm the kind of person who's patient. If a movie confuses me I don't flip out or start...

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Screamers: The Hunting [HD]

Gory Slasher Flick, With Sci-Fi Trappings
"Inspired by a short story by visionary author Philip K. Dick" - Only if he was on a bad acid trip when he wrote the story. I recommend that people should read the original short story, its very good.

Anyway, this film is the sequel to the decent "Screamers" film, in which Peter Weller stars as a soldier trapped on a planet filled with "crazy killer robots" that dice people up like, well, homicidal robots. The plot twist is that the murderous machines are mutating, becoming more human. Yup, the sequel is another a crazy killer robot film. This time a bunch of victims, er, soldiers land on the planet in response to a distress signal. Chop, chop, chop...

For gore fans, there are many scenes where people get torn up by the crazy killer robots. The rescue team makes the usual stupid mistakes that are typical for films of this type and are soon on the run from the C.K.R. There is a plot twist, not a very clever one, and Lance Hendricksen shows up for some reason near...

Enjoyable time-passer.
Enjoyable time-passer. If you have watched a lot of lower budget sci-fi, you know where they can go wrong and what the decent ones tend to do right. This movie generally gets it right. While it is not as good as the first Screamers, it still has very good special effects, decent acting, and lots of action. There is nothing new here, though, in terms of the first movie - no big twists, no new information is revealed about the Screamers. I can't say I loved the ending, but no doubt some will like how it sets up the inevitable Part III. (Note: If you plan to watch Screamers II because of Lance Henriksen's presence, be aware that he is, disappointingly, only in the flick for about ten minutes.)

SCI-FI GORE FEST!
This is a decent Sci-Fi Gore-Fest that while extremely derivative, is able to keep one's attention. Other reviewers have provided a plot synopsis, so I shall keep this one short. SCREAMERS: THE HUNTING, blends elements from; the ALIEN quadrilogy, PHANTASM and the TERMINATOR franchise, to name a few. While the viewer is keenly aware of this mix, the film proved to be entertaining with its blend of explicit gore and Sci-Fi action. Yes, Gore Hounds take note, as this second helping dishes it out in fine form. Two decapitations are witnessed within the first six and a half minutes, (the credits are still rolling), while other assorted coring, slicing and dicing, weave their way through the film, (as well as through many of the actors). Veteran Lance Henrickson who unfortunately played only a minor role, supported a competent cast who played it straight. The SFX are surprisingly well done and keep the project rolling with a reasonable budget feel until its predictable end. On that note I...

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Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son [HD]

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
Wow..this is my very first review...and what can i say...I don't understand why this movie is recieving so many negative reactions and reviews. I thought it was very funny and just an enjoyable movie. I actually like this one better than Big Momma's House 2. Martin Lawrence and Brandon T. Jackson have great chemistry both on-screen and off-screen,they are both comedians so the jokes were on point.(my opinion). Brandon T. Jackson replaced Jascha Washington after he declined to reprise the role of Trent, which in this movie, due to the plot and his character having a leading role, he probably wasn't the best fit for the "new" Trent anyway as the storyline makes it out to be.(my opinion)

The plot: FBI agent Malcolm Turner(Martin Lawrence) and his 17-year old stepson Trent(Brandon T. Jackson) go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. Posing as Big Momma and Charmaine, they must find the murderer before he finds them.

The...

enjoyable
Big Mommas House 1 was good. Big Mommas House 2 was much better. Big Mommas House: Like Father Like Son was better then the the first movie, but not as good as the second movie. I enjoyed this movie a lot. I wasn't crazy about the musical dances. I'm not crazy about musical movies. But I enjoyed it any ways.

Funny, Physical Comedy
I am not sure why this movie is getting so many bad reviews.

What I Can Tell You: I have seen all the Big Momma Movies and still crack up when I see Martin Lawrence as Momma/Malcolm. Come on, too funny. Lawrence and Jackson are funny together. My favorite scenes were any that Jackson had to act like a chick with hot dorm girls walking around in towels. Classic comedy at its best. A dude in drag, done a hundred times, but still funny. Oh, and I have got to mention Momma does nude modeling. Hahahaha...hysterical.

Although I missed Nia Long, as Malcolm's girlfriend I thought as far as a third attempt goes, this was funny.

This is obviously not an Oscar worthy movie, but, if what you are looking for is a good time, a few laughs at hidden identity and some physical comedy, this is a good choice.

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Food Stamped

Healthy food for all!
I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary. It was reminiscent of another insightful film Super Size Me; but instead of experimenting with junk food, the filmmakers experimented with healthy food on a food stamp budget (which is shamefully low). There are many factors that encourage the unhealthy habit of consuming high sugar and high fat diets, such as subsidies for junk food, food "deserts" where healthy food is hard to find, and hundreds of millions of dollars of marketing from the junk food industry. While the problem of obesity crosses class lines, it is especially profound among the poor. Oftentimes, shopping at an organic food store is out of reach on a limited budget, and fresh produce and farmers markets can be hard to find in impoverished areas; so, a film like "Food Stamped" that focuses on the circumstance of poverty has been desperately needed.
In addition to their own helpful tips about how to...

Informative but a little too optimistic
Yes this film was informative and I wouldn't tell people not to watch it. Just to take it with a grain of salt. The filmmakers decided to go on the "food stamps diet" where they could only spend about $1 per person per meal. They vowed to only eat healthy, organic food during this week. The continually ignored difficulties faced by those on food stamps by doing things such as taking herbs from their herb garden (many of the people on food stamps don't even have a home). They also did not take into account that most people do not have their kind of background on cooking organically and would never be able to make the sorts of meals that they made...especially if they are homeless with no real kitchen. While the filmmakers tried to do something good, their lightheartedness as well a their optimism that everyone can eat well on a food stamp diet was off-putting.

Touching and Informative
I appreciated the information and facts provided in the movie and that they put a face to those who are faced with living in these conditions. I would highly recommend watching this movie to get a perspective of those faced with economic limitations and issues related to institutionalized classism. Granted the film-makers themselves living on a food-stamp diet did have handy access to herbs in the backyard, free day-old bread from a breadery, produce at a food bank, and free samples at stores. I don't know if these scenarios are often available in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, especially when grocery stores may not even be available. Despite this, it was nice that the filmmakers featured organizations that did do things differently, like being able to exchange food stamps for a card to use at a farmer's market. I really enjoyed the piece on nutrition in the schools, and how locally grown food can feed a large urban school district. They also included a program about...

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Lemonade Mouth [HD]

Wow! Surprise!
I gotta say that I was definitely surprised when I saw this movie. I mean, I was expecting something like High School Musical so I didn't think I'd even bother seeing it, but I decided, "What the heck, I got some time to spare..." and I'm glad I did! This is a family, fun, feel-good movie that leaves you feeling empowered no matter your age and it encourages everyone especially kids and teens to be confident and not be afraid to chase that dream or take a chance. It really is just so entertaining and the songs are addictive! Can't wait to get my hands on this movie!

Reviewing the DVD, not the movie.
People who have posted reviews here so far are reviewing the movie. Yes, the movie was a lot of fun. The tunes were catchy. My son, wife, and I enjoyed it. That's why I pre-ordered this from Amazon. I was lucky and it arrived yesterday (the day before release) and we put it in immediately to check it out.

With all of the recent things the Disney Channel has done with this movie, we were excited to see the extras. We especially enjoyed when they did the "what's what" edition where they had popups of jokes and info throughout the movie. There were tiny videos of cast activities as well and this would lead us to believe that there was quite a bit of extra material to put in the dvd...we were wrong.

The video quality is, of course, fantastic. I expected this from a dvd over watching it on cable. Also, the extra "High Wire" scene is fun and you could see where it would be a nice epilogue to the move. There was also a karaoke feature that allowed you to have...

Lemonade Mouth
I am a Disney-Lover and I watch every movie. Lemonade Mouth is a great movie for kids. It teaches everyone about how first impression's, aren't everything. People can change themselves. Everyone gets back up when they fall down. I give Lemonade Mouth 5 stars. Lemonade Mouth, shows kids Diversity and Individuality. I recommend it to anyone who is able to like bravery and unique things.

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Living for 32

Amazing
Colin takes you through that day with chilling precision. It makes you almost feel his pain and hurt for him.

Should be A MUST WATCH
This is a sensible approach- extremists on both sides of the gun safety issue may be disappointed, but I thought it was right on Center.

powerful starting point for issue of gun violence
Moving and quietly powerful introduction to the compelling need for more stringent gun control in the US. Certainly, the scope of the issue is beyond this 40 minute documentary but highlights some of the critical issues including: loopholes that allow guns to be freely purchased at gun shows, a wad of cash the only requirement; the lack of co-ordinated background checks and information that allows even those with documented mental illness to legally purchase guns; the stunning profiteering motive of gun merchants, as shown by the seller of one of the guns that killed 32 at Virginia Tech, advocating, ON CAMPUS, for concealed carry; and the blind and self-aggrandizing belief that, in a chaotic and critical situation, being armed is the solution. Colin Goddard is an effective and persuasive standard bearer, sharing his horrifying personal experience as a survivor of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech to work for effective solutions.

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Water For Elephants [HD]

Sara Gruen's Greatest Show on Earth
I have to admit that Water for Elephants was a decent representation of the book. Take into consideration that a movie is never going to give you 100% of the book. That being said, I was disappointed with the parts of the book the movie left out. There were lots of little details and nuances that just can't come across on the full screen anyway, although you would have liked to have seen how they would have been portrayed. Although too numerous to mention and for those who haven't read the book it wouldn't matter anyway, the biggest (for those who have read it) would be the comedic scenes that play out with Jacob in the nursing home. All of those chapters were completely left out.

We open with an old man (Hal Holbrook) wandering into the parking lot of a circus that is packing up and moving out. A workman comes out to see if he is lost and invites him in out of the rain while the man calls the nursing home. The old man looks at the old black and white circus photos...

GREAT MOVIE!!
Water for Elephants, a dramatic romance novel written by Sarah Gruen, was published in 2006 and has become quite a hit. It was said to be "gorgeous, brilliant, and superbly plotted" by the author Joshilyn Jackson. The book is narrated by a 93 year old, Jacob Jankowski. Jacob is spending his remaining years in a nursing home, reminiscing of his life and experiences in the circus. When he was 23, his life took a drastic turn when his parents died in a car accident. Jacob is left with no money and drops out of Cornell University, as he was studying to be a vet. Heartbroken, he finds himself on a circus train and quickly becomes the vet of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. This book has become such a success and was made into a movie in 2011, starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.

Don't worry about the movie ruining the novel. The movie does an excellent job following Gruen's lead. It is common knowledge that the movie can never cover everything...

Better than expected
I had read the reviews of this movie before I went to see it. My expectations were low due to the mixed reviews - but I had an open mind. I really like Reese Witherspoon and when I walked out of the movie, while I thought she did a good job I felt she was miscast in the part. I thought someone more like Scarlett Johannson would have been more in tune to the part - needed someone that was a little "dirty". Reese always plays the angelic, nice girl - so since I felt Marlena had been around the block a bit and was a bit "used" someone that really doesn't fit Reese's nice girl image. I thought Reese and Pattinson did a credible job - Christoph Waltz was really good.

Once I reflected on the movie, I realized that the story is being told from Jacobs eyes - from the age of 23 and again at 92. When he joined the circus and during his life Jacob saw Marlena as innocent,angelic and sweet - I kind of expected to see a light glow around Reese throughout the movie. So, in reality...

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Freight

AWESOME!!!
Captivating straight from the beginning. I'm an action lover and this definitely gives me a rush!I bought this film at first because I'm a huge Call of Duty fan and thought it was cool that the voice actor is in this movie. I don't want to give away the movie secrets...this movie is BAD AS*

Freight
British and Eastern Europe. Fights, frights, gangs, girls and guns. Indentured Immigrants; human trafficking; portable toilets.
Only critical comment is that it tended to be a bit polite.

Pretty good.
Good story but not the best acting. That may be a bit harsh, but I was not unable to get up and go put my laundry in the dryer. Further, upon return, missing that few minutes was not important in any wany. No need to rewind,

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Where the Yellowstone Goes

Great documentary
Another one of Hunter Week's great movies. A great documentary in a great style. Not the most awesome footage but a good story combined with an interesting topic make for a good show.

Really enjoyed it!
It was better than we expected! Different from other fishing movies but still very beautiful we enjoyed many of the different people in it.

A River Runs Through It...Montana is beautiful!
After camping and rafting along the Yellowstone last weekend, i couldn't wait to watch this movie again. I was fortunate enough to see it last year at the Myrna Loy theater in Helena, MT. It is a wonderful tribute to the beauty and unspoiled nature of Montana and gives you an educational experience along the way. The charming small towns and friendly people are a rare thing in today's world of technology and fast paced lifestyle. This movie makes you want to relax and enjoy the simple things in life.

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Last Will. & Testament

An Artistic and Documentary Triumph
Regarding 'Last Will. and Testament', my compliments to the directors/producers/cinematographers.

In addition to what others have said, I think it should get into print somewhere that this film has rare artistic power and integrity to go along with a compelling historical analysis on a critical cultural subject. The flow and tension of the viewing experience make it aesthetically enjoyable. The photography has an eerie quality of rich visual depth that invites the viewer back in time for a moment.

Would like to see the uncut version. There seems to be much more to tell, and I have the idea that the 'Shakespeare' mystery veils some dangerous historical events, relationships, and tragedies. Otherwise there would have been no reason for the Stratford bamboozle in the first place.

A cogent display of evidence on who wrote Shakespeare
This is a well researched and organized documentary regarding who really wrote the Shakespeare works. The producers interview English professors, theater professionals and historians about what is known about William Shaksper of Stratford on Avon - and why his case for authorship is so weak. They also present a powerful circumstantial case for the 17th Earl of Oxford as the true author, based upon detailed parallels between his biography and the plots of the plays; other parallels in language and thought between his private letters and the metaphors and ideas displayed in the dramas and sonnets; and more. All in all, a sober-minded analysis of the authorship issue - and a compelling solution.

Very well done
THe background to the story portrayed in the movie Anonymous. Much more compelling and reasonable than I had previously imagined - I thought most of these Shakespeare Deniers were cranks but I have a very different opinion now. Really lots of fun!

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Beijing Punk

mu shu punk
short documentary - little over an hour - and perhaps a bit heavy on the self-congratulatoriness of the cbgb-franchising w/ club D-22 (although to be fair, not completely w/o merit), but overall a worthy xamination o' what i can only hope are the first few jagged stones thrown into the vast sea that is china

however the real tragedy is that these bands may be born, live a life o' constant struggle, and perish w/ hardly any notice from the outside world

working bands need to tour to survive - especially for those genres which are decidedly underground; and if, as the director/narrator says, 'they'll never be able to make it in china', then they will HAVE to go abroad.......yet if the gov keeps denying their visas, this will most likely suffocate these bands - which admittedly the chinese government probably has no problem w/, particularly as punk bands tend to have a political bent. on the other hand this may make them even more determined and relevant as their...

Interesting, cool music
Wish they had shown full performances of the bands, maybe one full song per band. But the stories are interesting especially if you know and like Asian punk like I do.



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Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules [HD]

Great and hilarious flick!
My review title says it all! And I'm glad I ordered it on Amazon, which cost less than ten dollars while the same movies in stores everywhere are running as high as $20. Some critics here tend to think the book is better than the movie, but until you've seen the poor kid running through an old folk's home in nothing but his UNDERWEAR and the hilarious pranks pulled against each other, y'all have no right to judge! I laughed like crazy from beginning to end. Some days, it feels so good to laugh and these movies will do it for you! Hope they make more of them. I enjoyed this movie a lot!

pretty good
My son like almost every other kid in America right now, loves the series. He saw the first movie and read the books.

I took him to see this one and found myself chuckling as well. It's another nice coming of age film with no scenes that I can remember off hand wishing they'd have deleted (saw it opening weekend).

Funny movie for all ages
This movie may be set in current times, but you can tell the author grew up in the 70's to 80's. There's the roller skating rink scene and the flash back to the Partidge Family type band. The humor is classic and funny for all ages.

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Raining Faith Massage - Self Massage for Recovery/ Endurance Athletes

Valuable and Practical Techniques
This is a great tool for endurance athletes striving to achieve peak performance. The instruction is very clear and the techniques are easy to learn, just takes a bit of practice. Anyone interested in accelerating recovery after hard training should check this out!





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Margaret

This review is based on the theatrical release
I was fortunate enough to see this film recently at the West End Cinema in DC. Having read some of the mixed reviews, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I found myself pleasantly taken with the movie. Yes, there are one or two digressions that could have been better integrated with the story (or, possibly, cut). Yes, the climactic scene could've stood some tweaks. And yes, between this and You Can Count on Me, I do prefer the latter. But this was still one of the best films I've seen in years! It is a mature work, and honest, and considered. The emotions and psychologies of the characters feel real and authentic. If you're looking for a light, generic popcorn movie, this film is not for you. But if you appreciate true to life drama with weightier themes that will challenge your preconceptions and stimulate your higher cognitive functions, Margaret is definitely worth watching.

An early scene, of the...

Among the best movies I've seen
I can't remember the last time I've been so moved by a film -- maybe never. What's it about? Everything. It's hard to think of a major theme of human existence that is not explored in this movie. What it's mostly about is a teenage girl's confrontation with mortality. The title comes from a beautiful poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins called "Spring and Fall," which is read in the film by Matthew Broderick, playing Anna Paquin's high school English teacher:

To a young child

Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! as the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you will weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sorrow's springs are the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost...

FORMATS :: Read this before you buy
Be aware that while this set does contain both versions of the film, it includes them IN ONLY ONE FORMAT EACH. The theatrical release is here ONLY in Blu-ray, and the extended version is here ONLY as a DVD. If like me you don't have Blu-ray, you won't be able to watch the theatrical release. And if on the other hand you wanted to watch the highly-regarded extended version in Blu-ray quality, this set won't give you that option.

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X-men: First Class [HD]

Brilliant; sets the standard for X-Men films
The X-Men films are kind of a huge letdown as a whole, aren't they? The first two are pretty good, but everything good they had going for them was completely destroyed once The Last Stand came to fruition. Thank you, Brett Ratner. And X-Men Origins: Wolverine just drove the franchise even further into the ground; kudos, Gavin Hood. So there probably isn't any reason to get excited over a new X-Men film even if it is a prequel to the X-Men films people actually enjoy. Why would we want to see another comic book movie with limitless potential only to drop the ball yet again? Not only does X-Men: First Class take that ball and run with it but it uses it in all the right ways and reminds you why you loved the X-Men in the first place.

The cast is way better than it has any right to be. Everyone fits their character incredibly well and works fantastically as a cohesive unit. Kevin Bacon seems like a bit of an odd choice for Sebastian Shaw at first, but any doubt you may have is...

A First Class X-Men Film
What drew me to check out X-Men: First Class was not any particular love of comic books nor any particular fondness of the previous films. What drew me to this film was the presence of actor Michael Fassbender, whose increasingly eclectic work has continued to impress me more and more with each new film he appears in. I recall little about the first three X-Men films, besides that I found them enjoyable and I admit that I haven't even bothered to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I figured it was only a matter of time before Fox rebooted the X-Men series after the lackluster reception of the last two X-Men films. Bringing in director Matthew Vaughn, the director of 2010's cult hit Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class is a summer blockbuster that delivers on all fronts, while reinventing and re-energizing the series.

The film opens with the same scene that opened the first film, introducing us to Erik Lehnsherr as he's separated from his mother at a Nazi prison camp. These first scenes,...

Worth it in store, as it should have been the normal release of the film in the first place
For those of you who don't know, this edition of X-Men: First Class is not available at all stores, thus why the price is more expensive. I was fortunate enough to get this edition at Target, and they have a ton of them there, so if you live near a Target store, check there and get yourself a copy!

Anyways, for those of you who aren't aware, the normal Blu-Ray release of this film does not include a DVD copy of the film, which may be an inconvenience to some. However, this release does, as well as the Blu-Ray disc and Digital Copy Disc from the normal release. Unless you need a DVD copy of the film, you don't need to get this release. However, I think that this should have just been the original release, because it is convenient to get a DVD copy of the film. The film itself is fantastic, one of the best comic books ever made along with The Dark Knight, and it is presented in beautiful 1080P HD, with one of the best transfers released this year. The audio quality is also...

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The Brothers McMullen [HD]

Pleasant.
This is a pleasant film about problems concerning love. There are three brothers who run into difficulties that they have to solve. My favourite is the second oldest brother. Barry has seen how his mother had to struggle for years with a man that she did not love. After Barry's father is dead, Barry's mother is finally able to marry the man she has always loved.
Barry's reaction to his mother's fate and also to his own relationship with his father, makes Barry afraid to form a steady relationship with the woman of his dreams.

This film touches important issues like love, committment and religion. There were many funny scenes in this film too, so it was good to sit down and watch it.

If You Grew Up Irish-Catholic, You Will Be Intrigued
The Brothers McMullen is supposed to be about what it's like having grown up Irish-Catholic in America, which, in the context of this movie, is supposed to be about being sexually repressed. It's an outstanding movie that everyone should see.
The movie is about the relationship of three brothers to the women in their lives and to each other. I must warn you, this is a serious romantic comedy-there's no severed limbs, exploding buildings, or sensational car wrecks. It's a quiet movie with no action. It's also a movie you can watch more than once and still be equally engrossed.

The oldest brother is a high school basketball coach, but, oddly, he's very non-jock like. He's somewhat sensitive and a little thoughtful for crying out loud! And he doesn't drink enough beer for a coach. He is friends with another woman who has the serious hots for him, but he keeps turning her down out of respect for his marriage.

Middle brother was engaged to a Jewish girl, but it broke up...

A great story
I love Ed Burns and I thought this film was good (I do like "She's the One" better) It's about 3 brothers, their lives and the reprocussions of growing up in a Catholic Irish American household in New York city.

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