The Kremlin Letter

Still waiting...
One of the best spy movies I've ever seen. Deception, betrayal, violence, sex, perversion--and that's just in the opening credits. But seriously, it is a great movie and I want to be able to share it with friends. After growing up with Richard Boone on Paladin, his blond persona in this movie was quite a shock.

Available At Last!
No major American director has had a lower percentage of his films available on DVD than John Huston. Part of the reason is that Huston made a number of his films for smaller, newer companies that appeared after the collapse of the old studio system in the late 1960s. These companies quickly went bust leaving the question of who owns the rights to these films in limbo. Another is that Huston's choice of material was eclectic and mostly downbeat in tone which is never a key to financial success on the big screen or off. THE KREMLIN LETTER was innocent of the first charge having been made for 20th Century Fox but not of the second for its overall tone and outlook at international espionage makes THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD look like a comedy. Still there were films like it already out there so its failure came as a suprise to Huston and to Fox. The real surprise is that Fox has not allowed it to be on any form of home video until now. Be thankful for small favors but hurry as this...

Let this Classic Never be Forgot!!!!!!!!
"The Kremlin Letter" is one of the grittiest, realistic espionage thrillers I have ever seen. What a shame this isn't available on DVD. The cinematography is first rate, the acting is spot on, and the story, while a bit hurried, is AFI top 100 worthy! I have never heard of this film until today, (April 14, 2009); apparently it was a flop in 1970, I cannot imagine how this isn't hailed as a classic the world over. The realism and believability of the "hard espionage" mind games portrayed in this film make it a worthy addition to any collection. I can only hope and pray that it is released soon.

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Love'S Labour'S Lost

You will be smiling...
I've always loved Branagh. From the moment he made film history with HENRY V (by being the first person since Orson Welles to earn Oscar nominations for both actor and director for the same film) to the light touch he brough to his voice acting in the animated ROAD TO EL DORADO, he has always been a favorite.

But--a film musical based on one of Shakespeare's least-important works? Set in the late 1930's no less? Sounds almost as bad an idea as MOULIN ROUGE. Intrigued, we rented the film from Netflix.

AND FELL IN LOVE. Who cares about the chop-job he did on the "sacred" text? Who cares about the lack of voice in some of his singers? What we watched was a film that made us smile from the opening credits all the way through the final act.
Set aside your preconceptions about what a Shakespeare film should be. Set aside your ideas about what a musical should look like. Enjoy the fun of the film, the glamour of its costuming, its very likable cast. When most movies try to...

LLL 40% Shakespeare, 100% fun
Love's Labour's Lost is true to the spirit of Shakespeare's comedy if not the text itself. A delightfully entertaining blend of Gershwin, Porter, and a little bit of the Bard, LLL is highly recommended for musical theatre lovers and anyone willing to consider Renaissance theatre in ways not involving pantaloons and talking to skulls. Nathan Lane is brilliant as Costard, here interpreted as a struggling vaudevillian; Lane lends vocal support (the weakest area of the cast) to the eleven o'clock number "There's No Business Like Show Business." Though the ensemble struggles through some of the musical numbers, the bittersweet "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is all the more moving because of their difficulties. The only number which seems not to fit within the framework of the play/musical/film is also its chief selling point; LLL publicity has focused upon the Fosse-esque "Let's Face the Music and Dance," which stands out in an otherwise charmingly coquettish production as a...

Much Ado About a Musical
This film was not widely released, but being an avid Branagh fan I made a trip to go see it, hoping it would become a favorite like his earlier film, Much Ado About Nothing. Alas, this was not the case. Although very cute, I felt like I was watching a high school drama production -mind you, a very good one- but I didn't think it was as up to par as some of his earlier films. The movie definitely does have a feeling of a MGM musical (I think that's what they were going for) and the songs are old favorites by Cole Porter, the Gershwins, and Irving Berlin. Amazingly enough, the actors sing, and quite well. Adrian Lester (previously seen in Primary Colors) has a great voice and was the best dancer in the cast. At times I felt that Alicia Silverstone (The Princess) seemed a little too southern California for Shakespeare, but even she began to grow on me during the movie.

Love's Labour's Lost is one of the Bard's lesser known plays and is very easy to understand. Although I seemed...

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Thirteen

Terrifyingly real...
The litmus test for the realism in this one - watched it with a group of 12-18 year old girls and they all said it reflected the reality of being teenagers, with all the actual pressures and stresses of their high school and social lives. This is, quite simply, one of the most honest (and painful) movies about adolescence that I've ever seen..and it was written by a teenager who also stars in the movie...amazing!
At the start of the movie, Tracy (played by Evan Rachel Wood) is a good student with a not-so-great family life. Her mother is struggling to put food on the table and under a lot of pressure to hold family and home together.
So it makes sense that Tracy would be drawn to "the coolest girl in school", Evie, a wild rebel with a penchant for danger. Evie gladly takes Tracy under her wings, often pushing her into Tracy into situations she isn't prepared for (parents should be aware that some of the scenes are graphic, including sexuality and nudity).
It is...

Thirteen as told by a thirteen year old
While reading other customer reviews, I was stunned by the tendency of cynical college types to dismiss this movie as "eager to be hip" and "exploitive garbage". If one has not been through an experience, rejecting it when it is displayed must be easy. However, for those of us like myself, who are thirteen years old, this movie was shockingly real. And who better to be the judge of that than a thirteen year old, rather than a pretentious college student, now too cool to believe in teen "angst" as they call it.

Tracy's (the remarkable Evan Rachel Wood) descent into the world of drugs, casual sex, and smiling lies is a descent I have seen far too often in real life. Some reviewers were suspicious of the quickness of her progression into this world. However, one must remember that these are middle schoolers, not twenty-somethings, and the overwhelming insecurity of most 13 year olds allows them to change their images daily. Also, Tracy is not necessarily a "good girl" when the...

SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT...SORT OF
Tracy is a sweet yet troubled teen who meets the alluring bad girl Evie and falls into a life of drugs sex and crime but this is not some dreadful after school special version of teen issues with cute and tidy resolutions. Thirteen is a bold, gut-wrenching film about the crumbling American family and the current generation of overexposure, MTV, reality shows, and disillusionment. Tracy is astonishingly portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood who gives such an amazing performance it should take child-acting to new heights. Evie is portrayed by Nikki Reed (who also co-penned the script) is a vibrant screen newcomer. The Oscar nominated Holly Hunter ,as Mel, is brilliant as a bohemian, alcoholic single mom who watches her daughter Tracy descend into self-destruction right before her eyes. The director Catherine Hardwicke directs the film with relentless, edgy appeal giving the film it's power and drive.

Although most critics give the film massive acclaim, some have shuddered at the shocking...

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Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

I wished upon a star and my dream came true!
Now this is the way it should be. You get all three cuts, all remastered in 5.1 surround and all have been digitally transferred. Thank you so much Mr. Spielberg because this without a doubt has to be one of your best (along with the original ET).

Last night, I watched the original theatrical version and forgot how much was removed for the "Special Editions" and the final "Director's Cut". In my mind, the original version is the best and to finally have it in all it's uncut 5.1 surround sound (which didn't exist back then) glory is simply wonderful.

The packaging is nice, although I found it very difficult to remove the DVDs without fearing I might snap them because the locking mechanism seems to not want to let go of the DVDs no matter how hard I press down on them. I suppose I could look at it in that I shouldn't fear them coming off during shipping and getting scratched up.

The box is nicely designed and inside are some wonderful items. It comes...

Finally Coming To DVD! Preorder Now!
This two-disc set features a THX-certified 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer of Spielberg's (so far) favored cut of the film (the third!), dubbed the "Collector's Edition" after its 1998 release on VHS and laserdisc, and runs 137 minutes. The anamorphic transfer is minted from a hi-def transfer created at Sony's DVD center in Culver City, California and cleaned up for this release. The disc features both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks, the 102-minute "The Making Of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" documentary by Laurent Bouzereau created for the 1998 laserdisc, a collection of additional deleted scenes, a featurette on the film's enduring place in the sci-fi film pantheon entitled "Watch The Skies" (which, coincidentally, was the original working title for Spielberg's opus), talent files, and two theatrical trailers. Note that the still gallery on the laserdisc will not be carried over to the DVD. The set also comes packaged in Columbia's...

We are not alone.....
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg's 1977 UFO classic, is the thematic antitheses to 1996's Independence Day. While Roland Emmerich's ID4 is a throwback to 1950s "invaders from space" flicks, Spielberg's vision of a "close encounter" between humanity and extraterrestrials is more mysterious and, in the end, more hopeful and awe-inspiring. Instead of exchanging bullets and "heat rays," humans and aliens communicate by using musical notes.

Spielberg's screenplay divides Close Encounters roughly into three acts, basically corresponding to each of the three kinds of "encounters."

In the first category, sightings of a UFO, we first see a very strange sight in the Mexican desert: an international team of researchers led by French UFO expert Lacombe (the late Francois Truffaut) and guided by several Mexican Federales finds five World War II vintage Grumman TBM Avengers. The planes are abandoned but strangely intact, as though they were brand new. "Who flies this...

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People Will Talk

Dr. Praetorius I Presume!
Another one of Joseph L. Mankiewicz's films to be lost in the wake of All About Eve, People Will Talk is a terrific comedy/drama featuring a wonderful cast. Cary Grant is Dr. Praetorius whose treatment of patients is somewhat controversial and unconventional. When he befriends a young, unmarried pregnant woman (Jeanne Crain), Grant finds himself the focus of an investigation lead by a jealous collegue (Hume Cronyn) at the university where they both teach. Grant's interest and concern for Crain goes so far as his proposing marriage. And then there's the matter of Mr. Shunderson (Finlay Currie), Grant's seemingly simple-minded, yet constant companion. No one seems to know the details of Mr. Shunderson's life, except Grant, and he's not telling. Not a huge hit when first released, People Will Talk has developed an almost cult following today, and like many past film "failures," it's now considerd a pretty good film. Perhaps it was ahead of its time, but it has some...

Good Doctor Praetorius and the Mysterious Mr. Shunderson
"People Will Talk" is a movie that I first stumbled upon while flipping channels one day. Cary Grant plays Dr. Noah Praetorius, who both practices and teaches medicine with an apporach that is refreshingly modern, even by today's standards. When young Deborah Higgins (Jeanne Crain) collapses, the good Doctor learns she is pregnant, unmarried, and suicidal. After telling her a story about a frog to make her think she is not really pregnant, some things happen and he ends up marrying Deborah. Meanwhile, Professor Rodney Elwell (Hume Cronyn) find Praetorius's novel methods abominable and is trying to find out the truth about not only the good Doctor but his strange companion, Mr. Shunderson (Finlay Currie). The film's climax is an inquisition into Praetorius's past (which keeps him from conduction his orchestra made up of all the school's med students), where it seems that he cured people in a backwater town as their butcher. However, the more Elwell goes after...

Neglected Mankiewicz Classic
In the late forties, Mankiewicz was on a role with The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, A Letter to Three Wives, rolling right into the fifties with All About Eve and People Will Talk. Unfortunately Eve seems to get all the glory these days. People Will Talk is remarkably up to date. Cary Grant's character, Dr. Praetorius, believes "that knowledge of the human emotions and spirit is as necessary for a medical person as anatomy." Jeanne Crain plays an unwed pregnant student that Grant saves from suicide and despair. The supporting cast includes some of the greatest character actors of all time including Hume Cronyn, Sidney Blackmer, Walter Slezak, Finley Currie, and in a delightfully funny bit Margaret Hamilton. Currie's performance as Grant's faithful assistant/friend is wonderfully under played. One of my favorite moments is the porch scene with Grant, Crain, and Blackmer, with Crain shouting "Bella" at the top of her lungs. You'll have to see the film to...

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The Hunter (2010)

Thrilling
This is a movie directed and written acted all incredibly well. Ali has recently been released from prison and is now working as a night watchman in Tehran. This factory job now means that he is at least able to support his small family comprising his wife Sara and their daughter, Saba.

One day, Ali comes home from work to discover that Sara and Saba have disappeared. Realising that there

Phantom Of The Paradise

He Sold His Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
The movie synopsis:

In the 1974 film PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, William Finley stars as Winslow Leach, a very talented composer who is working on a rock opera based on FAUST. Pop composer Paul Williams plays Swan, an aloof and mysterious record producer who has made the careers of many popular rock musicians. [For the youngsters reading this, a record is, like, an antique version of a music CD.] Swan has built the Paradise, a massive enclosed amphitheater that will be used to showcase the many bands and musicians under his auspices, but he wants to find new material and new talent for the extravagant gala he is planning for opening night. Enter Winslow--who wants Swan to consider his FAUST material for the Paradise grand-opening--and an attractive and talented young female singer named Phoenix (played by the cute Jessica Harper, here in her film debut). While waiting to audition for Swan, Winslow and Phoenix meet and...well, it's love at first sight. Unbeknownst to the two...

Strange Hybrid is Strangely Compelling
Talk about a strange brew... a mixture of horror, comedy, rock music, unrequited love and fantasy. A songwriter's music is stollen by a promoter (Paul Williams) who has the writer thown in jail, beaten and almost killed. The songwriter returns as the "phantom" and haunts the rock palace of the promoter.
It's hard to recommend this movie to someone. If they like the music, they may hate the horror elements, or visa versa. But if you're a child of the seventies, this will probably appeal to you.

First off: the music is excellent. It was written by Paul Williams, who also sings some of the songs. It was nominated for an Academy Award (it is also available on CD).
Next: If you like Brian Depalma, with his split screens, mood lighting and quick cuts, it's all here.
Also: Jessica Harper, in her film debut as the love interest, is great, and she does her own singing. Gerrit Graham is absolutely hysterical as "Beef" the glam rock KISS wannabe.

A...

Overlooked rock music film which was somewhat prophetic
The 1974 rock music film Phantom Of The Paradise is perhaps one of the most unusual and intriguing films i've ever come to know. This film was one of Brian DePalma's best films to date next to 1976's Carrie, 1983's masterwork Scarface and 1987's The Untouchables. The film is seen as somewhat as a rock and roll version of Phantom Of The Opera but it's a film about getting revenge on those who have hurt us. The hero in the film is nerdy and disgruntled composer Winslow Leach(played by William Finley) whose rock cantata about the magician 'Faust' whom was stolen by music impressario Swan. Swan had his own record label Death Records(originally Swan Song before Led Zeppelin coincidentally came up with the record label name and the producers changed the label to Death) and his own music channel(predated MTV by many years. Swan then proceeds and destroys Leach's life (steals the lovely Phoenix from Winslow, has him wrongfully framed, arrested, teeth pulled and had metal teeth in its...

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The Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend

Rootin',tootin' Grable legs it in Western farce
First time around this Preston Sturges (writer, producer, director)movie was given the thumbs down by most of the critics. However, today it is hailed as classic comedy, with a classy leading lady - Betty Grable! She the cutest li'l ole gunslinging saloon girl who shoots a judge (where it don't show) and legs it with her pal, Olga San Juan, to the next town along the line where she poses as a schoolmarm. Betty only has two numbers in this one, but her comedy performance is first-class, especially aided by Margaret Hamilton, Sterling Holloway, and a whole host of oldtimers. Great fun - if you don't take it too seriously! A very underrated Preston Sturges production. And it's a pity Grable wasn't allowed to do more wacky comedies like this. She's a natural.

Betty's biggest flop plays a lot funnier today
The legend goes something like this: After Judy Garland dropped out of Annie Get Your Gun, MGM called Zanuck, head of 20th Century Fox, and asked if he would loan out Betty Grable to replace her. After thinking about it over the weekend, Zanuck called Mayer back and said, "Why the hell should I loan out my golden girl when I've got a better property to star her in?" The better property? The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend! Despite starring Hollywood's number one female (Grable was on the Top 10 Box Office list for 10 consecutive years) and being written and directed by one of the best in the business, Preston Sturges (in his autobiography Sturges writes that this was a misfire, and that Betty Grable was so great to work with and such an excellent comedienne she deserved much better) the picture tanked. Today, surprisingly, it plays much better. Grable's comedic talents really do shine (Sturgis was right!) and she gets better than able support from Cesar Romero, Rudy Vallee,...

Betty at her tops.
This movie kept me laughing. The picture quality was very good and so was the sound. I just wish there where extras.

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Sealed with a Kiss

I want the DVD!!!
This is a very good movie. It is a family favorite. I want to buy the DVD! How do I purchase it?

Hmmmmm...
If a movie is titled Sealed With A Kiss then it might be a consideration to actually have a kiss somewhere in the movie or change the title.

Very enjoyable!
I saw this movie on TV, some years ago, & I was so impressed with Annabeth Gish, that I wanted to see her in this movie, again.

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Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney

Winner, Audience Favorite Best Picture Mockfest 2008!
This movie won the Audience Favorite award as Best Picture at Mockfest 2008. In part, it may be a mockumentary, but much here is clearly true. In August 1965, live on ABC news, Paul McCartney jokingly proposed to 18 year old TV reporter Ruth Anson. This movie opens with that clip. Many things in Ruth's life changed as a result of the proposal. We see that, too. And we see how, more than 40 years later, Ruth is obsessed over reconnecting with McCartney and finding "closure." A film director backs the mad plan and sends a camera crew along with Ruth on her quest. Much happens, both funny and sad. And there is conflict between Ruth and the director. She wants McCartney; he wants to exploit the situation. The end result reveals what goes on behind closed doors of Reality TV and documentary film making. The ending is not to be believed, but should be. It's true, too. And very insightful. As a bonus, from the soundtrack, 12 original Beatles-like songs in their full-length,...

Anti-Beatle
This film has no involvement, musically or otherwise from the Beatles, except for archival newsreel footage. The idea is that its director will turn ex reporter Ruth Anson's idea to re-connect with Paul McCartney after he made a facetious marriage proposal to her during an interview decades ago into a joke on Anson's age, desperation and "out of it-ness". Supposedly Anson is in on the joke but it seems more like she was too deeply invested in the project and too fearful of not seeming like a good sport to withdraw when it took that change in direction. The positive reviews on this site must have come from people involved in the project. The film is tedious and boring. It is never ever funny and it is despicably mean. To try to ameliorate its cruelty by claiming it to be a mockumentary is a futile and transparent gesture. There is absolutely nothing here for fans of the Beatles, music or film. A complete and utterly vile undertaking that should never have seen the light of day.

Winner, Audience Favorite Best Picture Mockfest 2008!
This movie won the Audience Favorite award as Best Picture at Mockfest 2008. In part, it may be a mockumentary, but much here is clearly true. In August 1965, live on ABC news, Paul McCartney jokingly proposed to 18 year old TV reporter Ruth Anson. This movie opens with that clip. Many things in Ruth's life changed as a result of the proposal. We see that, too. And we see how, more than 40 years later, Ruth is obsessed over reconnecting with McCartney and finding "closure." A film director backs the mad plan and sends a camera crew along with Ruth on her quest. Much happens, both funny and sad. And there is conflict between Ruth and the director. She wants McCartney; he wants to exploit the situation. The end result reveals what goes on behind closed doors of Reality TV and documentary film making. The ending is not to be believed, but should be. It's true, too. And very insightful. As a bonus, from the soundtrack, 12 original Beatles-like songs in their full-length, with music videos...

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Jodi Picoult Collection

Three Picoult Adaptations Courtesy Of Lifetime TV: A Mostly Successful Collection
Author Jodi Picoult has penned some surprisingly ambitious and thought-provoking page turners. Adapting them, though, is a sometimes tricky proposition. Here are three Lifetime TV movie attempts that met with varying degrees of success. Not a bad collection for the price if this is your type of entertainment. I'll comment more extensively on "Salem Falls" as the other two movie have been around for a while and/or released on DVD previously.

Salem Falls (2 1/2 Stars): From 2011, this adaptation probably veers the furthest from Picoult's original vision of small town scandal. When a mischievous trio of high school girls employ the dark arts, one wishes to find a mysterious new love interest. Enter drifter James Van Der Beek, a man who seems to be on the run from a troubled past. The loner meets up with a local diner owner when he almost kills her father! How's that for a meet-cute? As he takes a temporary job in her establishment, romance blossoms between the two even...

Great movies
These three movies kept me hanging on to every scene. I watched all three in one night. Really enjoyable. Great plot

Ok movies.
The movie itself was not great, I am surprised Jodi Picoult let them do this to her books, but it shipped perfect and was new and everything. :)

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Reindeer Games

Great Video and Audio Quality
Please describe the audio and video quality of any Blu-Ray you review. Thanks to those who do this.

I am reviewing the Director's Cut Blu-Ray version released on 03/06/12. I noticed no difference in the movie with this Director's Cut compared to the version I recently saw on satellite TV. The aspect ratio is 2.35:1, not 1.85:1. Sound is DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, which is really great (lot's of surround sound and sub-woofer bass). Video quality is outstanding.

I think this is a good movie, and a very good Blu-Ray purchase (especially at this price).

Mr. Ben's Mild Ride
After trashing "Pearl Harbor" last year and "The Sum of All Fears" this year, I felt the pangs of guilt telling me I was picking on local boy Ben Affleck. Therefore, to appease my conscience, I decided to review a Ben Affleck film I enjoy - John Frankenheimer's "Reindeer Games".

"Reindeer Games" is just about the most unremarkable, low-stakes thriller you could ever expect to see, featuring all the obvious twists, all the obvious turns, and set in locations and in pursuit of prizes that do not exactly get the viewer buzzing with excitement. What makes the film work, in its own modest way, are the director and the cast.

Frankenheimer is covering old territory here, but it is like watching a veteran baseball player at the plate or in the field - you've seen it a thousand times before but it is still fun to watch. Frankenheimer knows how to edit his films just right, and he always gets a kinky, dark edge out of all his scripts...

One extremely thrilling and suspenseful ride
I didn't think Reindeer Games was anywhere near as mediocre as the critics thought it was. As a matter of fact, I loved the film, and it's certainly much better than that other much overrated plot twisting thriller Wild Things (a mostly suspenseless which might hold some sort of cinematic record for most plot twists ever).

The film is about a car thief named Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck). His best friend, Nick, who has a pen pal named he plans on meeting after he's released-which is also the same day Rudy will be let out-is killed during a food fight. Rudy, in a very tough decision, decides to pretend he's Nick and meets the beautiful Ashley, Nick's pen pal. At first, everything seems to be going right for him for the first time, until Ashley's brother Gabriel arrives and demands Rudy, whom he thinks is Nick, to help him and his band of cronies rob a casino since Nick used to work as a security guard there. Now, Rudy has to try to pretend he's Nick and convince Gabriel...

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Atm [Blu-ray]

A pretty tense but also very repetitive thriller that is worth watching. If you liked "Phonebooth" check this one out. I say B
"Why is he doing this?!!" After finally getting up the nerve to talk to the girl he likes David (Geraghty) is excited to be driving Emily (Eve) home. When his friend Corey (Peck) crashes his date and asks to stop at the ATM machine he is counting down the minutes till he can get Emily alone. After getting out the cash they turn around and notice a stranger starting at them. Their night takes a deadly turn. To start with this is not a bad movie at all. I like the movies like this where it takes an everyday activity and introduces terror into it. The big problem with this is that after a half hour it seemed to run out of ideas and kept repeating itself over and over. The one thing that really saved this and made it enjoyable was the end. This is not a typical "Hollywood" ending and that helped the movie a lot. If you liked "Devil" or "Phonebooth" then you will also like this one. This is worth a watch. Overall, a tense but also repetitive thriller that is worth watching. Ending is great...

A Modest, But Entertaining, Thriller: Need Cash In The Middle Of the Night? Park Close!
Although I am certain that some people will not like "ATM," I actually found it to be a relatively enjoyable little thriller. As a B-movie guilty pleasure, this slight film benefits from having modest ambitions. Thus, with its limited scope, I think it works satisfactorily as a pleasing and entertaining diversion. You want a big complicated plot? You need interesting back story? You want character motivation? Don't bother with any of that! "ATM" plays out as a simple, but extravagant, nightmare. Three young professionals visit an ATM booth in the middle of the night only to have that seemingly mundane decision irrevocably change their lives. A menacing figure watches them from afar. And as they contemplate what to do, his murderous intentions become quite clear. Who is he? Why has he targeted this trio? Again, the plot that holds "ATM" together is sketchy at best. You'll get the most enjoyment by not thinking about it, not analyzing the logic, just experiencing it. Normally, I might...

Very poorly written
WARNING: SPOILERS.

I saw the trailer, and thought, "wow, how could they make a movie about being in an ATM scary, since it looks so easy for them to escape." I thought that the movie must be some well scripted mind game in which the bad guy plays with his victims to terrorize them and force them to choose the path he's laid out for them - so they stay in the ATM because they have no choice.

Uh, no. It's basically a movie about 3 incredibly stupid people who act just like stupid people would. And the killer has no plan. He just looks for ATM's that don't have good security camera coverage and then waits at night for someone to come by. Here is an example of something you think is about to reveal the mind game, and ramp up tension, but only serves to make you disconnect from the film given how unlike the you and the characters are (i.e., they are stupid):

The bad guy decides to walk around to the back of the ATM. You think he's about to unleash...

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UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

UFC 145...
The big headline for this card was title fight featuring Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. With a lot of emotion coming from both sides on this one we were looking at could possibly be the most heated title fight since Liddell/Ortiz II back at UFC 66.

Starting the night off was Mark Bocek against John Alessio. Mark Bocek has been a pretty good go in the lightweight division with most of his losses only coming to the top of the division, and that's saying a lot as the lightweight division is the most stacked division in the entire UFC in my opinion. So it was announced that John Alessio was making his UFC return against Bocek there was good reason to worry. Alessio has been all over, fighting in the UFC, WEC, PRIDE, and Dream to name a few promotions, and was going into this fight with on a three fight win streak. The one thing about this fight was that it seems to almost hit the second gear where things look kinda exciting and then it doesn't exactly go any further than it...

Not that great
Jones is one hell of a fighter but i wish he did more in this fight. He was carful and decisive. I collect all UFC but i don't watch this one to often.

There 3 riveting fights in this DVD. It deserves 5 stars
There 3 riveting fights in this DVD. It deserves 5 stars

The first one was between Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin. It's an even match. Both of them steadily exchanged fists. No one seemed to be better than the other. Then at 1 minute 30 seconds of round 1, fighter 1 was knocked down. Then fighter 2 got on top of him and kept pounding him. Fighter 1 now got cuts around both of his eyes. They were covered with blood but he kept pressing. It's amazing!

In round 2, at 1 minute 49 seconds, fighter 1 was knocked down again. Again fighter 2 was on top of him and kept pounding him. Then at 2 minutes 44 seconds, fighter 1 was able to get up. Then he made fighter 2 pay. Now, fighter 2's face was covered in blood.

After 3 rounds, fighter 1 won by split decisions. It's a suspenseful and unpredictable match.
Sorry, I can't refer these fighters by their real names. Otherwise, it will ruin your enjoyment.

The second riveting fight was between Brendan...

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Heaven Strewn

Gem of a movie
This is the first feature-length directorial effort of a talented filmmaker, and based on this impressive debut, I look forward to seeing more. This movie is not spectacle-porn, like so many of the gargantuan budget super-hero epics trotted out for mass consumption, but a personal and honest portrayal of male friendship, wrapped up in a tale of palpable mortal danger. If you appreciate and understand true filmmaking, I recommend this gem from a director who obviously understands it too.





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Body and Soul

Soul-less Transfer and Editing
Don't let the stars fool you, I love this movie and if I were reviewing the movie itself on its merits alone, it would get 6 stars. My love for this classic is the reason I can give this DVD version only two stars. The print is very poor - the lighting in some scenes is too dark to pick up some details. There are skips and jumps in the frame. The sound transfer is also very uneven. In fact my 20 year-old VHS tape is STILL better quality than this DVD. But all those technical faults could be forgiven were it not for the most egregious cut of all - a few lines of dialogue. In a pivotal scene where the grocer delivers to the Davis house, Charley has just told Peg that he needs his money to bet on the fight. The grocer comes in and talks about everyone betting on the fight - Charley says anyone who bets is foolish. The grocer disagrees. The words that were cut out of this print, essentially the heart of why the neighborhood loves their champ, are very simple "In Europe, the...

Classic John Garfield Role and Realistic Boxing Scenes.
When actor John Garfield wanted to make a boxing movie, Abraham Polonsky came up with this story on the spur of the moment. "Body and Soul" found great popular success and went on to garner Garfield an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Polonsky a nod for Best Screenplay, and win the 1948 Oscar for Best Editing. In addition to being one of John Garfield's most popular roles, "Body and Soul" is remembered for its realistic depiction of boxing matches, filmed by cinematographer James Wong Howe, who had been a professional boxer in his youth. It probably didn't hurt that John Garfield had been an amateur boxer when he was young also, although he had to be doubled in some of the fight scenes due to his heart condition.

"Body and Soul" begins the night before World Boxing Champion Charley Davis (John Garfield) is to defend his title. He's supposed to throw the fight and make a bundle for the promoter, Mr. Roberts (Lloyd Goff). He's uneasy, can't sleep, and wanders around town...

Body and Soul
Charlie Davis grew up poor but proud, a brash young kid with fists of stone and an appetite for the better life. John Garfield plays Davis in BODY AND SOUL, one of the starkest morality plays Hollywood has ever produced.

BODY AND SOUL is deeply cynical and enjoys a pessimism untainted by many promises of redemption. People don't fall in love in the world Charlie is so eager to join - they negotiate angry contracts with each other. William Conrad plays Charlie's manager who at one point loses his girl to Charlie. In a happier moment Conrad once told her, "Remember, first mink and then ermine." It's a constant theme in the movie - everything is for sale, and the more of you you shell out the better the reward. The girl's bitter fall from Charlie's grace takes her back to Conrad and his rabbit fur territory. Conrad welcomes her back with a snarled "Looks like you're back in my league." "I don't know," she says, "you're getting kind of old." Conrad ends this little...

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Dead Season

Not Bad - Would have appreciated a slower pace and more innuendo
I was pretty excited about this one. I watch just about every zombie movie that comes out from the big budget ones down to things made for a hundred bucks. What i can tell you is that along THAT continuum, this is by far above average. But does that mean its GOOD? I'm not sure - but its not BAD. As far as the technical aspects go, this film is lovely. The cinematography is excellent (i'm going to assume it was filmed on DSLR - looks like a 5D or 7D?) and everything is wonderfully framed. The acting is above par for a film of this budget. The "bad" guy is the strongest performance, with maybe the most unsteady of all coming from the male "lead" - though not to a degree that takes away from anything. I use quotation marks because there isn't really a lead or a villain, just people that NEARLY take that role. Now, i don't have a problem with not filling standard archetypes of film - its just that these characters could have been so much deeper. The pacing of this film was so fast that...

HOTDOGS AND PANCAKES
During the zombie apocalypse, shortwave dating will replace Internet dating. A viral outbreak has created zombies which are called "walkers" with second generation zombies known imaginatively as "runners." It appears canned peaches will be the main food staple/currency in the post apocalyptic world (Dead Season, The Road, Hell, Soylent Green...no wait that was strawberry jam.)

Elvis (Scott Peat) meets Tweeter (Marissa Merrill) while shortwave dating. They opt to go off to the proverbial zombie free island, only in this film they actually do it. Once there, they discover the island is controlled by a paramilitary group. Walkers will wash up on the beach and have to be re-killed. There is also a very limited food supply as the government has contaminated the soil.

The island is run by Kurt (James C. Burns) who keeps is 17 year old daughter locked up in her room (Corsica Wilson) where every dad wants to keep his teen daughter. Elvis is a paramedic who kills walkers...

Yet another bad video reviewed by people who worked on it
I suspect the two people here who have one review, this movie, which they rave about, are the same folks who left the rave reviews at the IMDB too (where there they also have one review - this one). Once you see the actual movie, you'll understand. This is not good - it's essentially a rip off of Day of the Dead - with amateur actors, bad direction and a bad script. Not the "tremendous" movie you read other "reviewers" writing about. And what is it with folks who've worked on a movie who come in here and praise it - they ALWAYS say "it wasn't what I expected." Do they get these lines out of a "how to pretend to be someone else praising your own movie" book? I've said it before, I'll say it again- people who work on the movie should NOT be allowed to write pretend reviews in Amazon and the IMDB. It's unethical to see someone talking about how great it is when clearly it's not. Then you get folks like me who are even more angered and make sure to let the public know the truth - so the...

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Foreign Parts

Brilliant
This has to be one of the best documentaries i've ever seen, and i have seen more than my fair share. The interwoven story lines give a human face/heart to a location and industry that would not normally be seen. The shots are billinat in themselves and the fact that there is a narrative behind it makes it even more breathtaking. Buy it watch it just do yourself the favor of not missing it!





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Chakradhaar (2012) (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / Indian Cinema DVD)

Excellent Customer Service with Fast Delivery
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future correspondence with this seller.
I loved everything about this seller and would recommend to anyone and I will have future...





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Theo: Gods Love (Exclusive)

Excellent resource
My kids view the Theo series at their Sunday school class and are so excited to get to watch it at will now. Such a brilliant illustration of the bible and Gods love for us. Superb.





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Bolshoi: A Renaissance

Informative documentary
I found this to be an informative documentary about the Bolshoi, but I really think it should be a "bonus" on a commercial release of the Re-Opening Gala. That should have been released with this as a bonus. This is not long enough to rate a release on its own. It is just under an hour. I found it informative about the Bolshoi, but I think it tried too hard to show too much about the rebuilding of this theatre. It starts focusing on the major problems and then veers off in another direction and also includes history. I think it needed to be longer to really explain the reconstruction and the problems that were faced. There were some nice clips of dancers but all too short. I'm still glad I bought this, but I felt it was trying to cover all bases about the Bolshoi and ended up only able to give a general brush over about it.

Fascinating!
We watched this DVD with pleasure, fascination, and interest. If you appreciate the Bolshoi, you'll love this DVD. Makes a wonderful gift.



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Shark Week: 25th Anniversary

Really? The 25th Anniversary Collection is 4 Episodes?
Like the other reviewers have already said, 3/4 of the episodes are on other (much better) Shark Week collections. The episode "Blood in the Water" can be found on the "Jaws of Steel Collection", "Ultimate Air Jaws" is available in "Restless Fury", and "Myth Busters Shark Special" can be found in "The Great Bites Collection". The other episode, "Great White Shark: Uncaged" could have been much better if they would have cut out all the shots of the crew talking and goofing off. I'm very surprised that they deemed the "25th Anniversary Collection" only worthy of 4 episodes of which, only 1 is "new". If you're looking for some good Shark Week action, I'd suggest the "20th Anniversary Collection" or "The Great Bites Collection". This will be the last time I ever pre-order a Discovery Channel video.

Great gift
My godson's three favorite holidays are Christmas, Halloween, and Shark Week. He loved this gift and watches the past two seasons all year 'round.

Great Movie but should have been warned
My son is totally obsessed with sharks. He got this movie for Christmas. The second episode is very graphic and gory. There was no warning and it is rated PG. I fast forwarded through several parts. The other episodes were all very interesting.

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Scalene [Blu-ray]

Brilliant
Loved this movie! It kept me thinking the whole time! Love how it started and ended. Movies that keep me guessing are the best an this movie Kept me interested the whole time. Total shocker!

A must see
Once again Zach Parker has mad a film that will captivate you. This is not for the faint of heart. If you are tired of all of the Hollywood remakes you defiantly need o pick up Scalene!

Very Interesting and Unexpected Ride
Well named - three very unequal and disturbing legs to this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Martindale was fantastic. I will be watching this movie several times till I get it all figured out.

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LOL [Blu-ray]

I can't believe this actually got made...
There are lots and lots of people standing in between a movie being conceptualized, green-lit, written, shot, edited, marketed and distributed. Not one of those people said 'hey, we should maybe stop throwing good money after bad and desist with making this horrible atrocious affront to storytelling because we think Miley Cyrus will get the young ladies to the theatre'. And that's the real tragedy here- that none of those professionals did anything to end this awfulness.

I made it 7 minutes and 53 seconds into the film before I had to stop it. What utter trash.

Miley is Miley, the same as she is in everything, an energetic bundle of over-rehearsed, well-meaning Disney sassafrass that never quite rings true. She demonstrates no depth of character or feeling, and she crashes through her scene work with all the care and specificity of a drunk parrot. Demi Moore is collecting a paycheck, and you can see that she gives exactly zero f@#%s about what she's doing. All...

Not recommended for teens or anyone else
I was looking for a fun movie to watch while my husband was gone. I thought this was a good choice because of the actors and because I knew husband would never watch it with me. But don't waste your time on this one. I cringe to think about teenagers watching this movie and thinking that the behavior is acceptable.
It's one of those movies where they try to make 'right look wrong and wrong look right'. Everything about it was wrong--mom was a mess, dad was a mess, daughter tried really hard to have morals-but then ended up a mess too. I was disgusted by the sexual references in this movie. There are better ways to teach kids about life. So disappointed in Miley Cyrus for taking this role.

Boring
I fell asleep twice before I finished the movie. It wasn't that great! This is a movie for teenagers. The story itself was no polar and there was a lot of temper tantrums. I would not recommend this movie too anyone.

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Office Space / Napoleon Dynamite [Blu-ray]

Hilarious
Love both films, having them in a dual pack is perfect. From Napoleon's dance to Milton's Swingline stapler. Hilarity included!





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Midnight Movies Vol 4: Thriller Triple Feature (Bloodstained Shadow/Short Night of Glass Dolls/Who Saw Her Die)

Gialli heaven
Non-Bond George Lazenby, plenty of nasty murders and all the atmosphere you would hope for in this iconic Italian genre. These three may not be the most famous gialli but they all deliver.

Good Italian thrillers for a great price.
If you like Italian thrillers, this set is worth the price. The movies are all fairly standard Italian films ( weak dubbing,cheesy effects, offbeat story), but if you like the style of them like I do, then this is a great deal... three for a good price.



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Sunshine Hotel

A Great Documentary
I actually saw this movie on TV on a movie channel one day channel surfing. I was really surprised at the movies depth and poignance. This is a very engaging film and the people the movie centers around are fascinating. To live in a flophouse, the men talk with a certain elegance and grace that proves no matter where you look, you can always find a gem. I am pleased that I happened to stumble upon this movie and would recommend it to anyone I know.

Making Vinny (the birdman) immortal!
I am very happy to actually have been given the opportunity to view this video. I first seen this documentary at the New York Underground Film Festival back in March 2002 or there-abouts. My close friend Joey's father Vinny: had lived there,prior to his passing away in April 2000. I loved Vinny liked a second father, he was a great guy. Before his tracheotomy in about 1995/96- We would have conversations upon conversations about all sort of things..I really cherished his friendship. And I had no idea I would ever get to see him ever again except in my happy memories,
But thanks to Michael (whom I met at the initial presentation),
I now have something besides memories to hold onto, I now have a film that I can look at and remember...I can now go ahead and purchase 2 copies of this video, ones for me and one I will give to my friend Joey..who now has children of his own and never met their grandfather Vinny.

This Hidden Long Out Of Print Gem - Is A Must See
One of my favorite documentaries of all time - Sunshine Hotel deals with one of the last remaining "Skid Row" flop houses in NYC. I was thrilled to find it available for streaming on Amazon. If you're a fan of Erol Morris (Gates of Heaven, The Thin Blue Line, Vernon, Florida and others) you'll find a simmiar style here by director Michael Dominic.

There is no fanfare here, no "Hollywood Manipulation" and no narative (Just like Morris) the characters are the residents of the Sunshine - and each one has a unique story with relation to how they got there and none of them are easy on the heart.

They unfold slowly and seemingly oblivious to the camera. The manager is a natural and for the most part not only is the most compelling resident of the Sunshine but carries the film as well. For those of you who love character driven documentaries your bound to adore it. It's quite sad and bleak, but a glimmer of hope - for oneresident anyway. Highly...

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How to Marry a Millionaire [Blu-ray]

Beautiful Restoration on DVD
This movie is half a century old and followed The Robe as the second Cinemascope feature. It's visually beautiful in the DVD widescreen version, evoking the thrill of first seeing Cinemascope in 1953 (which I'm old enough to remember). Though the story and humor are extremely dated and so many of its stars are now dead, the photography and sound are both so breathtakingly clear and beautiful, it makes one realize how advanced the technical side of filmmaking was that long ago. It's amazing how cinematographers of that day were able to adapt so quickly to the much wider screen and take full advantage of its sweep even during scenes filmed in close quarters, such as those on the airliner (which was a propeller plane, by the way). It's true that Lauren Bacall, though lovely in the film, looks much older than the "25" she's supposed to be. (I saw Ms. Bacall in person pitching her bio at a bookstore 45 years later and she looked un-surgically young and beautiful, so go...

classic Marilyn
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE was the first non-musical comedy to be released in the CinemaScope ratio. The film was released in 1953, which proved to be Monroe's breakthrough, watershed year, with the success of MILLIONAIRE, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES and NIAGARA cementing her place as one of the top box-office attractions of 1953.

MILLIONAIRE is one of Monroe's most delightful offerings. She plays the visually-challenged Pola, who, along with Chotzi (Lauren Bacall - KEY LARGO, THE BIG SLEEP) and 'Loco' (Betty Grable - MOTHER WORE TIGHTS) rents a Manhattan penthouse in the hopes of snagging rich husbands.

Of course, Fate often hands you things totally unexpected, and soon the girls realise that money can't be a substitute for happiness. There are plenty of pin-sharp observations about the opposite sex, a good 50-odd years before "Sex and the City" decided to make a whole TV show about women in the Big Apple.

Marilyn, Lauren and Betty make a colorful trio, and the CinemaSope...

Whimsical comedy starring 3 gorgeous gals
Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe star in a Broadway play adaptation, as three New York models who together rent a Sutton Place apartment in order to attract rich husbands. Their plan appears to go awry when after a few months they are forced to sell the furniture in the lavishly appointed pad for living expenses.

The girls fortunes appear to turn when Bacall meets elderly Texas cattle baron J.D. Hanley played by the debonair William Powell. Grable gets lured to Maine by wealthy but married Fred Clark but winds up falling for and marrying penniless forest ranger Rory Calhoun. The visually challenged but super sexy Monroe winds up on the wrong plane when going to meet her prospective beau in Atlantic City. She winds up enamored with and marrying tax cheat and previous owner of their apartment David Wayne, who is equally blind.

Throughout the film Bacall is pursued by a Tom Brookman played by Cameron Mitchell. She dismisses him as being a poor gas...

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Subway Stories

A Wonderful Collection of Stories!
The first time I saw "Subway Stories" on HBO, it totally blew me away. The whole concept behind the film was to compile the winning short stories from a contest (all of the stories had to be connected to the subways of New York). While the stories are diverse in their plots and themes, I couldn't help but be glued to the TV anticipating the next story. There is something there for everyone. I was particularly fond of John Guare's segment about the war vet pan-handling on the train, although all of the stories were much better than average.

My only problem with this movie is that it is not yet available on DVD. IF you haven't seen this and are a fan of short stories, you will love this movie.

Wonderful...
This is a beautiful series of stories. I highly recommend the video for anyone who is a student of human nature. The contrast of the cold and often harsh New York subway vs. human goodness and strength of character is riveting. Watch it, you won't be dissapointed!

Very , Very Pleased
I saw this movie on HBO a couple of years ago, and I have been trying to find it on DVD for a couple of months now, I finally found it on VHS and bought it anyway, cause I just had to have it. The story with Taral Hicks is my favorite, she is trying to reach her mother who is dying in the hospital. She gets stuck and eventually she ends up having to call her from the subway station. When she gets a hold of her mother she sings here favorite song to her over the phone, the song is Troubles of the World. That girl sings the mess out of that song, it will bring tears to your eyes. If you have not seen this movie, you really should.

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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes [Blu-ray]

Talk to Me Harry Winston, Tell Me All About It!
While it will never compete with the likes of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, GIGI, or MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, this 1953 confection is nonetheless a real charmer. Based on a popular Broadway show which was itself based on the famous novel by Anita Loos, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES tells the story of two cabaret performers--blonde bombshell Loreli Lee, who is determined to marry for money, and brunette beauty Dorothy Shaw, who prefers to marry for love. When Loreli's engagement to a millionaire's son goes awry, the two set sail for Europe, and comic complications ensue. The story is traditional fluff, pure and simple, and there is nothing in the least innovative or unexpected about the film as a whole--but it is all extremely, extremely well done.

The score is bright, including such tunes as the famous "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"--and all the musical numbers are cleverly staged and filmed. The overall look of the film is also eye popping: the ladies are dressed to perfection...

Pure Marilyn, pure light-hearted fun.
Arguably, along with the 'Seven Year Itch', this lighthearted 50's musical comedy is the most definitive 'Marilyn' film. In particular for her memorable 'Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend' number, so adorable in its (and her)innocent mocking self parody and brought to life again several decades later in Madonna's, 80's' Material Girl' Video.

This pairing of 'Monroe' and 'Russell' as two voluptuous show girls from 'Little Rock'" in search of fun and a man or two on their way to Paris aboard a cruise ship, is pure Hollywood sugar coated entertainment and escapism.

Marilyne is just so funny and cute as the wide eyed, but gold digging, 'Lorelei', the supposed 'Dumb Blonde' who knows what she wants however, and why. In suitable contrast Jane Russell plays 'Dorothy' the more serious, switched on and streetwise Brunette. Who on the other hand, lets her heart(rather than her bank acccount)rule her head when it comes to men and plays a kind of big sister role to her more...

Brash, sassy and fun!
A kiss on the hand

May be quite continental,

But diamonds are a girl's best friend.

A kiss may be grand

But it won't pay the rental

On your humble flat

Or help you at the automat.

Men grow cold

As girls grow old,

And we all lose our charms in the end.

But square-cut or pear-shaped,

These rocks don't loose their shape.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Tiffany's!

Cartier!

Black Starr!

Frost Gorham!

Talk to me Harry Winston.

Tell me all about it!

There may come a time

When a lass needs a lawyer,

But diamonds are a girl's best friend.

There may come a time

When a hard-boiled employer

Thinks you're awful nice,

But get that ice or else no dice.

He's your guy

When stocks are high,

But...

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Theo: God's Grace (Exclusive)

My kids love it!
My kids view the Theo series at their Sunday school class and are so excited to get to watch it at will now. Such a brilliant illustration of the bible and Gods love for us. Superb.

Great Resource!
My only criticism is the "gospel" presentation is lacking (repentance, and a decent explanation of sin...). Altogether, great resource, though!



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We The Party [Blu-ray]

MINIMUM EFFORT MEANS MINIMUM WAGE
Hendrix (Mandela Van Peebles) is a high school student. He works at parties as a DJ to earn money to buy a car. He has done the guy thing and entered into a "first one to loose their virginity" contest with 4 friends. Meanwhile he wants to date Cheyenne (Simone Battle) the Phoebe Cates of this teen movie. Cheyenne's dad (Michael Jai White) is a policeman and won't allow his daughter to date anyone below a 3.5 grade average. Hendrix makes an arrangement to have Cheyenne tutor him so he can get his grade point average up and take her to the prom.

The film also has some party rappers, an up skirt cell phone cam, a school project that interfaces with poor people, and a token 20 year old near thug (Y.G. who pays C.C.) in class. Snoop Dog listed in the credits has a minor role.

Peebles has no problem quoting Malcolm X (just called Malcolm in the film to fool us white folk) and gives a grand lecture on consumerism, aimed at both Hendrix and the audience. The acting and...

great
Great movie never a dull moment definitely one for the collection . We the party served as a look in to life nowadays and its right on.

good movie
The movie was good not only for myself but for my grandchildren as well. I have recomended it and will continue to do so Thanks

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Scalene

Unique & Original
Scalene is not a movie for the faint of heart. It deals with many touchy issues including rape, murder, abuse and the effects of drug use. The story revolves around a young man named Jacob. When he was twelve, he was experimenting with his friends. His attempts at a cheap high resulted in severe brain damage which left him childish and unable to speak. His mother is dealing with this alone, and when she meets a gentlemen who displays an interest in her, she hires a college student named Paige to help with Jacob.

While this is the basic gist of the film, it was told in a way that made it quite unique. It starts out going backwards, starting with Jacob's mother coming to try to attack Paige and saying, "I want him back." From there you go backwards, seeing the events that led up the possible rape from the mother's perspective. Then there is a scene where Jacob gets burned and for a few minutes you see things though his eyes. Then it switches to Paige's point of view, and you...

Weak Ending
What happened to days when all of the story's loose ends would be tied-up by the completion of the movie. "Scalene" is an interesting movie, especially because it gives some insight into what it is like to raise a special-needs child. I watched this movie primarily to see how accurate those challenges would be portrayed. Unfortunately, when this movie is over there are still many unanswered questions.

scalene I
the movie thriller seem a bit contrite; I did not enjoy the treatment of the son by the mother who seemed to be the poster child for low self esteem and doing to much to get a man. the nanny although had good intentions it still led me to the old saying my grandmother used to say..... the road to H--L is paved with good intentions.

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Midnight Movies Vol 1: Horror Triple Feature (A Blade in the Dark/Macabre/Shock)

Good trilogy from Mario and Lamberto Bava at a great price!!
This triple feature of "Midnight Movies Volume 1" is a great introduction to Mario Bava's last film SHOCK and two of his son's films A BLADE IN THE DARK and MACABRE. This is Blue Underground's re-packaging the original Anchor Bay catalog titles. All three movies are on a seperate disc with its own special features (carried over from past DVD releases). I won't go into film synopsis here, I am reviewing the DVD set and NOT the movies. These three movies aren't the two directors' best anyway. I got this set for SHOCK alone, being a huge Mario Bava fan. The other two films are alright in this set. The three films are presented in anamorphic widescreen 1.85 that is passable for these low budget Italian horror films. Seems Blue Underground won't remaster these older titles, so this will have to do. Like I said, these aren't the greatest films in Italian horror, but the three are pretty good to have in one set. Plus, if you are not familiar with Lamberto Bava's work, this will get you...





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The Spaghetti Western: Boot Hill, Cutthroats 9, Savage Guns, Johnny Yuma, Minnesota Clay

The West - western-Europe style
I've purchased several DVD box sets from DIAMOND ENTERTAINMENT and have found the DVDs to be free of defects, with strong audio. Video quality has been variable, but never so poor as to be unwatchable.

About a third of the titles in THE SPAGHETTI WESTERN aren't available on any other multi-movie box set. Noticeably absent here is Lee Van Cleef, who made more European westerns than any other American actor. On the other hand, his public domain films are in wide circulation.

For more of the same, check out SPAGHETTI WESTERNS from ST. CLAIR ENTERTAINMENT.

.
Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.

(6.1) Any Gun Can Play (Italy-1967) - Edd Byrnes/Gilbert Roland
(4.7) Between God, the Devil and a Winchester (Italy/Spain-1968) - Gilbert Roland/Richard Harrison
(5.0) Boot Hill (Italy-1969) - Terence...

ok way to build your collection of movies,but the transfers are not very good so bewere
this collection of spaghetti westerns is ok and has some good westerns if you like westerns,but on the down side the transfers are not the best and if you want great treansfers then think about looking elsewere for these films!!!otherwise enjoy!!!



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No-Mercy

Frustrating Crime Thriller
I've had great luck with Korean crime thrillers. These have been some of the best movies I've seen. I like this one enough, but for me, the script suffered under mediocre directing.

Here's the scoop. A criminal forensics expert is brought in on a case where a dead girl's body is found. They catch the perp right off. Problem is, he has the expert's daughter hostage and now the expert needs to doctor the evidence to get the killer off and save his daughter. Meanwhile there's a female newbie detective on the case that's too sharp for her own good. How will she handle this conundrum?

This is a really clever script that's laid out really well. The viewer is set up early on so it's a matter of who will rule the day in the end. At a certain level it's like the movie "Insomnia" where you have a veteran detective trying to cover up his own crime, while the rookie babe, who admires him very much, is put in the position of having to bring him down. This faltered on the...





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Hudson's Bay

Hudson's Bay
I fondly remember watching this movie on Long Island's television station WPIX back in the '50's when you could see an entire movie without hundreds of commercial interruptions. Seeing it again via DVD only served as a reminder as to what a good actor Paul Muni was. This was not one of his more memorable films but it was one that I very much enjoyed watching him act in. I would recommend this movie for people who do not complain that the picture is in "glorious black and white" or that every two minutes something is not getting blown up. This movie was made in the day when they wanted to tell a story through dialogue (that you could understand what they are actually saying) and good acting. It was good to see Vincent Price in a role before he went into horror movies as well as Gene Tierney and John Sutton at the beginning of their careers. I am so glad that 20th is finally opening up their archive vaults and hope to see more movies eventually released.

Fun adventure tale
Hudson's Bay is a 1940 black and white comedy adventure tale set in 1667 in Canada, providing a fanciful account of the settling of Hudson's Bay, 1.5 million square miles between Quebec and Manitoba, and the creation of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Paul Muni (1895-1967) stars as a French trader who is responsible for setting up the company. Muni was nominated for an Oscar his very first film, "The Valiant" in 1929, and 6 more times - "I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" (1932), "Black Fury" (1935), "The Story of Louis Pasteur" (1936), "The Life of Emile Zola" (1937), "The Last Angry Man" (1959). To be nominated 6 times over a period of 30 years is remarkable (and unmatched) itself, but this achievement is all the more meaningful when you realize that Muni made only 21 films, and furthermore, he wasn't nominated for "Scarface" (1932) or "The Good Earth" (1937) in which his performances were also exceptional.

Larger than life Laird Cregar (1913-44) often played...

Hudson Bay
A story of the Beaver trade discovery in Canada's Hudson Bay in the 1600's. Paul Muni and Laird Cregar are two French Trappers that make their living in the beautiful open spaces. They try to interest France to finance their exepedition to find the beaver source to share their riches for New France. They are ill treated by the authorities and as they protest a fight ensues. A angered court sends them to prision. While there thy meet a fellow inmate who tells them he is a outcast English nobleman that had offended the English King and was exiled. to the Americas. The Furtrappers share their Beaver dream and escape to the wilderness. With help of Indians they establish theirTrading Post . To help get additional finance for their needs, the Englishman and his two friends return to England to hopefully interest King Charles in the venture to establish a fort for England.

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The Seven Year Itch [Blu-ray]

Man, is this hot, and not because of the skirt scene
"Chapter 6-the Brubaker-Steichel theory of the sporadic infidelity pattern of the married male, or the Seven Year Itch."

Having sent his wife Helen and son Ricky to Maine to avoid the scorching July Manhattan summer, Richard Sherman, "keymaster" of a pocket edition publisher, stays behind to work, promising his wife to abstain from drinking and smoking. "Some husbands think just because their wives are away for the summer, they can run wild." However, the appearance of a young blonde renting his upstairs neighbours' apartment turns his life topsy-turvy, turning him into a bundle of nerves.

Sherman approves the covers of the pulp books: "Soup up the title a little, get yourself a cheerful and interesting cover. It's a question of imagination, and Mr. Sherman has a lot of it," says the narrator. To quote his wife and as a promoting film technology gag, "lately, you've been imagining in Cinemascope and Stereophonic sound." From his imagination, including a parody of the beach...

THE ULTIMATE MARILYN.....
This is the ultimate Monroe film. The one where she stands over a subway grating on a hot summer night to feel the rush of cool air from the trains passing beneath---the rush of air blowing the skirt of her sexy white halter dress up around her. But there's a movie that goes with this legendary image and it's a classic. Based on the adult Broadway play, "Itch" was watered down for the screen and stars Tom Ewell as the frustrated married man and Monroe as the Girl Upstairs. One hot New York summer, a man sends his wife and small son away for the summer---as all New York men do this time of the year according to Ewells' narration. He's left alone in their apartment to struggle with his vices---cigarettes and booze---when all of a sudden the Girl moves in sub-letting the apartment upstairs. She's a TV model and commercial actress and delightfully portrayed by Monroe. The homely and dumpy Ewell begins having steamy sex fantasies visualizing himself as a powerful lover irrestible to women...

Fantastic Blu-ray release!
I picked this up because I'm a huge Billy Wilder fan and I've never seen the film. It's fantastic! Beautiful HD transfer. Wonderful humor from the times that still feels relevant and a big "stick it" to the Hays Code.

The best part about this though is the special features. Commentary, picture-in-picture history lesson on the Hays Code, multiple featurettes. It's a great release!

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Twinkle Toes: The Movie by Skechers

Cute but shameless advertising
It's a cute story that little girls will like but it's also a shameless marketing ploy by Skechers to advertise their $50+ shoes for girls who will likely outgrow them in less than a year.

Great
I bought this for my Grand Daughter for Christmas. She loves it!! Quick shipping. Perfect for her age group 10 years old.

We loved it!!!!!
My daughter loved it,

My daughter is just now 5 and I often worry about her finding her own way. There is so much pressure on kids to fit in that bullying has become an issue. This movie tells the kids that they can be their own person and that it is not okay to bully or be bullied. She loves it too. The dancing, music, and characters jeep her entertained.

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Mendy

Honest and insightful. Also, very entertaining
I watched this movie in the Manhattan theater in June of 2006.This is one great movie that you will fall in love with. Although it's my belief that some knowledge (of) and/or Jewish background is necessary in order to grasp the meaning of the movie and not to misjudge the characters and the plot. Otherwise, you'd be asking (just like Bianca in the movie did) "So, your G-d is a racist then".

I think that this is a very honest movie and raises some important issues that we don't usually want to deal with or even admit to ourselves (well, this does apply to me) they (issues) exist and affect us in one way or another.

Excellent film, not very accessible
Firstly, I thought that the depth of this film lay primarily in the portrait of its three central characters. It does not have a particularly compelling narrative, but then my spouse likes to point out that I am attracted to films that lack a clear narrative. It is beautifully acted.

I should add here - and this point is really why I bothered to write this - that the film is not terribly accessible to an audience that is not acquainted with Chassidic culture (or at least Orthodox Jewish culture). Unlike in cheesy movies like "A Price Above Rubies", in Mendy Chassidic culture is neither spoon-fed to the viewer, nor is it avoided. It simply textures most of the film, which is exactly how it functions in real life. (A brief aside: I am an Orthodox Jew, very familiar with the culture being portrayed on screen, and I have never seen it more convincingly portrayed. Neither in English language or in Israeli cinema. The actors' command of Yiddish (in Hungarian dialect) is...

Hard to say...
As a non-Jew I was hoping for a way to learn more about the orthodox life, but I'm not at all sure I found it in this film, interesting though it was at times. I certainly appreciated hearing Yiddish...something I had never been exposed to at all and was thankful for the subtitles.

I think some of the meaning and the questions presented were sincere and reasonably well conceived, yet the obvious effort to be edgy and raw with ugly street language, doping, sex, etc. made the film into something rather mundane. The acting was okay, direction okay, production in general okay...but overall, at least for me, it was disappointing and no better than two stars.

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Running Funny

Kept waiting for this film to "say" something or go somewhere
This film was free through my Amazon Prime membership, so I gave it a try. The script and the director were trying to make a statement about the Millennial Generation, I believe. However, despite my patiently waiting for the film to "say" something or go somewhere, it just didn't happen. The crumbling friendship between the two lead characters wasn't believable. To the contrary, I could scarcely believe they were ever friends at all because of their extreme differences: one being aggressively obnoxious and shallow while the other is painfully introverted and contemplative.

NOT UNFFAMILIAR STRUGGLES OF THE YOUNG
Fun little story about two guys who the usual aspirations after getting out of school - the boys are certainly likeable, and easy to understand their conflicts. But it's Louis Zorich who steals the day. This perennial actor has been around a long time - and even has a small role in "Friends and Family" as a humorous mobster. Sure warn those who care about such things, this is not a gay film. The interplay between the two boys who seems to have different aspirations carries the film along. Not earth-shaking. If you have time from other more gripping tales, watch it, but don't hold your breath expecting anything earth-shaking.

it was better than OK.
An interesting dynamic among the characters. It was worth a view. It was not as engrossing nor compelling as some others.

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Kebab Connection

"Ever see a Turkish guy with a baby carriage?" Or a sliced-off head praising a doner kebab sandwich?
Ibo Secmez (Denis Moschitto), a young German whose parents came from Turkey, has one ambition, to make the first German kung fu movie. His girlfriend, Titzi (Nora Tschirner), has a German mother and a great desire to be an actress. In this movie, two things happen that are going to change a lot of plans. Ibo's uncle, who owns King of Kebab, a kebab joint in Hamburg, pays Ibo to make a television commercial for his place. It's not long before Ibo's commercial is shown...with a kung fu showdown at the counter, with feet flying, with swords spinning and with the camera focusing in on a great looking, juicy doner kebab. Customers rush to the place (or at least they do until they actually taste some of the food, like tripe soup with testicles). The second thing to happen is that Ibo and Titzi find out they've unexpectedly collaborated on a creation of their own. Titzi is pregnant and decides she wants to keep the baby.

What follows is an undemanding and amusing comedy that...

Stupid and fuuny
Kind of reminded me of Johan of Adam Sandler. The movie used a lot of Hollywood elements, and few American cultural references [for example, the hippie girl character in Humburg.] Of course, this is a funny movie that has been on the borderline of absurd humor, from beginning to end. But funny after all. You won't regret it. Totally nothing serious here.

Döner!
I got this for my family because even though my mother is a German native, we have a lack of German things to watch around the house. My family didn't know what to make it of at first but by the end everyone was having a great time.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

very funny stuff
I saw this movie at the Wisconsin Film Festival a few years ago. I split a gut it was so smart and so stupid. STUPID! Watching the DVD I realized I missed so many jokes the first time. The helium addict was hysterical and Titler is outrageous. It's definitely a movie to watch with a group that will need a designated driver at the end of the evening. Very funny stuff. But beware, it is too long and nobody will get all the pop culture references. I watched it with a MST3000 fan who didn't know who Barney Frank or Paul Ruddnick were. He didn't like it. It's a lot more SNL than MST. I hope they make another one.

the next great cult classic film... you've got to see this
I saw this movie when it came to the Boston Underground film festival. I couldn't stop laughing. I am so glad that Refried flicks has finally made a DVD version. This is a really funny movie. Definitely worth seeing. I am especially fond of the songs!

A Must-Have!
If you like Mystery Science Theatre you will love this movie. It deals quality laughs and the appeal never wears off after many views, very worth owning. Also the social commentary is sharp, so there's substance behind the towering humor.

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Time

"Time" cements Kim Ki-Duk's position as one of Korea's most interesting directors...
TIME (aka. Shi gan) is the 2006 offering of acclaimed Korean director Kim Ki-Duk (the Bow, The Isle, Spring Summer Fall..., 3-IRON). Kim's style of film-making usually involves limited dialogue, allowing silence to express the screenplay by way of unspoken emotional expression. Much of his films involve marginalized worlds or a way of life; he takes his audiences to that world, the main goal is to make us understand how it operates and see certain rules that may apply. In his film; "Time", he tackles the desire for youth and beauty, also the fears of love.

A young and attractive woman named Seh-hee (Ji Yeon Park) is worried that her boyfriend, Ji-woo (Ha Jeong-woo) is growing tired of her. She occasionally observes him looking at other beautiful women. She-hee is a jealous type and always insists that she doesn't excite him anymore during lovemaking. She-hee even goes as far as suggesting that he imagine her as someone else while making love. Seh-hee, takes drastic...

A Korean Culture Capsule.
Once again, Kim Ki Duk has produced another excellent movie showing the more sensitive nature of his korean culture, up close and personal. The photography is top quality and the images of surgery donot linger too long for affect but give just the right atmosphere of desperation to the story. Kim's treatment of love is unique in that he shows love is with us all the time but it can take many hardships to see it. Kim also shows that, like Deity, love has no limits known by man except for the limits man places on it which can never last. A great movie. Buy it!

Brilliant psychological film
This is a brilliant treatment of human insecurity and relationships, of loneliness and superficiality. Tension throughout, well paced, and leaving you with questions and dimensions, but no answers. Like his previous films, it will stay in your head, and you can see it several times over.

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