Serving Life

Good
This program was really thought provoking. Generally, society likes to label incarcerated people as being bad and unfeeling. This show demonstrates how untrue labels can be. The documentary spotlights a hospice program in Angola. Other prisons around the country have similar programs. It is a study in compassion and redemption.

A life-changing look into another world, hospice in prison
An amazing life-changing chronicle. The theme- finding hope and spiritual meaning through service to others. This documentary examines the extremes- men who are incarcerated for life for heinous crimes against their fellow man- murder, armed robbery and such are learning to give and find God through service to the dying. Life imprisonment is an ultimate existential crisis- what is the meaning of my life, why am I here? It also challenges us "free persons" to look at the concepts of jain, incarceration, life imprisonment, the death penalty, redemption, punishment, penal code, protecting society and so on. The prison Warden says something to this effect in the film- these are old men, dying men, no longer predators; what are they doing living and dying here?

Awakening!
This is quite the inspiring documentary. Very well done. It gives humanity to men considered like mistakes in our society.
You will end up wondering if we had programs available for our young people (the one susceptible to take a wrong turn) to have a similar experience, would we have so much crime in our country....

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Pinocchio [HD]

Benigni is brilliant!!!!!
Benigni plays Pinocchio brilliantly. Some may think that a middle-aged man playing a small boy is strange, but Benigni's enthusiasm and humor make him a perfect fit for the role. In my opinion, Benigni is an amazing actor. He was absolutely wonderful in Life is Beautiful.

Good for young kids
Was rather boring and annoying. Liked better the other movie versions where there was a wooden puppet first and less stupid lines.



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Solar Mamas [HD]

So glad I watched
Was a well made doc. Ended up donating to Barefoot College. It warms my spirit to hear of such institutions.

Solar Mamas
Without a doubt the one of the most inspiring stories I have ever seen. This is 21st century women learning in the best way they can for their very different world villages, and the men stand by in amazement. This is solar power at it's finest. Get it for your wives and daughters and granddaughters. Unforgettable.



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Equilibrium [HD]

A Superb Exercise in Speculative Film Making
I can understand the urge to compare "Equilibrium" and "The Matrix". Both films feature dark, foreboding cinematography. Both films are about rebellion against a warped reality. Both films feature a reluctant, messianic protagonist. And, finally, both films rely heavily on stylistic, hyper-kinetic combat scenes that can only be described as, well, reverent. That is where the similarity ends because while "Equilibrium" has a few moments of slow-motion it's action scenes are much more original than those of "The Matrix Trilogy". No Wires, just pure crazy choreography which makes the action feel all the more authentic. The environment is also a great deal more organic in contrast to the cryptic automaton of the Matrix.

"Equilibrium", in short, manages to be entirely its own movie. Where The Matrix relies on "bending" the rules of physics in an imaginary construct of a world, "Equilibrium" goes the other way and hypothesizes the "Gun-Kata", a martial arts ballet that allows it's...

You Should Not Miss These Sensational Action Scenes
Sci-fi flick with stunning visuals, "Equilibrium" deserves much more attention not only from fans of genre, but also from general audiences. Sure, its flaws are too visible, borrowing Orwellian ideas from other films like, say, "Brazil," but it is not that ideas themselves but the way they are put into practice that really counts, and on that score "Equiliburium" is a winner. (And critics, please let me know, why do you all praise Steven's "Minority Report" which actually borrows ideas from other films of this genre? So, why not give this one a due respect?)

Well, I admit the opening chapter of "Equilibrium" is a bit weak, introducing us to the dystopia world after the WW3, but soon you will forget that. The totalitarian government established after the war decided to eliminate anything that might possibly make humans emotional, forcing the people to inject a certain doze of [chemical substance] to be unemotional every day. Moreover, it decrees there should be no more music (not...

Even my Mom loved it!!!
For action sake why this movie was so poorly received by critics? Ok, I'm a huge action fan. I love watching a movie with well-developed characters, great plot, interesting conversations but when I rent something in the action category I am expecting to see a film where the main character kicks some serious butt. Equilibrium was great! It not only satisfied my hunger to see beautifully choreographed gun battles but it also delivered likable characters and an intense plot. Christian Bale shines in his role as the cleric John Peterson. His expression is so cold, his stance with a gun in each hand exudes extreme power and fearlessness. In fact, he doesn't feel fear because he has to take Prozium, a drug that eliminates emotion. Accidentally, however, one day John misses the dose of his drug and starts feeling the world around himself like a true human. This is where the trouble starts and cool fight scenes begin.

If you are an action fan, you will love the fights in...

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With A Friend Like Harry [HD]

Intense, Polanski-like thriller almost a gem.
With a Friend Like Harry takes quite a while to reveal itself. It's establishing a tone and the relationships of those you are going to be involved with. The film has a lot in common with
Hitchcock in how it takes its time (like say Psycho did for instance) in deciding to tell you what is going on. When you start realizing what is going on... the suspense starts to increase. I was ahead of this film through most of its running time, but that worked in terms of building suspense as well because the characters are ones you are interested in and care about.

I'm purposely not going to tell you much about the film. In terms of re-counting plot synopsis' there's not a great deal to this story of a married couple who bump into a helpful stranger and his wife, a stranger who had gone to high school with the husband. He's odd, but seems friendly and reveals himself to be very quirky but seemingly friendly. There's wonderful details and ironies to be discovered (perhaps on your...

"With a friend like Harry" is a deep psychological thriller
Michel uses a restroom off a highway. He is cooling himself down by washing his face with water when he notices a man staring at him with a strange smile on his face. The man tells him that he is an old friend from school. Michel doesn't remember him but the man has perfect memory of their past and Michel believes that he once knew this man. The man addresses himself as Harry. Harry seems to know all about Michel and even many things that Michel doesn't remember himself. He remembers a girl that they both dated and even recites an old poem that was written by Michel. He stands too close to people, insinuates many things, and asks questions that no one feels comfortable answering. Harry's way of getting into people's lives feels like he is violating them. Harry is not a very likeable person but Michel feels enough comfort with him to have him over for dinner. Michel(Laurent Lucas), his wife Claire(Mathilde Seigner), and his three noisy daughters are on their way to their summer cabin...

Tense, pleasant surprise
Hitchcock with a French accent. Wonderful actors, unique characters, a splash of black comedy, and a few murders. Definitely worth an evening out.

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Rabbit-Proof Fence

Courage and determination during a dark chapter of history
Between 1905 and 1971, the Australian government had a horrible policy. They forcibly removed all half-caste Aboriginal children to special training schools. The grown daughter of one of these children wrote a book about her mother's experiences. This film is an adaptation of that book.

The story takes place in 1931, when Molly, then 14, her sister Daily, then 8, and her cousin Gracie, then 10, are literally torn from the arms of their mothers, put in a cage, and taken 1,200 miles away to a school which is actually a sort of prison. Here, they are forbidden to speak their own language, they have to attend a Christian church, and are taught the ways of the white Australian culture around them. Led by Molly, the girls run away. And most of the film is the odyssey of their trek back home, following the rabbit-proof fence that bisects Australia, constructed to keep rabbits out of the pastureland.

The villain is clearly the white director of the school. It is amazing, but he...

Excellent Film about Australia's "Stolen Generations"
Based on (part of) a true story, "Rabbit-Proof Fence" details the long journey that three young aboriginal girls embark on after being forcefully taken from their family in order to learn how to "fit into" a white society.

The story is fascinating, and the execution from director Phillip Noyce is stunning. This is a perfect film for history teachers to show their students. The performances are very natural and winning. Peter Gabriel's score is excellent - with the music playing over the closing credits being some of his best work ever (and appearing in a slightly different form as "Sky Blue" on his 2002 album, _UP_).

If you have seen this movie and enjoyed it, the DVD is a keeper. The audio commentary from Noyce is superbly done. In addition to giving the viewer background as to how and why he did the movie, he also offers up some interesting tidbits about the difference between working on mainstream films ("Clear & Present Danger,"...

Watch the absorbing documentary...
I won't gush on and on about the excellent movie. I want to bring your attention to the "Making of" documentary. So often these are thrown onto a DVD as a "bonus", but amount to nothing more than a refried re-telling of the film. Here, instead, we are treated to forty-five minutes of how Philip Noyce selected his three young actresses, and all the trials and tribulations that entailed. The scene in the film of the three children being taken from their mothers is a very heart-wrenching scene. But, moving beyond compare is that same scene as caught by the "making of" cameras during and after the shoot. Many of the people behind the cameras were in tears during the actual filming of the scene. At the end of the scene, the character mothers are on the ground crying and Noyce yells, "CUT!". He looks down and you can hear the actresses still crying. He looks up and around the camera with a puzzled look on his face to see if perhaps the actresses did not hear him yell, "CUT". They are all...

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Last of the Great Unknown

Inspirational
Visually stunning look into the world of canyoneering. Unique content and beautifully captured, never before seen areas of the Grand Canyon make this a must watch!

Follow your passions
It's inspiring to see people follow their passions.
Amazing scenery that makes me rethink the Grand Canyon as something other than a big hole in the earth. :) Production quality is top notch.
Thanks for the inspiration.

Really great Intro to canyoneering
I loved the photography, and a little of the history of the Grand Canyon, but was hoping for a longer movie, quite frankly. For something as indescribably enormous as the Grand Canyon, 23 minutes seemed pretty short. But then again, what would I rather do - make a longer movie or get out and explore canyons? That's a no-brainer, so it's hard to fault Rich Rudow for that! I'm really glad he made the movie - Thanks Rich!

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In Search of Santa

A sweet film starring the Duffs.
Even in the coldest places on Earth the magic of Christmas can warm the heart. Join penguin princesses Crystal (voice of Hilary Duff) and Lucinda (voice of Haylie Duff) on the adventure of a lifetime in this enchanting, fun-filled, CGI-animated movie. When a sleigh bell mysteriously falls from the sky, pure-hearted Princess Crystal is determined to prove it came from one of Santa's reindeer. Together, she and her sister, Princess Lucinda, set off on a daring journey to the North Pole to find Santa Claus. Along the way, the royal duo must work together to outrun hungry, wild beasts, outwit greedy pirates, and try to keep three sneaky court penguins from stealing their parents' throne. Featuring delightful characters, great new songs, and a heartwarming story, IN SEARCH OF SANTA celebrates friendship, family, and the most wonderful time of the year.

A beautiful story suitable for families, especially young children.

KIDS love it!
My kids watch this movie over and over again. Extremely happy with this movie and making them enjoy watching it as well.

Great movie
Product came with no defects, my grandson and I love to watch it over and over he wants more santa movies

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George and the Dragon [HD]

A Wonderful Family Fantasy Movie
I am a grandfather, and I watched this movie with my three-year-old grandson, and we both really enjoyed the movie. I found nothing in this movie that would be questionable for children. Some might think the big fight near the end would be too violent for kids, but this grandson clearly understood that the bad guys were being beaten. I have to say 'beaten' because I don't recall the movie showing anyone being killed. Even when the priest was struck, and 'blood' gushed out, it turned out to be his secret wineskin that was cut! Then, even though the movie didn't show it actually happen, my grandson figured out that the dragon had eaten the final bad guy! While, the movie was simple enough for a preschool boy to understand, it was entertaining enough for his grandpa to enjoy it as well. And, Grandma, walking in and out of the room, said she wanted to watch it when she had time! This is a very enjoyable family fantasy movie.

Fun medieval flick
This fine bit of fluff starts with a war-weary knight returning to his homeland, wanting nothing more than to settle down into peaceful obscurity. The princess has gone mysteriously missing, however, and he takes on the quest to recover her.

That princess turns out to be the petite but spunky Lunna, played by Piper Perabo. She's doing quite nicely until some oafs started getting underfoot and trying to save her. The fact that she treats dragons as an endangered species and that the knights are the danger just adds to her problems. Throw in some bad guys, some good guys in surprising places, and a suit of chain mail tailored to Piper's compact and curvy form, and the story stands well away from the ordinary.

It's a great popcorn movie, kid-safe but with plenty to amuse a grown-up who's willing to be amused.

-- wiredweird

Amazing Movie Despite A Few Weaknesses
I will admit, this movie has a few weaknesses, but those should not stand in the way of the strengths.

"George and the Dragon," which also appeared on the Sci-Fi channel under the title "Dragon Sword," REALLY reminded me of the dragon stories I used to read and watch when I was a kid and young adult. However, it's told in a way that appeals to adults as well. It follows the quest of George (James Purefoy), a knight who just returned from the Crusades. George is the ideal crusade knight: battle savvy, honorable, and loyal. After visiting his family, George's father sends him on a quest to find the dragon that George's father tangled with years before. George, who believes dragons are extinct and his father was just telling a fairy tale, finds his own quest. The king's daughter, Princess Lunna (Piper Parabo), has gone missing, and her father offers George a fortune to help find her. Despite the opportunity for wealth and fortune, George only wants an acre of land, two...

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Sons of Perdition

A New Brand Of American Refugee--Kids On The Run, But With Nowhere To Go
For a documentary with such a straightforward and no-nonsense approach, "Sons of Perdition" packs an emotional punch that will likely stay with you. The story chronicles three years in the life of young men who have left Warren Jeffs' Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint (FLDS) sect. Jeffs' regime was extreme, to say the least, and his efforts to purify his clan makes for one of the most harrowing tales of isolationism in recent American history. He banned public schooling, all secular reading, and any recreational activities. He excommunicated other prominent men and systematically redistributed their holdings and families to suit his own interests. "Sons of Perdition" documents three exiled young men who have taken refuge in a neighboring town overrun by those in similar circumstances. But it's not an easy road to build a new life after years of emotional abuse. And despite escape, the world outside offers little solace and fewer choices to this ever expanding underground...

Escape from hell
"Sons of Perdition" is a documentary about the small town of Colorado City in Arizona, a community controlled by a bizarre cult known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS).

I read about Colorado City in several books, but this is the first time I've actually seen how the community looks like. The people wear old-fashioned dresses, and the girls ride horses or ponies. It looks creepy, like M. Night Shyamalan's movie "The Village" in real life. But of course, some people might find it idyllic, a little bit like the Amish. In reality, child labour is common, dating is prohibited, and all marriages are decreed by the leader, Warren Jeffs. The cult is polygamous, there are no real schools, and defectors are shunned. Warren Jeffs himself was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for various polygamy-related crimes.

"Sons of Perdition" follow a group of teenagers who manage to escape from the clutches of the cult. They move to the...

Trying to escape from Zion.
Here's a suggestion: Before you put this movie in your queue, read the book "Lost Boy" by Brent W. Jeffs. Brent grew up in the Fundamental Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and is actually a nephew of Warren Jeffs, the de-facto (though jailed) leader of that polygamous Mormon sect. The emotional and sexual abuse Brent endured is horrifying, but the book also provides an inside look into the bizarre and isolated FLDS world, in which Warren Jeffs is glorified a lot like Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il were glorified in North Korea. Read Brent Jeffs' book, THEN watch "Sons of Perdition." You will have a much better perspective on what these boys are going through.

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Shake, Rattle and Rock!

Rock & Roll: The Way It Should Be
I enjoyed the fact that Shake, Rattle & Rock! portrayed situations as they happened in those days. I am only sorry that due to the passing of James H. Nicholson prevented the proposed sequel from being made as I really would loved to have seen a sequel.

Fun little movie
Once in a while someone manages to get a handle on the spirit of the early rock 'n' roll movies of the '50s. And, to his credit, director Allan Arkush has done it twice; first with "Rock 'n' Roll High School" - quite probably the greatest rock 'n' roll movie ever made - and again fifteen years later with "Shake, Rattle, and Rock." Is it great art? Naw, but it's fun. Be sure to watch for original "Rock 'n' Roll High School" stars Mary Woronov, P.J. Soles, and Dey Young playing their "RnRHS" characters' mothers.

Renee Zellwegger Is Awesome
I came across this little movie, and I'm glad I did. Shake, Rattle and Rock! reminds me of a toned-down Grease with it's doo-wop songs and group of characters. A small town is taken back by rock-n-roll music. The teens love it, along with a radio tv show host (Howie Mandell), but the parents despise it. Especially Susan Doyle's (Renee) mother and her group of friends.

The characters in this movie are great and ultimately fit into the time era. There's your group of kids who have a band (Renee Zellwegger, Patricia Childress, and Max Perlich), the radio tv host dj (Howie Mandell), the bad boy (John Doe), and a group of young black girls (Latanyia Baldwin, Necia Bray, Josina Elder, & Wendi Williams) trying to make it big in a racial music business. The acting was very good. Especially that given by lead actress Renee Zellwegger. She is so awesome.

Shake, Rattle and Rock! is a great movie, and your 90 minutes will not be wasted.

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Bad Meat

BAD MEAT IS VOMITING INDUCING
One has to wonder---if a movie is shut down uncompleted, why is the incomplete product released as a finished product? BAD MEAT is the ridiculous product of such cinematic tomfoolery. I doubt if a "finished' film would have been much better---it's really a derivative and mindless movie. The actors should be ashamed of themselves for participating in this disgusting flick: Mark Pellegrino (DEXTER, THE CLOSER); Elizabeth Harnois (CSI, CRIMINAL MINDS) and James Franco's brother Dave have all done better work than this.
BAD MEAT is just that----BAAAAD!

Too Bad They Ran Out Of Funding
This film had a troubled production history, with the original director being replaced and then being shut down due to lack of funding. From the way the finished product is edited, it seems that some of the principal cast members were not available to come back and complete their performances. The movie is fast-paced, gruesome, fun and never boring, and just as things are getting really nasty . . . the credits start to roll. "Are you ******* kidding me?!" were my exact words. Yet and still, this tale of terrorized teens and the infected flesh-hungry staff at a camp for troubled youth is worth checking out. It's been compared to Cabin Fever but I think it's a lot more enjoyable than that film, even if it appears unfinished. Fans of Dave Franco will want to check it out, too.

great film but plenty of questions
Excellent film, fantastic acting, great cute sexy actresses, and great summer rehabilitation camp location. found this little gem to be very entertaining with plenty of twist and perverse storylines. It has alot of the ingredients of a horror/thriller film and is sure to please for the most jaded taste. Has some very cool gross scenes and some very perverse/weird twisted scenes, and off the wall, somewhat hilarious scenes too. A love making scene with the couple dressed in all black leather is sure to be remembered with over the top perversity. there were some continunity problems with one of the actresses... one minute she is running for her life... and the next minute she is gone... never was explained what happened to her. guys would love this film, but don't know if it would be well received by girls though. again a really bizarre perverse film!

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360

`Everything comes full circle.' Fascinating and Challenging, a Cinematic Treasure
Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (City of God, Blindness, The Constant Gardner, etc) once again demonstrates how far away from reality his films can take us, but at the same time how closely he can examine human foibles so that rather than being a spectator he involves the viewer into squirming through our own errors of assignations, past, present and future. The screenplay for this extended psychological thriller is by Peter Morgan (Longford, The Queen, Frost/Nixon. The Last King of Scotland, etc) and yet both men attribute the inspiration to Arthur Schnitzler's 1897 play La Ronde which scrutinizes the sexual morals and class ideology of its day through a series of encounters between pairs of characters (shown before or after a sexual encounter). By choosing characters across all levels of society, the play offers social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class. Meirelles and Morgan weave together the stories of an array of people from disparate social...

We've Seen It All Before
Billed as a modern remake of the wonderful 1950 French film. La Ronde, 360 turns out to simply be another in a long line of Six-Degrees-Of-Separation-type films (or perhaps, considering its global span, another in a long line of Babel-type films). Unfortunately, there is really no development of story or character, so all that is left of any interest in watching how the lives of the characters randomly intersect on an international scale. The cast is good, with the stand-outs being Ben Foster and Anthony Hopkins (who in a rather small role ironically does his best work in years), but at the end one is left with a big "So What?"

IF THE ROAD FORKS. TAKE IT
I imagine this is titled 360 because "Ring" and "It's a Small World" were already taken. 360 involves a number of disjointed stories that have a way of intersecting or not. There are many indie films out there that do this, some work better than others. The ones that work have quirky stories that hold our interest. This one does not. The stories consist of an escort, infidelity, a sex offender, a man looking for his missing daughter, and a Russian. There may be a few more.

The Denver airport was filmed in Minnesota, apparently they figured no one travels enough to either place to notice. While the acting wasn't bad, the stories were presented in a mundane fashion. One of the problems with the film is that you know in advance the story will circle back so you spend your time concentrating on how it is going to do that rather than try to take in what is on the screen.

If you like intersecting indie films, try Jason Freeland's "Garden Party" a modest production...

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Barney: Let's Go to the Doctor

Great Lessons
While I am not a Barney-fan, he is a great role model for kids and this DVD is perfect to show kids that doctors are not someone to be afraid of, what they do and how there are different ones. The DVD covers so much that is perfect for any preschooler such as washing their hands, eating fruits and vegetables, getting out and playing, and more. This is a great way to show kids all these great lessons in one DVD.





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Fire with Fire [Blu-ray]

YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR FIRST NAME
In Long Beach, there is a turf war going on. Firefighter Jeremy Coleman (Josh Duhamel) is a witness to a murder and has been placed in the witness protection program where he falls in love with a US Marshall (Rosario Dawson). Bruce Willis plays local police chief Mike Cella who would like very much to see crime boss David Hagan (Vincent D'Onofrio) go to jail.

While in the program, the bad guys find out where Jeremy is located and threaten to kill everyone Jeremy knows and their family. Jeremy goes vigilante in order to save himself and everyone else. He also gives us overwhelming clues about the ending.

I liked the climax of the film, in spite of the fact I knew it was coming from 30 minutes into the film. The script was overly predictable and the dialouge wasn't moving. Vinnie Jones gives us a brief bad guy, and likewise 50 Cent wasn't on screen that long. I would have liked to have seen more of Willis in the film.

Might work as a 99 cent rental for...

Definitely Worth Watching -- Nothing Groundbreaking
The reason I deducted one star was because the ending was left open. I hate when a movie leaves the audience with a question, especially if that question pertains to the status of the main characters. It is a fatal flaw that I believe some film makers do not grasp. If I spend 90 minutes or so watching the story unfold, it makes sense that I am interested in something about the story... Since I am interested in the story, it makes further sense that I want to know about the problems the characters are dealing with, how they respond, and what happens to them. Does the cowboy win the battle and the girl and ride off into the sunset? Does ET call home and get through? Does Batman and Robin escape the trap the Joker snared them in? That is why I will tune in tomorrow night, same Bat time, same Bat channel. So it kindly torques my constitution when I give the writer/director my undivided time to follow the story, care about the characters, cheer them on and pray they are victorious...only...

Pretty routine and often bloody cops and robbers
You've seen this flapping turkey before. My biggest complaint is that i bought it instead or renting it via Netflix, cuz this is a one shot deal. Bruce Willis looked like he was on pain killers and never fired a round in this routine good guy on the run from the baddied. I counted three times when the heroes (a fireman who saw murders committed and a nicely-shaped US marshal who falls for the big lug) scuffle and lose their weapons and watch them skid across the smooth floor. Once, maybe, not three times in a movie. Willis could have been replaced with a cardboard cutout and we would have gotten the same visual results. Time for him to retire.
One major plus, the bad guy and his pack of blood-thirsty goons are terrific. They radiate evil and you want them to perish by the sword and slowly. I won't give away the main villain's name but he was in 'Full Metal Jacket' and he was masterful as the head whacko - one problem, not enough mayham by the vicious pack of mad dogs to really...

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The Love You Save [HD]

NOT A MOVIE AT ALL
I have to admit I only watched a minute of it, when I saw the "film" quality and heard the laughter and clapping in the background I realized I wasn't watching a real "movie" a taped play maybe?? I don't know. Just be warned.

Excellent Play!
This was very well done and hit some key family issues!! I loved it and was instantly drawn in and would highly recommend!

GREAT
This was a great play. NO QUESTION ASKED I will watch this movie again and again. It was emotional even for a grown man

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Kinky Boots [HD]

The performances make this comedy/drama
Even if these boots aren't exactly made for walking, they do look stylish. Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) must take over the family shoe business when his father dies. He discovers that the company is failing badly. He finds salvation of sorts when he meets drag queen and cabaret singer Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor from "Serenity" proving his versatility in this role). Lola complains about how the footwear she wears is so poorly designed. Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts) a former employee has a brainstorm--goes into men's fetish footwear. In other words, women's shoes that men (whether they be drag queens or not) can wear. Suddenly Charles has a niche market to work with and success comes unexpectedly comes knocking at his door. Unfortunately Charles must deal with his fiancé's (Jemima Rooper) disapproving attitude and the prejudice of his own employees before success can be fully his.

An amusing and poignant film that has just the right mix of drama in it, "Kinky Boots" was...

Not just a hilarious film but a life lesson
"What can I do?" Charlie asks his employee, Lauren, when he's firing her. "The men's shoe market is gone."

"Go out and find another market," she tells him.

And he does.

At first that market doesn't sit too well with his Northhampton working class employees, but when they realize this is their last hope of keeping their jobs and the Price Shoe Factory alive, they dig in.

What are they making? Kinky Boots---don't think of them as shoes, but as tubes of sex...

And those sexy shoes are for men, women, and folks who haven't made up their minds yet. Their lead designer is a young drag queen "Lola" aka Simon, who is still learning who he is as well.

There are lessons about both life and business in this film. If I were teaching a management course, I'd be showing this along with the "Prince," because "Kinky Boots" teaches a lot about thinking outside of the box, engaging your workers, keeping their pride, and...

Who wouldn't love this movie?
Heartwarming and full of personal courage, this is also a fun and wacky movie, based on a true story. The fashion runway scene at the Milan shoe show is worth the price of admission alone.

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Bad Santa: Unrated Director's Cut [HD]

STAY AWAY FROM DIRECTORS CUT
If you are a fan of Bad Santa, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD. I bought it expecting extended and restored scenes, instead I got a totally different ending and hilarious scenes cut out.
This version ends with the little boy outside trying to clean up the blood on his front steps rather than giving the bully a swift kick in the nards.
One of the scenes cut out is the scene in the gym where Willie and Marcus are trying to teach the little boy how to defend himself. That was one of the funniest scenes in the movie.
The packaging is deceptive. If they had said, "new ending" on the notes, I would have left it alone. It didn't and I wasted my money. I thought I would come on here and post a warning.

The feel-bad hit of the winter
For those of us who can't quite get into the Christmas spirit, "Bad Santa" is a massive preemptive strike against all of the insufferable sentimentality we're going to be subjected to a few months from now. This movie is every bit as entertaining and funny as "School Of Rock," but where "School Of Rock" succeeded through the overwhelming weight of its good intentions, "Bad Santa" (its moderately heartwarming ending notwithstanding) is all about bad intentions. This movie, especially in its powerhouse first half, displays such a commitment to mean-spiritedness that you can't help but love it.

Billy Bob Thornton's safe-cracking department-store Santa Willie is the epitome of ugliness, all the more so because he commits much of his mayhem in his work outfit. Early on we see him getting drunk and throwing up in an alley, and from there he remains in the gutter for much of the movie. He chain smokes, he wets himself in his chair, he fornicates in a dressing room, and above all, he...

Funniest film I've seen in ten years!
Not since "There's something about Mary" have I laughed so hard in a movie theater! I got into one of the preview screenings of this last week in LA and I have to say 90% of the audience was laughing just as loud as me. Let the prudes stay home - this is a film for anyone who wants to laugh till it hurts!

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Brideshead Revisited [HD]

Brideshead, Revisited With Reservations
Any film of Brideshead Revisited will inevitably be compared with the 1981 mini-series, and will suffer from the comparison. Evelyn Waugh's novel was so rich and detailed that any attempt to depict it in a mere 2 hours or so will be wanting. I am a fan of the mini-series, which I have watched countless times, and I want to make it clear that there are many things about this version that I find very appealing: the use of Castle Howard, the fine acting by Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson, Hayley Atwell, Ben Whishaw, and Matthew Goode, and the beautiful sets and costumes.

Unfortunately the need to compress the story distorts much of what Evelyn Waugh intended. By making the love affairs between Charles Ryder and Sebastian and Julia Flyte occur nearly simultaneously instead of Charles first loving Sebastian and then years later falling in love with Julia, Waugh's message of spiritual and emotional growth is blunted. More troubling is the lack of positive emphasis on...

You don't want to revisit this Brideshead
When I first heard of this film I found it hard to imagine how anyone could succeed in cramming the complex narrative of Brideshead Revisited into the 120 minute format that seems to be the norm for cinema these days, maybe as a favour to audiences suffering from attention deficit disorder. Still, I didn't expect much from Pride & Prejudice the movie, yet found myself enjoying that pretty well, so I took my chances with Brideshead too. But this time the experience was rather less satisfying, to put it mildly.

For someone familiar with the large, intricate, subtly tinted canvases of Waugh's book and the phenomenal TV-series, this is like seeing a hasty copy executed in crude strokes and garish colours. Within 20 minutes from the start Charles and Sebastian aren't just friends, they actually appear to be lovers. The gay thing is plastered on way too thick and goes far beyond anything suggested by Waugh. The way the storyline is distorted, it makes it seems as if Sebastian...

Brideshead Absentis
Having read Waugh's classic on the "tugs" of faith and watched the original mini-series more times then I remember over almost thirty years now, I seriously doubted this story could be condensed into two hours. A last, I was not disappointed! It wasn't the same story. The movie twists and turns in directions never written by Waugh. (Sadly as Andrew Davies, one of the films writers, has done excellent work over the years.) This, however, is not another version of Brideshead Revisted but a new creation; a creation built more on pretty scenery and anti-climatic moments lost to all depth of the characters.

The underlying issues of faith and religious up-bringing are totally lost, spun into a broad statement about Catholicism rather then its personal meaning to individual lives. The central message of the book has been stripped to a minor secondary theme. The faith journey is lost.

Charles' relationship with Sebastian is dumbed down to mere sexual experimentation...

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The Millennium Bug

A hidden gem
I am not afraid of bugs, well, except for that huge one in the hallway of my parents house when I was about 7 years old. That one was scary. Bugs make a great topic for creepy Sci-Fi movies. Over the decades we movie-goers have seen giant ants, spiders and locust just to name a few. Gargantuan bugs are pretty chilling because we tend to feel helpless around the normal size version of these critters. How do you handle one the size of a truck? That is the question in "Millennium Bug".

The story goes that every one thousand years this Buick sized bug bores its way out of the Earth to lay its eggs and die. The eggs hatch and the larva stay in the Earth for a thousand years as the cycle continues. Enter the Haskin Family. They have decided to escape all the Millennium frenzy of Dec 1999 and spend New Year's Eve camping deep in the woods of the Sierra Diablos Mountains. All is fine, battery powered Christmas lights are strung, champagne is opened and now they have bedded down for...

IT'S A GIRL!
The Crawford family live isolated and have some inbreeding issues. They are in need of new blood. Enter the Haskin family. This is the plot of a number of "B" slasher films, some far better than others. This one adds the subplot of a Millennium monster, one that appears every 1,000 years. It just so happens his 1,000 year period corresponds to our calendar. It is a rather huge creature with big teeth and killer tentacles.

There is nothing like combining two bad films into one. This one appeared to be designed to be campy, which it achieves in spurts but mostly sputters with stupidity. The researcher wore a "Crocodile Hunter" hat and mimicked him far too slightly to be effectively funny and campy. The dialouge during the early character build up phase of the Haskin family was boring. It was simply poorly scripted.

A borderline rental.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, near sex. Groped woman. Brief nudity that was rather ugly. Christine Haeberman tied up in...

AMAZING MOVIE!!!!!!!!!
Everything about this is amazing, the effects, the lack of cgi, the MONSTER SUIT! The movie, even without the monster is really entertaining, the rednecks, although repulsive, are very entertaining and they did a great job of getting me to root for the family, once the monster shows up though, it just turns incredible! Lets hope for some sequels, or at least more movies like this.

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Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) [HD]

A Dozen Points
This is a family movie, so you can buy (or rent it) without really flinching about dirty words or inappropriate behavior. Here are a dozen reasons why it's OK and not so OK.

1) (Good) Steve Martin is perfect for these kind of roles. He remains the personification of the unflappable leading man that he's portrayed in films like "Parenthood" and "Father Of The Bride."

2) (Bad) Bonnie Hunt is wasted. She comes off well, but ultimately the kids and Martin have to carry the film.

3) (Good) The kids are likable, and, at times, very touching (Especially Mark/Fed Ex). None of them utter curse words or make smutty jokes.

4) (Bad) That the kids frequently flagrantly disobey house rules without any kind of discipline. (Although the pants and meat gag is the film's best joke.) They plot and scheme sadistic traps ala "Home Alone" lite, and spend a fair amount of time saying how badly the parents' work is interfering with their lives, never minding the fact that Dad's new job is putting...

A Very Funny Movie!
Steve Martin movies are usually very good. "Bringing Down the House," was great, as was "Novocaine," but now he is starting to go to family movies in "Cheaper by the Dozen." "Cheaper by the Dozen," is a remake of a much older movie that was based on a book. The reason I liked this movie was that it was funny, smart, and it was not just an hour and a half of children screaming. Steve Martin was funny in it, very much like he usually is, and I could see them making a sequal out of it, especially since it's already made over a hundred million dollars since Christmas Day.

The movie is about Tom and Kate Baker who live in the small town of Midland with their kids. They have twelve of them. Tom is a collage football couch, and his wife is writing a book on her family which is actually called Cheaper by the Dozen. Their oldest daughter Nora has moved out of the house and is living with her model/actor boyfriend Hank. When Tom gets a job offer to couch another football team they move to a...

The original version was a true story....this is cheap humor
The original 1950's version was based on a true story, written by two of the actual children portrayed in the movie. The remake (if you can even call it that), follows it's own plot, complete with distracted parents and out of control children. Watch the original, which in my opinion is a class act.

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A Foundling

What a great independent film
There is no other movie like "The Foundling". Beautiful scenery and a very unique plot. I don't want to give it away but it is a must see!!!





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The Hobbit (1977)

DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!!!
I have grown up with this story of The Hobbit, its one of my favorites. I have always had this movie in my collection and know the lines by heart. I have bought this DVD and the DVD stinks! Warner Brothers ruined this story on DVD. How? The sound was re-mastered for the DVD and there are sound effects MISSING! They used an old copy of the soundtrack that was used on a four record set that issued in 1978. If you want the complete soundtrack I recomend you buy the VHS tape. (The older the copy the better) They have also added new sound effects and lines that are NOT in the the original soundtrack! There are also problems with their DVD's of The Lord of the Rings and The Return of the King. (See my reviews for those DVDs under there listings) If Waner Brothers really cares they will re-issue These 3 DVDs after correcting their problems. ~Rob~

Missing sounds... how annoying
For the first time in my life, I wish I had a VHS copy even with the DVD released. I first noticed a problem when the first spider dies in the movie, and there is no vortex sound effect. Then the entire scene in Lake Town is... muted. The arrows are silenced, the dragon roars as a mouse, and the fire, it crackles as a loud annoyance. I wish I had read the reviews online prior to purchasing, now I am stuck with a poor quality DVD. I will be buying the VHS shortly.

Here down in the valley
Currently Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's first novel, "The Hobbit" is mired down in pre-production problems. But while you wait for Middle-Earth to come to life on the silver screen, it's worth checking out Rankin-Bass' "The Hobbit," an animated kids' movie that is a fairly pleasant, moderately faithful adaptation.

Bilbo Baggins is a mild-mannered little hobbit living unobtrusively in Bag End, a conventional hobbit-hole in the comfortably boring Shire. His life is abruptly turned upside-down when the mysterious wizard Gandalf arrives, along with thirteen dwarves (who proceed to take over Bilbo's home). That evening, they reveal their reason for coming: They are seeking a "burglar" to help them retake back Lonely Mountain, a dwarf stronghold taken over by the dragon Smaug.

Whether he likes it or not, Bilbo soon ends up the burglar, and is dragged into elf palaces, goblin traps and even a fateful meeting with the grotesque froglike Gollum. The...

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Little Voice [HD]

A REMARKABLE FILM...
Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn, Ewan McGregor, and Jane Horrocks give absolutely stellar performances in this wonderfully quirky film. The title of the film refers to Jane Horrocks' character who is called "Little Voice" or LV, for short.

LV is a mousy, meek, painfully shy and reclusive little thing with an itty bitty speaking voice. She is totally overwhelmed by her brazen and common mother, Mari (Brenda Blethyn), who treats LV with scarcely concealed contempt. Part of that contempt is fueled by LV's devotion to her late father's memory and her fondness for old time musical stars. She has a collection of records by those long ago stars, that she plays over and over, a collection that she apparently inherited from her beloved father.

Her passion for this music drives her mother crazy, as it seems to remind Mari of her late husband, whom she apparently held in the same regard in which she holds LV. Only Billy (Ewan MCGregor), the local telephone repairman, a...

A little known film that needs it's own spotlight!
I saw this movie on a whim. For those people, like myself, who haven't yet taken the big steps into 'indie' films, this movie is a good place to start.

It's about Little Voice (played by an amazingly talented Jane Horrocks, where did this girl come from?), a young woman with a voice that's barely above a whisper. And living with her mother (played by the enjoyable Brenda Blethyn), I can understand why. But LV has got something about her. When she wants to express herself she opens up her mouth and sings. What I was suprised to learn was that Ms.Horrocks does all of her own singing, which is amazing!

Needless to say, it's not long before people are discovering her, including sleazy agent Micheal Caine and sweet pidgeon messenger Ewan McGregor. I'm not going to say any more, I want everyone to see this movie, because it really is a fantastic one! It's too bad it's not more well known, because the performances are great, the acting is superb, and the whole feel of the...

Gigantic talent
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Jane Horrocks, who played numerous characters in the cult English sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous", shines here as a sorrowfully shy girl with a talent beyond belief.

After her father died, many years ago, she resigned herself to listening to his old records, and singing along with them. She soon became a virtuoso, capable of imitating Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and others. In equally brilliant performances, Michael Caine and Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice) the former wants to bring LV's talent to the world, certain that great riches are but a step away. Brenda (LV's mom) is at first completely oblivious to her daughters talent, as she is far too egocentric to notice anything or anyone but herself - unless it's a man. In that case, she's quite the player.

There is a somewhat interesting - although perhaps unnecessary - love interest between LV and Billy (Ewan McGregor). It seems to serve as helping LV to open up to the...

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The Cat's Meow [HD]

"Cat's Meow" is the cat's pajamas
"Whodunnit?" This movie tries to answer that -- in 1924, a star-studded boat trip went wrong when someone got shot, and the truth of it was never investigated. This is one thing that might have happened. The actors appear to be enjoying themselves romping through Roaring 20s decadence, but rise to the occasion when genuine acting is called for. It's like an Agatha Christie murder mystery, except no Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

A bunch of Hollywood glitterati arrive at a boat belonging to William Randolph Hearst, a rather obnoxious Hollywood mogul. Also on the boat is Marion Davies, Hearst's actress mistress, who is being actively pursued by Charlie Chaplin (who recently got his sixteen-year-old costar pregnant), a cool-and-calm eccentric novelist Elinor Glyn, irritating columnist Louella Parsons, fading superproducer Thomas Ince and his frustrated girlfriend, and a slew of others. Rumors fly about Marion and Charlie's suspected affair, and though Hearst doesn't want to believe it,...

Scandalous Story with Death as Destination...
Cat's Meow is based on events that took place one November weekend in 1924 when the financial mogul William Randolph Hearst (Edward Herrmann) invited a group of celebrities to his yacht. The occasion was to celebrate the birthday of the film producer Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes). Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard) was also among the invitees. There were also some rumors prior to the trip that Chaplin fancied the actress Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst) who was Hearst's beloved girlfriend. The birthday cruise became an envious love triangle which has death as its destination.

Peter Bogdanovich tells this particular Hollywood scandal in a convincing manner as the story is focused on the love triangle between Hearst, Davies, and Chaplin. The other characters add a lot of intrigue and color to the film as they all have their own motives for being on the yacht. The cast performances are solid and the mise-en-scene elevates the cinematic experience. However, the film never reaches it...

OF WHISPERED LORES AND LOVES
What really happened during this 'scandal' on a yatch where a film producer met his abrupt end amid a wild weekend of booze, charleston swinging, and dope?

We'll never truly know, but the film is a peppy cavalcade of big name stars playing big name stars. It's a character-heavy motion picture so let's discuss the impersonations.

Dunst is the flavour of the month, she makes Davies look like an attractively complex figure. While reflecting the verve of a young privileged woman at an exciting time, she maintains a moral core without really being certain of precisely what she wants, which rings true.

The flamboyant Eddie Izzard was a surprise in the cast but made an atypically understated Chaplin. You see the intelligence and yearning in his eyes, the sly wit dripping from his casual tilts of the head.

Personally, I felt these two were the only admirable actors in the film. The rest of the crew members acted as though they were in a much dopier...

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Dirty Pretty Things [HD]

Tightly Structured Thriller With Something To Say
It isn't often that you see a well-crafted thriller with something on its mind, but "Dirty Pretty Things" is one of those films. It tells the story of Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Nigerian living in London illegally. He works two jobs: one as a taxi driver and the other inside a second-rate hotel. This doesn't give him much time to do anything, but work. When it is time to rest, he has an unusual living arrangement with Senay (Audrey Tautou), a Turkish immigrant that also works at the hotel. They share the same flat, but never occupy it at the same time.

One night, while Okwe is working at the hotel, he is asked to check on a room and discovers a human heart. When he tells his boss Sneaky Juan (Sergi López), he's told to keep quiet or he'll risk deportation. This causes Okwe to have a moral dilemma, which drives this fascinating story of the underside of London live.

Without revealing too much of the plot, "Dirty Pretty Things" keeps raising the stakes and makes you really...

Dirty rather than pretty
They're in the shadows, the people that no one sees. "Dirty Pretty Things" can be classified as many things -- horror, drama, thriller, social commentary or some combination of the above -- but in the end it is merely a wonderfully gritty, realistic film that will leave you thinking.

Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Nigerian immigrant in London, lives with (but is not involved with) prickly Turkish immigrant Senay (Audrey Tatou), both of whom struggle against immigrant officials -- and their own feelings. Okwe works by his own strong morals, hampered by a dark secret. But one day Okwe makes a grisly discovery in the hotel where he works -- a clog in a toilet that turns out to be a human heart.

His boss Juan (Sergi Lopez) tells him to not say anything. Does Okwe obey him? Of course not. He digs deeper, and soon uncovers a sinister web that hits close to the heart: Desperate immigrants sell their organs in exchange for forged papers and passports. As the immigration officials...

A thriller that's actually about something.
You can view director Stephen Frears' DIRTY PRETTY THINGS one of two ways, maybe even more than that.

It allows viewers the chance to see a side of London that is never shown, an underground world of illegal immigrants trying to get by and gain legal citizenship while trying to evade authorities. It also shows viewers a rather creepy and twisted plot involving the black-market sale of human organs and how willing some people are to pursue their dreams. The film also gives Audrey Tautou her first English-speaking role and features her prominently in a rather odd, completely compelling love story.

I was rather pleased with this movie, which though flawed is never boring. And the ending of it was particularly satisfying.

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Jane Eyre

A Moody, Evocative JANE EYRE
Oddly enough the Charlotte Bront