5 comments about Deconstructing Harry.

1. Usually there's at least a few laughs in a Woody Allen movie, and many of them have more than a few.
   
   But this one was just AWFUL. Ten times the neuroses and ten times the vulgarity of a typical Allen film. Overall a totally graceless, droning film experience which I regretted having. I really can't believe this movie get so many glowing reviews here. Not to mention that most of the humor is quite adolescent.
   
   A low point for Allen.



2. Okay, I will admit that finally after almost a year of watching or re-watching films that the comedic legend Woody Allen wrote, directed, played in or produced I am Woody-ed out. Moreover, there is a reason for that beyond fatigue. As I have pointed out previously in this space if one lives long enough and produces enough work then one is bound to repeat oneself. And that is what has happened to brother Allen here.
   
   Allen's premise has been used before as he plays the part of Harry, a writer (what else?) down with a case of writer's block who is also having romantic problems (again, what else?) because the young woman he truly, if belatedly, loves is getting married to a lesser writer. Sound familiar? There are many individually funny moments, mainly by Allen, along the way even if not enough to sustain the film. Naturally, as is usually the case in an Allen feature in the end things are not qualitatively more resolved than at the beginning. Well that, after all, is life.
   
   A nice cinematic touch used here is Harry's (Allen's) sequencing shots to show how autobiographical most novels and short stories really are. Changing the actors in the `real life' story and in the `made up' stories does this well. That part also gets nicely put together at the end. No so nice here, and a bit unusual for an Allen film, is the extensive use of profanity by Allen and the rest of the cast to show their frustrations with the various antics that Harry is up to and in their own lives. Everything is moreover just a bit too frantic, partly to justify the profanity it would seem. That may tell the tale of why I had a problem with this film, as well. If you must see a Woody Allen film you must see Annie Hall or Manhattan, if you have an off hour and one half watch this.



3. When a writer faces that inevitable bugaboo...writer's block...he reviews his life, trying to examine all his mistakes, character flaws and foibles. His examination is depicted in a fragmented fashion, as if he is truly "deconstructing" his self.
   
   As the final picture emerges, he is in a position to address his past, and in doing so, he is freed to write again.
   
   Fascinating portrayal of the creative process.



4. One of the funniest movies ever made.
   
   Woody Allen is an acquired taste, like oysters. If you like'm on the half shell, he hit this crustacean out of the lagoon.
   
   The "elevator to hell" bit had me in tears. Pookie the hooker, and the whole crew on the road trip to the university -- well, who else but Woody Allen conjures up this kind of stuff and puts it on film?
   
   Writing, acting, directing...everyone was in synch with Mr. Allen's history, angst, sturm, drang and reputation.
   
   An absolute masterpiece.
   
   Thanks, Woody.



5. Getting to know Woody Allen's filmography as of late has been a real trip, and while there have been some misses for me, for the most part I have become a real fan of his work. `Deconstructing Harry' may very well be one of my favorites. The film is an uproarious look at the struggle one makes to create something, about the fact that fiction truly imitates life and that life, in its rawest of forms, is truly remarkable.
   
   Woody Allen stars as Harry Block, a famous writer who is suffering from a serious case of writers block. While he's struggling with this artistic roadblock he is also presented with the honor of being the center of a University tribute, as the school that once threw him out wants to give him an award. Now, more than ever, Harry is faced with his own slew of insecurities as he contemplates why no one in his life likes him. As he struggles to find someone to accompany him to his awards ceremony he realizes that the decisions he has made in life has segregated him from those he loves, or at one time loved. He's been unfaithful to every wife he's ever had and has single-handedly destroyed the reputations of his family, friends and lovers in his novels. No one can stand him and this forces Harry to reach down inside himself to find the reasons why.
   
   The process he uses is what really makes this film so unbelievable good.
   
   Telling the story of his life through a series of short stories he in fact wrote, Harry exposes his inner feelings through characters based on himself and others around him. He explores his romantic relationships and his countless infidelities; his feelings on marriage and loyalty and even success. He tackles his views on religion and culture and family, all of which help construct (or deconstruct) this man from the inside out.
   
   The film is littered with countless supporting actors who just devour the screenplay that Woody delivers to them with such conviction and comedic excellence. Even actors who have very small roles (Robin Williams) make the most of their limited screen time to deliver performances that elevate the films core. Billy Crystal and Elizabeth Shue are phenomenal and Demi Moore and Bob Balaban (of Christopher Guest fame) are both scene stealers. The real standout here, aside from Woody himself, is Kirstie Alley who just dominates as Harry's ex-wife Joan. She has only a few scenes, and in each scene she is ranting and yelling and throwing a fit, but that fit is seriously comedic genius, rich with honest emotion and brutal delivery.
   
   The real star of the show is Woody's brilliant script (which really should have won the Oscar) for it is rich with wit and a truism that makes the film so much more effective than your average comedy. Harry Block is far from a likable guy, but underneath it all he is an extremely relatable guy, someone who we can see within ourselves. `Deconstructing Harry' is a smart and successful look at deconstructing ourselves.

5 comments about Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX / 430EX.

1. Very good content. Done in a studio, but applies to the outside world just the same. My only complaint is that it didn't play on my TV, just the computer, and I had to download a video codex pack to be able to do even that. I would like to relax in fromt of the TV to watch this at my leisure.
   Watch it a few times to sort of soak it all in. Lots of great tips, much better themn just reading about how to do sometning.



2. This DVD is a good audio visual presentation to explain the settings and how to use the Canon 580EX flash unit effectively. Some people can better understand instructional material when presented as a audio/video presentation than to read a book. Tim Mantoani does a good job in presented basic inflormation about light quality first and then how to achieve the desired effects that go beyond the Canon manual and that makes the DVD worth viewing and owning. I would recommend this DVD to anyone struggling with how to effectively use the 580EX flash unit especially in the ETTL-II mode. You can achieve results like professional photographers who make the flash work as they intended.



3. This video was moderately helpful to me. There seems to be a limited availability of instructional material out there on this product from what I was able to find so, some help is better than none. The video does focus on portait style photography. If you are interested in learning about how to shoot childrens parties, weddings or events, you will be disappointed in the very limited information on that subject. If you are interested in studio portraits and studio macro photography you will get some good information. This video left me wanting more specific instruction on the operation and application of the 580ex outside the studio setting. Overall, if you are willing to pay $20 for a few good nuggets, it's worth it.



4. A great companion to the canon speedlight instruction book. It does not over the 580 EX II specifically, but there is plenty of information to give you the basics and then some if you are learning the Canon speedlight system for the first time.



5. The Canon 580ex II is an outstanding flash unit with many alternatives on how it can be used. The DvD, "Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580ex/430ex" is a very good instructional DVD that covers a terrific amount of information on how you can achieve the best results from the flash unit. It is one of those DVD's that you will watch multiple times and still learn something new each time.

5 comments about Stuart Little 2.

1. This movie is adorable and everyone in my family enjoyed watching it, young and old. The Little family are a wonderful bunch of people. You can't help but wish that real life were like at the Little's house, and that you were the lucky orphan plucked up and adopted by these charming people. The mom is loving, the dad adoring, the brother is just too cute, and even the cat is a character you can't help but love. Sure it's make believe, but what a wonderful place to enjoy a fantasy of a Little Mouse names Stuart and his fantastic adventures.



2. I liked this better than the original, and that''s a high compliment because I thought highly of the original film: Stuart Little. As good as that was, I just thought this was even better.
   
   All the voice-overs are excellent with Nathan Lane having the best lines as "Snowball," the cat. He was simply hilarious, line after line. The film once again features great colors, a virtual rainbow of them, especially with some of the inventive rooms in the Little house. The parents, once again, are super nice. It's a treat to watch Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie play an old- fashioned "Leave It To Beaver"-type couple. The film has no objectionable material and leaves you with a nice feeling. There are animated films or animated/real life combinations like this, that advertise "family-friendly viewing" but don't really deliver, instead sneaking in sexual innuendos and the like. Not here. This one is pure, morals-wise, except for one scene near the end when the mom (Geena Davis) tells Stuart and their son she's still proud of them even though they just got caught in a big lie. (Inferring that the lie was okay since everything turned out okay.) Other than that, nothing but good messages were heard and seen all around and this is a funny movie, to boot.
   
   Highly recommended for the family, and that's no clich?.



3. I LIKE THE MOVIE STUART LITTLE 2 BECAUSE IT HAS A HAPPY ENDING.
   IT IS FUNNY AND I LIKE THE TALKING ANIMALS. THE SCENE WHERE THE BIRD DROPS STUART IS A LITTLE SCARY.



4. Than the first Stuart film.
   
   There's more cgi in this one (with the added animated characters) but they kept the same cast from the first one. Our daughter enjoys both the Stuart movies.



5. A very nice follow up to the origional. I would definitely recommend this to both the young and old in your household. This movie stars many great actors (both in person and voiced) including Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Melanie Griffith, James Woods and Brad Garrett.

3 comments about Left Behind: World at War.

1. Awesome quality. Everything works great. Video doesn't skip and isn't scratched. Delivery was prompt and I enjoyed the movie.



2. "World at War" is the third cinema offering in the "Left Behind" series,
   which is based upon the Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins best selling fiction
   books.
   
   This installment continues to focus on the antics of Nicholae Carpathia
   (the antichrist), and his demonic efforts to consolidate his growing power
   and to bring the world to ruinous destruction.
   
   Lou Gosset Jr. does a superb job in his role as President of the United
   States, a former puppet of peace now turned active foe against the Carpathian master plan.
   
   I found this film to be a pleasant experience. The acting was generally
   good and the plot was interesting enough to keep my attention, though
   a couple of areas did drag.
   
   This movie will appeal to the Christian community as a whole and
   prophecy buffs in particular. One caution. If your eschatological
   theology is something other than pre-tribulational (the return of
   Jesus before the tribulation period), you will probably endure the
   experience rather than enjoy it. Also, it must be pointed out that
   the storyline is more hollywood Christian fiction than prophetic fact.
   If you can keep this in mind it should be worth the time invested. In
   addition, like many other Christian films, this one has a strong
   evangelistic message and unabashedly asserts the divinity of Jesus
   Christ and portrays Him as the only savior and hope of mankind.



3. Great movie as I said all the Left Behind movies are good to me. I think I have just about all the Christian movies that Cloud Ten Pictures have put out, and there is not one that I have anything bad to say about. So, I would say that if Cloud Ten did it, buy it!!!!

5 comments about Pacific Heights.

1. Pacific Heights is not a haunted house movie in the classic sense however this house is haunted, not by a ghost but by a man named Carter Hayes, if that's his real name. Carter Hayes is a con artist played by Michael Keaton. Hayes isn't a smooth con artist like Gordon Gecko in Wall Street or as smart as Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can who always seems to be one step ahead of the law on the contrary Keaton's character needs and manipulates the laws to pull off his cons they serve to protect him more than his victims, also victims to a flawed system. He is also a psychopath, we get glimpses into his childhood that may explain why he is the way he is.
   The victims in this movie are a couple who take a risk and buy an investment property depending a great deal financially on the rent of the two apartments they'll be renting out. One of those apartments gets rented to our psycho con artist who wants the house for himself and so begins our game of cat and cockroach.
   This is for fans of thrillers, it'll have you voicing your opinion to the screen or whoever you are watching it with about what you would do in that situation. It taps into that fear that most of us can relate to, that is hardwired into us the fear of losing what we have, paying bills, and protecting what is ours.
   Pacific Heights is also ranked #93 on Bravo channel's scariest movie moments list.
   
   DVD features:
   Special Features: Soundtrack Remastered in dolby digital 5.1 - Interactive Menus Theatrical Trailer-Scene Access- Languages: English and French.



2. HEY KEATON IS A REAL CROOK IN THIS ONE,BUT HIS ACTING IS ALWAYS GOOD BUT IN HERE HE IS A SERIOUS PART,I LOVED IT,HE TERRORIZE THIS COUPLE TILL THE END AND MELANIE PLAYED HER PART TO THE T,SHE TURNED THE TABLES ON KEY IN AN SHOCKING INSTANT,THIS IS SUSPENSE AT ITS BEST..TRUST ME,ITS ONE OF THE GOOD ONES. WORTH THE BUY!



3. I tell everyone who is thinking about buying rental property or renting their home to watch this movie first. It will make them think again. I can't think of any other movie I have recommended more. It is right up there with Fatal Attraction.



4. Upwardly-mobile couple Patty and Drake Goodman (Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine) buy a $750K house in SF. In order to offset the titanic mortgage payments, they must rent out the two apartments downstairs. At first, all is well, as a nice older couple become the first tenents. The second rental doesn't go quite as smoothly. A man named Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton from Batman, Batman Returns, and Beetlejuice) moves right in w/ what appear to be impeccable references, and a wad of cash in his wallet. Alas, Hayes is not on the level, and Patty and Drake soon find out just how off-balance this guy is! Hayes squats in the apartment, refusing to leave. He causes constant noise that eventually drives everyone nuts! He even releases an army of cockroaches to infest the whole place! The building stress, and inabiliy to legally do anything about it, eventually cause Drake to snap, sending him diving on Hayes for a major beat-down! Well, this action results in Goodman's arrest. Of course, Hayes is seen as just a poor innocent victim in all of this. Goodman is even under restraining order, and cannot come within 500ft of his own home! What can this couple do to regain their property and their sanity? Watch the fun unfold! PACIFIC HEIGHTS is a magnificent Catch-22 type story of the common man caught up in the idiocy of the system. No matter how hard they try, Hayes is always protected by the law. There's a healthy stream of good old fashioned black comedy running through this movie's veins! Keaton is superb as the nefarious Hayes, driven to do what he does by whatever pathology rumbles through his head. I consider this to be his finest performance. Watch for cameos and small roles by Beverly D'Angelo (The Sentinel), Dan Hadaya (Blood Simple), and Laurie Metcalf (Scream 2)! Highly recommend, especially to future landlords...



5. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Fix-up an old Victorian home in a fashionable San Francisco neighborhood, rent out some of the rooms to help pay the mortgage, and keep the best part of the house for yourselves. However, when the young couple Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) do just that, their great plans turn into a horror story.
   
   In this film the couple inadvertently let Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) take possession of an apartment in their home before he pays any rent. Hayes soon exploits California's liberal tenant-rights laws and cannot be evicted. Hayes then slowly terrorizes the couple and the other tenant by making noise, starting an insect infestation, and damaging the newly-remodeled home.
   
   Furious about the situation, Modine's character lashes-out and soon finds himself on the wrong side of the law. As the situation deteriorates, the couple begins to argue over money, fear living in their own home, and seek revenge on the renegade tenant.
   
   ''Pacific Heights'' shows the dangers that exist when an evil person chooses to exploit others and has no remorse about doing so. Although the film is somewhat depressing, it does show the dangers of being too trusting or naive when dealing with others.
   
   While I liked the plot of the movie, the acting by Modine and Griffith, was mediocre at best. They often seem wooden and stilted when delivering their lines. And Modine's character became annoying as he initially downplayed the situation then lashed-out at others for his own mistakes. But the drama and exciting final few scenes make the film a good horror-drama.

5 comments about Grease.

1. What american would not love JOHN TRAVLOTA and OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN in "GREASE"!! When I first saw this movie I was only a kid and I knew all the songs and I actually thought high school was gonna be like RYDELL HIGH!



2. OK, fun songs, cute acting, generally a good time. But has anyone noticed that the moral of this story seems to say that you should change yourself into something you're not in order to please someone else? Not sure that's a message I'd want my kids to hear.



3. Grease will always hold a special place in my heart, it is part of my childhood and holds many nostalgic memories for me. Saw the movie when I was 8, was given the soundtrack on vinyl (as well as Saturday Nite Fever) for christmas. Played it on my ladybug turntable, and sang along to every song with my friends, 1978. The only way to truely watch Grease is on "full screen". U just can't enjoy it any other way. I bought it on widescreen and was totally horrified. It just doesn't have that same effect. I later purchased the full screen edition, and again I was in Grease heaven. Grease is one of the best movies of all time. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta are fantastic. This is John Travolta's best movie to date, I don't care what anybody says. Grease will make u laugh, sing and cry. it is just an all around, feel good movie that cannot be compared to any other. Ask yourself this, what would you rather watch, Grease or Gone With The Wind? It's a no brainer, Grease is the word. I worked with Stockard Channing once and I just had to tell her I loved her in Grease and that it was an honour to work with her. At least I got to tell one of the cast members how much I love the movie and how people still remember it to this day. This film is loved and praised by many people and rightfully so.



4. I HATE this film, when I once loved it. Growing up has made me realize a LOT of good things about maturity, and one of them is the fact that this really is a bad movie. The acting is mediocre, if not bad, and the story is crap! I would say that is high school, there is a LOT to fret over, but not a boyfriend-girlfriend thing! Leave that to an obnoxious John Hughes film! Some of the music really is intellegently written, and the singing isn't too bad either, the I just have to say, that it does not deliver anymore. I would like to say I am a big fan, as I was ten years ago, but watching it recently, I realized that this movie was utter crap, and I cringe at it. Especially John Travolta, more like John Revolta!-or just plain revolting! My parents were right when they said the film was bad, but I wouldn't listen to them, now...I wish I had!



5. C'mon, Paramount. No one loves Grease more than us hopelessly devoted fans. But if you are going to roll out yet another attempt to repackage our beloved classic, make it worth rolling out the bucks. How about this: offer a re-release with the (!!!!!!!) ORIGINAL THEATRICAL AUDIO TRACK as an option. We love the remastered print, etc. But some of us really long for the original track, especially because some of the classic songs were over-remixed in the 1998 re-release. The biggest disappointment is not being able to hear the movie the way many of us first experienced it in 1978. (No disrespect to composer John Farrar, but) I miss watching "Hopelessly Devoted to You" without the unnecessary - and sometimes distractingly over-mixed - backing vocals, for example.
   
   Many classics that were remastered or recut offer us fans the option of seeing them in its original form (see Superman: The Movie or ET: The Extra-Terrestrial) in addition to the revamped versions. Grease fans deserve the same before we plunk down another $15 or $20.
   
   Are you listening???

5 comments about Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask.

1. From 1969's Take the Money & Run to well into the 80's, Allen created a series of comedies that established him as one of the preeminant writer/director/actor one-man-bands in the history of moviemaking. An argument can be made that Allen didn't really run out of gas until the mid nineties and the Soon-Yi & Mia Farrow public relations debacle trashed his image forever. The danger of filming a series of skits is, inevitably, some skits are going to be stronger than others. Thus, EYAWKASBWAA is a mixed bag with generally blah results. Allen starts the movie in fool's motley and ends dressed as a sperm. In between is some really funny stuff and some really tedious stuff.



2. Before "Annie Hall," Woody Allen's comedy was very different. Rather than the mature quips that any Woody Allen fan is used to post-Annie Hall, most of the movies made before that are wacky, hilarious, and out-there bits that show (nowadays) Woody Allen's comedic range. "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*But Were Afraid to Ask" is a series of vignettes with Allen "answering" (supposedly) real questions. Usually in an unconventional, yet hilarious, way. Here is a brief synopsis of each:
   
   1. Do Aphrodisiacs Work-Starring Allen and Lynn Redgrave, this story takes place near the Renaissance Period. Allen plays The Fool, the king's comedian who fails to impress anybody with his humor. The reason for this is, likely, because The Fool is written as a modern man placed in ancient times. Desperately wanting to have relations with The Queen (Redgrave), he gets a potion from a sorcerer before meeting his untimely end.
   
   2. What is Sodomy-Gene Wilder plays a doctor who is shocked to learn that an Armenian shepherd has had sex with one of his sheep. When the man brings the sheep in, the doctor finds himself falling in love and conducting an affair with a sheep. Sounds morbid, but is just used as a (slightly insane) metaphor.
   
   3. Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching an Orgasm-This vignette is in Italian (I think) and stars Allen as a Marcello Mastroianni-like Italian man who has recently married. Problem is, he can't give his wife an orgasm...Except in a public place.
   
   4. Are Transvestites Gay-In this one, a man goes to his daughter's fiancées parents house for dinner with his wife. Once there, he goes to the bathroom but finds himself in the room of the parents trying on the mothers clothing. Everything is fine, until he is forced to flee out a window and finds his purse snatched outside.
   
   5. What Are Sex Perverts-In black & white, this vignette is about a gameshow in which people come on and reveal their perversions. Watch for a young Regis Philbin (looking very different, but with the same unmistakable voice) as himself.
   
   6. Are the Findings of Doctors, Who Do Sexual Research, Accurate-This stars Allen as a man traveling to see a world-famous sexual research doctor. Picking up a pretty blonde reporter along the way, he finds the man to be insane and attempting to use them for his experiments. Pretty soon, a giant killer breast is on the loose.
   
   7. What Happens During Ejaculation-This stars Burt Reynolds and Woody Allen as some workers in a man's body, controlling what he does. Allen plays a sperm that is scared about being "sent out" into the world.
   
   The film contains lots of metaphors, lots of double-entendres, and lots of hilarity. Despite it's subject matter, it's not graphic. There's no nudity or anything. The movie has a large cast and is easily one of the funniest films Woody Allen has ever done. Every vignette is good and none of them overstay their welcome (the film is only 88 minutes). The movie is so different from other Woody Allen material that it's possible that people who DON'T like Woody Allen might enjoy this movie. It's one of his finest.
   GRADE: A-



3. In the late 1960s one Dr David Reuben released a book entitled EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX *BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK. Woody Allen's 1972 "movie adaptation" uses the questions of Dr Reuben's question-and-answer format as the titles for 7 comedic sketches all on sexual themes. This was Allen's third conventional film, and his growing importance in Hollywood is evident from the film's all-star cast.
   
   The opening "Do Aphrodisiacs Work?", set in medieval times, has Woody Allen as a court jester who seeks to seduce the queen. Most of the humour here consists of anachronism: the jester's jokes are too bad for even a borscht belt comedian, and the dialogue consists of Elizabethian stylings mixed with sexual terminology and crude slang from the present.
   
   The following sketch, "What is Sodomy?", is for many viewers the very best. A New York City general practitioner (Gene Wilder) is visited by an Armenian shepherd () who begs the doctor to restore the magic to relationship of him and a cherished sheep. What ensues, with the doctor descending ever deeper into madness, is made hilarious by Wilder's committed performance and the dialogue is immensely quotable. Another high point of the film is "Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching an Orgasm?". Shot in black and white and with an Italian dialogue, the segment is Allen's hommage to the cool ambience of Antonioni and Fellini. Allen plays a suave, sunglasses-wearing film director who cannot manage to satisfy his wife, played by Louise Lasser, until they begin having risky sex in public places. The fun comes not only in the challenges the man must face in making his wife happy, but also in Allen's ridiculous accent while speaking Italian.
   
   In "Are Transvestites Homosexuals?", Lou Jacobi plays a man who sneaks upstairs while at a dinner party in order to wear his hostess' clothes, and subsequently gets himself deeper and deeper in trouble. It's humorous enough, but one wonders if this segment were stronger when the film was first released. Judging from its high frequency in big Hollywood films of the 1960s and early 1970s, crossdressing must have once been a much funnier concept in that era. The following "What Are Sex Perverts?" is a parody of the game show What's My Line? where a panel of minor celebrities try to guess the perversion of a contestant, who wins $5 for every wrong guess. This is quite funny, but far too brief, as the concept could have been stretched out a bit more.
   
   "Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?" is a Frankenstein parody where Allen and Heather MacRae play recently acquainted sex researchers who meet a great sexologist (John Carradine), only to discover that he's a diabolical madman. The first half of this segment is pretty funny, as Allen and MacRae make their way through the doctor's castle of horrors. But the second half, when the pair seeks to defeat a giant breast ravaging the countryside, is some of the lamest humour I've seen in some time.
   
   The characters of the last segment, "What Happens During Ejaculation?", are personifications of the organs as a man goes on a date with a woman. The brain is depicted as a NASA mission control, with Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds struggling to coordinate bodily functions. They call down to the stomach (men carting off a newly-arrived load of fettucini), and the genitals (blue-collar joes working an enormous pump), as well as other places. Much here will make you chuckle, such as the captured "saboteur" of the man's sexual ambitions, his conscience, depicted as a priest in a Roman collar, and Allen's performance as a sperm cell terrified of making the leap into the unknown. All in all, however, I find this quite dated as well.
   
   While my overall impressions is that EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX is quite dated, it's funny enough, and the portions with Allen as an Italian lover and Wilder as a befuddled doctor make it worth seeing at least once.



4. "Sex" comes during a difficult transition in Woody Allen's film career. He was veering towards laughs with more substance ("Love and Death", "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan") while trying to break away from the more traditional guffaws ("Take The Money and Run", "Bananas"). He was logically growing into the role of a serious filmmaker.
   But "Everything You Always Wanted.." shows Allen's frustrations at translating jokes. Some jokes---such as a man trying to have sexual relations with a giant loaf of rye bread---are funny when said, but take the joke too far when dramatized, undermining the natural humor.
   On the other hand...You've got to admire a comic mind which can conjure up such wild goings-on in this film: doctors drift into love affairs with sheep, monstrous mammaries rampage the countryside, and even Woody himself gives a tip-of-the-hat to his comic idol Bob Hope as a cowardly jester (what else would you expect from Woody?).
   Although EYAWTKAS stumbles on some poorly-translated jokes, it's a lot of fun!



5. This is a film that will leave a lasting impression on the viewer, but not because of it's clever writing, content and filming. It will be because of some of the most low based and stupid humor on film. There are some funny moments, but they are so few that you wonder why you even spent time watching it. This film does not show the best of Woody Allen, in fact, almost just the opposite.

5 comments about I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - A Film About Wilco.

1. I am big fan of Wilco and I have followed their career from Tweedy's days with Uncle Tupelo. After reading some bad reviews about this movie from some that called it "boring" and from another who stated they disliked the band after watching this, I was afraid I was going to hate the movie and I didn't want to dislike Wilco after seeing the film. I decided I should never let anybody else decide for me (especially in advance) or tell me what I am and am not going to like. Luckily for me, I made the right choice.
   
   This film is not perfect. It's not supposed to be. It is, however, supposed to tell the story of a band trying to make an album and trying to get along together as people, friends, and business partners. The film maker does an excellent job of telling this story and the music speaks for itself...it's top-notch. There are a few scenes I would have shortened and I have to admit the candid scene of Tweedy talking to his wife (I assume) on his cell phone is boring, but it also allows the viewer/fan a glimpse of Jeff Tweedy being Jeff Tweedy rather than Mr. Wilco. I highly reccomend this DVD to any Wilco fan or anybody who is interested in becoming one. What a great ending!



2. It's a good documentary, black and white pictures, nice concert scenes, worth the while and the money



3. Although Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has been among my top-ten records of all time since I picked up a copy shortly after its initial release, I waited almost 5 years to see this documentary film about the album (released in 2003). Why? For one thing, the album speaks very loudly and boldly for itself. When I heard about the documentary I was resistant to add any more information to the process of understanding this album for fear of detracting from the experience. However this week I finally caved. The album has grown with me so much over time I really wanted to learn more about its creation.
   
   I am hardly an objective viewer and I think I would have enjoyed any film containing the music from the album, but there were some elements that really stood out to make the viewing experience impactful. First was the footage of the band's creative process, developing the material as a unit. I was surprised in fact how well the band interacted as a group (at least at first), when I had always thought of Tweedy as more of a type-A. Additionally, live footage abounded, and there were some very nice performances of "Being There"-era material that reminded me why that album was so much fun. Despite the new emphasis on deconstructionism, the band never lost its ability to "rock" in a more conventional sense. I think this speaks highly for their versatility. Further, David Fricke (of Rolling Stone) and others contributed some very thought-provoking discussion of the clash between art and commerce in the modern music industry. The struggles surrounding this album can in fact be seen as a microcosm of a larger problem impacting artistically ambitious musicians in an era where the public's attention span for such things is shrinking. This in fact points the way towards the rise of indie labels devoted to "career artists" which seems to be occurring right now. Finally, the film had a distinct plot with obstacles to overcome (the band being dropped by its label) and a happy ending (owning creative rights to an album funded by a large label and essentially selling it back to them at a higher cost). In true rock n roll fashion, Wilco "stuck it to the man."
   
   The drawbacks? The main one was the focus on the falling out between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett. It was hilarious to see Bennett's explanation of the ouster (a defensive statement boiling down to: "Tweedy was threatened by my brilliance") yet it also cast him in the worst light possible, lampooning his arrogance to make it seem almost cartoonish. I am sure there was more to the story than we were shown. Additionally, Jeff and Jay's discussion over the details of the sounds coming through the mixing boards was excruciating (and fortunately pretty short). It reminded me of watching my parents argue when I was a kid - they obviously both saw the world from a different perspective and it seemed like they just weren't going to see eye-to-eye on certain things. I can see why Jeff had to throw up after that discussion, I wanted to as well. This part was a little too close to reality TV drama for my liking.
   
   However this is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, and the film did achieve its purpose - to help the viewer gain more perspective on the album and the process of its development. It also cast the band in a very human light, as fundamentally regular people working together to create a significant artistic statement. I learned a lot about Jeff Tweedy and crew but not so much so as to make me feel like some kind of voyeur - in other words, the band's personal life was largely left untouched and the focus was placed where it should have been - squarely on the music. And what music it was.



4. I'm pretty new to Wilco. Still in that phase where every fresh exposure is exciting, a revelation. So I'm ill-equipped to say how good this look behind the scenes actually is. To me, it's incredible. I've been listening to YHF for about a year, and complete familiarity with the work still eludes me. Luckily, because it's that fresh sound that brought me to the band in the first place. Anyway, I'm still completing my YHF thesis, and this is the ultimate study sheet. The boys, experimenting with the songs on creation, even as I experiment with them on consumption. It's too much, riches beyond belief.
   
   I haven't investigated the genesis of this project, but it appears that the filmmakers were extremely lucky. What should have been just another band profile wound up having an arc -- not just one, but two major (and completely unforeseeable) plot points. The fiasco with WB and Wilco's new album, and the ejection of Jay Bennett from the band. The latter worked especially well for me, as every appearance of Bennett made his neediness more transparent. One scene in particular is painful to watch, as Bennett is relentless in having not just his views, but every syllable of the discussion, put under the microscope. It's easy to see how Jeff Tweedy may have decided that this collaboration had outlived its usefulness.
   
   I'm not sure how well this movie would work for the uninitiated, or for non-fans. I don't believe that Wilco is necessarily an acquired taste -- I was hooked from my first notes -- but I do think they're a band that won't work for everyone. Tweedy's reedy voice is not the strongest instrument out there, and the band's arrangements are idiosyncratic, to say the least. If you like them, I think you'll really like them. And if you don't, you may well wonder what the fuss is about. In the music and, especially, this film. Which takes their uniqueness for granted, as principle #1. If you don't get it, this film may be a tedious exercise, at best. I don't know. This movie was made for me, and I bought it all.
   
   And, hey, as a spoiled Wilco fan, I'm looking forward to the sequel. The making of "A Ghost is Born"? Where do I find that? I imagine the title will be "You can't hear it on the radio." Can't wait...



5. I was fortunate enough to be at the world premier and have just recently tried making it through this film again. Years later, it's not any better than it was the first time. I love Wilco and all the songs so that part of the film is great. Any Wilco fan will eat up all the fantastic performance footage.
   
   It's just not a very good documentary. My general feeling is that Sam Jones approached this as a fan and didn't want to do anyhing that would jeopardize his filming access especially when everything changed with the band lineup and record label. As a result there's nothing here that seems like it wasn't Jeff Tweedy approved. Interviews with the other band members and differing opinions are practically non-existent. John Stirratt in particularly seems surprisingly absent considering how long he's played with Jeff and how many band members he's seen come and go. Jay's actual firing is missing which makes no sense unless it was dictated by some kind of contract that Sam was working under. Either Sam wasn't agressive enough with the cameras and interviews or a lot of unflattering stuff ended up in the trash. It's still a great story of perseverance and success but in the end I felt that the film was unneccesarily cruel to Jay and dishonest in its tone in order to make the story work.

5 comments about Plan 9 from Outer Space.

1. This is a great copy to have of the "worst film ever made." The colorized version is surprisingly good and it includes the BW version as well (for the purists). The "qualities" of the film are, of course, legendary. I suppose everyone has their own favorite moments, but for me it is the use of bathroom shower curtains in lieu of a door in the cockpit of the airplane. Frankly, the production values are so outrageously cheap that it almost plays like a spoof of bad films. Except, God love him, Ed Wood was serious about this one. Personally, the film is a keeper for me because it includes Criswell (childhood memories of "Criswell Predicts") and Vampira (again, nostalgia from Los Angeles TV in the '50s). But most of all, because it is Bela Lugosi's last film. It is hard to imagine life without a film like "Plan 9 From Outer Space." I couldn't, in good conscience, give this 5 stars, but for nostalgia, rollicking laughs that were not intended, and for the sincerity and love of film-making by a clueless director, it certainly merits 4.



2. I purchased the item for my husband, he likes movies like that he enjoys it so I would say that it was a good movie and it was in excellent condition and arrived in a timely manner.



3. I love this movie. I keep watching it over and over. It's really not a bad movie at all. "The Goonies" was a bad movie, not this. It's just delightfully offbeat. Tor Johnson is a gem in his zombie contact lenses, Vampira is a cinch waisted stunner, killing by merely shaking her hands. And then there's Bela Lugosi, who was already dead when this movie was released playing a man risen from the dead...shear poetry. The best line comes from the pilots wife...."You'll be up there, and the graveyards out there, but I'll be in there."-Perfect



4. After hearing different people tell me Plan 9 was the most unequivocally awful film they ever saw, I finally bought a copy and watched it, and it wasn't nearly as awful as some of the other badfilm I've seen (badfilm = corny, cliched dialog + cheesy props & effects + the film takes itself seriously). If you watch the interviews which come right after the film, it becomes less awful when you realize Ed Wood made a halfway decent film with what little he had to work with. The Blair Witch kids did as much forty years later, but nobody laughed at THEM. Plan 9 does have a workable plot, and it's a shame Ed Wood suffered such an ignominious demise.
   
   Plan 9 is not a movie for viewers hoping to find a film peppered with side-splitting gaffes.



5. How could anyone not love this thing? After all, it has Bela Lugosi, Vampira, Chriswell and a cast of extraterrestrial queens. To top it off it was produced by the 'worst' director of all time, Ed Wood.
   
   Of course it's terrible. If approached anything like cinematic quality it would have been bad. As it is, however, it's terrific, especially if you've knocked down three or four beers in advance. The sets are cheesy, the special effects a joke, the acting ridiculous and the jokes over the top. Aliens, the chief of whom is a total swish, are angry at earth people for not recognizing that they are real. They also believe that earthlings--despite the fact that we are incredibly stupid, juvenile idiots--are about to develop technologies that will destroy the Universe. Therefore, in an equal measure of pique and fear, they must destroy the human race. Not that they haven't tried it before..eight times before, to be exact...and have failed every time. Now they spring their ultimate plan--Plan 9--which is doomed to failure, also.
   
   So how is it that earthlings might destroy the Universe. Read this carefully Al Gore. We are on the verge of discovering Solarbenite, which will ignite the sun's rays, set up a chain reaction, blow up the sun and then every planet in the Universe. Too complicated for you? Well, the aliens explain it in terms that the idiot earthlings can uncerstand. "Imagine a gas can and a ball. Pour the gas from the can in a line to the ball. Put a match to the ball. The ball is the earth and ignites burning back to the can, which is the sun. The sun explodes, blowing up all the planets and then, in a catastrophic chain reaction, every planet in the Universe." What a terrific alternative energy source. Why did it take Ed Woods to figure it out?
   
   Anyway, the flying saucer extraterrestrials set out to destroy the human race by reanimating dead bodies buried in one particular graveyard. Vampira and Bela Lugosi, both recently deceased, are resurrected along with the murdered Chief of Police. These zombies then stumble around in the dark clumsily trying to murder people. Well, it all might have worked out just fine had not several of our earthling heroes not stumbled into a flying saucer than looks a lot like somebody's house. There's a fight, the saucer catches fire and, after our heroes make a quick departure, blows up while escaping into outer space. Therefore, and fortunately for the earth, Plan 9 is foiled. No doubt, however, there will be Plans 10 and 11 but unfortunately without Bela Lugosi. He died while filming this masterpiece, necessitating his replacement with a 'stunt' double.
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

5 comments about Pretty Woman (10th Anniversary Edition).

1. Hollywood took some of the most ludicris ideas and turned them into gold. While we have departed from the traditional "feel good" movie for anyone or anything and have more harsh realities in popular movies, this was one of the last few movies from the 80s / early 90s that made us think anything is possible. But still, a Hollywood hooker and a cut throat business tycoon? I guess it could happen.
   
   This was the movie that launched Julia Roberts into superstardom, based on her photogenic appearence and charisma. Ever since, she has been annoying audiences because she can't seem to launch herself any further than that. Are we supposed to really believe that the Cinderella story can really be applied to a white collar businessman and a hooker who are holed up in a five star California hotel as the palace? Richard Gere and Julia Roberts are both so cute and cuddly. Instead of drug and alcohol abuse they are both clean and sober, cute to look at, and good hearted people at their core rather than the usual sleaze and dysfunction both would be bringing into the situation.
   
   Three stars are for the role of Jason Alexander. He would rise to his own stardom as the bumbling George Costanza of Seinfeld fame, but to see him play a cut throat white collar businessman who would give a woman a beatdown put him in another light. Ha ha ha ...



2. Movie ratings are always very subjective, with one person's gem being another's trash. That said, I enjoyed the movie, despite it being a bit unrealistic. If your goal is just to be entertained you will likely enjoy this movie. If you are out to play movie critic you will find lots of problems. 4 stars



3. "Pretty Woman" harks back to various well-trodden themes: the Pygmalion legend, the prostitute with a heart of gold, and the poor soul who teaches the wealthy person the true values in life. Julia Roberts is a hooker who is rescued from life on the streets by the wealthy and ruthless business tycoon Richard Gere, and she rescues him from a life of reckless power and greed by teaching him business ethics and morality. The audience, because of the acting, the L.A. setting, and the clever way the film was produced and directed, willingly suspends disbelief and accepts this adult fairy tale with its very suggestive sexual action and dialogue.
   The film is well done and was very successful partly because of the romantic chemistry or alchemy that comes across in the love affair between Roberts and Gere. The scene in which Roberts is spellbound by "La Traviata" proves to Gere that she is a sensitive soul. (In that opera a hooker also falls for a wealthy man.) The way the two meet seems far-fetched. Do wealthy people really talk about and show off their wealth the way he does? And are they so lacking in street smarts?
   Just scratch below the surface, and this hooker and tycoon are both nice people. It's a very watchable fairy tale. Great if you don't stop to analyze too much. Even the manager of the luxury hotel has a heart of gold. Just enjoy this Cinderella meets King Midas cotton candy of a movie.
   Nine Lives Too Many
   The Daemon in Our Dreams
   The Rice Queen Spy
   Clawed Back from the Dead



4. I have been a fan of this movie from the very first time I viewed it many years ago. I never get tired of this movie because it has so much to offer both male and female viewers. Richard Gere certainly fits the part of business man and reluctant lover while Julia Roberts is bright and bubbly through out and the romantic ending blows me away every time. I consider Prety Woman to be a clasic.



5. I needed this is a hurry and that is what I got. It was delivered as promised and was exactly what I ordered.