5 comments about Grindhouse Presents, Planet Terror - Extended and Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition).

1. There was nothing I felt this movie was missing. Any movie where Rose has a machine gun on her leg, is one I will see. New ideas, good performances, great writing and non-stop action make this movie so entertaining. It's worth seeing in the theater and buying.



2. PLANET TERROR was good for what it was..... namely a zombie spoof film that paid homage to Drive-In films of the 1970s.
   Of course it was over the top and cheesy.
   
   The budget, special effects, and other film making aspects of the film were quite good which made me think to myself....... "Wow just imagine how good they could have made this film if they had used all these resources to make a serious horror/action film..... man they even had Savini to help them out"
   
   So in summary....... it was good for what it was, but I would have enjoyed it more if they used all those resources to make a serious version of the same basic screenplay idea.



3. Could I have watched this at the Starlight Drive-in 35 years ago? No, but it sure feels like it. It has the look and feel of one of the double feature B movies we saw back then. I applaud the production, directing, casting, editing, and camera work. All went into making it look and feel older. The cast does a fine job with their parts and add to the illusion of an older B movie, but with some satire that let's us smile along with them as we know they aren't really serious when in the older movies they were funny unintentionally and they were serious about it. I really enjoyed the characters in this movie and it kept my interest the whole time. Well worth at least a rental and I think this one is a keeper and the price makes it a steal. It has some great acting, effects, and the story is just plain fun. Good quality DVD with plenty of replayability. If you enjoyed this catch "Death Proof", "Sin City", and "Kill Bill". - C. Luster



4. "Planet Terror" is one of the most unique films I've seen in quite a while. It's a sort of parody/ tribute to the drive-in/ exploitation movies of the 1970s. Now here's my Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Watch "Planet Terror":
   1) It's brought to us by Robert Rodriguez, the same man that gave us "From Dusk Till Dawn", so you know this is gonna be something interesting, and especially well-made.
   2) ...and, like "From Dusk Till Dawn", this movie starts off serious but is able to do a 180 about 40 minutes into it. This basically means that the pacing of this movie is good and time really flies, even though it's about an hour and forty minutes long.
   3) There's plenty of odd characters, and while there isn't any real plot, all the characters contribute to the charm and appeal of this movie.
   4) A reason you MUST watch this movie, a girl has a machine gun for a leg! She doesn't get it until the last, twenty minutes or so, but when she DOES get become our loveable Machine Gun Sally...WATCH OUT!!! This includes when she shoots the ground and flies thirty feet over a wall like a comic book superhero. That's a clip you will DEFINITELY wanna watch again.
   5) Gore, gore, gore!!! This movie is packed with plenty of horror-related action, alongside LOTS of headshots and the red stuff flies like ducks flying south for the winter.
   6) Tom Savini makes an appearance as a police officer, and it's always cool to see Tom land a spot in a cool movie.
   7) The whole film even feels like a sort of '70s movie, if you forget the fact that it's a tribute to these types of movies, so we get the nostalgic feel and classic sorta setting.
   8) All the actors do a very good job at playing their roles, so this breathes even more life into the film.
   9) There are so many, ridiculous moments, like the guy that jumps around like a martial artist and rips zombies apart one after another after another!!! This movie is chock full of awesome moments and true novelty ideas that put a real twist on this type of movie.
   and Reason Number 10:
   10) This movie is a real treat because it doesn't follow the rulebook on what a horror/action/exploitation movie should be. Like "From Dusk Till Dawn" it is such a novelty item and SO COOL, it's a movie you just can't watch once. It's a fun-filled, action-packed, zombie-raging movie that YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY! Just kick back, grab a bottle of your favorite iced tea, and let the DVD play.
   
   Well, if you made it this far into the review, I wanna say thanks!!! If you're looking for a fun, exciting, gory, and actually rather funny movie, "Planet Terror" is a newfound gem that's sure to withstand the test of time, and can almost be called this generation's "From Dusk Till Dawn". Robert Rodriguez sure is making a name for himself as a writer and director, because both these movies are flat-out awesomeness!
   If you're looking for a horror/action-comedy movie that'll bring you a good time, "Planet Terror" will be your Knight in Bloody Armor...WITH the machine gun leg! LOL. Thanks for the time, and peace.



5. Grindhouse was originally released in theatres as a nostalgic look at the matinée style movies of the Grindhouse theatres. These movie theatres would usually display 1, 2 or even 3 movies in a row. The movies were relatively low budget in exchange for high levels of advertising. Both Tarrantino and Rodriguez have spoken of their love for the Grindhouse theatres as kids. They both set about to make two separate movies that would be shown in succession, but in between would feature commercials for further fictional movies. This, in their mind would create the same atmosphere that they experienced as kids. It didn't work and a lot of the time, after the first movie would end (Either Planet Terror or Death Proof) movie go'ers assumed that was it and would leave. Not knowing there is another movie to follow after the commercial breaks. Because of this failure, against their will both Rodriguez and Tarrantino decided to release the movies separately and the success grew from there. I've seen Tarrantino's Death Proof, and I must say I didn't really care for it. This is why we have Planet Terror. In case you don't have the attention span to follow an hour or so of dialogue, then at least you get this movie in which people get blown to pieces every couple of minutes. I am the latter and I absolutely loved this movie.
   
   It had cheesy dialogue that, at times made no sense and had no place in the situation our heroes where presented with. The gore was reminiscent of my beloved classic sci-fi gross out flicks that, instead of using CGI endeavored to create the gore for real (not using actual body parts though). This made some of the craziness more genuine and in Planet Terror actually made my stomach turn.
   
   In Texas, a gang leaded by the black market dealer Abby faces a group of renegade militaries leaded by Captain Muldoon in an abandoned military base. During their shootout, Abby shoots a recipient of biological weapon, releasing an experimental highly-contagious gas that turns humans to flesh-eating zombies. Meanwhile, in the local hospital, Dr. Block sees an epidemic with many patients with the same nasty symptoms. When the outbreak affects most of the local population, a group of people with immunity leaded by the mechanic Wray, Sheriff Hague, the stripper Cherry and the Dr. Dakota, fight to survive and become the last hope to save the world.
   
   This was an awesome mind numbing movie that went at a mile a minute. It doesn't seek to be intelligent or even have a go at some random intelligent speeches. Be warned, this movie is stupid and watching it may make you a few points lower in your IQ. One thing I have to tell you is that it's really worth it as it's so much fun. I'm actually disappointed that Tarrantino's installment didn't really deliver for me.
   
   Buy it and enjoy it.

5 comments about The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension.

1. This is definitely not something that will appeal to everyone. My opinion improved after repeated viewings.



2. The Princess Bride and Young Frankenstein perfect movies -- just like this one. If you've ever thought of yourself as a different sort of person, if people have thought you were wierd, this movie's for you. If you've never thought of yourself that way, this movie's still for you, because you'll laugh and change the way you look at things. Oh, for goodness sake, stop reading these reviews and just click on the darn movie!



3. I was bored and thought I'd look for a good movie I haven't seen. Wow look at all the great reviews I'll give it a shot. The worse movie I've ever seen! Seriously it drove my friends out of the house during movie marathon night. Finished it just to say I did. Only thing good about it is giving it to the most hated person in the office during the company party. Yup I'll buy for those I don't like in hopes they also waste their life's watching it.



4. Sadly this is a movie that has not stood the test of time. The jokes are dated, the performances are unconvincing, and what one seemed outrageous now seems tame. It's destined to be forgotten along with "Strange Invaders" and "Earth Girls Are Easy."



5. Once upon a time ... there was a neurosurgeon who was also a rock & roller, and his wife died, or did she just leave? Not sure that really matters because he can drive through solid rock, except that it's really not solid, it's actually another dimension, or maybe not.
   
   Confused? Not surprising. You may be just as confused the first time you watch Buckaroo Bonzai. You may need to watch it a few times to catch it all. You see, it's a bit like a cross between a screwball comedy from the 40's and a Woody Allen film. Half the time you can't keep up and the other half you don't understand what's going on. But, and this is a big but or bute' (inside joke), it is well worth watching, as many times as it takes to get it, all of it. Every bizarre detail.
   
   I first saw it in the mid 80's on cable. My daughter, who was about 5 got it very quickly and thought it was a hoot. She went around playing Buckaroo games for days and I finally had to hide the hammer and explain to her that it was make believe and that there really were no aliens in the rocks in the yard. She still loves to watch it twenty years later and I have to admit to a certain fondness for Buckaroo and the Hong Kong Cavaliers which is why I recently bought two DVDs - one for each of us.
   
   It's fun to watch, with or without popcorn. I'm not sure which part I like the best - John Lithgow as a maniacal dictator or Jeff Goldblum in fuzzy chaps. It's a quandary. It's a fast paced thrill ride into an imaginary world inhabited by ordinary people doing extraordinary things with surreality. You'll love it! Just give it a spin on your DVD player and become enthralled.

5 comments about Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker (The Original Uncut Version).

1. If you're a fan of the Batman or Batman Beyond series this is a must see. Very well written.



2. 
   
   40 years into the future of Gotham City, a new advanced Batman is in the hands of Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) as he helps retired Bruce Wayne (Voice of Kevin Conroy) carry on his legeacy of being Batman and saving the streets from crime. Now The Joker (voiced by Mark Hamil) has returned after being thought for dead for 40 years, he has a new crew of goons to help him commit various crime. Terry is determined to find out what is the secret that brought Joker back from the dead and must try to stop him before he unleashes a diabolical plan.
   
   Splendid animated feature from the popular "Batman Beyond" animated series is a dark and suprisingly violent too. I like how Bruce Timm brings the awesome show in a nifty animated movie that diehard fans will endure, Dean Stockwell and lovely Melissa Joan Hart have supporting voice roles in this movie. The animation is just amazing using some "Akira" influence on the entire futuristic Gotham City and some sexy toon girls like Dana Tan whom is Terry's cute Asian girlfriend. The film does have some good flashback sequences of Batman from the past with Robin and Batgirl defeating Harley Quinn and Joker, the film is quite intense and violent but in this uncut version which shows more blood and some violence that was cut out of the original version, this is a must see for fans.
   
   
   This DVD contains good extras like a featurette, deleted scenes, animation test, comentary, production notes, trailers to this and other DC animated releases, music video and commentary.



3. I want to applaud the writers and director for this movie. Brilliant work. And also the voice actors did a great job. My only problem with it was that it was a bit too short and the animation is TV quality. This could be a great movie if it was about 20min longer and the animation was done in high quality CGI. Then it would be worthy of the theater. And with such great story telling and directing, that is where this belongs. But as a straight to DVD movie, it was very well done.
   
   I especially like the Joker.



4. Movies of this caliber are what DC should be producing instead of Superman:Doomsday and Gotham Knights. Great story, great characters.
   
   Batman Beyond was already a great achievement in providing an entertaining continuation of the Batman: TAS mythos, but this movie takes it to the next level. The characters are interesting, there is legitimate conflict and the psychological attack by the Joker elevates him from his evil clown status.
   
   Definitely worth multiple watches and actually motivated me to buy Gotham Knights when Batman Beyond: The Movie was packaged with it at Target.



5. I've been a Batman fan ever since I was in diapers. When the Beyond series started, I was a little hesitant and didn't think it'd be that good until I learned it was from the same guys who did the animated series before and my hope was raised a little and after watching the first two episodes that started the show off, it became my favorite Batman show. Then when this first came out, I rented it immediately and watched it several times. I bought this because I had been searching for the uncut edition ever since I heard about it. At first, I didn't see what was so different about the movie I loved and watched like crazy when I was younger. But then it got to ***SPOILER ALERT*** scene where Joker was showing Batman what he did Robin and I'll be honest, I was a little disturbed. "You'd have been so proud to of seen him fight", Joker said as he put two electric clamps onto the table Robin was strapped and shocked the hell out of him. Then Joker mentioned he used needles and I think hypnosis and I was just sitting there thinking, "This is a different side to Joker than I have seen."
   
   Don't get me wrong, I thought the movie was great, the twist is pretty predictable but I was a little disappointed in the final fight although I did enjoy watching Batman make fun of the Joker. If you're a fan of Batman and the Joker, definitely check this movie out. But might want to watch it before you show to your kids.

5 comments about Smallville - The Complete Fifth Season.

1. The seasons are getting better somehow so I guess I will never tire of watching this show. Eagerly looking forward to the next box set.



2. In the previous season, Smallville lacked the emotional dramatic punch that had created such enjoyable characters. Also, with the characters graduating at the end of the season, it was clear that the show was in for a major change of pace. While this fifth season did not always hit the jackpot in that area, it by and large was extremely successful in moving the show in a new direction.
   
   As the season progressed, the focus perceptively shifted from the Clark/Lana/Chloe relationship triangle to the "comic book geek" aspect of the Superman mythology. Let's first look at what failed during this season, then examine the many things that went right:
   
   The most noticeable failure of Season Five was the episode "Thirst" (where Lana joins a college sorority and becomes a vampire), widely regarded as the worst episode in the show's history. Also, a conscious effort to raise the gratuitous sex appeal in the show is seen, what with Lois Lane's "patriotic" striptease in "Exposed" and the episode entitled "Hypnotic", which focuses on Clark's sexual relationship with a meteor freak. Though I understand that "sex sells" (especially to Smallville's teenage audience), those types of relationships also serve to undermine the engaging relationships of Smallville's past.
   
   Besides the single clinker and amped-up sex appeal, this season had a wide variety of bright spots:
   
   -Clark and Lana are finally able to have a normal relationship at the beginning of the season (sadly, it would be the last time that relationship carried with it any emotional punch).
   -Two more characters (one "mechanical" and one "amphibious") are introduced who are vital to Clark's future.
   -Lex is shown what his life could be like if he chooses to soften his heart.
   -The Senate race between Jonathan Kent and Lex Luthor heats up, culminating in the show's 100th episode, "Reckoning", which will bring a tear to even the most cynical of viewers.
   -The introduction of a Lex/Lana relationship, which contains many intriguing facets.
   -Finally, the introduction of Professor Fine, a heralded villain from the Superman cannon who unleashes the most terrible evil in Kryptonian history.
   
   Overall, Smallville's fifth season was an action-packed ride from beginning to end. Though sacrificing many of the show's core characters/relationships in favor of sex appeal, the show was able to successful morph itself from teen-drama to science fiction (for better or worse, depending on who you are). The final scene will have you screaming at your TV for resolution!



3. Started with three solid episodes. Ended with two solid episodes. Of the remainder, there are only a very few worth your time.



4. LIKE ALL THE OTHER SEASONS THIS ONE JUST GET'S BETTER AND BETTER.
   I HAVE WATCHED ALL SEASONS INCLUDING THE SIX AND WAITING FOR THE SEVENTH. THIS IS ONE SHOW THAT WILL LIVE ON FOR A LONG TIME.
   I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SEASON.
   AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND VIEWING ALL THE OTHER SEASONS.
   THEY GROW ON YOU !!!!



5. This season is better after the 4th one with all its witches and countesses. Too bad Jensen Ackles got pancaked by a meteor, but that just freed him up for Supernatural, another great show. This season, Clark loses his dad, which is sad, but in the plus column, he does get to see Lois do a striptease. Although she failed to actually remove any clothes. That's the point of a strip club.. so I'm told.. And, Clark displays his mind-blowing lack of intelligence by NOT telling Lana his secret even though we know she will be totally ok with it. (see season 6)
   And, to prove I have no life, I watched the season with a checklist in front of me, and here's what I counted as far as who Clark saved this season, and how many times.
   
   Lana=6
   Lex=1
   Jonathan=2
   Martha=4
   Chloe=3
   Pete=0
   Lionel=2
   Lois=3
   Random Hot Chick=1
   Random Guy=4
   Someone who was just trying to kill Clark=1
   Other (group of people, entire world, etc.) 2
   Total individual saves, not counting "other"=27

5 comments about Lost - The Complete Second Season.

1. Excellent. Just what I need to review the second season and get ready for the new season coming up



2. What else can you say LOST grabbed me from show 1 and never let go. I introduced my then girlfriend, now wife, to it and she was so hooked we watched all of season one in a week and then she got season two because she couldn't wait to see what was next!!! I'll be sad when the last season rolls around.



3. Season 2 of LOST is a solid follow up to the first season. It had me glued to the TV set each night and talking about it the next morning.
   
   We get some answers, but double the questions are raised in this season, this becomes a pattern with the season to follow as well. BUT, what the story did tell us, about the island and the characters, was fascenating. Some of it even more so than the first season. The reason I love LOST though, is that it's just the best drama out there! It's so unique from anything I've ever watched. It's unconventional and out of the box. It's thrilling and fast paced. It's spooky and shocking. It's emotional and dramatic. It's even fun and entertaining. It's everything I like in a show.



4. This DVD set is sure to please those who love the Lost series. And for those who aren't fans, it guaranteed to suck you in and make you a fan!



5. no way to take the decision of stop or pause or to go for sleep by far it is the best series i have ever seen in my life thanks for everybody who participate in lost to make us happy

5 comments about A Clockwork Orange (Two-Disc Special Edition).

1. This is, without a doubt, one of the most brilliant narratives in film history because it becomes clear that Malcolm McDowell's flippant, arrogant, insouciant anti-hero triumphs over society's best intentions at engineering compliance, and we agree, somewhat guiltily, with his point of view, albeit violent and horrifying. Viewers would do well to understand the symbolism of the number 4. The 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th plays throughout the film, but there are four acts of violence that he and his gang commit, four acts of violence committed against his person, four figures on the cathedral, four members of the gang (resembling the four riders of the Apocalypse?), and when he goes to prison, the number four is conspicuously missing form his prison ID, thus he is losing his "4" identity. And, of course, the four seasons are the "work" of the clock, or time passing.



2. Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Lindsay Anderson's O Lucky Man!
   It all started with a movie called If... by Lindsay Anderson, starring a teenage actor named Malcolm McDowell. A coming-of-age story at an English boarding school, a Tom Brown's Schooldays with a violent, apocalyptic climax, as McDowell's Mick Travis and two of his friends take revenge on their sadistic tormenters by climbing up on the roof of the school and blasting away at the teachers and students with machine guns. Because it was the late `60s and something was happening that the "old school" didn't seem to understand. I saw the movie many years ago, perhaps at the UC Theater in Berkeley, or the late lamented Unicorn Theater in La Jolla. Certain scenes are vivid in my memory: young Mick being tortured (I'm sorry - disciplined) in an empty gym by an upperclassman with a cane, who took a run before each terrible blow. Mick and his girlfriend riding a stolen motorcycle in the woods. Their wild grins as they gunned down their enemies.
   
   Someone who must have liked what he saw in If...was Stanley Kubrick, because shortly thereafter McDowell was cast to play the defining role of his career: Alex, the ultraviolent, Beethoven-loving thug in A Clockwork Orange. And, while still wrapping up Kubrick's film, McDowell began shooting O Lucky Man! with his friend and mentor Anderson. These two English motion pictures, filmed at least partly in the same year, one a classic, the other an enduring cult favorite, feature the same star and an overlapping cast, with thematic elements in common. The two films are like fraternal twins, worth examining together.
   
   Starting with the source material, I read Anthony Burgess' book back in high school - the orange Ballantine paperback with the helpful glossary provided by the publisher. I understand he wasn't thrilled with the movie, but clearly the film is much larger and more vividly imagined than the book. Kubrick wrote the screenplay. For O Lucky Man!, the source was an idea by McDowell about a young coffee salesman and his adventures, to be called Coffee Man. Anderson and his screenwriter David Sherwin envisioned something more epic - a tale that would visit the spirit of the age while it chronicled the young man's growing wisdom and experience. So Anderson's film would show The Way We Live Now, while Kubrick's would vividly portray The Way We Might Live in the Near Future.
   
   Music is a vitally important accompaniment to each director's vision. A Clockwork Orange suddenly springs to life with an extreme close-up of Alex in the Korova Milkbar, as Walter (later Wendy) Carlos' severe electronic music bursts forth. Similarly, after a silent movie mini-drama showing the brutal genesis of "coffee for the breakfast table," O Lucky Man! begins with the word NOW exploding from the screen and an extreme close-up of Alan Price's hands crashing down onto the keys of his Fender Rhodes electric piano, launching the first chords of the title song. Price and Carlos each provide a brilliant soundtrack, with Price's witty, sardonic rock songs accenting and commenting on the action, while Carlos' beautiful and eerie synthesizers create a futuristic soundscape that helps sustain Kubrick's vision.
   
   What are Alex and Travis like? How are they similar and different? By now everyone knows Alex. We might describe him as amoral, or bipolar - certainly a sociopath. He can be very likable and friendly ("Hi hi hi Mr. Deltoid!") and yet perform the most horrific rapes and beatings without any apparent understanding that he is sick and evil. Alex is a modern "anti-hero," a character embodying the worst qualities of his future society. In the first half of the film we are fascinated by his raw charisma, yet sickened and disgusted by his foul deeds. Yet Kubrick succeeds in turning the tables on us, and we actually feel sorry for Alex after his "cure," when he is beaten up by his former droogies and left for dead outside the house of the writer. Only to be shocked and sickened once again by our own misguided compassion when he begins his chilling rendition of "Singing in the Rain" in the bathtub. As a final note on McDowell's Alex - we can't take our eyes off him when he's on-screen. The performance is that powerful.
   
   Travis couldn't be more different. His chief qualities are innocence and idealism, with a youthful ambition to succeed. We first see him as a victim, in the silent mini-movie, and he will be victimized again and again - yet keep coming back, picking himself up. Mick Travis is an everyman, and if he is the same character seen gunning down people at the end of If... ("Was your headmaster right to expel you from school?" asks his interrogator in the military base,) then he has changed and mellowed. Mick does not have the scene-stealing quality that Alex does, partly because of the charismatic actors surrounding him, like Sir Ralph Richardson, and the beautiful and sensual Helen Mirren.
   
   The overlapping cast makes a fascinating story in itself. Unlike any other film I can think of, Anderson casts a number of his actors in multiple roles, creating a very powerful sense of déjà vu for Mick as well as the audience. The construction of the film is circular, not in a single circle but repeatedly cycling through experience after experience, many of them with the same people in different guises, almost like a microcosm of reincarnation. ("Around the world in circles turning / earning what we can while others dance away / the chance to light your day," sings Price.) So Arthur Lowe will play Mr. Duff at Imperial Coffee, and then the Rabelaisian hotel manager Charlie Johnson, and then the African dignitary Dr. Munda in blackface, and the great actress Rachel Roberts will cycle, and Ralph Richardson, and so will many of the other actors.
   
   At least two who cycle through Mick's life in O Lucky Man! are also actors in A Clockwork Orange, where Philip Stone plays Alex' timid and querulous father, and Warren Clarke memorably plays Alex' hulking droog Dim. The resonance of having the same actors playing parts in the two movies creates another level of meaning when seen together. Philip Stone plays one of the torturer/interrogators on the British military base, and the juxtaposition of their institutional brutality is powerfully contrasted with the bland English "civilization" of the tea lady with the cart, who interrupts their questioning and then sets Mick free after the sirens start wailing. Warren Clarke plays the "pig boy," Mick's fellow inmate at Professor Millar's strange clinic - and Mick also sees him at the film's end, handing out fliers in Piccadilly Circus for an open casting call Lindsay Anderson is holding for his new film O Lucky Man! McDowell and Clarke pause and look at each other, Mick thinking that he has seen him somewhere before, while the audience considers that, not only have these two characters seen each other in this film, but damn! I think I've seen them before too, in a different context altogether.
   
   Certain scenes are similar as well. I don't know whether Anderson was able to see Kubrick's completed film while he was still working on his, but Mick's escape from the Millar clinic is virtually frame-for-frame with Alex's suicide attempt in the writer's loft. In both scenes they crash through an upper storey plate glass window. Another parallel scene involves Mick and Alex both being set-upon by crowds of down-and-out old homeless people, but the motivation behind the attacks is different for each character: revenge for Alex' past brutality vs. the anger of the meths drinkers towards Mick's pious, do-gooding platitudes. Juxtaposed, we see the irony: the boys are equally set-upon, whether for good or evil.
   
   Both movies end with a smile, though again the cause and effect are different. Alex has been "cured at last" - a gigantic stereo blaring Beethoven has been rolled into his hospital room, and glad-handing politicians are jockeying for position to be photographed with him. It is all extremely cynical. Meanwhile, the director Anderson is demanding a smile from Travis at the casting call. "What's there to smile about?" asks the long-suffering Mick. Pow! Lindsay Anderson clocks him across the face with the movie script. Slowly, knowledge and understanding breaks out with his smile. What's there to smile about? Mick is alive, and after all he's been through he's lucky to be alive. ("If you've got the secret then try not to blow it/Stay a Lucky Man," sings Price.) His smile is the opposite of cynical - it is the smile of understanding, and the fans of these two great movies are happy to share it with this fine young actor.
   
   A Clockwork Orange was released in 1971, and O Lucky Man! came out in 1973. These films are two of the finest of their time, and I am confident that they will be enjoyed by audiences for many years to come.



3. I was very hesitant to watch this movie at first. But once I watched it, I was blown away. A terrific movie and definitely one of my top 10 favorite movies.



4. A Clockwork Orange (Two-Disc Special Edition)
   
   'A Clockwork Orange' the movie, whether accepted by the author of the book or not, is very witty, scary, shocking (even today), and humorous in several different instances.
   
   It would be difficult to see a new adaptation of the movie without judging by how well crafted the original truly is.
   
   This movie, although disturbing at times, is definately worth buying and adding it to your collection of classics. It will forever fit in the modern day world whether a year from now, or one hundred years from now.



5. I just love this movie about "ultra violence" this is a masterpiece of movie history if you like it or not, just great for those who dare to see it...

5 comments about Tin Man (Two-Disc Collector's Edition).

1. I was lucky enough to watch this when it first aired & I loved it from the start. This re-imagining (or a sequel, depending on how you look at it) of the Wizard of Oz had just about a little bit of everything. You had great CGI, amazing actors, and a pretty interesting plot. The premise of a young girl (who may or may not be the granddaughter of a well known WoO character, I won't spoil it) who travels to another dimension to save the O.Z. is not new, but the steampunk twist on it is.
   
   That's not to say that everything was perfect, mind you. At times the plotline seemed to lag a little and there were many developments that seemed to be somewhat unexplained or left to the side in hopes of a sequel or tv series. Still, these are very minor flaws when looked at as a whole and ones that can be forgiven.
   
   All in all, I recommend it. I enjoyed watching it and I enjoy owning it. I really think that the reviewers were a bit overly harsh in their reviews. Maybe it's not the Citizen Kane of tv miniseries, but it was never meant to be as such.



2. the tin man is a brilliant take on the wizard of oz brought upto today's standards the story is fab and the cast are great this will turn out to be a classic if your into the wizard of oz i will give it 12 out of 10 my daughter in law loves it and she is a big fan of anything oz



3. Very imaginative remake of the W of Oz. Fantastic "grown-up" concept of the old story that everyone knows. Really enjoyed it except for the terrible miscasting of Kathleen Robertson as the wicked witch, Azkadellia. Not sure if it was the corset or her lack of talent, but she was stiffer than a broomstick. Other than that, kudos to the team that gave this extraordinary work life as a TV miniseries.



4. I believe that the SciFi version of "The Wizard of Oz" has achieved its goal of providing a different look at the old film. Tin Man is an entertaining way of spending an enjoyable evening. The cast does a fine job of bringing out the new look for the individual characters. I willingly recommend it for those who wish to be entertained by a group of fine performances.



5. Saw this on science fiction channel as a three parter and just had to own it. Wonderfully done and so nice to see it all the way through without waiting or commercials. Have already played it twice more and my grandchildren love it.

5 comments about Labyrinth.

1. This movie has been and remains my favorite movie of all time. I was about Sarah's age when it came out and my quite young mom (34) had just passed away, so my ability to relate to the character was incredible - see Deborah MacGillivray's review, she really nails the emotion/feeling of the film (and YES I DID want that dress!! LOL). It's a really sweet, imaginative (how could anything Jim Henson did not be?), heartwarming story that shows us there is love, friendship and a reason to be no matter how much our 'world falls down'. Give it a look, you'll be glad you did :)



2. The DVD case came with a corner chiped out, and the CD had some crusty stuff on it that I had to clean off. There was a chip in the DVD and art was faded. None of these conditions were noted on the description of the product. It played well until 5 minutes to the end and it froze. I wouldn't of bought this had I of known of the condition of the case and DVD.



3. Henson and Bowie created something unique in their lifetimes here. Even if you are not a fan of Henson's Sesame Street/ Muppet work, you may be amazed by this movie, which is sublime beyond any comparison to the rest of his career. If your kids are bored, this will unbore them many times over and you'll love it too. Bowie's music is superlative and his supporting role as the bad guy is fantastic.



4. Even though I like David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, I think the movie would have been better if their characters had been puppets, also. The puppets themselves are pure Henson and, as such, amazing. Felt that the storyline could have used a bit more spice to it as it tended to drag in places. A good movie to check out the puppets, but The Dark Crystal would be a better choice.



5. I watched this when I was itty bitty and I bought it so my fiancee could watch it. Very good movie, even for kids.

5 comments about Practical Magic.

1. When I find a movie that both I and my husband like it is a rare find indeed. That's what happened with Practical Magic. Having read the book and enjoyed it immensely it was a natural for me to want the movie.
   
   Although the movie version deviates from the book and the viewer loses much of the backstory, it is lovingly adapted and given wonderful treatment. The scenes of the young sisters living in the aunts house especially were full of detail. Costuming was wonderful (in the case of the ecentric aunts especially). Cinematography captured all of the essence of New England in various seasons and made this native New Englander a bit nostalgic.
   
   If you've read the book keep an open mind here and you will enjoy the film immensely. While all of the actors gave solid performances I mostly enjoyed Stockard Channing's portrayal of Aunt Frances.
   
   I think this movie could easily replace Hocus Pocus as a Halloween favorite.



2. This is my favorite movie and I was so happy to be able to get it at such a great price. Thanks



3. This film lacks the acting chops and the wicked appeal of
   The Witches of Eastwick. I adore Sandra Bullock and Diane
   Weist and Stockard Channing are always favorites, but
   Nicole Kidman's fake looking wig, gangly white legs, and
   artificial sounding American accent ruined it for me. It could
   have been a great film if they had chosen someone more
   appropriate for Bullock's sister in the movie. Too bad Kate
   Hudson or Anne Hathaway weren't available at the time. If
   you have to own it, buy it used.



4. This is one of my favorite movies. A good combination of drama, comedy and just a little bit of cheesiness makes it very entertaining. It has a great soundtrack as well.



5. I loved this movie, can't believe I havent seen it before. Wonderful cast and acting. If you like a little real majick you will definitely enjoy this movie.

5 comments about Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (Widescreen Edition).

1. Don't let the title of this movie turn you away. It's a wonderful movie for kids! They won't want to miss a second of it.



2. It's odd that Tim Burton's Corpse Bride should be released the same year as Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Perhaps it was just an unfortunate coincidence that the two films, both are stop-motion animation, came out during the same time. Both films are great and award-worthy (W&G won the "Best Animated Feature" Oscar). Too bad this film wasn't held back until 2006 when it almost would've been guaranteed the award.
   
   Johnny Depp voices the prim and proper Victor who is to be married to Victoria (voiced by Emily Watson). Their scheming parents who hope to exploit each other's fortunes, both of which are already spent, arrange the marriage. But on the day of the wedding Victor loses the wedding ring. He finds it in a dark foreboding forest... on the finger of a corpse. Now he must marry the Corpse Bride who is voiced by Helena Bonham Carter. Meanwhile Victoria is being courted by the wealthy (or is he?) yet morally bankrupt Lord Barkis. Soon Victor and the Corpse Bride go to the Land of the Dead to find out how to end their engagement but things become even more complicated when she develops feelings for him. All of this leads to a climactic confrontation between the living and the deceased.
   
   The voice cast also includes Tracey Ullman in two roles, Joanna Lumley as Maudeline Everglot, Albert Finney as Finis Everglot, Christopher Lee as Pastor Galswells and Danny Elfman as Bone Jangles. Although not quite the masterpiece that The Nightmare Before Christmas is, Corpse Bride is a cult classic in its own right. It utilizes Tim Burton's gothic sensibilities and his love of macabre humor. It's a stop-motion world of wonder and horror.



3. I'll say it now, I LOVED THIS MOVIE.
   I've never seen The Nightmare Before Christmas so I wasn't sure what to expect from a Burton animation.
   In a word, brilliant.
   Dark, humorous, all the strangeness we've come to love and expect from Burton.
   A cute, somewhat macabre cartoon.
   The animation is awesome, the voice acting is awesome, there really isn't anything bad to say about this movie.
   I'll say it one more time, brilliant.
   Another Burton masterpiece.
   A must see for Burton fans and fans with a darker sense of humor.
   Recommended.



4. Well people, there are plenty of reviews here to let you know what this is all about; the story, the feel, the emotion, etc., etc. However, most only make a passing remark concerning the "Claymation". Though I have not read all of the reviews here, I have not found one that really makes it clear what an artistic achievement this film really is. "Oh it's a kid's film that's too scary for kids"; is a fairly common criticism. Complaints of its brevity have come from lovers and haters alike. Some criticize the music's lack of "hook". But I have not read the review that exclaims what brilliant art this really is (I apologize to those reviews I may have missed). So, I'm adding one here to ensure that it is not beyond reach so late in the game (300 reviews can be daunting). Let's get on with it...
   
   -TECHNICAL ACHEIVMENT
   Many people have made mention of the "making of" featurettes on this DVD. They may have told you what they saw but never explained its significance (or really understood it). In simple terms, this is digital animation. With off-the-shelf software, a good digital camera (still camera) and a decent posable doll, you could do the same thing in your basement. However, what was done hear technically rivals anything done before it. Not even Ray Harryhausen, THE visual FX master that influenced generations of those in the art ever achieved anything of such explicit detail and subtlety. We can marvel at the technical complexity and brilliance of the "puppets" but totally miss why they are complex; expressive motion.
   
   -WHAT MAKES GREAT ANIMATION?
   Some mistakenly assume that if the animation is smooth and fluid, then it is good animation; particularly when it comes to stop motion animation. Well, that's partially true. Making something move smoothly certainly helps convince us that it has life. Yet, organic life isn't always smooth or regular; we bounce and stumble and jerk and shake. We have weight and we create momentum and everything else physics brings to bear. The animators in Corpse Bride understood this as much as any Disney animator ever did. I think Ray H. understood this too but never had the technology and backing to ever get this level of detail with Stop Motion Animation. Stop Motion fans adore and appreciate What Ray Harryhausen accomplished, but surely should recognize what's been achieved here. These characters bounce and wiggle and exhibit weight and emotion. Facial ticks and expressiveness only dreamed of in the past are taken for granted in this film simply because it is completely unobtrusive and natural. Yet, we may never see this level of art in stop motion ever again.
   
   -IS SIMPLE BAD?
   I think a film that can turn the concept of a man accidentally marrying a corps into a 75 minute story is commendable. This film never seams too short for me. Some stories are as long as they need to be. There is nothing complex about this film other than the emotions of the characters. It's all too clear; the mundane existence of the everyday life is drowned in a sepia grey tints and superficial existence. The enlightened existence of the pain free underworld is lavished in color, friendship and merriment. Despite and because of this, true love will blossom; nothing wrong with that. Simple can be bad if you don't like the concept to begin with. I like dark stories that teach us something about ourselves and this does that in spades.
   
   -"EMOTIONLESS, SHALLOW CHARACTERS."????
   Sorry, I read that somewhere here at amazon.com. Well, I obviously could not disagree more. To be fair you can't watch this film once and know all the characters; it's not that easy. Some of the characters are emotionless and shallow by design, so I have to give a sideways nod to that statement, but I don't think the criticisms were aimed at those characters. The first time I saw this at the theater I was very conflicted. I criticized many of the same things others did. I didn't get the characters. It had a strange mood to it. The music was completely unexpected. But a good film proves itself in repeat viewings. After a couple of viewings, I felt that I knew all the characters personally. I thought all the voice actors proved perfect. I actually enjoy the songs now. Perhaps this film isn't as simple as people say?
   
   -MY RECOMMENDATION
   This is a fairly simple concept which is complex in its subtlties and may not satisfy everyone. The music takes getting used to but can grow on you. If you don't like dark fables told in animated films you should avoid this. If you don't give a care for animation one way or the other then you probably won't think much of this. If you are a fan of Stop Motion Animation then you really need to see this; if for no other reason than to appreciate the artistic and technical achievement, it will have been worth it. The DVD has ample extras and a beautiful picture. This film is one that grows in depth and enjoyment every time I watch it. As a fan of Stop Motion Animation I now revel in it.



5. buy this wonderful movie if you a huge tim burton fan you wont be sorry