5 comments about Along Came Polly (Full Screen Edition).

1. I purchased this movie because I saw part of it on TV and found it entertaining. Especially Philip Seymour Hoffman who was just so funny. He is an outstanding actor in this and other films.Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition)



2. Along Came Polly: 4 out of 10: Welcome to Dharma and Greg the movie. It is a film where some stupendously unoriginal ideas clutter the screenplay, while Ben Stiller goes into the Farrelly brothers armoire once too often in a desperate search for a laugh.
   
   
   As an example, blind sweater wearing ferrets are not funny. Nor are they terribly cute for that matter and wonders what ganja toking screenwriter would think so. (John Hamburg it turns out. He actually penned the much funnier Zoolander as well as classic Meet the Parents. So he may be a victim of Executive Meddling)
   
   
   Strangely out of place is the bathroom humor. It is not funny at all and kills the romantic plot. The most egregious example is when Stiller uses a decorative bath towel, instead of toilet paper, on a first date with Jennifer Aniston. The fact that they have a second date pushes this movie into the realm of science fiction. I have known woman to end a ten-year marriage for less.
   
   
   Some ideas were funny on their own (Philip Seymour Hoffman's child actor character), but not nearly enough are done with them; and we are quickly back to the tedium of Dharma and Greg ,um excuse me, Stiller and Aniston. In reality if it was not for Hoffman, as well as Alec Baldwin's Jewish boss character, and Bryan Brown's Australian eccentric, there would not have been a laugh during the entire film.
   
   
   It is sad when you are wishing the leads would leave the screen so we can get back to the funny stuff; (Though, as an off-topic aside, Anniston does look quite sexy in her PG-13 sex scene.)
   
   
   If you do come across the DVD of this movie, be sure to watch Debra Messing's rap song located in the deleted scenes. It was cut for being out of tone with the rest of the film. I was too funny... seriously.



3. This bit of comedic fluff I've seen a few times in bits and pieces. Ben Stiller plays Rueben who is a risk assessment insurance guy, who just had a Jewish wedding with Lisa. But on their honeymoon she bangs the skindiver instructor, Claude. After some hippo jokes and bathroom humor, you learn of his crush with the Jennifer Aniston character, who is no not into him. He wants to change and forces himself to fit her mold, which I found distastful. Alec Baldwin was funny as the overacting boss.
   
   Then his wife Lisa wants to get back together and she looks like she's sincere in wanting forgiveness, but he can't and dumps her anyway, even though Polly is nowhere in his league. Personally I would have went back to Lisa. As one character says, it's not about what's happening in life, it's just enjoying the ride.
   
   Oddball, a few laughs, but really don't waste your time.
   
   Stiller Stinkers & Praisers include:
   
   Tropic Thunder (Unrated Director's Cut)
   Meet the Parents
   Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)



4. This dvd came in a movie jacket instead of in the actual case which just leads me to believe that it was stolen. It was a cheap movie, but I expected to get the case it came in. Very cheap of the seller to ship a dvd without any protection from the case. I was not impressed.



5. This is one of the best comedy's ever, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin are so funny in this. Plus I think that Ben Stiller's character is great he is just trying to make the best of a crummy situation and does that and luckily has wonderful people in his life that care about him. My boyfriend and I love this movie because it's hilarious and at the end he loves the part when Ben Stiller meets up with the scuba instructor again and actually thanks him for everything because he did him a favor by helping to reveal his cheating wife's true nature and allowing him to go on with his life for the better.So not only a hilarious comedy but very heartwarming as well.

5 comments about Never Say Never Again (Collector's Edition).

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.

5 comments about The Deep.

1. Save your money on this one. Not the complete version! Just buy the standard DVD and it should be almost as good when up-converted on your BD player. They did not use DNS and the picture has a soft grainy effect lacking detail but not a waxy look many don't like. I did however forget how boring this movie was since it drags on and on. If your into Jacqueline Bisset's famous wet t-shirt scene then this is a keeper.



2. Enjoyed the movie, brings back memories of times gone by. Good sound and video.



3. I know they now have the Blu Ray version that has the documentary in it, perhaps the one I saw back when it came out on TV to promote the film but this DVD version does not. It has both pan and scan and widescreen but this version is missing two bits of film from the VHS version that I remember. When Treece finds his buddy Kevin he puts his coat over the body and then hugs him which is touching. Later in the underwater climax Nolte uses the suction device's exaust to stun the big black henchman dude to escape but the full scene is missing just like the hugging scene.
   This movie needs a full blown remaster to fix everything I would guess but the sales are not there to warrant the money it would take I would imagine.
   I also read that there is an extended version that was shown on TV years ago. That should be done as well and I would buy it for sure because I love this movie.
   I bought the VHS and two DVD's so far plus I saw the film in the theatre.



4. "The Deep" was one of the reasons I started diving back in the 80's. Since then I have bought this movie in VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray. The Dlu-Ray edition is worth the price, with an amazing image quality and nice extras. A must for anyone who loves diving, adventure or Jaqueline Bisset...



5. It is a good product but the disc needed some stamping or label on it but the Amazon service was top rate.Many THanks.

5 comments about Never Say Never Again.

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.

5 comments about Thunderball.

1. Thunderball
   
   This is the fourth film in a series that offers the best action / adventure plots. The James Bond movies surfaced a world of espionage, gadgets, secret weapons, beautiful women and amazing cars. As with the first three, the success of Sean Connery continued to enchant audiences the world over, creating an image so powerful that still to today, it is debated that he offered the best Bond character.
   
   By now, we were riveted on the Bond films from the very start. The introduction was becoming one of the best parts of the movie, offering gorgeous female silhouettes as Bond walked across stage demonstrating his marksmanship.
   
   For those of us who are fans of Tom Jones, this became the best film for the theme song is performed by him. Back in 1965, Tom Jones offered great appeal as the star with a powerful voice who wore tight pants, billowing shirts with wide collars and who was considered a sex symbol by admirers.
   
   The song written by Don Black was a tremendous hit and the lyrics reaffirmed our perception of James Bond as the Secret Service Agent who ran while others walked, acted while others talked, wanted it all... so he stroke like Thunderball! Yes, for us Bond knew the meaning of success, calling him the winner who takes all, breaking any heart without regret while his fight goes on and on because he thinks the fight is worth it all!
   
   The movie starts with James Bond at a funeral of SPECTRE agent No. 6. Bond follows his widow and we are soon shocked to find out that it is a man disguised as the widow, who in actuality is No. 6, Jacques Bouvar attempting to cover his identity to get away with killing two British agents.
   
   Thunderball brings us a Bond on a mission to find two NATO nuclear bombs that were taken away by members of SPECTRE. The nuclear bombs are on a plane and SPECTRE has hired a man who has an operation to look identical to the real pilot, who is killed and replaced by the impersonator. The plane is on a training flight but the impersonator pilot gasses the rest of the crew then flying the plane to the Bahamas where he submerges the plane to be camouflaged to prevent detection.
   
   The pilot had been engaged and promised a certain payment for his services but he reconsiders and asks for a lot more because of the pain and suffering he has undergone to look, speak, and act like the original pilot. Because of his attempt to extort more from the organization, it is now his turn to get killed by Emilio Largo, superbly played by Adolfo Celi, who is none other than Agent #2 at SPECTRE [Special Executive for Counter Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion].
   
   Largo and his men take possession of the atomic bombs under water and these scenes are magnificent for they offer something audiences the world over had not yet seen, underwater opening hatches, scuba divers and underwater weapons, machinery and tools that inspired many to take on new hobbies and see an underworld filled with possibilities.
   
   Bond is sent to the Bahamas where he partners with Largo's mistress, Domino, beautifully played by Claudine Anger, who is the original pilot's sister and wants revenge for her brother's death.
   
   When Bond and Largo finally meet, they sense in each other a dangerous enemy and the fun begins for these two initiate a psychological game to draw each other out.
   
   Another SPECTRE agent, Fiona Volve, played by Luciana Paluzzi, is after Bond. The magic and fun of the Bahamas is introduced as Bond tries to escape from Volpe and we become part of the famous street parade known as Junkanoo or local carnival celebration. During Junkanoo, thousands of men and women unite under the banner of differing groups to produce beautiful costumes, music and dance, so it becomes easy for Bond to mingle in the crowd but because he was shot and is bleeding, the blood hounds after him are able to closely follow.
   
   Bond and Felix Leiter, this time played by Rik Van Nutter continue to search for the plane by helicopter because Bond needs to understand if the weapons are still on board or if they have been taken and after days of searching the waters they find the Vulcan and Bond finds the crew corpses and the pilot's. Bond takes the personal items belonging to the impersonating pilot to later give these to Domino to let her know of her brother's death.
   
   Much action ensues and the underwater battle between Bond, a unit of the United States Coast Guard and Largo's men is simply filming at its best. As usual, Bond saves the day and like Thunderball we are now forever fans of Bond, James Bond! Thunderball is and shall remain one of the best Bond films, don't miss it!



2. Thunderball is one of our favoite James Bond movies, and this "ultimate edition" gives us a lot to look at. Thanks to the CD format, we now have all of the Bond movies, and we enjoy watching them again and again



3. I wanted to watch the original early films of Bond, beginning with Dr. No. It's great to see Sean Connery evolve from film to film to become, I feel, the best Bond there ever was. I'm progressing in order from Dr. No, to From Russia with love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You only live twice, Diamonds are forever, and the later semi-Bond "Never say Never again". I know many fans of Bond dislike the last film Connery did, but perhaps they were expecting too much from a then, pretty weathered, franchise. I still have to watch the final two Connery films and am not expecting too much from "Diamonds" and even less from "Never". But that doesn't take away from the talent and artistry of Sean Connery and I'm more into those last films to simply watch how he slowly bows out of the James Bond role forever. It's sad film history to watch sometimes, but I'd rather watch these first Bond films again and again than to tolerate the works of Roger Moore and the others. Daniel Craig is a fresh approach to the role, but he lacks the warmth and humor that Connery brought to the role. I'd love to see one final film where Sean Connery has taken over the position of "M" and guides newer agents along, making them the best they could be. Sort of like an episode of "NCIS", I know, but it would be entertaining to see, none-the-less.



4. Since being a S.Connery fan, I would probably purchase just about anything this artist performed. He brings his characters to life especially his Bond character with lady villains. Even though he is prompted to do his portrayal, he signifies great expertise in entertaining the product to the public.



5. A Ball Of Thunder...
   
   The porno industry would have been in uproar had Balls Of Thunder been the actual title. 1965 and for the fourth year in a row another Bond film hits the screens, again directed by Terence Young, the original Bond director. The Bond franchise had turned into a phenomenon, thanks to Goldfinger, making this one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the year. It starts in a small way with Thunderball that Bond starts to transcend it's own boundaries of story and earthiness becoming more fantasy than spy thriller, living up the expectations of being a bigger and bolder movie than it's predecessor and to stand out against the number of imitator spy films popping up, in doing so it loses a little of it's soul. Terence Young's direction at least steers this adventure with the right look and feel maintained from the first few films. But it does suffer story and character wise trying to top previous entries. The bigger budget is obvious, there are more gadgets, girls and exotic locations than before and Sean Connery is still in his element with a nice enhancing hairpiece as his was starting to thin down by this picture and whose wouldn't when being pursued by paparazzi twenty four seven? Bond is ever more the womaniser, drinker and quipper although perhaps notable predicting the future this is the first film where we don't see the character smoke on screen. Plus the simple blockbuster plot groundwork is cemented for the series in this film. SPECTRE return with their most audacious plot, hijacking two atomic bombs and holding the world to a billion dollar diamond ransom or two Western cities will be destroyed. A similar plot would crop up again in future Bond pictures, even to Thunderball itself being remade as 80's Connery Bond `Never Say Never Again'. Good to see this is where the storyline originated. Italian actor Adolfo Celi plays the brutish, silver haired, eye patch wearing Number two of Spectre, Emilio Largo surrounded by a bevy of assassins a standout of which is Luciana Paluzzi playing Bond femme fatale, Fiona Vulpe, one of four woman Bond beds down as he lurches from one action set piece to another. Bond is numerically getting closer to Number 1, who is still frustratingly shown as a cat patting silhouette dishing out orders and frying the minions who have failed him, shades of Dr. Evil in years to come. However the simple plot is made up for with the rocket like pace for a film made in '65. Though it does drag a bit with the amount of underwater sequences the jet fighter hijacking and underwater theft being the most obvious. As far as the underwater photography goes though, the cinematographer, Lamar Boren, strikes gold with the clarity of these aquatic shots choreographed by Ricou Browning especially with Bond's underwater searches of Largo's yacht and the brutal underwater fight scene between the good guys and Spectre which benefits a lot from the crystal clear remastering and transfer to DVD. This Bond entry leaves no room for subtle brush strokes as he tracks down the dead pilot's sister froma Health farm in England to the Bahamas. `Domino' or Dominique is played by Claudine Auger, a former Miss France who is a passable Bond girl and it's here through no fault of hers Bond girls really begin to become bland in character. Bond and Largo play a game of cat and mouse totally lacking the finesse of encounters with previous Bond villains. Q makes his first appearance in the field to give out some gimmicky gadgets and Rick Van Nutter plays the third version of Felix Leiter. There's little doubt of the film's outcome about the only drama being when Bond suffers a minor bullet wound during a mid movie chase scene. More drama was happening leading to the film's prodcution, including the plagiarism court case surrounding the novel and screenplay initiated by Kevin McCLory against creator Ian Fleming which led to the former being given an on screen Producer credit. But despite this and the increasingly strained relationship between Connery and the press as fame overtook him, the film won an Academy Award for visual effects and adjusted for the 2010 box office is still the most financially successful Bond entry ever made. But as the pre credits sequence complete with massive fistfight and rocket pack shows the franchise was starting to head into the realms of absolute spy fantasy rather than spy thriller. However the DVD release covers the Thunderball phenomenon in a documentary and its impact on the way action films were heading and how the spy culture was creating many imitators on both film and television from films such as In Like Flint and The Ipcress File to Get Smart, The Avengers and the Man From U.N.C.L.E. Not only is this the cleanest looking remaster of 60's Bond's it's also the first that got the 5.1 surround sound treatment in it's first release, not that the powerful Tom Jones opening song needs that. Titbit - this is the first film to feature Connery in the famed gun barrel opening sequence, previously it was stuntman Bob Simmons in his hat.

5 comments about IMAX: Volcanoes of the Deep Sea [Blu-ray].

1. I saw this feature at our local IMAX and as soon as it was released on DVD I had to have it! Volcanoes of the Deep Sea features footage of some VERY cool invertebrates living DEEP under water at hot vents on the sea floor. Ed Harris does a great job narrating. I wish these IMAX features were longer!



2. This... on HDTV... is just like in an IMAX! I'm an earth science teacher, and I can tell you this mesmerized the class. In fact, it's great for life science as well.



3. This is a film whose strength lies mostly in its first-class imagery. The high definition underwater film coupled with the excellent CG sequences create a very unique and intimate look at life on the hydrothermal vents. If you are new to this ecosystem, you will be truly amazed and taken aback at how alien it is. But for those who are already somewhat familiar with hydrothermal and chemosynthetic ecosystems, you won't be learning anything new. The film is fairly light on information, preferring to dazzle the viewer with closeup looks at the vents and impressive computer generated scenes.



4. I bought this for my fifth graders. In fifth grade we learn all about energy and how the sun provides energy for all living things on Earth. My students were absolutely blown away that geothermal heat could be the source energy for living things as well. I showed this video in the last two weeks of school, and students created an energy pyramid to reflect the hydrothermal vent environment. My video had a very good educational "extra feature" with science demonstrations that explained concepts students needed to know to understand hydrothermal vent environments. Awesome, awesome enrichment tool. I will be looking for more videos from this producer. Please comment if you know any...



5. I have never taken the time to write a product review, probably because I never sat down and was shockingly amazed at how beautiful the picture of a particular movie was. This video on blu-ray is well worth its price. I loved it and cannot imagine ever not recommending it as a first choice, underwater video.
   
   This is a MUST-SEE!!!!

5 comments about Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition).

1. I purchased this movie because I saw part of it on TV and found it entertaining. Especially Philip Seymour Hoffman who was just so funny. He is an outstanding actor in this and other films.Along Came Polly (Widescreen Edition)



2. Along Came Polly: 4 out of 10: Welcome to Dharma and Greg the movie. It is a film where some stupendously unoriginal ideas clutter the screenplay, while Ben Stiller goes into the Farrelly brothers armoire once too often in a desperate search for a laugh.
   
   
   As an example, blind sweater wearing ferrets are not funny. Nor are they terribly cute for that matter and wonders what ganja toking screenwriter would think so. (John Hamburg it turns out. He actually penned the much funnier Zoolander as well as classic Meet the Parents. So he may be a victim of Executive Meddling)
   
   
   Strangely out of place is the bathroom humor. It is not funny at all and kills the romantic plot. The most egregious example is when Stiller uses a decorative bath towel, instead of toilet paper, on a first date with Jennifer Aniston. The fact that they have a second date pushes this movie into the realm of science fiction. I have known woman to end a ten-year marriage for less.
   
   
   Some ideas were funny on their own (Philip Seymour Hoffman's child actor character), but not nearly enough are done with them; and we are quickly back to the tedium of Dharma and Greg ,um excuse me, Stiller and Aniston. In reality if it was not for Hoffman, as well as Alec Baldwin's Jewish boss character, and Bryan Brown's Australian eccentric, there would not have been a laugh during the entire film.
   
   
   It is sad when you are wishing the leads would leave the screen so we can get back to the funny stuff; (Though, as an off-topic aside, Anniston does look quite sexy in her PG-13 sex scene.)
   
   
   If you do come across the DVD of this movie, be sure to watch Debra Messing's rap song located in the deleted scenes. It was cut for being out of tone with the rest of the film. I was too funny... seriously.



3. This bit of comedic fluff I've seen a few times in bits and pieces. Ben Stiller plays Rueben who is a risk assessment insurance guy, who just had a Jewish wedding with Lisa. But on their honeymoon she bangs the skindiver instructor, Claude. After some hippo jokes and bathroom humor, you learn of his crush with the Jennifer Aniston character, who is no not into him. He wants to change and forces himself to fit her mold, which I found distastful. Alec Baldwin was funny as the overacting boss.
   
   Then his wife Lisa wants to get back together and she looks like she's sincere in wanting forgiveness, but he can't and dumps her anyway, even though Polly is nowhere in his league. Personally I would have went back to Lisa. As one character says, it's not about what's happening in life, it's just enjoying the ride.
   
   Oddball, a few laughs, but really don't waste your time.
   
   Stiller Stinkers & Praisers include:
   
   Tropic Thunder (Unrated Director's Cut)
   Meet the Parents
   Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)



4. This dvd came in a movie jacket instead of in the actual case which just leads me to believe that it was stolen. It was a cheap movie, but I expected to get the case it came in. Very cheap of the seller to ship a dvd without any protection from the case. I was not impressed.



5. This is one of the best comedy's ever, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin are so funny in this. Plus I think that Ben Stiller's character is great he is just trying to make the best of a crummy situation and does that and luckily has wonderful people in his life that care about him. My boyfriend and I love this movie because it's hilarious and at the end he loves the part when Ben Stiller meets up with the scuba instructor again and actually thanks him for everything because he did him a favor by helping to reveal his cheating wife's true nature and allowing him to go on with his life for the better.So not only a hilarious comedy but very heartwarming as well.

5 comments about Back To School (Extra-Curricular Edition).

1. Not so fine as in first time I saw it when I was 17 years old. I think it was most exciting due as teen, I feel the same about parents, now many years after I don't agree in all.
   This picture is suitable for a relaxed sunday afternoon, it is funny and you can have a good time.
   If you look for a state-of-art film... your are in the wrong place.



2. This is Rodney Dangerfield at his best. There are good contributions from a number of other actors and a funny appearance by Sam Kinison, but Dangerfield is the star. I cannot too highly recommend Back to School--you can even watch it over and over. One of the funniest comedies I've ever watched.



3. This version of Back To School has a couple of extras about the man who got no respect and where the line came from! For those who have never seen this. Rodney Dangerfield stars is this comedy and show a comical view at business, school, and the new york italian sort of comedy.



4. Even uglier than The Ugly American, Rodney Dangerfield pillories not only the boorish nouveaux riches but also self-important academicians. Vonnegut's cameo defense of Dangerfield's book report reminds us of the English teachers described in his Breakfast of Champions. They tell students "that they were unworthy to speak or write their language if they couldn't love or understand incomprehensible novels ... about people long ago and far away, such as Ivanhoe." Movie not recommended for people who have no life. Not suitable for those who resemble Grant Woods' Iowa Gothic couple. Rated AANT: Adults not admitted without teenage or 20-something children.



5. this movie arrived in a good time frame. One of my husbands favorites so no complaints.

5 comments about The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

1. I forget how I got interested in this movie, since I read the book after seeing the film. Anyway, I loved this movie. I watched it three times in one day. I love French Movies so I don't need to worry about being disappointed.
   It was cool seeing what Bauby saw and hearing his thoughts. It was neat how you
   slowly saw what Bauby looked like. First you saw what he saw, then you end up seeing him. I liked the nurse who took care of him, the one that taught him how to communicate. The movie as a whole was a cool experience and everyone should see the movie at least once during their life.



2. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a profound feat of filmmaking. It is based on the real-life story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man who suddenly finds himself in the kind of medical predicament horror stories are made of: he suffers a stroke resulting in "locked-in" syndrome, wherein Bauby, though aware of his surroundings and able to hear and see people and things around him, is completely paralyzed and unable to respond to anyone or anything (though he comes to gain some control over one of his eyelids, which is remarkably how the real-life Bauby wrote his memoirs of the same name solely by blinking).
   
   It is truly a nightmare of a situation, and yet this film is masterfully made into a thing of beauty and hope. For although Bauby's own body has completely turned against him and shut down, his mind has not, and the film beautifully depicts the power of the mind and the spirit as Bauby's vivid imagination sweeps him away from his dreary hospital bed and into all sorts of fantasy excursions, some real-life flashbacks foraying into his past life, and others that appear to only exist as creations of Bauby's mind. Director Julian Schnabel captures these scenes beautifully, with touches of nostalgia and surrealism that create a beauty from the despair.
   
   Rarely does a film manage to juxtapose the depressing and the hopeful so well. Bauby's present is bleak and depressing. It is clear he will not recover from his condition, and the film brutally depicts Bauby's family and friends as they struggle to cope with his predicament. (Perhaps the best, most heart-wrenching scene of the film comes from a one-sided phone conversation between Bauby, who is trapped in his body and cannot speak, and his elderly father (brilliantly portrayed by Max von Sydow), who in his own way is trapped in his apartment and cannot visit his ailing son.)
   
   The strength of Bauby's spirit when his body is in such dire straits is incredible and inspiring. At times it is difficult to see the film as a happy one--there is nothing about Bauby's predicament that is happy or hopeful in the least. And yet the fact that Bauby never gives up, never acquiesces to the situation his mind has found his body is as moving and hopeful a story as any. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is not an easy film to watch, but it is a visually stunning story of the power and strength of the human spirit, and the real-life story of a man whose imagination refused to die.



3. What an interesting, unusual film. I will certainly recommend this to friends. Definitely not an average movie.



4. The story is one of admirable bravery and determination in the face of hopeless despair. The acting is very good. The movie certainly deserves its accolades for technical merit. But for those good merits, I just couldn't get my mind into this movie. I think I found the pace just a little off for my preference. My mind wandered and I missed lengths of the story. It was somewhat long given the story line; just overly long enough that it detracted from the overall presentation of an otherwise good story.



5. I have just finished watching The Diving Bell and The Butterfly and I think it is one of the most profoundly beautiful films I have ever seen.
   
   Watching it, I kept thinking that it was one of the best films I've ever seen, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was the first-rate acting, the message, the visuals, the interaction between this man who could barely communicate but who accepted his limitations.
   
   The story is simple but complicated, lovingly told and lushly photographed. It has subtle nuance that could only come from a French film (even though the director is American), and a delightfully low-tech yet highly accomplished finish.
   
   We loved the way that time was fluid in the film: there were elements of past and present in many shots - empresses, dancers, Bauby as a boy and as a man.
   
   The ceaseless recitation of the alphabet by frequency of use became a comforting koan, almost a lullaby, that I could listen to over and over.
   
   The soundtrack was full of contemporary music, some French, some English and some a little of both and all the songs seemed to fit well, reinforcing the film and filling it in.
   
   This is not a light film, but strong, beautifully shot, superbly acted, and certainly worth seeing.
   
   Merci Julian, Janusz, Mathieu, Emmanuelle, Marie-Josee, Anne and Max. Thank you.

5 comments about Never Say Never Again [Blu-ray].

1. I've always like Never Say Never Again, though I acknowledge its flaws. I liked that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and prefer that Bonds age was embraced rather than ignored. I liked the way the movie poked fun at the conventions of a bond movie while using them, and frankly loved seeing connery as bond again. While I won't pretend it was the trendsetter of goldfinger or thunderball (of which it was based), I was far more entertained with it than You only live twice. A very good movie.
   
   With the blu ray I wanted to point out that it looks vastly superior to the original released dvd, yet doesn't shine the way modern Blu-ray movies do, not that it is expected. I also rather enjoyed the special features, though wish sean connery himself was interviewed. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to enjoy this movie, and if your a bond fan at all, it should be in your collection. Recomended.



2. the movie is good itself, but the dvd quality is not. Maybe it is too old, needed to be remastered.



3. can't play it on my blu-ray player.says i need update which i cannot find on line.



4. Blu-Ray is new and in excellent shape. Very fast delivery. Awesome Seller. Will do business again.



5. I got this movie as a present for someone who LOVES Bond movies. He likes the movie, and I enjoyed it also. It's funny at times, there's action, and of course Sean Connery makes it (even though he is a little older). Overall, good buy, especially if you're looking to buy the large collections that they have, because this is the only older Bond movie that is not included in those DVD collections.