5 comments about America's National Parks.

1. `America's National Parks' is not only a video tour of these locations, it is also something of a history and trivia lesson in that a good amount of information is offered about each area. As far as visuals are concerned, the cinematography really is something special to look at. The narration throughout the program is distinct and nicely paced in my opinion also. I've been fortunate enough to travel all over the world and one word that sticks in my mind about America is `diversity' because there is so much to see and experience and we are very blessed to have what we do. And we appreciate what we have.
   
   To be quite honest, before seeing this program, I had no idea there were 55 different national parks in America. Now that I do know and having seen them all on this wonderful documentary, I want to rush out and see every one of them (even the few I've already visited). I'm sure that others seeing this material will probably feel the same way. It is simply inspiring just to watch and appreciate these beautiful and unspoiled landscapes.
   
   Two special features are included in this DVD set. The first is entitled `Symphony to America's National Parks' and is music from classical composers set to a video montage of outstanding scenery lasting about 30 minutes (there is a different one for each disc). The second is called `Our Fragile Heritage' and at about 5 minutes long, it is basically a public service announcement with an important message. It talks about the importance of preservation and visitor's responsibilities inside the parks and I feel it is a useful compliment to the main program.
   
   I highly recommend this documentary to everyone. This is worth watching over and over and it would be a worthwhile addition, in my opinion, to any DVD collection. Enjoy.



2. I've watched plenty of the documentaries available on the National Parks. Most of them were shot in the 70's during the 'hiking craze', are badly ported to DVD and the narration brings you back to the days spent watching the second hands of the classroom clock tick slowly by. They cover a half dozen to a dozen of the now *58 plus national parks, at best. I'd rate most two to three stars, and only because I'm comparing them to each other; one tedious hour after another.
   
   This two disk set covers virtually *all of the parks and provides a variety of footage, from the very first moving pictures to the modern wide angle cinematography we've grown accustomed to. It's not high def, but it's clear and pleasing to the eye, while still providing some of the same 1970's views you'll recognize from it's predecessors (which explains some of the bad footage commented on by other reviewers). The narrator is interesting, vibrant and brings to life a detailed history of so many of our national treasures.
   
   Due to the lack of capital available for such limited audience projects like documentaries, some of the narration and footage are recycled. They couldn't even shoot a whole blockbuster picture like the latest Batman movie in IMAX - it was simply too cost prohibitive, so it simply has to be forgiven. It does take away from some of the grandeur, but you can never experience a national park on screen, no matter how amazing the footage. You simply HAVE to see it yourself.
   
   The three or so hours you'll spend watching this documentary will have you hunting for your pack, waterproofing your boots and google-mapping how to get there before you even finish watching!
   
   A genuine treat for the 'National Park Nerd', 'History Buff', or anyone who has even a passing curiosity of what is out there.
   
   *The disk is missing the following three parks as of 12/31/2008: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio; Congaree National Park, South Carolina; Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, each created after it was feasible/possible for them to be included in this DVD: 10/11/2000, 11/10/2003, 9/24/2004 respectively.



3. This video at times almost seemed like a history lesson and did not fully capture the excitement of the National Parks. Our National Parks are amazing; unfortunately this video was at times uninspired. Look for a more exciting guide to the Parks



4. Need a respite from everyday life? Not feeling up to the pace of an action thriller? Don't have time for an entire movie? The twin DVD set, America's National Parks - A Video Tour of All 55 National Parks, is a perfect armchair getaway. Packed with jaw-dropping scenery shots, its peppered with historical footage, and seeded with details about the evolution of our National Park system --- and the individual parks in particular. Did you know we had 55 National Parks? I didn't. And this presentation easily lends itself to being viewed in segments. This item would make a great gift for anyone interested in our natural world and/or the history of the park system, not to mention the elderly, infirm, and the just plain frazzled.



5. Both DVDs were great. The photography exceptional and the background music appropriate. The narrator's voice was easy to listen to and easily understandable.
   I'd recommend it to anyone.

5 comments about POLES for Hiking, Trekking & Walking.

1. This homespun, yet well-done, video pretty much outlines all you want to know about trekking poles. In fact, it will contain information that won't be necessary for your specific needs. But that's the mark of a thorough resource, right? I'm the kind of guy who wants to acquire technique when incorporating something new into an everyday activity. There are other approaches to using trekking poles, but this one worked very well for me and I suggest it whenever I see someone experiencing difficulty with their poles. I bought poles for my hike into and out of the Grand Canyon. I reached the bottom free of knee strain and pain. And hiking out was easier because I was able to incorporate my core and upper body into the process. Props to Jayah Faye Paley for filming this video and to me for following her instruction.



2. I ordered this video used for $7 from Amazon.com after purchasing a pair of Leiki trekking poles at a local outdoor shop. The employees at the shop didn't seem to know much about how to use the poles, and after walking the trails at a nearby nature preserve with them several times, I felt I needed more information. In the video the instructions for how to use the poles are presented sequentially, building on prior information and giving lots of examples of different situations in which you would use the various techniques being shown. I found out that I was not using the poles correctly at all. I practiced with the poles along with the video at home to learn the techniques, which are very simple and easy to learn. Now when I hike the trails, the poles make a real difference and I feel confident that they are used properly.
   I had a total hip replacement 6 months ago and also have arthritis in the other hip and feet. Using the trekking poles properly helps me exercise without overly taxing the joints. Plus the poles give you a full body workout. I can really tell the difference. The video goes into the body mechanics of using the poles, so you understand how they are assisting your joints and also to alert you to things not to do so you avoid stressing both your lower joints and also your wrists, elbows and shoulders.
   If you are interested in using trekking poles, do yourself a favor and get the video. There is also a web site by the same people who published the video that gives a lot of information about proper use of the trekking poles, [...]



3. I really really loved POLES for Hiking, Trekking & Walking! It's a great video!



4. I wasnt really interested in watching an outdated video on how to walk... with trekking poles but i know see where i will benefit. Some of the tips and techniques are common sense but some you will be glad you learned. If you can get it cheap like me... y not?!



5. A well organized video, which offers proper technique in an easy to understand format. Your hiking experience will be elevated to a more enjoyable, productive (and safer) level.

5 comments about Run for Your Life.

1. We owe the big-city marathon as it exists today to Fred Lebow, the subject of this documentary. His vision of what he wanted the NYC Marathon to be changed the way marathons are organized around the world.
   
   This film looks at Fred and his life, specifically looking at the period from 1969 (the last year of the Cherry Tree Marathon in the Bronx, the precursor to the NYC Marathon) through the time of Fred's untimely death from brain cancer in 1994. There is amazing archival footage in the film and wonderful interview with those heavily involved in the marathon in the early years.
   
   As a runner and NYC Marathon finisher, I found this film fascinating, though anyone who has an interest in history, New York City, and biographies of interesting individuals would greatly enjoy this movie.



2. A biographical documentary that presents itself as true entertainment. A film that any runner will be interested in, as well as many others who will feel the dedication and passion Fred Lebow had for his calling.



3. "Running for Your Life" is a somewhat tedious documentary about Freed Lebow and his pivotal role in starting and growing the New York City Marathon. The film aims to mythologize and lionize Lebow and aggrandize the NYC Marathon. For example, near the beginning of the movie, one commentator says that the NYC Marathon is the most famous marathon in the world.
   
   Certain folks in Boston might rightly take issue with that.
   
   Lebow to me comes off as a rather pitiable character. No wife. No kids. Married to his job. He pursues serial relationships with young honeys but confesses that, once the thrill of the chase is gone, he gets bored with women. He tolerated selected vendors double-billing and ripping off the Road Runners Club. What a guy!
   
   An undercurrent of this self-absorbed film is the notion that, since the event relates to The Big Apple, it must by definition be hot $%&*. From this movie, you'd think that designing a footrace to run through all five NYC boroughs is up there with the Seven Wonders of the World.
   
   Please!!
   
   After about an hour, the documentary is up to the 1978 NYC Marathon and you may be stealing glances at your watch.
   
   IF you are a hard core historian of distance running lore or of the NYC Marathon, you may enjoy this movie, which only lasts 95 minutes but which, to me, seemed much longer.



4. I find it fascinating to read or watch documentaries on running in the early days, seeing what they went through and where the sport eventually got to. In Run For Your Life you not only get a biography of Fred Lebow, but you also get a bio of the NYC Marathon. I would dare say also that the big city marathon owes a lot of thanks to the pioneer trail blazed by Lebow and the NYC Marathon, allowing more runners to accomplish something as sweet as running 26.2 miles and making it accessible to all.
   
   What I liked about this documentary were the first hand accounts from all those who were there in the beginning. Those hard core running fanatics who were considered nuts for what they were doing. We got to hear what they did before, during and after the NYC Marathon was started which adds a lot to the history of the sport. Additionally I enjoyed the video footage that helped visualize through the years where the marathon was and what the runners were doing. Arguably you could say that the beginning days of the marathon did a lot in furthering the sport as big name runners such as Rodgers, Salazar and Waitz brought the press in to the mix and in to the public eye.
   
   Some downsides to the documentary, and I didn't find many, were there were some inconsistencies that made you wonder. Would you really tolerate a vendor charging you twice and not only not get upset but think that that made them smart and thus wanted to do business with them? Boston is arguably the more famous marathon in the world and yet they would say that the NYC Marathon is. Why would you go in to a meeting after hearing you lost money and say that you hoped you lost twice as much?
   
   Overall I thought this was a great documentary for the sport and for Lebow and the NYC Marathon. Despite some character flaws you can't help but like Lebow and by the end of the documentary I felt I understood who the man was. Additionally, and this is often how I rate a running book or documentary, I felt like not only running but I wanted to sign up for a marathon and feel the sense of accomplishment all over again. A definite recommend for runners and history buffs alike.
   
   4 stars.



5. This film can teach you a lot about commitment, passion, believing and following every single dream in your being.

5 comments about TREK - A Journey on the Appalachian Trail.

1. TREK tells the story of 4 young men and their 2001 thru hike of the AT. TREK delves into the characters, those fellow hikers they meet along the trail, a few choice days in detail, and how their few encounters "back in the world" seem different from the perspective of a hiker. Decent production quality, considering the film was made on-trail and without support. It's a keeper in my trail library.



2. Wow, I really enjoyed being along for the experience. That is what made this a 5 star movie for me. I enjoyed seeing what it was like for them to learn and adapt along the way. Every thru hike of the AT will throw something different at you, and the people just a week or two ahead of you, or behind you. This showed the tough days and the beautiful days. The highs and some of the lows of 5 months on the AT, without dwelling on the tough days, the whining or the outright "What the heck am I doing out here" times, that 5 months away from family and your "other life" can put you through.
   
   A great view into their Journey and accomplishment. I recommend this and the other AT documentaries to get the full view. This is a keeper.



3. I've only seen a few Appalachian Trail documentaries, but this one is my favorite. Some of the others I had watched before this one skipped entire states, and didn't show much of the scenery, but Trek follows the same group of guys through every state along the AT. If you are looking to hike the Appalachian Trail or just want to reminisce about the time you spent out there, then this is the DVD for you.



4. I have always wanted to hike the AT, and I think due to the very hard physical demands, the best time to do it is when one is young. It was with pleasure to watch this documentary of 4 young friends who travel to Springer Mountain, GA to attempt their thru-hikes of the trail. Filmed in a very good quality, with great views and music, it really made for a great viewing experience. As the friends hike North to Maine, they meet other's attempting the same feat, and the documentary becomes all the more interesting. I would recommend this to anyone, but especially to anyone contemplating hiking, or to anyone preparing to hike the AT.



5. I loved the movie, it was great. very informative about a lot on the trail, but did not show or mention anything bad on the trail, that I wish they would have went over more.

5 comments about Gerry.

1. Gerry is a one-of-a-kind experience, a cinematic force beyond any sense of category or label, and DEFINITELY not for everyone. If you want to watch Gerry, you need...
   
   1. Patience
   2. An attention span
   3. An appreciation for nature
   4. An appreciation for film
   5. A knack for analysis
   6. An adoration of the unique
   and, most importantly,
   7. An open mind
   
   If you think you contain at least six of those traits, you will adore Gerry as I do. If not, you'd best turn back now. Those 104 minutes aren't coming back.



2. Matt Damon's "Gerry" killed Casey Afflex's "Gerry"??? Really? Huh?
   
   I have to review this movie because I reviewed "Elephant" and in the middle of "Gerry", I said to myself...wait a minute--is this a Gus Van Sant movie? I had no idea because there were no titles in the beginning and I had just recorded this horrible movie from a satillite channel.
   
   Pointless, postcard scenery, long, meaningless shots of driving, walking, more walking (like in Elephant) and sparse, boring, nutty dialog. And about as far away from reality as you can get (except, see Elephant).
   
   Why would two modern, supposedly smart, educated guys go for a hike in the desert without water, a compass, hats, snacks and a map? They brought their ciggies and lighters though. The scene where Affleck jumps off the rock into the "dirt mattress" was surely just to show off.
   
   Gus Van Sant movies aren't for everyone, I agree. I just kind of always want some story, acting, production values (that maybe have a few bucks spent on them) and a director that doesn't fall asleep during filming.



3. Dumb & dumber go hiking . . . in the desert. They get lost. That's it.
   
   Not a lot of talkin', which is good cause these boys ain't got nothing to say.
   
   Some nice scenery. About as interesting as watching paint dry.
   
   Ends with a "WTF" ending. Maybe some reviewers found this made the film "provocative". Lame cop-out for real plot in my opinion. You decide: if you can stand it that long.
   
   Continuity alert: Casey has a white hooded sweatshirt when he goes into the desert. At the big rock, it's not there any more. Considering how little else goes on in this movie and how important any protection is in the desert, why wasn't this omission noticed?



4. Not for your typical American viewer, no car chases, nothing blows up, no special effects/cgi, no boobs...which is why most will not like it, which is good.



5. Gerry is Gus Van Sant's first attempt to break into the art house style of creative and original storytelling and simplistic filmmaking. It tells a rather disturbing story of two young men who go out into the wilderness on a hiking trip for no particular reason it seems other than to perhaps see something interesting. Eventually their interest subsides and they both decide to head back home, but before long they slowly begin to realize that they are lost in the desert and cannot find their way out. Still, they continue to exchange small talk and they continue to keep their high hopes while their fears that they may likely die slowly becomes an inescapable possibility.
   
   I really like what Gus Van Sant has done here. He has told a simple story about two young men who have, through their own simplistic mannerisms, gotten lost. Van Sant manages to hold the intensity of the idea together perfectly. However, the story and the context that this idea is put in is far from perfect. I hate to admit it, especially because Gus Van Sant is one of my favorite filmmakers, but this film really sucks in a way that made me remarkably angry. Don't listen to what the critics say about the man-vs-wild aspects or the hardship of friendship or the destruction of the human psyche under stress. I'm going to go on record by saying that this film doesn't have any of that in any form. There's no imagery to suggest that the film's characters are suffering from anymore than they should. There's no attempts at symbolism or developments or metaphysical storytelling. There is nothing. This film is a joke, and it's sad to say that because I think that Gus Van Sant actually does take this idea seriously. I think that he does believe that he has crafted something of prime genius here. The problem is that he is fooling himself even more than he is fooling the audience, at least from my standpoint. The film doesn't have celebrate joy of human existence. The film doesn't allow us any sort of hope for anything. The film isn't intense. The film isn't interesting. The film isn't the slightest bit emotional or original. Instead, it's just an hour and forty minute bore of horrible improvised dialogue, good cinematography, and no premise. The experimental nature of a film won't mean anything if there isn't any sort of ambition for plot, but this film lays it all on the absolute minimum of minimum storytelling and as a result, for me anyway, it is painful to watch.
   
   So what did I like about it? Well, the opening shot is absolutely majestic. The shot of the car on the road with the beautiful piano music and the wide open sky is absolutely magnificent. There are also a handful of interesting shots of the desert and of the characters in the desert, two of which I have provided screenshots of in this review, that lingered in my mind after the film ended. I also really appreciate Van Sant's use of sound in this film. It's very subtle, but it really speaks for itself. The performances of Matt Damon and Casey Affleck are both very good. The mood that the early scenes in the film generate definitely help it grip the audience's attention. There are also a few scenes of dry comedy that help to generate some sort of energy to the film. All this definitely may trick the audience into thinking that there's more going on here than there ultimately really is.
   
   Some have called the film a masterpiece, hailing it as a work of pure cinema and ambition. I can agree with that to some extent. Others call the film one of the worst independent films of the 2000s. I don't think I would go that far. There are a lot of horrible films that came out before and after Gerry that have been insufferable. Gerry is, however, a failure. It's a film in which it's ambitions are lost in the technicality of the sublime lack of energy, truth, storytelling, and art. It's not fascinating, challenging, entertaining, or even remotely abstract. It's just a dire piece of pointless nothingness that will only hold your attention if you are interested in unusual films about the desert, and even then I can think of films that work better. Gerry is a film that angered me and depressed me. I've seen it four times now and each time I feel even more and more robbed. I can't put this film down enough. I hate this film.

5 comments about Stand By Me (Deluxe Edition).

1. I loved this movie...it is funny, sad, great! A must see in my book..



2. I Love this movie, but movie bame packaged and with no scratches. Would purchase from seller again.



3. One of the best (if not the best) coming of age movies of all time. This movie has it all. It has murder mystery. It has misunderstood young men. It has hoodlums. It has flashbacks. And it has cussing cause it's cool. Although none of these actors, with the exception of Kiefer Sutherland, went on to make very major careers, maybe in River Phoenix's case because of his suicide, they all gave very convincing performances. The story was phenomenally captivating.From the start you won't want to stop, it is so much fun. It is a very serious movie, but at the same time it has a lot of well placed humor. All the characters have very distinctive and very likable personalities. The only thing I didn't like was the end where they told us what became of the boys as adults, and said the "bad boy" was going to turn his life around but was stabbed. Stephen King seems to like to kill kids (another example of this is "The Mist" where the father is forced to shoot his own son). This movie is a timeless classic. I will cherish it forever, and will definitely show this to my children. 50/10!



4. This 1986 adaption of the Stephen King novella The Body stars River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Keifer Sutherland. A group iof boys goes searching for a dead body encountering trouble along the way. I thought it was a worthwhile film having seen it as a kid and it stills holds up years later. Though tame, it is one of the better Stephen King adaptions though not horror oriented. I would recommend it.



5. When the author (Stephen King) says this is the best depiction of one of his stories done in movie form, you can bank on it. It is based largely on King's childhood and some of his childhood friends at age 12. It has a unique universal appeal to many of us who experienced many of the same things and had similar friends at that age. This has got to be the best movie ever done about "coming of age", the journey, and the people and things we encountered at that innocent age. Its a movie you can watch over and over without ever tiring of it. Five stars, and richly deserved, for this Rob Reiner production.

5 comments about Kilimanjaro - To the Roof of Africa (Large Format).

1. I love the movie very much! It might be a bit romantic and idolized (you see only pretty things. But I found it very encouraging in my preparation to the claim! After all - among others they feature and older lady that didn't look very sporty and two teenagers... If they made it to the top - I can too!!! Just have to train hard!
   
   Very beautiful film!!!



2. In planning for a trip to Kili, we wanted to be able to show our kids what a trip to the mountain would be like. This DVD was perfect as it included people of all ages on the climb. This is a great family film, short but perfect for those interested in beginning climbing or family outdoor adventures. It would also be beneficial to home schoolers that need some visuals to supplement geography and/or African studies.



3. WONDERFUL VIDEO. AWESOME IMAGES. I'M READY TO GO CLIMB IT. DAVID BRASHEARS IS THE MAN.



4. Enjoyable footage of Kilimanjaro and the climb up. The IMAX format and story isn't as detailed as a Kilimanjaro documentary might be. Though the DVD said TRT (total running time) is 70 minutes, the actual feature ran to just under 40 minutes. So, disappointing in this regard. I got the sense of the mountain - as IMAX would portray - just not the real-world expedition climbing of it: preparation, packing, porters, cooks, others on the mountain etc. A good first look at the mountain, but it left many questions unanswered in preparing for a Kili climb.



5. In short: If you're thinking about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, or just interested in East Africa, this is a great documentary. And you can get it brand new from an Amazon partner for only $5.00-- GREAT value in my opinion. Just buy it.
   
   Details: I climbed Kilimanjaro (Rongai route) over New Year's 2009; then I discovered this DVD a couple of months after the fact & decided to order. I like it because it gives my family/friends a great IMAX quality overview of the mountain, and is a great supplement to my personal slides/video (*I returned with about 1,500 of my own pics, and about 3 hrs of hi-def video). I like the DVD's musical score, as well.
   
   The 'plot' of the DVD follows a style I've seen in a number of other IMAX films-- following a group of otherwise ordinary individuals as they tackle an out-of-the-ordinary task (climbing Kilimanjaro, in this case). If there is anything particularly inaccurate, it's the lack of porters in the video (no, not ONE porter is shown in the entire presentation) and also the lack of other hiking groups on the mountain. [the IMAX group seems to be completely alone, whereas my experience was one of at least dozens if not hundreds of other hikers]. Still, the purpose of the video is NOT to be a detailed hiking guide, but rather to give viewers an idea of the scope and grandeur of the mountain. This it does very well.
   
   To reiterate: great movie, great value

5 comments about A Perfect Getaway (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray].

1. Movie really moves along like the pace of a slow turtle, the acting is pretty cardboard like a TV lifetime movie. I really like Steve Zahn but even he doesnt bring any comic relief to the film, its not necessarily predictable but also you sense whats coming. Making the killers obvious wasn't really something that worked effectively being that they weren't the killers if that makes sense. The whole movie is basically just a meshed together semi-thriller that goes no where but down. On another note, the couple in the movie wed being Newly Weds and traveling the so called trails is very inaccurate, mainly because you don't go on dangerous trails with 1000 drop offs with out a guide or gear. The fact that all the couples in the movie are going the same direction and making camps right near the stormy ocean line isn't very convincing either. There are no rangers, no guides, no signs and really no point to anywhere they are heading. So the killers from the BIG ISLAND as you would call it, end up on the smallest one, by chance? Maybe, maybe not. But when you start to get into the meat and potatoes of the film you really don't even care. Poor dialogue, cheesy screenplay and a really horrible story line make you want to getaway, from this movie that is. What a wreck. 2 stars for the beauty of Hawaii!



2. This movie was good, you need to really watch it closely to really know what's going on. I would recommend this if you like action movies and not only romance.



3. Hey, what do ya know? Here is yet another "thriller" promising a mind-blowing twist! The problem with every movie trying to out-twist The Sixth Sense or the original Saw is that the possibilities for such a twist are limited. Take that knowledge into a film where there are two couples and one is supposedly a pair of psychos and you have a 50/50 shot right out of the bag of guessing which is which. When the "twist" is exposed it is explained to the viewer in a series of flashbacks which seem to serve a couple of purposes. Firstly it seems that the writer/directory Twohy feels that his audience is too stupid to follow this storyline and therefore he must explain it over and over for around 20 minutes in the middle of the film. The other is that perhaps he realized at some point just how weak and silly the twist was and he is trying to legitimize his plot by hoping that repetition will hypnotize the viewer into acceptance. Either way it is to the point of being offensive to the intelligence of the audience. There really is not much to redeem this film in any way. The scenery is beautiful. I suppose on that note I could recommend Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]. Timothy Olyphant is a really enjoyable character, but that is hardly news these days. He just has a likability factor automatically injected into the characters which he has played as of late. The film drags and takes really embarrassing turns as Steve Zahn out-Steve-Zahns himself stretching his extremely limited acting chops into a cut-and-paste caricature of a leading male. Milla Jovovich gives one of her worst performances portraying a character with seemingly no sense of self or any motivation whatsoever. It could have been worse, however; Milla's husband could have written and directed it. This really is a one-star flick but Olyphant gets a star to himself. Overall it is a waste of time.



4. This movie was like two movies joined together at the hip or something. The first half reminded me of a story in which every time you opened a door a ghost jumped out and said "Boo!" Eventually it's just not scary anymore. That's the first half.
   
   Instead of a haunted house, this film is set in Hawaii. The scenery is spectacular. The key players are two couples who hike along a remote trail. They learn two newlyweds were brutally murdered just days before in Honolulu (they're on another island, Kauai) and have reason to suspect each other. There's a wicked looking knife, a hatchet, and fleeting glances of figures slipping through the dense tropical vegetation. One character, portrayed by the best actor of the lot, Timothy Olyphant, has a titanium plate in his skull (necessitated by an Iraq war wound, he claims) and likes to tell weird stories. Another character has a combative, menacing air. But the suspense factor hovered around zero. It was all rather mind numbing, although the cinematography was stunning.
   
   Somewhere past the halfway point, however, it all took a sudden turn that completely surprised me. From then on, it was most exciting, although at the end I thought the two halves were not really part of the same whole. And, if only they could have edited out most of that catatonically boring first half.



5. Well when this movie was in theaters I didn't pay much attention to it, but my friend highly recommended this, so I rented it on dvd when it came out and all I can say is that now this movie is one of my favorites. It has an awesome cast such as Timothy Olyphant ( awesome actor!), Steve zahn, and mila jovovich.
   The movie is about a newly wed couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii and decide to hike a big trail when they hear about a couple that was murdered by another couple. Along their trip they run into a couple "different" couples, this movie is fully of suspense, I bought it on blu ray and it looks amazing on my 100" projector screen along with my surround sound. I highly recommend this movie!

5 comments about A Perfect Getaway (Theatrical/Unrated Director's Cut).

1. Movie really moves along like the pace of a slow turtle, the acting is pretty cardboard like a TV lifetime movie. I really like Steve Zahn but even he doesnt bring any comic relief to the film, its not necessarily predictable but also you sense whats coming. Making the killers obvious wasn't really something that worked effectively being that they weren't the killers if that makes sense. The whole movie is basically just a meshed together semi-thriller that goes no where but down. On another note, the couple in the movie wed being Newly Weds and traveling the so called trails is very inaccurate, mainly because you don't go on dangerous trails with 1000 drop offs with out a guide or gear. The fact that all the couples in the movie are going the same direction and making camps right near the stormy ocean line isn't very convincing either. There are no rangers, no guides, no signs and really no point to anywhere they are heading. So the killers from the BIG ISLAND as you would call it, end up on the smallest one, by chance? Maybe, maybe not. But when you start to get into the meat and potatoes of the film you really don't even care. Poor dialogue, cheesy screenplay and a really horrible story line make you want to getaway, from this movie that is. What a wreck. 2 stars for the beauty of Hawaii!



2. This movie was good, you need to really watch it closely to really know what's going on. I would recommend this if you like action movies and not only romance.



3. Hey, what do ya know? Here is yet another "thriller" promising a mind-blowing twist! The problem with every movie trying to out-twist The Sixth Sense or the original Saw is that the possibilities for such a twist are limited. Take that knowledge into a film where there are two couples and one is supposedly a pair of psychos and you have a 50/50 shot right out of the bag of guessing which is which. When the "twist" is exposed it is explained to the viewer in a series of flashbacks which seem to serve a couple of purposes. Firstly it seems that the writer/directory Twohy feels that his audience is too stupid to follow this storyline and therefore he must explain it over and over for around 20 minutes in the middle of the film. The other is that perhaps he realized at some point just how weak and silly the twist was and he is trying to legitimize his plot by hoping that repetition will hypnotize the viewer into acceptance. Either way it is to the point of being offensive to the intelligence of the audience. There really is not much to redeem this film in any way. The scenery is beautiful. I suppose on that note I could recommend Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]. Timothy Olyphant is a really enjoyable character, but that is hardly news these days. He just has a likability factor automatically injected into the characters which he has played as of late. The film drags and takes really embarrassing turns as Steve Zahn out-Steve-Zahns himself stretching his extremely limited acting chops into a cut-and-paste caricature of a leading male. Milla Jovovich gives one of her worst performances portraying a character with seemingly no sense of self or any motivation whatsoever. It could have been worse, however; Milla's husband could have written and directed it. This really is a one-star flick but Olyphant gets a star to himself. Overall it is a waste of time.



4. This movie was like two movies joined together at the hip or something. The first half reminded me of a story in which every time you opened a door a ghost jumped out and said "Boo!" Eventually it's just not scary anymore. That's the first half.
   
   Instead of a haunted house, this film is set in Hawaii. The scenery is spectacular. The key players are two couples who hike along a remote trail. They learn two newlyweds were brutally murdered just days before in Honolulu (they're on another island, Kauai) and have reason to suspect each other. There's a wicked looking knife, a hatchet, and fleeting glances of figures slipping through the dense tropical vegetation. One character, portrayed by the best actor of the lot, Timothy Olyphant, has a titanium plate in his skull (necessitated by an Iraq war wound, he claims) and likes to tell weird stories. Another character has a combative, menacing air. But the suspense factor hovered around zero. It was all rather mind numbing, although the cinematography was stunning.
   
   Somewhere past the halfway point, however, it all took a sudden turn that completely surprised me. From then on, it was most exciting, although at the end I thought the two halves were not really part of the same whole. And, if only they could have edited out most of that catatonically boring first half.



5. Well when this movie was in theaters I didn't pay much attention to it, but my friend highly recommended this, so I rented it on dvd when it came out and all I can say is that now this movie is one of my favorites. It has an awesome cast such as Timothy Olyphant ( awesome actor!), Steve zahn, and mila jovovich.
   The movie is about a newly wed couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii and decide to hike a big trail when they hear about a couple that was murdered by another couple. Along their trip they run into a couple "different" couples, this movie is fully of suspense, I bought it on blu ray and it looks amazing on my 100" projector screen along with my surround sound. I highly recommend this movie!

5 comments about Stand By Me (Special Edition).

1. I loved this movie...it is funny, sad, great! A must see in my book..



2. I Love this movie, but movie bame packaged and with no scratches. Would purchase from seller again.



3. One of the best (if not the best) coming of age movies of all time. This movie has it all. It has murder mystery. It has misunderstood young men. It has hoodlums. It has flashbacks. And it has cussing cause it's cool. Although none of these actors, with the exception of Kiefer Sutherland, went on to make very major careers, maybe in River Phoenix's case because of his suicide, they all gave very convincing performances. The story was phenomenally captivating.From the start you won't want to stop, it is so much fun. It is a very serious movie, but at the same time it has a lot of well placed humor. All the characters have very distinctive and very likable personalities. The only thing I didn't like was the end where they told us what became of the boys as adults, and said the "bad boy" was going to turn his life around but was stabbed. Stephen King seems to like to kill kids (another example of this is "The Mist" where the father is forced to shoot his own son). This movie is a timeless classic. I will cherish it forever, and will definitely show this to my children. 50/10!



4. This 1986 adaption of the Stephen King novella The Body stars River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Keifer Sutherland. A group iof boys goes searching for a dead body encountering trouble along the way. I thought it was a worthwhile film having seen it as a kid and it stills holds up years later. Though tame, it is one of the better Stephen King adaptions though not horror oriented. I would recommend it.



5. When the author (Stephen King) says this is the best depiction of one of his stories done in movie form, you can bank on it. It is based largely on King's childhood and some of his childhood friends at age 12. It has a unique universal appeal to many of us who experienced many of the same things and had similar friends at that age. This has got to be the best movie ever done about "coming of age", the journey, and the people and things we encountered at that innocent age. Its a movie you can watch over and over without ever tiring of it. Five stars, and richly deserved, for this Rob Reiner production.