One of the best films I have ever seen! When it starts, you think that it is going to be a soppy romantic film, but it is far from this. There are loads of exciting twists, and it keeps you guessing until the very end! 10 out of 10.
On the surface, Leave Her to Heaven looks like one of the most beautifully gorgeous movies of its era. The rich Technicolor is put to great use in the many outdoor scenes. We see vivid blue skies, rippling water, and rugged mountains. Then we have Gene Tierney, certainly one of the most luminous presences to ever appear onscreen. Just one year prior, Dana Andrews was so taken with her in Laura that he fell in love with her picture despite thinking she was dead. By being so closely associated with her attractive looks, Tierney was the perfect choice for the role of Ellen in Leave Her to Heaven. It continued the misleading aesthetic of plastering beauty on the screen despite the film"s inherent nastiness and parallels to film noir.
In the film, Ellen meets Richard Harland (the bland Cornel Wilde) on a train when she drops a book, of which he happens to be the author, in front of him. This is the type of first encounter perfectly suited for a romantic comedy, yet Leave Her to Heaven is neither of these. That"s not apparent throughout most of the first half, however, as we see the couple fall for each other, culminating in Ellen breaking her engagement to a fledgling district attorney (Vincent Price) via telegram and quickly marrying Richard. This all happens just days after spreading her father"s ashes on horseback, which we see in a scene that"s memorable for both its cinematography and as a testament to Ellen"s peculiar feelings for her father.
Things begin to go awry shortly after the marriage, when Ellen feels Richard"s brother Danny (a "cripple," as Ellen describes him) is infringing on her time with her new husband. Hints of sexual frustration run rampant as Ellen"s morning approach into Richard"s bed is interrupted by Danny pecking on the thin walls right behind them. The younger brother"s chilling fate is sealed, but Ellen"s jealousy and paranoia (hints of which are shown in the stories she tells about the time she spent with her father) will continue until she"s no longer capable of such emotions. Her idea to substitute a new baby for the loss of Danny is a momentary solution until she realizes how much attention a child would divert from her. By the time her jealousy reaches its zenith, as she suspects Richard has fallen for her adopted sister Ruth, Ellen decides to get back at both of them regardless of the personal consequences.
Tierney"s performance is best appreciated on a second viewing, I think, after the viewer already knows the lengths in which her character goes to keep her husband to herself and, then, punish him for his perceived neglect. Being aware of Ellen"s future actions makes Tierney all the more chilling early on, especially when she describes her future husband"s physical resemblance to her recently deceased father. The seemingly innocent suggestion, met with uncertain glances by the rest of her family, becomes a warning sign for Ellen"s future actions. Likewise the unexpected engagement thrust on the couple from Ellen"s seemingly impulsive rationale to dump her fiance serves as an ominous foreshadowing of things to come. Tierney"s sunny demeanor in these first several scenes, along with the idea that she"s acting just as an audience would expect from a lead actress in a Technicolor melodrama, make for a greater jolt of an impact once she puts on those dark sunglasses and transforms into an icy murderess.
The courtroom scenes at the end, as well as the ridiculous bookends of Richard returning from two years in prison, are by far the film"s weakest segments. By no coincidence, those happen to be the only times when Gene Tierney isn"t on the screen and they make you realize how important her presence is to elevate Leave Her to Heaven above the corny and dated melodrama of other similar movies. Vincent Price hammily questioning witnesses is just not as captivating as Gene Tierney doing pretty much anything.
Leave Her to Heaven is an interesting spin on both melodrama and film noir, as though the two sub-genres gave birth to a beautifully disturbed slice of cinema. The focus on a jealously paranoid (and beautiful) murderer as a heroine makes the film much more compelling than it would have been if she were a peripheral character. It twists the preconceived notions the audience has about main characters in movies, as well as about beauty, by offering up a lead actress who ably transforms herself into the opposite of what we"ve come to expect from movies of the 1940s and earlier. She"s the well-liked gunfighter with the white hat who carries himself like a sheriff, but then shoots an unarmed man in the back. Just as we don"t often see such activity in westerns, it"s rare to find a movie that so willfully turns assumptions upside down as Leave Her to Heaven.
'Lucky Number Slevin', in spite of its awkward, inexplicably amusing title, is an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable film, one of the few post 'Pulp Fiction' comedy-dramas-with-an-edge that successfully, yet originally, works to the narrative structure, cinematic tone and example set by Quentin Tarantino's influential masterpiece.
Like 'The Usual Suspects' and 'Way Of The Gun' 'Lucky Number Slevin' employs a lot of misdirection, or as Bruce Willis's effortlessly cool assassin Mr GoodKat puts it: "A Kansas City Shuffle", hence all I can tell you without giving too much away, is that Josh Hartnett, in what's easily the best performance of his career, plays Slevin Kelevra; a likeable loser who gets caught up in an old NYC feud between underworld kingpins The Boss (Morgan Freeman) and Israeli gangster The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley). First time screenwriter Jason Smilovic has obviously seen a few David Mamet plays in his time, so much so, that he occasionally overdoes the 'His Girl Friday'-esque repartee with film noir vernacular and humdinger arguments aplenty, though to his credit, Smilovic has turned in a fine script with a surprisingly believable onscreen romance between Lucy Liu and Josh Hartnett, who bond over Bond and turn an otherwise pointless diversion into an intriguing and occasionally charming subplot.
Scottish director Paul McGuigan, reuniting with Hartnett (director and star first worked together in 'Wicker Park') handles the action, complex storyline and flashbacks with ease; McGuigan is an innovative director and 'Lucky Number Slevin' is his most accomplished film since 'Gangster No. 1'. Cinematographer Peter Sova's use of muted colour palates, pastel greens and 1970s wallpaper reminds you of Jean Luc Goddard's 'Tout Va Bien' and offers hints/ reminders as to where the film is going, whilst Bruce Willis's Mr GoodKat is an aesthetic nod to both Chow Yun Fat in 'The Killer' and Alain Delon from Jean Pierre Melville's 'La Samourai'. Another 'New Wave' lean-to occurs in the long apartment scene with Hartnett and Lucy Lui, which is similar to the 25-minute conversation between Jean Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in 'A Bout de Soufflé'. This scene, which for some reason is very popular with women (maybe because Hartnett spends over ten minutes with nothing but a towel around his waist) was inspired, says Smilovic, by Hartnett's penchant for wandering around in state of semi-undress when he shared an apartment with Jason and his girlfriend back in 2002. All in all, an excellent movie that strikes the right balance between story & spectacle and ought to satisfy even the most demanding connoisseur of cool. A winner.
This is an ultimate for anybody who is after hours of good TV without relying on the TV schedule. For me this TV series is a top three along with Smallville and Star Trek. It has everything: very good storyline, great special effects and brilliant make-up, creating unforgettable creatures. I really hope producers will bring this series back to life.
While Stephen Chow is a household name in most of the far east, it was only with Shaolin Soccer that he finally made his name in the west. Shaolin Soccer is a brilliant blend of martial arts action and that special brand of ludicrous comedy that has become Chow's calling card. It is the story of a young Shaolin disciple who is looking for a way to promote his art and bring Shaolin to the people. Just hen his idea of a Shaolin music group turns ugly, he is spotted by an aging crippled soccer coach who is looking for a way to get back at teh man who crippled him in a crucial match years ago. Mighty Steel Leg Chow is up for the challenge and recruits his former Shaolin brothers who have moved on to real jobs, like accountants, cooks, etc... Steel Leg must battle through a million dollar tournament in order to face the appropriately named Team Evil, who are pumped up on drugs and ready to destroy anything in their path. However, each member of Steel Leg's side has their own special Shaolin ability, and they are all CG-rrific! This is a wonderful sports comedy, in the spirit of so many other rags to riches sports films. If you don't laugh, you mustn't be watching! The DVD has a great behind the scenes look at the creation of the film and some of the CGI as well, all subtitled in English, well worth a look, and for less than a fiver you can't go wrong!
Hiding behind the sofa was a mandatory thing to do if you were a child growing up watching Doctor Who. And this begining to the series provides those moments all over again and to be honest at moments I wanted to join my children behind that faithful sofa. The return of Doctor Who has been eagerly anticipated and the relationship between Christopher Ecclestone and Billie Piper provide an on-screen chemistry and exciting pace that makes compelling viewing. The only downside to my mind was that the second episode was a litle weak when it needed to punch a litle after the excitement of the first episode with the return of the Doctor. That said these three episode provide an exciing start with a scary assortment of aliens, plastic monsters and the walking dead for what I hope will be a whole new generation of children growing up scared of overly large pepper pots which shout exterminate and tin robots who want to assimalate you. And the scenes don't shake as the actors walk by nowadays! Can't wait for the rest of the series.
A breathtaking, wonderful trilogy. One of the best (If not, THE best) set of films ever! A new Hope (IV) is just superb and I thought it couldn't get any better, but I was proved wrong with The Empire strikes back (V) and again thought it couldn't get any better, but when I saw Return of the Jedi (VI) I was gobsmacked. All the space battles, the ground fights, the AT-AT assault, the speeder bike chase, the characters, the music, the vehicles, the lightsaber fights, the effects, the sets, the costumes and the films themselves etc are just beyond any mans greatest dreams. Lucas, Kershner and Marquand have all created a masterpiece. First class! The extras are just as good as the films. Empire of dreams is so interesting. The trailers are cool, the photos are quite good, the return of Darth Vader featurette is also excellent. The DVD menus must have taken a very long time to make, they are so detailed, and there are 3 different versions of each. I never knew you could do that! Fantastic! The THX remastering is superb and makes the films look as if they were released yesterday (seriously!). This DVD set MUST be a household item!
I think the Back to the Future trilogy is a fantastic trilogy! Robert Zemeckis has directed what is in my opinion one of the greatest set of films released. Out of the 3 films, I think part 2 is the best, but that's my opinion. I think this because of the great beginning in 2015, then the alternate 1985, then back to 1955. It's full of action all the way through. The bonus disc however is a waste of time in my opinion. All it has is the extras from the individual movie discs with commentary and literally 1 or 2 new features. I would buy this for under £10 merely becuase the bonus disc ruins the set.
Great films, great quality, great way to pack the films, not a brilliant bonus disc, but a great comedy/adventure trilogy which is just as good as star wars!
You must have a look at these films!
The first and, in my opinion, best series of the revamped "Doctor Who" came to an end with the biggest of bangs possible during the summer of 2005 - and it had every right to do so. The series had proved itself as worthy a drama as anything else on British television, and gave every sci-fi blockbuster a run for its money with its well thought out plots, witty scripts and well-shot adventures (and although "Revenge of the Sith" had blasted onto our screens during the run of the series, I'm sure most people will remember '05 for the Daleks rather than Darth Vader).
All due credit has to be given to the cast and crew for managing together, not just to throw off the chains of disrespect and ridicule which once shackled "Doctor Who", but for actually managing to make it totally cool! Eccleston's dynamic, witty and sexy Doctor took us all by storm, showing us the vivid colours of this new "Doctor Who" spectrum, and left us begging for more as the series closed on a fantastic two-part finale which, but for a few slight plot faults, was as good as British TV ever gets.
The final DVD volume of series one comes complete with the episodes "Boom Town", "Bad Wolf" and "The Parting of the Ways". "Boom Town" is certainly one of the most thought-provoking episodes of the series, looking closely at the morality of the Doctor, and questioning what right he has to do what he does. It all relates quite well back to Rose's actions in the episode "Father's Day", but it's not an episode that the younger viewers will particuarly enjoy since it involves a lot of talking and relies on the viewer to think over the arguments for themself, but I personally love it. One could also see it as something of a calm before the storm as we then come to the series finale, "Bad Wolf" and "Parting of the Ways".
"Bad Wolf" satirises the way so-called reality TV dominates our lives, taking it out of context and twisiting it out of proportion to create a world where the lives of everyone on Earth depend on their winning or losing these televised games. Those with little imagination or humour might find the idea ridiculous, but the parodies of the reality genre are well-scripted and played to perfection by the cast (John Barrowman's Captain Jack, now of "Torchwood" fame, gets trapped in a particularly amusing scenario with robotic counterparts of Trinny and Susannah). All of this humour dissolves into terror as the real reason for the reality shows becomes apparent, and the Doctor's greatest enemy, the iconic Daleks, make an impressive return. As we enter "The Parting of the Ways", Eccleston pulls out all the stops and performs his socks off as his Doctor confronts those he fought in the Time War, and is forced to make some of the most difficult choices of his life, not only to try and save the universe, but also to save Rose. Billie Piper, meanwhile, equals him with her impressive performance as Rose, her character once again proving her worthiness to be a time travelling companion as she comes to the Doctor's rescue against all the odds.
With the Doctor and Rose's relationship put to the test, the Bad Wolf mystery resolved, and some of the series' best action sequences played out before our eyes against Murray Gold's beautiful musical score, one cannot help but marvel at the quality of this new and improved "Doctor Who", and wonder how long it will last. The first series is a real gem of British TV, and is worth re-watching time and again for nothing yet has equalled its majesty and drama, which culmulated in July 2005, as a nation sat glued to their screens, wondering if the Doctor would save Rose, then if Rose would save him...
Thank you Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. If only we'd had another series with you.
Kevin Kerslake is mostly known for his music video work, and that was all that this was supposed to be. The Ramones "We're Outta Here" was supposed to simply document the Ramones final show in Los Angeles. What came from that project is much more than a simple concert video. Kerslake takes us on a tour of the Ramones history as a band from 1975 through 1996, interspersing concert footage from their final star-studded show. It was one for the ages, the Ramones are joined on stage by some remarkable fans and friends including Lemmy from Motorhead playing on his own tune, R.A.M.O.N.E.S., Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam on their final tune THe Dave Clark Five's "Any Way You Want It", Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, Tim Armstrong and Lars Frederickson from Rancid, Dee Dee Ramone joins them on stage one last time, the list goes on and on. The real stars of this film, though, are the Ramones themselves through the years. There is outstanding promotional and archival performance footage beginning in 1974 that shows that even in their earliest years they still blew away the competition with a fire and a power that remains unrivalled today. Interviews about the band are also spread throughout with fans as varied as Deborah Harry, Jim Jarmusch, Lemmy, Slim Jim Phantom of the Stray Cats, Richard Hell of Television, and many others. Well over two hours of fascinating viewing, especially for those who, like me, are completely Ramones obsessed. The more recent "End Of The Century" Ramones documentary focuses on the Ramones as people and their personal lives, while this film focuses on the music, and glorious music it is, as powerful today as it was then. I have a truly hard time deciding which is my favorite film between the two, but I must conclude that I prefer We're Outta Here, if for no other reason that the final sequence in the film nearly brought me to tears. I never thought that watching a bunch of roadies break down a stage would be so poignant. The world lost its greatest band that day, and in the years since, most of the original kep players have passed on as well, but this is a worthy epitaph and a must see performance for any Ramones fan.
Excellent. Must watch for anyone. Plenty of action and keeps you guessing to the end. Joss Whedon excelling himself again. Familiar faces. A slighty westerny vibe with futuristic elements. Forget star trek. Serenity is the way forward.
Series 2 continues at a cracking pace.
Each episode is mixed with action, belting one liners - mainly courtesy of Gene - with a cracking final episode that has more twists and turns than a 70's Curly Wurly.
Awesome stuff, inspired acting & great music.
Can you piece together the clues leading up to the final episode ?
Guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat at the end......
One man and his gun against an entire village, but despite Sam Peckinpah being the director this is no Western, at least not the American kind for this one is set in the west of England. Hoffman gives a strong performance as the confused Professor and Susan George as his naively flirtacous wife who unwittingly unleash hell in a quiet corner of Cornwall. One for the collectors.
The perfect cross-genre entertainmet on TV today. All the swagger and testosterone of The Sweeny cleverly merged with the Sci-Fi leanings of Lost without leaving you scratching your head too much. Pitch-perfect humour without falling into 1970's stereotypes and some excellent crime drama too. Definitely add this to your collection.
This film is brilliant - it's hard to believe that the author of the book on which it is based is so young. Everything about it is good - the ethos, storyline,acting, directing and especially the make-up and special effects. The writer is obviously influenced by the Anne McCaffrey 'Dragon' series which is only to the good as she is so great at creating a fantasy - the film leaves it open for a sequel - lets hope we get one. Buy this film you will really enjoy it!!
Whilst not in the same classic league as Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's previous endeavour, 'The Office', 'Extras' is still streets ahead of most 'Comedy' offerings of late.
Following the trials of hapless 'Extra' and wannabee actor, Andy Millman (Gervais), his dense yet charming sidekick, Maggie, (Ashley Jensen) and the beyond moronic agent, Darren, (Merchant), each episode features one or more 'superstars' who are game for a send-up.
In series one, the highlights included an excellent episode featuring Les Dennis who showed a depth and pathos few knew he had, a 'Tourette-like' Kate Winslet and a 'Cowardly Lion-esque' Ross Kemp. Another highlight was an underused Samuel L Jackson, (obviously under time constraints), uttering the memorable line, "Tell them Uncle Sam's in Town!". A low point was David Bowie's unfunny cameo, stretching belief by singing a 'Little Fat man' derogatory song about Andy with everyone joining in, magically knowing all the words.
Series one ends with Andy getting his sitcom, 'When the Whistle Blows' (or 'When the Wind Blows' according to Darren), commissioned by the BBC.
However in Series 2, Andy has had to sell-out and don a silly wig and glasses as the main star of his now, broad sitcom which is, suprisingly, a hit. There are more 'A' listers than before now Series 1 was a hit, all eager to join the Midas-like Gervais, including an excellent Daniel Radcliffe (a cocky Adrian Mole), an enigmatic De Niro (again blink, and you miss him) and a 'Whizz-loving' wee Ronnie Corbett.
One of the highlights of series 2 is the BAFTA episode where Andy's night of triumph turns into a farcical nightmare as well as Darren's 'date from hell' with a confused Maggie. My only criticisms are that Maggie's 'stupidity' sometimes stretches beyond credulity and why doesn't Andy sack Darren, who is so inept, it's untrue!
Over-all an entertaining series, well worth adding to the collection.
A young man decides to have the memory of his girlfriend erased after she has him erased from hers. As he relives each memory during the process, he quickly realises that he has made a mistake and tries desperately to hang on to the memories. Don't let the science fiction put you off - this is a real love story. Jim Carey demonstrates that he can really act and not just pull funny faces. I found myself empathising, desperate for him to hold on to the memories. Great story, believable ending, one to show your girlfriend.
Master filmmaker Brian De Palma's first period piece since 'Carlito's Way' is a grisly, but surprisingly unfocused, film noir, which gives new meaning to the word convoluted. Inspired by a true Hollywood murder, 'The Black Dahila' (not to be confused with Raymond Chandler's 'The Blue Dahila') is set in 1947 and follows hotshot cops / part-time pugilists Dwight 'Bucky' Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) & Leland 'Lee' Blanchard (Arron Eckhart) as they try to solve the brutal slaying of naïve, wannabe Hollywood actress Elizabeth Short; played in surreal 8mm 'casting couch' flashbacks by Mia Krishner.
Penned by 'L.A. Confidential' scribe and leading hard-boiled author James Elroy, 'The Black Dahila' is one of the most unwieldy, elaborate, and if you haven't got your wits about you, downright incomprehensible movies ever made. Essentially a character study of our policeman protagonists and an evolving, subtle love triangle with an excellently cast, smouldering Scarlett Johansson at its centre. Stylistically, De Palma"s film ticks all the right boxes: from its labyrinthine plot, tough-guy detectives, femme fatales, cynical voice-over and jazz score, but its concern for the conventions of cinematic modernity / marketability, is often at odds with its desire to stick to traditional noir themes & production values. One wonders whether David Fincher's proposal to shoot this film as a three hour black & white reel would've been a better idea, or would that have faced the same genre incompatibility issues as Steve Sodenbergh's retro noir 'The Good German'?
'The Black Dahlia' opens with a spectacular crane shot overlooking an epic street fight between drunk U.S. Naval officers and L.A. cops, briefly moves onto the murder case before showing us an authentically filmed 1940s boxing match between Bucky and Lee. We're gradually introduced to an American bourgeoisie family whose matriarch is none other than British stage legend Fiona Shaw (in an deliriously camp performance). And its here that 'The Black Dahlia's' much needed femme fatale saunters into frame, all credit to Brian De Palma for casting Hilary Swank, one of the most unlikely candidates for such a role: Hilary is excellent, and almost steals the movie from Scarlett, playing her seductress vamp to the hilt, and becoming as convincing and memorable a devil woman as Ann Savage in 'Detour' or Barbara Stanwick in 'Double Indemnity'.
Brian De Palma's wish to tackle this story's plethora of subplots is commendable, but ultimately results in parts of the film feeling incomplete or rushed. In fact, I could've done with more facts on the case itself, rather than drawn out scenes of K.D Lang singing in a lesbian nightclub. A lesser director would've lost the thread early on, but De Palma's power to portray complex characters onscreen comes to the fore in his ability to keep 'The Black Dahlia' both a fascinating and baffling account of the seedier side of Hollywood. 'The Black Dahlia', an obvious companion piece to 'Hollywoodland', is a technically skilful, aesthetically pleasing and accomplished nod to the bygone classics of film noir.
Excellent ! 5 star rating . This box set has to be the best i have ever purchased . I have had this for many years now and it is truly remarkable . This is a must have for any bond fan like myself . Grab yourself a bargain NOW !!!!!!!!
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) are a strange bird. They have de facto ontrol over what Americans see in theaters in most cases, and the tool they wield to exercise this ability is the ratings board. Unlike the UK, films in America are not required to be rated or overseen by censors before they can be shown in theaters or on home video. The MPAA ratings baord is completely voluntary, however, over the couse of the last 39 years, it has made itself an indespensible force to which filmmakers must bow when attempting to get their films shown in wide release. Kirby Dick's documentary, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, explores some of the intricacies and odd behavior of this mysterious board. The board cloaks itself in anonymity, ostensibly to protect itself from outside influence, in reality, Dick opines, it is to protect itself from criticism and challenge. The board is no required to give pointers or explain exactly what makes their decisions, nor are there any hard and fast guidelines about what actions or visuals make a film rated R or NC-17, or whatever. It is this lack of rules that frustrates many an independent filmmaker. Especially compelling is Dick's side by side comparison of depictions of sexuality of gay themed and straight themed films. It was shocking to me how nearly identical action with genders swapped resulted in more restrictive ratings for films with homosexual themes and characters. Dick takes it upon himself to find out who this seemingly unaccountable team of raters are and whether or not they really represent the majority of Americans in the decisions they make, this search is played out in the background of the film with recurring pieces from Dick's adventured with a pair of private investigators using hidden cameras and binoculars to spy on the raters. Admittedly, this is the least interesting part of the documentary for me, though probably entertaining to most. While this does rank as one of the more interesting and original documentaries on the movie business, simply because it tackles a subject that hasn't really been covered in any great detail before on film, it does not rank with some of Dick's own past work. Those interested in Kirby Dick would do well to watch his masterpiece, Sick: The Life and Death of Supermasochist Bob Flanagan. It is a wonderfully human look at Bob Flanagan, a masochistic performance artist who also happened to be one of the longest living persons ever with Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that usually kills within the first 20 years of the sufferer's life. This Film Is Not Yet Rated is an entertaining look at an interesting subject, though it has more in common with a Micahel Moore styled expose than a hard documentary.
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy