Excellent film, great to hear the music up there on the screen finally but I would not expect it to win over new fans who maybe disliked the theatre version or were not even aware of it (where have you been!). Worth seeing for Rosario Dawson's performance alone, she is brilliant. Only grumble is that some of the script is now spoken where in the musical it was sung and this can come across as being a bit wooden in this form.
Excellent, largely misunderstood adaptation of Alan Moore & David Lloyd"s 1988 graphic novel that simply demands to be seen and pondered over, now more than ever (note to self: never trust Jonathan Ross again). 'V: For Vendetta' is, for those not averse to thinking for themselves, one of the most relevant, thought provoking films commissioned by any Hollywood studio since the original 'Matrix' (kudos to 'Warner Brothers' and erstwhile shallow plutocrat Joel Silver on both occasions). From a script adapted by the Wachowski brothers and helmed by James McTeigue (first AD on 'The Matrix' trilogy) 'V: For Vendetta' is practically a true story of our times; set in an England ruled by a fascist regime, the film revolves around the slow, but steady awakening of the masses to the heinous crimes being perpetrated by the very people they"ve been led to believe are protecting them. The Malthusian, neo-Nazi imperial dictatorship (imagine a cross between the 'Tories', 'New Labour' and the 'BNP'), having decimated democracy, civil liberties and the basic testaments of individual freedom / human decency, went onto exterminate Muslims, political activists, immigrants and homosexuals, commit genocide via chemical terror attacks against their own people (blaming it on "religious extremists") provided the cure, made billions and reigned to rule Britannia with an iron fist of fear-mongering tyranny.
This wretched, fascistic 'New World Order' of pseudo-Zionist depravity, is eventually challenged by an enigmatic hero going by the moniker of 'V' (some fine voice / mask-work by Hugo Weaving) wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and armed with knives, a rapier wit and killer vocabulary 'V' takes on novice charge Evey (Portman) after rescuing her from a pair of government finger-men (i.e. secret police) and detonating an abandoned Old Bailey, dedicating "...this concerto to Madame Justice in honour of the holiday she"s taken from these parts, and in recognition of the impostor that stands in her stead".
Having heard the Wachowskis discuss weighty subjects like the works of Jung, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard or how the 'New World Order' aims to impose systems of neo-globalist enslavement upon nations and their people. I wasn"t at all surprised that they addressed issues like false flag state orchestrated terrorism, 'The Hegelian Paradigm' (i.e. 'problem-reaction-solution paradigm') and corporate media misinformation. Its this kind of, and I hesitate to call it an intellectual treatise, but certainly a sober and serious approach to the subject which makes 'V: For Vendetta' an engaging, unashamedly high brow political thriller, rather than a straightforward superhero or comic-book movie. I"d even go so far as to say it"s of the same calibre as old school epics like Akkad"s 'Lion Of The Desert' or Pontecorvo"s 'The Battle Of Algiers'.
Some may argue that whilst the Wachowski"s are quick to damn the crimes of big government constructs in America and Britain, Israel is conspicuous by its absence, the missing link in an obvious 'Triangle of Terror'. Not so, for there is a poster in this film which depicts 'The Collation Of The Willing' (i.e. Britain, America and the Nazis) and for many Jews (orthodox or non-practising) the Swastika of Nazism and the Israeli Hexagram of Zionism are interchangeable. As Zionists worked hand-in-glove with the Nazi regime in the 1940s, systematically eliminating orthodox Jewry in Europe, epitomised by the words of influential Zionist leader Izaak Greenbaum, who declared during the Holocaust that "One cow in Israel (then Palestine) is worth more than (the lives of) all the Jews in Poland".
And though the main focus is on 'V' and Evey, 'V:For Vendetta"s" supporting cast are just as good, with fine performances by English / Irish veterans John Hurt, Stephen Rea, Rupert Graves, Tim-Piggott Smith and Sinéad Cusack. Stephen Fry also gives one of his best, most subtle and genuine performances in years, as state television presenter Gordon Dietrich. Natasha Wightman, playing persecuted lesbian Evelyn, is fantastic, and though her character doesn"t have any dialogue other than a voiceover and is only on screen for less than five minutes, the way she recounts how "America"s wars spread and unfamiliar words like collateral and rendition..." became markers of the rise of the police state apparatus, is truly unforgettable and a sign of how good an actress she is.
In many ways, I actually prefer this movie to the comic, as it brings Evey"s character to life, summarising chapters of heavy-going political philosophy (which wouldn"t have worked on film) into the changing ideas, expressions and actions of our heroine. And that brings us onto Natalie Portman upon whom rests a great deal of the picture. People of a certain age have grown up with Natalie; from her stunning debut as precocious, vengeful orphan Mathilda in 'Leon', to the "local Lolita" Marty in 'Beautiful Girls', troubled teen Lauren in 'Heat', annoyingly upbeat Sam in 'Garden State' and, of course, as Padmé Amidala in the 'Star Wars' prequels. Though its here that Portman gives her finest performance to date, as timid newsgirl Evey Hammond; who is made to face her deepest fears and rise from the depths of silent despair as a new woman, selflessly dedicated to the revolutionary ideals of justice & freedom.
'V: For Vendetta' is a verbose, verticillating venture which, in no uncertain terms, celebrates the valorous, veridical deeds of the veristic vigilante who, by resisting the vampirism and virulent vulgarity of the villainous viverrids in office, went from a man of vocational vengeance to the venerable visionary we"ve come to know as V. One of the best films of 2006: an incredible, unique, complex, emotional and intellectually stimulating masterpiece that"s destined to become a cult classic.A must see.
A heady and sultry mix of Southern Gothic atmosphere is unforgettably brought to the screen in this stunning interpretation of Tennesse Williams sensational play.
Never has Elizabeth Taylor been more ravishingly beautiful and mesmerisingly dramatic,Katherine Hepburn more delightfully eccentric amd Montgomery Clift more hauntingly charismatic.
Shot in moody monochrome, the stifling,exotic ambience forms a claustrophobic web from which the viewer finds escape impossible.
The horrific scenes in the mental institution have a forceful impact and the unforgettable finale,which embraces two taboo topics of the time,cannibalism and homosexuality electrifies the screen with an almost swoon inducing intensity.
Along with the movie versions of " Streetcar Named Desire" and " The Rose Tattoo" this is a fine example of Hollywood professionalism and offers an example of cinematic grandeur which has seldom been achieved.
I urge anyone who hasnt had the unique pleasure of seeing this film before to add this excellent dvd to their collection as soon as possible.
Hated by most, loved by the few; personally, I thought Oliver Stone turned in an absolute classic that's liable to garner a strong following (albeit in all the wrong ways) in the months and years ahead. Colin Farrell overacts at times, but is well suited to play the Macedonian conqueror who was relentless in battle, yet gracious in victory, wise beyond his years; ambitious yet philosophical to the point that he asked to be buried with his hands outstretched and empty, as an enduring sign to the masses. 'Alexander' goes to some lengths to painstakingly recreate a time when leaders led from the front, when soldiers fought wars in open spaces and usually treated their enemies with a respect that would seem bizarre in modern warfare. Scenes of political intrigue have always been Stone"s forte whilst major battle scenes don"t distract from the convoluted machinations of Alexander"s rise to power, Angelina Jolie (doing a great Irene Pappas impression) is stunning as usual. The film, spilt over two discs, comes in at an heroic 165 mins and may be more appealing to those who have some idea about his life (which is a mistake commercially, and probably the main reason why this did so badly at the box office) for there are many subtle scenes and events which may confuse the viewer unless they know the whole story. Nonetheless, 'Alexander' is an impressive, quality epic that"s almost as great as the man upon which its" based.
In the late 70's early 80's the slasher film ruled, in 1981 Herb Freed directed this good effort. It centres around the death of a high school athlete, who after being pushed to much by her coach and team mates keels over and dies of a blood clot! The killer, obviously blaming the coach and team mates starts to bump them off one by one in typically gory fashion, but who is the black gloved killer??!!!Being one of the earliest slashers it has all the ingredients that a good slasher should have, a black gloved deranged killer, ridiculous fashion, trashy rock music, loads of red herrings, inventive killing methods. You must look for scream queen icon, Linnea Quigley who yet again sheds her clothes!! One major high point is a dance routine at the disco by the "jock" of the high school...it is absolutly hilarious and worth the purchase price alone!!! It has earned its place as a part of the slasher film history.
Whisper Of The Heart is realy amazing and the best out of all of the Studio Ghibli collection. There are some sad parts to the film but there are also some humorous parts to pick up the mood, fore instance when Shizuku Tsukishima keeps calling Seiji Amasawa a jerk after he mocked and read her somg. Whisper Of The Heart it is rather funny and a truly great film. It's a remarkably honest and heartfelt look into a 14-year-old's life, her family and friends, and how she falls in love.It's also sweet and heart worming as Seiji goes away with all intention of come back to her and spending the rest of there lives togeathe,there are moments so stirring, so wonderful and yet so simple. Yoshifumi Kondou is a trutey remarkible director and he made the story come to life, and because of this i really enjoyed the film.
This DVD gets really quick results. I can feel a difference after a week. It makes you work but has a great variery of moves and its really great that you can select particular areas if you want to target those on your body. I am not really sure if this is great for complete novices as the alternative moves are not really explained very well, if you are particularly unfit or unsure ie, when to keep you feet down on the floor if you have never done it and need to build up that area first,
Two clunkers for the price of one; not only are those good people at 'Warner Brothers' offering you a chance to revisit substandard 1995 Stallone action flick 'Assassins', but are also throwing in his thrill-free thriller 'The Specialist' for good measure. 'Assassins' sees a promising script by the then unknown Wachowski brothers marched out into the Warner lot, blindfolded and summarily executed by Dick 'always there when you need director' Donner. Stallone is the world-weary hit man who wants out, Antonio Banderas is the cocky upstart assassin who wants in; an inevitable clash ensues as both of them are double booked to take care of the same targets (similar to the opening scene of 'Grosse Pointe Blank' only lacking the wit or coherence). This kind of thing only serves to annoy Banderas who, in spite of the material, actually manages to turn in a reasonably good performance, and its" only a matter of time before the pair are at each others throats again. Julianne Moore also crops up as an unlikely hacker called Electra (a template for Trinity perhaps) but by then, you"re beyond caring. An overlong, barely tolerable movie that shoots itself in the foot early on, but still limps along for 133 minutes of ennui.
'The Specialist' is equally dire (if not worse), Sly stars as ex-CIA black-ops man Ray Quick (gotta love the name) hired by a mysterious woman (Sharon Stone) to exact revenge on the mob who killed her father when she was child. The mob, however, have Ray"s former partner and CIA man (another effortlessly sleazy turn by James Woods) in their employ. Slick set ups and big bangs are the order of the day as Stallone tries to do whatever he can to make this bomb of a movie seem in the least bit interesting, Sharon Stone even gets her kit off in an effort to alleviate the tedium, but alas, its far too late by then. The only spark of life comes from the late/great Rod Steiger (playing the Miami mob boss) who"s resurrected his comedy Hispanic accent from 'A Fistful Of Dynamite'. 'The Specialist' is a pretty dull, cumbersome affair which fizzles-out in the first few minutes.
Three young socialists play pranks on the wretched bourgeoisie, but find their own relationships coming under scrutiny when a kidnapping goes awry. Well written satire, good acting from the leads, and if this is an example of the new German cinema ('Goodbye Lenin!' and 'Downfall' being the others) then I"d definitely like to see more.
French gore fest with a pair of nubile Parisian chicks being hunted down in the wilderness by some Leatherface-esue psychopath (or are they?). 'Switchblade Romance' a.k.a. 'High Tension' is a well-paced, sometimes trashy potboiler, which just about manages to rise above its B-movie origins. Cécile De France is dutifully put through her paces under the watchful eye of director Alexandre Aja (who recently went onto remake 'The Hills Have Eyes') but its toothy Maiwenn Le Besco, best known to western audiences for her cameos in Luc Besson movies, (as the gangster"s moll in 'Leon' and the Blue Diva in 'The Fifth Element') who turns out to be the movie's real revelation. Aja steadily cranks up the tension and handles the varying moods of the picture with equal savoir-faire, though the humourless, brutal and bloody nature of the flick soon begins to take its toll. Tense, occasionally unpleasant but never boring, this movie is like 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' meets 'Fight Club' whose leading ladies go through so much, that they"ll have you screaming "Sacrebleu!" at the screen.
Unfairly maligned by the critics on its cinematic release, with the benefit of both an open mind and the replay luxury of DVD, this is in fact a wonderfully well-paced and enthralling film. Following on almost immediately from where the original Underworld left off, with a brief introductory voice-over from Vampire Selene [Kate Beckinsale] bridging the two and with a 10-minute "prequel" scene [pre by 800 years] fleshing out the back-story, the heroine and hero, the Wolf-Vampire hybrid Michael [Scott Speedman] are hounded by the recently-awakened Elder Vampire Marcus who is searching for a key to a mystery that Selene, unknowingly, possesses. From there on in, it"s pretty much non-stop action for the next 102 minutes, with the only real lull in the pace being the much-discussed nude love scene between Selene and Michael, although this is as tepid as one might expect given that the director Len Wiseman is also Mr Beckinsale (it is however revealing enough to show that, should she decide to make one, a Kate Beckinsale body work-out DVD would be a humungous best-seller). Less of an open battle than the first movie, which contained armies of both Vampires and Werewolves (reduced to one and a handful respectively here), this is more of a character-driven story, as the various strands of the plot come together to make the climactic battle scene. Quite what the esteemed critics found to gripe about with Underworld: Evolution is puzzling; the special effects are about the only weak link in the film, with most of the CGI creatures appearing ungainly and slightly Playstation-ish, and some of the supporting characters are somewhat watery (Shane Brolly in particular), while Derek Jacobi has a criminally under-developed role. But this remains a high-octane adventure, one that has "repeated viewing" stamped all over it, and, despite what the cynics say, for more reasons that the stunning Ms Beckinsale spending almost the entire movie dressed in skin-tight black leather. DVD extras include an amusing commentary by Wiseman and several technical crew, although regrettably Kate, whose voice is as well-toned as her body, is a no-show; a few interesting but brief features on the making of the movie and the storyline development; and the obligatory angst-rock music video. Nothing spectacular, and one does yearn for a blooper reel to alleviate the tone after the hurting and spurting, but this really is a minor quibble, and this, and its predecessor, remain the best Goth-flicks since The Crow.
For 5 series Six Feet Under was just about the best thing on TV. This wonderful box set contains every glorious moment and is a great memento of a much missed show. Created by Alan Ball of "American Beauty" fame the show took America by storm before Channel 4 picked it up for UK transmission.
The series chronicles the lives of the Fisher family from the starting point of the death of funeral home owner Nathaniel Fisher who regularly re-appears to guide family members. As the family are drawn together we get to see just how dysfunctional a family can be. Newly widowed Ruth finds it hard adapting to life without her husband and with her childrens growing independence sets out to rediscover her own individuality. Brothers David and Nate inherit the family business and struggle at work and at home. David fights to reconcile his religious beliefs and his homosexuality while Nate finds the family business an unfulfilling chore and his "unpredictable" girlfriend Brenda adds to his state of confusion. Younger sister Claire finds it hard to find her place in the world and her role within the family.
Six Feet Under was without a doubt one of the most original shows TV has produced. An incredible mix of powerful drama and black comedy all with a surreal edge. We won't see the likes of Six Feet Under again.
Oh dear. On paper, it couldn"t fail; Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly in the lead; the ever-reliable Pete Postlethwaite in support; a story from the author of The Ring; and the resources of the mighty Touchstone backing the picture. All that was missing, it seems upon watching this almost haphazard series of scenes, was a director. The plot is so basic that commenting on it gives the game away, so suffice it to say, Dahlia Williams [Connelly] and her 5-year old daughter [a superb turn by Camryn Manheim] are forced by post-divorce reduced circumstances to relocate to a run-down apartment in a bad neighbourhood (if this was the 30"s it would have been a spooky mansion), where they hear mysterious noises from the apartment above, from which the incumbent family mysteriously disappeared some months previously. The couple had a young daughter. The opening minutes of the film point out, with all the subtlety of an earthquake, that there is a water tower on the building"s roof. And you can probably work out the rest from there. Even allowing for the fact that the plot is as thin as the walls of Dahlia"s apartment, a good film could still have been fashioned from the premise on view here, and indeed, might actually well have been originally; the presented 101-minute film gives the appearance of several crucial scenes having been cut (if they were never actually shot, the director, Walter Salles, should have been). A sub-text of the lead character suffering a mental breakdown, and allusions to a corresponding relationship with her mother that ties in with the plot are never followed up; while the denouement is almost as brusque as a Scooby Doo unmasking, with the "villain" all but sneering "I"d have got away with it too if it weren"t for you pesky kids". The lighting is atrocious - not just de rigour scary-movie-dark, but an all-encompassing seaweed dank that makes one turn the brightness up on the remote control just to see what is going on [to discover the answer is, not a lot]. Pete Postlethwaite, who is the only other character of substance in what is essentially a one-woman ensemble piece (paradox intended) sports an accent that should have its own Special Feature in the DVD Extras - Guess The Source (is he Polish? A native Bronxer with severe adenoid problems? Best bet is to stick on the subtitles whenever he appears). Further disappointment for the lads will no doubt be forthcoming when they discover that Connelly, possessor of probably the best body in Hollywood, fails to get wet as depicted on the cover for more that 10 seconds, but the film remains eminently watchable purely because Ms C is both naturally charismatic and an immensely gifted actress. Whether too many people will reach for this DVD for a second viewing is debateable though.
'Thumbsucker' is a quirky, but above all, well written and acted satire about the dangers of quick-fix medication and our brave new world where mind-altering, psychoactive drugs are doled out to the masses like candy sticks at Christmas.
The story focuses on a 17 year old boy (played with aplomb by newcomer Lou Pucci) who tires to kick the childlike habit of thumb sucking, there to "help" him along the way are his orthodontist (a surprisingly droll turn by Keanu Reeves), mother Tilda Swinton, father Vincent D"onofrio (both excellent), high school debate coach Vince Vaughn (giving a commendably dark and tragi-comic performance) and would-be girlfriend Kelli Garner (whose basically playing the Mena Suvari role from 'American Beauty'). This is a fantastic film that was ignored at the cinema, but deserves to be re-discovered, it may even garner enough fans to be considered a cult movie, either way, check it out, its well worth seeing.
Overlooked psychological thriller in which traumatised Gulf war veteran Adrein Brody, either has the power to the alter time, or is going completely mad with bizarre accented "southerner" Kirea Knightly in tow. A film that drew unfavourable comparisons to inferior Ashton Kutcher vehicle 'The Butterfly Effect' (which was basically a poor-man"s 'Donnie Darko'), if anything, this film owes more to Denis Leary"s little seen digital masterpiece 'Final'.
'The Jacket' is a dark beast unto itself, an excellent film that demands your full attention and successfully avoids the clichés associated with the genre, in short: this jackets worth getting into.
I have watched this film over and over again. Even though it is 3 hours long,this film proves to be a big success and i would recommend it to ANYBODY. I must admit that the first hour of the film is slightly boring and could put people off the but the last 2 hours of the film are great with amazimg special effects.
I like this dvd because you can pick your own time and exercises.
'Narc' has to be one of the best movies of the 00s, Jason Patric proves yet again that he"s one of the most underrated actors around, delivering a top notch performance alongside Ray Liotta in what is easily his best film/ performance since 'Goodfellas'.
'Narc' is an uncompromisingly tough thriller, one that effortlessly eludes the formulaic constraints of its genre to mix a standard police procedural into a dark and brooding cocktail spiked with an almost unhealthy degree of nihilistic sobriety. Patric and Liotta play no nonsense rozzers in the narcotics department of the Michigan P.D; Jason is the young ex-undercover cop with a guilty conscience whilst Ray is a grizzled, shotgun wielding old timer who"s as bent as a spoon after a Uri Geller gig. The pair joins forces to investigate the death of Liotta"s partner, but things, unsurprisingly, aren"t always what they seem.
My only criticism here would be the fact that director Joe Carnahan seems to pine for some non-existent glory days where cops were whiter-than-white, and even seems to suggest that the only reason crime is out of hand is because The Man no longer gives them a free hand. Right wing delusions aside, this is an excellent film; so if you like well written, gritty cop thrillers with a surprising amount of character development & moments of reflective solitude, 'Narc' is definitely one to book, bang to rights and lock up in your DVD collection.
After the nonsensical tomfoolery of 'Star Trek: Generations' to the mildly enjoyable 'Star Trek: First Contact' and back again to the spine chewing tedium of 'Star Trek: Insurrection' (made bearable only by an hilariously OTT performance from F. Murray Abraham) it seemed that Captain Jean Luc Picard and crew were all washed up. But just when you though the 'Next Generation' were out for the count, Patrick Stewart and company defy all expectations to come up trumps with "Nemesis", the 10th (and final?) instalment of the "Star Trek" movie saga that"s spanned over twenty glorious years. 'Star Trek: Nemesis' marks the end of an era for Picard"s crew; as Riker gets married and Data discovers a long lost prototype sibling called B-4 (geddit?). Meanwhile, the Romulan Empire are engaged in shady shenanigans with Remian praetor Shinzon (excellent performance by Tom Hardy) who seems to know Jean Luc a little too well...
To call 'Nemesis' the best of a bad bunch would be to overlook its merits as a well paced, well acted and mostly entertaining sci-fi spectacular. Everyone seems to have raised their game a little, the effects are excellent, gone is the grating, alleged humour that ruined its predecessors, Patrick Stewart is as robust as ever; running down corridors and blasting his way to an emotionally charged confrontation with Shinzon and even Brent Spiner (usually quite annoying) gives it his all in his double role as B-4 and Data. With all this, and a cracking space battle finale to boot, it"s hard not to recommend 'Star Trek: Nemesis', buy this film if you"re a fan, or as the Captain might say: "Make it so!".
This totally British film of the early 50s won no significant awards and yet the passing of time makes it a facinating film to watch in terms of a long gone innocence of austerity Britain.
A boy, a magnet he obtains by deception and the resultant exploits he gets into are the ingredients of this humorous, well written comic film. Try and ignore the typical middle class London accents (in Liverpool!), the kitchen sink dramas had not arrived as yet (Look Back in Anger, Saturday Night Sunday Morning, This Sporting Life).
It is fascinating to see the on location scenes of post war Liverpool. The boy (David Fox) is better known today as the excellent actor, James Fox!
This film keeps you fully hooked and entertained throughout and is a worthwhile addition to any DVD collection.
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