Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)

Amazon.com essential video

Emma Thompson scores a double bull's-eye with this marvelous adaptation of Jane Austen's novel. Not only does Thompson turn in a strong (and gently humorous) performance as one of the Dashwood sisters--the one with "sense"--she also wrote the witty, wise screenplay. Austen's tale of 19th-century manners and morals provides a large cast with a feast of possibilities, notably Kate Winslet, in her pre-Titanic flowering, as Thompson's deeply romantic sister. Winslet attracts the wooing of shy Alan Rickman (a nice change of pace from his bad-guy roles) and dashing Greg Wise, while Thompson must endure an incredibly roundabout courtship with Hugh Grant, here in fine and funny form. All of this is doled out with the usual eye-filling English countryside and handsome costumes, yet the film always seems to be about the careful interior lives of its characters. The director, an inspired choice, is Taiwan-born Ang Lee, who brings the same exquisite taste and discreet touch he displayed in his previous Asian films (such as Eat Drink Man Woman). Thompson's script won an Oscar, and 1995 was a fine year for Jane Austen all around: Persuasion was made into an excellent picture, and Emma became the spritzy high school comedy Clueless. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Sense and Sensability.......2007-09-11

An amazing film at an amazing price. Product came in perfect shape except the plastic on the cover had been sliced (probably while opening the box).

Sense And Sensibility.......2007-09-09

If you are a fan of Jane Austin or like me, new admirer of her works, this is a great movie. It captures the romance and the atmosphere of this time and place. I really enjoyed the characters and the story.

IF YOU LIKE JANE AUSTEN MOVIES.......2007-09-06

I love Jane Austen, I love well-done 19th Century Brit Lit classic productions. The actors are fun...Emma Thompson, as always, is superb and Hugh Grant, of course, is the bad boy one just loves to hate. This movie is really multi-purpose: a great way to spend some time if you are home with the sniffles, a great escape on what might be the end of an all too modern day, or just cozy to watch curled up by the fire.

Definitely worth owning...sort of a "little black dress" DVD. ENJOY!

A Social Commentary.......2007-09-06

The worst thing a person can do is underestimate Jane Austen. Though it is true that her stories center on young women and their romantic struggles, her works are not mere romance novels. This film does a wonderful job of demonstrating that.

Emma Thompson is a wonderful actress and she really brings Elinor to life. At times she seems almost cold and unfeeling but she is actually a woman who keeps her own counsel and who is very aware of how society views young women. Better to be thought a cold woman than to make a mockery of herself in the eyes of others. Thompson is at her best in those brief moments when Elinor is alone, when she is gazing sadly at her sister while she plays pianoforte, when she is alone in her room and running her fingers over the monogram embroidered on a handkerchief. Elinor is actually quite a complex character, a woman who loves deeply and wholly but who is also very self and socially aware.

Her polar opposite is her sister Marianne and Kate Winslet is simply perfect in the role. She captures Marianne's youthful exuberance and the blissful lack of awareness that she has for what others think of her. In this day and age, such individuality would be encouraged but in Marianne's time it is seen as a fatal flaw, one that risks making her the target of ridicule of others. She follows her heart over her head, unlike Elinor. As the title indicate, Marianne is all sensibility while her sister is all sense.

Hugh Grant does a nice job of portraying the somewhat socially awkward and very shy Edward. He always looks uncomfortable in his skin and only seems to relax when he is with Elinor or when he is brushing up on his sword wielding skills with Margaret. Edward exemplifies the plight of the younger sons of the era, the need to please the family in order to maintain his position. This was not a time when going it alone was encouraged or even feasible. It is Edward's sense of honor and duty that are almost his undoing and, in some ways, his situation is no better than that of the women. Though he is ostensibly free to choose his profession, he is actually quite subject to the whims of his mother and his vicious social-climbing sister.

The most surprising and rewarding bits of casting lie with Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. His world weariness and deep sadness are visible in every line of Rickman's face. He has seen what society can do to a young woman determined to follow her passions as Marianne is and it has left a deep impression upon him. Though Elinor has a good grasp of the world, Brandon understands it even better and one of the finest scenes of the movie is the one in which he chides Elinor not to wish for her sister to become acquainted with the ways of the world.

Emma Thompson did a fine job of writing the screenplay for this movie, cutting out some of the less essential bits and lifting quite a bit of the dialogue directly from the text. Ang Lee's direction is lovely and his shots are framed with such care. Often his cast doesn't even need to speak, they simply need to observe and Lee does a wonderful job of capturing the characters' emotions in their quieter moments.

Sense and Sensibility.......2007-08-24

We love this movie. The acting in it is great and you'll come to love each character like an old friend. It is a movie we watch over an over again, enjoying it everytime.

Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

wonderful story for kids and adults...
great for kids and grown up
Why does any story have to start with the death of the parent?
The Best Pixar
DO NOT BE CORRUPTED BY THIS MOVIE!!!

Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Eric Bana , Nicholas Bird (II) , Albert Brooks , Willem Dafoe , and Ellen DeGeneres
Director: Stanton, Andrew
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JM02
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Amazon.com

A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure Finding Nemo. When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. --Bret Fetzer

Description

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY and MONSTERS, INC. (2001, Best Animated Short Film, FOR THE BIRDS), it's FINDING NEMO, a hilarious adventure where you'll meet colorful characters that take you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to Marlin (Albert Brooks), his worrisome father, and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish, to make the epic journey to bring Nemo home. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more. Marlin discovers a bravery he never knew, but will he be able to find his son? FINDING NEMO's breakthrough computer animation takes you into a whole new world with this undersea adventure about family, courage, and challenges. Take the plunge into FINDING NEMO, a "spectacularly beautiful animated adventure for everyone" -- David Sheehan, CBS-TV

Customer Reviews:

wonderful story for kids and adults..........2007-09-06

This is one of my favorite animated pictures I've ever seen and I've seen it over a hundred times. There was a time when all my kids ever wanted to watch was NEMO! The animation is riveting, the characters are unforgettable, the story is beautiful and the humor is marvelous for kids and adults and never crosses the line. What I loved about this was it fell into line with what you would expect from fish and all the other creatures that you come across and never crossed a line into absurd or in tongue, sarcastic humor like some other fish movies I've seen. A fathers love is so strong for his son drives this film and in what has to be the funniest supporting fish, um..actress in an animated film I've ever seen. Ellen DeGeneres as Dory is amazing.

great for kids and grown up.......2007-07-29

I love all the Disney classics, and for years I didn't want to see this movie thinking it wasn't the "real deal". Well.... I was wrong! It might be different, but is a great movie..... The story, the colors, the pictures... everything is Disney quality. My little girl, now almost 3 years old, has been watching it for 6 months now, sometimes up to 3 times a day, and never gets tired. And I have to say that I watch it with her most of the times....

Why does any story have to start with the death of the parent?.......2007-07-24

My kids really didn't need that. If you feel that way too... try some of the Pippi movies.

The Best Pixar.......2007-07-09

Pixar has created amazing movies, and this has to be their best. Stunning scenes, capturing the beauty of the world of coral reefs, along with the mystery of the oceans. Great story and humor.

DO NOT BE CORRUPTED BY THIS MOVIE!!!.......2007-06-05

The movie was a little boring and looked really fake. You could tell it wasn't real and was just a bunch of silly puppets. I hope the kids that watch it don't really think fish can talk. Most of the movie is scientifically inaccurate. At one point there are a lot of "baby" fish. These fish appear, no, not as fry or something else that makes sense, but as slightly smaller versions of the adult. After this, these "baby" fish climb onto the back of a stingray (a predatory animal that should be eating them" who is their "teacher" he swims around and sings songs while the "baby" fish ride on his back. Other associations appear in this movie that I doubt have ever been observed in the wild. At one point, a clown fish is talking to a seahorse and an octopus, two of which only associate with their own kind, and one of which will kill anything to get within several feet of it! Does this happen in the movie? NO!

However, what I find most disturbing is not the numerous scientific inaccuracies, but the fact that most people that view this movie regard it as a documentary on ocean life. I have seen kids at the aquarium pointing at fish and referring to them as a "Nemo" or a "Dori".

Anyway, the stingray teacher manages to lose the baby clown fish (big surprise, what do you expect with a stingray for a teacher, you're lucky he didn't eat the kid!). And the clown fish gets captured and put into an aquarium in a dentists office with, yes more talking fish, but just wait! In this tank, there are also talking shrimp, and even a talking Starfish.

OK, now talking fish is one thing. They may not have lungs or vocal chords to produce speech, and not even close to sufficient cognitive function, but at least they're vertebrates! But having an animal without even a brain talking!? That's just ridiculous! And speaking the same language as the fish!

Now, yes, there have been strange things in Disney movies before. In Alice in wonderland there are talking flowers, and even a talking slug that smokes opium. However, Alice in Wonderland is the delusion of a madman, and does not take place in the natural world. Hence the name "Wonderland". However, does Finding Nemo take place in "Wonderland"? NO! It takes place in the Great Barrier reed, just outside Australia! Did the maker think "Well, nobody that watches this movie has been to Australia, so they won't know that the fish don't talk there"? I don't know what he was thinking, but I wasn't fooled! I personally have been to Australia, and the fish do NOT talk there! this movie makes no sense and is in no way entertaining.

After that, the fish attempt to make their tank dirty by clogging the filter, in which they succeed. However, the maker of this film has obviously never kept saltwater fish before. If he had, he would realise that after living without a filter for more than an hour, every fish in the tank would be dead. Does this happen? NO! The tank just gets really dirty and the fish remain just as alive as ever! I couldn't take it any more. I walked out of the theater after that.

Do not regard this movie as factual! Do not take your children to see this movie! This is one of the WORST places to get information about fish. Do not be fooled by this movie or the numerous other positive reviews!

Average customer rating:

hostile movie masquerading as a heartwarming movie
How do we know we're loved? 4 1/2 stars
Georgia May Rule...But This Movie Sure Doesn't
Uneasy blend of comedy and drama
heart wrenching

Georgia Rule (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jane Fonda , Lindsay Lohan , Felicity Huffman , Dermot Mulroney , and Cary Elwes
Director: Garry Marshall
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000T988I8
Release Date: 2007-09-04

Customer Reviews:

hostile movie masquerading as a heartwarming movie.......2007-09-13

This is a movie about a ridiculously dysfunctional family composed of morbidly dysfunctional women. There are people who actually like movies about this type of person (for whatever reason). If you are one such, fine; but if you are not, avoid this film at any price.

After 100 minutes of watching them tear each other apart and blame each other for everything, abruptly in the last five minutes, all their deep psychological problems disappear without therapy or any other cause, and everybody is going to live happily ever after. Right. This cheap shot of an ending was obviously tacked on to save this movie from being a total economic disaster.

Even if you're a fan of Jane Fonda or of Lindsay Lohan or both, you won't like them in this movie (unless, as I said, you like this type of movie).

Bottom line: you have a better chance with almost any other movie.

How do we know we're loved? 4 1/2 stars.......2007-09-11

Though I don't recall this movie getting great reviews from the critics, I expected at least a decent movie considering the three main stars. I got more than expected. The three lead actresses were well chosen. Jane Fonda, looking exceptionally well at age 70, is outstanding as the grandmother, Georgia, who lives her life by certain 'rules,' hence the title, and who has a history with her daughter, Lilly, (Felicity Huffman), that seems lacking in emotion. 'Seems' is the operative word. While we aren't exactly privy to what has caused this rift between mother and daughter, we glean from one particular scene that Georgia's parents never told HER that they loved her. We gather that Georgia's apparent inability to say the three words, "I love you" to her daughter may simply be because she was not told what she needed to hear from her parents. In one touching scene between Georgia and Lilly, when Lilly asks her mother if she ever loved her, Georgia replies, 'How could I not love you?' She still is not able to say those three magic words to her daughter though she has no trouble saying them to her granddaughter, Rachel, (Lindsay Lohan). Dermont Mulroney is wonderfully cast as the kindly veterinarian whom Rachel works for and Cary Elwes well cast in a somewhat chilling performance as Rachel's stepfather.

Rachel lies, manipulates, has a history of drug abuse and all manner of teen problems. There is, of course, a reason for her behaviour and underneath it all, we see many glimpses of a tender heart.

This is Ms. Lohan's best performance since she made her wonderful debut as identical twins in 'The Parent Trap' at the age of eleven. Despite the two other big name stars, Lindsay Lohan is THE star of this movie. We can only hope that this gifted young lady is able to heal herself before a very promising career is ruined.

Georgia May Rule...But This Movie Sure Doesn't.......2007-09-10

I am uncertain what to make of this misshapen 2007 dramedy. Attempting to be a new millennium cross-hybrid between On Golden Pond and The Prince of Tides, this film ends up being an erratic mess shifting so mercurially between comedy and melodrama that the emotional pitch always seems off. The main problem seems to be the irreconcilable difference between Garry Marshall's sentimental direction and Mark Andrus' dark, rather confusing screenplay. The story focuses on the unraveling relationship between mother Lilly and daughter Rachel, who have driven all the way from San Francisco to small-town Hull, Idaho where grandmother Georgia lives. The idea is for Lilly to leave Rachel for the summer under Georgia's taskmaster jurisdiction replete with her draconian rules since the young 17-year old has become an incorrigible hellion.

The set-up is clear enough, but the characters are made to shift quickly and often inexplicably between sympathetic and shrill to fit the contrived contours of the storyline. It veers haphazardly through issues of alcoholism, child molestation and dysfunctional families until it settles into its pat resolution. The three actresses at the center redeem some of the dramatic convolutions but to varying degrees. Probably due to her off-screen reputation and her scratchy smoker's voice, Lindsay Lohan makes Rachel's promiscuity and manipulative tactics palpable, although she becomes less credible as her character reveals the psychological wounds that give a reason for her hedonistic behavior. Felicity Huffman is forced to play Lilly on two strident notes - as a petulant, resentful daughter to a mother who never got close to her and as an angry, alcoholic mother who starts to recognize her own accountability in her daughter's state of mind. She does what she can with the role on both fronts, but her efforts never add up to a flesh-and-blood human being.

At close to seventy, Jane Fonda looks great, even as weather-beaten as she is here, and has the star presence to get away with the cartoon-like dimensions of the flinty Georgia. The problem I have with Fonda's casting is that the legendary actress deserves far more than a series of one-liners and maternal stares. Between this and 2005's execrable Monster-in-Law, it does make one wonder if her best work is behind her. It should come as no surprise that the actresses' male counterparts are completely overshadowed. Garrett Hedlund looks a little too surfer-dude as the naïve Harlan, a devout Mormon whose sudden love for Rachel could delay his two-year missionary stint. Cary Elwes plays on a familiar suspicious note as Lilly's husband, an unfortunate case where predictable casting appears to telegraph the movie's ending.

There is also the omnipresent Dermot Mulroney in the morose triple-play role of the wounded widower, Lilly's former flame and Rachel's new boss as town veterinarian Dr. Simon Ward. Laurie Metcalf has a barely-there role as Simon's sister Paula, while Marshall regular Hector Elizondo and songsmith Paul Williams show up in cameos. Some of Andrus' dialogue is plain awful and the wavering seriocomic tone never settles on anything that feels right. There are several small extras with the 2007 DVD, none all too exciting. Marshall provides a commentary track that has plenty of his trademark laconic humor. There are several deleted scenes, including three variations on the ending, and a gag reel. A seven-minute making-of featurette is included, as well as the original theatrical trailer, a six-minute short spotlighting the three actresses and a five-minute tribute to Marshall.

Uneasy blend of comedy and drama.......2007-09-10

In an industry that increasingly misrepresents its products via preview trailers, this is the most appalling example I've ever seen. Have you seen the trailer? Are you expecting a mostly lighthearted "troubled girl puts her life on track with guidance from her sassy grandmother" movie? Think again.

I'm spoiling a plot development from about 20 minutes in so don't read farther if you don't want to know.

*Georgia Rule* is actually a heavy-handed molestation tale, with Lohan playing a dangerous and unpleasant "am I telling the truth or lying?" game by accusing (then recanting, then accusing, then recanting) her stepfather of abusing her when she was 12-14, three years ago.

Such stories have a place, and some probably open doors of communication in troubled families. However, this one strikes an extremely uneven balance between comedy and drama thanks to director Garry Marshall's mistaken vision. A mother's alcoholism, a daughter's abuse and subsequent slide into drug use and sexual promiscuity can't be juxtaposed with Fourth of July pie-eating contests (naturally featuring cameos by Marshall's never-ending supply of relatives) and wacky hijinx down at the local vet's.

The acting is good, but the script and direction are very, very, very bad. The script kicked around Hollywood for a decade; it should still be gathering dust on a forgotten bookcase.

heart wrenching.......2007-09-08

So good...I have only one wish...that they would have filmed it on location...
All 3 actresses do amazing in this story. You can empathize with each of them.

Tales From the Crypt / Vault of Horror (Double Feature)

Average customer rating:

what is this $#!+?
EC, baby...EC.
FALSE ADVERTISING......
Shame On 20th Century Fox
What's The Point...

Tales From the Crypt / Vault of Horror (Double Feature)
Starring: Dawn Addams , Tom Baker , Michael Craig , Denholm Elliott , and Glynis Johns
Director: Roy Ward Baker , and Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000RXVNCO
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Description

Disc 1: Tales from the Crypt (1972) Disc 2: Vault of Horror (1973)

Customer Reviews:

what is this $#!+?.......2007-09-14

fox, what are you thinking? nowadays, when we buy a movie on dvd, especially from a big company like 20th century fox, we come to expect the film to be as at least it was shown in theatres. what is the idea of putting out such a censored version of vault of horror? i know i'm not the only one that has a problem with this because i read some of the other folk's reviews. us fans wait who knows how long for a "legit" edition of this film to be released just to have this be the pay-off? and another thing, what's the idea with showing the trailers in black-and-white when most of us know good and well that those trailers were in color? why does there seem to be an intentional decrease in quality here? whose brain-fart was that? wouldn't it have been easier to just leave the color in the trailers alone? 20th century fox should be ashamed of itself for treating the fans in this manner. i've come to expect more from them. so, with that said, if you really want the GENUINE LISENSED PRODUCT, go ahead and buy this dvd, but don't throw out your bootlegs yet.

EC, baby...EC........2007-09-13

FIRST, Amazon needs to pair this one up with the Midnight Movies two-fer "The Abominable Dr. Phibes / Dr. Phibes Rises Again." It's a much better pairing from the same era ("Crypt" 1972, "Vault" 1973, and the Phibes movies from 1971 & 1972) than the Vincent Price flick they've currently chosen.

The HBO "Crypt" series leaned heavily on the Crypt Keeper and the humor found in the intros and outros of the classic EC comics, but the two EC movies produced by England's Amicus (also responsible for the excellent "Asylum" with Peter Cushing) are DARK.

There's a genuine sense of menace, of foreboding, especially in the all-time EC classic "And All Through The House" (also interpreted ny the HBO series). Joan Collins is the perfect choice for this, and when "Santa" shows up...well, let's just say that it's not a very merry Christmas at all.

Some trivia buff out there knows why Amicus didn't complete the EC trilogy with a "Haunt of Fear" movie. Maybe "Crypt" and "Vault" didn't make enough at the box office to warrant it. But if you want two movies' worth of well-chosen cinematic adaptations of classic EC stories, you've come to the right place.

FALSE ADVERTISING.............2007-09-13

As everyone is finding out, fans (as well as those who've never seen them) of the British horror anthologies of the 70's have been dealt a blow with Fox's release of "Tales from the Crypt" and "Vault of Horror". As everyone is also finding out, "Tales" looks good and is intact, while "Vault" is badly edited. Well, that's because "Tales" was originally rated PG and "Vault" was rated R. And what really burns me up is that it's advertised by Fox (and on Amazon) as still retaining it's R rating. Leading one to believe, of course, it's in it's original theatrical release form. Not so. To me, this is false advertising. I have never seen "Vault of Horror", I've only known of it. I was really looking forward to finally seeing it---in it's original release form. But now, with this disc, I can't enjoy it with THIS chop job. As one reviewer said, "What's the point?". What a ripoff. And illegal too.

Shame On 20th Century Fox.......2007-09-13

The only reason I gave this set 2 stars instead of 1 is that Tales from the Crypt is uncut and is a good print. The Vault of Horror is a cut print and as a previous reviewer said badly cut as well. In the segment "Midnight Mess" the blood on tap ending is edited to appear a few seconds before its original place in the segment and it's an obscured freeze frame instead of the blood pouring out of the tap as the body convulses. In "The Neat Job" the hammer to the head ending is also a freeze frame and missing the shot of the body sinking to the floor with the hammer stuck in the victim's head. Thankfuly I have an uncut, albeit fullframe, version of The Vault of Horror to watch but most people will never see this movie in its original form unless 20th Century Fox makes a corrected disc.

What's The Point..........2007-09-12

...of releasing Vault in a badly cut form? I've already received my discs and, for the price, the set is worth it for Tales (which is uncut and in great shape), so I won't be returning it. So, I do recommend buying the set for this film. However, it is inexcusable that Fox would release Vault it a censored version. Really, what is the point? The cuts are "brutal", in that they are really ragged looking freeze frames and the actual violence is mild compared to the normal fare seen on the screens these days.

This really speaks more for sloppiness than anything else. The uncut version is available; Fox just didn't take the time to use it. This has happened in the past with the Midnight Movie collection (Deranged comes to mind) but, again, the method of cutting is so bad - and the "gruesome" scenes the payoff for each story - that the film loses much of its enjoyment factor.

Average customer rating:

Overly bloody, logically holed, inferior sequel
Some good ideas... but otherwise a simple rehash of the first film.
Perfect Horror Sequel?
Gorged on gore
Remember viewers love spelt backwards is EVOL!

28 Weeks Later (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Robert Carlyle , Rose Byrne , Jeremy Renner , Amanda Walker , and Shahid Ahmed
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000TJBN80
Release Date: 2007-10-09

Description

28 WEEKS LATER is sequel to the successful 28 Days Later.

The film pick up six months after the Rage virus has spread throughout the city of London. The United States Army has restored order and is repopulating the quarantined city, when a carrier of the Rage virus enters London and unknowingly re-ignites the spread of the deadly infection, wreaking havoc on the entire population. The virus is not yet dead, and this time it's more dangerous than ever!!

Customer Reviews:

Overly bloody, logically holed, inferior sequel.......2007-09-14

Surprised at the number of good reviews this is getting here.

"I wish Roger Ebert was still writing reviews because he would most definitely decry the "idiot plot" moment of "28 Weeks Later." It comes when Don (Robert Carlyle) decides to plant a wet kiss on his obviously exposed-to-infection wife, despite having seen the Zombies first-hand and knowing full-well how the infection travels and how it has pretty much decimated the population of Britain. I watched this at the Westlake Village Promenade today at 4:50pm with a crowd of mostly teenage guys and even a lot of them were shocked at how ridiculous this was." - Bryce Zabel, moviesmackdown

Big budget blood drenched sequel could have been so much better. Another ridiculous moment comes when they start firebombing part of the city--gee, why not just nuke all of London, if infrastructure destruction is not a problem, then you could be certain of extermination? Then the city is gassed, why didn't they do that in the first place? Well they have a big budget this time and lots of huge fiery explosions are obligatory I guess.

Another thing, the camera shakes WAY too much. What's going on? When the boy sees his father through the door, the camera moves very fast and next thing you know the rage has spread inside the quarantined building. What happened? Only by going slow-motion through this sequence can one see he breaks through a heavy locked steel door by simply banging on it. 300 people are trapped inside but one skinny infected gets in no problemo. The boy sure must be a good sprinter cause he gets from the door to walking over people 40 ft away in .5 seconds. And you know exactly what is going to happen when the rage hits a large crowd of people because it is described in detail in the first film (the airport story). I submit to you, a predictable scene does not make for a scary one no matter how much blood, screaming and unsteady camerawork you throw in.

The original had lots of slow parts with interesting dialog and scenery that made one think and give a breather between the the scary parts. This movie just got on the bandwagon of all the bad ultra-bloody films that have come out since the original--Hostel, Saw, Hills Have Eyes, etc and, not to be outdone, is scene after scene of murder and mayhem. The one interesting idea in this one, that some can be immune, was not really developed except to spread the virus to show, you got it, more blood and gore.

The music throughout is THE EXACT SAME as in the original, they couldn't even get original music?? (Maybe they spent too much on those explosions)

Overall this was a big disappointment for me.

Some good ideas... but otherwise a simple rehash of the first film........2007-09-10

Well...

It was with a lot of anticipation that I went to see 28 WEEKS LATER - specially because I believe the first film, 28 DAYS LATER, was a genuine new look at the beloved Zombie genre.

But I got a little disappointed with this sequel because it does not offer much. The synopsis looks promising: weeks later, the original infected people on the UK dies... and the country is declared safe. So it is up to the British living abroad to come home and start again. And we meet this guy who has two kids (who were abroad on a school trip).

Suddenly, they find his wife (who apparently got attacked and died on the prologue). But she is fine... because she is immune to the disease. But she does has the virus... and it is only a matter of time until the whole thing starts again.

The problem with 28 WEEKS LATER is that the audience does not bond with any character. There is nobody there for the audience to empathize with. I feel some lack of focus in those characters... and the whole film becomes a escapist time-passing.

It was exactly the huge investment in characters that made the first film so good. But here... It's all missing.

That is not to say that there are not great moments. The intro (when the guy loses his wife) is well paced... the scene where the helicopter decapitates (oh, yes!!!) a group of infected is fabulous... and the best sequence is when the survivors drive away from the military dodging poison gas clouds on the streets of London.

But that's it.

Also... this film contradicts one interesting element presented in the first film. I remember (on 28 DAYS LATER) one character saying the infection had reached other countries. That does not seem to be what we see here. I got a little confused.

Still it is worth a look.

Perfect Horror Sequel?.......2007-09-06

I disagree.

28 Weeks Later has such staunch editing that the film seldom allows one to breathe in it's storyline. It is based on a son, a daughter, a mother and a father caught up in the whole virus affecting the world. My only complain and a big flaw in the film is the fact that the characters are not even allowed to grow on you. Before you know anything else, you find characters running and hiding. It's a bit too active and it seems that the director is trying too hard to create an impact.

28 Weeks Later does create an impact, in the sense it is still a must watch film but there is nothing about the film that deserves recognition or respect. It tries to incorporate a whole lot in a space of way less than 2hours. A lot of readers/posters/critics on imdb.com wrote this is one of the best films they saw in 2007. I can see what they could have liked about this film but I must say, in my heart of hearts, it is quite underwhelming.

Watch [...] and figure out how it had those 4minute action scenes. There were maybe 2 scenes in the film that made me jump from my seat. The film,overall, though would still remain disappointing. However, I would not like to pull you away from it. Watch it cause you might just like it or you might just end up finding I make sense to more than just myself.

Try watching "[...]" - a good effort and it doesn't try to change the world. I eagerly await the follow up to this film, if any at all. I'll just keep my expectations low.

Gorged on gore.......2007-09-03

What's not to like about zombie triathletes ripping open and converting humans at a rate of speed that leaves the urgency of "Speed" and "Run Lola Run" limping in a cloud of dust? Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who previously helmed "Intacto," has infused "28 Weeks Later" with a more "Hostel"-proper level of gore -- projectile blood vomit erupts at regularly spaced intervals, eyeballs get squished and, in a Peter Jackson-worthy scene, a mob of zombies gets sliced and diced by chopper blades in a celebratory burst of gristle, hemoglobin and bone.

There is the obligatory jab at the U.S. empire's reputation for barbarism toward foreigners (i.e., the current war on terror) and, just like "The Host" and "Jurassic Park," "28 Weeks" criticizes the pitfalls of a technologically murky society. Then there is a misplaced subplot involving a father's cowardliness and subsequent regret that culminates in an awkward scene that begins with forgiveness and ends in blind rage. But primarily, "28 Days Later" is about zombie face time. The rest of the film plays second fiddle to these orgies of rotting, human-size, PCP-infused piranha. And Fresnadillo gorges the viewer on zombies until your brain pan's fried. It's not bad, it's just no rival to the flawless "28 Days Later."

I think it's time for a zombie romance movie. Ang Lee could direct it. He could title it, "28 1/2 Weeks." I mean, the zombies do travel to Paris at the end, booking toward the Eiffel Tower, that bastion of passion. Mai oui!

Remember viewers love spelt backwards is EVOL!.......2007-08-29

Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002), I thought, had all the positive and negative traits of a typical Boyle film. The film had its moments of effective film making. The concept of "28 Days Later," however, is golden. Like George Romero's zombie flicks, the storyline of an incurable virus turning those infected into ravenous zombie-like murderers that is quarantined within the main British isle, is so ripe for possible sequels and spin-offs. As expected, a sequel is made --- grossly entitled "28 Weeks Later" (a sequel would probably be entitled 28 months or years later). It's not directed by Boyle but by director Juan Carlos Fresnadilla.

You spot the differences immediately between these two directors. The film opens with Robert Carlyle and Catherine McCormack holed up in a cottage out in the British countryside. They're preparing a meal and discussing the fate of their kids as they traveled away for vacation just before the outbreak. Their dinner is interrupted by a young boy that has fled from a pack of infected that included his parents trying to kill him. This line of dialogue sets up the film's main theme: reconnection. It's not as eye-catching as Boyle's opening where he had then-newcomer Cillian Murphy alone inside a hospital room, and the moment he steps out of the hospital, an eerily empty London embraces his newly-recovered senses. Fresnadillo clearly doesn't want to dillydally and doesn't see the value of establishment. He throws us the facts right away, clearly banking on his audience's familiarity with Boyle's original work, and takes us straight to the action. A few minutes later, the survivors are in distress.

If Fresnadillo's concern is to create a film that is more visceral, more gruesome, more violent than its predecessor, he certainly achieved it. However, I think Fresnadillo belongs to that school of filmmaking wherein cameras are supposed to be in a state of perpetual motion, and a shot should not last more than 2 seconds. The film is edited erratically, and the camera movements are unbearably jerky, that it's almost impossible to tell who's biting who, who's escaping from whom, and so on which was plain torture.

It's quite unfortunate that the film suffers from a tired aesthetic style (I would've preferred Boyle who despite his MTV-tendencies still knows when to stop and just enjoy that moment of serenity). The story actually has good moments. Sure, there are certain instances wherein the characters start losing a hold on common sense or logic, but as a sequel to a film that draws its powers from a ridiculous idea to begin with, the writers didn't do that bad. London 28 weeks later looks like a more affluent Baghdad --- surrounded by Americans who are armed and have their own protocols. "28 Weeks Later" exploits that idea slightly through out this film. The themes do not have the philosophical underpinnings or the sophistication of Romero's zombie parables. The allusions are quite plainly mere metaphors that manage to distract me from the film's want of visual quality. That's when I start to miss Boyle who, with all his faults as a filmmaker, still manage to churn out new things and ideas from concepts primarily borrowed from masters of the genre, leaving this movie scary one way but forgettable in the other.

Average customer rating:

Not bad for a time travel movie
He killed her four days ago! You were at the funeral, what's wrong with you?
Deja Vu DVD
Since when did voyeurism become a virtue?
What If You Could Change The Past...

Deja Vu
Starring: Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Val Kilmer , James Caviezel , and Adam Goldberg
Director: Tony Scott
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JPD0
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

In his most effective thriller since Enemy of the State, Tony Scott makes time travel seem plausible. It helps that his New Orleans hero, ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington in his third go-round with the director), spends more time in the present than the past. In order to catch a terrorist, FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) invites Carlin to join forces. They have the technology to see the past. He has the expertise to interpret the data. Unfortunately, the bomb has already gone off and hundreds of ferry passengers have died. Then there's the body of a beautiful woman, Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton, Idlewild), that turns up in the vicinity of the blast. Evidence indicates she was killed beforehand. Since the FBI enables him to observe Claire prior to her murder, Carlin gets to know what she was like and finds himself falling in love. He becomes convinced that the only way to solve the case--and prove her innocence--is to travel to the past. But as Pryzwarra's colleague, Denny (Adam Goldberg), argues, "You cannot go back in time. It's physically impossible." Or so he says. Déjà Vu is constructed around a clever script and executed by a top-notch cast, notably Washington, Patton, and an eerie Jim Caviezel (miles away from Passion of the Christ). In shedding the excesses of recent years--the sadism of Man on Fire and weirdness of Tarantino favorite Domino--Scott re-affirms his rep as one of the action movie's finest practitioners. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Academy Award(R) winner Denzel Washington (Best Actor, TRAINING DAY, 2001) joins forces with blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer and mega-hit director Tony Scott for DÉJÀ VU — the powerful, fast-paced action-thriller with a spectacular mind-bending twist. Called in to recover evidence in the aftermath of a horrific explosion on a New Orleans ferry, Federal agent Doug Carlin (Washington) gets pulled away from the scene and taken to a top-secret government lab that uses a time-shifting surveillance device to help prevent crime. But can it help Carlin change the past? Hold on to your seat for an explosive and intriguing thrill ride you'll want to experience again and again.'

Customer Reviews:

Not bad for a time travel movie.......2007-09-10

The first point is the acting. It had too small of part for Kilmer, but all the acting is top notched. Denzel plays a guy who is good at his job and is morally upright, who uses his charm to speed up the bureaucratic process. Caviezel was intense and good. The plot was good. The trouble with the plot was that once Denzel goes back in time, he should not have been able to change the past. For example, the Twelve Monkeys did this well. However, since it was Denzel Washington, the past had to change. What happens to Denzel once he went back in time was pretty obvious to this viewer.

There was a previous reviewer who said the science made perfect sense and was straight-forward. Funny. The movie was about time travel and worm holes. Give me a break. People watch NOVA a few times and think they understand space and time. I have a physics degree, I did not understand their mumblings, and I thought it was silly. They explained the massive energy requirements by having the lights of the city dim when the time machine was in operation (stolen from Weird Science?).

The movie for a while reminded me of "Laura" in which a detective falls in love with a portrait of the supposedly dead victim. Who wouldn't fall in love with Gene Tierney or Paula Patton? I thought they should have kept working with that idea instead of the time travel, but the problem was that this victim was very dead indeed.

The movie had some very interesting ideas. The car chase scene was very good. How well they tied in the future and the past was very good. The problem was that once you figure out what is going to happen to Denzel and Paula, the movie lost its edge and excitement for me.

He killed her four days ago! You were at the funeral, what's wrong with you?.......2007-09-08

An ATF agent, Doug Carlin, is called in to investigate a ferry explosion.
During his investigation he stumbles upon the body of a murdered girl. He knows she is somehow connected to the bombing. With the help of some very high-tech, Einstein inspired, government equipment, he is able to watch the last four days of her life.
As he watches her last moments, he cannot stop himself from falling in love with her and becomes determined to recover her life. Carlin needs to travel back in time, save the girl and stop the terrorist, but has to be quick for the clock is ticking....
A Tony Scott/Denzel Washington collaboration is always worth watching as they usually deliver a movie with an intricate plot, thrilling action sequences, and characters that are driven by their emotions. These are rare qualities in action movies to-day. Déjà vu is no exception for it has all these qualities and more. The supporting cast is fantastic, a sublime Adam Goldberg makes a great super intelligent and witty side kick to Washington and Jim Caviezel is unnerving as the psychopath who believes his actions are for a greater good. Be warned; if you are a Val Kilmer fan, you will be a little bit disappointed as he seems to be a bystander in most events and not a participant. I have the impression that most of his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.

Like all time travel stories it will leave you with questions e.g. if this event did not take place how come Carlin knew to go back and stop it happening. Unfortunately as with all time travel tales I don't think this can be avoided but don't get too hung up about it; just let it wash over you and enjoy the film. The ending is slightly weak and leans towards the saccharin but you can forgive Déjà Vu these few flaws. This is the thinking person's action movie and after you have watched it you will probably be compelled to watch it all over again.

Deja Vu DVD.......2007-08-30

Denzel Washington seems to know how to choose the right scripts. This movie is so intense--and convoluted--it really makes you think in order to keep up. Together with a great cast, he puts this one over and makes it believable. It meets our criteria of "clean entertainment" and is a great addition to our home collection. We got it from Amazon fast and in super condition--as usual.

Since when did voyeurism become a virtue?.......2007-08-28

The premise of this movie is an interesting one. Denzel Washington is an ATF agent who while investigating a ferry explosion is recruited by a group of government funded techno nerds who have a device which can see backwards in time.
Somehow their mission mostly involves observing the leading actress in the shower and also walking around her apt in her underwear. Denzel is suddenly smitten and decides he has to go back in time to save not 300 victims in a ferry explosion but one woman he has seen in her underwear. This is Hollywood at its most insipid and this would have been a pretty decent movie if it wasn't for this adolescent spin.

What If You Could Change The Past..........2007-08-24

So, what does it take for a movie to get my attention? It's an assortment of factors, some of them would be the following: a story that appears intriguing, a director attached that has a solid record of hits, a star or group of stars that I'm a fan of, or merely be a sequel to a movie that I enjoyed. Many times it only takes one of those items to get me interested in a movie, but sometimes it helps to have more than one factor working to a movie's advantage. This is the case of the action-packed thrill ride "Deja Vu" that stars Denzel Washington (one of my favorite actors), is directed by Tony Scott (director of "Man on Fire"), and is produced by uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer (whose movies I thoroughly enjoy 9 times out of 10). With all of those factors together in one movie, this was definitely one film that I wanted to see from the moment I saw the first trailer.

"Deja Vu" focuses on federal agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) being called in to recover evidence from a deadly ferry explosion that rocked New Orleans. While working the case, Doug is pulled aside to aide in a top-secret government experiment dealing with time-shifting surveillance, basically they can watch events of the past as if it were in the present. The team behind the experiment is hoping that this revolutionary technology will allow them to see the crime before it happened in hopes of catching the person(s) responsible for the heinous act. But can this technology assist in changing the past or merely watching it from the sidelines?

Here is a movie that caught me completely by surprise. I was fairly confident that I was going to be in for an enjoyable action-packed thrill ride, based solely on the facts that Jerry Bruckheimer was producing (a man known for delivering the best action movies in Hollywood) and Tony Scott was directing (whose use of quick cuts and groundbreaking camera work has created some of the most thrilling sequences put to film). Sure this movie delivered explosive action and intensity, but what I didn't expect was the use of so much science fiction with the concept of bending time and even some time travel. Surprisingly, the sci-fi aspect actually worked for the film, which couldn't have been easy to execute due to time-themed science fiction being rather difficult to pull off in a way that makes sense, and doesn't create plot holes within the story. But the writers of this movie managed to craft a story that was filled with plenty of action, intriguing drama, and some sci-fi thrown in to mix things up a little bit without allowing the story to become bloated and clunky. Another aspect of this movie that surprised me was Tony Scott's seemingly more reserved direction. After filming both "Man on Fire" and "Domino" with such frantic camera work, extremely fast cuts and stylistic color manipulation, it was somewhat relaxing to watch a much more straightforward approach to movie making from this talented director.

Denzel Washington was superb as always in his role as federal agent Doug Carlin. He handles the action and drama with great ease, and even the science fiction aspect seemed like second nature to him, which is a genre he's had very little experience with (his last foray into sci-fi was the lackluster film "Virtuosity"). The main supporting cast comprised of Val Kilmer and Jim Caviezel provided interesting, three-dimensional characters from a script that seemed to have them painted very thinly, based on their roles and screen time, but these two talented actors made the most of what they were given. It was nice to see Val Kilmer back on the big screen, he's a gifted actor that it seems like we don't see much from anymore (though that may have something to do with his apparent weight gain, a career ender for some in Hollywood). The remainder of the cast were all solid, but weremade up of fairly run-of-the-mill filler characters that were used mostly for exposition.

"Deja Vu" is a surprisingly original, entertaining thril-ride that grabs you from the opening sequence and never lets go. This is a movie that is a definite must-see, and one that is fun to watch time and again.

"Deja Vu" is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and brief nudity/sensuality.

Average customer rating:

great family movie
3.5 Its not THAT bad People
Fun movie to watch with your family
OMG: All I can say is "Save your Money"!!
Four Words

Are We Done Yet?
Starring: Ice Cube , Nia Long , John C. McGinley , Aleisha Allen , and Philip Bolden
Director: Steve Carr (III)
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000RBA6C4
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Product Description

Newlyweds Nick (Ice Cube) and Suzanne (Nia Long) decide to move to the suburbs to provide a better life for their two kids. But their idea of a dream home is disturbed by a contractor (John C. McGinley) with a bizarre approach to business.

Customer Reviews:

great family movie.......2007-09-08

this was a great family movie,was very funny and is a good movie for the whole family

3.5 Its not THAT bad People.......2007-09-05

Are We Done Yet is not as bad as everyone on here would have you believe. Its not as funny as Are We There Yet, but it does hold its own. One thing I did wish they'd touched on is what happened to the kids dad. At the end of the first movie he was with his new wife and baby. Did he just completely forget about them. Anywho my kids loved it and have watched it over and over. Its one of the few movies you can allow your kids to watch without worry of foul language, sex, or violence. It's a good wholesome family movie.

Fun movie to watch with your family.......2007-09-03

I didn't buy this movie because of the reviews given on Amazon. Now that I've rented it, I'm definitely buying it. I was impressed how the movie identified with adults and kids. My whole family enjoyed it from the very funny cartoon credits at the beginning to the happily ever after ending. I would recommend this movie!

OMG: All I can say is "Save your Money"!!.......2007-08-22

Ice Cube should have gotten on his hands and knees and begged "Smokey" to do a guest appearance in this movie......Maybe it would have made it bearable to watch (just a little) if Chris Tucker had a small part......People, please save your money and your time. I repeat, "People, please save your money"!! If you just got to see, try to buy at the dollar store and ask for half off.....I like the brother and all but Ice Cube need his butt whipped......But Nia Long did have on some cute boots. (smile)

Four Words.......2007-08-18

Crap on a stick. That pretty much sums it up! Mr. Blandings is one of my all time faves, and to think that anyine would associate this piece of garbage with a classic is just crazy!

Average customer rating:

awesome movie
Love Death Rebirth Life Love Death Rebirth Life Love
Surprising but not for the reasons you might think
WTF????
THE FOUNTAIN

The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Hugh Jackman , Rachel Weisz , Ellen Burstyn , Mark Margolis , and Stephen McHattie
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JPAR
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Science fiction and romance collide in The Fountain, the ambitious third feature from director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream), who labored for four years to complete this epic-sized love story that stretches across centuries and galaxies. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Aronofsky's real-life companion) play lovers in each of the film's three settings--16th century Europe and America (Jackman is a Spanish explorer searching for Incan magic), the present day (Jackman is a doctor attempting to cure his dying wife), and the 26th century (Jackman is a space traveler seeking a gateway to the afterlife)--who struggle mightily to stay united, only to lose each other time and again. Aronofsky may not have chosen the easiest presentation for audiences to absorb his theories on the lasting qualities of life and the transformative powers of death--the final sequence, in particular, with a bald Jackman floating through space in a bubble, harks back uncomfortably to "head movies" of the late '60s--but his leads have considerable chemistry (and look terrific to boot), which goes a long way towards securing viewers' hopes for a happy ending. Critical reception for The Fountain has been nothing short of bloodthirsty, with Cannes audiences booing, but there are elements to enjoy here, even if the premise throws one for a loop. Ellen Burstyn (who earned an Oscar nomination for Requiem) delivers a typically solid performance as Jackman's boss in the present day sequence, and special effects (most done without the benefit of CGI) are also impressive given the film's low budget (spurred by a mid-production shutdown after original stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett ankled the picture). And science-fiction fans whose tastes run towards the metaphysical (Asimov, Le Guin) will appreciate the attempt to present the genre in a serious light. -- Paul Gaita

Description

Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Past, present, future. Through time and space, one man embarks on a bold 1000-year odyssey to defeat humankind's most indomitable foe: Death. Hugh Jackman plays that man, devoted to one woman (Rachel Weisz) and determined to protect her from forces that threaten her existence. His quest leads him to a Tree of Life...and to an adventure into eternity. Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) directs, continuing his string of imaginative, involving filmmaking with a tale alive with ideas and filled with astonishing vistas. "Not many films can blow your mind and break your heart at the same time, but this one will" (Drew McWeeny, Ain't It Cool News).

Customer Reviews:

awesome movie.......2007-09-09

I love this movie. My only complaint is that the DVD seemed a little dark on my TV. I have never had that kind of problem before, so I assume that there was some sort of adjustment issue. I also recommend buying the movie soundtrack.

Love Death Rebirth Life Love Death Rebirth Life Love.......2007-09-08

Quite a telling image with Hugh Jackman resembling a cross between Timothy Leary and Buddha in the scenes of him as a 26th century explorer. The Fountain is Sci Fi meets epic romance and I'm really glad Hugh Jackman was in this role rather than the original actor cast for the part - Brad Pitt. Jackman is Tomas, Tommy, and Tom in 1500, 2000, and 2500 in a relentless search for a cure to save his love Isabella, Isabelle, Issy. The trio of characters all play into one another but are still distinct. Jackman is an international film star in his own right but his more private relationship with the papparazzi allows his thespian gifts to shine in a more opaque light. Jackman melts into the different personalities that are weaved together in The Fountain. We see his role not his celebrity life clouding a stellar performance. Being a trained actor skilled in singing and dancing makes Jackman a belivable cast of Tomas, Tommy, and Tom in a psychedelic twist of karma and fate across the centuries. He melts into the role with his muse Isabelle/Issy/Isabella whom he spends centuries trying to save. The timing of this film released at the height of Brangelina is poignat because had Brad Pitt stayed in the lead it may have been unbelievable to audiences of the character's mad devotion to stay with his wife. This is what makes the film work.

Jackman emotes well and plays a Spanish conquistador, American medical doctor, and space age explorer all in one without seeming like the same character each time. Cris crossing between three different lifetimes over a millenium to save the woman he loves The Fountain plays on karma, reincarnation, and endless love and its quest to conquer death. The ending is odd because you don't know whether he succeeds or not and it heartbreaking since it isn't clear if the lovers unite. A well done film that blends distinct story lines into a captivating tale that concludes in a unique way. I'm impressed albeit confused. All that said, mark my words, one day movie trailers will promote Academy Award Winner Hugh Jackman in films he stars in. It's evident in The Fountain that, pretty soon, fellow Australian Russell Crowe won't just be sharing the land down under with Jackman, but also an Oscar trophy.

Surprising but not for the reasons you might think.......2007-09-06

I don't think that whether I liked the film or not is particularly important. I definitely don't think it's for everyone, that's for sure. I did enjoy it to a degree but I have to admit that I liked Pi and Requiem For a Dream much better. I know that this little bit that I've written will probably get me incinerated by the Aronofsky purists but hey, I just don't consider it to be a masterpiece. Sorry if this offends anyone.

That being said, I was surprised that this HD-DVD didn't blow me away. The big visual moments in this film don't look so great in all honesty. Not in HD anyway. I was let down by the video transfer of this disc and that's not to say it looks bad but it just didn't wow me like it should've. I thought the Spain sequences looked terrific and other moments as well but I was surprised to find that the movie didn't look absolutely stunning completely throughout. If a movie like Hot Fuzz can have a gorgeous transfer, then there's no excuse here.

The extras are kind of lackluster and a bit tedious in all honesty. I think those looking for something revealing regarding the making of this film will be disappointed.

I'm recommending this one for a rental. This is not a film for everyone and not exactly the kind of HD-DVD that makes you want to invite your friends over and show off your system. And if you love this film through and through, I'd still suggest a rental because the presentation is simply disappointing.

WTF????.......2007-09-05

I had high hopes for this movie, but it just plain sucked the big dog! I tried to follow the plot.....TRIED - NO success with that. I fast forwarded through most of the crap...stopping at parts I THOUGHT would be okay. Nope!

Don't waste your time, don't waste your money, don't waste your brain power.

You would be better off flushing bills down the john while stoned rather than watching this movie.

Hugh and Racheal...shame on you. I bet secretly they didn't even get it. They are still saying to themselves, WTF was that all about?

It was about the paycheck and nothing more, Hugh and Rach!

THE FOUNTAIN.......2007-09-03

Beautiful film, but very bizarre. Jackman and Weitz are fantastic as usual, but the story is very strange. It oscilates between three different story lines that converge. It's a tribute to the director and the talent that this works at all. I had read that Brad Pitt had been slated to star it this film, but that he had to bow out because of the long pre production, though im sure Pitt would have done and interesting turn in this role, I really can't imagine anybody but Jackman making this metaphysical script work: thanks Brad for following Angella all over Africa and letting the role fall by default to the singular Jackman. I recommend this movie, but watch it with an open mind, you may learn something..imagine that.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

ChittyChittyBangBang
video
UNABLE TO SEE DVD
Lotsa Fun
Charming Musical with Humor and Fun.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Dick Van Dyke , Sally Ann Howes , Lionel Jeffries , Gert Fröbe , and Anna Quayle
Director: Ken Hughes
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792839749
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

This remastered, pan-and-scan 30th-anniversary edition of that kiddie-car caper is flawed but solid family fare. It retains a quaint charm while some of the songs--including the title tune--are quite hummable. A huge plus is Dick Van Dyke, who is extremely appealing as an eccentric inventor around the turn of the century. With nimble fingers and a unique way of looking at the world, he invents for his children a magic car that floats and flies. Or does he? The special effects are tame by today's standards, and the film is about 20 minutes too long--but its enthusiasm charms. The script was cowritten by Roald Dahl and based on the novel by Ian Fleming, best known for his James Bond adventures. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls start your engines. You're about to take an incredible ride with one of the most wonderful family films of all time! Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has never looked or sounded better. Dick Van Dyke stars as eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, who creates an extraordinary car called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It not only drives but also flies and floats as it leads him, his two children and his beautiful lady friend, Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), into a magical world of pirates, castles and endless adventure.

Customer Reviews:

ChittyChittyBangBang.......2007-08-25

A wonderful movie with a delightful cast, great movie for kids to watch, and written by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.

video.......2007-08-05

I gave this video to my two grandchildren ages 6 and 4 who travel with a video player in their vehicle. The report from my daughter is that they LOVE it!! As did I, and as did my daughter. This is a great item to entertain young children.

UNABLE TO SEE DVD.......2007-06-27

THE ITEM ARRIVED IN GREAT CO