Le Mans

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A classic auto-racing movie starring Steve McQueen, Le Mans puts the audience in the driver's seat for what is often called the most grueling race in the world. The French auto race Le Mans is a 24-hour affair through the French countryside, a demanding ordeal for any driver. McQueen (Bullitt, The Great Escape) plays the American driver, locked in an intense grudge match with his German counterpart even as he wrestles with the guilt over causing an accident that cost the life of a close friend. McQueen is his usual stoic magnetic self, and the racing sequences are among the best ever committed to film. A solid character-driven story combines with raw visceral power to make Le Mans a rich tapestry of action and thrills. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews:

True to the event.......2007-08-31

There's no cutthroat, classless "win at all costs" attitude evoked by the participants in the race here. Those who walk away (and those injured) carry a sense of honor knowing they've done the best they could. Anything less just isn't good enough in this honorable cast. It's all in this movie, with a sense of realism not seen in this genre. Beautiful, simple images of the French countryside and culture merge in the setting and people surrounding the race. To so convincingly squeeze 24 hours (including tedium) as a statement of this unique event is a thrilling experience.

This Was Done Right!.......2007-08-20

This movie takes full advantage of the medium... high quality film and a huge screen to portray the savage beauty of racing. Just saw in HD and this movie is all great camera shots and perfect sequencing. There is almost no "Hollywood" feel at all, just great cars and action.

If they filmed all the racing first then cobbled together a script it was absolutely the right approach. The "script" does not really matter and should take a backseat when the driving, camera work and editing is as well done as this movie. An incredible feast for the eyes and ears (crank up the home theater and listen to those beasts roar!)

Probably only for the purists.......2007-07-22

I recall reading an article about this movie when it came out. It said that they filmed all the racing footage first and then wrote a story to overlay on the action and then filmed the people scenes to complete the "story".
Make no mistake about it. This is a feature length film about the cars and the track with some actors providing intermissions between the racing sequences. And as that it is great.
I have been to Le Mans for the 24 hour race and was fortunate enough the see these cars and the professional drivers in this film race on a number of tracks. Watching this movie is like taking a journey back to the golden days of endurance racing.

"Le Mans".......2007-07-01

The only movie made about motor racing to this date. McQueen was excellanr driver, along with Peter Revson almost won 12 hours pf Sebring while McQueen driving in leg and foot cast due to broken foot in eariler motorcycling racing racing accident.

Pour les Hommes Normale du Monde.......2007-06-06

I almost want to accuse Steve McQueen of making a self-indulgent film as driving fast cars was his passion; however, using the word "self" doesn't make much sense given how popular the automobile is with the male half of the global population. Cars are to men what shoes are to women. If you are a man and you you aren't interested in fast cars you are probably either 1) not of the majority's sexual orientation or 2) from a part of the World where they don't have them (Moomba maboday jambaa car?).

"Le Mans" is, for most of the film, more like a documentary than fiction. You will feel like you are watching the actual race rather than a fictionalized story set around the race. REALISM is the word.

McQueen plays an American driver, Michael Delaney, on the Porsche team whose main rival in the twenty-four hour race is a German on the Ferrari team. Delaney is haunted by the memory of a crash that killed an Italian driver the year before.

There isn't much dialogue in the film. One notable quotation occurs after the widow of the Italian driver asks McQueen's character why driving is worth the risk: "A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing is important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."

Don't expect wives or girlfriends to get into this one...

Average customer rating:

Move over Mythbusters, they are still fun stories
Amusing, not hilarious. Felt similar to Mr. Deeds.
Good for a few laughs, silly but sweet
A Pilot for a TV Series?
Worth a look, pretty funny, great soundtrack.

The Darwin Awards
Starring: David Arquette , Josh Charles , Kevin Dunn , Nora Dunn , and Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Director: Finn Taylor
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QGDJF6
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Amazon.com

Loosely based on the book series of the same name, The Darwin Awards is a wry indie film that deals with the premise that some people will live long and prosperous lives, while the weaker will weed themselves out by committing unbelievably stupid acts (such as smashing into a high-rise window to prove it's shatterproof, or using dynamite as a means to make a small hole for ice fishing). The film stars Joseph Fiennes as Michael, a brilliant profiler for the San Francisco police department who has an unusual quirk: When he sees blood, he faints. This trait proves to be his undoing when he catches a serial killer who happens to have a bloody nose. As the newspaper headline screams the following day, "Officer Faints; Killer Runs Free." Kicked off the police force, Michael redefines himself as a risk management assessor for an insurance company. Paired with fellow investigator Siri (Winona Ryder), the two traipse across the country to determine whether their company should pay out premiums to the victims of unnecessarily idiotic acts, like the vacationing British couple whose understanding of a RV's "cruise control" has little to do with reality; or the two stoned Metallica fans literally dying to see the band in concert. Injecting just enough hinky characteristics into his role to make Michael truly weird, Fiennes is excellent in his role. And while Ryder is as lovely as ever, she is still too coltish to be completely believable as a foul-mouthed, seen-it-all, done-it-all ballbuster. Featuring appearances by David Arquette, Lukas Haas, Metallica, beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage (both from the Discovery Channel's MythBusters), and Chris Penn in his last role before his 2006 death, The Darwin Awards has its share of disjointed moments. And it's not the scratch-your-head antics that are unbelievable so much as some of the minor plot points, such as a film grad student (Wilmer Valderrama) having complete access to film Michael and his investigations (and the money to fly off wherever Michael and Siri do). Still, the film offers fine performances (especially by Arquette as a small-town man trying to impress his wife, played by Juliette Lewis) and an unusual premise. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

Based on four best-selling non-fiction books of over 700 Darwin Award cases, The Darwin Awards takes a darkly comic view at the people who risk their lives pursuing a crazy idea, only to end up improving the human race by removing themselves from the gene pool and thus earning a "Darwin" award. Winona Ryder stars as an insurance claims investigator, along with Joseph Fiennes as a forensic detective, who team up to investigate potential Darwin Award winners.

Customer Reviews:

Move over Mythbusters, they are still fun stories.......2007-08-31

As a big fan of the Darwin Awards, it was fun to watch some of the older and more famous (infamous) stories come to life on the screen. It is an entertaining movie, although the love affair was a bit awkwardly done and I think wasn't even necessary to the story. It is something I would watch again and I am glad I added it to my library.

Amusing, not hilarious. Felt similar to Mr. Deeds........2007-08-23

I'd read that THE DARWIN AWARDS test-screened so poorly at a film festival that people were walking out. In any event, this film obtained no theatrical distribution and sat on a shelf for over a year before being "dumped" on DVD.

However, it's not such a bad film. The problem may lie in that comedy is the most subjective of genres. If you love horror, chances are you'll enjoy most every horror film. Not so with comedy. Ten people may each love comedy, yet have very different ideas as to "what's funny."

I didn't think THE DARWIN AWARDS was too funny, but it was amusing and entertaining, although it became repetitive toward the end. One reviewer noted that it felt like a TV show, and that's true. It's like watching several episodes all at once. The film did try and tie-in some larger "film themes" into the story. It ends trying to impose respect upon Darwin fatalities, showing that these people died because they had imagination and daring.

THE DARWIN AWARDS felt similar to another Winona Ryder film, MR. DEEDS (which I also found to be mildly amusing, not hilarious). She essentially played the same character: a hard, cynical woman who sleeps around a lot, until she meet a more "innocent" man who draws out the soft-hearted romantic within her. (Both films even had a similar frozen lake scene, which increased that deja vu feeling.)

Joseph Fiennes did a good job as the comedic innocent who's afraid to live, although he's too tall and strong-looking to make for an entirely believable wimp.

Lots of nice cameos in this film. It's a pleasant film, but not hilarious, nor a classic. I even doubt it will become a cult classic. It's amusing, but not as dark or edgy as it might have been.

Good for a few laughs, silly but sweet.......2007-08-09

You have to hand it to the screenwriter for pulling a decent and relatively coherent romantic comedy out of a premise for a series of vignettes on stupid people doing stupid things that kill them. Apparently many of the stories that are recreated here for an oddball team of insurance claim agents to investigate really did happen. I'm not so sure about the premise that such events actually make the species stronger, but that is the premise of the Darwin awards that the film was based on. The filmmakers really try to do too much with this, since while it kind of works as a romantic comedy it fails miserably to connect with its oddball literate serial killer premise, as well as in its attempt at some kind of "postmodern reflexivity" by including a documentary camera person in the picture as ostensibly the author of the film. The cameraman's pretense of objectivity, which really amounts to an unwillingness to help out in tough situations, does serve as a premise for a few funny moments, but it isn't really pulled off as effectively as in other indie films that work with the same notion, such as "Man Bites Dog". All in all, the film is not really memorable but makes for an amusing couple of hours and is not as bad as much of the unimaginative drivel out there that really does bode ill for the fitness of the human species.

A Pilot for a TV Series?.......2007-08-06

This film is a cross between "Monk" and "The X Files". Fiennes is intense and quirky, but Ryder can't decide whether to be caustic or attracted to her partner, and her character has little depth. Truly, the movie comes off as a collection of episodes from a TV show ( a promising TV show).

The technical premise of the film, that of discovering predictive attributes for people who die from stupidity, is largely left ignored, despite offering the only dramatic continuity to the plot. What's left is the characters from the deaths being investigated, and the characters of the investigators. Potential dramatic opportunities of tension with the insurance company, or meaningful interactions with the survivors, are simply absent. There is no attempt to tie the actual Darwin Awards to the deaths.

The result is cute, and, thanks to Fiennes, amusing. But it doesn't feel like a feature film.

Worth a look, pretty funny, great soundtrack........2007-08-06

This was a very underpromoted movie that could have done quite well in the box office, but will likely do well as a cult classic. An ex police investigator and an insurance investigator are paired together after a series of misfortunes, and they are sent on a mission to investigate "Suspicious Claims", aka, Darwin Award candidates. Through the whole thing, their trials and tribulations are documented by a masters student recording them for a documentary.
Very funny re-enactments, great ones that they chose, and a load of cameos by Metallica, The Myth Busters, amongst others, Definately worth renting, or buying.

Average customer rating:

Believing is not necessarily enough
Great movie!
Pleasant love story
Shadyac, take it from me and TLC, don't go chasing waterfalls.
Dragonfly

Dragonfly (Widescreen)
Starring: Lisa Banes , Kathy Bates , Kevin Costner , Matt Craven , and Kathryn Erbe
Director: Tom Shadyac
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JKZH
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Amazon.com

"Belief gets us there," explains nun Linda Hunt to grieving widower Kevin Costner, an emergency room doctor whose ordered world is startled by "messages" from his dead wife. She's talking about the journey from life to death, but it describes the doctor's road from fact to faith equally well as he puzzles out the otherworldly events of his life. Costner's mourning comes off less lost and sad than simply emotionless and inert, but he finds good support from Kathy Bates as his sassy neighbor. Her appearances, along with a few startling horror-movie-type shocks, energize a film otherwise shrouded in loss, grief, and the hushed mood of supernatural spookiness. It's like a fusing of Ghost, The Sixth Sense, and The Mothman Prophecies, a New Age melodrama in a sentimental key that works through a rather contrived mystic mystery to a glowing climax. This is less a ghost story than a modern twist on the old-fashioned miracle. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Believing is not necessarily enough.......2007-09-05

An amazing thriller that goes against any kind of logic. Everything is wrong, resolutely wrong. A pregnant woman, a doctor mind you, decides to take a bunch of kids to the jungle deep in Venezuela on an adventurous sabbatical. An accident throws the school bus down into a river. No survivors. The husband, another doctor, is then the victim of visions, hallucinations, seizures of some kind that he very quickly interprets as signs from her trying to speak to him from where she is. He believes and thus is led to going back to where she died and to the village of Indians living at the foot of the waterfall where she met her fate. I won't reveal the end. The film is not interesting because of the thrilling suspense, nor because of the rather sentimental ending. It is interesting because of the way it describes the reactions of normal people in front of something, or someone that does not satisfy their expectations of what they call sanity. Anything or anyone that looks suspiciously insane in our society is at once rejected, becomes suspicious, and is supposed to be pushed aside into some kind of social sabbatical, or even worse is hassled by the guardians of normality in our social order, i.e. priests, and cops, and doctors. The point is that the story that supports this fact is so hectic and farfetched that it gets the true fact down the chute along with the unbelievable elements in the story. Believing is essential, provided what is believed is believable. Otherwise the film becomes pure entertainment, and it is too somber to be pure entertainment.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Great movie!.......2007-07-16

I can't say enough good things about this movie. Kevin Costner is outstanding in this role. It's a great story from beginning to end with a beautiful message. A truly intense believable thriller! I have watched this movie several times and still look forward to seeing it again. Highly recommended!

Pleasant love story.......2007-06-21

First, I do have to say I like Kevin Costner is just about any movie, but this brought out a very gentle side of Costner.
The movie is part spiritual, mystery, thriller, romance and love. It is definitely, "what would and how far would you go to unearth a mystery and give your love and life for the one you were meant to be with."
I really like the movie-I own the movie (B)

Shadyac, take it from me and TLC, don't go chasing waterfalls........2007-05-19

The concept of death surrounds me recently. Not that friends and/or family or passing away, but with the films and television programs that I have been watching recently, it seems to be a common occurrence. I am in the middle of viewing full seasons of "The 4400" which deals with the death of some to cause a "ripple effect" that would heal the world, "Monk" - which in each episode someone dies and it is up to Shalhoub to solve the mystery of the dead person, and surprisingly I am trying to figure out "Lost", which is teetering on the exploration of the possible death/purgatory of its central characters. So, with all this "death" surrounding me, why not pick up a film that may give me a chuckle (due to the director's prior comedic turns) as well as give me a new insight on the unknown explanation of the death phenomenon. One would hope that this would be the case with "Dragonfly", but upon a second viewing - as well as the voice of director Shadyac informing us that he didn't enjoy the final cut of this film - it was only discovered that Kevin Costner cannot paint us a picture of death - nor should we ever ask him to.

To be utterly up front with anyone reading this review, I am not going to paint a pretty picture of what I witnessed with this outing. There was nothing, I repeat, nothing of value with this film that tried to blend the teary eye of Costner with that of "The Sixth Sense". First time drama director Shadyac (who would be better known as the founder of "Ace Ventura"), cannot seem to grasp this film as he continually combines cliché elements from other films, random occurrences that never quite link us to the ending, and a complete waste of actual talent. He has the blocks to build the story, but instead he just tosses them into a waterfall hoping that they will land upright. Was this a supernatural thriller, was it a romantic drama, or was it just another venue for Kevin Costner to attempt to apply his "leading man" status to? For me, I couldn't quite see where Shadyac was going or what genre he was interacting with. The trouble begins with the story, of which couples with soul-mates, dragonflies, and coming back from the dead, as well as what a popular majority thinks. Listening to the commentary, Shadyac explains that his cut of the film wasn't as received as the final cut because too many people knew the ending prior to it happening. In my eyes - that is worthwhile if the story continues to attract us - but in "Dragonfly" that is not the case. The story is trite and quite dull, leading to an ending that surprises mainly because you don't care any further. Joe Darrow lost his wife, cannot cope even months later, and begins to think that she is contacting him from the dead - but for what reason? If you weren't pulled in by my synopsis, then I do not suggest viewing this film because in 22 words, I have probably told you everything.

The acting is atrocious, possibly the worst roles created for two very talented actors. I am speaking of both Costner and that unknown talent that normally reverberates from Kathy Bates, but seemed to be missing this time. Perhaps it is the tone, the vague symbolism, or just the fact that these two needed paychecks that soured this film, but instances were not connecting. By the big "surprise" at the end, we are either so tired of the events or have (in my case) forgotten them, that there is no "gasp" or shock, merely just excitement to have a finale to this horrid broadcast. Shadyac has talent as a director, I even find myself laughing at "Bruce Almighty", but drama is not his cup of tea. This film was too dark without any signs of light, which can be a good thing for skilled directors, but not for first-time Shadyac. He needed a blend of comic with the eerie unknown, which would have offset the disaster this train was headed towards. Costner couldn't carry Shadyac's work, and became murky and muddled through the middle. He had no central focus, so we - as audience members - didn't know who he was. Was he crazy or just in love? How come we never saw his love for his wife? Unanswered questions that Shadyac and Costner never allowed anyone to answer.

To add to my disgust was the filming overall of this movie. Just as I was confused as to the real ending to the film, I am sure that those involved were equally as confused. We move, rather quickly, from children seeing the dead, to dragonflies, to white water rafting, all the way back to some native tribe in South America. It just seemed like we were jumping rather quickly, but in the wrong direction. Without giving it away, I had forgotten the main element to the ending when we got to it because we were muddled with so many other un-needed moments that the ending just seemed watered down and dull. Honestly, I was bored with this movie because it lead us down one path, somehow jumped to another, and tried to make it back to that original path that was already lost and forgotten. The music didn't match with the actions or emotions of the characters, the hints were hidden and expected, there was no moment of self-discovery. There wasn't a scene in the film where I suddenly went, "oh, I get it" -- and that is sad. "Dragonfly" had the potential, I just felt that Shadyac was behind the wheel of a vehicle that he couldn't control, and as you listen to the commentary, you can sense (and at times hear) that he didn't want to be behind the wheel at all.

"Dragonfly" is a pointless corporate film driven to bring in more money while capitalizing on the income produced by "The Sixth Sense". There are borrowed elements that Shadyac cannot control as well as actors that walk through their scenes wondering when the paycheck will arrive at their doorstep. This is the worst film to see Kathy Bates perform, and Costner continues to dig himself a bigger hole. As you listen to the commentary, this film underwent quite a bit of changes due to viewer issues and response, which I think is the worst way to edit a film. Shadyac has no problems saying that he edited this wrong, and that he didn't like "x" scene, and that he felt this was completely amateurish - which only helps solidify a inner feeling of disappointment with the film. He selflessly promotes "Bruce Almighty" during this film, which drove the nail further into the already built "Dragonfly" coffin. I do not suggest this film to anyone unless you like your water from the tap, meaning that if you don't mind drinking muddled, tainted, and possibly poisoned liquid - than "Dragonfly" will be the film for you. It was that bad.

Shadyac, take it from me and TLC, don't go chasing waterfalls.

Grade: * out of *****

Dragonfly.......2007-05-08

Very good movie. Most interesting as it starts as sorta very sad when the doctor loses his wife while she was on a missionary trip. Couple of weird and a little scary movie until the end which is a heartfelt surprise. The doctor (Kevin Costner) wins something most beautiful. It's definately worth watching.

Average customer rating:

Top Notch
Disgusting!
THOUGHTFUL
The Green Mile
Stephen King's Best Film Adaptations Are Not Horror Films

The Green Mile
Starring: Patricia Clarkson , James Cromwell , Jeffrey DeMunn , Dabbs Greer , and Bonnie Hunt
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B00003CWQU
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Product Description

John Coffey is not like the other death-row prisoners. He absorbs the pain of inmates and guards alike, heals their ailments, rights their wrongs. John Coffey works supernatural miracles. But will this falsely convicted gentle giant stave off his own execution? Tom Hanks leads a powerful ensemble that includes Michael Clarke Duncan as Coffey in this powerful, uplifting tale reuniting The Shawshank Redemption s two major creative forces: filmmaker Frank Darabont and author Stephen King.

System Requirements:
Starring: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene (II), and Sam Rockwell. Directed By: Frank Darabont. Running Time: 188 Min., Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2000 Warner Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

"The book was better" has been the complaint of many a reader since the invention of movies. Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison drama (The Shawshank Redemption was the first) is a very faithful adaptation of King's serial novel. In the middle of the Depression, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) runs death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Into this dreary world walks a mammoth prisoner, John Coffey (Michael Duncan) who, very slowly, reveals a special gift that will change the men working and dying (in the electric chair, masterfully and grippingly staged) on the mile . As with King's book, Darabont takes plenty of time to show us Edgecomb's world before delving into John Coffey's mystery. With Darabont's superior storytelling abilities, his touch for perfect casting, and a leisurely 188-minute running time, his movie brings to life nearly every character and scene from the novel. Darabont even improves the novel's two endings, creating a more emotionally satisfying experience. The running time may try patience, but those who want a story, as opposed to quick-fix entertainment, will be rewarded by this finely tailored tale. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Top Notch.......2007-09-01

The Green Mile is the name of death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary where most of the events depicted in the movie take place. Tom Hanks and David Morse play prison guards on death row who get a new prisoner named John Coffey, played by Michael Clarke Duncan. Duncan is a mountain of a man and seems to be a simpleton but he has been sentenced to death for the murder of two little girls. This moview is primarily a drama with a number subplots all concerning various inmates and guards at the prison. An interesting turning point in the story occurs when Coffey demonstrates the ability to heal merely by touch. The inclusion of this single element of fantasy into an otherwise harsh reality has tremendous impact and causes ripple throughout the rest of the movie.

This film has a great cast from top to bottom whether it's the big names or the character actors who get typically little credit but give a great deal of depth to the movie. Duncan steals the show as Coffey partly due to his sheer size but also because of the great warmth and decency he brings to the character. Hanks does as fine a job as he ever has, and that's saying something. The movie is a bit long but there is a lot of story to cover and I never felt like it dragged at all.

In short, The Green Mile is an exceptional movie. The script is unusually intelligent, the acting top notch, and the story keeps you interested throughout it's nearly three hour running time. It certainly has an unorthodox story line but it works beautifully. If you haven't seen the film yet, I would certainly recommend giving it a try.

Disgusting!.......2007-07-31

Don't you want to see a man screaming and writhing in agony? Can't you picture steam coming off his head as he blows out his vocal cords for five minutes, every second total excrutiating torture because one of the sick guards decided to cause him EXTRA pain by not wetting the sponge that conducts the electricity?

The people that made this movie are sick, degenerate, sadists...just like the character they portray so well on the screen.

THOUGHTFUL.......2007-07-29

THIS MOVIE IS CLASSIFIED 'FICTION' BUT NOT BEING AWARE OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PRESENCE WHO HAVE GREAT POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE IS NOT A MADE UP STORY. WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

The Green Mile.......2007-07-23

I love this movie. Its a great one to watch just alone or with the whole family. Either way IT'S GREAT. Thanks a lot.

Stephen King's Best Film Adaptations Are Not Horror Films.......2007-06-24

This film is wonderful, although the ending is not at all what I had hoped for and I suspect that this might have been a part of why there were mixed reviews- beyond the comparisons with the book. It has a bit of Shawshank in it and some great actors that are familiar to King and Hanks best work.

Average customer rating:

A good Bronson film besides Death Wish 1
Bronson vs Marvin!
Plenty Of Action Packed Adventure
catch me if you can and live to tell about it
Marvin and Bronson at their best

Death Hunt
Starring: Charles Bronson , Lee Marvin , Andrew Stevens , Carl Weathers , and Ed Lauter
Director: Peter R. Hunt
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B0006GQMC8
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Description

On December 31, 1931, lone trapper Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson) shot and killed a man in self-defense at his remote Yukon cabin. A few days later, hard-living lawman Sgt. Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin) reluctantly brought a heavily armed posse to arrest Johnson for murder. In the brutal siege that followed, Johnson would kill four more men before escaping into the frozen mountains. As a nation watched, Millen was forced to pursue Johnson by foot, dogsled and plane in a desperate chase that would take both men from the brink of survival to the very edge of vengeance.

Fifteen years after THE DIRTY DOZEN, Bronson and Marvin re-teamed for this explosive action hit directed by Peter Hunt (ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, ASSASSINATION). Andrew Stevens, Carl Weathers and Angie Dickinson co-star in this real-life story of the fugitive called 'The Mad Trapper' and the manhunt that shocked the world. Based On The Incredible True Story Of'The Deadliest Manhunt In History'

Customer Reviews:

A good Bronson film besides Death Wish 1.......2007-08-28

I really liked this movie. The story was very good and well acted and the action was good. Normally I do not watch Bronson movies but I saw this one as a kid and it allways stuck with me.

Bronson vs Marvin!.......2007-08-19

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It still holds up well though there are some hokey parts with some goofy characters that could have been left out. But Bronson is just... BRONSON. And Lee Marvin as the mounty that is assigned to bring him in is just great (as usual). This is a classic story and a classic adventure movie. Both leads are grizzled, tough as shoe leather raw boned men from a different era.

This is like Godzilla vs King Kong to me except these two guys would make that big dumb ape and stinky lizard cry home to their mamas.

Plenty Of Action Packed Adventure.......2007-06-26

Death Hunt starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson is certainly one film that will never end up on the Lifetime channel. Director Peter R. Hunt and Scriptwriters Michael Grais and Mark Victor do a bang up job moving the standard western film formula to 1930's Canada. The Yukon backdrop is as much a part of this film as Monument Valley is to a John Ford Western. This film carries that uneasy feeling of trouble right from the get go. Granted it is based on a real incident, but doesn't follow the real historical line, and so what. Death Hunt is meant to be pure men's entertainment. Lee Marvin as Sgt. Millen of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who has been in the backwater for too long, knows that he represents law an civilization to a group of folks who could care less. He is a pragmatist who knows just how much to let the locals get away with, as long as it keeps the lid on. Marvin is exquisite as the grizzled drunken professional, who in his own way, is running from civilization as much as any of the ignorant locals. I forsee a retrospective of the work of Charles Bronson definitely including the film Death Hunt. Bronson plays Albert Johnson who shows up in town, out of nowhere. A man tired of life, it seems, who just wants to be left alone. But, he is not a man, like most of the people in that town, who will ignore suffering, and that even applies to animals. This is where the trouble begins. The film contains a great supporting cast, Ed Lauter, as Hazel, the ignorant dogfighting trapper who thinks that he is the defacto king of this barbaric place. Andrew Stevens as the young, piss and vinegar, Mountie assigned to Millen's outpost is great. The film also boasts Carl Weathers as an ex-patiriot American black, who found a life in this part of Canada that was denied to him in the U.S. The film is a great chase. You find yourself routing for hunter and hunted alike. With Death Hunt you get great direction, great dialogue, great scenic locations, and wonderful acting. This all adds up to A plus entertainment. A great film. Buy the DVD!

catch me if you can and live to tell about it.......2007-03-14

There are two movies that come to mind, when I speak of this one,"Lonely are the Brave" and "Valdez is Coming". The same theme in all three of these excellent films, "the Law Hunts The Fugitive" The fugitive portrays the sympathytic hero in all three films. In all three, the persuer takes a liking to the one he hunts. They come to respect his courage and fortitude. This movie is full of twists, turns, thrills and spills, excitement, suspense, not to mention beautiful mountain scenery. Last but definetly not least, Lee Marvin and Charles Bronon, they alone are worth the price of admission. "Anonymously" Louie G.

Marvin and Bronson at their best.......2007-03-02

This film is a masterpiece for action and adventure.Great scenery and an ending where all the good guys win,BRILLIANT.

The Green Mile (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Top Notch
Disgusting!
THOUGHTFUL
The Green Mile
Stephen King's Best Film Adaptations Are Not Horror Films

The Green Mile (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Tom Hanks , David Morse , Bonnie Hunt , Michael Clarke Duncan , and James Cromwell
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEWEDU
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

On the DVD

Listen to our interview with Frank Darabont.

Anyone who has seen this Oscar-nominated film knows Frank Darabont likes to t-a-k-e h-i-s t-i-m-e. He certainly does the same in filling all three hours of his commentary track which he recorded over several sessions. Darabont has studied other DVDs and purposely does not repeat tidbits covered in the excellent new 90-minute documentary on author Stephen King and the making of the film. Other solid segments are two deleted scenes, a never-used teaser trailer, and Michael Duncan Clarke's screen test. The highlight is two remarkable tests of Tom Hanks in old-age makeup. Both are very credible, but it was decided to use another actor. The outcome is a DVD that puts the "special" back into the special edition. --Doug Thomas

Description

Miracles happen in unexpected places, even on death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. There John Coffey, a prisoner with supernatural powers, brings a sense of spirit and humanity to his guards and fellow inmates. Tom Hanks leads a stellar cast (including Michael Clarke Duncan as Coffey) in this emotional, uplifting story of guards and captives; husbands and wives; prisoners and a remarkable mouse named Mr. Jingles; and, on another level, of a moviemaker and his source. Frank Darabont returns after his 1994 directorial debut The Shawshank Redemption to adapt another Stephen King tale into a crowd-pleasing entertainment nominated for four Academy Awards?, including Best Picture.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Director Frank Darabont
Deleted Scenes:Bitterbuck?s Family Says Goodbye Coffey?s Prayer
Featurette:Michael Clarke Duncan's Screen Test Tom Hanks? Make-up Tests
Theatrical Trailer:The Teaser Trailer: A Case Study Teaser Trailer Theatrical Trailer
Audio Commentary:Commentary with Director Frank Darabont
Documentaries:Miracles and Mystery: Creating the Green Mile
Documentary:Walking the Mile: The Making of The Green Mile

Customer Reviews:

Top Notch.......2007-09-01

Disgusting!.......2007-07-31

THOUGHTFUL.......2007-07-29

THIS MOVIE IS CLASSIFIED 'FICTION' BUT NOT BEING AWARE OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PRESENCE WHO HAVE GREAT POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE IS NOT A MADE UP STORY. WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

The Green Mile.......2007-07-23

I love this movie. Its a great one to watch just alone or with the whole family. Either way IT'S GREAT. Thanks a lot.

Stephen King's Best Film Adaptations Are Not Horror Films.......2007-06-24

Average customer rating:

a sneaky quilty pleasure of a movie
Snake Bus..
Next of Kin
Nice late night formula vigilante movie.
you don't know bad- but it's coming

Next of Kin
Starring: Patrick Swayze , Liam Neeson , Adam Baldwin , Helen Hunt , and Andreas Katsulas
Director: John Irvin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 6305133409
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Description

A Chicago policeman and his Appalachian kinfolk seek to exact vengeance from the gangsters responsible for murdering his younger brother.

Customer Reviews:

a sneaky quilty pleasure of a movie.......2007-07-06

This movie shows up every once and while on tv and if I see I stop and watch it. It doesn't matter if it is the begining, middle, or the end, I stop and watch. Each time something shows up that I just shake my head at. For example the music is a mixture of old hill music with some classical type pieces thrown in. It takes a few viewings but you wonder how this music came to be in a "action" movie. The accents are wonderful. West Virgina accents are done to perfection. The phone call to relatives in West Virgina telling them about the death of one of their own, is a gem. In very few words and set of the mouth you feel the pain, and anger of a family. The gathering of the klan in West Virgina has a quiet dignity to it. The family loading up guns, bows, and snakes, then pausing to pick up the sandwitches that their wives have made is not funny, but moving. Forget about Patrick Swayse, the real stars are supporting cast. You see them and then shake you head at how far they have come as actors. A strange movie, but a satisfing one.

Snake Bus.........2006-08-12

Great movie, Being from a lil place not terribly east of Perry County, the place where the movie was filmed, is sorta my old stomping grounds. Its a lost thing almost in this world but, when you get in the back woods of the Appalachian mountains, people sorta stick together, and still watch over one another.

Anyway.. about the snake bus being "over the top" mentioned in an earlier review. That bus exists, it used to visit the Paintsville Apple Festival every year, and he used to bring it to my gradeschool regularly for education about the snakes. Mind you the tanks were better situated than in the movie, and well taken care of. Most of the snakes in the real bus were quite venemous as well. Regardless, the bus in the movie, bit for bit, is an exact replica of the old snake bus. IIRC the snake man was from Hazard, Ky *which has no relation to the dukes of hazzard which was georgia*and took it to Hillbilly Days in Pikeville as well... anyway just my 2c and a little background to the movie.

Next of Kin.......2006-03-16

Damn good movie and entertaining, too. Being a Kentuckian, I liked how it showed the differences of the eastern Kentucky mountain people's environment, lifestyles, and their beliefs, which is still carried on to this very day, in contrast to the big city's(Chicago)smug, fast-paced attitude. The guy traveling in a converted school bus full of snakes was a bit hard to swallow, and how Liam Neeson's character could find his way around Chicago, and never having been there, is a mystery to me. Yes, there are many bow hunters in Kentucky!! They have a special time during deer hunting strictly for bow. And, yes, they are good with them! But, the movie as a whole is fun to watch with a big bowl of popcorn. Might not be suitable for small children due to language and violence.

Nice late night formula vigilante movie........2004-10-18

"Next of Kin" is pretty much the standard vigilante movie. Only the actors were changed to protect Charles Bronson in "Death Wish" (1974) and Sylvester Stallone in "First Blood" (1982) from this overplayed formula movie.

Truman Gates' (Patrick Swayze) brother has a brand new truck and is selling wholesale cigarettes. He should be shot for that. Oh, he was. Evidently against the advice of his partner the brother decided to protect the cigarettes from hijackers with his life. On the other hand little Joey Rosselini (Adam Baldwin) is showing off and can not back down from the challenge.

Now Truman must identify the person whom his brother insulted and incarcerate him. You guest it; the rest of the kin which includes Blair (Liam Neeson) thought you were supposed to "incinerate" him. So the fun begins. Bang! Bang! Soot-um up.

you don't know bad- but it's coming.......2002-07-11

Good Sunday when there's nothing else to watch movie

Average customer rating:

Good purchase
Wonderfully Cheesey
Action, fun.
Cutthroat Island
Excellent Period-Style Actioneer With Lavish Sets, Dashing Swordfights And A Devil Of A Soundtrack. Great Fun.

Cutthroat Island
Starring: Ken Bones , Carl Chase , Maury Chaykin , Lucinda Clare , and Geena Davis
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005OW04
Release Date: 2001-10-04

Amazon.com

This mega-budget action epic flopped at the box office with a resounding thud, and it probably deserved that fate for not living up to its lavish potential. But Cutthroat Island has had a healthy shelf life on video, and digital video disc can only improve the film's potential as a spectacular guilty pleasure. Geena Davis plays Morgan, the swashbuckling daughter of an aging buccaneer who inherits one-third of a map to a secret pirate treasure. But the map is in Latin, and she needs a lowdown thief and scoundrel (and presumably a Latin scholar), played by Matthew Modine, to translate the map when they obtain the other two pieces. That's when the mayhem begins and the dashing duo race for the treasure against Morgan's scheming uncle (Frank Langella) and a hoard of greedy pirates. With wall-to-wall action ably handled by Davis's then-husband Renny Harlin, Cutthroat Island is more fun than its box-office performance would indicate. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good purchase.......2007-01-05

The movie itself was for someone else. It was delivered fast and had 2 versions on it. Normal and Wide screen which is what I wanted. I recommend buying from Amazon.

Wonderfully Cheesey.......2007-01-03

If you're looking for a serious pirate movie stop now. If you're like so many pirate movie fans and have come to realize that there is no such thing dig in and enjoy. These movie is wonderfully cheesy and yes overacted at points. But its a great beer and pizza movie. Something that can be watched several times and enjoyed.

Action, fun........2006-12-12

A thoroughly entertaining fun action pirate movie with a great female lead. Why wasn't it more well known?

Cutthroat Island.......2006-08-10

Received the DVD in good shape and in good time. Would buy more DVD at a later time. Great movie must see.

Excellent Period-Style Actioneer With Lavish Sets, Dashing Swordfights And A Devil Of A Soundtrack. Great Fun........2006-08-05

This 1995 16th century period-style pirate actioneer is a lot of fun. Geena Davis ("The Long Kiss Goodnight," "Stuart Little") is perfect as the dashing, and hunted, female pirate Morgan Adams. She pulled the role off very well, with all the spunk and fire neccessary for her character. Makes me want her as a companion. Matthew Modine ("Full Metal Jacket") fares equally well as her companion William Shaw. Frank Langella (1978's "Dracula") is terrifically venomous as her evil pirate uncle Dawg. Shame that it didn't do well at the box-office, considering the budget (over $60 million). A sequel (which the ending promised) should have been made. Renny Harlin ("Die Hard 2," "Cliffhanger," "The Long Kiss Goodnight") fares a lot better with this film than he did with "Die Hard 2." Morgan's scenes with Bowen should have been expanded. It was clear that she loved him as her own son, though her exciting life wouldn't have permitted her the luxury of children. It would have been nice to see more of the two of them together. Consistent with the period-style setting, there is no sexuality or nudity (an "R" rating would have been needed for that; I'm no prude, but unless the storyline calls for it, nudity isn't neccessary in a movie; "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and the equally well-made [but, like this film, maligned by stupid critics] "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" being cases in point where nudity was needed; please see my reviews on both films). Rated PG for action-violence.

Average customer rating:

The Green Mile (Single Disc Edition)
Starring: Patricia Clarkson , James Cromwell , Jeffrey DeMunn , Dabbs Greer , and Bonnie Hunt
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000P0J0EM
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Description

Oscar nomimated best picure adaptation of a Stephen King novel about a gentle giant of a prisoner with supernatural powers, who brings a sense of spirit and humanity to his guards and fellow inmates. Oscar award winning actor Tom Hanks heads the cast in this emotionally riveting story.

Average customer rating:

A nice new spin on an old and tired sub-genre
What a waste of time
finally...
Really original take on the vampire theme
Some original twists...but low-budget seams just too big

The Hamiltons - After Dark Horror Fest
Starring: Cory Knauf , Samuel Child , Joseph McKelheer , Mackenzie Firgens , and Rebekah Hoyle
Director: The Butcher Brothers
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000MEYKCS
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Description

The Hamiltons seem to be the picture-perfect American family. They are hardworking community members; giving to their local charities, attending town hall meetings and always respectful of their neighbors...except for the fact that they usually end up killing them.

Customer Reviews:

A nice new spin on an old and tired sub-genre.......2007-08-17

One of the best entries in the After Dark Horror Fest, The Hamiltons puts a nice new spin on an old and tired genre. Without giving too much away (though it doesn't really matter considering how many reviewers have spoiled the twist already), The Hamiltons revolves around a murderous family that enjoy kidnapping, imprisoning, and eventually killing their victims. Teenager Francis (Cory Knauf) is tired and disgusted of what his family is doing, all the while he tries to supress his own urges. Written and directed by newcomers the Butcher Brothers, The Hamiltons injects new life into the genre while throwing on generous amounts of blood, sex, incest, and more that even the most jaded horror fans will enjoy on some level or other. Look for hottie Brittany Daniel (Joe Dirt, Club Dread) in an unlucky semi-cameo role as the film opens.

What a waste of time.......2007-08-15

I am still trying to Find a film from Horrorfest that is really well done. For the most part they have been less then alright. This one takes the cake for the most boring. I like the idea they had with a new twist on Vampire flicks. The only problem was the execution, acting, and storyline sucked big time. I don't know how I didn't shut this mess off after 20 minutes into it. I guess I just figured it may pick up at some point. And apparently was very wrong. Total waste, don't even bother.

finally..........2007-06-30

I have written reviews for almost every After Dark Horror Fest release so far (to be honest, this is #6), and this is my highest rating so far. Before I tell you what I like about this one, let me tell you what I wasn't liking about the others:

I have great hope in horror movies, because it seems that this genre might be one of the most visceral mainstays of creativity in the movie business nowadays. The essence of that creativity is its accessibility--it seems that just about anyone can make a horror movie (and does). They are famously low budget, and many big names have made their starts in horror movies--two of the most famous now would be Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson. And horror movies don't have to be high-grossing to be famous--just go on eBay and find tons of stuff relating to 'cult' movies, movies that maybe only ever saw the light of day in local theatres or on video, but spread by word of mouth (and, let's face it, drunken parties) over years until they became famous. Also, I think horror movies are wonderful for being able to reinvent themselves--horror movie makers are for the most part very well versed in horror, so while some may make run-of-the-mill horror, there are those who make horror movies that acknowledge the long history before them and stack themselves on top of that tradition either by playing with the form (as in Shaun of the Dead) or bring it down to its most visceral roots of splatter, gore and fun (as in The Evil Dead).

I was hoping for either of these in spades with the HorrorFest movies, but unfortunately, many of them were reminding me that there are also a lot of crap horror movies in the world, and that sometimes people get their friends together and make a horror movie because they just don't have the talent or creativity to make anything good, so they just work up on old formula. A lot of HorrorFest films were being little more than the usual formula in a new setting, doing the usual formula without bringing anything new to it (the ones that mostly come to mind for this were Dark Ride - After Dark Horror Fest, Penny Dreadful - After Dark Horror Fest and Unrest - After Dark Horror Fest).

This film, however, was the first one I watched without continually checking the elapsed time or getting the urge to fast forward through the obvious parts. This is also a film that is served well by its preview, a rare thing, for of late I have been finding a lot of previews to be either lies or giving away too much and thus making the movie less interesting to see.

This film is probably best summarized as a mixture of American Beauty (Widescreen Edition) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition). The Hamiltons are four children who have been orphaned and are left to fend for themselves. Part of this fending for themselves involves the murder of transients and the housing of bodies, live and dead, in their basement. There is also a mysterious creature, Lenny, locked up in their basement as well. David, the oldest, tries to be the authority figure, while the twins, Darlene and Wendell, are the wild guns of the family and constantly threaten to act impetuously and reveal the secret that David has been working hard to keep in the family.

Francis, the adolescent, is unfortuantely going through his own rebelliousness and his own family squabbles over murder and kidnapping. This makes for a dynamic that is very driving and not dependent on a heavy wading through the usual 30-minute lead-up before the blood starts flying. This film might depend a little too much on a twist ending which didn't seem necessary or all that surprising (I am not going to spoil it here, though I think some other reviews here already did), for the drive of this movie is to see how this family works and what goes wrong and how they get through their lives with their secret or 'disease,' as Francis calls it, but the conflicts and the challenges they all go through are interesting and bring monster (and monster family) genre to a new height. There is of course an