Amelie

Amazon.com

Perhaps the most charming movie of all time, Amélie is certainly one of the top 10. The title character (the bashful and impish Audrey Tautou) is a single waitress who decides to help other lonely people fix their lives. Her widowed father yearns to travel but won't, so to inspire the old man she sends his garden gnome on a tour of the world; with whispered gossip, she brings together two cranky regulars at her café; she reverses the doorknobs and reprograms the speed dial of a grocer who's mean to his assistant. Gradually she realizes her own life needs fixing, and a chance meeting leads to her most elaborate stratagem of all. This is a deeply wonderful movie, an illuminating mix of magic and pragmatism. Fans of the director's previous films (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children) will not be disappointed; newcomers will be delighted. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, this magical comedy earned overwhelming acclaim nationwide! A painfully shy waitress working at a tiny Paris cafe, Amélie makes a surprising discovery and sees her life drastically changed for the better! From then on, Amélie dedicates herself to helping others find happiness ... in the most delightfully unexpected way! But will she have the courage to do for herself what she has done for others?

Customer Reviews:

Cookie-cutter Chick Flick.......2007-09-06

If this was a US movie it would have been lost among the other chick flicks but because its French we are supposed to act like its above the rest. I thought they tried too hard to make Amelie likable so it ended up making her really annoying. The love story was totally Hollywood style pipe dream take on love but based on two freaks finding each other, both of whom I couldn't care less about.

On the other hand, the supporting characters were interesting and provided some funny scenes so I'm giving it two stars for that. But otherwise this was rubbish.

Great Movie-- Feel Good!!!.......2007-09-01

A very enjoyable movie, for adults. You actually like it more, every single time you watch it!!!! Just wonderful.

Romantic Feast for the Senses & The Soul.......2007-08-28

I have found this film -- a film that I can watch multiple times and I frequently come up with excuses to put this DVD in to be transported into Amelie's world. The film begins introducing Amelie as an inventive little girl, whose isolation is due to a simple misunderstanding by her parents. Her doctor father thinks she has a heart condition because her little heart beats faster during the only time she has physical contact with him through his stethoscope.

Amelie's world has intense colors and the beautiful sights of Paris where she enjoys simple pleasures.

She dips her hands into a bag of beans for the guilty tactile pleasure of it.

The sound of cracking the crust of her brulee delights her.

She wants to be loved, but is shy and retreats into her own little world.

A random event propels her to find and help a stranger, which leads her to become somewhat of a superhero of kindness to those in need and impish retribution to the mean. This is cleverly woven with a series of urban myths reenacted as in the traveling gnome. Her journey takes her from helping strangers, neighbors, co-workers, friends, family, and ultimately herself. Her actions in a way set free those she helps whether it is allowing them to get out and travel, feel better against a verbal insults, have some closure in the face of lost love, or find your soulmate.

Yes. Audrey Tautou is an adorable actress and is a perfect fit for the character of Amelie. Yet, I have seen her in other films being equally charming, but the films fall flat for me. What makes this film is the collection of quirky characters, the amazing cinematography, the clever writing, and the attention to details.

I often recommend this film as a great date movie because it does turn into a charming, quirky, funny, ultimately romantic experience for Amelie without being too sweet or too sappy. There a things for both men and women to appreciate.

I love this movie.. .......2007-08-25

I watched this a few years ago, and have rented it quite a few times as well.. I finally decided to just order it. I am very happy I did.. this movie never loses it's charm..

Amelie.......2007-08-09

Sent it to me right away after it was the wrong item the first time! Thanks for excellent service.

Average customer rating:

A little Predictable, Great Performances
me please
Wings of Desire is better by far
The Original Is Better
City of Angels

City of Angels
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Meg Ryan , Andre Braugher , Dennis Franz , and Colm Feore
Director: Brad Silberling
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $6.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0790737345
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com

Some critics complained that City of Angels could never compare to Wim Wenders's exquisite German film Wings of Desire, which served as the later film's primary inspiration. The better argument to make is that any such comparisons are beside the point, because Wings of Desire was a much more deeply poetic, artfully contemplative film, whereas City of Angels is an enchanting product of mainstream Hollywood. Meg Ryan stars as Dr. Maggie Rice, a heart surgeon who is grieving over a lost patient when an angel named Seth (Nicolas Cage) appears to comfort her. She can see him despite the "rule" that angels are invisible, and Seth's love for Maggie forces him to choose between angelic immortality and a normal human existence on earth with her. Featuring heavenly roles for TV veterans Andre Braugher and Dennis Franz, the film liberally borrows imagery from Wings of Desire, but it also creates its own charming identity. Cage and Ryan give fine performances as lovers convinced they are soul mates, and although the plot relies on a last-minute twist that doesn't quite work, this earnest love story struck a chord with audiences and proved to be one of the surprise hits of 1998. The Special Edition widescreen DVD includes audio commentary by Nicolas Cage, producer Charles Roven, and director Brad Silberling in addition to deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary, a featurette about the film's special effects, and the theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A little Predictable, Great Performances.......2007-09-03

For you Meg Ryan fans [10 years ago], this may well be the best performance of her career. She is utterly believable as a young heart surgeon who falls in love with a haunting Nicholas Cage [her angel]. I found Cage's performance strong [because he is a strong actor], but in this case, not strong enough to maintain my suspension of disbelief. The script is a little heavy-handed on the metaphors, like Ryan's "heart surgeon" role, and the fact that angels must literally "fall" out of their protective, celestial perches in order to experience what humans feel when they "fall in love." I dunno. Maybe thse are minor points, but they seemed a tad hokey to me. What happens as we follow the foibles of Nick's coming to terms with human frailty - as well as the conclusion - are also a little predictable. I did, however, love Dennis Franz's performance as a fallen angel who learned to accept - and adapt to - his new role as a human being. He brought some much-needed levity to a script that might have otherwise found itself drowning in self-indulgence. In the end, this is a film about true love, and about how much we're willing to give - or let go of - in order to feel it in the first place. In a world where everything is over-analyzed, and caution is at an all-time high, it was a welcomed relief to visit this over-the-top look at romantic love one last time...before we forget it ever existed. Maybe that's why I gave it 4 stars.

me please.......2007-06-27

Found the item to be of good quality what was said was what I got found them to be reliable and effficient. Thank You.

Wings of Desire is better by far.......2007-05-16

"Wings of Desire" (the movie that "City of Angels" is loosely inspired upon), is a masterpiece and "City of Angels" is...is... how could I explain it not being too rude? It is just a piece of junk in comparison. Somebody wrote that he didn't like "Wings of Desire" because he didn't feel the same as he felt watching "City of Angels". I agree in the "feeling" part, because I felt nausea watching "City of Angels" and that didn't happen to me watching "Wings of Desire"!! I own "Wings of Desire" and have seen it and enjoyed it many times. Regarding "City of Angels", well I rented it and barely could see it once!

The Original Is Better.......2007-05-13

Back in 1988, on a friend's recommendation, I saw "Wings of Desire" in the theater and loved it. Subsequently, I was interested when Hollywood made its own version of Wim Wender's film with Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan, both actors whose work I've enjoyed. I saw "City of Angels," and for the most part I liked it -- that is, until the very end. What a DOWNER!! No matter that the movie gets all psedo-warmfuzzy-philosophical and time-to-get-out-your-handkerchiefs, it misses the point of the original film, which was a celebration of Human Life and Love. I own the DVD of "Wings of Desire." One viewing of "City of Angels" was enough for me.

City of Angels.......2007-05-09

this is a great movie, a must have. Beautiful music. Two wonderful actors with very expressive eyes. upgrade to DVD

Average customer rating:

Pure Genius!! Just give it some time.
The City of Lost Children
What I thought
All I can say is "Wow" !!!
GREAT MOVIE

The City of Lost Children
Starring: Briac Barthelemy , Guillaume Billod-Morel , Geneviève Brunet , Marc Caro , and Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Director: Marc Caro
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00000K3TS
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Amazon.com

The fantastic visions of Belgian filmmakers Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet find full fruition in this fairy tale for adults. Evoking utopias and dystopias from Brazil to Peter Pan, Caro and Jeunet create a vivid but menacing fantasy city in a perpetually twilight world. In this rough port town lives circus strongman One (Ron Perlman), who wanders the alleys and waterfront dives looking for his baby brother, snatched from him by a mysterious gang preying upon the children of the town. Rising from the harbor is an enigmatic castle where lives the evil scientist Krank (Daniel Emilfork), who has lost the ability to dream and robs the nocturnal visions of the children he kidnaps, but receives only mad nightmares from the lonely cherubs. Other wild characters include the Fagin-like Octopus--Siamese twin sisters who control a small gang of runaways-turned-thieves--Krank's six cloned henchmen (all played by the memorable Dominique Pinon from Delicatessen), and a giant brain floating in an aquarium (voiced by Jean-Louis Trintignant). Caro and Jeunet are kindred souls to Terry Gilliam (who is a vocal fan), creating imaginative flights of fancy built of equal parts delight and dread, which seem to be painted on the screen in rich, dreamy colors. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Pure Genius!! Just give it some time........2007-06-12

At this very moment, I'm watching this film for about the 20th time to gauge on whether or not it has withstood the test of time. I can honestly say that it still ranks in my top 10 all time favorite films (although I'm not sure what the other 9 are).

Reading the review by herstory and her pathetically ignorant "It should have been made in America" statement angered me enough to write my first review of this since I saw it in the theater 10 years ago. Being from the states, I'm ashamed at the level of ignorant ethno-centrism prevalent among many from the US. I absolutely love this movie as it is unmatched in artistic vision, unless of course you count Gilliam, Burton, and Jackson (Heavenly Creatures before LOTR).

Admittedly, I didn't fully appreciate this movie the first time. After the third of fourth viewing, the story began to make much more sense. Most negative reviews have noted that there are holes in the plot, but I strongly disagree. Give it a few more viewings and I'm sure you will agree that the open-ended aspects are much more intentional that you previously thought. Every great song, film or piece of art takes needs time to marinate in order to fully appreciate every dynamic layer. This is no exception.

The City of Lost Children.......2007-05-17

The City of Lost Children is a wonderfully strange dark movie that just blew me away. I prefer the French version. I find that I get distracted if the dialogue doesn't go with mouth movements. I loved the setting, filming, special effects. It ranks very high in my list of really great weird movies.

What I thought.......2007-05-15

The music in this video is amazing, not to mention the story, I like it for the fantasy theory as well as the "tripyness" of the plot. The charactors played their parts well, and I will watch it again and again.

All I can say is "Wow" !!!.......2007-04-02

I work at a video store , and I would see people rent this movie once in a while . Finally , I decided to rent it , and ( with no expectations except that it would probably be wierd ) watch it on my day off . What I watched was one of the best movies I have ever seen . It is a perfect mix of a fairy tale and a nightmare . A dream cocktail , if you will . Incredible cinematography and equally great acting . I can't believe that I , being the movie geek that I am , hadn't seen this already . I am sure glad I did though . I highly recommend you do the same .

GREAT MOVIE.......2007-03-26

I had seen this movie a couple of years ago and I have always wanted to see it since. I bought it finally and I'd have to say that I liked it alot more the first time, and it is not a movie I can watch "over and over"
This movie is very dark, and there are alot of subtle funny parts to it. The cinematography is beautiful, and the children in the movie are superb actors. I suggest this movie if you don't mind subtitles and you have an open mind and a good sense of humor. If you like this movie you should also see Delicatessen.

Average customer rating:

Loved it
Merlin The Great
Only One Downside - Missing a Small Scene
Things that Legends are Made of.
THE MAGIC OF DVD

Merlin (Special Edition)
Starring: Sam Neill , Helena Bonham Carter , Miranda Richardson , John Gielgud , and Martin Short
Director: Steve Barron
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0002235PS
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Product Description

In the classic tale of good of good and evil, the wise old wizard Merlin recounts how he and Arthur fought to overcome wickedness and defeat Mab, the queen of Darkness.

Bonus Features

5.1 Audio, 2.0 Dolby Stereo

The magical making of Merlin

Director Commentary Steve Barron

Charlotte Church music video

Documentary Featurette and more

Spanish subtitle Available

System Requirements:

Running Time 182 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

What kind of guy was the wizard Merlin, anyway? He lives a long time, raises a boy to be a king, props up a Utopian empire with his magic and wisdom, and then watches as it all crumbles under such banal forces as vengeance and betrayal. This four-hour miniseries re-tells the story of Camelot and King Arthur from the perspective of the magic man who sacrifices a great deal to guide mortals toward a better destiny. Sam Neill plays Merlin as an accessible, flesh-and-blood fellow of real passion, powerless to undo the spell of a rival (Rutger Hauer) who has virtually imprisoned Merlin's great love, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), but gifted enough to counter the treachery of Morgan Le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter) and the wicked Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). The battle sequences and special effects are striking and original, and it is great fun to see such art-house movie actors as Richardson, Carter, Neill, etc., in fantasy entertainment the whole family can enjoy. (An unrecognizable Martin Short must be singled out, however, for a wonderful, largely dramatic performance as Mab's sidekick, Frik.) Directed by Steve Barron (The Adventures of Pinocchio), Merlin is a nice bit of glossy revisionism of a beloved legend. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Loved it.......2007-08-14

Ever since i first saw this movie in history class, middle school during our time on legends and myths, i have loved this movie. I never could find it in any store but it always remained a movie that stood at the tops of my favorite movies lists. Good story line with abit of everything for everyone, can seem long and confusing at times but eventually you learn and understand it all. Definatly a must own for any who like medievalish movies with war, love, drama, conflict of any kind and of course arthurian themed times.

Merlin The Great.......2007-08-07

The service was great, and the delivery time was excellent. I am very pleased with this product, and the professional way that it was handled. Thank you so much for that.

Only One Downside - Missing a Small Scene.......2007-07-29

I remember watching this on TV, my mother recorded for me on VHS (how archaic!) and I watched it over and over until I had every line memorized. Then, when my father bought the VHS from the movie store I was told by the clerk that a few scenes were missing from the packaged version. He was partly right, there is only one scene that is missing and it is how Merlin escapes from Mab. The Lady of the Lake speaks to him while he's in Mab's lair and then you see a boat come into the lair which Merlin climbs into. Then you see it gently sail over the lake.

I am kinda sad that this scene was cut, but it doesn't really hurt the plot line too much. Anyway, the missing scene is why it only gets four stars.

Things that Legends are Made of. .......2007-07-14

As a lover of fantasy or in this case legends, I have enjoyed the tales of King Arthur and Merlin over the years, whether watching a movie or reading a book about the subject. Overall I enjoyed this version of the legend, and the DVD was of good quality. I'm not a critic of movies or editing, they should of done this or done that I don't know, I simply enjoyed the tale.

THE MAGIC OF DVD.......2007-06-01

The movie is amazing i could watch it agian & agian its amazing and now a magical dvd set just makes better. I first saw the movie when I was 6 years old and now I am 13.AND I STILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Classic 80's flick
Still Great After All These Years!
Rough, Gritty, and Not Lacking in Truth
Creativity, madness and hard lessions. Realistic and enteraining.
Fame

Fame
Starring: Irene Cara , Lee Curreri , Laura Dean , Antonia Franceschi , and Boyd Gaines
Director: Alan Parker , and Mark Schneider (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00008WJBF
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

This early effort by director Alan Parker is lively but jagged as it follows four students through their years in the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Rather predictably, the kids fall into four clearly defined stereotypes: brazen, gay and hypersensitive, prickly, shy. It makes up for a disjointed presentation with a lot of heart and a great soundtrack (for which it won two Academy Awards). The hopes and disappointments, failures and successes of these teens are fodder for emotional scenes and exuberant dancing in the streets. It also turned out to be the first of many imitators and spawned a popular television series. (It was the breakout film for the short-lived feature film career of Irene Cara, who sang the title song.) --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

At the New York City High School for the Performing Arts, students get specialized training that often leads to success as actors, singers, etc. This movie follows four students from the time when they audition to get into the school, through graduation.

Customer Reviews:

Classic 80's flick.......2007-05-12

Very good acting and writing. The music is OK kinda corny ,but overall Great Movie.

Still Great After All These Years!.......2007-05-07

Although I LOVED this movie when I was in college, I wasn't sure if my high school drama students would get anything out of it because it is more than 25 years old. However, my students talked about the characters for days and really enjoyed the movie. It is still timely and fresh, and they could relate to the characters. They greatly enjoyed the music, too. I would recommend this movie to any performance student or to anyone with a passion for his or her career. It is still quite an inspirational movie.

Rough, Gritty, and Not Lacking in Truth.......2007-04-17

Having been born after the time of Fame and other break out movies of the time, I knew that this was something I had to experience much the same way as my mom did when she was younger. What I hadn't expected was the terribly torn reviews between either hating it or loving it.

Still, I went with my gut and purchased the video to find meaning to both sides of the story.

First, the audition sequence was very long, much longer than necessary even. While it was interesting and visually appealing, it got sort of boring and right when you thought that it was never going to end, the students get their calls of acceptance!

Beginning Freshman year with "Hot Lunch" sets the mood for the rest of the movie, energetic and in your face. Students dancing and singing all over the place show us the naivety of the youth as they begin their journeys toward becoming performers.

The movie did have continuity issues and was inconsistant in it's presentation of each year. It spends too much time on Freshman and Sophomore year and shortens Junior and Senior year to maybe 15 minutes more or less. The fast pace of the movie, however is what gives it it's feel and it's ravor sharp edge.

The issues are real though I don't believe that ever single person should have suffered from them. A previous reviewer described the movie as pornographic which it is not at all. Bare chests do make several appearances through out the movie (mostly involving Irene Cara's barely noticable breasts), but there are no explicit sex scenes or even noises. There are two implied scenes and you don't see anything but the girl beckoning that the guy follow, no more.

All around. this movie has an impact many movies fail to achieve. It defines a subculture, a dream, and an era that will not soon be forgotten in pop culture. If you are looking for a snappy dancey musical with an upbeat ending, pass this one up and I suggest you take a look at Grease or Rent. If you want reality and hard hitting truths backed by an incredible soundtrack, then take a look at this.

Creativity, madness and hard lessions. Realistic and enteraining........2007-03-25

-I got hooked on the Fame TV series when it was actually on TV. Then in the ninety's, I rented the movie and was shocked by the content, especially Coco's screen test that turned out to be with a porn producer(not overt). But it is a good lesson to better learn through the screen and not in real life. Just having purchased and watched it, I would recommend this to anyone that had aspiring childern; though be it with caution. One of the things that I noticed was the shell that many of the students found themselves in and how they broke out of it. It is also a good progression of going through the high school years.
-It reminds me of my high school days when I was involved with art[photography] and known as the academic smartass. I was a frequent award winner and at one of the ceremonies, a person asked how I was able to beat him out. Never thinking about the other winners, I mentioned that I simply competed with myself, to do the best work that I could put out. This theme comes through in the movie with the characters, as well. You may be the best dancer and find that you are in rough competion with yourself regarding academics. It also demonstrates that becoming the best also relies on the other people in your life that break through and make a difference.
-Anyone that enjoys live performance would be interested in this as it illustrates the behind the scenes sacrifice and commitment that performers actually make. A very enteraining deciption of everyday life and how to get the most out of it.

Fame .......2007-02-12

I forgot that I enjoyed the tv series a lot better than the movie. There were too many characters with too many issues and the movie was too short to cover them all. The tv series allowed these issues to be explored. It was was a good concept for a movie but not put together well at all. I forgot how disappointing the movie was.

Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy

Average customer rating:

A only so/so documentary about Globalization
Commanding Heights
Excellent
Well Done
Important to know who author is affiliated with!

Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy
Starring: David Ogden Stiers , Joe Stanislaw , Newt Gingrich , Tony Benn , and Paul Volcker
Director: Greg Barker , and William Cran
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Politics | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

WGBH Boston | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00006HAZF
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Amazon.com

The history and impact of the new global economy are made clear--and compelling--in Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy. This three-part, six-hour documentary does an astonishingly thorough job of dissecting and explaining macroeconomics and their current political and social importance without ever causing a loss of consciousness for the viewer. Part 1, The Battle of Ideas, chronicles the history of economic thought from the start of the 20th century and its socialist reforms right through the deregulation of the 1980s. Part 2, The Agony of Reform, explores the upheavals that such deregulation caused, focusing primarily on economic growth and gains and touching briefly on the wrenching consequences for the poor. Part 3, The New Rules of the Game, explores the consequences of globalization, including terrorism and the contagion of market collapse. The series makes good use of both large- and small-scale examples, and features interviews with several major world leaders. There is a slight teenybopper feel to The Battle for the World's Economy's admiration for today's celebrity economists, but the contagious enthusiasm is part of what makes the series so interesting. Big ideas are made extremely accessible to the average viewer (without condescension). Well worth watching. --Ali Davis

Description

Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy confronts head-on Americans' critical concerns about the new interconnected world. Based on the best-selling book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw, this groundbreaking series explores our changing world—the great debate over globalization and the future of our society.

Commanding Heights reunites the team that created The Prize— award-winning producer William Cran (From Jesus to Christ) and Daniel Yergin—and is the first in-depth documentary to tell the inside story of our new global economy and what it means for individuals around the world. Filmed on five continents, the powerful narrative combines stunning film footage with dramatic stories and extraordinary interviews with world leaders and thinkers from twenty different countries, including: Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev, Mexican President Vicente Fox, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, former Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin, Rep. Richard Gephardt, and President George W. Bush's Economic Advisor Lawrence Lindsey.

Commanding Heights dramatically captures the issues that have defined the wealth and fate of nations and shows how the battle over the world economy will shape our lives in the twenty-first century.

Special DVD Features Include: ? Access to the Commanding Heights Web site, including: ? An exclusive time map, which provides an interactive atlas of economic history ? Comprehensive transcripts from on-camera interviews, and biographies of the people who played significant roles in the development of the modern global market ? An online teacher's guide that provides suggestions for applications of the Web site in classroom instruction ? An excerpt from the companion book to the series ? A complete list of interview subjects included in the series ? Chapter breaks ? English audiotrack and subtitles ? On three DVD5 discs.

Customer Reviews:

A only so/so documentary about Globalization.......2007-06-16

The series is based around the contrasting economic views of John Maynard kenyes and Freidrich Von Hayek whose competing ideas have polarized the debate over how much we should regulate our economies. The current belief, held by the majority of economists and popularized by the Chicago school, supports Hayek's view that less control is better. However what gets excluded from the frame this documentary draws around the debate is the fact that, today, when we talk about "free economies" we are still talking about economies that are run by centralized banks. So what we are really talking about-- and this might be confusing because the language used by Hayek supporting economists suggests total and absolute freedom-- is only a relative notion of freedom within what still remains a heavily planned economy. In other words we have centralized banks here in the west that serve the exact same function that centralized banks do in communist, state controlled, economies. The single difference is our centralized banks are privately owned. So the question which this series never asks is who owns these banks?

If you buy this DVD series, which you should if you are interested in understanding more about the economy and the issue of economic globalization, be very critical of the bankers in it who profess to believe in a free market economy-- or more to the point suggest that we are actually living in one. Of course we don't because our economy is run behind closed doors by the privately owned Federal Reserve banking system who prints our fiat currency. Which pretty much tells us, right there, to what extent our economy is managed, because a fiat currency, by definition, requires heavy centralized regulation.

As Thomas Jefferson warned at the founding of our country, if you give the banks the authority to print and regulate money they will end up stealing all of the country's wealth. While this DVD series is informative it also frames the debate in such a way that excludes one from asking themselves questions about the increasing inequality of wealth and its relationship to the increasing control central banks are exhibiting on the world's currencies, while simultaneously erroneously suggesting that we are actually moving, through globalization, to a more free and open economy.

In short what this documentary will not inform you about is that everyday more and more of the world's debt is owned by fewer and fewer people, and that means that wealth is being consolidated through centralized banks into fewer and fewer hands. Consequently, I feel, that the real issues concerning globalization are actually different than these authors purport them to be.

Commanding Heights.......2007-05-07

Excellent and informative. If you wish an understanding of where we are in the world economically, how we got there, and where we are headed this is a great view.

Excellent.......2007-03-01

Anyone interested in the various schools of thought from Friedman and the Chicago monetarist to the Austrians and the pure free markets to the Keynesians of Cambridge and Boston should see this set. It gives you the evils of government intervention and socialism in the market place up close. Argue as much as you want put every thought under the microscope of academic scrutiny and eventually you realize most economic books, works and college classes are taught by someone on the dole getting paid to keep the bureaucracy in business. Less government to the point of no government is the remedy. Maybe the state pays your bills unless you're at Hillsdale or Grove City but truth can not be argued with. This is a must see set for first or second year college econ students.

Well Done.......2007-01-10

A professional presentation of 20th century macroeconomics that is historically accurate, unbiased, educational and easy to follow.

Important to know who author is affiliated with!.......2007-01-02

Just to let everyone know - Yergin is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Average customer rating:

Mindless way to spend a Sunday afternoon
DVD REVIEW
Heartwarming Story
Once upon a time under Connecticut sky, there was a slice of heaven named Mystic Pizza!
A Movie Worth Watching With a Comfortable Feel to It

Mystic Pizza
Starring: Annabeth Gish , Julia Roberts , Lili Taylor , Vincent D'Onofrio , and William R. Moses
Director: Donald Petrie
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000053VB4
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Product Description

"Filled with heart and humor" (The New York Times), Mystic Pizza charts the lives and loves of three unforgettable waitresses in a little town called Mystic. Starring Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich), Annabeth Gish (Beautiful Girls) and Lili Taylor (The Haunting), Mystic Pizza "has all the right ingredients of a main-course favorite" (Video Movie Guide). For sexy Daisy Araujo (Roberts), her sensible sister Kat (Gish) and their wisecracking friend Jojo (Taylor), the summer after high school is a summer they'll never forget. Slinging pizza at a local restaurant, the three girls share their hopes, dreams and plans for escaping their small town. And when Daisy is swept off her feet by a wealthy young man named Charles, they all think she's found her ticket out. But when the girls learn that Charles isn't the man they think he is, they discover that with friendship and self-respect, not only will they find real happiness (and a way out of Mystic)...they just might find themselves!

Amazon.com

A sweet and sassy comedy about the bonds of sisterhood, Mystic Pizza offers the opportunity to see some solid young actors early in their careers. Three sisters of blue-collar Portuguese descent work in a pizzeria in the coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut. Each has her own unique romantic entanglements. One is the fast girl in town (Julia Roberts), who falls for a rich kid but wonders if she'll ever be accepted; one is the lifelong local girl (Lili Taylor) in love with her fisherman boyfriend (Vincent D'Onofrio) but scared of what marriage will do to their sex lives; and the youngest sister (Annabeth Gish) dreams of going to Yale but during a summer of baby-sitting has an affair with a married man. Through it all each sister depends on the others regardless of the complications. It's the alluring charm of the three disparate leads that makes Mystic Pizza the delightful experience it is. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews:

Mindless way to spend a Sunday afternoon.......2007-07-16

Despite the fact that Julia Roberts' face is displayed predominantly on the cover of this DVD, it's not a vehicle just for her. It maybe set her on the way to stardom, but she's in no way a great actress in this. She's the 'pretty' one of the film.

I picked this film for dead cheap months ago, and have never been in the mood for watching it. Until a couple of days ago, I put it in the DVD player and discovered a sweet film which reminded me slightly of Steel Magnolias and has possibly influenced a lot of other films in recent years. It's a predictable story, about two sisters and a friend, waitressing in a pizza place, caught in the summer after leaving school, and what to do with the rest of their lives.

You know where it goes from here. We've got the one who loves her boyfriend very much, but is so scared of commitment that she faints at the altar, played wonderfully by Lili Taylor. She's the friend. Then one sister who babysits only to fall for the kid's dad, played by Annabeth Gish. And then what could politely be called as the 'woman about town', by Julia Roberts, who falls for a rich guy, and makes an embarrassment of herself in front of his snobby parents.

It's a pretty much uneventful film, big hair, big clothes, big eighties film. There's not much to comment on, unless you spot Matt Damon in a family scene, given one line, for one of his first film roles. Apart from that, it's good enough to waste some time on a very lonely weekend.

DVD REVIEW.......2007-05-13

Excellent choice, one of Julia's earlest...this made her. Speaks volumes for early career. Great movie...witty...

Heartwarming Story.......2006-11-18

There is something magical about this film in its simplicity in examining the needs of the human heart. It is a comedy light in nature but handles its subject very well. It never fails to entertain and continues to draw you in with repeated viewings. Romance can be beautiful and charming and dear to the human spirit.

Once upon a time under Connecticut sky, there was a slice of heaven named Mystic Pizza!.......2006-08-06

This is one of these movies that exudes a distinguished freshness, that touch our hearts and spirits, making us to think about the singleness and kindness of the human nature.

Two sisters: Daisy (Julie Roberts) and Kate ( Annabeth Gish); a beloved friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) work at Mystic pizzeria. And this delightful picture elapses between the lives and times of these three adorable women; each one of them with her dreams and love affairs; someone of them fortunate; others simply a beauty illusion.

As you may guess this summer breeze picture has all what you wish to seduce you. Enrapturing landscapes, spontaneous performances, splendid script and a delirious scent to pizza hard to forget.

This is an invitation for you to make reservation around this magical and adorable tour. A superb artistic feat of Donald Petrie.

A Movie Worth Watching With a Comfortable Feel to It.......2006-07-02

Watched the 1988 movie "Mystic Pizza" today. It was one of the first movies for the female leads Julia Roberts , Annabeth Gish (native of Cedar Falls, Iowa), and Lili Taylor. Interestingly, Gish's name appears before Roberts in the credits at the end. Gish has gone on to a productive career, mostly in television, Taylor has moved into a career in more independent, quirky movies while Roberts has gone on to...well, you know.

I read Roger Ebert's review and he gave the movie 3 1/2 starts (out of 4) when it came out. I wouldn't rate it that high (maybe 2 1/2 or 3 out of 4), but the movie has kind of a comfortable feeling to it and gets better as it goes along. You don't see many movies about work & work environments these days and I think the scenes in the Mystic Pizza Parlor are pretty good. The romantic storylines are pretty standard and as Ebert says, "The movie isn't really about three girls in love; it's about three girls discovering what their standards for love are going to be." All-in-all I liked the movie. Oh, and watch carefully for Matt Damon in his big-screen debut!

Average customer rating:

Delightful
"I'm Number 34 ~ When Vengence is Allied With Justice"
Love this show
Best film adaptation yet, but still not perfect
The Count

The Count of Monte Cristo
Starring: Gérard Depardieu , Ornella Muti , Jean Rochefort , Pierre Arditi , and Florence Darel
Director: Josée Dayan
Manufacturer: Koch Lorber Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000BFJM26
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Product Description

Alexandre Dumas' THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO follows the adventures of Edmond Dant s (G rard Depardieu), a 19th-century French version of James Bond or Batman, a rich, ruthless, and suave purveyor of homemade justice. This French production goes all out, having the destinction of being the first filmed version of the newly restored unabridged version of Dumas' classic, which runs about 800 pages. The movie was filmed all over Europe, has a cast of thousands where even the extras are big names, and, with an original running time of more than six hours, doesn't leave out any detail from the celebrated novel.

System Requirements:

Running Time 360 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Delightful.......2007-06-27

This DVD deserves more than 5 stars. Is very fine making and pleasant. More indepth of the story. As European I was delighted to spend hours of
viewing this French version....WELL DONE .....

"I'm Number 34 ~ When Vengence is Allied With Justice".......2007-06-02

Note: French with English subtitles.

The French adaptation of the classic Alexandre Dumas novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' released in '99 as a television mini-series is a daunting 6 six hour and 54 minute production that is at times a little challenging to stay with, but overall will prove to be a satisfying and enjoyable watch. Gerard Depardieu is superb as the brooding and calculating Edmund Dantes proving once and for all that he is truly one of the best actors in the world today. The locations and sets are magnificent, the acting excellent and the women beautiful (Julie Depardieu as Valentine, Florence Darel as Camille, Ines Sastre as Princess Haydee and Ornella Muti as the beloved Mercedes).

Word of advice, take your time to watch this feature over a period of several sittings. If you tire at any given point turn it off and come back again later, you'll enjoy the subtle nuances that permeate this extaordinary film much more if you're rested and focused.

My rating: 4 1/2 Stars.

Love this show.......2007-05-16

I saw this on TV and loved it. I taped it on VHS, with commercials, finally decided to purchase a DVD. Gerard Depardieu is wonderful in the part, I like that it's in French with subtitles, and it's of course a great story with all the elements.

Best film adaptation yet, but still not perfect.......2007-02-19

I'm a big fan of Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, and read an unabridged version (the penguin classics edition) about 2 years ago. As you can imagine, faithfully converting a 1200+ page novel to film, even a 6 1/2+ hour film, is extremely difficult.

Judging the film on its own merits, it probably would have earned 5 stars. Despite it's length, it really doesn't have very many "slow" parts and I enjoyed it quite a bit, watching it over a period of two evenings. There are a few cheesy parts (it seems somewhat low budget and/or cheesy at times compared to the hollywood films we're used to), but the overall piece is excellent. The acting was good and the subtitles didn't bother me a bit, although I've never been bothered by subtitles.

I am a little bit surprised, however, at some of the reviews stating how true this film is to the novel - there really are a number of completely unneccessary differences versus the novel.

For example, it completely glosses over the entire first 1/4 or so of the book, without developing the relationship between Dantes and his accusors, and between Dantes and Faria. They also unneccessarily changed the dialogue of several key scenes, such as with Dantes' controntation with Morcerf, which detracted somewhat from the story if only for those of us who have read the book (come on though, how could the director think he knows better than Dumas?). The worst offense, however, was the ending - they completely changed it! Now, I understand some of the differences versus the novel were necessary given the task of converting 1200+ pages to 6.5 hours, but many of the differences were quite simply unnecessary and detracted from the story - hence the reason for 4 stars instead of 5.

On the plus side, I think Depardieu's interpretation of Monte Cristo was quite good, if a little unbelievable (come on, in order to pull off masquerading as 3-4 different characters without anyone catching on would require somewhat nondescript features, i.e. near average height and build ... Depardieu sticks out like a sore thumb regardless of which disguise he's wearing). But his Monte Cristo isn't the all-knowing, invincible Monte Cristo from the novel, and I think that does make the viewer better able to relate to the character.

Overall - a good interpretation of a great story. It's not perfect, but it's probably the best film adaptation out there.

The Count.......2007-01-26

I am a Monte Cristo fan and I have all versions but one - the Richard Chamberlain version (anyone wanting to sell?) - and I rate this as good, although highlighting different parts of the original story. A fantastic and entertaining film.

Average customer rating:

John Carpenter once again works his evil spell
Long on Atmosphere
There's a SECRET to this movie
Required for the true horror collection...
Pretties For You

Prince Of Darkness
Starring: Donald Pleasence , Jameson Parker , Victor Wong (III) , Lisa Blount , and Dennis Dun
Director: John Carpenter
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000AOX0A
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com

The B picture lives on in the films of John Carpenter. Prince of Darkness weds supernatural horror with quantum weirdness, when a group of theoretical-physics students, led by their professor, Birack (Victor Wong), joins forces with a priest (Donald Pleasence) to forestall the coming of the Dark Lord. His Darkness has been imprisoned in a cylindrical container as a swirling green plasma since time immemorial, and is now beginning to find his way out. All of this is bolstered by a lot of fancy science talk (all of which is real, I can assure you--someone did his homework), which allows us to settle down, say okey dokey, and enjoy the thrills that this presages. As the title character spreads his contagion through the group of students, holed up in a church to study the sequestered Satan, the film shapes up as an homage to George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, much like Carpenter's earlier film, Assault on Precinct 13. But this adds the twist of quantum physics dovetailing with religious orthodoxy, and in the bargain spawning numerous zombie minions. There are plenty of squishy splatter opportunities, the kind that make some affected people say, "This is a bad movie!" while they grin from ear to ear. Look for Alice Cooper as a street schizo. I think you'll recognize him. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

John Carpenter once again works his evil spell.......2007-08-30

I have been a long time fan of Mr. Carpenter's films whether they be good(Halloween, The Thing, Assault on Precinct 13, The Fog, Escape From New York, Dark Star, or Starman) or less than his best(They Live, Escape From L.A., or Memoirs Of An Invisible Man) and this film is one of his better efforts.
After a priest dies, his co-workers contact a collage and has a physics class come to study an ancient liquid stored in a church. What we find out is that the liquid is Satan's very essence, and he wants out to bring his big daddy Anti-God here to rule the world. The liquid begins to leak and starts to take over the group one by one.
Doesn't sound like much, but in Mr. Carpenter's hands you get a first rate little horror movie that also has a little food for thought to go along with the scares. The science used here is real,as the blurb on this site states and that makes it just a little more creepier.
Maybe not for all taste, but it works better than you might think. Give it a try.

Long on Atmosphere.......2007-08-08

I saw this for the first time on TV in the early days of the Sci-Fi Channel, and my esteem for this film has grown over the years - its a fun horror movie, but at the same time its very well put together. In Prince of Darkness, John Carpenter ably combines familiar locales, deep-seated phobias, an ancient evil menace, and the standard ten-little-Indians format to great effect. When certain signs indicate that some evil is awakening in the cellar of an ancient church in a California city, a local priest calls on a prominent local physicist and his graduate students to investigate. But what happens when the evil begins to reach out, and the evil's minions start attacking? Definitely gruesome, definitely high-concept, definitely fun.

There's a SECRET to this movie.......2007-07-19

The secret to a truly scary time watching this movie does not even require watching it....embedded within the audio track are deep bass tones that are too low to hear, however they will make your internal organs vibrate causing a sense of nervousness and fear. You have to have really good bass speakers or subwoofer. My BOSE Acoustimass works great. Also, try listening to The Exorcist on a good surround system....you will run screaming from your home.

Required for the true horror collection..........2007-03-14

This is a great movie. There's a blend of sci-fi and horror - old fashioned horror from the 80s. This is a smart movie, a creepy movie, and a horror movie all rolled into one. You will apreciate the brilliance of John Carpenter after this. It has a slow steady pace that digs deep into your fears and eventually you will be dreaming about the movie and waking up scared to go back to sleep. Classic....must have for the collection. Watch it every 2 or 3 months or so...

Pretties For You.......2007-02-17

Figures. Just when I thought this movie was about the emergence of the AntiChrist, Alice Cooper himself shows up and all hell breaks loose.

Average customer rating:

polanski's doll
4.5 Why is Carole this way? A photo can say a thousand words, and i believe Carole's family photo explains all.
VHS-QUALITY DVD
An absolutely brilliant film, deeply disturbing
Repulsion

Repulsion
Starring: Catherine Deneuve , Helen Fraser , John Fraser , Yvonne Furneaux , and Hugh Futcher
Director: Roman Polanski
Manufacturer: ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS INC.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0007GAG42
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Amazon.com essential video

Roman Polanski was still a newcomer to the world of cinema when he unleashed this unforgettable exercise in skin-crawling terror. Repulsion was the Polish director's first film in English, but that hardly mattered: much of the movie is as wordless (and as weird) as the silent Nosferatu. The young Catherine Deneuve plays a Belgian girl stranded in '60s London, a shy beauty with no social skills. When her sister leaves their shared flat, Deneuve goes gradually, quietly, completely mad. Her world becomes Polanski's paintbox, as the devilish director distorts reality via a series of surrealistic touches (grasping hands that protrude from elastic walls) and out-and-out murderous horror. Very few films cast the kind of eerie spell that this 1965 classic achieves, and it clearly points the way toward Polanski's Rosemary's Baby. As with most of the director's work, what is unsettling is not the overt violence, but the terrifying sense of emptiness and isolation, and the boiling unease inside one's own mind. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

polanski's doll.......2007-09-11

catherine deneuve was great in 'Belle du jour'.Here she plays what she