Speed (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

Everything clicked in this 1994 action hit, from the premise (a city bus has to keep moving at 50 mph or blow up) to the two leads (the usually inscrutable Keanu Reeves and the cute-as-a-button Sandra Bullock) to the villain (Dennis Hopper in psycho mode) to the director (Jan De Bont, who made this film hit the ground running with an edge-of-your-seat opening sequence on a broken elevator). This is the sort of movie that becomes a prototype for a thousand lesser films (including De Bont's lousy sequel, Speed 2: Cruise Control), but Speed really is a one-of-a-kind experience almost anyone can enjoy. --Tom Keogh

Description

Hold on tight for a rush of pulse-pounding thrills, breathtaking stunts and unexpected romance in a film you'll want to see again and again. Keanu Reeves stars as Jack Traven, an L.A.P.D. SWAT team specialist who is sent to diffuse a bomb that a revenge-driven extortionist (Dennis Hopper) has planted on a bus. But until he does, Jack and passenger Sandra Bullock must keep the bus speeding through the streets of Los Angeles at more than 50 miles per hour - or the bomb will explode. A high-octane chase of suspense, non-stop action and surprise twists, Speed is a joyride sure to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

Customer Reviews:

Hold on tight!.......2007-07-12

Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock is still the best action movie of all-time. This film was released in 1994 and still to this day, Speed never grows tepid or outdated. How can you not love Sandra Bullock? This film put her on the map, she's spunky, fearless, and funny as Annie. So glad Reeves got to play a serious guy who turns into a hero, anyone remember Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? (so not the movie for him). If you enjoy a good action film then Speed will be your new best friend. A must-have!

How fast is it..........2007-07-09

Cool film great plot and excellent twist. Just when you thought it was over, it's just begining again..

Perfect Fav. Movie.......2007-05-26

The movie I received was in great shape and I have watched it many times, thanks!

Very Exciting........2007-05-12

This movie keeps you on your toes, very exciting and entertaining, not a dull moment, just great.

action movie.......2007-05-12

One of my favorite mindless action movies. Just turn off, sit back and enjoy. Dennis Hopper was terrific.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

No oscar for Betty?
Terrifying
Old horror classic with a twist!
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Baby Jane? Who the hell is Baby Jane?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Bette Davis , Joan Crawford , Victor Buono , Wesley Addy , and Julie Allred
Director: Robert Aldrich , and Susan F. Walker
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $7.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000EU1Q4A
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Amazon.com essential video

A cultish horror favorite, 1962's What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? will make you think twice before hungrily unveiling a covered plate of food. Bette Davis stars as Jane Hudson, a onetime child actress and singer. As an elderly woman, she wishes to revive her vaudevillian career, but she has become a grotesque caricature of her former self. Over the years as her star faded, the star of her older sister Blanche (Joan Crawford) rose, outshining the career of the has-been Baby Jane. Jane was relegated to minor roles, which she only won when Blanche demanded that she be awarded them. The film opens years after a calamitous car accident leaves Blanche in a wheelchair, with no one to care for her except the increasingly insane and sadistic Jane and their servant, Norman. Trying to punish Blanche for her years of success, Jane tortures the housebound woman, slowly trying to starve her to death, all the while attempting to recapture the fame of her youth. This dark drama also stars Victor Buono as the hefty pianist who answers Jane's ad for an accompanist, hoping to milk some money off the demented old woman. Both Buono and Davis were nominated for Oscars for their roles in this suspenseful and somewhat sick thriller that exploited well the real-life antagonism between Davis and Crawford, while at the same time rejuvenated both their careers. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

No oscar for Betty?.......2007-08-28

Well she didn't win one, and the poor thing had to sit and watch Joan accept an award (on behalf of another actor).
She was absolutely robbed, one of Hollywood's biggest mortal sins in my opinion.
BUT, at least Betty got to beat the hell out of Joan in this movie!
Which makes me feel a whole lot better, even though it wasn't real, pretending it is makes me feel like justice was served.
So suck it Joan! (though she is a great actress herself, no doubt).

Terrifying.......2007-08-03

The story of sibling rivalry and two aging actresses. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford play two sisters who were each stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood and are now forced to live together. Bette's Jane was the bigger star in childhood and Joan's Blanche became a much bigger star as an adult. The jealousy proceeded to eat Jane up alive and she became an alcoholic. Due to an accident, Blanche is now forced to live with Jane. To say anymore would be to give away the plot, but this movie terrified me as a little kid and is still frightening today. It's a horror movie in that the horror is what jealousy can do to a person. It's also a lesson in that things are never really what they seem. The two grande dames are at their finest.

Old horror classic with a twist!.......2007-07-12

Great movie, a classic. I won't give it all away but it's about two sisters who stay together for decades, one caring for the other (but not the way a typical sister would). Baby Jane (the stage name of one of the sisters) is played by Bette Davis and the other sister is played by Joan Crawford - two great actresses! You really have to watch it, I don't want to give away spoilers to this great movie with a twist. And, like all old horror movies, there's no scary gore like in today's movies (I like horror movies, but can't stand the gore of today's films).

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.......2007-07-02

Aldrich's campy cult classic still chills, thanks to a deliciously creepy premise which borrows from "Sunset Boulevard" in exposing the mental disintegration of a one-time star. Still, this is a more ghoulish affair, with Jane finding a variety of sinister ways to torture poor Blanche. Leads Davis and Crawford had parallel Hollywood careers, and their rivalry was famous, yet they'd never worked together before this (nor would they again!). Davis in particular is fearless as demented harridan Jane, and corpulent Victor Buono adds a revolting touch as Jane's smarmy accompanist.

Baby Jane? Who the hell is Baby Jane?.......2007-06-08

"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" was originally billed as a horror movie, but by today's standards is more of a thriller. No one could have asked for a better star pairing. Joan Crawford plays the sympathetic 'good sister' Blanche, a faded screen starlet wheelchair bound and left tormented at the hands of her psychotic sister, Jane. Jane was once a cutesy childhood performer, groomed and dresed up like a little doll. Like Shirely Temple, her performances probably made pedophiles grin. An embittered, nasty woman who never quite grew up past being a spoiled child, Jane is eager for any audience. Bette Davis really nails the part of Jane, as viewers are given no choice but to simply HATE her character. She really steals the show. Crawford is also very good too, as viewers feel pity for her, hoping she'll make it in the end. The ending is ambiguous. An excellent movie that provides an interesting character study of child starlets, fame, sibling rivalry, and the dire for attention.

Average customer rating:

40 stories of rock and roll!!!!

Die Hard (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Reginald VelJohnson , Bonnie Bedelia , Alexander Godunov , and Paul Gleason
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000O77SRC
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Description

Bruce Willi stars as New York City Detective John McClane, newly arrived in Los Angeles to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But as Mclane waits for his wife's office party to break up, terrorist take control of the building. While the terrorist leader, Hans gruber (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane slips away unnoticed. Armed with only a service revolver and his cunning, McClane launches his own one-man war. A crackling thriller from beginning to end, Die Hard explodes with heart-stopping suspense.

Customer Reviews:

40 stories of rock and roll!!!!.......2007-08-16

Okay, from a technical end, this is not a remaster from the original negative, so there are occassional screen dots and dust...who cares!!!! This is how action movies should be. Fast paced, tension-filled and a great ending. The Dolby mastering is superb and the sub-woofer gets a strong workout. Strongly recommend.

Average customer rating:

Air Force One
Great Action flick wrapped in honor
Awesome and TIMELY! (RELEVANT)
My Husband loves this movie!
Once upon a time....

Air Force One
Starring: Harrison Ford , Gary Oldman , Glenn Close , Wendy Crewson , and Liesel Matthews
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: 0767803434
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Amazon.com

You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Air Force One.......2007-06-08

Harrison Ford should have been a President... He is great in this movie and could save the world....

Great Action flick wrapped in honor.......2007-05-31

There are some unrealistic elements to this movie, but only when you stop and think about it. It's an action movie and there will always be some stretches of reality. Harrison Ford delivers as does his supporting cast. It will pull you into the story without any real trouble, you will find yourself routing for the President and telling the evil guys "take that". In the end, you will feel good about it and you may even be inspired by it. Enjoy!

Awesome and TIMELY! (RELEVANT).......2007-05-04

People don't often celebrate this movie for its timeliness and relevance but as world events unfold, it is steadily becoming more and more relevant in my humble opinion. This particular version doesn't necessarily add anything to the enjoyment of the movie. But to be honest it's hard to add to sheer perfection. This movie is well-plotted and very believable, even in the moments when you find yourself going "NO WAY!"

Some have written it off as saying it depicts the "cowboy mentality" as if that's a bad thing. Some say that it's a training manual for terrorists that might wish to harm our own leadership.

Personally I think it's merely a good action movie with a good moral to the story. Good will only triumph over Evil when Good learns to take its head out of its scared hind end and actually be willing to stand up for what's right.

Until we are willing to have a back bone, the list of countries that are going to run right over is is ever growing. This movie cautions us not to let that happen. It's up to us to either listen or ignore this stark warning.

My Husband loves this movie!.......2007-04-10

This is a good movie and will keep you watching all the way through. Harrison Ford is excellent in this and the supporting cast is good as well. The plot is revelent with all the current world situations. The ending makes you want to cheer!

Once upon a time...........2007-03-27

... USA was the only country in the world where this kind of story (although farfetched) could be happening. Especially when you remember the JFK's fighting history (maybe it's one of the reasons why he was assassinated). But now, when you see the Bush family history, the only war record of the grandfather (at the same time JFK was patrolling in the Pacific) shows his best achievement was building the family's fortune by catering for the Third Reich's financial needs. And I can imagine the present Bush pounding Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the head with a bible (to show him it's better than the coran), and telling him "Get out of my world". As well, USA lost all credibility when he got RE-elected : One mistake might be understandable, but, as the Romans said "Errare humanum est, sed perseverare diabolicum" (to err is human, but to persist is diabolical).

Average customer rating:

Hold on tight!
How fast is it...
Perfect Fav. Movie
Very Exciting.
action movie

Speed (Blu-ray)
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000ICLRHK
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Hold on tight!.......2007-07-12

How fast is it..........2007-07-09

Cool film great plot and excellent twist. Just when you thought it was over, it's just begining again..

Perfect Fav. Movie.......2007-05-26

The movie I received was in great shape and I have watched it many times, thanks!

Very Exciting........2007-05-12

This movie keeps you on your toes, very exciting and entertaining, not a dull moment, just great.

action movie.......2007-05-12

One of my favorite mindless action movies. Just turn off, sit back and enjoy. Dennis Hopper was terrific.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Awesome, Action Packed Movie! And One Other Thing I Should Mention.
A Well-Crafted, Inplausible Popcorn Movie

Die Hard with a Vengeance (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Jeremy Irons , Samuel L. Jackson , Graham Greene (II) , and Colleen Camp
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000O78KW4
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Description

The third installment of the hugely succesful Die Hard series, reteams Bruce Willis and director John McTiernan in a new action/adventure extravaganza of special effects, unexpected comedy and non-stop thrills.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome, Action Packed Movie! And One Other Thing I Should Mention........2007-08-31

If you are looking for a movie that is filled with hard hitting action, Die Hard is it. It has so much action packed into the movie from beginning to end. In my opinion, it's probably the greatest action film in all of history.

Oh, and by the way, to whoever wrote the product descripion for the first Die Hard movie, the character Hans Gruber is played by Alan Rickman. Not by Alexander Godunov as you described. Godunov plays Gruber's sidekick, Karl. I just wanted to let you know that for two reasons. Firstly, so people who haven't seen Die Hard can read your description and get the correct information about the characters they're going to see, and secondly, because Alan Rickman is my favorite actor and I think he deserves credit where credit is due. So whoever wrote that description would please be kind and edit the names. Thank you very much

A Well-Crafted, Inplausible Popcorn Movie.......2007-07-08

When I first saw this movie I was a teenager. I liked it. Even today, I still like it. I know some people consider it inferior to the earlier Die Hard flicks, but in my opinion it's at least better than the second one, which is a complete carbon copy of the first--except it's set in a DC airport instead of an LA high rise.

The plot of this movie is no where near believable. It's over the top in about every way possible. A European madman wages war on New York City and Bruce Willis while at the same time trying to pull off the biggest heist of all time. And just for fun he targets Samuel L. Jackson, too, an innocent shopkeeper from Harlem. There are tons of racial stereotypes and plenty of the normal action film/buddy cop stuff going on, but the movie gets points for one thing--it's never cheesy and there aren't any large, gaping holes in the plot. There may be scenes where you say "that could never happen," and Bruce Willis is apparently more resilient than Super Man, but at least the movie never bogs down with a forced love story or artsy camera angles.

This movie is complete, mindless entertainment, but if you know and accept that going in to it, then you'll have to admit that it's at the top of it's genre--even if that genre isn't going to be winning any Academy Awards.

Average customer rating:

You're Killin' Me!
This Film Is Tricky!
"Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica!"
5 Stars
Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon
Starring: Penelope Allen , Sully Boyar , John Cazale , Beulah Garrick , and Carol Kane
Director: Sidney Lumet
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: 6304712960
Release Date: 1997-12-17

Amazon.com

A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere, and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. The opening montage of New York street life (set to Elton John's lazy "Amoreena") establishes the oppressive mood of a scorching afternoon in the city with such immediacy that you can almost smell the garbage baking in the sun and the water from the hydrants evaporating from the sizzling pavement. Al Pacino plays Sonny, who, along with his rather slow-witted accomplice Sal (John Cazale, familiar as Pacino's Godfather brother Fredo), holds hostages after a botched a bank robbery. Sonny finds himself transformed into a rebel celebrity when his standoff with police (including lead negotiator Charles Durning) is covered live on local television. The movie doesn't appear to be about anything in particular, but it really conveys the feel of wild and unpredictable events unfolding before your eyes, and the whole picture is so convincing and involving that you're glued to the screen. An Oscar winner for original screenplay, Dog Day Afternoon was also nominated for best picture, actor, supporting actor (Chris Sarandon, as a surprise figure from Sonny's past), editing, and director (Sidney Lumet of Serpico, Prince of the City, The Verdict, and Running on Empty). --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

You're Killin' Me!.......2007-08-19

Simply put: One of the great American films ever, with one of the great American performances EVER. A classic for many reasons, I couldn't recommend a film more. A true classic.

This Film Is Tricky!.......2007-07-26

Be careful when you watch this movie; it plays many tricks! Al Parchino yells "Attica" when they are in a bank trying to scare monies from the workers there. They eat pizzas and yell to each other with sweat but in the end, they trick you: he is shot in the head!! Also, the phones are silly, but fun - not tricky there!!!

"Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica! Attica!".......2007-07-16

The blackest of black comedy-dramas, DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975) is the last of the great performances of Al Pacino's early career. These tour-de-force performances include THE GODFATHER, THE GODFATHER PART TWO (both of which co-starred his co-star here, John Cazale), and SERPICO. After DOG DAY AFTERNOON Pacino returned to the stage for a time.

This story of a bank robbery gone bizarrely wrong is based on a true 1972 occurrence in Brooklyn, New York. Sonny Wortzik (Pacino) convinces his friend Sal (Cazale) to help him rob a bank. The motive for the robbery is oddly altruistic, as it transpires that Sonny is a married, closeted gay man, also married to Leon (Chris Sarandon) who needs money for his sex reassignment surgery.

The actual robbery, which should have taken five minutes, stretches into a fourteen hour hostage standoff as the incompetent Sonny loses control of the environment in and around the bank and the incompetent police on the scene fail to assert control. Nature abhors a vacuum, and the crime scene soon becomes the preserve of the tabloid media and a participatory crowd of people in the street. Neither Sonny nor Sal qualify as particularly cold-blooded, and in fact, the hostages appear to be having a fairly good time, and become friendly with their captors, waving enthusiastically at the cameras and refusing to leave the bank when chances occur.

Besides being Pacino's early last hurrah, DOG DAY AFTERNOON is also the last in a long line of frankly antiestablishment films produced by the Hollywood mainstream in the late 1960s and early 1970s, films like BONNIE AND CLYDE, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, LITTLE BIG MAN, and THE GRADUATE. The NYPD is presented as chaotic, disorganized, and bloodthirsty. Sonny and Sal become dark folk heroes as they win over the huge crowd of spectators. Sonny's leading the crowd in chanting, "Attica! Attica!" (Attica prison in Upstate New York was the site of a 1972 prison riot which was put down with a brutal loss of life) is considered one of the greatest moments in movie history.

Made at the nadir of American self-respect (the post-Vietnam, post-Watergate era), DOG DAY AFTERNOON doesn't excuse the crime it portrays, but it does raise some ethical questions by humanizing the perpetrators as antiheroes. Sonny turns his empty pockets inside out while addressing the crowd about his struggle to make a living; the cops are hooted and hissed continually; Sonny and Leon's relationship is portrayed as outrageous only by the media circus within the film, not by the filmmakers themselves (historically speaking, this early Seventies liberalism was about to go into societal eclipse just as DOG DAY AFTERNOON was released), and the only real violence in DOG DAY AFTERNOON is perpetrated by the authorities.

Throughout it all, Pacino shines as the emotionally conflicted, uncertain, overwhelmed, and desperate Sonny. Leading a cheering crowd one moment, he is frozen into immobility the next. In trying to cope with the helpless people around him, Sonny screams, shouts, sinks into despondency, and becomes grandiose by turns. He is shown as marginally effective only in relation to the utterly ineffective people in his life, people he seems to unerringly gravitate toward (including Sal, who becomes more and more befuddled as the film progresses, Angela, his wife, who becomes hysterical because she can't find a babysitter in the midst of this madness, and Leon, who criticizes Sonny self-indulgently over his negativity and fear of death, never considering that Sonny is facing a firing squad of hundreds on this brutally hot summer afternoon).

In so many ways, DOG DAY AFTERNOON is a summation of its time, an era of cynicism, failure, fear, distrust of authority, and economic, moral and ethical impoverishment, thirty years on not unlike our own.

5 Stars.......2007-07-09

"Dog Day Afternoon"

5 Stars

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

I just finished watching "Dog Day Afternoon" again and it seems that every time I watch it, it just gets better and better. It is a film that will change your opinion of the bank robbery genre of film and with its homosexual theme it was way ahead of its time (made in 1975). It really captures the spirit of the 1970's and shows why Al Pacino is a great actor. Here is Pacino the actor and Pacino the character.
"Dog Day Afternoon" is based on a true story--an actual event. Pacino plays Sonny Wortzik, a Brooklyn man who takes a bank hostage in order to pay for his "wife's" sex-change operation. Leon Shermer (played by Chris Sarradon) is Sonny's gay lover who needs the money to become a woman. When Sonny gets trapped inside the bank, he shows up all over the media and the police are waiting outside with guns drawn. Sonny's partner in crime, Sal (John Cazale) is worried that the media will also consider him to be a homosexual and the way he expresses his concern is great comic relief.
The movie, however, belongs to Al Pacino. He is manic and energetic and gives a performance of a lifetime. One of the best scenes in the film is when Sonny speaks to his "wife" on the phone and not giving away what he is talking about to the audience. Pacino takes on his character like a pair of tight-fitting jeans. Pacino breathes life into the character and his performance is a real tour de force.
It seems to me that Hollywood was trying to change our culture about homosexuality and sex-change operations and introduce us to gay characters. Hollywood gives us a true story which, regardless of homosexuality, is a good movie.
There are other great performances here s\as well. John Cazale is excellent and Charles During as police lieutenant Moretti is amazing as he works hard to keep the situation under control.
Here is a high-tension drama and thriller that captures the true events of that summer afternoon in Brooklyn. Sidney Lumet's is his usual good director and the movie moves swiftly under his management. The character study is unique and wonderful and the movie is brilliant in every way. This is Hollywood at its finest and a movie that is a pleasure to watch. Here is one that you do not want to miss.

Dog Day Afternoon.......2007-07-03

Reuniting Sidney Lumet and Al Pacino, who'd worked previously on "Serpico," this Oscar-nominated drama (based on a true story) tracks two scheming misfits who've witlessly imprisoned themselves in a no-win situation. Pacino's ruffled, passionate evocation of working-class Brooklynite Sonny--who riles the gawking crowd outside the bank with chants of "Attica!"--stands alongside his best work of the 1970s. The late Cazale, who played weak brother Fredo in "The Godfather," is heartbreaking as Pacino's imbecilic partner-in-crime. Gritty, suspenseful, and superbly crafted.

Star Trek V - The Final Frontier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Hey Paramount, How About Some new FX?
Every Franchise Has its Peaks and Valleys
Worthless trainwreck....
hey it's Star Trek

Star Trek V - The Final Frontier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Harve Bennett , Cynthia Blaise , Todd Bryant , Charles Cooper , and James Doohan
Director: William Shatner
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Sci-Fi Action | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Space Adventure | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B0000AUHOH
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Amazon.com

Movie critic Roger Ebert summed it up very succinctly: "Of all of the Star Trek movies, this is the worst." Subsequent films in the popular series have done nothing to disprove this opinion; we can be grateful that they've all been significantly better since this film was released in 1989. After Leonard Nimoy scored hits with Star Trek III and IV, William Shatner used his contractual clout (and bruised ego) to assume directorial duties on this mission, in which a rebellious Vulcan (Laurence Luckinbill) kidnaps Federation officials in his overzealous quest for the supreme source of creation. That's right, you heard it correctly: Star Trek V is about a crazy Vulcan's search for God. By the time Kirk, Spock, and their Federation cohorts are taken to the Great Barrier of the galaxy, this journey to "the final future" has gone from an embarrassing prologue to an absurd conclusion, with a lot of creaky plotting in between. Of course, die-hard Trekkies will still allow this movie into their video collections; but they'll only watch it when nobody else is looking. After this humbling experience, Shatner wisely relinquished the director's chair to Star Trek II's Nicholas Meyer. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-25

The bittersweet sequel to Star Treks I, II, III and IV was indeed the "Final Frontier", one last voyage for our heroic Captain Kirk and the brave crew of the Enterprise - except for another one to follow. And then of course the several dozen spin-offs and spin-off sequels to follow. "The Final Frontier" sees a special guest appearance by the one character fit to take equal billing with William Shatner: God.

And so this RiffTrax deserves an awe-inspiring guest appearance by none other than Kevin Murphy, Mike's riffing companion for years on the Satellite of Love! It's a RiffTrax lover's dream come true. (And Mike and Kevin promise not to make any jokes comparing the Enterprise and Charmin

Hey Paramount, How About Some new FX?.......2007-08-22

In 1989, this movie suffered from several problems that were unique to this particular film, but one thing is shared with later Trek films was a diminished budget. Paramount never really believed in Star Trek's staying power until the Next Generation was a hit. After that, Trek could do no wrong, and Paramount couldn't be swayed from supporting dismal outings like Voyager or Star Trek: Insurrection. Before they saw the light though, they kept cutting the budgets. Maybe they felt they better be careful just in case Trek really WAS a fad after over 20 years of fervent devotion by fans. Because of the budget's shrinkage, and the actors' fees swelling, there was less and less money that found its way onto the screen (The point of making a film)! To cut corners, they crossed off ILM from FX duties, and went to a smaller, cheaper vendor for this film. They did a good job, with the budget they had to work with. Truly. But after seeing some pretty wonderful stuff in the previous 4 pictures, I came away feeling a bit disappointed. The Final Frontier looked a little flat and phony. New FX wont fix all the flaws with this picture, but it would go a long way toward making this Trek one that could stand tall with the rest of the films. Be a good marketing move on Paramounts' part, too. How about it guys? How much could it cost? You let bunch of computer geeks fool with Star Trek I, and that picture didnt even NEED any help! ILM could probably bang out a whole batch of new FX in an afternoon, if they didnt stop for coffee breaks.

Every Franchise Has its Peaks and Valleys.......2007-08-18

STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER was definitely a valley. According to Leonard Nimoy in his book I AM SPOCK, a director cannot overcome a bad script. A pared down version of this story would have made for a good 50-minute episode of STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION. Unfortunately Trek fans were expecting much more after STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME.

In summary: James T. Kirk continues to ride the midlife crisis he started in STAR TREK II. The beautiful new trans-warp Enterprise we saw at the conclusion of THE VOYAGE HOME is actually a technological lemon with Mr. Scott scurrying about the ship to effect repairs. With a skeleton crew and only partially functioning systems, the Enterprise races off to defuse a hostage situation on Nibus III. Nimbus, a desert planet jointly administered by the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans, has been overun by a crusading army of zealots led by Vulcan mystic Sybok. By the way, Sybok is Spock's older half brother.

The hostage situation however, is only a ploy to lure a Federation Star Ship to the quadrant. Kirk and a pitifully small shore party unsuccessfully attempt to liberate the hostages and instead lose the Enterprise. Sybok, now in control of the Enterprise and its crew, guides the ship to a largely unexplored area of the galaxy in an attempt to find the creator of the universe. Breaching a cloudy barrier around a hidden planet, Sybok, Kirk, McCoy, and Spock face off with marooned evil entity masquarading as Sybok's image of the Almighty.

Sybok, realizing his arrogance put them all in jeopardy, sacrifices himself so that the other can escape. A pursuing Klingon Bird of Prey appears in the nick of time and rescues Kirk. On board the Enterprise the former hostages, Klingons, and ship's crew celebrate the rescue with social mixer. The film concludes with Kirk, McCoy, and Spock continuing their interrupted shore leave at Yosemite National Park singing around a evening campfire.

This was William Shatner's first outing as a director. Despite my rather scarcastic synopsis of the movie, Shatner did surprisingly well as a director. STAR TREK V was a learning experience for him. Shatner's contract with Paramount guarantied that he and Leonard Nimoy had directorial opportunities. Nimoy had already directed STAR TREK III and THE VOYAGE HOME. As such, Shatner was also eligible for two films. It is likely that Paramount kept a tight hold on the budget for this movie as it was Shatner's directorial debut. After all, STAR TREK IV was well received by the public and made a lot of money. Additionally, THE VOYAGE HOME could have served as a perfect ending to the trilogy -- if you exclude STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE.

The budget constraints are evident throughout the picture. Some special effects footage, such as the views of the Enterprise in space dock and the Klingon bird of prey were recycled from earlier movies. Some of the NEXT GENERATION corridors were also included as part of the Enterprise-A. Was it not also convenient for the Enterprise to be -- once again -- staffed by a skeleton crew?

The ship's transporter system likewise did not function until the end of the film -- thus reducing the need for trasporter special effects. Although the production team did build a full scale mock up of a shuttle craft (and I applaud the movie for this) we are initially only treated to a shot of a spot light looming behind the trees when Uhura steps out to taxi Kirk, McCoy, and Spok back to the ship.

One of the aspects that hurt this film was that there was too much comic relief. Paramount reportedly turned up its corporate nose, and checkbook, to a darker and more serious tone. Executives wanted the same light heartedness of STAR TREK IV. The problem was that TREK V was a totally different movie. Unlike THE VOYAGE HOME, which was a trilogy resolution, THE FINAL FRONTIER was a stand-alone film with no loose ends for a closely related sequel. And so we have a clumsy Scotty bumbling around the service corridors, romantic overtures by Uhura, awkward campfire scenes, and a virtual Three Stooges scene with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy rocketing upward in one of the Enterprise's shafts. Additionally, the intergalactic friendly ending, with Star Fleet, Klingons and a Romulan all the best of buddies was too much of a leap of faith. This was corrected later in STAR TREK VI.

Overall the special effects were disappointing. Industrial Light and Magic was not involved in this movie. There are two versions of the story regarding ILM's absence. The first was that Paramount's budget did not allow for first rate effects and the production crew had to look elsewhere. The second possibility put forth by William Shatner in his book TREK MOVIES was that ILM was fully consumed with projects such as GHOST BUSTERS II, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, as well as special effects for STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION. Others point out that BACK TO THE FUTURE II & III were also on-going projects. The bottom line is that an effects firm based in Hoboken, NJ was retained for the task. The effects were good, but hardly what we were used to seeing.

It also seemed that no one wanted to write the script. The production was intially held up by a Hollywood writers' strike that disrupted motion picture and television production. By the time the strike ended there were a backlog of projects begging for writers. The fact that they were able to assemble a script for THE FINAL FRONTIER is amazing in and of itself. The unfortunate thing is that the flow of them movie, not wholly controled ruled by the editor, makes the script appear as if it was a hastily slapped together affair.

The cast was pleasantly surprised at Shatner's directorial style. Shatner faced several last minute changes to the movie when special effects monsters and other shots showed up poorly on film. There were several whole scenes that Shatner wanted to reshoot completely, but Paramount insisted the movie be completed as-is. Shater attempted to address the wrongs of the original production when video/DVD was re-released. Much like Robert Wise was allowed to retool STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE for DVD, so too did Shatner approach Paramount about re-shooting and correcting scenes for STAR TREK V. Alas, Paramount declined any moneys for the project.

Enough TREK bashing. The film did make money for Paramount. However, much like Dicken's character Oliver Twist they wanted more. The musical score is very much a Star Trek soundtrack. It is always great to see the original Enterprise crew together again. Overall the new Enterprise looks good and this was the first time since the series that we were treated to a full size shuttlecraft.

My one personal regret about this film was that it was one of the only Star Trek movies that I did not get to see in a theater. VHS and DVD presentation never equal the impact of film in a cinema. As such it is all to easy to pick over the more disappointing aspects of the picture.

Of course you have to own a copy of this movie. The beauty of the film is that it is not the hingepin to STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY. If you imagine THE FINAL FRONTIER almost as if it was a television special instead of chapter in the film saga you will enjoy it a lot more.

Worthless trainwreck.... .......2007-08-10

Not sure why this movie was made. I realize they were trying to venture away from the storyline that was Star Treks 2 through 4. However, they did a horrible job of it with this one. Spock's half brother? 1) Who cares? 2) Who believes it? After 50 years aboard the Enterprise you'd think he might have mentioned it to somebody by now. Surely it would've come up over dinner or something.

The entire film is dead and unbelieveable from that introductory moment. A feeling Vulcan that apparently was disowned or disinherited by his people. Shunned or what have you. He becomes a less maniacal version of Khan from Star Trek 2.

By the end, you just want Kirk to take out his phaser and kill the guy.

hey it's Star Trek.......2007-07-22

You either like Star Trek films or you don't. This is one of the better ones but not the best one.

Average customer rating:

Solid Jackson and Spacey
Excellent movie with realistic negotiation tactics
One of the best action-thrillers
Exciting...
Too much drama

The Negotiator
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Kevin Spacey , David Morse , Ron Rifkin , and John Spencer
Director: F. Gary Gray
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: 0790739739
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Amazon.com essential video

Although it eventually runs out of smart ideas and resorts to a typically explosive finale, this above-average thriller rises above its formulaic limitations on the strength of powerful performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Both play Chicago police negotiators with hotshot reputations, but when Jackson's character finds himself falsely accused of embezzling funds from a police pension fund, he's so thoroughly framed that he must take extreme measures to prove his innocence. He takes hostages in police headquarters to buy time and plan his strategy, demanding that Spacey be brought in to mediate with him as an army of cops threatens to attack, and a media circus ensues. Both negotiators know how to get into the other man's thoughts, and this intellectual showdown allows both Spacey and Jackson to ignite the screen with a burst of volatile intensity. Director F. Gary Gray is disadvantaged by an otherwise predictable screenplay, but he has a knack for building suspense and is generous to a fine supporting cast, including Paul Giamatti as one of Jackson's high-strung hostages, and the late J.T. Walsh in what would sadly be his final big-screen role. The movie should have trusted its compelling characters a little more, probing their psyches more intensely to give the suspense a deeper dramatic foundation, but it's good enough to give two great actors a chance to strut their stuff. --Jeff Shannon

Description

This film centers on a former FBI hostage negotiator who, after being framed for murder, tries to clear his name by taking several people hostage in order to uncover the guilty party.

Customer Reviews:

Solid Jackson and Spacey.......2007-08-14

This is by a far one of my favorites to pop in when I want some great acting and action. Good suspense and good story make this well worth your time. By far one of the greatest cop movies. When a few cops go bad, they try to cover up by casting dirt on a hostage negotiator portrayed by Samuel Jackson. When he realizes he is in over his head he takes hostages and calls for an outside negotiator, played by Kevin Spacey, he thinks is clean. He must then figure out a way to let Spacey in on what is going on without getting anyone killed in the process. I highly recommend purchasing this if you like police or detective movies.

Excellent movie with realistic negotiation tactics.......2007-06-08

I had seen this movie many times over the past few years, but decided to buy it to incorporate into a presentation I recently did on Crisis/Hostage Negotiation. It was the first time that I watched the movie with the intent of evaluating the accuracy of the movie's portrayal of actual negotiations. I was surprised how accurate the negotiation processes were portrayed in the movie...it matched many of the conflict communication theories I studied.

On the entertainment side, getting Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson together in the movie surely didn't hurt. Good cast, decent story line, well put together and enjoyable to watch.

One of the best action-thrillers.......2007-05-29

The Negotiator is an excellent action/thriller with 2 great performances from Kevin Spacey and Samuel Jackson. Despite being billed as an action film, this isn't your standard brainless Van Damme flick. The impression throughout the movie is tense. The best thing about the movie is the dialogue.

Both Spacey and Jackson are negotiators. Jackson is accused of murdering his partner and is determined to prove his innocence. He does a good job acting as an on the edge, almost out of control guy to the negotiators but also does a good job convincing his hostages and the audience that he is innocent. Spacey arrives almost half way thru the movie but is outstanding in his scenes. He immediately takes over the negotiations with Jackson's character from a helpless, nervous negotiator who Jackson made a complete fool of in a couple of especially good scenes.

This film made sense, and provided a good, logical ending. I wish more movies were half as good as this one. The plot twists are interesting, and not as shallow as the average film in the genre. The story is very original, and Gary Gray is in my opinion one of the most underrated directors today and deserves credit for putting this together. Fans of the genre should admire this movie, while many others can probably appreciate what it has to offer. Solid entertainment for 140 minutes.

Exciting..........2007-05-04

to the end! That is the best word to discribe this movie! Great action and drama. Perfect casting with great acting. The truth will be brought out in the end!

Too much drama.......2007-03-15

A friend told me alot about this movie and I happened to buy this movie from Wal-Mart and I watched it and it doesnt sound the same as what my friend told me about. This movie is about drama and crime and she knows I am not into drama and crime so I made her buy the DVD from me. I am not too interested in this movie.

Average customer rating:

Now that's my kind of kill-fest!
A cult movie!
A near-perfect action classic
A classic that is much better than so many of its imitators
Funny/

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: B0002B15WE
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

This seminal 1988 thriller made Bruce Willis a star and established a new template for action stories: "Terrorists take over a (blank), and a lone hero, unknown to the villains, is trapped with them." In Die Hard, those bad guys, led by the velvet-voiced Alan Rickman, assume control of a Los Angeles high-rise with Willis's visiting New York cop inside. The attraction of the film has as much to do with the sight of a barefoot mortal running around the guts of a modern office tower as it has to do with the plentiful fight sequences and the bond the hero establishes with an LA beat cop. Bonnie Bedelia plays Willis's wife, Hart Bochner is good as a brash hostage who tries negotiating his way to freedom, Alexander Godunov makes for a believable killer with lethal feet, and William Atherton is slimy as a busybody reporter. Exceptionally well directed by John McTiernan. --Tom Keogh

Description

Customer Reviews:

Now that's my kind of kill-fest!.......2007-08-26

I'm not your stereotypical guy. I don't drink, I don't watch football, I don't chase girls, and I certainly don't work out. I also don't like a lot of action movies- I mean, they can be fun, but there's only so many times I can watch some muscle bound uber man fire a machine gun while spewing out a string of four-letter words in the middle of a room where everything is exploding for some reason. It gets a bit old.

But Die Hard (along with a few other action flicks) is an exception. A huge exception. See, here's the thing; this movie rules. Few things get my testosterone surging as much as watching Bruce Willis take out an entire room of angry terrorists, or crawling through a ventilator shaft using wisecracks to vent his barely contained man-rage. Because when you get right down to it, Bruce is the freaking MAN. I mean, seriously, I practically grow an extra Y chromosome every time I watch him. Remember all those Chuck Norris jokes that were popular a couple years ago? Bruce Willis has done all of that. Six times.

In all seriousness, Willis' performance is truly fantastic, nervy flurry of raw, unadorned masculinity. His character, John McClane, is one of the great tough-guy action heroes, thanks to his sharp one-liners (of course they're groaners, but in a good way), way-cool fightin' skills, and feral intelligence. Alan Rickman is also fantastic as the film's slick, coldly detached, and deliciously evil main villain, Hans Gruber. Throw in a loveable sidekick (Al Powell, who isn't nearly as one-dimensional as the "loveable sidekick" label might make him seem, played wonderfully by Reginald VelJohnson) and a love interest who manages to be waaaaaaaay more than your typical damsel in distress (kudos to actress Bonnie Bedelia, who pulls of the role of McClane's estranged wife with plenty of intelligence and panache), and you've got yourself an exciting, engaging, blood-pumping action classic.

A cult movie!.......2007-07-05

Die hard meant a true twist of change in what concerns the previous referential patterns about what it should be a breathtaking thriller, that blended with accurate measure, the required doses of action, suspense, around a complex and well planed terrorist attack into the same entrails of a fortified corporation, butt the presence of this refreshing action hero, who is an outlaw, and beware of this apparently simple detail: a hard fan of John Wayne who meant the most emblematic icon along seven decades in the American Cinema, remit us to many other similar situations.

But there is much more to watch. The admirable dynamism and formidable employment of the camera as witness silent that scrutinizes and joins us through tunnels, audacious sequences and countless of adrenaline, from start to finish, spiced with some touches of sentimentalism (the dialogue between Mac Lean and the police officer), conform a formidable movie with a lot of unforgettable sequences plenty of high tension moments in which Bruce Wills signed his name with golden letters thanks among other factors the fact to elevate the dimension of an urban hero that fights in many levels, to establish the raped code of security in order to disentangle the horrid of this terrorist gang, and prove himself as hard to die police agent, capable to make the most unimaginable strategies to avoid by all his means the materialization of the pretended goal.

Kudos too for Alan Rickman and Alexander Godunov (prematurely died after this film) who featured with admirable and crude the embodiment of the evilness and nasty repulsion for the audience.

Since its immediate release, in 1989 I suspected and foresaw for this film the label of a contemporary cult movie category.

A near-perfect action classic.......2007-04-23

John MaClane (Bruce Willis) a cop from New York is meeting his estranged wife at her office christmas party in a high rise in LA. At the same time a group of terrorists/robbers is plotting to steal the bank bonds that are sitting in the company safe - and so McClane is plunged into a cat and mouse game, which will test all his resourcefulness...

Even after all these years this is still a great action film. It is brilliantly directed by John McTiernan who utilises all the nooks and crannies of the building to create a real sense of cat and mouse. There is also plenty of warmth and humour in the story to help relieve the unrelenting tension.

Like all good films Die Hard contains characters that we really care about. Like all good action films this is combined with spectacular action. The only thing that counts against it is that it goes on a bit long. Otherwise it is a near-perfect action film.

A classic that is much better than so many of its imitators.......2007-03-01

This movie has become part of the popular culture in a way that few movies have. One sees references to it in other movies, TV shows, and even some books. When it first came out it was considered hyper violent and extreme to the point of self-parody. And it is. However, so many other films have copied some of its elements that one can see past all the explosions and gun fights to see some of the other aspects of "Die Hard" that make the movie work in a way that many of the "big boom" movies do not.

One aspect is simply that Bruce Willis plays John McClane with a very nice mix of vulnerability and confusion to go along with his near super hero fighting ability. His trademark wise cracks also add some humor to a movie that could have been relentlessly violent. Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt Powell is also a great human touch to the movie. He grounds McClane and gives him a friend and supporter when the bad guys AND, the local cops, and the feds are against him. He also provides a balance for all the cops who assume that McClaine is one of the bad guys if not THE bad guy. That attitude is shown most directly by Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson (played perfectly by Paul Gleason who died too young in 2006 at 67).

Bonnie Bedelia plays Holly Gennero McClane in a very interesting way. In the beginning of the movie, she confuses us. Are we supposed to admire her independence in moving across the country with her kids and abandoning John or are we supposed to dislike her? That she uses her maiden name, in 1988 probably moved her a couple of feet into the unsympathetic category. And this is important, because our movement to admiring and then liking her is more powerful if we start not liking her much.

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber gives one of the classic performances in film. Everybody who has seen this movie remembers this role vividly. And it put Rickman on the map as a movie star. It really is a great performance and a great villain. Alexander Gudunov was much better known than Rickman, and his scene chewing performance got him a lot of notice (and in a way type cast him), but it is Rickman's cool headed monster that we remember most vividly.

Clarence Gilyard, Jr. as the comp