Balto

Amazon.com

Buried like a bone in a snowdrift, Balto never achieved the theatrical success it should have, but it's worth digging up. The film is structured on the true tale of a lead sled dog, Balto, that brought a diphtheria antitoxin to the small town of Nome, Alaska. The film balances comedy, villany, and drama very well and the voice work is above average. Safe family viewing, as even the villain's comeuppance manages a civilized resolution. The only problem is that the film never explains why these events in Alaska inspired New Yorkers to build a statue to the dog in Central Park. Maybe Balto eventually got mugged there. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Balto.......2007-07-07

Excellent - I ordered two copies for my grandchildren and it was a hit with them, particularly after I explained to them that it was based on a true story. My 5-year old twin grandchildren (a boy and a girl) must have watched it a dozen times or more. The story idea of having the grandmother take her granddaughter to see the monument was brilliant. My 5-year old granddaughter stunned me by immediately realizing that the grandmother was supposed to be the sick little girl who was saved when the dog team arrived just in time bringing the antitoxin to Nome. The storyline is perfectly gauged to hold the attention of young children and has great educational value - something I can't say about any of the garbage shown on TV these days that is aimed at children.

Balto.......2007-06-12

After having moved up to Alaska for the summer, I had a huge craving to see an old, lovable movie. And that was Balto.
And i wasn't disappointed :D I love this movie.

the goose talks!!.......2007-05-12

hey this movie was great ..
i had never even heard of Balto.. hubby told me that it is a great movie that he saw a long time ago..
he was right .. it was great

It's a cartoon, not a documentary.......2007-04-18

'Anyone familiar with the Iditarod and why it is run will be highly disappointed with this cartoon's portrayal. There is too much cartoon hoo-haa and not enough substance.'

It's a cartoon, and is therefore not guaranteed to be 100% historically accurate. If you want accuracy, watch a documentary, although I doubt it would have the same impact. I mean, geese don't talk do they? If this film respected the original story, then it would be far less interesting. If only more viewers could see this.

Does not do the story justice........2007-04-09

Anyone familiar with the Iditarod and why it is run will be highly disappointed with this cartoon's portrayal. There is too much cartoon hoo-haa and not enough substance.

Homeward Bound II - Lost in San Francisco

Average customer rating:

Homeward Bound 11-Lost in San Francisco
Homeward Bound II - Lost In San Francisco
Homeward Bound II - Lost in San Francisco
GREAT family movies
Those Lovable Critters are Back!

Homeward Bound II - Lost in San Francisco
Starring: Michael J. Fox , Sally Field , Ralph Waite , Robert Hays , and Kim Greist
Director: David R. Ellis
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000633U3
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Amazon.com

This movie follows the unwritten law of sequels: bring back the same characters and put them in similar jeopardy with slightly tweaked circumstances. Instead of a cross-country journey, this time the pet trio must get from the San Francisco airport across the Golden Gate Bridge to their suburban home. Michael J. Fox and Sally Field return as the voices of Chance the bulldog and Sassy the cat, with Ralph Waite replacing the late Don Ameche as the elderly golden retriever. Their journey features dogfights, house fires, an epic battle with a pair of petnappers, and a love affair for Chance with a stray from the other side of the bridge (Carla Gugino). Sinbad voices another dog who guides them through the mean streets of the city by the bay, and Robert Hays stars as the father, but, frankly, that hardly matters. What does is the animals' banter, and they're funny. (Ages 3 and up) --Kimberly Heinrichs

Description

Your favorite trio of talking animals is back in this action-packed Disney adventure that'll have the whole family bursting with excitement and laughter! Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, and Ralph Waite supply the voices of Chance, the American bulldog; Sassy, the Himalayan cat; and Shadow, the golden retriever -- and Sinbad speaks for their newfound canine friend, Riley -- in this critically acclaimed sequel to Disney's now-classic HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY. When the pets accidentally get separated from their vacationing owners, Chance, Shadow, and Sassy navigate the mean streets of San Francisco, trying to find their home across the Golden Gate Bridge. But the road is blocked by a series of hazards, both man and beast. It's another incredible journey for three very brave, very lovable pets, in a thrilling, funny adventure that's 'bound to please' (New York Post) the entire family!

Customer Reviews:

Homeward Bound 11-Lost in San Francisco.......2007-01-16

This was a truly a very wonderful movie. It picks where the first one left off. I would say that this another one that is entertaining to all. Thank you to Disney studios for this one and The Incredible Journey.

Homeward Bound II - Lost In San Francisco.......2007-01-09

My daughters love this movie. They are 4 and 6. It is very age approriate, clean and fun!

Homeward Bound II - Lost in San Francisco.......2007-01-04

This is a very enjoyable movie, appropriate for all ages. It is also very funny at times. It tells good lessons for everyone to learn.

GREAT family movies.......2007-01-02

This movie is great ALL my kids loved it from ages 9-16 and even us parents enjoyed it alot. SUPER FUNNY and heartwarming.

Those Lovable Critters are Back!.......2006-07-03

This movie is the third movie that Disney has made using the same theme. The first was 1963's "The Incredible Journey." The second was essentially a remake of the first, "Homeward Bound." In the remake the animals talked rather than having a narration. This movie capitalizes on the success of the original with a variation on the theme of the original.

This time our three friends, Shadow, a golden retriever, Sassy, a Himalayan cat, and Chance, an American bulldog escape from their cages at San Francisco International Airport, thinking they are going to "the bad place," though they are actually heading for a vacation. Once their family arrives at their destination, they learn the animals have escaped and arrange to return home to find them. We see very little of the family after that except to see their concern and a few moments at the end of the movie.

The focus is on the antics of the three critters. Chance, voiced by Ralph Waite, is always focused on getting home and being safe. Sassy, voiced by Sally Field, is aloof and sarcastic, taking every advantage of spitting out a one-liner about any particular situation, most especially anything involving Chance. Chance, voiced by Michael J. Fox, is the oblivious goofball who attempts to interpret everything he sees in his own bizarre, usually wrong, way. Chance makes a perfect target for Sassy's barbed comments.

We follow the three animals, who really are friends, as they journey through San Francisco, trying to locate the Golden Gate Bridge and the way home. Along the way they encounter dog thieves looking for laboratory dogs, a fire, mean dogs and friendly dogs who do not understand how these three could want to go back to humans because of the experiences these strays have had with humans.

This story has everything you could want in an adventure story about dogs. There is love, humor, and a happy, nearly hilarious ending. While this story is not quite up to par with the original or the remake, it is readily worth watching with the kids more than once, especially if you are looking for an easy laugh. Even the youngest children in the family will enjoy this one, especially after the brief moments when things look dark for the animals. Just be prepared to say no when your little ones ask for a puppy or a kitten. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

The Beauty of Black Beauty
FOR HORSE LOVERS ONLY !!!
Classic tale that never gets out-dated
Heart Warming
Black Beauty

Black Beauty
Starring: Sean Bean , David Thewlis , Jim Carter , Peter Davison , and Alun Armstrong
Director: Caroline Thompson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00002E229
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Amazon.com

Don't waste this one on your children: buy it for yourself. A spectacular adaptation of the Anna Sewell novel, this is faithful to the source material but creates a life of its own on the screen. Told from the point of view of the horse, it recalls a time and a place that could be both beautiful and cruel. Black Beauty faced both hardship and kindness as he passed through the hands of many owners throughout his life. Some are generous, but the agonies endured by the title character may be too harsh for small children. Unfortunately, director Caroline Thompson did not resurrect her magical touch a few years later with another animal tale, Buddy. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

A wondrous new version of Anna Sewell's classic about a remarkable horse and the various owners whose lives he transforms. "The most imaginative and stirring picture since The black Stallion" (Washington Times) Year: 1994 Director: Caroline Thompson Starring: Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Jim Carter

Customer Reviews:

The Beauty of Black Beauty.......2007-05-18

In this work, screen writer and director Carolyne Thompson and composer Danny Elfman, collaborators in such works as Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and others reunite to create their version of Anna Sewell's classic novel Black Beauty. Set in the English countryside in the late 1800s, the story is an autobiography of a horse narrated by that horse that speaks of the life and treatment of the equine in Victorian times. Miss Sewell wrote the work to raise consciousness about the ill treatment she witnessed. Despite moderate deviations from Sewell's text, Director Thompson captures its essence. This is a moving narrative about the innocence, trust, loyalty, betrayal and hope a horse experiences when he is at the behest of owners he has had no choice in selecting. Thompson, Elfman, the trainers and all the co-directors and associates are the real winners in this production as they collectively choreograph the beauty, freedom, frolic, banter, tragedy, cruelty and hope the non-human characters enjoy or endure. Commendable performances are given by Andrew Knott who plays the younger Joe Green, one of Beauty's grooms from his youth, and the good natured cabby Jerry Barker played by David Thewlis who purchases the horse and brings him out of his natural country setting into the cold hard streets of London. The contrast between the good and not-so-good owners Beauty had in the country and the cold entrepreneurial ownership of London is stark; it is marked well when he discovers there a former stable companion, a mare named Ginger whose friendship he greatly cherishes. Along with the cheerfully buoyant white pony Merrylegs, they had spent much time together in their former country dwellings before each was sold to different owners. Tragically, Ginger, by now broken through abusive treatment and overwork, looses her life. Commendable performances continue as Beauty's fortunes turn. He is sold again, this time to a hard driving dealer who forces the horse to pull carts laden with heavy sacks of grain. This treacherous labor eventually takes its toll as Beauty suffers a breakdown. Like Ginger, this once gallant colt full of life and spirit is reduced to a broken shadow bent over as he is once again taken to fair to be sold. It is here that the groom of his youth, the older Joe Green, discovers him and takes him back to the golden pastures of his birth. Joe promises he will never be sold again. In the final pastoral setting, one year later, Beauty, after regaining his strength and spirit, rests upon a grassy mound beneath a tree and finishes his narrative, happy in the certainty that he will never be separated from his friends again.

For the horses alone, in particular the Quarter Horse `Docs Keepin Time' that performed the role of Black Beauty, this is a film well worth viewing in conjunction with reading or rereading Sewell's classic. Add to that the hauntingly beautiful score Danny Elfman provides and you have a marvel. The score hints at the co-existence of an inner-sadness and an inner-joy that Beauty wearily accepts as required.

Happy viewing (and keep a towel at hand).

FOR HORSE LOVERS ONLY !!!.......2007-05-13

THIS IS A SENTIMENTAL TALE THROUGH THE EYES AND VOICE OF A HORSE THAT HAS GOOD MOMENTS ANS BAD TIMES !!! NOT A CHILDS MOVIE !!! YOU WILL CRY AT TIMES AND SMILE AT TIMES !!!

Classic tale that never gets out-dated.......2007-01-27

My five year old daughter has now watched this a dozens times. She loves it. It does have sadness, but it has so many great values in it, and she totally sees that. It is a lovely film.

The DVD itself has no frills, and I can't attest to the pixels, etc. as my television is an old one.

Heart Warming.......2007-01-25

It does not matter if you are a horse lover or not you will love this movie, it is amazing I watched it at a friends house and then made the goal to buy it the next day. A movie you will definatly want on your self.

Black Beauty.......2007-01-12

This CD was purchased as a gift, and I am unable to give it a fair rating. I did however as a child enjoy the original movie.

Average customer rating:

Should NOT be Rated G
Terrible!
Not that funny nor that entertaining
Add a c at the beginning and a p at the end of ham and you get Babe!
Worst Children's Movie EVER!

Babe: Pig in the City
Starring: Magda Szubanski , James Cromwell , Mary Stein , Mickey Rooney , and Elizabeth Daily
Director: George Miller (II)
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783232292
Release Date: 1999-05-04

Amazon.com

Deservedly acclaimed as one of 1998's best films, this sequel to the beloved 1995 live-action fantasy proved a commercial catastrophe and a source of dismay to parents expecting another bucolic, sweet-natured fable. Every bit as sly and visually stunning as its predecessor, Babe: Pig in the City is otherwise a jolting ride beyond the Hoggetts' farm into a no less vivid but far darker world--the allegorical city of the title, which for the diminutive "sheep pig" proves truly nightmarish. Australian filmmaker George Miller (Mad Max, The Road Warrior), who produced and cowrote the first film, this time takes the director's reins, and he ratchets up the pace and the peril as effectively as he did on his influential trilogy of apocalyptic, outback sci-fi thrillers.

From the opening scene, Babe: Pig in the City means to disrupt the reassuring calm achieved by the conclusion of the previous film. Babe's prior triumph proves short-lived, and within moments Miller has us literally peering into the depths as he sets up a horrific well accident that nearly kills the taciturn but good-hearted Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell), Babe's beloved "Boss." Journeying with the equally pink, even plumper Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski), the young pig finds himself in a city where animals are outcasts, staying in the lone hotel that allows pets. When Mrs. Hoggett is detained, Babe must contend with the suspicions and rivalries of the hotel's other four-legged guests. The film's G status doesn't fully telegraph the shock Miller induces: bad things happen to good animals, and Babe's new acquaintances are a far cry from his colleagues on the farm. In particular, he must contend with a cynical family of chimps given wonderful, dead-pan voice characterizations by Steven Wright and Glenne Headly.

Miller's use of effects to transform his animals into "actors" is even more seamlessly integrated than in Babe. The sequel's production design is crucial to the creation of a complete, absorbing world, and purely visual ideas--such as a deluge of blue balloons during the climactic ballroom battle--achieve a splendor and originality that a room full of computer-graphics desktops couldn't muster. Ultimately, though, the film does more than amaze: as Babe's compassion and courage transform those around him, we're moved in ways that purveyors of by-the-numbers family fare can only dream of. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Should NOT be Rated G.......2007-02-19

We bought this movie with "Babe," (which we liked) and trusted the "G" rating. To me a "G" rating means even the little ones can watch safely. NOT SO with this film. It should be "PG" at best. Our daughter won't have access to this one again until she is much older.

It was irresponsible of the Motion Picture Association of America to give a "G" rating to this violence-filled film (including hanging, drowning and guns! And that is just what we tolerated until we finally said "Enough" and put in "Mary Poppins" instead.) According to the MPAA website, a "G" rating means, "This is a film which contains nothing in theme, language, nudity and sex, violence, etc. that would, in the view of the Rating Board, be offensive to parents whose younger children view the film. The G rating is not a certificate of approval nor does it signify a children's film. Some snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger words are present in G-rated films. The violence is at a minimum. Nudity and sex scenes are not present, nor is there any drug use content." Does anyone on the Rating Board even have young children?

If "Babe: Pig in the City" is what the MPAA considers safe for viewing by young children, they are obviously out of touch with OUR family's standards. Because of THIS film, my husband and I have decided that we can no longer trust the rating system even at the "G" level and will now pre-watch every DVD before showing it to our daughter AND before making a purchase.

Terrible!.......2007-01-27

I hated this film! It was so corny and weird. I have never seen a video like it! The music was awful and it gave you a bad feeling to watch it! Babe's voice is terrible. I hate the scene where the dog is drowning and my whole family hates this video. Don't ever buy it! You are wasting good money! I wish I could give it no stars to!

Not that funny nor that entertaining.......2006-10-10

Few sequels live up to the original, and I consider that the case here. Picking up where the first movie left of, the action quickly moves as Farmer Hoggett falls into a well and hurts himself, the wife fails at farming, so she and Babe go to the city to find help. Horror is what they find, and Babe has to rise to the occasion to save the day. The themes and moods of this movie are much different than the first one. Whereas the original Babe was very lighthearted, with occasional scenes of suspense and thorror, this movie is the opposite. Here there are mostly scenes of suspense, with only some lighthearted scenes. The comedy is not that good, but the special effects are a lot better. The overall look of the movie is darker too; instead of a city with bright greens under a blue sky, we have concrete, roads, and building walls. This reviewer did not like this movie that much, and was disappointed.

Add a c at the beginning and a p at the end of ham and you get Babe!.......2006-10-08

Yes, this movie is surreal, quirky, intense in parts and not for very small children. Yes, it is also hilarious, moving and teaches that right really can triumph over wrong in the end. After a series of misfortunes Babe finds himself alone in the big, cruel world - an unnamed fantasy city which has the combined attributes of many real life big cities. Here, Babe meets many well developed, memorable human and animal characters. Some of these characters are good, some are bad and most are somewhere in between. After a few difficulties our brave and good Babe soon becomes leader of this motley crew of city animals and ultimately leads them to safety on Hoggett's farm. There are laugh out loud funny scenes in this film as well as those that will lead you to the brink of tears. I would have cut some of the slapstick scenes near the end of Mrs. Hoggett racing around in a clown costume since that portion seemed to go on forever and detracted from the overall mood of the movie. All in all though this unusual film is pure quality and is very suitable for the upper elementary/middle school age group as well as teenagers and adults.

Worst Children's Movie EVER!.......2006-08-17

What a horrific movie to gear towards children. It is extremely violent and just plain creepy! The scene where the dog is hanging from a chain and drowning in water was so WRONG. I wish I could put 0 stars for this one. Do not waste your money on this one.

Average customer rating:

A very small picture from a big talent
GREAT MOVIE
I'd Like to Thank My Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Gets better everytime I watch
Everyone was my friend then...

The Big Picture
Starring: Kevin Bacon , Emily Longstreth , J.T. Walsh , Jennifer Jason Leigh , and Michael McKean
Director: Christopher Guest
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006HAWL
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com

Christopher Guest cowrote and directed this solid spoof about the pitfalls of believing your own hype. Kevin Bacon plays a high-minded would-be filmmaker whose student movie wins a prestigious national award and an invitation to Hollywood. Before he knows it, he is being wined and dined by agents, producers, and studio executives, who treat him like the new Orson Welles--until he starts making his first studio movie. Then he becomes bait for the piranha-like bottom-liners, who teach him the unfortunate lesson that the flavor of the week often gets eaten alive. Watch for Martin Short as a hilariously feckless agent and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a surprisingly chipper film student, given her black-rimmed eyes and all-black wardrobe. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

A very small picture from a big talent.......2007-07-16

Following "Spinal Tap" but before striking comedic gold with his own successful series of "mockumentaries," Christopher Guest directed and co-wrote this awful lampoon of the Hollywood scene, in which an award-winning film student (Kevin Bacon) dips a toe in the deep waters of the big studio lagoon and nearly loses his soul. Bacon's character is hopelessly naïve to the point of appearing stupid. Are we really supposed to believe that anyone with even a nodding acquaintance with the film world would expect a major studio to back a black-and-white relationship drama about three people in a snowed-in cabin with no music by a first-time director? Furthermore, Bacon's character becomes so craven so fast and shows so little evidence of having any talent that it is impossible to maintain sympathy for him. The finale, in which he finally directs a project from his heart by making a video for an unknown band, thereby causing a big buzz in Tinseltown, is ridiculous, especially since the video and the song are so bad. It looks like an outtake of an unused Spinal Tap number. The entire film is so bland and uninspired that I wonder whether Guest's original vision went through a dumbing-down process similar to the one he depicts in his film.

GREAT MOVIE.......2007-05-13

ANOTHER QUIET, CLEVER, WONDERFUL MOVIE THAT GETS NO PUBLICITY. MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD VIOLENCE.....................
ANYWAY, GREAT MOVIE. UNTIL I SAW THIS I DIDN'T KNOW KEVIN BACON COULD ACT. HE CAN. HE REALLY CAN.
FAB

I'd Like to Thank My Grilled Cheese Sandwich........2007-05-03

For anyone that hasn't seen this movie, I highly recommend it. "The Big Picture" is simultaneously a parody of the movie business and the real story of how much luck and chance are involved in being successful in that business. Probably the best part of the story is towards the end, when Kevin Bacon's character makes his comeback (without even knowing it). I won't give too much away, but suffice it to say, a grilled cheese sandwich really can turn your directing career around.

Gets better everytime I watch.......2006-09-20

I just love this movie, but it may not be for all, since it is a very specific type of humor. Don't expect "Best in Show" or "Waiting for Gufman," because this is not a mockumentary, but rather a really funny movie about the ups and downs in Hollywood. And may I add, very on point. I just love it more and more...and wish Guest would direct another one this funny.

In love with both Emily Longstreth and Teri hatcher. I can't pcik which one, so I'll choose both!

Everyone was my friend then..........2006-09-09

Hollywood make them, then they break them -- stars can fall as fast as they rise. Sometimes they rise again, and sometimes they disappear.

And Christopher Guest casts a jaded eye on the fickle ups and downs of Hollywood in "The Big Picture," a quirky, cynical movie which focuses on what the successful should never let go of. It has a few awkward stretches, but overall it's a darkly witty cult comedy ("You're tracking failure all over my carpet!").

Nick Chapman (Kevin Bacon) is the winner at an arty student movie competition, and instantly agents are chasing him all over L.A. In no time, he's the Rising Young Director, with a movie deal at a major movie corporation. But he's also starting to lose sight of his old life, as he tries to become a major success.

He changes the style, plot and characters of his arty movie for demographics, turning it into a beach bums/naked ghost movie. He dumps his pretty girlfriend (Emily Longstreth) for a bimbo actress (Teri Hatcher). When the studio head gets dropped, Nick falls as quickly as he rose. But a chance encounter with an old pal gives him a second chance -- an arty music video. This time, can he get it right?

Christopher Guest is best known for his brilliant mockumentaries, tackling everything from small-town musicals to folk festivals. His forthcoming one is another one about showbiz. But his talents are just as present in a "typical" movie, and Guest does a smart, quirky job of it.

The lesson: Be true to yourself and your art, don't fall for empty glitz, and don't let success go to your head if you're lucky enough to get it.

The story is a pretty straightforward one -- Nick gets great success, it goes to his head, he falls, and he rises again a wiser man. And the movie falls into straightforward lines, without many unpredictable plot twists. At first glance, it doesn't seem that unusual.

What makes it special? Well, simply put, Guest manages to infuse it with his unique type of wit, like the oddballish Pez music video and the noir fantasies of Nick's life. Not to mention the glorious dialogue. When speaking of Nick's one'n'only music video, a studio woman announces, "It's the best one yet, and I've seen 'em ALL!"

And Guest manages to show us agents, artists, students, directors and actors, but never descended to cliches. They're real people, no matter how nasty. And Bacon does a solid job as a young man who learns how empty glitz is. His best scene is the reunion with his friend Emmet, where he confesses, "I wanna be your friend again." And he's backed by good performances by Longstreth, Michael McKean and a dancing Jennifer Jason Leigh.

"Big Picture" treads where many movies have gone before, but it does so with an approach as fresh as a Pez People music video. A must-see.

Average customer rating:

Great Pleasure
just plain fun
great movie!
My 4 yr old granddaughter
Beethovens 3rd!

Beethoven's 3rd
Starring: Judge Reinhold , Julia Sweeney , Joe Pichler , Michaela Gallo , and Mike Ciccolini
Director: David M. Evans
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783242263
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Customer Reviews:

Great Pleasure.......2005-09-26

I take great pleasure in the ridiculous situations which arise in this family and the dog. They make me laugh. I find this dog pleasant and congenial, so I love every one of his films.

just plain fun.......2005-06-04

I don't know why so many people have a problem with this movie. Maybe the lack of gratutitious sex, violence, and foul language. Maybe they just need to get in touch with their inner child. It's just good clean fun, and I can watch it over and ever.

great movie!.......2004-11-18

if you are a dog lover this movie is for you fun and full of excitment

My 4 yr old granddaughter.......2004-02-29

My 4 year old granddaughter loves this movie. I enjoy watching it with her. We have fun laughing and talking about the movie. I think it's great, mostly because she loves it. It's worth the money for your children, grandchildren that love animals.

Beethovens 3rd!.......2003-09-16

A cute, charming and heartwarming movie that everyone should add to there movies! Any dog lover would like this movie and who could not fall in love with this dog!

Average customer rating:

Big Spender is a hurt racehorse
Heartwarming Tale
Casper is good, but the movie is just

Big Spender
Starring: Casper Van Dien , Graham Greene (II) , Tara Spencer-Nairn , Matthew Knight , and Corinne Conley
Director: Paul Schneider
Manufacturer: Monarch Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A9GL1
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Customer Reviews:

Big Spender is a hurt racehorse.......2007-08-30

People don't treat him right, but he gets a peppermint candy from the man who takes care of him.

Heartwarming Tale.......2005-06-25

This story is about a man who can't get his life straight, if you know what i mean. he is in prison. he and his other inmates go to work at a stable. while he is there he is put in charge of an ex-racehorse. his name Big Spender. he learns how to ride and develops a bond with this horse.this story is a great story how you can use animals to make a difference about your life.(make it better) i recommend it for all ages.

Casper is good, but the movie is just .......2004-12-29

Casper Van Dien plays Eddie Barton, an ex-convict who's trying to make a new life for himself and his young son. His talent lies in rehabilitating unruly horses that have been given up on, just as many people have given up on him. Eddie finds his greatest challenge in Big Spender, a stallion with a sweet tooth and a rotten temperament. Looks and feels like TV movie, but find for Casper fans.

Staci Layne Wilson

Average customer rating:

Simply Superb
The Four Freshmen Live from Las Vegas: "You Stepped Out of a Dream"
It's a Blue World

The Four Freshmen - Live From Las Vegas
Starring: Brian Eichenberger; Curtis Calderon; Vince Johnson; Bob Ferreira
Director: Jeff Lester
Manufacturer: Big Picture Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ICLWL6
Release Date: 2006-08-26

Customer Reviews:

Simply Superb.......2007-05-09

This DVD is a real blessing for me because the group isn't coming anywhere close to me anytime soon. The video editing and production is generally fine, and for the most part doesn't intrude on the performances. However, the audio quality is just great, so for best results, play loud! My great hope is that these guys will sell enough units to allow them to do another studio album to follow up "In Session". I heartily recommend this DVD for anybody who loves being amazed by true masters doing their thing.

Charles Fleming
Gainesville, Florida

The Four Freshmen Live from Las Vegas: "You Stepped Out of a Dream".......2007-03-11

I have been a fan of the Four Freshmen since the 1950's, and the current group which bears the torch for the FF tradition is absolutely SENSATIONAL! The vocal blend of Brian, Curtis, Vince, and Bob is energetic and stylistically true to the original Freshmen sound, and each member is a virtuoso instrumentalist in his own right. You FF die-hards out there are about to be AMAZED! Three very minor issues on this product: 1) the placement of "Indian Summer" is listed incorrectly in both places on the DVD jacket, although correctly listed on the DVD's Menu itself; 2) as the credits rolled at the end, I was settling-in for "My One and Only Love," only to have it cut short as the credits faded (darn); 3) finally, the sparse, "live" audience at the Suncoast Hotel in Las Vegas did not do justice to the spell-binding performance of these four chaps--the response of the audience was "tired" and void of any true understanding of the talent, or of the genre for that matter, of the performance they were experiencing. Had I been there, I would have been yelling, screaming, and clapping until my hands were raw! As original Freshman, Bob Flanigan, said in his introduction, "This group is the best Four Freshmen of all time." I think he's right!

It's a Blue World.......2006-11-08

This is a great performance by the current Four Freshmen roster. The only other video recordings of the Freshmen you can buy are on the "Easy Street" VHS or DVD, and those are all from a 1950's TV show and often involved the group acting out their song on a set. This is over 20 songs from a live performance, where they play their own instruments, and very well at that. The harmonies of course are dead-on and in my opinion the current group's vocal projection is even better and clearer than the older groups. I was also surprised to see how well each of them play their respective instrument.

The Humphrey Bogart Collection (The Big Sleep/The Maltese Falcon/Casablanca/Key Largo)

Average customer rating:

Great collection
quintessential Bogie...
Bogart collection
Bogart The Best
Got more than i bargained for

The Humphrey Bogart Collection (The Big Sleep/The Maltese Falcon/Casablanca/Key Largo)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Lauren Bacall , John Ridgely , Martha Vickers , and Dorothy Malone
Director: Howard Hawks , John Huston , and Michael Curtiz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004XMRW
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Amazon.com

The Maltese Falcon
Still the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywood's official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett's definitive private eye, Sam Spade, struggling to keep his hard-boiled cool as the double-crosses pile up around his ankles. The plot, which dances all around the stolen Middle Eastern statuette of the title, is too baroque to try to follow, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Hammett, is delivered with whip-crack speed and sneering ferocity, as Bogie faces off against Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet, fends off the duplicitous advances of Mary Astor, and roughs up a cringing "gunsel" played by Elisha Cook Jr. It's an action movie of sorts, at least by implication: the characters always seem keyed up, right on the verge of erupting into violence. This is a turning-point picture in several respects: John Huston (The African Queen) made his directorial debut here in 1941, and Bogart, who had mostly played bad guys, was a last-minute substitution for George Raft, who must have been kicking himself for years afterward. This is the role that made Bogart a star and established his trendsetting (and still influential) antihero persona. --David Chute

Casablanca
A truly perfect movie, Casablanca (1942) still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. --Tom Keogh

The Big Sleep
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay. --Tom Keogh

Key Largo
John Huston directed this smart 1948 thriller about a gangster (Edward G. Robinson) who holds a number of people hostage in a hotel in the Florida Keys during a tropical storm. Humphrey Bogart is the returning war veteran who takes on the villains, and Lauren Bacall is on hand as one of the people on the wrong end of Robinson's gun. Somewhat similar in tone to Howard Hawks's To Have and Have Not (which also featured Bogart and Bacall), this moody movie captures a certain despair offset by the bond between individuals united by common purpose. Claire Trevor won an Academy Award for her part as Robinson's alcoholic girlfriend. --Tom Keogh

Description

A great giftset with four of Humphrey Bogart's most classic films. These include: The Big Sleep, Casablanca, Key Largo, and the Maltese Falcon.

Customer Reviews:

Great collection.......2007-08-29

Has any other actor played in so many great, genre-defining films as Humphrey Bogart? Three of the four films in this collection are certainly among the best films ever made, and the fourth (The Big Sleep) is a solid, if complex, Bogie/Bacall film. I was born long after these films were made, and after Bogie passed away, but I view these films as old, sure friends. They can be watched over and over again and you'll never get tired of them. If you're reading these reviews and thinking about buying this collection, I'm sure you don't need plot reviews, you've probably seen them all a thousand times already. These are the types of films that make me cringe when I look at the product being made in Hollywood today. Whatever happened to acting, dialogue, and atmosphere? Hollywood today puts too much emphasis on fast action and shallow, trite love affairs. My only negative comment is that some of the films in this collection are duplicated in some of the other Bogie collections, forcing one to buy multiple copies of the same film. This isn't really a problem if you are looking for just the Bogie classics as these can also be purchased individually, but for some of the harder to find Bogie films in the other collections, it is rather foolish to have to buy two or three copies of The Maltese Falcon. Bottom line though is that this is a great collection from a simpler time when Hollywood actually knew how to make films.

quintessential Bogie..........2007-06-01

A great collection for any Bogart lover. My 2 personal favorites are included in this package, Casablanca and Key Largo. The Big Sleep directed by Howard Hawks, with Bogie and Lauren Bacall is a film classic. The Maltese Falcon with an incredible cast including Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Ward Bond. Enjoy this incredible collection of four films that deserve to be placed on anyone's Top 100 list.

Bogart collection.......2007-05-18

I thought the movies would be presented in their original format, however they appear in standard TV format. For those with widescreen TV's (like me)you will be disappointed.

Bogart The Best.......2006-11-10

These are some of the best acting films of Bogart's career!, plus some of the finest supporting actors
you will ever find.

Got more than i bargained for.......2006-08-25

I originally bought this set for Casablanca, and I wanted to get an idea for his other movies.

I got quite a lot more than i expected though... I learned that oldschool movies are just plain better than the new ones.

There may be many explanations for this, but the main differences I observed were different mannerisms/speech patterns, and more complicated plot-lines.

Maltese Falcon is a particularly wonderful story, much more complex than today's typical blockuster, and Big Sleep/Key Largo were classics in their own right.

Average customer rating:

An artsy film scripted by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski
The beast and the people
One of the best movies EVER

The Big Animal (Duze Zwierze)
Starring: Jerzy Stuhr , Anna Dymna , and Krzysztof Kieslowski
Director: Anna Dymna
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GRUMZK
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Amazon.com

The Big Animal is probably the only movie about a middle-aged Polish couple who adopt a camel, but it's not faint praise to say that it's also the best one. In fact, director and co-star Jerzy Stuhr, working from a script by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, has made a film that's beautifully shot, well-acted, and whimsically charming. Zygmunt Sawicki (Stuhr) and his wife (Anna Dymna) are bemused, to say the least, when a camel (of the Bactrian or two-humped variety), having apparently been abandoned by the circus it was traveling with, turns up outside their front gate. They soon become quite attached to the big, gentle beast, especially the sweet-natured Zygmunt, who's fond of conducting one-sided conversations with it while they stroll through the small town. The locals, especially the younger ones kids, seem quite taken with this most unusual pet as well--at first, anyway. But petty jealousy, ignorance, intolerance, and greed (a camel in the Polish countryside? Gotta be a way to cash in on that) spoil the Sawickis' idyll, and soon Zygmunt is being interrogated by mealy-mouthed town council members and facing angry picketers in his own yard. The animal is "no use to the community." It's making the children late for school. Why, it's probably carrying some deadly African strain of venereal disease. The camel must go! Zygmunt's reaction to all of this ranges from rage and indignation to confusion and, ultimately, sadness and grief. Along the way, The Big Animal is filled with lovely moments, like the camel "singing" along as Zygmunt practices his clarinet or looming docilely outside the kitchen window as the couple eats dinner. It's also filmed in luminous black & white by cinematographer Pawel Edelman (an Oscar nominee for Roman Polanski's The Pianist); the final wintry sequence at the Warsaw Zoo is breathtaking. A 30-minute interview with Stuhr (in Polish with subtitles, just like the main attraction) is the principal bonus feature. --Sam Graham

Description

THE BIG ANIMAL, scripted by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski (DECALOGUE, THREE COLORS TRILOGY) and shot in shimmering black-and-white by Pawel Edelman (the Oscar®-nominated cinematographer for Roman Polanski's THE PIANIST) is an inspiring film celebrating the most human of themes: love, tolerance and sacrifice.

The film's director (and longtime Kieslowski actor) Jerzy Stuhr stars as Zygmunt Sawicki, an ordinary bank clerk in a small Polish town, who awakens one morning to discover a camel outside his kitchen window. As he and his wife (Anna Dymna) grow increasingly fond of their remarkable pet, the animal evokes their neighbors' jealousy … and greed. Although the Sawickis are determined to protect their cherished friend, the townspeople and local bureaucrats seem bent on exploiting the great beast. THE BIG ANIMAL is a charming fairy tale for grownups - a wise and cautionary parable about tolerance that is at once funny, compassionate and heartwarming.

Customer Reviews:

An artsy film scripted by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski .......2007-07-11

"Duze zwierze" (Big Animal), scripted by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, stands out as for its artistic cinematography. It is an "artsy" movie filmed in black and white. Although it has a straightforward story, it is presented in a way that leaves room for intellectual debate.

Zygmunt Sawicki (Jerzy Stuhr) and his wife Marysia (Anna Dymna) find a camel in their garden and decide to keep it. Zygmunt is very proud of his new pet, showing him off on his daily walk. The townspeople offer him ways to profit from the beast, which he refuses. From that point on, they turn on him and cause him difficulties.

"Big Animal" not only stars Stuhr, he also directs it. Although Stuhr acted in various types of movies by Poland's leading directors, his work on Kieslowski's films must have made an impression on him. The movies Stuhr directed have a style that is similar to Kieslowski's work. They contain meaning on several levels, have an artistic flair, and appeal to intellectuals. However, I wouldn't call Stuhr a Kieslowski copy-cat, as he has his own technique and style. Those who enjoy Kieslowski's movies are likely to also enjoy those directed by Stuhr.

The beast and the people.......2007-04-25

Most people daydream as children about having an exotic pet.

But in "The Big Animal (Duze Zwierze)," a middle-aged Polish couple discovers that it's not as delightful as it sounds. The movie is a simple, powerful allegory written by Krzysztof Kieslowsk, filmed in luminescent black-and-white, and with a bittersweet message about narrow-minded cruelty.

The middle-aged Sawicki's are silently eating dinner, until Marysia (Anna Dymna) notices something moving out in the garden -- a camel. The next day, Zygmunt (Jerzy Stuhr) proudly parades the camel before the other townspeople, and tries to deal with government red tape -- should the camel be registered as a horse? No, you can't shoe it.

Of course, all the townspeople are initially delighted. But when they urge Zygmunt to cash in on the camel, he refuses -- he and his wife love the camel, and respect its dignity. And so slowly the small-minded citizens turn on the Sawickis and their beloved pet, with devastating results.

On one level, "The Big Animal" can be seen as an allegory for the Communist times in Poland. But it can also be seen as a more universal allegory about the cruelty of many people: a small-minded, cunning, greedy community can wreck something as simple as a childless couple's love for an animal.

And a lot of the movie's sadness comes from that theme, with the poor Sawickis risking everything because they just want to love their new pet. And who could be happy in such a community after seeing its ugly side? But Stuhr highlights the sweet moments as well, such as when Zygmunt plays the clarinet to the camel. There's even some humor, when the poor guy tries to deal with all the red tape -- some sly pokes at restricting governments.

Director/actor Stuhr strips filmmaking to the bone in this -- the camerawork is straightforward without any tricks, rendered in crisp, shining black and white. And Stuhr sticks to the simple images -- Zygmunt taking the camel for long walks -- as well as pretty, bittersweet dialogue ("Nobody will do you harm, because you're free!").

The primary cast is basically Stuhr and Dymna, who convey the innocent kindness of truly good people with amazing skill and depth. Most of the other human actors are playing typical greedy hypocrites -- they think that anything different is wrong, if it's not being used. And though he isn't technically "acting," the camel deserves props for giving the film a center -- serene and dignified.

Bittersweet and charming, "The Big Animal" is an exquisite example of filmmaking at its most simple, with a story that will wring a few tears even from hardened moviegoers.

One of the best movies EVER.......2007-02-05

Clearly a subtitled, B&W, slow moving film is not for everyone, but this is on my Top10 EVER film list. No flash filming here, just timeless story-telling, amazing acting and a camel that will keep you saying "I can't believe it!" Take a chance! You will love this movie and want to share it with lots of other people you know.

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