Batman Begins [HD DVD]

Amazon.com

Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

Batman at Amazon.com

All Batman DVDs
Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer
Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?

All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels
Batman Toys
Batman Begins Soundtrack

Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

DVD Features

The first disc is filled out by the theatrical trailer and a Jimmy Fallon-starring Batman Begins spoof from the MTV Movie Awards. The second disc consists of eight featurettes (about 105 minutes total) on a variety of topics. "The Journey Begins" covers the early stages of the movie, including the casting and how director/co-writer Christopher Nolan brought in co-writer David S. Goyer for his comic-book expertise. "Shaping Mind and Body" covers Christian Bale's fight training, and other featurettes discuss the sets (the Batcave is shown being constructed out of wood and sheets), the Batman costume, the Batmobile, the monorail sequence, and the hazards of filming in Iceland. All the behind-the-scenes featurettes are solid but somewhat routine, and while "The Journey Begins" is the widest overview, there's not really any centerpiece documentary (all are 8 to 15 minutes, and there's no Play All option). Interviewees tend to be the same throughout: Nolan, Goyer, Bale (the only cast member to get much face time), and other crew members (it's nice to hear from the stunt people).

Potentially more interesting to fans is "Genesis of the Bat," which covers the comic books that influenced the film, including The Long Halloween, Neal Adams's Ra's Al Ghul from the '70s, Dennis O'Neill and Dick Giordano's The Man Who Falls, and Frank Miller's Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Interviewees include DC Comics editor Paul Levitz and artist Jim Lee, but the latter's involvement eventually degrades the featurette into a pitch for DC's All-Star Batman line. A nice bonus to the Deluxe Edition is a mini comic book (DVD case-sized) that has Batman's first appearance (Detective Comics #27), The Man Who Falls, and a 48-page excerpt from The Long Halloween. (Once you get a taste of Halloween, you'll want to pick up the full-length, full-size version.) Filling out the disc are overviews of four gadgets and eight characters, DVD-ROM features, and a variety of poster-art concepts. To get to the features menu, you have to scroll through a multi-page Goyer-scribed comic book, which is a good read, but you can't skip it the next time you want to watch the second disc. Note that the comic book is also viewable in French, and the second disc offers a French menu and French (but not English) subtitles for the featurettes. --David Horiuchi

Description

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

I got that batmobile for my son thats probably the best part of the movie. They need to make that next movie they hinted at in the end with the joker. Bottom line- roof top batmobile chase, more please, Christian Bale batman eeeygh I don't think so.Batman Begins Deluxe Batmobile Vehicle

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Batman Begins as a movie is great. The plot and settings of the movie really makes it feel like a real batman movie. Not colorful and very dark. The HD DVD transfer is amazing, with black levels beyond belief. If you have the standard def version and compare it to the HD version, you will notice a huge difference on any size high def t.v thats over 27 inches. I recommend this to any HD DVD owner, even if you have the standard dvd. a must.

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

Tim Burton's original Batman was truly groundbreaking and did deserve the huge amounts of praise it recieved (I never really cared for any of the sequels. While the Joker was surreal, at least he was accetable. Batman Returns carried the unreality a little far). However, it was flawed. Mainly, it was small things that caught my attention, such as the fact that Batman's suit was so stiff that he could hardly fight in it (did it bother anybody else that he couldn't even turn his neck?) and the movie made me wonder how organized crime could realisticly be so obvious in a city and no one do anything about it. Batman Begins makes the corruption of Gotham's judicial system and police department very real and makes you realize that an independent like Batman, as unlikely a hero as he is, is badly needed. And instead of skirting around the issues with the batsuit we finally see every part of it explained from the horns on his head to the reason for the design of his cape and(GASP!) it actually seems plausable, even almost likely. Other pluses include: Unlike in so many other movies, the special effects are not just there for themselves, but really add to the story. Other portrayals of Batman make him seem unstable and even dangerous to those he is supposedly protecting, while here he is an immovable, if dark, force for good with solid, sain reasons for doing what he does. (This movie just goes to show how adaptable Batman really is. There are so many good ways to portray him!) The villains, too, are unbelievably lifelike considering their origins (like Batman, the comics), good acting and a well devised plot draw you in and keep you wide-eyed, and, though some may say the movie was just too long, I loved every minute of it!

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

I've noticed that everyone wants to review the film but nobody talks about its HD muscle. After buying many HD-DVDs I will say that Batman Begins is the overal best combination of amazing picture and fire setting audio! The Dolby TruHD audio track is stunning and somehow manages to make your house sound more like a movie theater than anything else out there. 100% recommended

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

When I was a kid, I'll admit that I kind of hated Batman, thanks to reruns of the 1960s television series. On TV, Batman was sanctimonious, shallow and corny. In 1989, however, the advent of Tim Burton's Batman movie exposed me to a whole new side of Batman: a flawed, moody outsider who lived in a corrupt, gothic metropolis, and who was more than willing to act lethally if he felt it was needed. Batman became a huge success, and was one of the first "summer megahype movies" to benefit from the new Hollywood press machine. While the movie may have emphasized style over substance, seeing Michael Keaton's Batman (using an arsenal of high-tech vehicles and gadgets) take on Jack Nicholson's deformed Joker was pure entertainment. Batman fever reigned high at the time, but Burton's sequel, "Batman Returns", couldn't match the freshness of its predecessor, despite being a quite solid effort. Keaton and Burton left the franchise, leaving Val Kilmer in the unenviable position of tackling the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's inordinately campy "Batman Forever". Val Kilmer's almost psychadelic take on Batman wasn't enough to overcome the gaudy neons and cartoonish portrayals which plagued the movie; nonetheless, the movie was financially successful. With George Clooney as Batman, 1997's "Batman and Robin" was the inevitable straw that broke the camel's back, and was so terrible that it stalled the careers of Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone, and led Clooney to admit that he "was the guy who screwed Batman up". It looked like the franchise was dead, and the Batman movie license languished for years in development hell. After some false starts, "Memento" director Chris Nolan was the guy who was to revive the Batman franchise with this movie, which chronicles the very beginning of Batman's career.

While it has become fashionable to subscribe to the revisionist position that Tim Burton's "Batman" was a bad movie, the truth is that Nolan was clearly inspired to some degree by Burton. The look of Batman's armored outfit, the militaristic motif of the Tumbler (aka the Batmobile), the gritty take on city corruption- these are all clearly derived from Burton's work. However, Nolan's Gotham, while still dark and menacing, is not steeped in gothic fantasticism, but rather in a slightly more modern take on the classic noir urban setting of the mid 20th century. The characters are all portrayed and explored much deeper than the 1989 movie, and both the hero and villains behave more realistically.

The storyline hews closer to the various Batman comic books as well. The movie begins with Bruce Wayne (played by "American Psycho" star Christian Bale) locked in an Asian prison, being recruited by the enigmatic Ducard for the League of Shadows, a mysterious organization of vigilantes run by the even more mysterious R'az Al Ghul. Wayne trains to become a crime fighter, and through flashbacks, we see Bruce Wayne's childhood shattered when his wealthy and well-intentioned parents are killed by a desperate mugger. After college, he returns to Gotham City to kill the mugger, who is about to be released in return for testimony, but is beaten to the punch by Carmine Falcone's mob organization. Realizing that mere revenge is a doomed path, Wayne disappears to live life as a criminal, and gain insight. Back in the present day, Wayne is about to be inducted into the League, but things turn sour when he learns their true plans. Barely escaping with his life, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham with an idea in his head- to create an alter ego which will strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Back in Gotham, he finds his father's company is in danger of losing its way, and is about to go public, thanks to the machinations of Earle, who was trusted with the company. Wayne finds allies in family butler Alfred, Lucius Fox, a former Wayne Enterprise executive who was demoted to a dead-end job in research, Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend turned idealistic assistant D.A., and Sergeant Jim Gordon, an honest cop in a district overrun by corruption. However, things are about to get "complicated", with both Carmine Falcone and corrupt Dr. Jonathan Crane (whose alter ego is the Scarecrow) acting as pawns for an even more sinister force preparing to unleash hell on Gotham.

First off, with the exception of Katie Holmes' flat portrayal of Dawes, the acting is top notch. The cast is a treasure trove of outstanding actors, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, and Linus Roache, to mention a few. While some may object to the slower pacing of the movie, it works well, and creates tension. The movie is saturated with browns, yellows and oranges, creating a warm glow to contrast with the sinister atmosphere brought by the story, while the minimalist soundtrack is appropriately gothic when needed. The movie seems busy at times, with not one but three main villains, and the requisite goons. The action sequences are presented at a frantic pace, and some may take issue with Nolan's filming of fight scenes in such an "indirect", chaotic manner. But in the end, this is a superhero movie of the highest order, which tries to balance the fantastic with the realistic, and usually succeeds. The movie viewer has been pretty fortunate with comic book movies as of late, with Superman Returns, the X-Men movies, and the Spiderman movies. By returning to the noir roots explored by Tim Burton, yet filming things his own way, Chris Nolan managed to restart the franchise without disrespecting what was done well in past iterations.

The single disc DVD version has literally no extras, whatsoever. However, the movie was so good I'll overlook it....this time. Whichever version you get, the movie is outstanding.

Average customer rating:

A Return to Form
Not a timid success
Turtles still rock after all these years!
Thank god this was animated and not live action!
Decent family movie

TMNT
Starring: Chris Evans , Sarah Michelle Gellar , Mako , Kevin Smith , and Patrick Stewart
Director: Kevin Munroe
Manufacturer: Warner Bros.
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JPMZ
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Amazon.com

From a visual standpoint, this CG feature starring the venerable '80s and '90s superheroes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is nothing short of slam-bang; the computer animation has a scope and look that transcends both the original comics and animated series and the three live-action features that preceded it. Writer/director Kevin Munroe creates a striking animated world for the four heroes in a half-shell to live, play, and fight in, and the action sequences are occasionally breathtaking in their speed and complexity. But where TMNT stumbles is its bland plot, which picks up after the last of the live-action features with all four teen turtles in disarray, and abandons longtime villain Shredder in favor of an industrialist (well voiced by Patrick Stewart) who recruits the Foot Clan (including Karai, played by Zhang Ziyi) to revive thirteen ancient monsters to aid in his world domination scheme. It's a simple and fun story for kids, but longtime Turtles fans will miss the wry humor and smart sense of irony of the original comics (created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who gets an executive producer credit here) in this storyline. Still, for most adolescent audience members, such concerns won't matter a whit in the face of the abundant action. --Paul Gaita

Description

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles return in an all-new CGI action adventure, written and directed by Kevin Munroe. After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Splinter (Mako), becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City. Tech-industrialist Maximillian J. Winters (Patrick Stewart) is raising up an army of ancient monsters, and only one super-ninja fighting team can stop them-- Leonardo (James Arnold Taylor), Michelangelo (Mikey Kelley), Donatello (Mitchell Whitfield) and Raphael (Nolan North)! With the help of old allies April O'Neil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Casey Jones (Chris Evans), the Turtles are in for the fight of their lives as they once again must face the mysterious Foot Clan, who have put their own ninja skills behind Winters' endeavors.

DVD Features:
Alternate endings
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Interviews
Storyboards

Customer Reviews:

A Return to Form.......2007-09-11

I used to read the comic book "back in the day," watched the animated TV show and even the movies. Yes, the horrible live-action movies. My expectations were low when this movie came out so I didn't see it in a theater. After renting it from Amazon, I now regret that I missed seeing it on the big screen.

The animation is top notch and the voice acting is decent. What surprised me the most was the story. Unlike the live-action films, it wasn't loaded up with lame surfer jokes and slapstick. The story stayed true to the comic and captured the essence of what makes TMNT fun.

I highly recommend seeing this film.

Not a timid success.......2007-09-08

I think everything in this movie was nicely presented with great editing and moved forward with a lot of grace, just as the live action films had been, but definitely with more allowance for the different scenes and effects. Mostly, I liked the story, and I think that it stands out among other animations. TMNT has all that someone would want from a story. I admit I was a little nostalgic going back to it, but it was a nostalgia I couldn't deny at the sight of this magnificent show of honor. From one scene to the next, there was no pausing to do something else, or anxiety, or any dislike for anything in it. And that's how I remember movies to be. Lately, it's just all going beserk. TMNT was a nice surprise, and it shows there are some dedicated people when it comes to movies like this. And Sarah Michelle Geller was a real surprise...she was right for this one.

Turtles still rock after all these years!.......2007-09-08

LOVED IT!!! From the previews I thought it was gonna suck because it was animated instead of live action like the previous movies were but this movie totally rocked! I thought the animation was fast, colorful, and it made the turtles look really cool! I still love Mikey! He's been my favorite since I was like 7 years old. This movie was a little dark, which I loved, and the fight between Leo and Raf was the best part! I hope there's a sequel!!!

Thank god this was animated and not live action! .......2007-09-02

This film is okay. It appeals more to elementary school kids at most. What's good about this film is the 3D animation and the voice casting of the turtles and April and Casey. The only voice that really bothered me was Master Splinter's. He sounded like he had a dry throat the entire time. The plot is a little weak. It focuses mostly on the relationship between Leonardo and Raphael which is a disappointment because it's supposed to be about four turtles not two. They're also supposed to find 13 monsters that have been around thousands of years and put them in a portal. They've been around for that long and some how haven't made the news. Anyway Leo's supposed to be a better leader so he leaves and we find him in Central America or somewhere around there in the beginning of the film. When he comes back everyone, but Raphael accepts him back. Raphael has been moonlighting as the Nightwatcher, a vigilante in the night. Some how none of the turtles, or Master Splinter for that matter, figure out that it's him. Not that many guys looking to kick evil's ass at night and since he's asleep all day and out all night what could he be doing?! Another problem is Casey and April. Casey is going around at night fighting criminals with a bat and a hockey mask. Raphael I understand. I mean you see him wearing cool metal armor and he's got martial arts. Plus two small knives which he's deadly with and a motorcycle. You san understand why he hasn't gotten killed doing this, but Casey is doing the same thing and doesn't have any of the advantages that Raphael has. He doesn't even drive anything. He just walks! How come he isn't dead? I don't know. April is first presented as an archaeologist which is believable, but later we see her fighting with a sword against thousands of ninjas. Her and Casey make it out alright for some reason. The turtles are in this fight too and them I do believe making it out alright, but an archaeologist and a tough guy against ninjas? Come on. There are two more good things though. One is the music. When you hear it in the movie it just fits in with the scenes. Particularity a scene in where Raphael, as the Nightwatcher, is fighting a little monster. The other good thing is the opening scene in which two armies are fighting each other. It's a cool thing to watch on screen. However, this film would've been better if the story was different. If they had begun the story with the turtles origins and had then face the Shredder ending with Leo's departure it would probably have been more entertaining. This film has some decent action and voice casting(for the most part), but it is a film you could live without seeing.

Decent family movie.......2007-09-02

Nothing outstanding, but it was a decent kids movie, my 12 an 7 year olds enjoyed the film. CGI was very good and there was lots of action and fighting.

Average customer rating:

X-Men 3
For the Child in All of Us
Quite good, finally...
A Hottt One...BUT...
Utterly, utterly dissapointed

X-Men - The Last Stand [Blu-ray]
Starring: Hugh Jackman , and Halle Berry
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000KC86F4
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

X-Men: The Last Stand is the third installment in the popular superhero franchise, and it's an exciting one with a splash of fresh new characters. When a scientist named Warren Worthington II announces a "cure" for mutant powers, it raises an interesting philosophical question: is mutant power a disease that needs a cure, or is it a benefit that homo superior enjoys over "normal" human beings? No surprise that Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants resist the idea that they need to be cured, and declare war on the human race. But it's a little tougher for the X-Men, led by Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Cyclops (James Marsden), and Storm (Halle Berry). If you're Rogue (Anna Paquin), for example, your power means you can't even touch your boyfriend, Iceman (Shawn Ashmore). To compound matters, someone previously thought dead has returned, and might be either friend or foe.

With director Bryan Singer having moved on to Superman Returns, the franchise passes to the hands of Brett Ratner (Rush Hour), whose best work is done in the big action sequences such as a showdown between mutant armies. But it's difficult to manage the sheer volume of characters when adding longtime comic-book stalwarts such as Beast (Kelsey Grammer) and Angel (Ben Foster), and one character in particular deserved better than an off-screen dismissal. And fans of the original Dark Phoenix comic book story might be underwhelmed by the movie's resolution. X-Men: The Last Stand is presumably the last film in the series, but the ambiguous ending leaves possibilities open. Look for the two writers most responsible for making the X-Men who they were, Stan Lee and Chris Claremont, in early cameos. --David Horiuchi

Beyond the Film

The movies
X-Men Evolution: The Complete Third Season
More Superhero DVDs

X-Men comic books
The X-Men on Xbox
The soundtrack and more

Description

Experience the awesome power of The X-Men's epic, final battle. Join well-known mutant heroes and villains, and meet a cadre of all-new warriors -- including Angel, Beast, Juggernaut and Colossus -- in this thrilling, explosive adventure!

After a controversial "cure" is discovered, mutants can choose to retain their superhuman abilities or give up their unique gifts and become "normal." When peaceful mutant leader Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) clashes with his militant counterpart, Magneto (Ian McKellen), the battle lines are drawn for the war to end all wars.

Bursting with nonstop action, spectacular special effects and exclusive extras, X-MEN THE LAST STAND is a force of nature that "will blow you away!"

Customer Reviews:

X-Men 3.......2007-09-08

This would be a good movie IF it were not called X-Men. They have completely sabotaged the X-Men storyline from the comics. They came up with new stories, which is sometimes ok, but not here. Jean Grey is barely used, Storm looks weak and undecisive, and Scott, why did they even have him there? THe movie left too many things unexplained, changed the X-men Universe and forgot to give some depth to the characters. This is just an action film and only that. Only Wolverine saves the day and the movie.

For the Child in All of Us.......2007-09-03

Rarely does a movie make me so irritated. After all, it's just a movie. Call me insecure but I resent having my intelligence so obviously mocked. I'm glad I watched it on HBO for the price of cable. The thought that I might have paid to sit through this in the theater is just depressing. A thrown together live-action cartoon movie without depth, style, substance or a whit of genuine insight. A thinly veiled children's movie & two hour toy commercial. At least the first two X-Men were simple-minded mildly intriguing escapist fun. More intelligent than post-Connery-pre-Daniel Craig James Bond but less so than the Spider-Man movies. X3 is just money grubbing dreck that insults it's diehard fan base most of all. There is absolutely no indication that the filmmakers even tried to make a good movie.

I don't know what aspect of the movie I find the most tiresome. So much to choose from. Maybe the indifferent mailed-in acting by otherwise talented actors (McKellen, Stewart, Jackman, Berry, Paquin, etc.) Purhaps the silly, illogical, inconsistent, scribbled down script filled with convenient but insupportable leaps in logic is the most grating. The banal grade school dialogue and emotions are a good candidate. So is the lack of character development. To say the pacing is incompetent is to imply the director, scriptwriter or editor even tried at all. The poorly choreographed and rather boring action scenes were particularly irritating because the previous two X-men did, at least, have exciting action. I think what bothers me the most is the fact that it cost millions and millions to make and was made without the slightest respect for it's audience. That's enough. I think I've exercised my spleen & made my contempt plain enough. I feel much better now.

Quite good, finally..........2007-08-31

I was disgusted by the cliched and obtrusive politics of the first two X-men flicks. I almost felt like identifying with Magneto. But the action, when they got to it, was impressive and left you wanting for more. Someone wrote here at Amazon that this third instalment was less politics and more action. I don't remember whether the person considered that as a compliment. But it seemed like a compliment to me, so I picked up the flick. I was quite pleasently surprised. Or let's say my hopes were fulfilled. Great action, and no obtrusive catering to trendy liberals. Way to go, I say. Every film like this means a little bit more entertainment from Hollywood, and a little bit less propaganda. I only wish they had been more brutal with Logan at the climax. They could have shown some of his adamantium skeleton there. Remember the end of Terminator II? A good dramatic opportunity missed, a good allusion opportunity missed, too. The climax wasn't quite as climactic as it could have been. Wolverine's healing mechanism seemed to be a bit too powerful there for a while, and then it was all over, the climax, I mean.

Nevertheless, heartily recommended.

A Hottt One...BUT..........2007-08-28

For the record, the X-Men trilogy is among my favorite superhero movie collections. X-Men and X-Men United were dreams come to life...as was X-Men:The Last Stand. However...as a comic book purist,I have to agree with some of the other posts and say that X3 was a bit disappointing. Not that the action wasn't there, not that the suspense and the romance weren't there, definately not that the special fx weren't there...but I wasn't feeling the way major characters got killed off in the end, and even more agitating is the way the film ended in light of the fact that there's supposedly NOT going to be an X4. Questions are left unanswered about Phoenix and the characters she disintegrated and all we're left with is anticipation for the Wolverine spin-off and the rumored Magneto spin-off to the X-Men trilogy. Could've been a lot better.

Utterly, utterly dissapointed.......2007-08-23

I was shocked at how ridiculous this movie was. I loved the 2nd one and thought this would be the icing on the cake, but I was actually left speechless at the end. I could find nothing to say since I was so shocked at how stupid this movie was. It was a garbled mess and felt pointless. I truly was hoping to love it but instead I got the complete opposite.

X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

X-Men 3
For the Child in All of Us
Quite good, finally...
A Hottt One...BUT...
Utterly, utterly dissapointed

X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Hugh Jackman , Halle Berry , Ian McKellen , Patrick Stewart , and Famke Janssen
Director: Brett Ratner
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HCO83Q
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Amazon.com

Beyond the Film

The movies
X-Men Evolution: The Complete Third Season
More Superhero DVDs

X-Men comic books
The X-Men on Xbox
The soundtrack and more

Description

Bursting with nonstop action, spectacular special effects and exclusive extras, X-MEN THE LAST STAND is a force of nature that "will blow you away!"

Customer Reviews:

X-Men 3.......2007-09-08

For the Child in All of Us.......2007-09-03

Quite good, finally..........2007-08-31

A Hottt One...BUT..........2007-08-28

Utterly, utterly dissapointed.......2007-08-23

Average customer rating:

Great Nostalgia value
Wonderful
Nostalgia...little else.
Not a great movie, but a good memory
I love this movie!!!

Masters of the Universe
Starring: Dolph Lundgren , Frank Langella , Meg Foster , Billy Barty , and Courteney Cox
Director: Gary Goddard
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

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ASIN: B00005MHOD
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Description

Planet Eternia and the Castle of Greyskull are under threat from the evil Skeletor who wants to take over the planet. A group of freedom fighters, led by the heroic He-Man are accidentally transported to Earth by a mysterious Cosmic Key which holds the power to make Skeletor all-powerful. Once on Earth, He-Man joins alliances with two teenagers as they attempt to find the key and return home.

Customer Reviews:

Great Nostalgia value.......2007-08-23

I barely remember watching this movie as young kid with my cousins. We weren't big fans of the animated series, in fact I had hardly every watched the He-Man series. So maybe that's why I could enjoy the movie so much. But as a kid I thought the movie was exciting and action packed and I was glad of the opportunity to watch the movie again. Now it seems a bit corny and Dulph's acting painful but it still reminds of the good times I had being a kid in the 80s. And at the price it's a bargain.

Wonderful.......2007-08-14

Was a gift for my brother-in-law - went off without a hitch. Product came early and was a pristine condition. Thank you.

Nostalgia...little else........2007-08-04

I had one of those really nostalgic moments of remembering how much I used to watch this movie when I was younger. Unlike most nostalgic impulse buys, this one was rather unfulfilling. It was nice to see it on DVD quality, given, but overall story and script leave less to be desired. But who REALLY is watching this to consider if it was snubbed from the academy awards 20 some odd years ago. For now, it does what it can do best which is remind us of a time when movie technology was only so advanced, but all of us 7 year old boys ate it up. If you are a HE-MAN affecianado this is a definite buy. Courtney Cox fans may want to watch to see her scream in the movie...just the way she does seems to pay homage in some part to Horror and Thriller movies of the last 40 years. If you want to see the small vestiges of GOOD acting, pay attention to Frank Langella's politically minded and diabolical portrayal of Skeletor. While other actors in the film have a difficult time acting themselves out of a hat, the likes of Langella and surprisingly, Dolph Lundgren, are worth the few dollars trip down memory lane. For all to TREK fans you get an early look at Robert Duncan McNeil pre-next gen and, most importantly, pre-voyager. You will notice that not much changed in his ability in the 7 years between this movie and Voyager's beginnings. Overall the movie is, as I have said, good for nostalgic purposes only, anything more, and I doubt viewers will be as forgiving when it comes to obvious flaws in production and shots. Appreciate it for the context in which is came out of, not much more.

Not a great movie, but a good memory.......2007-07-27

For those persons over thirty, the cartoon of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was a classic, this movie wasn't like the cartoon, but it makes also a nice memory. One gets to see Courtney Cox before she was famous on Friends, and Robert Duncan McNeill before he was on Star Trek Voyager.

The Director's comments weren't really that good and the movie isn't close captioned (strange!) but all in all, a movie to pass the time and remember childhood.

I love this movie!!!.......2007-07-24

Look folks, this may not be anything like the cartoon, but it is a sweet movie nonetheless.

Average customer rating:

Nicely done
I AM IRON MAN!
Excellent intro to Iron Man
Yet another excuse to hate marvel!!!!!!!!!
Ending out of character. Good rental.

The Invincible Iron Man
Starring: Marc Worden , Gwendoline Yeo , Fred Tatasciore , Rodney Saulsberry , and Elisa Gabrielli
Director: Patrick Archibald , and Frank Paur
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K7UBTI
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Description

Past and present collide in this epic adventure that reveals the origin of Iron Man. While raising the ruins of a long buried Chinese kingdom, billionaire inventor Tony Stark digs up far more than he bargained for. He unleashes an age-old prophecy that foretells the resurrection of the Mandarin, the emperor of China's darkest and most violent dynasty. In order to confront the destructive force, Tony creates an armored suit infused with high-tech weaponry. To stop the evil that he himself has raised form the earth, Tony must become his greatest invention everâ€"Iron Man! The newly born champion must travel to the four corners of the earth to battle the Mandarin's henchmen, the Elementalsâ€"four magical warriors who harness the power of the elementsâ€"earth, water, wind, and fireâ€"with deadly chemistry. But is the Iron Knight, as he his known in the prophecy, strong enough to defy fate and turn back the malevolent forces hell-bent on earth's destruction?

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done.......2007-09-13

It's a well done mix between CGI and hand drawn anymation and also it's a modern way to present a legendary Marvel hero. Recomended for all kind of Marvel fans.

I AM IRON MAN!.......2007-09-11

I thought this was a pretty good DVD. I think Marvel does a good job at the animation and also at making it interesting enough for adults and not on an insulting 'kiddy' level. One thing that you will find with these Marvel DVD's (at least the ones I have seen) they are not a 30 minute action fest like you would see on Saturday morning. They are really into telling the story so some might think it moves slowly. I like this cause it is more like a movie and less like a cheap roller coaster ride.

Excellent intro to Iron Man.......2007-08-14

I really liked the animation. The story, though diiferent in many ways from that of the comic, is very good. I have watched it several times and I continue to enjoy it.

Yet another excuse to hate marvel!!!!!!!!!.......2007-08-14

As a once die hard Marvel comic book fan, who still owns hundreds of mint condition X-men, Spider man, Punishers and various other titles. Let me say that these past recent years, I've been utterly disgusted with the heads currently in charge at Marvel. Much like the crappy Spider Man 3, Iron Man is yet another assembly line mediocre attempt by marvel to cash in off die hard fans nastalgia.
I wont go into detail concerning the plot of Iron Man, simply because its predictable, unbelievable, and just crappy all across the board.

As a kid, I hated D.C. comics, for reasons only die hard marvel fans can understand. Those cardboard cutout plots, the cape's, and generic goodguy badguy lines in the sand. While marvel represented a rebelousness, gen X, characters who were neither good nore bad, but existed in shadowy shades of gray. Yet thats how I felt as a kid.
Today, I cant pull myself away from the brilliance that is the Justice League cartoon series, Batman cartoons, and other D.C. projects. Simply because they go above and beyond creativity, allowing the artist to stay true to the characters while boldy pushing boundries. Iron Man, much like Spidey 3, the Fantastic Four movies, Dare Devil, the Punisher movie, Avengers cartoons, and other weak attempts by marvel to cash in, should be avoided at all cost people.

Ending out of character. Good rental........2007-08-11

I am old school too. Iron Man was born in Vietnam not China. In the interest of making the story more today that was okay. The story line was decent too. The ending was out of character. Are you an Iron Man fan? You know the movie is taking liberties with the character too. A bit overpriced at the moment. Definitely a good rental.

Average customer rating:

Not too bad
So Bad It's Just----BAD!
Popeye
Popeye (movie with Robin Williams)
Great Film

Popeye
Starring: Robin Williams , Shelley Duvall , Ray Walston , Paul Dooley , and Paul L. Smith
Director: Robert Altman
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000094J63
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Amazon.com

Nothing interests filmmaker Robert Altman more than a contained culture that mixes bare humanity with local eccentricity (think of his M*A*S*H and Nashville). So Altman's Popeye (1980), based on the old comic strip, works best as a portrait of a busy, cluttered, cartoonish town called Sweethaven. But it is much less successful as a comprehensible story about the famous sailor with massive forearms and a relationship with Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall). Robin Williams plays Popeye with his usual brilliance for mimicry, Paul Dooley makes a credible Wimpy, and Paul L. Smith makes an impression as the oversized bully, Bluto. But this strange, disastrous film never becomes more than an expensive workshop airing out Altmanesque themes. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Not too bad.......2007-08-28

I really enjoyed this film as a child but I think the reason it wasn't all that popular through the years is because it was a musical when the comic strip and cartoons were not.
Robin Williams is great and Shelly Duvall was the perfect physicall choice of the day, but she is a bit anoying.
The film takes too long to get going and when it does it does not have nearly enough action, as the strips and cartoons did.
It's still a good family movie.

So Bad It's Just----BAD!.......2007-08-09

Further proof of an old maxim that animated cartoons NEVER translate well into live action. This thing isn't even "funny bad", it's just BAD, period.

I really tried to like this but in the end was completely frustrated despite the good cast. Actions that are hilarious in cartoons just don't work well in live action and this is defiite evidence of that shortcoming. The biggest disappointments for me were Robin Williams' portrayal of Popeye, the mumbling was so overdone that I lost track of what he was trying to say (at least in the original cartoons, you could understand the mumbling). Plus, he didn't look very convincing as the anvil-armed sailor one iota. Bluto in here just did not work, ZERO energy ZERO personality and nothing close to the wisecracking, energetic cartoon Bluto. And don't get me started on the songs, JUST BLOODY AWFUL! "He's Large" alone is enough to make me want to strangle the person that wrote these horrible songs (I NEVER liked musicals much to start with, and this abomination is yet another reason why)!

Sorry, it was merely a try but nowhere close to a cigar, and DEFINITELY not a can of spinach.

Popeye.......2007-08-06

Dissapointing production of what we thought would be an interesting classic. Even the grandchildren got bored.

Popeye (movie with Robin Williams).......2007-08-05

The movie I received is excellent quality, clarity, sound. Previously, I ordered all 4 seasons of the t.v. comedy hit, Soap and all of the episodes are excellent quality for color, sound, clarity. I enjoy ordering DVDs that are fun and entertaining to watch. I can always be guaranteed that movies I order through Amazon to be of the highest quality and I can always trust that ordering new ones (not previously used) are new DVDs. Thank you for asking me for input.

Great Film.......2007-07-29

Though this film is unpopular in some circles...It is actually a GREAT film! Excellent sets, makeup, songs and acting make Robin Williams' first film a wonderful and delightful adventure into the world of a character we all know. I definitely recommend this film.

Average customer rating:

Vampire Flick
loved it
Okay
underplotted, underacted, underdone, underworld
For Vampire Lovers

Underworld (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Kate Beckinsale , Scott Speedman , Michael Sheen , Shane Brolly , and Bill Nighy
Director: Len Wiseman
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000VAFO0
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com

Blade meets The Crow and The Matrix in Underworld, a hybrid thriller that rewrites the rulebook on werewolves and vampires. It's a "cuisinart" movie (blend a lot of familiar ideas and hope something interesting happens) in which immortal vampire "death dealers" wage an ancient war against "Lycans" (werewolves), who've got centuries of revenge--and some rather ambitious genetic experiments--on their lycanthropic agenda. Given his preoccupation with gloomy architecture (mostly filmed in Budapest, Hungary), frenetic mayhem and gothic costuming, it's no surprise that first-time director Len Wiseman gained experience in TV commercials and the art departments of Godzilla, Men in Black, and Independence Day. His work is all surface, no substance, filled with derivative, grand-scale action as conflicted vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale, who later became engaged to Wiseman) struggles to rescue an ill-fated human (Scott Speedman) from Lycan transformation. It's great looking all the way, and a guaranteed treat for horror buffs, who will eagerly dissect its many strengths and weaknesses. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Underneath the city streets, amid the labyrinth of subway tunnels and gothic ruins, the two most notorious creatures of the night are embroiled in an all-out war that has been going on for centuries. It is the culmination of a blood-thirsty battle between the vampires and their mortal enemies, the werewolves. Stars: Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor, My Life Without Me), Scott Speedman (My Life Without Me, TV's "Felicity").

Customer Reviews:

Vampire Flick.......2007-09-13

I love vampire movies and books, so of course I like this movie. However, even if you are not into the vampire genre, I still feel like this movie is worth watching. It definitely puts a new spin on the vampire/werewolf stories. Plus, Kate Beckinsale is in tight leather! Even a straight woman can appreciate that.

loved it.......2007-09-07

I thought this was an outstanding take on the Vampire Werewolf genre together with great action and cinematography and good acting. Kate... well, she's always worth watching, right?

Okay.......2007-08-07

After my second viewing of this film I figured I'd get around to writing a review. In an our-world noir-esque film, vampires and werewolves are in an age old war to defeat one or the another. The werewolves pursue an age old legend of a wolf and a vampire combining into one species. It's definitely an interesting idea combining two of the best horror species and the movie allows for some definite eye candy moments. The film is shot in a very cold, sterile at times, manner that allows for some grand juxtaposition of some of the film's carnage. A fun film.

underplotted, underacted, underdone, underworld.......2007-08-01

Underworld (Len Wiseman, 2003)

Okay, so, well, it's Kate Beckinsale in skintight leather with big guns. And that's a reason to watch just about anything. The question is, is there anything else about this movie worth watching? I'm not entirely sure whether I can give a definitive answer to that question, but I'm leaning towards "no".

The plot-- what there is of it-- revolves around Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire from a clan who've been at war with a clan of werewolves (known as the Lyken, because in Hollywood, everything is cooler if you shorten it), heade dby the enigmatic Lucian (Michael Sheen) for a long, long time. And, well, I'd have to go well into the second half of the movie to give you more of a plot summary than that, because it takes this movie forever to actually come up with a plot. (When it does arrive, it's a rather loose definition of the term anyway.) The main thing you need to know is that a human medical student, Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), gets in the way.

Perhaps I'm giving the movie short shrift, and when it was originally conceived, there was a much stronger, more coherent storyline. Still, that's not what we ended up getting. Yeah, things finally start coming together about an hour and twenty minutes into the movie, but for the first hour and twenty minutes, there's really not much to do but stare at Kate Beckinsale in skintight leather with big guns. And, you know, even that can get old. (Substitute "Charlize Theron" and AEon Flux, and there you go.) Definitely not one I'll be rewatching. **

For Vampire Lovers.......2007-07-16

I love this movie, vampires and werewolves against each other, it was awesome! I like this movie a lot more than part two (underworld evolution). Part 2 wasnt as great.

Average customer rating:

Simple DVD.
Great Movie
Great for me!
Terrific entertainment
Corny, clunky, a deserved turkey of the early 90s.

Rocketeer
Starring: Bill Campbell , Jennifer Connelly , Alan Arkin , Timothy Dalton , and Paul Sorvino
Director: Joe Johnston
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305428514
Release Date: 1999-08-17

Amazon.com

Based on a retro-styled comic book hit of the '80s, this Disney film was meant to launch a whole line of Rocketeer films--but the series began and ended with this one. That's too bad, because this underrated Joe Johnston film has a certain loopy charm. The story centers on a pre-World War II stunt pilot (Bill Campbell) who accidentally comes into possession of a rocket-propelled backpack much coveted by the Nazis. With the aid of his mechanic pal (Alan Arkin), he gets it up and running, then uses it to foil a plot by a gang of vicious Nazi spies (is there any other kind?) led by Timothy Dalton. Jennifer Connelly is on hand as the love interest, but the real fun here is when the Rocketeer takes off. There's also a nifty battle atop an airborne blimp. --Marshall Fine

Description

The discovery of a top-secret jetpack hurls test pilot Cliff Secord into a daring adventure of mystery, suspense, and intrigue! Cliff encounters an assortment of ruthless villains, led by a Hollywood screen star who's a secret Nazi spy (Timothy Dalton). With the help of his actress girlfriend, the young pilot battles enormous odds to defeat his foes who are anxious to use the device in an evil plan to rule the world! The dangerous mission transforms the ordinary young man into an extraordinary hero!

Customer Reviews:

Simple DVD........2007-08-25

For me this movie holds a lot of nostalgia and that makes it great!
BUT, this is a really simple version of the movie. No extras, no books, no 5.1 SS.

Great Movie.......2006-11-10

This movie is great - I wish a sequel had been made, as was originally planned. It would have been nice if the DVD had been anamorphic, but otherwise it is a great product.

Great for me!.......2006-11-05

I always liked this movie, a simple idea with a great out come. A good story of good verses evil, with a cool strap on rocket. Now i get to enjoy this movie when ever i please.

Terrific entertainment.......2006-08-23

(4.5/5 stars) This is a fantasy film set during World War II, with the Nazis chasing jet-propelled backpack technology that will enable their airmen to land in enemy territory. There is even a mock Nazi propaganda film to illustrate the awesome power of this new weapon. In fact, the film really blurs fantasy with reality, with appearances by W.C. Fields and Cab Calloway, among others. Timothy Dalton plays Neville Sinclair, an actor whose life bears an uncanny resemblance to that of Errol Flynn's. Fiction mixed with reality can be amusing because it offers an imaginative alternative to straight fiction and non-fiction. On the other hand, "The Da Vinci Code," "JFK" and the current Bush administration have all proven mixing fantasy and reality can produce downright ugly results. There is some very good action as The Rocketeer, played by the dashing and handsome Bill Campbell, eludes the Nazis and attempts to foil their plot. Jennifer Connelly is radiant as his love interest, Jenny Blake. This is the type of movie where gray areas do not exist; everything is either black or white, good or bad. Along with excellent sets, wardrobes, styles, etc., this aids the film in establishing its nostalgic, 1940s feel. This is a very fun movie for most of the family. Even though there is little objectionable material, some themes might be better suited for ages ten and up.

Corny, clunky, a deserved turkey of the early 90s........2006-07-15

The Rocketeer is the cinematic version of all the faux-Deco buildings that have been erected in recent years around Los Angeles, particularly the Miracle Mile area. It's wafer-thin nostalgia masks a chintzy story that can't stand on its own two feet.

The plotting of The Rocketeer is sound enough for adolescent fare. Unfortunately, the characters are totally uninspired and the dialogue atrocious. Worse still is the execution of the material. Every actor is miscast and thoroughly lacking in charisma. Bill Campbell -- ever hear of him anymore? He overacts every single scene. Timothy Dalton? Hammy. Jennifer Connelly is the only one to come out unscathed.

The direction is beyond weak. When The Rocketeer appears at the nightclub it is so poorly staged, so cloyingly "goofy" that it extinguishes the promise of anything remotely thrilling from happening. Add to this foul mixture a horrendous James Horner score... you get the idea. Still, some nice set design and an effective animated film-within-a-film make for a couple high points.

Average customer rating:

awful
FANTASTIC FILM!
A good example of poor editing
Lame
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax . com Is Here!

Fantastic Four [Blu-ray]
Starring: Jessica Alba
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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