Spice World

Amazon.com

The Spice Girls have plenty of personality, and that helps make up for the lapses in inspiration that keep their feature debut from being a truly good movie and potential cult piece. As with Richard Lester's Hard Day's Night, Spice World is about a few days in the collective life of the all-female British group; and the banter is suggestively representative of how the Girls all speak to one another. But the value of individual scenes is woefully inconsistent, reaching a low point in a dumb sequence when a gaggle of extraterrestrials hit them up for autographs. Fortunately, the film is full of great people, or in some cases good people doing great things: Richard E. Grant, Roger Moore, Alan Cummings, Mark McKinney, and tons of cameos from the likes of Elton John, Elvis Costello, and Bob Hoskins. You don't have to be 11 years old and female to get some enjoyment out of this movie, but it might help. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Spice Girls Movie.......2007-08-31

"Spice World" is a good movie as The Spice Girls poke fun at themselfs-So not to take so seriously of themselfs."Spice World" does have its funny moments and the music is simply great.The Movie should have been in Widescreen too.It's okay with Full Screen but Widescreen is better.So glad it has the extra song "Mama"(Shown in Widescreen) and the theatrical trailer.If "Spice World" ever be re-realeased again-It would be nice to put a behind the scenes feature,deleted scenes(There was 2 I've seen in the theatrical trailer never seen before),Outtakes(?),The Teaser Trailer,Music Videos,a commntary(?)and the movie in Widescreen(Really update this dvd).Now that The Spice Girls are reunited this year.This is still a fun movie to watch.

oh my God! wow! love this album!.......2007-07-11

this is even better than their 1st album! spice up your life is my fave spice girls song! this album is better than 1st b/c it just is; just listn to spice up your life, too much (rarely does a slow song sound so good!), and saturday night divas. plz get this album, you'll love it!

CLASSIC!.......2007-04-04

This was a movie I got for my daughters friend and she loves it! To remind you she is 13 and enjoys the lovable and light hearted movie!

The Best Stupid Movie I've Ever Seen.......2007-03-12

This movie is simply hilarious. I was quite captivated by the Spice Girls when this movie first came out. Shortly after, I outgrew them, but I still LOVE this movie. Anyone who has not seen it, needs to. Period.

Cruel Brittania.......2007-02-13

Britain, circa 1997. Tony Blair is elected P.M. Princess Di perishes. And the Spice Girls are unleashed to an unsuspecting public. This effort is an attempt to cash in on the phenomenon before a fickle populace turns their attention to the next best thing. To be fair, the girls are not to blame for what a tedious flick this is. Rather, they are appealing and prove to be the film's lone redeeming factor. The fault lies in the script that tries to do for the Spice Girls what "A Hard Days' Night" did for the Beatles. Whereas the Fab Four's film was full of wit and cogent commentary on Beatlemania this flick is unfunny and basically incoherent about what it's trying to say about the Spice craze. I was reminded more of the Monkees' "Head" than I was of "A Hard Days' Night". Lots of celeb cameos (Roger Moore, Elton John, et al) that amount to naught. Oh, well. On to "From Justin to Kelly".

Average customer rating:

COOL DVD
Loud and proud
An Aussie Review
NASCAR - The IMAX Experience
Imax Nascar

NASCAR - The IMAX Experience
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland , Tony Stewart (III) , Matt Kenseth , Jimmie Johnson , and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Director: Simon Wincer
Manufacturer: Imax
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Accessories:

Product Features:

Classic DVD
Exclusive interviews, highlights, and behind the scenes coverage
DVD's main menu allow you to jump directly to the action
Presented in full-screen digital video

ASIN: B0007P0XDM
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Product Description

When NASCAR: The IMAX Experience 3D is released to IMAX Theatres in Spring 2004, fans will literally be transported into the driver's seat of America's most popular spectator sport. The groundbreaking IMAX 3D film, set against America's most popular spectator sport, will be distributed exclusively to IMAX theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX in Spring 2004 and marks Warner Bros.' first foray into the IMAX arena.

Amazon.com

Until you've seen NASCAR: The IMAX Experience, you haven't really seen NASCAR. Even without the advantage of a gigantic IMAX screen and 70-millimeter 3-D projection, this 48-minute IMAX film is a perfect primer for newcomers to the sport of stock-car racing. Like all IMAX films it's aimed at a mainstream audience (hardcore NASCAR fans won't learn anything new here), so it covers a broad spectrum of general history, technical information, and pure high-speed adrenaline, from NASCAR's origins in 1947 to the oval-track highlights of the 2003 season. While Lonesome Dove director Simon Wincer captures the action (including some amazing mid-pack and cockpit footage during actual races), Kiefer Sutherland narrates an informative survey of season-long activities, from car building and safety measures at Mooresville, North Carolina, to pit-crew practice, transportation logistics, constant danger and its effect on drivers' wives and families, and the aerodynamics of drafting. Interesting trivia (each tire costs $389!) is included along with driver profiles and a compilation of memorable race finishes, but it's the IMAX footage that makes this a thrill-a-minute DVD, perfect for anyone who's just beginning to enjoy the world's fastest (and fastest-growing) sport. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

COOL DVD.......2007-08-16

This is a wonderful DVD for Nascar fans, but you don't even have to like Nascar to enjoy this.
Make sure you have your home theater system cranked-up for this.

All I have to say is WOW!

Loud and proud.......2007-04-18

The NASCAR world was one completely foreign to me a year ago. Then my son (who was then 5) got hooked on the racing scenes in the Cars movie, and suddenly he discovered NASCAR... and now all our Sunday afternoons are booked watching races.

I bought this DVD for my son for his birthday a couple of weeks ago. It's really interesting and well done. I watch it having already been brought up to speed on the sport; I know nearly all the drivers, their sponsors, and their car numbers. But I imagine this documentary would be nearly as fascinating to newbies, mostly because of the IMAX treatment -- cameras putting you "right there," in this case right down on the track as cars whip by.

The DVD includes a good history lesson and great explanations of how a track functions on race day. The pit crews get proper treatment, too. One criticism is that few individual races or drivers are highlighted; perhaps the filmmakers simply wanted to emphasize the "experience."

I wish I had seen this on an IMAX screen!

An Aussie Review.......2007-02-08

NASCAR - The Imax Experience was an interesting documentary giving an insight into NASCAR. It could have been a little longer, but was enjoyable.

NASCAR - The IMAX Experience.......2007-01-29

Excellent movie, but has some scenes missing from the original shown at Daytona USA.

Imax Nascar.......2007-01-19

DVC well done. Shipping less than satisfactory-requested & paid for 2 day shipping for Christmas & confirmed. Next day rec'd email that item would be shipped after Christ (no reason provided). Following an email complaint item was shipped next day mail for free! and arrived on time. Also problems occurred when attempted to play on surround sound.

Average customer rating:

Great!
REQUIEM FOR A SONG
I love it!
Instantly into my "top 10" all time!
What could be more IRONIC than a deaf DJ?

It's All Gone Pete Tong
Starring: Paul Kaye (IV) , Beatriz Batarda , Kate Magowan , Mike Wilmot , and Neil Maskell
Director: Michael Dowse
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000A7LR6Y
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Description

Based on a true story and Winner of Best Feature Film at Toronto Film Festival and Gen Art Film Festival, Paul Kaye (Best Actor, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival) stars as Frankie Wilde, the legendary British DJ and musical mastermind of the underground club scene whose career is cut down at its pinnacle by unthinkable tragedy - the loss of his hearing. Darkly funny and inspirational, with fierce performances by both Kaye and Kate Magowan ("24 Hour Party People"), as his sex-crazed Mrs.,you'll laugh and gasp but cheer him on as he struggles out of the abyss to reclaim his life and reputation.

Customer Reviews:

Great!.......2007-09-10

Excellent movie, especially if you are in the clubbing/rave scene. The soundtrack is amazing, Paul Kaye's acting is flawless. Great movie, try to make your grandma like it! Sex, Drugs and Electronic music... What can I say, tripping!

REQUIEM FOR A SONG.......2007-05-21

IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG is an absolute stunner. The central character has varied interests, substantial amount of money to blow on women, family, alcohol and drugs. He is at his best when he is the center of attention; scenes in the film make you want to cheer him. There is one seen in the film which is almost the MOST disturbing 2 minutes I have seen in a long time. This movie is what you and I wait for all year. My favourite scene in the film involves the central character (F.W) and the time he discovers his own worthlessness without ears. Massively inspiring. The kind of film one quotes. Amazing cause it has an Aviator like charm to offset your heart in it's own profound yet not so humble discourse.

I love it!.......2007-03-10

Guys,
this movie wasn't exported to Italy but I watched it on the flight Milan - Miami...it was incredible! I bought it on Amazon because the feeling of the Dj deaf playing and hearing the music with the human contact of the foots, with a Mac exploding the audio waves, has no words to be described!

Instantly into my "top 10" all time!.......2006-11-05

It's All Gone Pete Tong is excellent from first to last scene. Paul Kaye is amazing. It's a movie that should be seen multpile times- it gets better and better. Besides just having a great story line and premise, the direction is great, the use of music and sound creates lasting emotion. The way they edit the sound to toggle between Frank's deafness and what is just normally happening from scene to scene is so well done that you'd have to concentrate on how they do it to understand it, because it flows so seemlessly and naturally to let the viewer feel what he's going through. This movie is funny, dramatic, original and so well made in every aspect that I would recommend it to everyone. Own this movie and pass it on- people will thank you.

What could be more IRONIC than a deaf DJ?.......2006-10-06

Consumers love IRONY! I can sum up this film in one sentence: DJing, drugs, hummus and sex...silence...newfound appreciation for life. What makes this film great is not the fact that Frankie Wilde does drugs, rather, its HOW he does drugs (see it and you'll understand what I mean). Same thing with his DJing. The fact that he DJs is well-and-good, but you have to see HOW he DJs (pre- and post-deaf). Frankie is a special character and Paul Kaye nails this role (as he says in the DVD extras, "God, I've waited a long time for this job."). Speaking of DVD extras...WATCH THEM. Frankie the spokesmodel for Oman Whiskey, Frankie on a cooking show, Frankie on an interview with a news anchor, Frankie's Rabbi (played by Paul Kaye), among other gimmicks...classic. In regards to credentials...WINNER GEN ART FILM FESTIVAL, WINNER U.S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL, WINNER TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL. And the soundtrack...exceptional club music. Particularly, Reflekt's "Need to Feel Loved" (Seb Fontaine & Jay P Remix). I guarantee you will RE-WATCH this film over and over again. Maybe you'll even take a step back and have a look at your own life?

Note: THIS FILM IS A WORK OF FICTION. IT IS A "MOCK"UMENTARY. DON'T BE FOOLED. The fact that the directors and actors deliver such a compelling final product, where consumers actually believe it is real, is testament alone that this film is a keeper.

Please feel free to disagree with my opinion; let us compare opinions, invite a few more points of view, and debate, like the humans we are.

Average customer rating:

Thrills and Chills and More From Beginning to the End
Great Mini Series
review of disks only
It's entertainment, not a documentary
Best Mini-Series I have Ever Seen!

The State Within
Starring: Eva Birthistle , Paulino Nunes , Bradley Sawatzky , Alex Jennings , and Asim Wali
Director: Daniel Percival , and Michael Offer
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
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ASIN: B000KF0DVQ
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Amazon.com

Leave it to British TV to deliver the slickest, most intense take on terrorism on U.S. soil (with apologies to 24, of course). The State Within is a BBC production of the highest order, tense, dense, and absolutely riveting. The miniseries starts with a bang--actually, a horribly realistic explosion of a U.S. airliner bound for London, and the production values are every bit as detailed and impressive as any big-screen action film. Chunks of plane and passengers fall along the freeway outside Dulles airport in Washington, creating havoc and collateral damage in a truly visceral fashion. And then the real action begins. Our hero is Sir Mark Brydon, British ambassador to Washington, played with sangfroid by Jason Isaacs (slightly reminiscent of Daniel Craig as James Bond). Sir Mark has not only an international crisis on his hands, but quickly learns treachery, deceit, and murder lurk within the governments he's learned to trust. The plot is complex but extremely satisfying, far superior than most mass-market thrillers released in theaters in the U.S. Especially delicious is a small but key role as the U.S. Secretary of Defense by Cagney & Lacey's Sharon Gless, whose eyes glitter like shards of ice. Savor The State Within, but be prepared to be rattled the next time you go to the airport--or try to go to sleep. --A.T. Hurley

Description

Can you believe what your superiors tell you -- even if you are the British Ambassador to America? In this high octane, action-packed conspiracy thriller, a terrifying plot is played out along the dark corridors of power. When a flight explodes in mid-air over Washington D.C., the British Embassy finds itself enveloped in a diplomatic catastrophe. What happens next is a cat's cradle of tangled affinities and conflicting interests told through interlinking stories that unfold as British Ambassador Mark Brydon slowly realizes that he is being played by an invisible puppeteer with great power.

Customer Reviews:

Thrills and Chills and More From Beginning to the End.......2007-09-02

Sir Mark, the English Ambassador to the United States, is like Jack Ryan: he is everywhere and into everything, knowing everybody. There is a cautionary subtext about being informed and not trusting what any government tells you to believe. Mostly, this is thrills and chills entertainment. I really enjoyed it.

This international cast of English-speaking actors does a wonderful job at fleshing out these characters. Sharon Gless is a fun surprise. This is not a macho-fueled story. I loved how there were plenty of really interesting female characters. This kept the predictability at a minimum. Also, I really enjoyed watching Jason Isaacs play a good, sexy guy and Ben Daniels do his man-of-mystery thing.

There is a bit of melodrama, and the character development is not very deep. This is not Shakespeare, but the script is intelligent enough. I also love how it captures the sense of place considering that it was probably mostly filmed in Canada. (I used to live in the DC area. You could have fooled me.)

Great Mini Series.......2007-08-27

I bought this DVD recently to fill some time while recuperating for a few days from a surgery. And I was very pleased. The Editor's Review is right on the money. This is an engrossing thriller of the highest caliber. The acting is great and the story is complex and well written and acted. Be sure to give it your full attention while watching. I made the mistate of answering a few emails on my BlackBerry and realized that the first hour was up and I had missed a bunch of the plot and character introductions by not paying attention. 6 hours of entertainment and well worth the price!

review of disks only.......2007-08-15

I've already given this series a 5-star rating. I do have to say, however, that the DVD set disks are disappointing. What is the term? It isn't "pixellated." It isn't "low resolution." Images crash into each other. It is as if a video at 29.97 frames per second were missing one or two frames per second. It doesn't affect the story but it is jarring to the eye.

On another topic, please convert "Die Kinder" to DVD.

It's entertainment, not a documentary.......2007-06-29

"The State Within" is an intelligent, well-acted, entertaining political thriller. What it is not is a diatribe against the United States. Having read reviews claming that it was, I watched "The State Within" with some trepidation. One review said that, with the exception of the death row prison guard, the Americans were all one-dimensional villains. Not true. There were good Americans and bad Americans in the film, just as there were good British characters and bad British characters.

The film does make the point that, in politics, even choosing the better (most moral) choice can lead to unintended and even evil consequences. No one recognizes this better than Mark Brydon, the hero and clearly a good man. There are some veiled references to Iraq, so I supposed those individuals who firmly believe invading Iraq was the correct thing to do might take offense, but that still doesn't mean "The State Within" is anti-American.

The viewer does need to be patient with "The State Within." There's a fairly large cast of characters and it may take an episode or two to keep them all straight. I'm astounded by the reviewer who claimed to have the entire story figured out in half an hour. I'm not sure all the characters were even introduced by that point. The production as a whole is top-notch, and I especially enjoyed Eva Birthistle as Jane Lavery and Ben Daniels as Nicholas Brocklehurst. His character will keep you guessing for several episodes. Also outstanding was the actor who played the prison guard (not sure of his name), He has such an expressive face. Jason Isaacs gives a compelling performance as the lead character Mark Brydon. Ever since I saw him as Lucius Malfoy in the second Harry Potter movie I've found him to be a fascinating actor, and it was so enjoyable to see him play a hero for a change.

Best Mini-Series I have Ever Seen!.......2007-06-28

The state within is one of the best mini-series that I have ever seen. Ben Daniels, Jason Issac, and Norman Jenkins were phenomenal in their portrayl of their characters. Not only is the cast superb, but the plot is so well written and the characters' stories perfectly interlinked, that I sat on the edge of my seat through all six episodes, totally immersed in the conflict and drama being potrayed on the TV screen. This is one of the few movies that I could not predict what was going to happen, who was on which side, and who was romantically involved and their motives. The state within is quite refreshing in this aspect. Usually within the first five minutes of a TV show I am able to guess not only what is going to happen during the episode but also most of the diaologue. This is not the case with The State Within. This mini-series,in my opinion was not long enough, and should be brought back to television as a regular show. It is that good. I can promise you one thing, this movie will make you think and it will keep you thinking long after episode 6 is over. It is well worth the money. I have loaned out my copy to a friend from school and she is keeping it to show her boyfriend and I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to show it to his friends:-). It is a great movie and I encourage anyone who gets the opportunity to watch it!

Average customer rating:

Good movie, but doesn't cover the whole story
Good Bounty
Another disappointment telling of the Bounty saga....
Seduction of paradise
By far the best version

The Bounty
Starring: Mel Gibson , Anthony Hopkins , Laurence Olivier , Edward Fox , and Daniel Day-Lewis
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00004Y87L
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Amazon.com

Director Roger Donaldson (Thirteen Days) has breathed vibrant new life into the classic story of the mutiny on the Bounty. With a dream cast--Mel Gibson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Laurence Olivier, Liam Neeson, and Daniel Day-Lewis--and a script by Robert Bolt (Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia), The Bounty takes a revisionist tack through the well-charted waters of an oft-told tale. Hopkins's Captain Bligh is no raving sadist in the Charles Laughton mode. (Laughton played Bligh in the first Mutiny on the Bounty, 1935.) Instead, Sir Anthony plays Bligh as a hard-nosed imperialist explorer simply trying to get the job done in the time-honored manner: on the backs of the poor gobs under his command. Still, when Bligh's suppressed powder keg of rage finally blows, Hopkins is formidable indeed. Mel Gibson gives one of the most soulful performances of his career as mutiny leader Fletcher Christian. He's also at the height of his blue-eyed, buff good looks, and his romance with Tahitian maiden Mauatua (lovely Tevaite Vernette) is decidedly erotic. Liam Neeson is a veritable force of nature as the scrappy seaman Charles Churchill, and Daniel Day-Lewis is sublimely hateful as Master John Fryer, a pompous toady. With special effects to rival those of The Perfect Storm, the alluring eye candy of a tall-masted schooner under full sail, lush tropical greenery, and bevies of bodacious South Sea Islands babes, plus a gripping story line, The Bounty deserves a rescue from undeserved obscurity. --Laura Mirsky

Description

OscarÂ(r) winners* Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson lead a stellar cast that includes Sir Laurence Olivier, Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson in this action-packed adventure bursting with sensational battles, raging storms, and an intensity as powerful as the mighty sea itself! Bristling with commanding performances, blazing dialogue and "superb action scenes" (Los Angeles Times), this "spectacular movie" (New York) is "everything a high-adventure fan could want" (Variety)! Hopkins delivers "a brilliant portrayal" (Boxoffice) as William Bligh, a real-life sea captain who, in 1787, steered The Bounty on a 27,000-mile voyage into danger, chaos and madness. After 31 days of battling severe sea squalls and Bligh's ever-increasing cruelty, the weary crew is relieved to finally land on a remote island. But soon their tyrannical captain wants tosail again, and the desperate men turn to first mate Fletcher Christian (Gibson) to help them take the ship by force or die trying. *Hopkins: Actor, The Silence of the Lambs (1991); Gibson: Director, Producer, Braveheart (1995)

Customer Reviews:

Good movie, but doesn't cover the whole story.......2007-05-10

This move gave a good summary about what happened regarding the mutiny. I always belived that there are too many important characters in this historical saga to be covered by only one movie. It would be totally awesome if a trilogy was produced that covered the entire Bounty story.

Anthony Hopkins, as always, was excellent as Captain Bligh. The acting was very good and the scenery shots were awesome.

It seems that the movie protrayed Captain Bligh as the villain and Christian as the hero. In reality, who was the bad guy?

Is it Bligh, who treated his men badly with an "iron hand" (but who acted within the law of the admirality) and kept Christian away from the one he loved the most?

Or is it Christian, who followed his feelings instead of logic and broke the law? Thus ensued a mutiny that put EVERYONE'S life at risk. Not to mention that Christian, himself, never thought of possibly being killed by his own men after the mutiny.

Good Bounty.......2007-03-24

I think most people will find this movie very good. Nice scenery and a real "at sea" feel. Captain Bligh had some character inconsistencies to me. I'll leave those for the viewer. In the end, Bligh comes off very well in this depiction, exonerated by the naval court of inquiry in London without reservation. The movie flashes back and forth from the testimony and story. No problem there. The plot lingers too long in the "paradisio" south sea island scenes. They had to get the characters in "love" [sex] affairs with the native women - and one in particular [Christian] takes up much too much time. Chief's daughter strikes out with Christian when Bligh finally rains on the parade. Bligh has his woman provided by the chief as well but he's a prude and lives the incompleted life [the Hollywood weltanschauung].

It's back to sea now fellows and Brit naval discipline sort of thing. Then the mutiny and back to the island for some more love [sex]. That doesn't go this time for the chief sees retribution from the Brits. Hollywood already had milked that one for all it was worth. On to Pitcairne Island, burn the ship, and settle. Good movie and a high recommendation, irrespective of the Hollywood craze for the hedonistic life, as the typical life. Excellent shipboard scenes and a good feel of being at sea in the late 18th century before the mast.

Another disappointment telling of the Bounty saga...........2007-03-16

This was a disappointing film. Granted, it's a tad more historically accurate depiction of the Bounty then the other two films made of the story, but it still didn't get at the heart of it. In this film, Captain Bligh is portrayed as more human, but that's really just in the beginning of the voyage. After they leave Tahiti, he becomes deranged and obsessed. No real explanation is given, and it seems the makers of the film resorted to the time worn "good guy/bad guy" stuff because it was easy and doesn't require much thought. The actual story of the mutiny is quite complex. Bligh was not at all mad, but actually quite benign, especially compared to the dastardly Captain Cook, who was as cruel as his reputation suggests, and to other sea captains of his time. Bligh was considerably considerate towards his crew, doubling their rest periods, supervising their diet (to prevent scurvvy), and ensuring they had proper exercise (there is a scene in this film depicting that). He was also a master seaman, managing one of the most extraordinary feats in navigational history, sailing 3618 miles in an open boat for 41 days. This is depicted in the film, but it's really not given any real significance, probably because it would show Bligh in a positive light. It is not really known exactly why there was a mutiny. The most proper explanation is that Fletcher Christian fell in love with Tahiti (and a woman), and that Bligh was furious at the loss of discipline of his crew. Originally, this film was supposed to be two films, both of epic length, directed by the great David Lean. Robert Bolt wrote the scripts, and by all accounts, Bolt's original scripts were masterful. But due to production delays, cost overruns, bad weather, etc., etc., Lean was never able to make the two films he envisioned. He tried to get one film made, but that wasn't to be either. Eventually Lean dropped out of the project, throwing his energy into his final film, A Passage to India. The massive Bolt script was whittled down into a shorter version, and that's what was used for the film here. The film feels like a greatest hits version of the Bounty, without any real nuance or deep character development. The director here, Roger Donaldson, is no David Lean, and it shows. His direction is very workmanlike, and ends up being stale and he doesn't give this film the epic sweep it so desperately needs. The film also glosses over the fate of the mutineers. In this film, it's implied that the mutineers lived in peace and harmony once they landed on Piticarin Island, but in fact, many of which died at the hands of the natives and the others were caught by English ships set out to find the mutineers, and they were all executed. I would suggest reading books on this subject, rather than seeing the films, as none of them reach the complexities of the real story.

Seduction of paradise.......2007-02-05

This movie ranks as one of the most well-done historical movies - ever. Mel Gibson is terrific as Fletcher Christian, and Anthony Hopkins (as Captain Bligh) conducts himself precisely as I would imagine a 19th century British Navy captain going about his business. The movie also stars a young Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson - before either was a really big-name star. None other than Sir Laurence Olivier portrays the admiral who sits in judgment of captain Bligh.

I saw a documentary on the HMS BOUNTY that was shown on the History channel. This movie is pretty darned accurate in its depiction of what actually happened. There was not a whole lot that was Hollywoodized in it, which is rare for an historical movie these days.

The trek of some 2,000 miles over the ocean in an open boat that Bligh & his men had to undertake remains to this day one of the most brilliant feats in maritime history. Without charts or navigation instruments, Bligh got the boat to safe harbor using nothing more than the stars for direction. Some may believe that this part of the film was fabricated - it was not. The journey really WAS that perilous.

I do have one note for parents: the PG Rating is a bit mis-leading. There are gorgeous Tahiti women who frolick around topless once they reach the island. Needless to say, I don't object to this, but parents may want to take caution. I realize the makers of the film believed it to be nudity in a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC sort of way, but these women are gorgeous!

If you're a fan of navy history and want to find out what really happened aboard the HMS BOUNTY, this movie belongs in your DVD collection. It ranks among my favorite navy movies of all time.

By far the best version.......2007-01-06

In the end factual truth is always more interesting than fictionalized story-telling. This is a much, much better account of the fascinating tale of the Bounty than the crude over-simplifications of the Gable/Laughton and Brando/Howard versions, although both of those are highly watchable movies in their own right. The perennial question about this episode in Britain's naval history is why did this mutiny actually happen? There is no clear or obvious answer: after all, hundreds of British ships ruled the waves for many decades without mutinies, many of them under far more gruelling and cruel conditions than the Bounty. This film surely comes closest to truly understanding the unique factors that led to the fateful insurrection, and it seems to boil down to a strange and unfortunate mixture of human personalities and very unusual physical circumstances. Bligh's major disastrous error appears to have been his desire to round the Horn, which led to a domino effect of mounting problems in achieving the original purpose of the voyage. The film doesn't make it properly clear that the ship was actually delayed for 5 whole months on Tahiti, in order to fit in with the seasonal vagaries of the breadfruit plants.

Some other peculiar flaws in the screenplay have been picked up by another reviewer. There seems to have been no truth at all in the idea that Bligh again wanted to sail round the Horn on his return voyage; and there seems no purpose in introducing the scene of Bligh lying to the King of Tahiti about the death of Captain Cook --- although the record may show that he did do this. What the film does make very clear is that Bligh was certainly never a cruel tyrant, and also that he was exonerated for having allowed the mutiny to happen. He seems to have been a man of sensitivity, courage and intelligence, who wanted to manage his men according to good principles. However, he lacked the human touch and charisma to inspire loyalty. His genuine abilities came to the fore in his astounding open-boat voyage of nearly 7,000 km, more remarkable even than the mutiny that caused it. Fletcher Christian was basically a weak character, who allowed himself to be manipulated by malcontents. The hysterical scenes of the actual mutiny are extremely well portrayed in the film. The actors all perform excellently, and it is good to see Gibson in a restrained, well-judged role, before his downward spiral, from Braveheart onwards, into one ghastly, untruthful movie after another.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!
Last but not least!
Hornblower does it again!!!!!!!
Horatio, at his best!
More Great Horatio!

Horatio Hornblower - The New Adventures (Loyalty / Duty)
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd , Robert Lindsay (II) , Paul McGann , Lorcan Cranitch , and Tony Haygarth
Director: Andrew Grieve
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000DJZAC
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Product Description

The ultimate high-seas hero, Horatio Hornblower is a man of unshakeable courage, high principles, and matchless skill. Now, C.S. Forester s beloved mariner returns to the screen with two new films. "Loyalty" finds Horatio marooned in peacetime Portsmouth,living off his superb card playing skills. But with the winds of war stirring, Hornblower is given command of the sloop Hotspur. "Duty" sees Horatio jumping into wedded bliss, and then returning to his command to face a French fleet that is preparing for invasion aided by an old nemesis. Swashbuckling action, broadside battles and below-decks intrigue set the Emmy®-winning Hornblower saga apart from other historical dramas. Ioan Gruffudd (Black Hawk Down, Titanic) gives a star-making performance as the dashing hero, and the stellar supporting cast includes Robert Lindsay (Me & My Girl), Jamie Bamber (Band of Brothers), and Paul Copley (Queer as Folk).

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Dashing Ioan Gruffud stars as dashing Horatio Hornblower, unparalleled British naval hero, in two more delightful episodes from the A&E series. In Loyalty, a peace with France has left Hornblower decommissioned and short on funds. Only the help of his landlady's daughter Maria (heartbreaking Julie Sawalha, Absolutely Fabulous) keeps him from being kicked out into the street. Fortunately for our hero, Napoleon's armies are afoot, and Hornblower soon finds himself sailing to France in command of the Hotspur, grappling with Irish traitors and French skullduggery. Duty picks up where Loyalty leaves off; Hornblower marries Maria with some ambivalence, but the day after his wedding sails for the coast of France to find a missing ship. After rescuing a supposedly Swiss man and his American wife in a storm, Hornblower finds himself caught between an old foe in France and diplomats in England. Though the derring-do is sometimes melodramatic, Horatio Hornblower swiftly becomes engrossing and suspenseful. Credit is due to smart scripts, efficient direction, Gruffud's heroically curly hair, and a superb supporting cast, including Robert Lindsay and Paul McGann (Withnail and I). --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!.......2007-09-06

This is a great series! Wonderful characters delightfully portrayed. I enjoyed the first parts even more as the main characters were developing. The last 4 episodes cover less ground(water!) Highly recommended.

Last but not least!.......2007-07-17

This last installment of the Hornblower saga is incredible. It was great to watch, but made us sad knowing this was the last in the series. If they should ever consider continuing the Hornblower series, we will definitely look for it! Ioan Gruffudd is awesome as Hornblower, and the other actors were equally outstanding!

Hornblower does it again!!!!!!!.......2007-04-15

This is the first set of Hornblower DVDs I have purchased and I cant wait for my next paycheck so I can buy the collectors edition boxed set. These are TV movies at their best.The Hornblower series is suitable for everyone young and old and are movies you are sure to watch again and again.
Look folks reality tv is far from real so instead of using up time polluting your mind with junk tap in to a new classic........

Horatio, at his best!.......2007-01-19

If you're sold on Horatio Hornblower after the first series, these are MUST items. The intensity of the plot, and the wonderful acting make these great Hornblower episodes. Dazzling cinematography,with the big epic appeal. Ioan Gruffud, Robert Lindsay continue to grow in their characters. Matthews(Paul Copley) and Stiles(Sean Gilder)keep the common man alive.

More Great Horatio!.......2006-01-25

Once again, A&E has brought the world of the Napoleonic Era to brilliant life! These two episodes are beautifully filmed and wonderfully cast. The hardships of sea life and the dedication the men had to their cause are very accurately portrayed. I would defineitely say that Duty and Loyalty are on par with the previous 6 episodes. I highly recommend the H. Hornblower series to anyone, espescially those with an interest in this particular time. You won't be disappointed!

Average customer rating:

Obsessive obsession
Excellent Service
"Goodness has so little fictional value"
A Woman of Her Word
Great acting!

The End of the Affair
Starring: Ralph Fiennes , Stephen Rea , Julianne Moore , Heather-Jay Jones , and James Bolam
Director: Neil Jordan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767847415
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Amazon.com essential video

"This is a diary of hate," pounds out novelist Maurice Bendrix (Ralph Fiennes) on his typewriter as he recounts the lost love of his life in this spiritual memoir (based on Graham Greene's novel) with a startling twist. It's London 1946, and Maurice runs into his achingly dull school friend Henry (Stephen Rea with a perpetually gloomy hangdog expression). Their meeting is brittle, all small talk and chilly, mannered civility beautifully captured by director-screenwriter Neil Jordan (The Crying Game), and it only barely thaws when Henry suggests that his wife, Sarah (the luminous Julianne Moore), may be having an affair. Maurice's mind reels back to his passionate affair with Sarah during the war years, which she abruptly broke off two years ago. Gripped with a jealousy that hasn't abated, he hires a private detective (a mousy, marvelous Ian Hart) to shadow her movements. He prepares himself for the revelation of a rival but instead finds a deeper, more profound secret: "I tempted fate," she writes in her diary, "and fate accepted."

Jordan's cool remove captures the unease beneath formal manners but never warms into intimacy during the scenes between the lovers, even while Fiennes and Moore almost explode in repressed emotions, their faces cracking under their masks of civility and their resolve shaking through jittery body language. There's more thought than feeling behind this collision of passion and spirituality, but it's a sincere, richly realized portrait of ennui and rage against God energized by brief moments of shattering drama. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Obsessive obsession.......2007-03-09

To love that deeply that you constantly obsess about every aspect of your lover's life is maddening, literally. This couple appears to have a bond way beyond this earth. The heat generated by them almost melts the screen. This is a wonderful torrid love story.

Excellent Service.......2007-01-12

Item was shipped as soon as i placed order. I was updated often. Excellent service!

"Goodness has so little fictional value".......2006-09-15

I love films which unfold complexities slowly, that use color with deep intention, and don't rely on words to say everything that must be said.

The End of the Affair is a lovingly and carefully adapted film. To fit into time, I feel that you must allow a film like this to stand on its own. Many adjustments were made to the story, and what eventually emmerges is, to me, even more cohesive and personal.

One thing I particularly love about The End of the Affair, is the color pallette and sharp attention to clothing. I love Sarah's red suits, her green jacket, her hair (carefully suited to the time), and the way the colors stand out, but with subtlety, from every scene that she stands in until her character begins to fade.

This movie permanently affected my aesthetic sensibilities.

The *most* affecting aspect of the movie for me however, was being able to deeply relate to the character of Sarah, as I think many people can. Most of us have our superstitions, even when we work to keep them subdued, and certainly a seemingly "miraculous experience," or great trauma (they usually go together don't they?) can bring those things to the surface.

I thought that the Bendrix and Henry dynamic that played out in the film was fascinating. It created a contrast between two ways of living really: One figure, content to live on a straight line, climbing little by little with bits of satisfaction but no passion, and the other all passion and anger and intensity. Henry, in a way, created the passion Sarah felt for Maurice. He bottled her up and placed her on a shelf where she simmered, and I think the "vulgar sex scenes" as some called them, are extraordinarily necessary if you want to understand the emotions going on. I suppose one can debate the manner in which they're filmed, but I don't think the movie would have been nearly as strong without them.

Then again, Sarah's religious devotion followed her commitment to Henry, which before the vow she seemed to have no intention of lessening, so you also see that she was more than the sensual person that she was with Maurice, she was also the practical wife. Neither was a role she was playing.

Every central character in this film, is a dichotomy, and more than that, they are wonderfully and spectacularly flawed, which certainly is the core of Graham Greene's insightful and philosophic writing.

This is a labrynth of a film, rich in unanswerable questions, and contains brilliant use of perspective. If you, like me, like to watch a good film several times, I recommend listening to Neil Jordan's commentary along with at least one viewing, then watching it again.

-Stephanie

A Woman of Her Word.......2006-01-15

While this film did not hit me as hard (emotionally) as THE ENGLISH PATIENT, it sure gave me plenty to think about.

The cast and direction are first-rate. The story is well-told. It made me buy the novel and read it--and then wonder how much of the story really happened!

If you enjoy intelligent, challenging love stories told against historical backdrops, then check this movie out.
And be very careful what you ask God for.

Great acting!.......2005-09-24

After the film ended, I imagined viewing it again without the vulgar sex scenes and I thought that it could've been a great film. I am very impressed with Ralph Fiennes and Stephen Rea's performances. Brilliant!

Average customer rating:

highly recommended
Not Widescreen
one of the best Jackie Chan movies ever
WONDERFUL!!!
Fun movie

Jackie Chan's Who Am I?
Starring: Neil Berger , Dik Brinksma , Jackie Chan , Pim Daane , and Michelle Ferre
Director: Jackie Chan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767819640
Release Date: 1999-02-02

Amazon.com

Shot in English and budgeted higher than any of his previous Asian features, Jackie Chan's last film under his Hong Kong contract is an action-packed globe-trotting adventure shot with the American audience in mind. The spies and secret agent-laden plot is packed with car chases, explosions, gunfire aplenty, and of course Jackie's own brand of gymnastic martial arts. But the flood of his older films between his hits Rumble in the Bronx and Rush Hour had sated American viewers and Who Am I? wound up being sold directly to cable. It's our loss, for this mix of goofy slapstick and jaw-dropping action is his most impressive film since Drunken Master II. Playing a special forces agent (named, naturally, Jackie) struck with amnesia and adopted by an African bush tribe following a failed assassination attempt, he embarks on a quest to discover his true identity while armies of killers pour after him. After an explosive opening, the story gets momentarily bogged down in the kind of mugging humor that leaves most American audiences scratching their heads, but once Jackie kicks into gear the film is a high-speed action flurry that culminates in a furious battle atop a Rotterdam skyscraper. Jackie is at his most charmingly naive (he berates the villains, pleading "Why do you want to destroy when you can make things better?") and athletically impressive: the marvelous stunts--including a flight down the side of the skyscraper--and fight choreography make Rush Hour look like a Sunday drive. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

highly recommended.......2007-01-31

This movie has everything we expect in a Jackie Chan flick, including plenty of bad guys for Jackie to fight (some are clearly great martial artists themselves, not just actors, as mentioned by other reviewers), pretty girls that Jackie must save, death defying stunts, chase scenes, guns, explosions, and plenty of humor. Two thumbs up! Regarding the dvd format, the one I saw in store had widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. (I own it on vhs myself and am considering upgrading to the dvd.) Some of you parents might also like to know this one has no nudity.

Not Widescreen.......2006-11-02

First off, the movie is great. It just may be my all-time favorite Jackie Chan film. Lots of fun, lots of action. The problem is, this DVD is not widescreen, it's fullscreen, no matter what the Amazon info says. I bought it, got the fullscreen version, sent it back for the widescreen version and got another fullscreen version sent to me. If you can stand Jackie Chan in fullsceen with all of the format's shortcomings, you'll love it!

one of the best Jackie Chan movies ever.......2006-08-19

Who Am I has it all - a decent story, great stunts, long car chase scene, some good ol' Jackie Chan comedy, and a roof-top fight scene that is unbelievable.

Jackie Chan plays "Jackie Chan", a special forces agent who is the last to survive a mission of deception in South Africa. Struck with amnesia, he sets on a quest to recover his identity, only to find himself being chased by gangs of men led by the man that Jackie thinks is helping him. The first 30 minutes of the movie is very slow, but the action picks up quickly when the chases begin.

Fortunately, the movie only gets better as it progresses, till a final roof-top fight with Jackie against 2 men, who have excellent martial arts skills. The fight scene literally lasts 8-1/2 minutes, with constant kicking, punching, and some Jackie stunts here and there. To finish it off, Jackie performs his best stunt of the movie, sliding down the glass angled side of the skyscraper.

If you like Jackie Chan movies, you will be pleased to know this is an above average treat. If nothing else, the ending of the movie is worth every bit in gold.

WONDERFUL!!!.......2006-03-23

This is probably Jackie Chan's best movie. It has it all; action, comic relief, and a great story line. Highly recommended to all fans of Jackie.

Fun movie.......2006-03-13

I had seen this movie before, and it was a gift for my husband who was having trouble finding a copy in the local stores. Great martial arts, had its funny parts, and we both give it two thumbs up.

Average customer rating:

A brilliant and often-overlooked dark comedy
Pure Garbage
Not Monty Python. NOT FOR CHILDREN or the faint of heart. Truely a cult classic!
Good visual details, flawed story.
Excellent Terry Gilliam flick

Jabberwocky
Starring: Annette Badland , Rodney Bewes , John Bird , Bernard Bresslaw , and Antony Carrick
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005OKQK
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Amazon.com

By the late 1970s, Monty Python's resident animator and occasional performer, Terry Gilliam, was ready to direct a feature film on his own (he codirected Monty Python and the Holy Grail two years earlier). Returning to the medieval muck and monstrosities that served as a backdrop for Holy Grail, Gilliam chose a darker satire for this erratic but funny outing. The result was a witty, modernist fable about an unprepared hero (Michael Palin) pushed through a heroic journey by uncontrollable forces of destiny, propelling him into a duel with a fearsome, man-eating dragon called Jabberwock. Raunchy, irreverent, and borderline cynical, Jabberwocky reveals a lot of Gilliam's flaws as a first-time solo filmmaker, but it also serves as a map of his obsessions and extravagant sense of art direction--elements of his artistry that certainly flourished in subsequent works. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant and often-overlooked dark comedy.......2006-04-17

Jabberwocky is a terrific film in every way: funny, smart, visually involving, and wonderfully acted and directed. It's also gruesome, effortlessly combining subtle social commentary with farce. This first film of Terry Gilliam is often mistaken for a Monty Python film because Michael Palin stars (and possibly also because of the surface similarity to Monty Python and the Holy Grail), but the humor comes from entirely different and more complex sources than anything Python.

The movie is unrelentingly ugly and often horrifying, full of blood and filth that make you laugh and groan at the same time. This reversal of the whole knight-in-shining-armor myth accounts for a lot of the negative reactions people have to the film, as they expect another medieval fairy tale. I, on the other hand, find Gilliam's treatment of the theme deliciously and viciously funny. In reality, jousting is a nasty blood sport, not something fun like you see at a modern-day Renaissance Fair. A castle is a cold, damp, nasty place to live. People who don't bathe often tend to be dirty and unwell. These graphic realities, made VERY graphic in the film but set against the traditional story of an earnest young man on a quest, give the whole film a rare and wonderful depth of humor. Palin's performance as the amiably squirmy (and totally clueless) Dennis is particularly superb.

The film is also a wonderful exploration of self-delusion. Dennis never realizes how disliked he is, particularly by his beloved Grizelda Fishfinger (whose discarded, half-eaten potato he cherishes as a love token). The Fishfinger family reject Dennis to tempt a knight into marrying Grizelda, despite her total lack of physical or social charms. The king and his court ignore the plaster crumbling down around their heads as they meet on official business. The princess sighs dreamily at the thought of being married to a heroic knight at the same moment that she's doused with blood and gore from the joust. A beggar is cheerful at his prospects because he just had the "marvelous idea" of cutting off one of his feet to increase revenue. (Note:Gilliam based this beggar character on an image in a Hieronymous Bosch painting.)

And the Jabberwocky itself - a symbol, a figment, a real monster? It's clearly not anything from Wonderland. It's all the better that Dennis, having (accidentally) slain the Jabberwocky and won riches and the princess, still can't get anything he wants, or even speak and be heard. This definitely isn't Camelot!

With the recent release of Gilliam's atrocious "Brothers Grimm", now is the perfect time for disappointed fans to check this film out again. It shows Gilliam developing his distinctive style that would later peak in such films as "Brazil" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". This is definitely a rich, intelligent film worth owning on dvd to see multiple times.

(Trivia: Look for the always-delightful Neil Innes in this film. Innes is best known for his involvement with Monty Python and for his lead in The Rutles, and also has a long musical history with such bands as The Bonzo Dog Band and GRIMMS.)

Pure Garbage.......2006-01-13

I am a huge fan of all things Python-related, but I can't support this pitiful outing. Terrible story, terrible acting, terrible jokes. I mean, awful. I found nothing even the least bit amusing or engaging about this flick-although admittedly, I turned it off after about 30 or 40 minutes, lest I broke into hives. The only thing I could think was, "what were they thinking?"...it's like they decided to make a movie, but forgot to write a script; or maybe they were high and thought what they were doing was truly inspired, which of course it was not.
This was a very unhappy surprise, given the past and future genius contributions from Gilliam, Jones and Palin. I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised if these chaps wouldn't rather forget that they made this turkey. Worst Python-alumni thing ever.
~Sun House in Berkeley

Not Monty Python. NOT FOR CHILDREN or the faint of heart. Truely a cult classic!.......2005-10-30

This is a movie that I seen in high school (Mideval History) and my teacher of that class insisted that it was about as accurate a portrayal of Medieval Life available out of all of the movies involving Medieval life and oddly I had to agree. This movie is definately British humor and the Brits like things dry like Gin and their jokes. Also there is a different view toward nudity in the European cultures so partial nudity in movies is acceptable where here in the good old USA sexuality of any kind is taboo and a very hypocritical view is taken toward nudity. If you are naked in a movie you are offending peoples' cultural sensativities and to them I say GET A LIFE! You came into this world naked, you bath naked, and you sure as heck are not going to care when you are dead and when you take off all our cloths, guess what! So with this aside there is also some extreme violence as well (people are being eaten by the Jabberwocky as well as animals and the Jabberwocky is pretty pissed off). This movie should have been in all honesty rated R. With cultural difference aside the movie is well made and well played out. There is the moments of side plots that go nowhere but it breaks up things a little so it is more of a snapshot of medieval life that is pretty damn accurate. People didn't bath then and true to Python humor the only person not covered in SHI* is the king (in the words of Palin during an interview about the Holy Grail). Many of the scenes are of filthy people in dirty hamlets being plagued by the Jabberwocky eating livestock and pesants. This is not your run of the mill pretty boy slaying the big bad dragon like 'Dragonslayer' where people look well groomed except the pesants who don't look like they really have hard lives with a really cool looking dragon. Jabberwocky makes the pesants LOOK like pesants. Filthy, covered in rags, and definately a punishment to the senses. You can almost smell the rank odor of the unwashed masses. The dragon Jabberwocky is a real nightmare. If they had the CGI of today it would have really creeped people out. It looks more like it is undead like a zombie dragon and it comes out mad as hell and out to kill. For what they lacked in CGI they made up for with raw special effects magic. There is nothing pretty about this movie. It is gritty and realistic.
Within the plot is a toung and cheek stab at chivalry, love, and honor. The hero loves a fat angry potatoe grubbing woman who does not care for him at all. The people he is out to save could care less and the nobles are ignorant, egotistical, and narcissistic. True to British form some of the humor is hidden in the subtlties and requires a little thinking. It helps to have a more worldly view rather than a basic education to understand this movie fully. It takes a lot to understand British humor sometimes. It also takes watching it twice to catch some of the side humor or satire involved. There is a scene where the hero is asleep at the foot of a castle that was closed over night. The hero is awakened to what he thinks is rain. He figures out what happened when he looks up to see a guard putting everything away after relieving himself over the side of the castle wall. This is one of the many satirical remarks made by this movie. The hero getting pissed on says a lot in itself. No other movie treats the hero like dirt.
The story does follow a typical progeression of events as the hero decides to hunt the Jabbgerwocky and when he finally catches up to it the fight is not all it is expected to be. If you are expecting a thriller of a movie this is not it. It is a more cereberal piece that makes statements that parrallels modern life. It is very entertaining in the traditional sense but the point will be lost on many younger viewers much like the movie Brasil (Terry Gillian) which was a movie ahead of it's time. I am a long time fan of Monty Python and although this is not a Monty Python movie there are people associated with the Python players in this movie and it does parallel the way Montey Python movies like the Life of Brian and The Holy Grail are presented. If you hate Montey Python stay away from this movie. It will bore the heck out of you. If you are a Python fan you will love it. If you are into foreign cinema then you will enjoy this movie as well.
It was done after the Lewis Carol poem and yes the Jabberwock has teeth that knash and claws that slash! This is no tame movie for as low brow as the humor is. I gave it a four stars because it is a good movie but not a great one. Five stars is reserved for movies like Riddic Chronicles or Kung Fu Hustle (WHICH GETS SIX STARS BY ME! HOT HOT HOT MOVIE!) but definately not a movie to be underestimated. Just because the point or content of the movie is lost to many of those posting reviews one should not be dissuaded from viewing Jabberwockie. It does not suck like the movie Pecker (Which could suck the seeds from a cucumber from one end! It was an hour and a half of my life wasted) or Being John Malcovitch which sucks harder than a tornado in Kansas (I wanted to kick the hell out of the characters and take their lunch money! Especially the main character who discovers the secret door. Total drivel unfit for the silver screen and worst than a waste of my time and thankfully I wasted no money putting up with it!!) This definately is no Prince Valliant movie. I say watch it if you want to see something different. Don't if all you want is blood and gore action.
To all of thee I bid thee NIE! NIE! NIE!NIE!NIE!NIE!
And where is my SHRUBBERY?

Good visual details, flawed story........2005-03-23

As a big fan of Michael Palin, I was looking forward to seeing a movie where he was showcased apart from the other Pythons. Unfortunately, the story often drifts away from the main character (Dennis, the oblivious son of a cooper) in order to show us other characters who are one-dimensional and unamusing.

There are a lot of problems with this movie and I'm guessing this is because of Gilliam's lack of seasoning in film making. It seems very much made with an eye toward setting up scenes the way he fancied them rather than building up characters or paying attention to the story or dialogue. He seemed far more enamored with showing off the crumbling castle, dead bodies stripped of flesh, and a variety of filthy-looking sets than setting up characters who interacted with each other in an entertaining way.

While Michael Palin plays Dennis with a certain dumb charm, the character seems unfocussed. Sometimes, he's quite stupid and blind to the most obvious of situations (the way the object of his affection regards him with disinterest) and sometimes he seems to be very astute (on matters of efficiency). He's not stupid enough to elicit sympathy and not smart enough to admire in any small way.

I'm not a writer but I have to believe that comedy works better when not every character is stupid, angry, and/or oblivious. In both Holy Grail and Life of Brian, Graham Chapman's characters were the sane characters at the center of the insanity. These characters were the ones the viewer identified with and who the absurdity of the words and behavior of other characters could be measured by. Jabberwocky has no "straight man" for the other characters to weave their lunacy around.

There are some moments which are amusing but they are a part of what Gilliam seemed to be focussing on - the sets. Ultimately, the characters are unattractive and unfunny. I'm sorry to say that Jabberwocky is very likely to disappoint those who enjoy other Python movies or the T.V. show.

Excellent Terry Gilliam flick.......2004-12-10

For the uninitiated, T. Gilliam is the ex-Monty Python genius behind films such as '12 Monkeys', 'Brazil' etc. - though for me, this is probably his best film.

Featuring his trademark surreal humour in a grimy medieval setting, this chronicles the adventures of our hapless anti-hero Dennis (played by Michael Palin), trying