Pride & Prejudice

Amazon.com

Literary adaptations just don't get any better than director Joe Wright's 2005 version of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. The key word here is adaptation, because Wright and gifted screenwriter Deborah Moggach have taken liberties with Austen's classic novel that purists may find objectionable, but in this exquisite film their artistic decisions are entirely justified and exceptionally well executed. It's a more rural England that we see here, circa 1790 (as opposed to Austen's early 19th century), in which Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) is one of several sisters primed for marriage, with an anxious mother (Brenda Blethyn) only too desperate to see her daughters paired off with the finest, richest husbands available. Elizabeth is strong-willed and opinionated, but her head (not to mention her pride and prejudice) lead her heart astray when she meets the wealthy Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), whose own sense of decency and discretion (not to mention his pride and prejudice) prevent him from expressing his mutual affection. They're clearly meant for each other, and as Knightley's performance lights up the screen (still young enough to be girlishly impertinent, yet wise beyond her 20 years), Austen's timeless romance yields yet another timeless adaptation, easily on par with the beloved BBC miniseries that has been embraced by millions since originally broadcast in 1995. Individual tastes will vary as to which version should be considered "definitive," but with a stellar supporting cast including Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland, this impeccable production achieves its own kind of perfection. --Jeff Shannon

Description

One of the greatest love stories of all time, Pride & Prejudice, comes to the screen in a glorious new adaptation starring Keira Knightley. When Elizabeth Bennett (Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry. But as their lives become intertwined in an unexpected adventure, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Based on the beloved masterpiece by Jane Austen, it is the classic tale of love and misunderstanding that sparkles with romance, wit and emotional force. Critics are calling it "Exhilarating. A joy from start to finish" (Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times).

Customer Reviews:

Good Introduction.......2007-09-16

When I first saw this movie, I had no expectations. I had never seen any other version of Pride and Prejudice, nor had I read the book. The visuals were stunning, the story was good, and although the acting was not perfect, it was good enough. I was impressed enough to look it up later and not only purchase this version, but also got the older, BBC version with Colin Firth.

Although I have since watched the BBC version multiple times and fallen in love with the story and the actors in that version...I can still look kindly upon this version. Although parts were missing and this story is nowhere near as in-depth as the BBC version or the book, and although I feel that Kiera Knightley is too charged (her emotions are all very extreme. She comes off as rude, angry, and overemotional to me.) and too self-conscious (again, with her overdone reactions to things...it makes her seem self-conscious and nervous.), I think this version is much more accessible to the public. People are more willing to sit down to a short movie filled with beautiful people than they are to begin the 5 hour of the BBC version or read "stuffy old novels". As well, despite the historical inaccuracies, the filming was well-done and I believe the story is as good as it could have been after being condensed into such a small package. While many would be angry that this movie isn't "as good" as the BBC version, I still think this movie is better than many others in the last few years.

However, I would highly recommend that anyone who watched and was impressed with this movie go out and rent the BBC version. You will not be disappointed.

A new favorite.......2007-09-16

Having watched the movie, read the book and watched the movie again all in the same week I am pleased to say that the movie did the book justice; which is not a compliment I often bestow on such movies. Each actor was perfect in their representation and I will certainly enjoy watching this movie again and again.

Loved even by a fan of the BBC version.......2007-09-15

i adore this film, and the BBC miniseries as well. This film is set when the book was written (Georgian England) not published (Victorian England), unlike the BBC version. The difference is seen not just in the costumes, but in the manner of communicating. In Georgian England, people were much more expressive. Hence, the film is less subtle (also neccessary for a 2-hour version!) than the miniseries. Give Macfayden a chance, he's no Colin Firth, but I think he communicates the "he's not a snob, he's just shy" aspect much better than Firth, who comes accross as simply arrogant for most of the BBC version.

Am I the only one who think Knightley can't act?.......2007-09-09

Keira Knightley butchered what could have been a refreshing adaption to a beautiful story. Knightley appears oblivious to whom her character is. Again her constant posing and trying to be sexy by hanging her mouth open, is distracting and obnoxious.
And, once again, it falls to the other actors to carry her and fill in the gaps in her performance.
I dont' know what her agent had to pull to get her this role, but it's a waste of time, talent, and money. Only a miracle worker like Johnny Depp can cover for her like he did in "Pirates".

Pride and Prejudice.......2007-09-06

I love this movie. Now I have heard that the BBC version is better and the characters are more developed, and they should be for a six hour production. I would like to see that rendition some day soon. I have read the book twice so far and love it. However, I am a mom of four year old twins and I don't have 6 hours to watch a DVD right now. I think the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice is very well done. They did not butcher the book at all like some do. I give it five stars. It's absolutely delightful!

Average customer rating:

What an incredible let down.
After you stop laughing--watch it a second time
Awesome, funny film
surely not hilarious...
WASTE OF TIME.

Shaun of the Dead
Starring: Kate Ashfield , Tim Baggaley , Nicola Cunningham , Sonnell Dadral , and Lucy Davis (II)
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0006A9FKA
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Amazon.com

British horror/comedy Shaun of the Dead is a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, but Shaun of the Dead is deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy (Love Actually) and some familar faces from The Office. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

What an incredible let down........2007-09-16

Wow! I was excited to see this movie based on the trailers I had seen, what an incredible let down. Not so much a comedy, I kept waiting to laugh and never did. Live and learn. It's just a movie but I wouldn't waste my money on this stinker.

After you stop laughing--watch it a second time.......2007-09-11

First go around, I had to clean my glasses because they were fogged with tears from laughing so hard. "Shaun" is truly one of the most bizarrely funny cult films I have ever seen.

Since I had some trouble with my Mac scanning the DVD, I watched for a second time. What jumped out at me was Shaun's manager's pep-talk about 'teams' and what a study of human nature Shaun and his group would make. We saw thinking outside of the box, bravery in the least expected places, selflessness, and how utterly stupid the panicked group Critic could be.

Seriously, if the corporate trainers ever get tired of making their teams climb rock walls and build paper gizmos that nobody will ever use, they ought to have employees watch this film--twice--so they can see human nature in action.

Wouldn't dealing with zombies be a great way to explain difficult tech support calls? How many uses can you find for this scenario?

"Shaun" is a great film on both the funny and the serious levels. And it is one to be watched more than once. I seriously regret not seeing it in the theatre.

Awesome, funny film.......2007-09-01

I have watched this film several times and now and just love the humour. It is a horror film though so not for the faint hearted
Lets all go to the 'Winchester'....:-)

surely not hilarious..........2007-08-23

it could have been much more better. the scénario is very poor and acting is pretty bad.About laughing....search where and when..
as poor as Hot fuzz
rent it at the best.

WASTE OF TIME........2007-08-18

I love British humor but this sucked. I cannot understand why people loved it so much...Let's face it, if these actors had American accents it would be a complete flop...Also, I believe a lot of people are saying they like it to fit in.

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Holiday ... Celebrate
Good movie!
It's like George Lucas directed this skunk.
Pleasant Surprise!

The Holiday
Starring: Cameron Diaz , Kate Winslet , Jude Law , Jack Black , and Eli Wallach
Director: Nancy Meyers
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MQC9H4
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

As a pleasant dose of holiday cheer, The Holiday is a lovable love story with all the Christmas trimmings. In the capable hands of writer-director Nancy Meyers (making her first romantic comedy since Something's Gotta Give), it all begins when two successful yet unhappy women connect through a home-swapping website, and decide to trade houses for the Christmas holiday in a mutual effort to forget their man troubles. Iris (Kate Winslet) is a London-based journalist who lives in a picture-postcard cottage in Surrey, and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) owns a movie-trailer production company (leading her to cutely imagine most of her life as a "coming attraction") and lives in a posh mansion in Beverly Hills. Iris is heartbroken from unrequited love with a cad of a colleague (Rufus Sewell), and Amanda has just broken up with her cheating boyfriend (Edward Burns), so their home-swapping offers mutual downtime to reassess their love lives. This being a Nancy Meyers movie (where everything is fabulously decorated and romantic wish-fulfillment is virtually guaranteed), Amanda hooks up with Iris's charming brother Graham (Jude Law), and Iris is unexpectedly smitten with Miles (Jack Black), a super-nice film composer on the downside of a failing relationship. --Jeff Shannon

Extras from The Holiday

First Look Featurette
high bandwidth

Film Clip: "Sushi for Two"
high bandwidth

Film Clip: "Oh Brother"
high bandwidth

Stills from The Holiday (click for larger image)

Beyond The Holiday on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
The Films of Nancy Meyers

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2007-09-09

Great plot, wonderful actors, and I do hope to see a sequel or something similar. It is defiantly worth keeping!

Holiday ... Celebrate.......2007-08-24

Madonna sang once "holiday, celebrate, if you took a holiday, some time to celebrate, it would be ..it would be so nice." Holiday is more than nice, it is superb romantic comedy, about two modern ladies who do the geographic cure by swapping houses to get over broken hearts.

Iris is a London journalist who is in love with Jasper, a selfish columnist who is engaged but wants to have his cake and eat it too. Amanda is a Hollywood trailer producer who just ended yet another relationship with her cheating semi live-in boyfriend. When the two women connect on a house swap site to get away from it all they find themselves in unexpected romances.

Once they arrive at their polar opposite locations love finds them. Iris connects with film score composer Miles whose as decent as Jasper is awful. Iris also befriends a legendary Hollywood writer named Arthur who tells her to be the leading lady by having her watch movie of strong women characters.

Amanda falls head over heels with Iris' brother Graham whose nursing his own broken heart after being left a widowed single father. As they live two different lives the ladies find parts of themselves that had gone missing a long time ago.

A similar movie with an almost identical plot line is Tara Road starring Andie MacDowell.

Tara Road (2005)

Good movie!.......2007-08-19

I thought this movie was wonderful. Although, I have to mention that it made a bigger impact on me after the second viewing. I thought the 4 main characters played their roles wonderfully. I'd have to say that this movie is now roaming towards the top of my favorite list!

It's like George Lucas directed this skunk........2007-08-15

What can a red-blooded, married American male say about "The Holiday"? What started out as perhaps an interesting plot idea - two people switch houses and find happiness in each other's lives - quickly took a left turn. My wife sticks this thing into the DVD player and about two minutes later I was already beaten down by the corny dialogue and terrible wooden acting. Now, I can appreciate a good chick-flick as much as the next guy. I kinda like "Father of the Bride", "Legally Blonde", even "Sleepless in Seattle". But this thing stinks to high heaven.

Every one of the main actors was as bad as Jake Lloyd in "The Phantom Menace" (Yipee!), and Diaz was especially atrocious. I can only assume that George Lucas had some hand in this, since Winslet, Law, and Black are usually really fun to watch. Maybe they suffer because of the ridonkulous lines they had to deliver. It's like watching a Sweet Valley High book played out on film.

Go spend your money on something better than this. Like a junior-high production of "Death of a Salesman".

Pleasant Surprise!.......2007-08-06

I watched "The Holiday", not expecting much, but I found myself just loving this flick! It was so entertaining that I didn't want it to end. And it's just as good on the second and third viewings. A fun and lighthearted movie with a terrific cast, all!

Average customer rating:

Great!
Zombie Plagues are Tons of Fun!
Absolutely fantastic
Worthy of the price a funny movie
Not your typical zombie movie (HD DVD review)

Shaun of the Dead [HD DVD]
Starring: Bill Nighy , Penelope Wilton , Lucy Davis , Jessica Stevenson , and Kate Ashfield
Director: Simon Pegg , and Edgar Wright
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000R8YC3G
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Customer Reviews:

Great!.......2007-09-15

I loved Shaun of the Dead when I saw it on DVD. When I got a HD-DVD player, I found out this movie was on HD-DVD and I had to have it! It was better watching it this time around than when I first remember. If you don't own the movie already, you need to get it, if you do own it, watch it again or buy the HD-DVD version if you want to support the format and/or Simon, Nick, and Bill.

Zombie Plagues are Tons of Fun!.......2007-08-26

I loved this movie: a little bit of gore, a little bit of heartbreak...they do their best to survive.

"Shaun of the Dead" brings good humour to this "romantic comedy with zombies" which comes to HD DVD with a fantastic HD picture and excellent DD+ 5.1 audio.

The local zombies are great...I liked the female Winchester regular, she made a nice creepy zombie, as did the [chubby] black one, and Mary grows on you even more through the second viewing...they all did a really great job! They do well to give several zombies more familiarity through character development.

There are plenty of extras on this HD DVD as well including deleted scenes, commentary, a gallery...it even follows up on a couple of happenings not shown in the film.

This is an extremely fun movie, and I highly recommend it.

Absolutely fantastic.......2007-08-21

Loved this movie. Saw Hot Fuzz first, which was also great. This movie is a great comedy. Other reviews go through the plot, so I won't bother. Great movie in the tradition of British comedies with smart, sharp writing and great acting.

Worthy of the price a funny movie.......2007-08-13

One of my favorite movies is Shaun of the Dead. That being said I expected more of the same with this movie. After watching the movie it wasn't the same. The physical comedy I enjoyed so much is not evident early on. The comedy and banter is dry early on. The action is rather lacking for the first hour. Then when the movie heats up it really becomes a lot of fun.

This movie is different and for those expecting an American type action movie you better turn away. Hot Fuzz features a lot and I mean a lot of dry English humor. It's good but don't expect any real laugh til your sides hurt moments. Hot Fuzz is rather enjoyable if you approach it with an open mind. The same main characters for Shaun of the Dead are here and the on screen chemistry is good. This movie is almost unusual to be stranger than Shaun of the Dead.

In the end I really liked this movie. The acting is very good and action scenes are funny and intense. The sound quality on my home theatre was very good and that helped add to the movie. For any fan of Shaun of the Dead this is definately a must watch. The picture and sound quality are excellent for this HD version. The price is great. At only $20 this is a must have for any HD collection.

Not your typical zombie movie (HD DVD review).......2007-08-06

If you are looking for your typical zombie movie ie. 28 days/weeks later, land of the dead, dawn of the dead this is not it. If you do not enjoy british humor go somewhere else. However if you are okay with the above stated then this movie is for you. very funny film, well made.
HD DVD version is excellent very good sound and video.

Average customer rating:

Adorable!
One of my favorites!
great fun.....
Oh Gweneth, you have captured Emma!
can't get enough

Emma (1996)
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow , James Cosmo , Greta Scacchi , Alan Cumming , and Denys Hawthorne
Director: Douglas McGrath
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000G3AZ
Release Date: 1999-01-05

Amazon.com

Most people didn't mind Gwyneth Paltrow's English accent in this charming, 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel (which also inspired Clueless). But even if it doesn't sound quite right to you, there are plenty of authentic and wonderful Brit thespians in this film by screenwriter-turned-director Douglas McGrath (co-author of Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway), including Juliet Stevenson (Truly Madly Deeply), Alan Cumming (Buddy), Phyllida Law (Much Ado About Nothing), Ewan McGregor (the Scots star of Trainspotting), and Sophie Thompson, outstanding and finally heartbreaking as the chattering Miss Bates. Paltrow plays Austen's benign busybody, Emma Woodhouse--so busy trying to arrange the lives of others that she is sidestepping her own. McGrath brings a kind of pretty and light touch to the production, his best move the wise delegation of creative authority to the actors themselves. --Tom Keogh

Description

This delightfully fun and lighthearted comedy is based on the story that inspired the hit movie CLUELESS! Dazzling Gwyneth Paltrow (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) shines as EMMA, a mischievous young beauty who sets up her single friends. Funny thing is ... she's not very good at it! So when Emma tries to find a man for Harriet (Toni Collette -- THE SIXTH SENSE, ABOUT A BOY), she makes a hilariously tangled mess of everyone's lives. You'll enjoy all the comic confusion ... until Emma herself falls in love, finally freeing everyone from her outrageously misguided attempts at matchmaking.

Customer Reviews:

Adorable!.......2007-08-21

I adore Jane Austen and this version of Emma is spot on. The acting is wonderful and the fact that Gwenyth Paltrow is not really british doesn't even come to play because she is fantastic in this. A very witty, charming fun movie that any Austen fan will love. And that Mr. Nightly..........................sigh

One of my favorites!.......2007-08-16

I absolutely adore Emma, it is witty, funny, and adorable. The costumes are excellent (I in fact made a replica of Emma's pink archery gown) and the set is absolutely amazing. Anyone will feel right at home in Highbury with Emma and her friends.

great fun............2007-08-11

I remember seeing this film on the big screen, when it was first released in 1996. I was on a total Jane Austen kick. I think I saw just about every film adaptation of her novels (with the exception of PERSUASION), and was looking forward to how this version would fare. I am happy to say that Gwyneth Paltrow embodies the title character of Emma charmingly. The upperclass matchmaker [and mischiefmaker] proceeds to set people up, shake up naysayers around her and has her share of misadventures. This film will make you smile and is very cleverly executed, and the supporting cast (James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi, and Alan Cumming, among others) are strong and play off of Paltrow's spritely and fiesty Emma delightfully. What's more, cinematographically, this film was shot like a beautiful English landscape and glows with life. Lovely......

Oh Gweneth, you have captured Emma!.......2007-07-22

I had saved this production of Emma for the last and was surprised at what I had missed when reading the book! This was so true to the book and so wonderfully done that I will watch it over and over I am sure. It made the book come alive for me and sparked even more of Jane's meaning for me. I could see how Emma felt through Gwyneth's wonderful portrayal. I have never known Gweneth to be such a perfectionist as this movie truely reveals. Thank you Gwyneth!

can't get enough.......2007-07-18

I finally bought this after renting it about five times. By now I've seen it more than any other movie, I'm sure, and will never tire of it. If I'm ever having a blah week, I pop it in, and like magic, I'm cheered up. It's truly delightful.

Average customer rating:

An interesting movie, but not Mansfield Park.
I think this is one of the best Austen movies (so shoot me.)
An improvement over the book
Rent this. Don't buy.
Fascinatingly brilliant, romantic, and dark at the same time

Mansfield Park (1999)
Starring: Hannah Taylor-Gordon , Talya Gordon , Lindsay Duncan , Bruce Byron , and James Purefoy
Director: Patricia Rozema
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305907145
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Description

This fun and sexy comedy tells a timelessly entertaining story where wealth, secret passions, and mischievous women put love to the test ... with delightfully surprising results! When a spirited young woman, Fanny Price, is sent away to live on the great country estate of her rich cousins, she's meant to learn the ways of proper society. But while Fanny learns "their" ways, she also enlightens them with a wit and sparkle all her own! Featuring an exciting ensemble cast of young stars -- you'll join critics everywhere in their overwhelming praise of this smart, playful, and funny hit!

Customer Reviews:

An interesting movie, but not Mansfield Park........2007-09-06

This would have been an interesting movie if the film makers had titled it something other than "Mansfield Park." However, since they chose to present it as a rendition of the Jane Austen novel, I think they took far too many liberties with the story.

The biggest difference was in the character of Fanny Price. No matter how badly we in the twenty-first century want to believe it, she was *not* a modern, outspoken, independent woman. She was deeply conservative. If the film makers disliked that aspect, why choose this book to film at all?

No film can completely capture the spirit of a novel. But when I watch an adaptation I want to feel that it was created with a fundamental level of understanding of the book, and appreciation for it. This film fails.

I think this is one of the best Austen movies (so shoot me.).......2007-08-31

So often Austen movies are mis-cast and the characters you loved become just annoying. I think this movie was cast great. I realize that some liberties were taken, but I thought the tone was great. It moves fast, and Fanny Price is given more life than the book did. It makes her out to be a little bit more like Austen herself would be in my immagination. When so many of the other movies have blown it (by casting too old, too stupid, too mean etc,) this movie got a lot of things right. It made me want to read the book again which was probably a good goal for them.

An improvement over the book.......2007-08-30

I greatly enjoyed this movie. While the characters are different from the book, the plot is essentially the same. The literary Fanny is, to put it bluntly, a "drip" and the literary Edmund is a sanctimonious prig. The Fanny in the film is bright, sardonic, and literary-minded, much like the young Jane Austen, while still being high-minded and loving. This Edmund, while still being serious and with a vocation for the church, is more capable of having fun. One can see why they're together. In the book, I couldn't.

Rent this. Don't buy........2007-07-27

I'm glad I chose to rent this before I bought. I own many Austen romances in movie form, but I won't bother buying this one. I didn't care for the interpretation at all. The cast had decent potential, but no one really stood out. This really wasn't romantically protrayed. I also didn't appreciate the raunchy undertones that were added. Not necessary and not appropriate for a wide audience.

Fascinatingly brilliant, romantic, and dark at the same time.......2007-07-14

This is one of my favorite movies and the best film version of Mansfield Park that has been made. Frances O'Connor does a wonderful job of capturing Fanny's emotions and letting us see into her mind. What's more, the romance between Fanny and Edmund is full of the tension and yet sweet, innocent, and deep love that Jane Austen portrayed in the book. All in all, a wonderful a film, one you have to see if you loved the book!

Average customer rating:

Not completly correct with certain concepts of Witchcraft but the closest Hollywood has gotten.
Skip this movie
Magic is right!!!
There's a little witch in all of us, as Aunt Jet would say
So Magical

Practical Magic
Starring: Sandra Bullock , Nicole Kidman , Stockard Channing , Dianne Wiest , and Goran Visnjic
Director: Griffin Dunne
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0790740060
Release Date: 1999-02-16

Product Description

Actor Griffin Dunne improves a bit on his first film as a director, Addicted to Love, with this drama-comedy about a family of witches. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play spell-casting sisters of different temperaments: the former is a high-living, free-spirited sort, while Bullocks character is a homebody who can not get around a family curse that kills the men in their lives. A widowed single mom, Bullock gets into a jam with an abusive Bulgarian (Goran Visnjic) and is helped out by her sibling, but the result brings a good-looking, warm, inquisitive cop (Aidan Quinn) into their lives. The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can not always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullocks magical aunts are a lot of fun.

Amazon.com

Actor Griffin Dunne improves a bit on his first film as a director, Addicted to Love, with this drama-comedy about a family of witches. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play spell-casting sisters of different temperaments: the former is a high-living, free-spirited sort, while Bullock's character is a homebody who can't get around a family curse that kills the men in their lives. A widowed single mom, Bullock gets into a jam with an abusive Bulgarian (Goran Visnjic) and is helped out by her sibling, but the result brings a good-looking, warm, inquisitive cop (Aidan Quinn) into their lives. The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can't always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullock's magical aunts are a lot of fun. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Not completly correct with certain concepts of Witchcraft but the closest Hollywood has gotten........2007-08-30

I love this movie. Despite myself practiceing the craft and this movie being slightly wrong about some certain concepts, overall it's damn good for Hollywood. We don't kill people or bring them back from the dead, or even mess with people's lives. But the overall concept in the movie was correct. Do see this movie even if you are a Witch or not. It's awesome.

Skip this movie.......2007-08-05

You're better off going to the library and checking out the book version of Practical Magic, a truly delightful book filled with interesting characters about love, and sisters.
This movie on the other hand is a psuedo-feminist typical dull chick flick devoid of the magic and beauty of the book it's based on.
They took all the good stuff out like the relationship between one of the characters daughters, and her trying to flee her aunts so they could lead a normal life, or the science teacher and filled it with high fructose corn syrup cornness. For the real better story, just read the book instead.

Magic is right!!!.......2007-08-01

I love this movie! It gives witchcraft a great view. It's the story of two orphaned sisters who were born into a family of witches. Through the good times and bad, the magic of family, love, and yes, witchcraft prevails!

There's a little witch in all of us, as Aunt Jet would say.......2007-07-20

This is such a beautifully, well-written movie. You really believe Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are sisters, and descendants of witches at that. I fell in love with their home (which by the way was not a real Victorian home but a shell). Trying to replicate the home on the Sims2Exchange but without decent blueprints, you need a wee bit of magic to create it. After viewing on TV, I had to buy the DVD. It's romantic but not mushy romantic. Any movie with Sandra Bullock in it is worth watching. She is such a versatile actress. So gather your love ones around you and prepare to be enchanted in a practical magic sort of way.

So Magical.......2007-07-12

I loved this movie. Anything with magic I love. Sandra Bullock, and Nicole Kidman does an excellent job playing as two sisters who are modern day witches. It's just magical, I love it!!!!

Average customer rating:

Lovable Film!!!!
More Nora Ephron cynicism, disguised as sentiment
You've got Mail
An all time favorite
You've got OSCARS!!!

You've Got Mail
Starring: Tom Hanks , Meg Ryan , Greg Kinnear , Parker Posey , and Jean Stapleton
Director: Nora Ephron
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305368171
Release Date: 1999-05-04

Amazon.com essential video

By now, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have amassed such a fund of goodwill with moviegoers that any new onscreen pairing brings nearly reflexive smiles. In You've Got Mail, the quintessential boy and girl next door repeat the tentative romantic crescendo that made Sleepless in Seattle, writer-director Nora Ephron's previous excursion with the duo, a massive hit. The prospective couple do actually meet face to face early on, but Mail otherwise repeats the earlier feature's gentle, extended tease of saving its romantic resolution until the final, gauzy shot.

The underlying narrative is an even more old-fashioned romantic pas de deux that is casually hooked to a newfangled device. The script, cowritten by the director and her sister, Delia Ephron, updates and relocates the Ernst Lubitsch classic, The Shop Around the Corner, to contemporary Manhattan, where Joe Fox (Hanks) is a cheerfully rapacious merchant whose chain of book superstores is gobbling up smaller, more specialized shops such as the children's bookstore owned by Kathleen Kelly (Ryan). Their lives run in close parallel in the same idealized neighborhood, yet they first meet anonymously, online, where they gradually nurture a warm, even intimate correspondence. As they begin to wonder whether this e-mail flirtation might lead them to be soul mates, however, they meet and clash over their colliding business fortunes.

It's no small testament to the two stars that we wind up liking and caring about them despite the inevitable (and highly manipulative) arc of the plot. Although their chemistry transcended the consciously improbable romantic premise of Sleepless, enabling director Ephron to attain a kind of amorous soufflé, this time around there's a slow leak that considerably deflates the affair. Less credulous viewers will challenge Joe's logic in prolonging the concealment of his online identity from Kathleen, and may shake their heads at Ephron's reinvention of Manhattan as a spotless, sun-dappled wonderland where everybody lives in million-dollar apartments and color coordinates their wardrobes for cocktail parties. --Sam Sutherland

Description

Neigborhood bookstore rivals unwittingly become e-mail pen pals in this charming remake of The Shop Around the Corner

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary with N. Ephron & L. Shuler-Donner
DVD ROM Features:N. Ephron Audio Bytes "Sounds of NY" (10:07) Interview Gallery - Individual Clips (12:00) Comparison Scenes (38:00)
Featurette:HBO First Look Special: "A Conversation with Nora Ephron" (14:39)
Other:DIscover NY's Upper West Side" - 11 Selectable Clips (15:00)

Customer Reviews:

Lovable Film!!!!.......2007-09-04

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.... what's not to love? Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as star-crossed lovers/bitter enemies who don't realize they are star-crossed lovers.... seriously. What's not to love?

This is a movie that eliminates any chance of a generational divide. You have a classic love story told in modern terms and circumstances... (i.e. the internet.)You have two of the world's best actors ever.... And you have Brinkley, the wonderful, beautiful and scene-stealing golden retriever.

In a world where nothing is what it seems, enemies truly can become friends... friends can become lovers and lovers can make an eternity together.

If you watch only one romantic comedy in your life, let it be this one... For the love of all that is holy, I beg you. Let it be this one!

More Nora Ephron cynicism, disguised as sentiment.......2007-08-20

Watching Nora Ephron movies is a trip in the wayback machine to the 1940's, when assertive, career-minded female film characters either (1) held on to their careers and lost the guy, or (2) dumped the career and won the guy. No other option existed. Think women have made progress since then? "You've Got Mail" may be all dressed up in technicolor and tricked up with a relentless pop score, but it's the same old story. Meg Ryan's bookstore owner has a dream, and that dream is smashed to bits by megachain-owing Tom Hanks. When she finally realizes he's the same guy she's fallen in love with online and off, instead of punching him in the mouth she cries and they embrace. Now she can go home and forget all about that bookstore.

Just in case Ryan might have been tempted to hang onto her dream, she has Parker Posey (playing Tom Hanks' fiancee) as a cautionary tale. Posey's character is a nasty, career-obsessed harridan, whose sole plot function is to lose Hanks to Ryan.

This is retro antifeminism at its worst, and it's difficult to understand coming from a woman whose mother, Phoebe, was a respected Hollywood screenwriter in her own right. And Ephron herself is a dedicated career writer, who undoubtedly would spit in the face of anyone who trashed HER career. So why does she write Meg Ryan into a world where the work-related dreams of women count for nothing?

Final note: I wish reviewers would stop comparing this movie to "The Shop Around the Corner". It may technically be a remake, but the two films are not the same league. Ernst Lubitsch had a sharp eye for human folly but he also believed in happy endings based on reality, not manipulative mush. And he respected all his characters equally.

You've got Mail.......2007-08-08

I always watch this movie twice - first, in its original format which is a good romance comedy and second, with the subtitle option of music only which is good background for doing computer work.

An all time favorite.......2007-07-29

If you have seen this movie before (at the theater, on TV, or on DVD), and you enjoy romantic comedys, then no doubt this has already become one of your favorites. Even today, I never get tired of watching it. If you haven't seen it - make a point to do so. It will make you smile.

You've got OSCARS!!!.......2007-07-03

I absolutely know why the academy went nuts over this one. It definitely graduated magnum cum laude in my opinion!!!

The chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is out of this world! Sleepless in Seattle was good, Running in Circles was great, and You've Got Mail was phenomenal!!!

I loved that one part when Tom Hanks sells the dictionary to that one guy!!! It was so funny. I heard that most of this movie was unscripted... just a testament to these actors' abilities to light up the Silver Screen.

Before I write more about this movie, I think it would be a good idea JUST TO THANK these wonderful actors for their contribution. I heard that AOL didn't even exist until after this movie was made!! Talk about defining popular culture, huh?

So back to the movie. Greg Kinnear is in it.

RENT IT.

Average customer rating:

"The Quiet Man"
The Quiet Man
Great flick, poor video -- but still worth a try
The Quiet Man
The best

The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)
Starring: John Wayne , Maureen O'Hara , Barry Fitzgerald , Ward Bond , and Victor McLaglen
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006JMRD
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Amazon.com essential video

Blarney and bliss, mixed in equal proportions. John Wayne plays an American boxer who returns to the Emerald Isle, his native land. What he finds there is a fiery prospective spouse (Maureen O'Hara) and a country greener than any Ireland seen before or since--it's no surprise The Quiet Man won an Oscar for cinematography. It also won an Oscar for John Ford's direction, his fourth such award. The film was a deeply personal project for Ford (whose birth name was Sean Aloysius O'Fearna), and he lavished all of his affection for the Irish landscape and Irish people on this film. He also stages perhaps the greatest donnybrook in the history of movies, an epic fistfight between Wayne and the truculent Victor McLaglen--that's Ford's brother, Francis, as the elderly man on his deathbed who miraculously revives when he hears word of the dustup. Barry Fitzgerald, the original Irish elf, gets the movie's biggest laugh when he walks into the newlyweds' bedroom the morning after their wedding, and spots a broken bed. The look on his face says everything. The Quiet Man isn't the real Ireland, but as a delicious never-never land of Ford's imagination, it will do very nicely. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

"The Quiet Man".......2007-09-11

I think this is my favorite John Wayne movie--he & Maureen O'Hara are magic together & this movie has it all. It's a love story w/ action scenes as well, plenty of 'characters' played by very capable actors & the scenery is breath-taking (it IS Ireland, after all). I highly recommend it.

The Quiet Man.......2007-09-08

Another great movie by John Wayne and John Ford, what a pair and the cast was great and unforgetable

Great flick, poor video -- but still worth a try.......2007-08-30

This raucously tongue-in-cheek, grand old movie has survived for what seems an eternity. The performances are so wonderful that every moment outshines a great many other classic films. So it seems a shame that I can't give TQM the 5 stars it deserves. But Artisan's Classic Edition DVD has far too many visual transgressions. The gorgeous bursts of color that won an Oscar for the 1952 release are almost totally absent in this third-rate digital print. The jacket blurb claims this is a "remastered" version; in fact it looks as if it were played on a cheap VCR; blurry, too dark (almost grimy and gritty at times), with no shadow detail whatever, color registration problems, badly oversaturated reds and blues, obvious flicker (odd for a "remastered" print), and with noise and digital artifacts galore. The blur and noise extend even into many segments of the added features. Looks out of focus on a good CRT monitor, and extremely annoying on highend LCD sets. On cheaper gear, it's nearly unviewable. I've seen comments in Amazon reviews saying that this edition looks better than earlier ones. Not true -- visually, they're all the same. On top of that, I have always had a problem with some oddities of John Ford's sense of humor: two big guys blasting each other with bare fists for the better part of an Irish afternoon isn't very funny, IMHO. In real life, these two would have spent a year in an IC ward recovering from wounds. It's likely that TQM will be one of many memorable films, like "The African Queen", that may never be seen in its original Technicolor glory. But it's to the movie's credit that despite the poor print, it remains an exceptional cinematic experience. The acting is superb in every way; Barry Fitzgerald and Ward Bond steal every scene they're in. Victor Young's music is beautiful, and the audio has the sweep and sweetness that I rememeber from 1952. Now, if only someone could give us a true and more conscientiouse visual restoration . . .

The Quiet Man.......2007-08-23

Come On ---All John Wayne movies are great --you just watch them over and over

The best.......2007-08-23

This is an absolutely great movie. Funny, moving and very entertaining. A must see for John Wayne and/or John Ford fans.

Average customer rating:

An average romantic comedy that has its moments.
Just plain fun
Music and Lyrics Rates a Solid 3.5
Hugh Grant elevates this amusing trifle!
worth watching!

Music and Lyrics (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Hugh Grant , Drew Barrymore , Brad Garrett , Kristen Johnston , and Campbell Scott
Director: Marc Lawrence (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JPE3
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Amazon.com

Music and Lyrics is frothy and sweet, like the top of a perfect cappuccino shared a deux. Hugh Grant is a self-professed "happy has-been," playing his befuddled, adorable persona more spot-on than he has since Four Weddings and a Funeral. As Alex, former member of an '80s pop band who years later is playing at water parks and high school reunions, he's settled into a life of lesser expectations. Drew Barrymore, quietly radiant, is Sophie, the underachieving girl Friday who arrives to water--make that overwater--Alex's plants--and to explode him out of that comfy rut. If the plot's a bit farfetched, it matters not, since the two lead characters are so likable--and make such beautiful music together. Big bonus: the supportive role of Kristen Johnston as Rhonda, Sophie's older sis (and longtime Alex fan) whose hilarious performance threatens to steal the show whenever she's onscreen. (The owner of a chain of successful weight-loss centers, Rhonda tries to comfort a rattled Sophie: "Want to do some stress eating?") The film also marks the remarkable debut of Haley Bennett, who plays a pop star of Britney/Cristina proportions with deadpan sincerity radiating through her skimpy outfits and mega-extensions. As Alex and Sophie work on crafting musical magic, something else is taking hold. It's music to the ears of anyone needing a sweet romantic comedy that hits all the right notes. --A.T. Hurley

Description

First you're hot, then you're not...and then you're Alex Fletcher (HUGH GRANT). So when the sizzlingest tween-queen on the charts asks the has-been '80s pop sensation to write her a song, he grabs for another chance at stardom. Problem: Alex can say it with music, but he sure can't say it with words. Enter Sophie Fisher (DREW BARRYMORE), his beguiling if quirky plant lady, who has a green thumb for lyrics. Together, they go after songwriting success -- and discover that if you want to write the perfect love song, it helps to fall in love. With Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore at the keyboard and Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice) directing, Music and Lyrics is a witty, wacky romantic comedy that faces the music...and laughs!

Customer Reviews:

An average romantic comedy that has its moments........2007-09-13

The on-screen chemistry of Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore is so tangible that it nearly carries the movie. Their performances are laid back, believable, and engaging, but the dialogue ranges from trite and cliched to clever, insightful, and damn near hysterical at times. That makes it more distracting than anything else in this romantic comedy that reminds one of a really good episode of the classic ABC-TV series "Love Boat" (circa 1970's). I can't stand uneven films and this film comes real close to that with its dialogue.

The supporting cast is wonderful and Amazon's assessment of them in their review is, as they say, "spot on." They all interact well, and, at times, outshine the main actors. The director of the film does nothing inspiring at all and comes across as a TV directior making his or her major motion picture debut. It could have been worse, but more importantly, it could have been so much better.

The film goes down easy enough, but it is a disappointment. It is worth a viewing and is a rather pleasant experience overall, but nothing noteworthy or even very memorable.

Just plain fun.......2007-09-07

Not usually a great fan of romantic comedies, but I actually watched this one twice on the same rental -- mostly because I wanted to figure out why I enjoyed it so much more than others of its genre. The verdict: 1)both lead characters are so vulnerable and endearing, and 2)everyone's just having so much FUN -- the songwriters, the concert-goers, the sister (what a kick!!) and most of all me. Sure it's formula, but so what -- it made me chuckle a little, smile a lot, and remember that even when it seems like the best part of life is behind you, there still may be a surprise or two in store. This one'll never change the world, but it sure helped brighten my evening.

Music and Lyrics Rates a Solid 3.5.......2007-09-02

Music and Lyrics, starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, is a decent romantic comedy with some very amusing scenes. As a product of 80's music, the obvious Wham bits, from silly videos to Grant playing the Andrew Ridgley part of a successful duo, was hilarious. Watching the movie, I was concerned initially about the chemistry between Grant and Barrymore, who have both been great with other supporting acto