Casino Royale [Blu-ray]

Amazon.com

The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since Batman Begins, Casino Royale offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, Casino Royale is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it), and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his "armor" and falls in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.

For longtime fans of the franchise, Casino Royale offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, Casino Royale is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin, now I know what I've been faking all these years. --Donald Liebenson

Stills from Casino Royale (click for larger image)

Beyond Casino Royale on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
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Why We Love Daniel Craig

The Amazon.com James Bond Store
Where Have I Seen Daniel Craig?
Bond on Set: Filming Casino Royale Book

Product Description

Casino Royale introduces James BOond before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. "M" (Judi Dench), head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission that takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually leads him to Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. "M" places Bond under the watchful eye of the Treasury official Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond's interest in her deepens as they brave danger together. Le Chiffre's cunning and cruelty come to bear on them both in a way Bond could never imagine, and he learns his most important lesson: Trust no one.

Customer Reviews:

This isn't my idea of Bond.......2007-09-12

When I got this blu-ray disk I had very high expectations. It delivered when it comes to special effects and the outstanding clarity that blu-ray delivers.

However, I was sorely disappointed by the new "Bond". Instead of the incredible charm displayed by previous Bond characters, this guy seems to be more of a cold-hearted killer. I found it hard to care much about what came of him. In my opinion, this is the worst Bond movie I have ever seen.

Perhaps I would have liked it better if the movie had been titled something like "Agent X" since that way I wouldn't have been trying to imagine this guy as being in the same role as the classics starring Sean Connery or Roger Moore.

In a nutshell, I found this to be heartless and generally lacking in class.

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

Great picture quality, and a good movie to boot. The movie has a bit of a dark cast, so still not the optimal test disc for a new system, but still quite good. People say "wow" when they see it.

Bond on bluray!.......2007-09-07

Casino Royale is definitely one of the better Bond films. Part of the wow affect comes from it's awesome bluray video quality. A solid choice for all you Bond fans out there.

Blu-ray is the way to watch this great film!.......2007-08-12

I first watched the 2006 release Casino Royale in the theater. I was very impressed. The movie was unlike any Bond film I had seen before. In fact, the movie is gritty in a way that resembles the very well made Bourne movies. I recently watched the movie again, and found that it was even more enjoyable the second time around. The changes, in my opinion are for the better. I was a fan of Pierce Brosnan in the role of James Bond. I thought that he had been the best Bond since Sean Connery. I thought Roger Moore was okay, while timothy Dalton did nothing for me. Craig made for a very compelling and very human Bond.

The visuals in this film are stunning. The usual opening scenes are - true to form - pretty spectacular. Bond shows little mercy when it comes to resorting to violence. He also gets hurt and bleeds on numerous occasions. He seems ill at ease in a tuxedo, but seems to adapt to the role. The primary setting for the movie is an incredibly picturesque Venice. The film features really stunning scenes with some excellent stunt work. The Blu-ray version is without a dount the version to watch. Clocking in at 144 minutes, the movie seems to fly by with its fast paced story. The only downside to the film is that the villain came across as pretty tame for the most part. There probably could have been a bit more done to make him really evil and dislikable.

Overall this is a strong 4 star movie that is well-worth the price of the movie.

Great Movie.......2007-08-07

This is how you keep a movie franchise going. Great story, great acting and a fast paced movie that almost never slows down(except when James is with the ladies!!)

I have watched it several times now and the more I watch the more I like.

Average customer rating:

Good movie that deserves a second chance
Underrated
Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray
Give it a chance you just might like it
King Arthur

King Arthur (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Clive Owen , Stellan Skarsgård , Ken Stott , Til Schweiger , and Ray Stevenson
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000MQ58WC
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Description

From the producer of PEARL HARBOR and the director of TRAINING DAY, the Extended Director's Cut of KING ARTHUR explodes onto Blu-ray Disc® in a blaze of hard-hitting action and glory not seen in theaters. Prepare for unsurpassed thrills as history's greatest legend roars to life in this astonishing new format. Now the adventure is longer, grittier and more explicit in this valiant tale of Arthur (Clive Owen), Guinevere (Keira Knightley), Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), and the Knights Of The Roundtable. Behold the pageantry and power of every fierce battle in spectacular 1080p, while swords clash and fortresses are pounded in thunderous 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Catapult your entertainment experience into another realm with Blu-ray™ High Definition!

Customer Reviews:

Good movie that deserves a second chance.......2007-09-15

I knew about the bad reviews for this film, but hadn't seen it before. I love films so I'm willing to give most movies the benefit of the doubt. For only $15, I happily picked it up. I've enjoyed all of Fuqua's other work, so even if this really was as much of a bomb as the critics said, it would at least have some good action sequences.

After having seen the film now, I'm glad I bought it and wholeheartedly recommend it to others. Go in with an open mind about what you think the Arthur story should be about and you might be pleasantly surprised at this modern interpretation.

This is not the traditional tale of magic, lady in the lake, shiny armor and Camelot. It's gritty and realistic, like Fuqua's other work. Great performances from all the actors here and I really loved the personalities and nuiances that each of the actors created. There's tons of blood and guts, but it's not just a mindless smashup (though there is plenty of that, if that's your thing!). The actors really did a great job bringing life to their roles and creating human, likable characters that you invest emotionally in.

Technically speaking, this film shows off the Blu-ray format quite nicely. Hi-def really brings out the action sequences and the beautiful sets and lighting. On the disc are a few featurettes, but not many (not unusual for hi-def.. most are quite skimpy so far).

I found the Roundtable Discussion quite enjoyable. Just a few of the actors and Fuqua and Bruckheimer sitting around talking. You see that they are genuine people, all dedicated to their work. All in all, I'm glad I bought this film. Give it a shot. You might be surprised.

Underrated.......2007-08-18

This movie was underrated and underseen. A fantastic movie and a very original adaptation of the famed tale of King Arthur.

King Arthur, played by Clive Owen, is charged by the Papal leadership of the Roman Empire to guard Hadrian's Wall. The Saxons are moving toward the Wall. The Saxons are a Huns-like army of barbarians that destroy, pillage and rape what they conquer. The Pope has orders to withdraw from what is present day known as the United Kingdom, without a care for the natives of the area. King Arthur is the pillar of virtue between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On one side is the corrupt, "civilized" papal states of Rome. On the other side is the uncivilized barbaric Saxons. Will King Arthur follow his orders and clear the area leaving the natives unprotected? Or will he stay and fight?

All the normal players of the famed legend is present. The knights of the round table (gallahad, tristan, lancelot, et.al), Gwynevere(grittily played by the ever-beautiful Keira Knightley), Merlin. But whereas previous version of the story takes a more fantastical approach. This movie takes a more historic approach. Let's say the movie isn't just a myth but actually a true story. This is the approach the creators took. The fantasy is gone. And this approach works GREAT.

Like his brother's(Ridley Scott) Kingdom of Heaven, Tony Scott depicts a corrupt Papal nation. Where benevolence is not the states' motive, but rather greed is. And less like Tony Scott's older works(Top Gun & Days of Thunder), but more like his more recent works(Deja Vu), King Arthur is gritty and filmed with a lot of atmospheric effects. Maybe he's learned the use of fog and weather to set the mood from his older brother (think Blade Runner, Alien, and Black Rain). And I'm glad he learned it. You can feel the dank, dreariness of the region.

Like his brother's Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur has a very cynical view of the Papal Leadership. The Pope, although not present in the movie, leading the Roman Empire at this point, is driven by greed rather than benevolence. The bishop, sent as an emissary by the pope, is depicted as cold and heartless. The Scotts quite obviously have a distrust of the Catholic Establishment. If you are Catholic, don't be offended. If you have studied the Papal States and the Catholic establishment, you know that the Papal States, the vatican and the Catholic establishment haven't always been motivated by virtue, but often times by greed.

The HD translation is good, not great. The problem I have with current HD/Bluray movies is that the movies obviously weren't filmed in high definition. Sure you can see every pore on Clive Owen's face,. But think of when you put your TV setting on 100% sharpness. You get a grainy image with a lot of picture noise. This translation is definitely better than regular DVD, but I can't wait for the day when Hollywood actually films the movies using HD cameras.

This movie is FANTASTIC. If you haven't seen it, SEE IT. If you don't own any version of it, GET IT. IF you own the DVD already? eh...don't bother with this bluray version. You have a good enough copy. But if you LOVE this movie as much as I do, then get the Bluray even if you already own a copy of the DVD.

Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray.......2007-08-06

I really enjoyed this movie. I like it so much, I think I've viewed it 3 times. The picture quality on Blu-ray is excellent! It has a good story, good acting, and lots of great action scenes.

Give it a chance you just might like it.......2007-06-27

If you like movies produced by Jerry Bruckhiemer you should enjoy this movie. I found it a very entertaining telling of King Arthur and his knights. There are no shockers just a good blockbuster. Clive Owen does a good job as do the other Knights in the movie. In fact the other knights make the movie more enjoyable and don't forget about Keira Knightley in 1080p!
The movie looks great on blu-ray some scenes are a little soft but if you watch the sd-dvd you will see the same thing. The sound was good, though I can only comment on the DD 5.1. I am sure the uncompressed track is even better.
Don't go nuts picking it apart just pop some popcorn and enjoy, thats the point of movies after all.

King Arthur.......2007-06-24

Nice movie. Not one of the best out there but I definitely did enjoy this. A somewhat more realistic view to the tale of King Arthur and his legend. It's predictable but the actor / actress were entertaining. Nice picture and sound on a plasma TV.

King Arthur - The Director's Cut (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great Action
EXCELLENT FILM!!! EXCELLENT DIRECTOR!!!!
King Arthur
Great movie - Director's cut a MUST see!
CHECK YOUR HISTORY THEN GET OVER IT

King Arthur - The Director's Cut (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Clive Owen , Ioan Gruffudd , Mads Mikkelsen , Joel Edgerton , and Hugh Dancy
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Touchstone / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002YLCG0
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Amazon.com

It's got a round table, some knights, and a noble warrior who rises to become King Arthur, but everything else about this revisionist legend is pure Hollywood. That's not such a bad thing if you enjoyed Rob Roy, Braveheart, Gladiator, and Troy, and there's some intriguing potential in presenting the "real" Arthur (played by Clive Owen) as a 5th-century soldier of Rome, assigned to defend Roman-imperial England against a hoard of invading Saxons (led by Stellan Skarsgård in hairy villain mode). As revamped history and "archaeological findings" would have us believe, Guinevere (Keira Knightley) is a warrior babe in face-paint and Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) is a nonentity who fades into the woodwork. Never mind! Best to enjoy the harsh, gloomy atmosphere of Irish locations, the ruggedness of Owen and his hearty supporting cast, and the entertaining nonsense of a Jerry Bruckheimer production that strips battle-ready Guinevere down to leather-strap S&M gear while all the men sport full-body armor. Hail to the queen, indeed! --Jeff Shannon

Description

King Arthur the Extended Unrated Director's Cut contains fourteen minutes of never-before-seen footage, including more intense battle sequences and the scenes "Rain and Snow" and "Saxons Surrounded." Bonus Features

• Alternate Ending "Badon Hill" With Optional Director Commentary
• Blood On The Land: Forging King Arthur
• Cast And Filmmaker Round Table
• Director Commentary
• "Knight Vision" Trivia Track
• Producer's Photo Gallery
• Konami's King Arthur Playable Xbox Demo

Customer Reviews:

Great Action.......2007-08-26

Great action movie, Clive Owen plays Arthur who becomes King Arthur. Some feel Arthur was a former Roman soldier, perhaps.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

EXCELLENT FILM!!! EXCELLENT DIRECTOR!!!!.......2007-08-10

I absolutely LOVED this film!!!!! To me, it is the most realistic film about King Arthur EVER!! I think that the absolutely, GORGEOUS Clive Owen not only brought physical beauty to the character, but also realism. Now when I think of King Arthur, I see Clive Owen. The movie was well made. I think Anton Fuqua did a superb job. I think the reason it was not more popular is that it was not widely advertised or promoted like "Gladiator or "Troy". They were superb, and King Arthur is right there with them!!!

King Arthur.......2007-08-01

This was another slant on an old tale, probably more true than the original one's we grew up on. I really enjoyed it, as did the entire family. A great film, if you don't mind a bit of gore. Mostly it is about winning the right way.

Great movie - Director's cut a MUST see! .......2007-07-05

The PG-13 version was enjoyable for the eye candy but left one wanting a little more meat.

After partaking of the director's cut (Rated R) - I feel it a shame the audience was cheated out of many great scenes that actually made the story much more believable and actually gave the lead characters more of an arc. The battle scenes are much more graphic (realisitc) so it isn't recommended you watch with the kiddies.

Lancelot's character was less whiney and much more fleshed out in this version. You also understood that Arthur was his family. In addition to that, you understood the underlying attraction he had for Guinevere as we were able to witness him opening up to her and telling her things he probably hadn't told anyone.

I have to heartily disagree with the one reviewer who thought Clive and the lead villains were forced or wrong.

Clive is...well Clive. He is bigger than any role out there and plays any character to perfection. Unfortunately, his leading ladies tend to come across as amateurs in their field when playing opposite his strong screen presence *see Angelina Jolie in Beyond Borders* I do love how Arthur remained firm and never swayed into disbelieving his God, although he was surrounded by those who mocked God and by selfish Phariseeical types who hid behind "religion" using it as a weapon of dominance. At the end, Arthur stated he never shared their "fate" not "faith" as others have stated. But he also never forced them to believe what he believed, thus showing a respect for them and subsequently gaining their respect. Lancelot fights for AND with Arthur at the last battle out of respect and love for him in spite of their different beliefs. I love that!

The lead villain's quiet and menacing behaviour was pitch perfect! In order to win wars and lead a savage army of thousands, you would have to be smart, methodical and barbaric all in one, evoking fear in the men around you and in those you were reportedly about to conquer.

To see the contrast of how each leader commanded their army was a great study in and of itself. The Saxon villain commanded and lead evoking fear and terror among his men (hence the outcome), whereas Arthur commanded with wisdom, the allowance of free will (creating reverence and loyalty among his men and new followers) and with compassion (no man or woman left behind). Sounds like my kind of hero! I thought both actors made the movie - hands down!

The battle scenes were awesome (and I hate the word awesome) but it was! The sword-for-sword combat was GREAT! I found myself rewinding some of the battle scenes several times for the swordsmanship. Again NOT for the kiddies!

Guinevere's war costume was absolutely ridiculous, regardless of any historical facts that indicate the original warriors wore only body paint. It cheezed the movie and one of my favorite up and coming actresses to see her in that leather belt bandeau getup. Other than that, the other costuming was REALLY believable and great!

Ultimatly, I would highly recommend the Director's cut. Great action, a more complete storyline and simply a much more entertaining film overall!

CHECK YOUR HISTORY THEN GET OVER IT.......2007-07-05

I love this film. The Director's Cut is too violent, so I purchased the PG13 theatrical version. The music and everything is great. Please understand that this is NOT a retelling of the cute fantasy story that is really based upon myths created about 600 years after Arthur lived. My wife is Irish and a historian and really understands this era. I have seen many recent docs on the so-called Arthur legend and was very delighted to find out that this guy really did exist. Those who are having a problem reconciling the fantasy with the reality, please try to get over it. This movie sticks closly to what I have read about the real Arthur. Those who had a problem with the costume Keira wore during the battle seen - check your ancient celtic history. These great warriors actually painted themselves blue and fought naked. There was an incredible amount of detail that was faithful to the historical research done for this film. And, no, Arthur was NOT betrayed by his wife either. That was a romantic story invented in about 1100 a.d. I love this movie, the characters, the good against evil. I love seeing what it might have really been like.

Forbidden Planet (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant.
Very Cool
A Fifties Sci-Fi Classic
A true Classic
Classic Pulp Sci-Fi

Forbidden Planet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Walter Pidgeon , Anne Francis , Leslie Nielsen , Warren Stevens , and Jack Kelly
Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEWEDK
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

This 1956 pop adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest is one of the best, most influential science fiction movies ever made. Its space explorers are the models for the crew of Star Trek's Enterprise, and the film's robot is clearly the prototype for Robby in Lost in Space. Walter Pidgeon is the Prospero figure, presiding over a paradisiacal world with his lovely young daughter and their servile droid. When the crew of a spaceship lands on the planet, they become aware of a sinister invisible force that threatens to destroy them. Great special effects and a bizarre electronic score help make this movie as fresh, imaginative, and fun as it was when first released. --Amazon.com

On the DVDs
The colorfully designed 2-disc 50th Anniversary Edition of Forbidden Planet (also available in a collector's box) comes in a slip-covered fold-out case accompanied by a pocket of 17 miniature lobby card reproductions (eight for Forbidden Planet, nine for the 1957 companion movie The Invisible Boy). On Disc 1, Forbidden Planet is presented with a new digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements, with soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, offering considerable improvement over the film's previous DVD release. A selection of deleted scenes were taken from a faded and scratchy 16-millimeter "work print" that had originally been viewed by composers Louis and Bebe Barron as they were creating the film's unique electronic score; they consist of full or partial scenes cut from the final film-- mostly for good reason, but collectors (and those who first saw this rare material on the original Criterion Collection laserdisc) will welcome their inclusion here. The "lost footage" is crude special-effects test footage, primarily of interest to sci-fi historians and aficionados. Given the fact that the original "Robby the Robot" cost over $100,000 to build in 1955, it's easy to see why MGM wanted to get their money's worth: An excerpt from the 1950s TV series "MGM Parade" shows Forbidden Planet star Walter Pigeon appearing briefly with Robby, and the popular robot gets even more attention as a guest star in "The Robot Client," an episode of the Thin Man TV series (starring Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk) that originally aired on Feb. 28, 1958. Disc 1 also includes a gallery of seven science-fiction movie trailers dating from 1953 (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) to 1960's The Time Machine.

Disc 2 begins with 1957's The Invisible Boy, a still-enjoyable B-movie that served as Robby's post-Forbidden Planet showcase. Here, filmdom's favorite automaton plays sidekick to a young boy (Richard Eyer) who turns invisible when he gets caught up in a super-computer's scheme of global domination. Also included are three documentaries, ranging from very good to excellent: In addition to reuniting the surviving cast members of the '56 classic (including Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Richard Anderson, Warren Stevens, and Earl Holliman), "Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet" is an appreciative tribute to Forbidden Planet with some of Hollywood's foremost sci-fi fans including special effects masters Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, SF movie expert Bill Warren, and others. "Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon" is a featurette about the robot's design, creation and pop-cultural history, featuring original "Robby" designer Robert Kinoshita, Bill Malone (current owner of the original Robby), and Fred "The Robot Man" Barton, a lifelong robot fanatic who now sells fully authorized, full-scale replicas of Robby for sci-fi fans with deep pockets. Closing out disc 2 is "Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us," a 2005 documentary from Turner Classic Movies, written and directed by Time magazine critic Richard Schickel. It's a thoroughly comprehensive survey of '50s sci-fi and its influence on the next generation of film directors, including engaging interviews with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Ridley Scott and James Cameron. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A dutiful robot named Robby speaks 188 languages. An underground lair offers evidence of an advanced civilization. But among Altair-4's many wonders, none is greater or more deadly than the human mind. Forbidden Planet is the granddaddy of tomorrow, a pioneering work whose ideas and style would be reverse-engineered into many cinematic space voyages to come. Leslie Nielsen plays the commander who brings his spacecruiser crew to the green-skied world that's home to Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), his daughter (Anne Francis)...and to a mysterious terror. Featuring sets of extraordinary scale and the first all-electronic musical soundscape in film history, Forbidden Planet is in a movie orbit all its own.

Customer Reviews:

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant........2007-09-14

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant. Just like the name says the look and sound of perfect. I am impressed.

Very Cool .......2007-08-23

Was an awesome purchase. I love the movie and the extras make it worth buying. It would have been better if it was $10 cheaper.

A Fifties Sci-Fi Classic.......2007-08-11

I love it: great cast, great sets, great colour, cod-Shakespeare story spin-off (the Tempest), invisible monsters, flying saucers, robots, unique soundtrack. This really is a must in any sci-fi collection. It's not erudite, or genre making, but just a great piece of entertainment and escapism.

When I bought mine, there was no European version (region 2) available, but the region 1 disc is nice (if you have a multi-region player) as it is double-sided with widescreen (16:9) on one side and academy ratio (TV 4:3) on the other.

A true Classic.......2007-07-30

I got this dc set for my husband's birthady as it is his favorite movie of all time. He loves having it in CD now and especially likes the special 2 disc edition.

Classic Pulp Sci-Fi.......2007-07-30

Forbidden planet is an old science fiction film about a spaceship crew with orders to investigate the disappearence of settlers from one of the colonies. Once on planet they meet a sinister genius who, along with his beautiful daughter is the sole survivor of the previous expedition.

This was an okay film with a fairly predictable plotline and an ending I found annoying. Fans of classic sci-fi will enjoy the old-fashioned special effects. I liked the cook character and the robot Robbie but found the captain to be a bit of a boor and Alta to be kinda creepy. She was just WAY too naive for my comfort level.

3 stars, worth a watch but nothing to shout about.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

Average customer rating:

Classic 80's SciFi Fun
Love it
Stellar Cast, Doc Savage Story
buckaroo bonzai
Awesome movie, excellent service

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
Starring: John Ashton , Jonathan Banks , Ellen Barkin , Raye Birk , and Clancy Brown
Director: W.D. Richter
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKEX
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Amazon.com essential video

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension is one of the most agreeably insane movies ever made. Peter Weller stars as Buckaroo, an acclaimed neurosurgeon, particle physicist, and, of course, rock star. He travels with the Hong Kong Cavaliers, a band of hard-rocking scientists who are also really good dressers. Buckaroo's interdimensional experiments with his Operation Overthruster throw him (and the Earth) straight into the middle of an alien war, and before you know it, he's got just a few hours to save the world. Confused? Hang on, we're only 10 minutes into the movie. Buckaroo Banzai hurls you right into the middle of its comic-book universe and keeps going at a breakneck pace. It's chock-full of overlapping jokes (even as we're trying to make sense of Dr. Lizardo's hospital room, a voice calmly announces that "lithium is no longer available on credit" over the PA system), hilarious throwaway dialogue ("You're like Jerry Lewis: you give me hope to carry on."), and weirdness just for the sheer joy of it ("Why is there a watermelon there?" "I'll tell you later."). You'll want to watch it at least twice--there's just no way to catch everything the first time around. Ellen Barkin has a terrific time doing a dead-on film noir moll parody as Penny Priddy, and John Lithgow turns in a brilliant manic performance as Dr. Lizardo/John Whorfin. There is no reason not to own this movie unless you are cold and dead inside. Laugh while you can, Monkey Boys. --Ali Davis

Amazon.com

Peter Weller plays that Renaissance Man, Buckaroo Banzai, a neurosurgeon, car racer, rock singer, and alien chaser in this overdone sci-fi adventure from 1984. After crashing his nuclear-fueled race car and causing a disturbance in the eighth dimension, Banzai releases some extremely unappealing aliens into our atmosphere. First-time director W.D. Richter (Late for Dinner) pulls out all the stops, resulting in a manic dash that is often incoherent. The intent may have been to re-create old-time serials with a pulp-fiction bent, but the screenplay, full of macho dialogue and cool poses, tries too hard. We could have done with a less complicated story and more character development. Still, consider this flawed fun, because it may be silly, but it is also clever. Originally released as The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension. -- Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

"The very oddest good movie in many a full moon," Buckaroo Banzai combines "humor, imagination, a little oriental mysticism and a passel of sharp performances [into] very chic sci-fi" (Time)! Oscar(r) nominees* Peter Weller and John Lithgow team with Emmy(r) winners Ellen Barkin and Christopher Lloyd for a fiendishly clever, action-packed adventure in an outlandishworld you'll want to visit again and again! Brilliant brain surgeon Banzai (Weller) just made scientific history. Shifting his Oscillation Overthruster into warp speed, he's the first man ever to travel to the Eighth Dimension and come back sane! But when his sworn enemy, the demented Dr. Lizardo (Lithgow), devises a plot to steal the Overthruster and bring an evil army of aliens back todestroy Earth, Buckaroo goes cranium to cranium with the madman in an extra-dimensional battle thatcould result in total annihilation of the universe! *1993: Short Film/Live Action, Partners (Weller); 1983: Supporting Actor, Terms Of Endearment (Lithgow)

Customer Reviews:

Classic 80's SciFi Fun.......2007-09-11

This movie has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. HBO seemed to show Buckaroo Banzai every day for about 3 years. So much fun. Viewing the movie as adult, it had a slower pace than I remembered. However, all of the charm and humor was still there. Anyone who enjoys movies like Time Bandits, Ice Pirates, or Brazil will love this movie.

The quality of the DVD is a little cheap. Lame menus, not many extras, but the quality of the print is decent.

Love it.......2007-09-10

We have watched this "cult" type sci-fi movie dozens of times since it was released in the '80s. The number of big stars in this flick is amazing. But, back then, they weren't well known. I have been looking for it on DVD for many years & it finally showed up on Amazon. Quality is really good considering the age. Unfortunately, Yoyodyne was a dot-com bust in the early 2000s (just kidding).

Stellar Cast, Doc Savage Story.......2007-08-31

Buckaroo is another Non-Super superman, who's talent with science, women and everything else is constantly peaking. A great story with so many elements of 30's-60's sci fi. Even a Rip on Grover's Mills.
Watch, Enjoy, BigBootay.

buckaroo bonzai.......2007-08-28

It was a real kick to watch this movie again, after so many years, especially in the DVD format. I had reluctantly thrown away my VHS copy ages ago due to horrible audio. I had forgotten how funny, irreverent and "campy" this movie really is. A wonderful blend of sci fi and comedy -something hard to accomplish well. They must have had a blast making it; I don't know how they kept a straight face through every scene!
I will always be disappointed that there never was a sequel...
The DVD special features weren't as in depth as I would have liked, but still worth watching.

Awesome movie, excellent service.......2007-07-02

I saw this movie nearly 20 years ago and loved it, so when I saw it was available I jumped on it. I received it promptly and it was in great condition. My kids loved it too.

Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Sky Captain rules!
poor acting but effects are good
I loved this movie...
Would Have Been Great As A Saturday Morning Serial
Only two shots left

Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow [Blu-ray]
Starring: Julian Curry , Michael Gambon , Angelina Jolie , Gwyneth Paltrow , and Laurence Olivier
Director: Kerry Conran
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000I0QM04
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Product Description

In this science fiction adventure set in the 1930s, New York City reporter Polly Perkins starts to investigate why so many famous scientists are being reported missing. Soon, she gets clues, as strange flying machines and giant robots threaten the city. Luckily, her old flame, aviator Captain Joseph Sullivan aka Sky Captain, is there to battle the bad guys with the Flying Legion, in his Warhawk P-40. Now Polly must fly away with Sky Captain to Nepal to find a crazy scientist, Dr. Totenkopf, who apparently wants to destroy the world!

System Requirements:
Running Time: 90 mins

Format: BLU-RAY DISC

Customer Reviews:

Sky Captain rules!.......2007-02-18

If you missed this movie - now is the time to try it in HD! Shame that the movie failed at the box office, but it's good to own it now in Blu Ray. Nice transfer, though the movie itself is very soft visioned, so you won't get this very special sharpness feeling (like i.e. with Mi:3)

poor acting but effects are good.......2007-02-16

THe story is not bad but the acting is quite poor. On the other hand the high definition picture makes up for them and this movie can be enjoyable

I loved this movie..........2006-12-10

I may be in the minority but I really enjoyed this movie. From the retro 'CG heavy' visuals to the 1930's movie seriel feel, this movie is a breath of fresh air. The characters are transparent as cartoon characters but it all fits together nicely to create a unique movie experience.

Would Have Been Great As A Saturday Morning Serial.......2006-11-21

SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW comes off as too campy and too two-dimensional. Polly Perkins (Gyneth Paltrow) and Joseph "Sky Captain" Sullivan just don't ever come to life as characters. We never get to see why they do what they do, or why they're romantically drawn to each other -- except for the handsome rogue and the independent woman that they are.

The plot is almost a standard culled from any of the 1930s science fiction magazines, and even takes a few riffs from Max Fleischer's Superman cartoon with the giant robots wreaking havoc in the streets. After the Great War (World War I), several scientists were pulled into a think tank called Unit 11. No one knows what they were working on, but now all of these men are starting to disappear again. Giant flying robots seek out the scientists as well as machinery and raw products, but no one knows what for.

Sky Captain gets called in. His mercenary band quickly assembles and gets ready to probe into the mystery, but they're attacked first and Sky's right hand man and innovative thinker, Dex, is capture. But not before leaving a clue that tells Sky Captain where the source of the mysterious robots is broadcasting his commands.

The movie quickly becomes a chase as Sky Captain and Polly track down one clue after the other to figure out what's going on. This is familiar fare for anyone who's seen the Indiana Jones movies or the Buck Rogers serials released on DVD.

The CG work for the movie is absolutely amazing, though the opening 30 minutes or so are really too dark in my opinion. They seem drenched in warm sepia tones that I found distracting. The actions sequences came along regularly enough, but most of them were far too predictable. The most inexcusable part, though, is the lack of interesting heroes. They were paper thin and tended to meander through scenes without substance.

Still, as a Blu-ray release, it's an interesting one worth picking up. The high-def presentation is fantastic, and the audio is well sorted out to get the most from your surround sound system. There aren't any other enticements to pick up the movie if you already own it on DVD other than the presentation.

Only two shots left.......2006-09-28

This is a 2004 view of what a 1930's view of the future could look like. Most of the CGI and blue-screen overlays had to be a tad fuzzy to make the scenes work. The language may be a tad stilted but it also is designed to be a thirties movie rendition.

Seems that somewhere towards the end of the last war a brilliant scientist with a vision disappeared and the whole Group 11 project was disbanded. Today top scientists are going missing and it is up to Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) reporter-photographer to find the reason. Mean while it looks as though a destructive minus is ravaging the city (looking for something) and the only person capable of foiling the evil plot is, you guessed it, Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (Jude Law, of "GATTACA" fame).

Eventually Joe runs out of gas and only Franky (Angelina Jolie) can save him if there is time. Meanwhile Polly finds that her camera has only two shots left; can she make the best of them?

How can this daring duo and their pals foil the nefarious plot that may prove fatal to the world as we know it?

Average customer rating:

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant.
Very Cool
A Fifties Sci-Fi Classic
A true Classic
Classic Pulp Sci-Fi

Forbidden Planet [HD DVD]
Starring: Walter Pidgeon , Anne Francis , Leslie Nielsen , Warren Stevens , and Jack Kelly
Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000I2J2W2
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com essential video

Description

A dutiful robot named Robby speaks 188 languages. An underground lair provides astonishing evidence of a populace a million years more advanced than Earthlings. There are many wonders on Altair-4, but none is greater or more deadly than the human mind. Forbidden Planet is the granddaddy of tomorrow, a pioneering work whose ideas and style would be reverse-engineered into many cinematic space voyages to come. Leslie Nielsen portrays the commander who brings his spacecruiser crew to the green-skied Altair-4 world that's home to Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), his daughter (Anne Francis), the remarkable Robby...and to a mysterious terror. Featuring sets of extraordinary scale and the first all-electronic musical soundscape in film history, Forbidden Planet is in a movie orbit all its own.

Customer Reviews:

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant........2007-09-14

What can I say? Words just do not do HD DVD justice; the picture is stunning and brilliant. Just like the name says the look and sound of perfect. I am impressed.

Very Cool .......2007-08-23

Was an awesome purchase. I love the movie and the extras make it worth buying. It would have been better if it was $10 cheaper.

A Fifties Sci-Fi Classic.......2007-08-11

A true Classic.......2007-07-30

I got this dc set for my husband's birthady as it is his favorite movie of all time. He loves having it in CD now and especially likes the special 2 disc edition.

Classic Pulp Sci-Fi.......2007-07-30

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Another take
"Sky Captain": Old-Fashioned, Silly Escapism
A Flight of Fancy
I loved it
A truly unique viewing experience

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow , Jude Law , Giovanni Ribisi , Michael Gambon , and Ling Bai
Director: Kerry Conran
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006IIPIK
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Amazon.com

While setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It's a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Buck Rogers, Blackhawk comics, The Third Man, cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran's feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It's a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it's the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who's the star here. His clever riff on The Wizard of Oz is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Another take.......2007-08-30

A lot of people here seem to like this movie, I am not one of them. I got this as one of the five films you get via coupon for buying a HD DVD player, and at free it is not worth the price. The concept is great, but the plot is silly and disjointed, the acting sucks (yes I am talking about Gwyneth Paltrow in particular). It just left me flat. A concept that could have worked well turns out to be just a mess in execution. At least they tried something different.

"Sky Captain": Old-Fashioned, Silly Escapism.......2007-08-27

Years ago, when I left the theater after watching "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (hereafter "Sky Captain"), an amazing thing happened. A little boy began chasing his friend around the lobby and cheering at the top of his lungs: "Sky Captain to the rescue!!!" After which his father, who'd evidently done his parental duty for the day, rolled his eyes and tried to convince his son the film was just "Ok." That, in a nutshell, is the problem with "Sky Captain"--you either love it or leave it. It has no pretensions other than to be silly escapism, and if you can't look at it the way a six-year-old would, chances are you'll rather leave it. There's no deep intellectual subtext at work here, no verisimilitude masking a philosophical meaning; rather, this movie is about a long-lost era--the age of matinee serials, when a mad scientist could build gargantuan robots to take over the world and only an ace fighter pilot could stop him, rescue the plucky damsel in distress, and then crack a sly one-liner. If that isn't your kind of thing, then like the father of that entranced six-year-old you'll spend most of your time trying to convince yourself the movie's just "Ok."

But man, is "Sky Captain" cool... and cool to watch, too. It may say a lot about my tastes as a sci-fi/adventure fan, but this flick is the most fun to come out of Hollywood in recent years. That's largely because it's so innocently Romantic and unabashedly old-fashioned, with a superhero who isn't driven by some dark psychosis or the sociopathic urge to kill. The plot is a standard adventure yarn: giant robots suddenly attack NYC, and Captain Joe Sullivan (Jude Law), daredevil pilot of the Flying Legion, races to the rescue in his modified P-40 Mustang fighter plane--only to find the robots are the first wave in an assault launched by the mysterious Dr. Totenkopf (Sir Laurence Olivier, in a posthumous but effective performance). Totenkopf wants to destroy the human race, but of course, the more our hero discovers about him, the more complicated his mystery becomes. Along the way, Sky Captain meets his old flame, feisty reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), and together they engage in witty banter back-and-forth until it's obvious neither one's flame ever died out.

Jude Law is dashing as the eponymous superhero and seems to be channeling Errol Flynn-meets-Han Solo. Some might complain that he's harsh, even abusive, in his rough-and-tumble treatment of Gwyneth Paltrow's Polly Perkins (what a name...), but to say this is to give Polly far too little credit. First, Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan is a swaggering ironic hero. Second, Polly's no dainty flower waiting to be trampled, either. Third, every character in this flick is pastiche--playing on classic remembrances of the larger-than-life legends your great grandparents grew up on. There's Giovanni Ribisi the geeky sidekick, Michael Gambon the grizzled newspaper editor, and Angelina Jolie the secret agent squad commander. When George Lucas began writing the original "Star Wars" in the 1970s, he had stuff like "Sky Captain" in mind. So anyone looking for political incorrectness in this film needs to remember that it's about giant robots with death rays coming out of their chests.

The film is an amalgamation of nearly every 1930s serial ever produced, from "Buck Rogers"-style dogfights to a sequence on an island reminiscent of "King Kong." Writer-director Kerry Conran clearly loves the old pulp fiction that inspired this stuff, and who can blame him? Watching Sky Captain and Polly engage in heart pounding aerial chases through the skyscrapers of Manhattan is a like a dream-come-true for the inner child. Throw in a wild, swashbuckling score by Edward Shearmur, who's REALLY playing up the "Buck Rogers" angle, and you've got action scenes that are a wonder to behold--thrilling, tongue-in-cheek, and amazing in how their computer generated imagery not only comes together, but also looks like a comic book right out of the 1930s. Conran and his team filmed the actors in front of blue screens and then digitally superimposed the backgrounds and sets into frame. Thus, you have real actors acting in non-existent environments, and amazingly, it works. The final film is even processed in sepia-tones, giving it the nostalgic, mythic appearance of fantasy.

Yet if a criticism can be leveled against "Sky Captain," it does tend to get a bit too silly in its eagerness to entertain. For example, I can accept that the Captain's P-40 Mustang turns into a submarine (I mean, with a movie about giant robots, who am I to judge?), but that it can submerge into the New York Harbor at mach 5 without shattering into a million pieces is a stretch too far. Particularly since the robots chasing after it burst into fireballs the moment they hit the water. If you're creating your own little cinematic world (and Conran is), then you've got to be consistent. "Sky Captain" isn't, and that's what keeps its deus ex machina-ridden self from being a grand slam. Still, for those seeking a popcorn flick that has a hero with a sense of humor to match his old-time derring-do, and a heroine whose wit can match, you could do a lot worse than to give "Sky Captain" a look and escape to a time when American cinema wasn't so psychotically postmodern. If nothing else, see it for the dogfights and pretend you're six again... who knows? Maybe you'll even be cheering, "Sky Captain to the rescue!"

A Flight of Fancy.......2007-07-16

Wow!!! What a fantastic movie and a genuine achievement in special effects Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is. The marriage of CGI and live action is seamless and its saturated colours and striking production design make it one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen. From start to explosive finish I was riveted to the TV screen and alas, it made me wish I had only gone to see it at my local cinema. Sky Captain is fast paced and exiting with a great cast of A-Grade actors and actresses and a good script. It has a vibrant and decidedly retro aesthetic that perfectly captures the look, feel and spirit of pulp sci-fi from the 1930s & 40s. With its fearless heroes (and heroines!) giant robots, ray guns and rocket ships inspired by the likes of Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon, it is a true escapist's delight. And to think it is brought to life almost entirely with cutting edge 21st century technology in a truly breathtaking, elegant and stylish way. It is hard to believe that the cast had only a minimal amount of props to work with... amazing.

The Art Deco and "Streamlined Moderne" look of the film was for me a major part of its appeal with its references to important industrial designers and architects from that bygone inter-war era. We follow our heroes, Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) & Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) on a globetrotting adventure that takes them from a mythical and idealized modern metropolis (New York) that is under siege by an army of giant robots to an exotic Shangri-La (Tibet) high, high up in the Himalayas. We then travel to the bottom of the ocean to confront the evil genius Dr Totenkopf in his island lair, the apparent source of the mechanical mayhem. He is plotting to destroy the world which he believes has become decadent and corrupt and must be stopped by our daring heroes at all costs.

Yes, while the plot is silly and predictable and the acting a bit stiff and wooden, remember Sky Captain is not an "art film" but an entertaining and over the top flight of fancy. The movie is also admittedly a bit derivative, especially in terms of the Indiana Jones franchise and the computer game Crimson Skies but this really doesn't detract from the film which is exceptionally well made for a first time director and extremely enjoyable. Something I find hard to fathom is that Sky Captain failed at the box office, while not the best film I have ever seen the extraordinary graphic quality and innovative presentation alone should have given it a high measure of success. And let's face it there are far worse movies out there these days.

So if you enjoy good old fashioned action-adventure movies in the vein of King Kong, The Mummy or Indiana Jones, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is for you. It might not have much depth, but it does have heart. So don't be put off by the bad reviews, for in my mind it is one of the best films of its genre made in some years and I look forward to the special edition DVD.

I loved it.......2007-06-14

Totally original, very true to the genre it was imitating.

A truly unique viewing experience.......2007-05-07

After viewing Kerry Conran's "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," I was definitely looking forward to tomorrow. Here's a film that looks and feels so different from anything modern movie audiences are used to that it's sort of difficult to get your head around the whole thing. Maybe it had something to do with the techniques Conran used to create the movie. According to the featurettes on the DVD, he created everything we see on his computer. None of the sets existed in reality. Only the actors and actresses are real (although one can certainly make an argument that Gwyneth Paltrow is not real in any way, shape, or form--an argument for another day, alas), and they had to stand in front of blue screens and basically imagine what was going on. Conran filled in all the details later. This process creates an intriguing world--the equivalent of eye candy of a particularly delicious sort I must say--albeit one that doesn't favor a human focus. We're so caught up in the breathtaking visuals that the actors and the story sort of slide into the backseat. Truth be told, there isn't much of a story to tell. What story there is exists to showcase the visuals.

The main character in "Sky Captain" is one Joe Sullivan (Jude Law), a sort of citizen of the world, James Bond type who flits around the globe saving us from evil. He owns a really cool underground base filled with planes and various high tech gadgets. He receives help in his missions from Dex Dearborn (Giovanni Ribisi), his head scientist and a crack inventor. Whenever trouble erupts, Sullivan, otherwise known as the Sky Captain, hops in his trusty plane and flies to the scene of the crime. His latest mission promises to be a doozy. Gigantic robots are rampaging through the streets of New York, smashing their way through buildings and sending the civilian population into a frenzy. What sort of madness is this? That's for Sky Captain to find out. Fortunately, his old flame Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) is on the case. She's a hard driven reporter who possesses such a cool demeanor that she's calling her story into the paper as the robots rampage. Sullivan and Perkins must team up, amidst much wisecracking, to unlock the mystery of the robots and to stop the heinous evil behind them.

Their adventures take them from place to place in a non-stop flurry of activity that leaves the viewer breathless. The two literally fly around the world, and under the ocean, to save the world. They discover that one Dr. Totenkopf, a World War I German scientist and all-around jerk, is the man behind the metal behemoths. He resides in an enormous complex located on a secret island guarded by all sorts of perilous henchmen. Before they can pay a visit to Totenkopf, however, Sullivan and Perkins must protect the contents of a couple of mysterious vials, and they must also rescue Dex Dearborn, who was captured during a raid on the Sky Captain's airfield. It's a tall order, but fortunately our dynamic duo can rely on the gregarious Franky (Angelina Jolie with a really cute hat and an eye patch), the commander of a British air fleet that floats, literally, through the air. Franky and the Sky Captain have a past of their own to work through, much to the consternation of Polly, but the assistance rendered by the Brits helps move the adventure along to its over the top conclusion at Totenkopf's over the top fortress. It makes sense that none other than the late Laurence Olivier plays the evil doctor.

I couldn't hate this movie if I tried. "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" bombed big time at the box office, but a lot of critics loved it. I can see why reviewers went gaga over this flick. I think several elements factor into the critical praise. One, it's the plot and style of the film, the way Conran took the 1930s serial actioner and brought it into the modern day, that wins plaudits. The color scheme alone, a mix of blurry browns and blues that makes the movie look like a photograph taken in 1935, shows a love for old movies that literally leaps off the screen. Two, the fantastical elements, the sheer over the top effects seen in every frame of the film, take the viewer back to the heady days of childhood when going to the movies meant stepping into a magical world far different from reality. Three, and finally, the banter between the characters mirrors in no small part the sort of wordplay one would see in an old black and white movie. Movie reviewers think of films in a different way than most people. They really believe that a film should transport the viewer to a different time and place, and they're willing to applaud a movie that does just that. This is why they liked "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow".

Despite the poor box office, I think "Sky Captain" has already proved its influence on the future of film. Just watch "300". A lot of what we see there, in a technical sense, originated with Kerry Conran's picture. Needless to say, the DVD presentation is nearly flawless. The picture and audio quality will make your jaw drop, especially if you watch this on one of those big, fancy television screens. Extras include a couple of commentary tracks featuring Conran, producer Jon Avnet, and selected members of the visual effects crew. We also get a few featurettes giving us a behind the scenes look at the film's production as well as interviews with members of the cast. A gag reel, some trailers, deleted scenes, and the original six-minute film Conran made to sell the idea to a studio round out the disc. Whew! So there you go. Check this one out posthaste. You'll have a great time!

Average customer rating:

Great fun!
Could have been much better
enjoyable
Perfect Satire on the old "Down South" ways!
Don't watch

Wild Wild West
Starring: Will Smith , Kevin Kline , Kenneth Branagh , Salma Hayek , and M. Emmet Walsh
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00001ZWTT
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Amazon.com

One of the box-office smashes of the summer of 1999, this film by director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black, Get Shorty) was raked by critics but embraced by audiences. Based on the 1960s TV adventure show that starred Robert Conrad, this film reimagined Secret Service agent James West as Will Smith, adding Oscar-winner Kevin Kline as his sidekick, agent-inventor Artemus Gordon. President Ulysses S. Grant puts West and Gordon on the trail of malign genius (and former Confederate soldier) Dr. Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh) in a story about racism, partnership, and world domination. The special effects are lavish, even garish, but not all that special; they're not enough to elevate a mundane and familiar plot. Even Branagh, playing a man who only exists from the waist up--literally--can't find the juice in this lumbering affair. Still, the fast-talking team of Smith and Kline is a nimble one. Smith's affable charm and Kline's subversive wit win many points, though not nearly enough. --Marshall Fine

Description

Wild, wild laughs, adventure and special-effects wizardry abound when megastar Will Smith reteams with the director of "Men in Black." Smith is agent James West, leading sidekick Artemus Gordon (Kevin Kline) and a sexy adventuress (Salma Hayek) on a perilous assignment: stop Dr. Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh) and his contraption-driven plot to establish a Disunited States of America.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Director commentary
DVD ROM Features:The Steel Assassin interactive game; Artemus Gordon's Mind-Protection Theater reveals a trainload of behind-the-scenes clips; genre essays; web events and chat room access; sampler trailers
DVD ROM exclusive web site
Documentaries:Full arsenal of behind-the-scenes documentaries
Filmographies
Interactive Menus
Music Video:Wild Wild West - Will Smith Ballamos - Enrique Iglesias
Outtakes
Photo gallery:Stills gallery
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Great fun!.......2007-07-13

There's a lot of fighting (that's a euphemism for violence) in this movie, but nothing you can take seriously and I (who avoid violent movies like the plague) could stand it. It's a great flick. It overflows with wit and charm and imagination. West and Gordon play perfectly off each other. Their characters are clearly defined (no, this isn't Williams or Bergman), one dimensional though they be. I loved it. I've seen it 3 times, again last night. It's one of my favorite movies.

Could have been much better.......2007-07-12

Big missed opportunity! This movie had so much potential. It seems as if the writers didn't give much thought to the plot. Many parts seem "thrown in", as if we have to show this so lets put it in. If they had just worried about telling a good story and not about having to show this character doing X and another character doing Y it could have been a terrific movie. You may enjoy it once, however, you probably wouldn't want to see it again.

enjoyable.......2007-05-22

good western/science fiction/comedy movie; some parts & language questionable for younger children, but overall a funny family movie

Perfect Satire on the old "Down South" ways!.......2006-11-27

Although this movie is a little lacking on the remake of the original Wild Wild West....it's supposed to be that way! The comedy is the best. Being raised here in the Southeastern US States, I can tell you it's great the way all of the actors pull together for many many laughs and plays on the old Southern Ways. I own my own personal copy and can't watch the movie enough! Thanks!

Don't watch.......2006-11-26

When I was in middle school I believe and this movie was a hit, it was one of those things that breaks one's belief and hope in the species they are a part of. Why this movie, or the music from it proved a hit is nothing more than a testament to the idea that the earth might be better off being ran by cockroaches.

Average customer rating:

Great Action
EXCELLENT FILM!!! EXCELLENT DIRECTOR!!!!
King Arthur
Great movie - Director's cut a MUST see!
CHECK YOUR HISTORY THEN GET OVER IT

King Arthur (PG-13 Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Clive Owen , Ioan Gruffudd , Mads Mikkelsen , Joel Edgerton , and Hugh Dancy
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Touchstone / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Dillane, Stephen | ( D ) | Actors &

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