Babel

Amazon.com

Brilliantly conceived, superbly directed, and beautifully acted, Babel is inarguably one of the best films of 2006. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his co-writer, Guillermo Arriaga (the two also collaborated on Amores Perros and 21 Grams) weave together the disparate strands of their story into a finely hewn fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters: an American (Brad Pitt) touring Morocco with his wife (Cate Blanchett) become the focus of an international incident also involving a hardscrabble Moroccan farmer (Mustapha Rachidi) struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny (Adriana Barraza), her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take their kids with her to a wedding in Mexico. And a deaf-mute Japanese teen (the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi) deals with a relationship with her father (Koji Yakusho) and the world in general that's been upended by the death of her mother. It is perhaps not surprising, or particularly original, that a gun is the device that ties these people together. Yet Babel isn't merely about violence and its tragic consequences. It's about communication, and especially the lack of it--both intercultural, raising issues like terrorism and immigration, and intracultural, as basic as husbands talking to their wives and parents understanding their children. Iñárritu's command of his medium, sound and visual alike, is extraordinary; the camera work is by turns kinetic and restrained, the music always well matched to the scenes, the editing deft but not confusing, and the film (which clocks in at a lengthy 143 minutes) is filled with indelible moments. Many of those moments are also pretty stark and grim, and no will claim that all of this leads to a "happy" ending, but there is a sense of reconciliation, perhaps even resolution. "If You Want to be Understood... Listen," goes the tagline. And if you want a movie that will leave you thinking, Babel is it. --Sam Graham

Beyond Babel

Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD
Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Why We Love Cate Blanchett

Stills from Babel (click for larger image)

Product Description

In Babel, a tragic incident involving an American couple in Morocco sparks a chain of events for four families in different countries throughout the world. In the struggle to overcome isolation, fear, and displacement, each character discovers that it is family that ultimately provides solace.

In the remote sands of the Moroccan desert, a rifle shot rings out-- detonating a chain of events that will link an American tourist couple's frantic struggle to survive, two Moroccan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children, and a Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. Separated by clashing cultures and sprawling distances, each of these four disparate groups of people are nevertheless hurtling towards a shared destiny of isolation and grief. In the course of just a few days, they will each face the dizzying sensation of becoming profoundly lost - lost in the desert, lost to the world, lost to themselves - as they are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love.

In this mesmerizing, emotional film that was shot in three continents and four languages - and traverses both the deeply personal and the explosively political -- acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Amores Perros) explores with shattering realism the nature of the barriers that seem to separate humankind. In doing so, he evokes the ancient concept of Babel and questions its modern day implications: the mistaken identities, misunderstandings and missed chances for communication that-- though often unseen-- drive our contemporary lives. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Kôji Yakusho, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi lead an international ensemble of actors and non-professional actors from Morocco, Tijuana and Tokyo, who enrich Babel's take on cultural diversity and enhance its powerful examination of the links and frontiers between and within us.

Customer Reviews:

What? Blah Blah Blah. What? Blah Blah Blah. .......2007-09-09

The tower for which this movie was named embodied hubris and grandiosity which culminated in chaos and inability to communicate. Quel coincidence! The good news about Babel is that Brad Pitt is finally starting to look like an adult, and even more surprisingly, a male adult. The bad news is, this voracious turkey vulture of a film consumes 2 hours and 23 minutes of your life that would have been better spent hammering nails into your hand.

Admires of oh-so-trendy crosscut scripting, folks who enjoyed Crash, Short Cuts, and Magnolia, should know better than to fall for this. Those three, though poor, all had worthy moments. Memento and Mulholland Drive used the technique very successfully. But director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - who is also guilty of writing the screenplay - seems to believe that as long as characters are unified by something - anything - a coherent and meaningful story will emerge. For example, if they all breathe air, or scratch when they itch, or if they have all consumed food in the past month. Indeed, what we have are four incidents - one could never call them stories - connected by a thread so thin no self-respecting spider would cast it. Since there is no meaningful connection, we are left with the events themselves.

As is often the case today - lack of story and purpose is glossed over with splashy cinematography. While the score is at times good enough to hold your interest, there is no character anywhere in this movie who is remotely credible or intriguing. No one interacts in any meaningful way, no relationships develop. Our young Japanese friend is the closest we come, at least we care about her, but to observe this is merely say that - in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

Of course when we see the name Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu we should know we're in for pompous, ponderous art house musk ox oil. He is, after all, the auteur of 21 Grams, which paraded its string of intersecting lives and aha "coincidences" before us ad nauseum - instead of plot or character. One can almost imagine the conversations at Starbucks where men in tweed jackets with leather patches, stroking goatees prattle on and on about the symbolism of communication contained in this film - the deaf girl, the telephone calls to foreign operators, a nervous world where a careless goatherd can spark suspicions of international terrorism. This, of course, is what Mr. Inarritu wants. But he's lost sight of Film School 101 - tell a story, make it a good one, give me characters I can care about, and make sure something happens. Babel never achieves the heights it hoped to reach, and takes a very long time failing.

Forgettable and Far Too Self-Important.......2007-09-08

The sweeping shots of mountains are at first awe-inspiring, then soon start to resemble something from a National Geographic special.

There's a lot of "The Ugly American" message in the story (as if there aren't any poor people in America), and the message is delivered in a very heavy-handed, bludgeoning way.

Brad Pitt phones this one in. There's nothing really memorable here; there's no humor to lighten the heavy plot.

"The Constant Gardener" is a much better film. Rent that instead.

A brilliant movie.......2007-09-05

This is definitely not a Hollywoodian movie. How about seeing it as a story about karma, negative karma, action and reaction. If you think of it (provided you have seen this movie), you will realize that the Japanese portion of the story is actually central to all the events, which originate in the Japanese executive. Karma continues to play its devastating role throughout the movie, across all the countries and cultures portrayed.

Having lived for over 10 years in Morocco, I can say that the Moroccan actors did a fabulous job, that the settings were extremely well chosen and looked authentic (I didn't live in the southern Moroccan mountains where this movie was partly shot, so I can't witness to the 100% authenticity of setting).

As for the actors, one of the best roles for Brad Pitt, which he performed perfectly. All of the actors did a superb job. Coming to this movie without any notion of its plot or setting (sorry I was so ignorant!), I was swept off my feet. Highly recommended.

Worst from Iñarritu.......2007-09-04

Boring, senseless, bad paced, predictable. Can't find a positive aspect for this movie, not even the photography or soundtrack was worth the admission fee. One star alone for the cast, yet acting is nothing memorable either.

Six degrees.......2007-09-04

Babel is a `six degrees of separation' film in which a single, small event in Morocco touches lives not only in Morocco but as far away as Japan, Mexico and America. The traumatic stories unfolding at each location are otherwise unrelated to each other and are depicted in the very different styles of film-makers in those locations. The result is like seeing three different, interleaved foreign movies based on the same theme--that horrendous events anywhere have the effect of stripping back the layers of falseness and irrelevance we build into our lives, leaving us with what is true and real. I loved the multi-national backgrounds and thought the acting and direction were superb. However, it's not a film for those looking for an uncomplicated story told in a familiar idiom. It's demanding on several levels--a sophisticated, contemporary movie.

Average customer rating:

The Party DVD
The Party
Birdy Num Nums?
Another Great One to Mystify Your So-Called Friends
Peter Sellers

The Party
Starring: Peter Sellers , Claudine Longet , Natalia Borisova , Jean Carson , and Marge Champion
Director: Blake Edwards
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JKH9
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Amazon.com

Though this film is a relatively minor one in the massive canon of Peter Sellers, it has moments of absolute hilarity. Written and directed by Blake Edwards, one of Sellers's most fertile collaborators, the film stars Sellers as a would-be actor from India (let them try to get away with that today) who is a walking disaster area. After ruining a day's shooting as an extra on a film, he finds himself unintentionally invited to a big Hollywood party. That's pretty much it as far as plot goes, but Edwards and Sellers know how to milk a simple idea for an unending string of slapstick gags. The result is a film that is episodic and sketchy, but also frequently loony in an inspired way. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

The Party DVD.......2007-08-04

I remember seeing part of the movie growing up and thinking that it was very funny. The scene in the bathroom is absolutely hilarious. The entire movie is comic genius in a subdue kind of way. Peter Sellers never got the credit he deserved and this movie is another example of how funny this guy was. Not much on the special features but that is not why I bought the DVD.

The Party.......2007-07-02

Sellers inhabits another accident-prone character in his continuing partnership with Blake Edwards. Bakshi is a gentle person, but his innocent curiosity about his surroundings (or is it bewilderment?) manages to wreak havoc most everywhere he goes. Though detractors claim the comic momentum flags by picture's end, Sellers's brilliant characterization and some sublime set-pieces make this worthy viewing. In particular, the dinner sequence is one of the funniest sequences on film. French actress Claudine Longet is adorable as the party's prettiest guest, who befriends Bakshi. A sixties bash!

Birdy Num Nums?.......2007-06-15

This line should reduce you to tears of laughter if you know the movie, if not, you need to watch it to see just what the heck is so funny about these words when put together in a sentence.

Another Great One to Mystify Your So-Called Friends.......2007-06-05

Aside from Das Boot, Down by Law, and The Deer Hunter, I don't think I own any movies from the 70's. Yes, I'm sure I've missed a couple, but not by much. Peter Sellers is fantastic in the film, giving an Indian slant to a humorous presentation.

The gags are thoughtful and very universal (see if any of the situations have applied to you). The Party gives a very high laugh factor without having to commit to a genre or time period. Anyone who's tired of the school of obvious laughs (Clap Please) should enjoy this. Warning- the viewer is responsible for detecting humorous moments and shall not be compelled, forced, or otherwise tipped off when something funny has happened (and this occurs frequently).

Peter Sellers.......2007-05-01

I thought this film was very funny and best viewed with a drink in hand to get through the viewing with as little pain as possible.

Average customer rating:

my old copy on vhs was better
Get the Ultimate Edition
The greatest Bond?
Saddled with age and parody
Thunderball

Thunderball
Starring: Sean Connery , Claudine Auger , Adolfo Celi , Luciana Paluzzi , and Rik Van Nutter
Director: Terence Young
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B000M53GNG
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

James Bond's fourth adventure takes him to the Bahamas, where a NATO warplane with a nuclear payload has disappeared into the sea. Bond (Sean Connery) travels from a tiny health spa (where he tangles with a mechanized masseuse run amuck) to the casinos of Nassau and soon picks up the trail of SPECTRE's number-two man, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), and his beautiful mistress, Domino (Claudine Auger), whom Bond soon seduces to his side. Equipped with more gadgets than ever, courtesy of the resourceful "Q" (Desmond Llewelyn), agent 007 escapes an ambush with a personal-size jet pack and takes to the water as he searches for the undersea plane, battles Largo's pet sharks, and finally leads the battle against Largo's scuba-equipped henchmen in a spectacular underwater climax. This thrilling Bond entry became Connery's most successful outing in the series and was remade in 1983 as Never Say Never Again, with Connery returning to the role after a 12-year hiatus. Tom Jones belts out the bold theme song to another classic Maurice Binder title sequence. --Sean Axmaker

Description

The thrills never let up as James Bond dives into this riveting adventure filled with explosive confrontations and amazing underwater action sequences! Sean Connery brings his characteristic style, humor and magnetism to Agent 007 as he travels to Nassau

Customer Reviews:

my old copy on vhs was better.......2007-08-05

I love Thunderball, but if you're buying this to get better picture quality, I'd reconsider. I have this movie on vhs and the picture and color quality were far superior. This is a crucial consideration with Thunderball, as it is probably the Bond movie that features the most vibrant and beautiful colors.You could almost turn off the volume, and watch it as a travel video. It makes you feel like you're in Nassau(or, at least, wish you were). Maybe it's just me, but I don't like the picture on this dvd nearly as much as my old vhs copy.
As for the movie itself, though, it is one of my favorite Bonds. It has a couple of the best fist fights in the entire series.Some of the coolest moments in Bond history are here, as well. For example, when he harpoons that guy to the tree, we are talking about the sort of moment that made Bond what he is today. Or, even better, when he's about to be shot, and he pulls the evil lady in the way and allows her to take the bullet, he pretty much puts the final nail in the coffin of chivalry. Epic stuff.He smoked, and drank, and loved red meat, and ladies with hour-glass shapes, and he made no apology for any of it. I've liked several of the various Bonds, but, for pure machismo, Connery has to be at the top. Think about it-if James Bond had to fight Rambo, which Bond would stand the best chance? My money would be on this one.

Get the Ultimate Edition.......2007-06-27

This DVD was like that old stereotype of Chinese meals: half an hour later you're hungry again.

In this case, the restoration is wonderful and the watchability of the film itself is great. However, when it's done, you have a great curiosity about all sorts of production elements, alluded to in the two separate commentary tracks furnished with this edition.

So, get the "ultimate edition" to learn more about this film.

As to the movie itself, it brings the commericial and cultural success of "Goldfinger" into the next level. Other reviewers here have alluded to "self-parody" and really intolerable sexism.

What can one say? They're absolutely right. It is awful for its sexism, sexual aggression and cliche, especially in hindsight.

If we know those traits for what they are, and reject them in the "here and now," are we intelligent enough to cull the better aspects of this film?

In any event, if you want more information about it, get the two-disk issue.

If you want less, don't buy it.

The greatest Bond?.......2007-06-12

While many rank GOLDFINGER as the best Bond ever, THUNDERBALL has always been my favorite. To me it had all the Bond ingredients (gadgets, lots of sharks, the Aston Martin, scuba diving, gorgeous babes & plenty of action) as well as a cohesive plot. Spectre remains one of the most formidable villains in Bond history, even after all these years.

The underwater brawl between the Spectre divers and the Navy(?) divers remains a classic climactic scene in all of the Bond movies. I'm just guessing that they were Navy (SEALS?) as usually Army guys are not trained in scuba operations.

Connery's final Bond movie, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, was more-or-less a remake of THUNDERBALL. There were a few variations here & there, but the basic plotline & many of the elements remained the same. This goes to show just how enduring THUNDERBALL was to the Connery Bond movies.

Saddled with age and parody.......2007-04-25

Bad guys steal a couple of nukes from the French. Bond has to find them. So much for the plot.

The most striking thing about this film is how badly it has aged. For one thing, parody has taken its toll. When Mike Myers's mined the 007 films for his "Austen Powers" series, Thunderball made for a most generous lode. From evil genius Emilio Largo's pet cat (turned hairless for Powers) to the shark-filled swimming pool (just add lasers) to the death-dealing chairs (substitute flames for electricity and voila!) the movie is already a parody of itself. Add to this Bond's brutal sexism -- the scene in which he forces an uninterested female doctor to kiss him is truly retch-inducing - and you have a real embarrassment. I recently watched this on a school trip with a bunch of teens and felt, in spite of the PG rating, that this film was a much more problematic movie than the R-rated "Blood Diamonds."

Whateverr. Enjoy the film for its anachronistic war of the sexes and for the quite silly (to modern eyes) evil twists. Also, watch for bizarre plot holes. In one scene, Bond is dallying with one of his lady loves. A bad guy sneaks up off camera. Bond quickly pulls out a spear gun and skewers the poor man to a tree. Then he and the lady just walk off, leaving the corpse to...whom exactly? And the poor drowned devils who died when their plane sank in the Caribbean? In spite of the prevalent sharks, they are quite well-preserved when Bond finds them a week later. Cheers!

Thunderball.......2007-03-19

Movie was delivered in a timely manner. Quality of DVD is excellent.
An excellent upgrade for an older Bond film. Recommend purchase.

Average customer rating:

TIMELESS AND FABULOUS.....!!!!!
Claudine
Now I'm not just saying this because I adore Diahann Carroll...
an intelligent forgotten minor classic
Claudine- NYC... The 1970s...

Claudine (1974)
Starring: Diahann Carroll , James Earl Jones , Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs , Tamu Blackwell , and David Kruger
Director: John Berry
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00007AJG2
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Amazon.com

It's easy to get hooked by Claudine, a lean, funny, Nixon-era movie about a romance nearly undone by a patronizing welfare system. Diahann Carroll stars as Claudine, single mother of six children in Harlem and a maid working for under-the-table wages. Forever worried that her white caseworker will discover her meager, outside income (thus eliminating meager government benefits), Claudine further complicates her domestic situation by falling in love with Roop (James Earl Jones). An affable Romeo and absent but financially supportive father of several kids, Roop by his presence jeopardizes Claudine's official status as a mom without means. The couple's decision to go forward results in welfare backlash, personal humiliation, family strain, and corrosive behavior. A sharp script layers the personal story within a socially conscious treatment, while Jones and Carroll's special chemistry turns the characters into fully rounded people. John Berry (From This Day Forward), an interesting if forgotten director, brings a clipped vitality to this urban affair. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

TIMELESS AND FABULOUS.....!!!!!.......2007-06-21

A young Diahann Carroll stars as Claudine, a 36-year-old single mother with six precocious children. A welfare recipient, Claudine also heads out to the 'burbs during the week for her full-time job as...what else? A housekeeper for rich white folks. Claudine looks forward to trash collection in the suburban neighborhood....where a young, handsome and obviously smitten James Earl Jones (playing the character Rupert) tries to woo her. The two begin dating, and fall in love. But the pressures of the prying eyes of social workers and Rup's own checkered past soon come calling. Will Rupert step up and be the man that Claudine and the children need and know he is?
With an endearing cast a great soundtrack courtesy of Gladys Knight (remember that hit Make Yours A Happy Home?), this movie is a classic with issues and concerns that unfortunately are still very relevant...this is a must for every movie collection.

DYB

Claudine.......2007-06-15

This came out when I was living it. This has got to be about my mother and my siblings. Great movie back then and still carries the values that kept the family together in spite of all obstacles. Glad I bought it.

Now I'm not just saying this because I adore Diahann Carroll..........2007-05-27

I found out about this movie while searching for Diahann Carroll movies. I picked it up along with Carmen Jones for a long weekend that I planned on spending at home. I wasnt quite sure of what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. Its very funny and yet still manages to convey a message without being preachy or overly dramatic. The main characters, Claudine (Diahann Carroll) and "Roop" (James Earl Jones) are great, very charasmatic and come across great on the screen. However, I thought Claudine's kids were hilarious. Keep an eye out for the scene where Claudine is having breakfast with her kids after her first date with Roop. If you can get through it without laughing, well I feel sorry for you, you're probably dead inside (LOL). All in all a great movie. Stop reading and just get it. You'll love it.

an intelligent forgotten minor classic.......2007-05-12

further evidence that the 1970s, save for the 1930s in a very different way, were the finest decade in motion picture history. this is a small film, and lost in the memory of most (especially, id imagine, whites like me). mature and uncompromising view of a black single mother trying to make a life for her family while establishing a new relationship. the two leads are diahann carroll and james earl jones, and they pull no punches on the honesty front. there are no pat answers offered, no sitcom resolution -- just the chance that **something** might work out in the end. i wish "light" movies in THIS generation were equally mature.

Claudine- NYC... The 1970s..........2007-04-04

Somewhat light-hearted drama about a struggling, inner-city, single mother who meets a charming sanitation worker & the many bumps they hit in the road to further their relationship.

Great performances by Diahann Carroll & James Earl Jones, & also the young actors portraying her children were quite convincing.

The one obvious flaw to me, however, was that although an accomplished, seasoned actress, Ms. Carroll, isn't *quite* convincing as a 'true" inner-city resident. Someone like Cicily Tyson or Esther Rolle would've pulled it off more convincingly. Ms. Carroll has just too much of a glamorous charisma for it.

This movie can appeal to many, but I'd think mostly for people who grew up in the 70s in the city. (like myself) They're likely to relate more to the characters.

Average customer rating:

Get the DVD version with Mike Hodges' director's commentary
Solid British Thriller
The roll of dice
Clive Owen at this best!
A Fairly Typical Arthouse Film with Some Flair

Croupier
Starring: Clive Owen , Nick Reding , Nicholas Ball , Alexander Morton , and Barnaby Kay
Director: Mike Hodges
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001BKACG
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Amazon.com

Suffering from a bad case of writer's block, author Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) sits in his London flat, staring at an empty computer screen and trying to find the words to narrate his meandering life. Reluctantly Jack accepts a job from his absentee father (Nicholas Ball) at a second-rate casino as a dealer, or croupier, a job he once held in South Africa. His immersion back into this world is intoxicating, thanks primarily to the power he holds over his nightly clientele. Jack is a straight arrow on the floor (unlike his coworkers) but the whisper of an inside-job robbery makes his life suddenly more intriguing, as do the women who begin to drift into his life: a fellow croupier (Kate Hardie) and an alluring gambler (Alex Kingston). Suddenly, Jack finds his own life is his best book material. There's something visceral about watching the world of gambling, and director Mike Hodges (who directed the original Get Carter) taps into this allure; Jack's simple croupier tryout--handling cards and chips with skill and grace--is as captivating as most action scenes in big popcorn films. In the end, this little film, which went on to become an art-house hit, is as unpredictable as a roll of the dice. --Doug Thomas

Description

All bets are off in London's gambling world when struggling writer Jack Manfred (Gosford Park's Clive Owen) accepts his father's offer of a job as a croupier, out the cards of fate and fortune each night to casino patrons. As his relationship with his girlfriend, Marion (Notting Hill's Gina McKee), suffers from the strain of his new job, Jack finds his eye roving to a seductive gambler, Jani (ER's Alex Kingston), who lures him into a dangerous robbery scheme with Jack positioned as the inside man. A critical and commercial smash, this delicious British thriller from director Mike Hodges (Get Carter) and writer Paul Mayersberg (The Last Samurai) is a solid winner from start to finish!

Customer Reviews:

Get the DVD version with Mike Hodges' director's commentary.......2007-04-21

Nine years after its production, 'Croupier' is now remembered as the vehicle which shot Clive Owen into movie stardom...and rightfully so. He's mesmerizing here in Mike Hodges' taut adaptation of Paul Mayersberg's beguiling script. Mayersberg received an Edgar Allan Poe nomination for Best Screenplay. [NOTE: Amazon's sister site IMDB - in a delightfully goofy phonetic slip-up - notes that the Poe Awards "honor the achievements of writers in the field of mystery at all."]

Mayersberg's tale features layers of intricacies, secret deals, snitches, stories within stories, all presented to you by a narrator (Owen's Jack Manfred) who may or may not be leveling with you. Like countless others, I scrambled online to see if the IMDB chatboards would lead to a bit of resolution. The prevailing opinion there is that Mayersberg and Hodges have deliberately left some things subject to interpretation. Apparently, this conclusion is reinforced by the Director's commentary. One reviewer noted that re-watching Croupier with Hodges' commentary was "like watching an entirely different film." Unfortunately, we had a DVD without that track. My recommendation is to make sure you rent/buy the version of the product that comes with that DVD extra.

Solid British Thriller.......2007-01-26

Croupier's protagonist (Clive Owen, in a very interesting performance in his pre-fame days) is a taciturn, unsuccessful writer living in London, who at the instigation of his father accepts a job as a croupier in a casino. He takes the job in order to write a novel about it, in which he can watch this particular milieu from above, in a detached and superior position. In the casino he meets a number of people, including the troubled Bella (Kate Hardie, in my view, the movie's most compelling character). Other character, the gambler Jani (Alex Kingston) will eventually involve him in a plot to rob the place. This movie let us know more details about the gambling business that we may be interested to know, and the final twist doesn't really hold water, making the movie end in a somewhat disappointing note, but all in all this is a solid, unusual thriller.

The roll of dice.......2007-01-06

Incredible film. It's about a man who knows how seductive the spin of the roulette wheel can be, and tries his best not to be seduced by the throw of dice. And then comes the ending, and you realise that either way he loses out. Brilliant stuff.

Clive Owen at this best!.......2007-01-05

This was one of Clive Owen's first starring roles (to be more precise, his second official top bill). It also stands up as one of his best yet. Although somewhat obscure and fairly unknown, this is one movie that Owen fans should get ahold of an add to their collection!

Clive Owen plays Jack Manfred, an aspiring writer who is hounded by his father to find a decent job. With the writing gig not quite working out for him (writer's block surely doesn't help), he finally takes one of those leads and becomes a croupier (dealer) at a local casino. What he uncovers and encounters fascinates him, though certainly it could have appalled anyone. This might be the start of a new book, finally stimulating his creative talents once again, while at the same time earning a good reputation at the blackjack tables as one heck of a croupier. Toss in a mysterious woman (Alex Kingston of "ER" fame [she played Dr. Corday]), and his concerned girlfriend, and you have a strange mix of intrigue and drama, with much depth and flavor.

It does have an R-rating, mainly for language, nudity, drug use and violence. There is nothing quite gory about the film, the language is not a constant string of 4-letter words, the nudity is brief and the drug use fairly minor. Still, be wary if you are offended by any of these items or if you were debating showing the film to anyone impressionable. Overall, though, this is a fantastic movie that delivers drama, some minor action, and a great deal of intrigue. It isn't preachy enough to be over anyone's head and it never gets too side-tracked by trying to fit into any one genre. Fans of Clive Owen, Alex Kingston, drama, intrigue, gambling, or suspense movies should definitely add this one to their collection.

A Fairly Typical Arthouse Film with Some Flair.......2006-12-07

When Clive Owen's name was bandied about to replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, the only word I could think of to describe Owen was "meathead." Having now seen "Croupier," I understand a bit more why he was considered, as it's fairly clear that the 007 from the opening casino scenes in "Dr. No" was a model for Owen's look and performance here, right down to the way he dangles his cigarette. Still, he lacks that final ingredient of panache, looking a bit more like a slightly less dopey but more hairy Nicholas Cage than a young Connery. His sociopathic performance here, too, lacks significant depth, though it is appropriate for the muted goings on that is "Croupier's" plot. As a frustrated writer searching for his muse, Owen's Jack is pulled into myriad scenes depicting the sad state of the controlled and controlling that comprises the gambling world, itself a thinly veiled metaphor for society in general. The first half of the film may remind viewers of "Fight Club" in both tone and execution; by the time the story takes some twists -- at least one unexpected -- it seems a different animal. The performances here are good, especially from Alex Kingston, whose South African accent and desire to get naked are both plusses. But by the middle of the film, it's not clear whether what we are seeing is real or some fantasy conjured up by "Jake," Jack's steely alter ego. In the end, it doesn't seem to matter, as "Croupier" reaches for and basically attains the sort of muddled climax that intellectuals find thought provoking. If you've seen enough of these things, you won't be surprised.

Babel (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

haha... someone said crash with a transport...
Great Plot
"Crash" with a passport
Open your eyes, and your ears!
How we speak

Babel (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett , Mohamed Akhzam , Peter Wight , and Harriet Walter
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000SQFC18
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Amazon.com

Beyond Babel

Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD
Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Why We Love Cate Blanchett

Stills from Babel (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

haha... someone said crash with a transport..........2007-08-15

I agree, except I think that this movie did what 'crash' was trying to do. Without puting a Christian bias in it and thus negating the entire meaning of the film, (as crash did quite thoroughly) Babel tied its stories together in a way that I believe was intended to have one question his responsibility in 'all' matters, even (or especially) matters that are seemingly out of our control. At the same time, the stories are different enough to make one see something that is quite clear in multiple perspectives. If you watch it and you think, "I get it," you probably do, and if you still think it sucks, that's fine, but at least, when you derrive upon an issue that you think you understand, doubt yourself and try to get a little more out of it than you are used to. "Where there is doubt there is freedom" ~Latin Proverb.

Great Plot.......2007-08-08

I was completely taken by the plot of this film. I absolutely loved it. The way everything was put together at the end was fabulous.

"Crash" with a passport.......2007-08-02

Haven't film fans suffered enough with these multi character films that center on race relations, communication misunderstandings ? After last years worst film of the year "Crash" (I know the Academy disagreed with me on that one) we get "Babel" another over wrought hit them of the head film about modern day race relations. I give this film one more star than I gave "Crash" because Cate Blanchett was in it and the story involving the Japanese teenager was interesting. Like "Crash" there were plenty of "oh brother are they serious" moments. The final moments when it is revealed how all the stories are connected was well can you say STRETCH. Oh well at least the Academy had the good sense not to repeat last years debacle.

Open your eyes, and your ears!.......2007-07-24

I must admit, upon first glance of the trailer, the only thing that caught my attention was the title, "BABEL". The word was one I am quite familiar with considering the story of The Tower of Babel was in mind. However, taking a sudden random interest in seeing the film just a month before it came out, I found out the story was much more complexed and original. Hailed as a recreation of the Academy Award winning Crash, which I had little to no interest to see, I considered Babel to be something that was being pushed below of what it actually could do with the limited release and already being ridiculed by people who hadn't even seen it. Blocking out all skepticism, I made the effort to see the film in the only theatre in my area where it was showing. I have no regrets of doing so.

When an American woman traveling on vacation with her husband and a group of tourists in Morocco is suddenly shot, a chain reaction begins. Suspecting terrorists, the American and Moroccan governments take action. Little do they know it was a small local family living in the mountains. The two sons, who had the rifle, were supposed to be protecting the family's herd of goats with it but instead began aiming at cars and also the tour bus. In Japan, deaf and mute Chieko, who's father once owned the gun, is having problems of her own communicating with anyone of the outside world, let alone does she make any real effort to do so. Not only this, but Amelia, who is the American couple's Mexican nanny, takes the couple's young children across the border to attend her own son's wedding when the couple does not return in time, only to find she may not be able to get them back. Along the lines, these six people will find they didn't have their world as well planned out as they had thought.

The cast was absolutely phenomenol. Filled with first-timers and world-class talent, each person is able to show their abilities. Adriana Bazzara shines as Amelia the maid. She was the most sympathetic out of all the characters, and her portrayal of an insanity set in by not being able to make it back to the life she left behind in America is absolutely incredible. Barraza's own level of commitment is also insurmountable. Because the screenplay called for her to talk the majority in Spanish, this may have enabled Barraza to bring out her full potential. I admit, she was my favorite actress out of the whole movie if not THE best.

I must also admit that I think this was my favorite movie Brad Pitt played in. I can't say I would own any films with him in it, but just the idea that he was playing a character that was not the lead (nor were there any leads except for the principles) was what also made me want to see the movie more because playing a supporting is usually more difficult. He did not shine on screen which was ultimately good. Usually when people go to see a movie, they go to see the star. This was not his case, however. They were actually seeing the character of Richard and not just Brad Pitt which I was amazingly shocked he could pull off without pulling his usual stints in the process. Well known actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Cate Blanchett also did the same. Both are of high-stature in hollywood and in their home countries, but ultimately make room for the unknowns, who end up being just as good (or in Barraza's case, BETTER) than the super-stars. Koji Yakusho should've been given more time than he was, but makes a nice supporting star in the film in the simplicity of his role.

I will give a lot of notification to writer Guillermo Arriaga and Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for their bold and straightforward displays of the story that Babel puts forth. The atmospheric setting and the different sides of the world that are quick to make acusations, and how hard life is anywhere outside of your home country, even if you are only traveling, which are obvious nods to the Mexicans and the Americans in the movie. Though I can see a lot that could've been left out of the graphicness in the story of the deaf and blind Chieko, such as the full frontal nudity (which could've been done just as well with just implied nudity), the rest of her story, and the others are perfect in their complications. A lot is displayed in the 2 hours and 23 minutes the film runs, even giving you the idea that life runs slower than it really is.

The key element, which is not pushed out into the obvious but played along for the audience to figure out, is that all the characters are trapped in a world in which they cannot communicate with the people around them, hence the title BABEL. This was another thing that lured me in on account of we pass this by everyday without even knowing it. In Albuqueruqe, New Mexico where I live, it is very difficult to speak with people because the majority of people here speak spanish, while about 1/5 of the population ONLY speaks Spanish. Babel touched home with me on that aspect. I know Spanish, but I can only imagine what it must be like for people who don't. You could almost think of it as an innocence of ignorance as with the issue all the characters in the film experience. I'm sure with a lot of people Babel touched home, but I hope it picks up at the box office soon.

On the $25,000,000 budget, which the producers spent thoughtfully and and worthfully, the fruits of their passion on a six month shoot has brought us this amazing work of art to the world which should be noted to all kinds as a message that needs to be heard. Babel will feel as reality because it is a lesson in arrogance and hubris on many fronts. If you are a person who takes the time to experience reality daily as I did, you will feel for these people. If not, do not waste your time. It is very difficult for anyone of the routine world who cannot take the time to realize the little things in life such as being able to understand one another that could never understand a film as complex as Babel. Go in with a skeptical mind and come out feeling refreshed and waiting for life to meet you. I guarantee you that you will get something back.

How we speak.......2007-07-06

Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo Arriaga (who have sadly had a falling-out) may be one of the most formidable creative teams in the industry. Without resorting to cheap sentiments or preaching, Iñárritu crafts a quietly compelling follow-up to "21 Grams," with an introspective look at the interlaced lives after a tragedy.

Two boys in Morocco buy a rifle, and while testing it out, they strike a passing tourist bus. Unfortunately, the bullet strikes a vacationing American woman (Cate Blanchett), in the middle of a rural area with no real medical facilities. Unable to be transported, the woman and her husband (Brad Pitt) are dropped off in a rural village, to await help.

Unknowingly, the boys have triggered off shattering events in other people's lives across the world -- a troubled, deaf Japanese girl (Rinko Kikuchi) causes a commotion, and the police find that this neglected, lonely teen is the daughter of the man who originally had the boys' rifle. And the American couple's nanny (Adriana Barraza) is delayed going to her son's wedding, and attempts to bring the children into Mexico with her -- with disastrous results.

"Babel" is like a series of completely different photographs, but with the same person in the background. These haunting looks at how lives can be changed in an instant -- and the effects of violence, whether malicious or careless -- makes up the last volume of Iñárritu and Arriaga's "Death Trilogy." It illustrates death with the fragility of life.

But it's also about the difficulty of communicating in the modern world. You can talk to someone across the world, but sometimes never communicate -- cultures, languages, race, and disabilities can divide people, such as when the border police rush to rescue the American kids, but are callous to the kindly nanny merely because she is not a citizen.

And Iñárritu knows how to capture the right feel for the movie, even to giving it shaky, rough cinematography. There's a feeling of powerful emotion even in small scenes, such as Pitt starting to crumble as he makes a phone call. And the movie moves seamlessly from the rocky, dusty Morocco to the flashy, frenetic Tokyo to the relaxed San Diego.

Blanchett and Pitt are at the center of the movie (in that order), and both are excellent. Blanchett gives a stunning performance as the critically wounded wife, and Pitt acquits himself well as her anguished husband, as they rediscover their love under duress. Blanchett's performance should definitely garner her an Oscar next year -- and heads should roll if she isn't even nominated!

But the supporting cast is also excellent, particularly Kikuchi as the rebellious teenager, who feels isolated from the world around her, and is still grieving from her mother's tragic death. So she acts out sexually. And Barraza gives a solid performance as the nanny, in a nightmarish situation that is particularly haunting because it really happens.

Admittedly, a good movie deserves a pretty good special edition, but this two-disc version really doesn't differ that much from the original theatrical release. The primary extra on this is a long "making of" featurette. It's nice, but a bit more would have been expected.

It may comment on the lack of communication between cultures and people, but "Babel" is so compelling in its acting and visuals that it could easily have been a silent film. A brilliant, thought-provoking movie, and one that deserves to be seen.

Average customer rating:

Pretty Girls in peril. Can't get enough.
Gorgeous transfer of Pop-Art vision of '70s Rome
Creepity Crawlity
Hardly the Best Giallo
Classic Giallo

The Black Belly of the Tarantula
Starring: Giancarlo Giannini , Claudine Auger , Barbara Bouchet , Rossella Falk , and Silvano Tranquilli
Director: Paolo Cavara
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E41MTU
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Amazon.com

Black Belly of the Tarantula, following the release of Dario Argento's first feature, Bird With the Crystal Plumage, is one of the films that defined the Giallo genre's attractive blend of horror and high fashion. With a score by Ennio Morricone, direction by Paolo Cavara, and starring the handsome Giancarlo Giannini, Black Belly makes the story of a perverted serial killer who first paralyzes his victims with the poison wasps used to stun tarantulas seem cool and intriguing. This could be due to the fact that three of the killer's sexy victims went on to become Bond Girls (Claudine Auger, Barbara Bouchet, and Barbara Bach). Murders set in a massage parlor, an upscale fur shop, and in various white-sheeted beds showcase the aesthetic beauty of bloodshed. Giannini, who plays the suave police inspector, sleuths his way to the killer and finally fights him with the same vampiric ferocity that a wasp attacks a tarantula. In fact, stock footage of the carnivorous insects are interspersed throughout the film for added effect. Plots in Giallo films are basic; rather, the way murders are shot make the films memorable. The finest scenes in Black Belly occur during the stalker's pursuit of his "prey." Women's faces smear across the screen, their makeup palettes carefully matched to the rooms in which they are sliced open. With less actual gore than some other classic Giallo films such as Perfume of the Lady In Black and All The Colors of The Dark, Black Belly of the Tarantula relies more on style than on brutal violence. For this reason, it would be a good introduction to Italian horror for those who want to avoid witnessing serious carnage. --Trinie Dalton

Description

A deranged killer is injecting beautiful women with the poison of a rare wasp, paralyzing them and forcing them to witness their own brutal murders. Academy Award(r) nominee Giancarlo Giannini (SEVEN BEAUTIES, HANNIBAL) stars as the dogged detective who takes the case only to find himself trapped in a web of immorality and murder. From the tantalizingly erotic opening to its vicious stunner of an ending, experience what is considered to be one of the most riveting and acclaimed films in the entire giallo genre.

Claudine Auger (THUNDERBALL, TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE), Barbara Bouchet (CASINO ROYALE, DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING) and Barbara Bach (THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS) co-star in this rarely-seen classic directed by Paolo Cavara (MONDO CANE) and featuring one of Ennio Morricone's best scores ever, now transferred in High Definition from the original camera negative and available for the first time ever in America.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty Girls in peril. Can't get enough........2007-01-10

I like this kind of movie. Just a step above MST3K fodder. "A very small step." Don't buy it if your looking for a movie like The Birds, but if you like movies a little on the campy side. You might like this one.

Gorgeous transfer of Pop-Art vision of '70s Rome .......2006-06-18

La Tarantola dal Ventre Nero, to give it it's Italian name, is much more than just another piece of trashy European cinema. It is an exquisite example of how wonderful cinema was in the late '60s / early '70s and an excellent reminder as to why I seldom bother going to movies these days.

Essentially, it's a whodunnit and we could debate the strength and weaknesses of the plot (and there are plenty of weaknesses) but the key to this film is it's cinematic style, a kind of garish Pop-Art vision of '70s Rome that mesmerises with each frame. It's loaded with '60s accoutrements - retro-futuristic furniture, glamorous women's fashions, old-school Alfa Romeo's (was there ever a cooler vehicle?). And the acting is stellar together with yet another legendary Morricone soundtrack.

As for the DVD itself, this is the first Blue Underground disk that I have bought and I can say without equivocation that it's the best looking picture that I've ever seen in this format. Really vibrant colors that are a joy to watch even at moments when the plot begins to sag. And full marks to BU for including the original Italian mono soundtrack with English subtitles. In all, it's a great product that really captures how good DVD can be when someone takes care with these things. I will certainly be buying many more Blue Underground films in the future.

So, you get '70s Rome, funky decor, brash colors, a reasonable plot and if that ain't enough, there are not one, not two but THREE Bond girls in this film (and one of them gets nude and all).

No excuses for not owning this one.

Creepity Crawlity.......2006-05-17

Someone's knocking off horny older chicks, and the fuzz are on the case. Who the hell's doing it, and why?? The quote on the box claims this to be the best giallo ever made, but that's a pretty heavy statement. Apparently the person who wrote that hasn't seen too many giallos. Black Belly is a pretty cool film, but aside from the modus operandi of the killer, it's fairly average. Plus, the identity of the killer was too easy to figure out considering they push a little too hard in making the killer look like the least likely to be the killer. Once again Blue Underground has worked wonders on restoring this one, it looks pretty damn good. It may not be the best the genre has to offer, but it's definitely required viewing for those into the genre. Dig?

Hardly the Best Giallo.......2006-04-12

This 1971 offering stars Giancarlo Giannini in a fine performance as a police inspector on the hunt for a psycho who stuns his attractive victime with a poison-dipped needle before eviscerating them.

The production is above average slick and the performances are fine, especially from Giannini, but I just didn't find it involving, suspenseful or stylish enough to keep my finger off fast forward. It's not bad, just average. The climax and the killer's unmasking is particularly weak and anti-climactic.

Fans of the genre seem to really like this one, but I suggest a rental before a purchase.

Classic Giallo.......2006-03-31

I can't go quite as far as Horrorview: this is not quite the "best giallo ever made." It is, however, one of the best I've ever seen. It would be a solid contender, for example, for "best giallo ever made - that was not directed by Dario Argento." The Black Belly of the Tarantula certainly has a lot going for it. The acting is superb, and the lead, played by Oscar nominee Giancarlo Giannini (Hannibal, Seven Beauties), is excellent. Further, the suspense level is occasionally quite high, the climax is good, the score by Ennio Morricone is classic, and oh, yeah, there are three Bond girls. The lead, a haggard and down of his luck detective, investigates a series of murders that seem to be linked to a blackmailing case. The killer's modus operandi is to insert a large acupuncture needle into the spine of his victims, rendering them paralyzed, and then to kill them while they are conscious but unable to fight back. The back of the DVD claims that the killer uses the poison of a rare wasp to achieve the effect of paralysis; however, watching the film it is unclear whether this is really true. The tarantula/wasp conflict, in which a rare wasp paralyzes a spider and lays its eggs inside - the larvae growing and feeding while the spider is still alive, seems to be a mere analogy in the film and not an identification of how the killer achieves his/her effect. The story contains some nice touches, typical of the giallo genre - such as identifying an ambiguous object in the background of a photograph and using it to identify the possible location of the killer's house. The film also includes a truly harrowing rooftop chase, wonderfully filmed, and, as mentioned above, and a very well done climax. Also of note is that the clinical explanation of why the killer killed, offered at the end of the film, is actually very psychologically sound. Perhaps the film's most notable trait, however, is the quality of the acting - Giancarlo Giannini is a far better actor than the genre of giallo is accustomed to (with the notable exceptions of David Hemmings in Deep Red, Ray Milland in The Pyjama Girl Case, and Max von Sydow in Sleepless), and it really helps the film. On the down side, the plot could have easily been made tighter. Also disappointingly lacking is the typical giallo touch of having a character struggle with deciphering a psychological mystery, whether stemming from misperceiving a crime, a false or inaccurate memory, etc. Such has been an earmark of the genre since the first giallo film, Mario Bava's The Girl Who Knew Too Much, and has been made famous by Argento's masterful films. Perhaps this is an unfair complaint though, as surely not ALL giallo films should be expected to adopt the same tricks. So, while not perfect (and while not the "best giallo ever made" as Horrorview claims - for me that title easily goes to Argento's masterpiece Profondo Rosso (Deep Red), The Black Belly of the Tarantula is certainly ONE OF THE BEST, is far better than most of the modern swill that passes as thrillers these days, and is certainly a must have for fans of the giallo genre.

Twitch Of The Death Nerve (a.k.a. Bay Of Blood)

Average customer rating:

Murky plot, silly dialog, vague motives, creepy fun and the birth of
Bygone Beauty
Overrated slasher flick that spawned the slasher craze...
The slasher originator
Gee, they're good at playing dead...

Twitch Of The Death Nerve (a.k.a. Bay Of Blood)
Starring: Claudine Auger , Luigi Pistilli , Claudio Camaso , Anna Maria Rosati , and Chris Avram
Director: Mario Bava
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000055ZCA
Release Date: 2001-01-02

Amazon.com

This late entry in Italian horror auteur Mario Bava's catalog is in keeping with much of his other work: a rather murky plot, inventive camera work and editing, gauzy lighting using red and blue gels, and an atmospheric, dreamlike feel throughout. Where it parts ways with many of his films is in the high body count--so high that many feel Bay of Blood was a likely influence on American slasher films such as Friday the l3th. The killing centers on a list of potential heirs to a piece of lakefront property ripe for development (a subplot involves camping teenagers who are also being slaughtered--sound familiar?). The slayings come fast and furious, with gunshots, chokings, stabbings, decapitations, and a two-for-the-price-of-one impalement, to name a few. Bava creates an off-kilter mood of melancholia for the film that makes it somewhat less fun than the mindless slasher flicks of the 1980s, but also renders it a more thought-provoking, cynical sort of movie. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

Countess Federica, the elderly owner of a coveted piece of bayside property, is brutally slain by her husband--who is himself killed by a mysterious third person at the murder scene! Who is the killer? Could it be the real estate developer or the entomologist neighbor who wants to preserve the natural insect life thriving around the bay? Perhaps the Countess's illegitimate son, in a bid to claim a name for himself, is responsible? Whoever it is, brace yourself, because no one's a suspect for very long in Mario Bava's black comedy of human greed--which boasts 13 characters and 13 of the most shocking murders ever filmed! A.k.a. "Bay of Blood" and "Carnage