Donnie Brasco (Special Edition)

Amazon.com

Based on a memoir by former undercover cop Joe Pistone (whose daring and unprecedented infiltration of the New York Mob scene earned him a place in the federal witness protection program), Donnie Brasco is like a de- romanticized, de-mythologized version of The Godfather. It offers an uncommonly detailed, privileged glimpse inside the world of organized crime from the perspective of the little guys at the bottom of Mafia hierarchy rather than from the kingpins at the top. Donnie Brasco is not only one of the great modern-day gangster movies to put in the company of The Godfather films andGoodFellas, but it is also one of the great undercover police movies--arguably surpassing Serpico and Prince of the City in richness of character, detail, and moral complexity. Donnie (Johnny Depp, a splendid actor) is practically adopted by Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino), a gregarious, low-level "made" man who grows to love his young protégé like a son. (Pacino really sinks into this guy's skin and polyester slacks, and creates his freshest, most fully realized character since his 1970s heyday.) As Donnie acclimates himself to Lefty's world, he distances himself from his wife (a terrific Anne Heche) and family for their own protection. Almost imperceptibly his sense of identity slips away from him. Questioning his own confused loyalties, unable to trust anybody else because he himself is an imposter, Donnie loses his way in a murky and treacherous no-man's land. The film is directed by Mike Newell, who also headed up Four Weddings and a Funeral and the gritty, true crime melodrama Dance with a Stranger. --Jim Emerson

Stills from Donnie Brasco (click for larger image)

Beyond Donnie Brasco on Amazon.com

DVDs starring Al Pacino
More Gangster Movies
The Memoir

Customer Reviews:

Pacino Fan.......2007-08-26

Agent Joseph Pistone infilatrated the mafia as Donnie Brasco an alleged jewel thief. Depp plays Brasco in the movie and Pacino plays Lefty Ruggerio a made guy who is Brasco's mentor. Pistone later left the FBI but nothing takes away what he did undercover. Pacino is excellent in this movie. Great movie.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

the mafia, from the grotty, nickle and dime perspective.......2007-08-21

This is one of the great realist mafia films: you see guys in stalled "careers" making bad decisions and desperate to score in order to placate greedy bosses. Their world is dangerous and empty, utterly lacking in trust and glamour. Enter Donnie, who exploits a mark's frustrations and some of the good side of his character, an older man who is willing to mentor him in the ways of the wise guys. While you catch glimpses of the bosses, who exude an arrogant malevolence, it is all about their bag boys, the "spokes on the wheel." There is nothing romantic about their world.

The acting in this film is truly superb, in particular the chemistry between Pacino and Depp. Warmly recommended.

very good.......2007-08-10

no problems with this DVD; this is a very good movie and I like the extra materia; in fact anything they still have and didn't add to the movie will make it better because it's so good

Donnie Brasco.......2007-07-29

It's a superb movie -- one of the best depicting the true picture and psyche of the mafia. Johnny Depp is oustanding and Al Pacino gives one of his best performances ever in this movie.

Deep Inside the Mob.......2007-07-22

The depth of feeling, the subtlety of expression in the acting of Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, and Anne Heche--and many others--in this extraordinary film has no equal in any other film about organized crime that I know of. While other gangster films--even some of the best--seem to worship violence, romanticize thuggery, and idealize both good and evil, this one tells the story of real, complex people struggling with their real, complicated lives. The fact that those lives do not resemble ours very much at all makes the film fascinating, but not foreign or artificial in any way. It may be that Donnie Brasco is less well-known than it should be because it bursts the bounds of its genre.

The Hannibal Lecter Collection (Manhunter / The Silence of the Lambs / Hannibal)

Average customer rating:

Great to see another take
Classic, fantastic horror set
Worth it....
Great buy, but a little disappointed.
Hannible "Trilogy"

The Hannibal Lecter Collection (Manhunter / The Silence of the Lambs / Hannibal)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Julianne Moore , Gary Oldman , Ray Liotta , and Frankie Faison
Director: Ridley Scott , Jonathan Demme , and Michael Mann
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000G3R0
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

Manhunter:Though it will always be remembered as the movie featuring the "other" Hannibal Lecter, Michael Mann's 1986 thriller Manhunter is nearly as good as The Silence of the Lambs, and in some respects it's arguably even better. Based on Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon, which introduced the world to the nefarious killer Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter, the film stars William Petersen (giving a suitably brooding performance) as ex-FBI agent Will Graham, who is coaxed out of semiretirement to track down a serial killer who has thwarted the authorities at every turn.

Graham's approach to the case is a perilous one. First he seeks counsel with Lecter (Brian Cox) in the latter's high-security prison cell--an encounter that is utterly horrifying in its psychological effect--and then he begins to mold his own psyche to that of the killer, with potentially devastating results. As directed by Mann (who was at the acme of his success with TV's Miami Vice), this sophisticated cat-and-mouse game never resorts to the compromise of cheap thrills. Predating Anthony Hopkins's portrayal of Lecter by four years, Cox plays the character closer to Harris's original, lower-key conception, and he's no less compelling in the role. Petersen is equally well cast, and as always Mann employs rock music to astonishing effect, using nearly all of Iron Butterfly's heavy-metal epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" to accompany the film's heart-stopping climactic sequence. All of this makes Manhunter one of the finest films of its kind, as well as further proof that Harris's fiction is a blessing to any filmmaker brave enough to adapt it. --Jeff Shannon

The Silence of the Lambs: Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman. Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, virtually entombed in a subterranean prison for the criminally insane. At the behest of the FBI, agent-in-training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) approaches Lecter, requesting his insights into the identity and methods of a serial killer named Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). In exchange, Lecter demands the right to penetrate Starling's most painful memories, creating a bizarre but palpable intimacy that liberates them both under separate but equally horrific circumstances. Demme, a filmmaker with a uniquely populist vision (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild), also spent his early years making pulp for Roger Corman (Caged Heat), and he hasn't forgotten the significance of tone, atmosphere, and the unsettling nature of a crudely effective close-up. Much of the film, in fact, consists of actors staring straight into the camera (usually from Clarice's point of view), making every bridge between one set of eyes to another seem terribly dangerous. --Tom Keogh

Hannibal: Yes, he's back, and he's still hungry. Ten years after The Silence of the Lambs, Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, reprising his Oscar-winning role) is living the good life in Italy, studying art and sipping espresso. FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore, replacing Jodie Foster), on the other hand, hasn't had it so good--an outsider from the start, she's now a quiet, moody loner who doesn't play bureaucratic games and suffers for it. A botched drug raid results in her demotion--and a request from Lecter's only living victim, Mason Verger (Gary Oldman, uncredited), for a little Q and A. Little does Clarice realize that the hideously deformed Verger--who, upon suggestion from Dr. Lecter, peeled off his own face--is using her as bait to lure Dr. Lecter out of hiding, quite certain he'll capture the good doctor.

Taking the basic plot contraptions from Thomas Harris's baroque novel, Hannibal is so stylistically different from its predecessor that it forces you to take it on its own terms. Director Ridley Scott gives the film a sleek, almost European look that lets you know that, unlike the first film (which was about the quintessentially American Clarice), this movie is all Hannibal. Does it work? Yes--but only up to a point. Scott adeptly sets up an atmosphere of foreboding, but it's all buildup for anticlimax, as Verger's plot for abducting Hannibal (and feeding him to man-eating wild boars) doesn't really deliver the requisite visceral thrills, and the much-ballyhooed climatic dinner sequence between Clarice, Dr. Lecter, and a third unlucky guest wobbles between parody and horror. Hopkins and Moore are both first-rate, but the film contrives to keep them as far apart as possible, when what made Silence so amazing was their interaction. When they do connect it's quite thrilling, but it's unfortunately too little too late. --Mark Englehart

Description

Disc 1: HANNIBAL Disc 2: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS Disc 3: MANHUNTER

Customer Reviews:

Great to see another take.......2007-07-27

Seeing "Manhunter" was interesting. It is the original Hannibal Lecter movie. It is a great although less spectacular take on the "Red Dragon" story, same story, different ending.

Classic, fantastic horror set.......2007-06-06

I recently bought Hannibal Rising, and was very impressed. It reminded me of the horrific energy I remembered from the earlier Hannibal Lecter movies.

It's been years since I've seen the earlier movies, so I bought this set from Amazon. I also ordered Red Dragon, individually. It has not yet arrived.

All of these movies are excellent. They're some of the best horror movies I'd seen in decades. I love this boxed set.

Worth it...........2007-05-29

I am a relatively new fan to this genre of movies and after reading the book Silence of the Lambs it was the next best thing. I throughly enjoyed this movie and haven't yet watched the others, yet is the key word, I'm sure I'll enjoy them as much as Silence of the Lambs. I highly recommend this collection for purchase....

2-Chance

Great buy, but a little disappointed........2007-03-31

I love the Hannibal movies. So I bought the three disc edition. The thing that was a little disappointing was that these dvds had NO BONUS FEATURES. I understand maybe Manhunter or even Silence of the Lambs probably wouldn't have any. But Hannibal definitely was released in the time frame to have special features. Regardless, they're still great movies, and I really enjoy them.

Hannible "Trilogy".......2007-03-27

Being the movie buff I am, I enjoyed this set; however, I was disappointed a bit. When I watched Hannible, it says, to watch the special features, insert disc 2. That's where the problem lies; there is no disc 2. Other than that I enjoyed it, although I wished it also included Red Dragon. Overall, I was very pleased with the set.

Average customer rating:

Good Cop. Bad Cops.
Slowed down because it is biographical
A must-see
The book with the same title is more exciting and gripping
Monument of cinematic quality

Serpico (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Al Pacino , John Randolph , Jack Kehoe , Biff McGuire , and Barbara Eda-Young
Director: Sidney Lumet , and Laurent Bouzereau
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00006JU7T
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Amazon.com essential video

Tony Manero (John Travolta) in Saturday Night Fever and Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) in Boogie Nights have one major thing in common: They both have posters of Al Pacino as Serpico on their bedroom walls. As the real-life NYPD detective whose integrity cost him virtually everything (and almost cost him his life), Pacino became one of the icons of gritty, realistic 1970s filmmaking. Released in 1973, between the first two Godfather movies, this is the true story of Frank Serpico, a long-haired, idealistic, iconoclastic cop who reluctantly goes undercover to investigate dirty colleagues who are on the take. This is one of the definitive Pacino performances, along with his role as Michael Corleone in the Godfather saga, and Sonny the bungling bank robber in Dog Day Afternoon (which reunited him with his Serpico director, Sidney Lumet)--and Pacino was nominated for a best actor Oscar for all of them (although he wouldn't actually win until 1992's Scent of a Woman). --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Good Cop. Bad Cops........2007-09-13

Sidney Lumet, whose other big hit with Pacino was Dog Day Afternoon Dog Day Afternoon (Two-Disc Special Edition) , had a good eye for keeping it real in a time when most movies were usually overly melodramatic. I'd even go as far to say that Lumet might have been one of the pioneers of movies that inspired the best directors of today to ask questions like "is that what would really happen" and "is that how a person would really respond" before allowing a scene to get printed.

Serpico still had its 70s era movie making quirks, but overall it was ahead of its time for making you feel "truly involved" with its characters. And having a young, talented Al Pacino in the cast (as the lead) certainly helped make an award-winning film. (The year prior {1972} Pacino made his breakthrough in The Godfather The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III) .)

Serpico is based on the real-life exploits of a NYC cop that is credited with exposing broad, long-standing corruption in the NYC police department (Serpico was a cop from 1959 - 1971). Clearly this exposure was not wanted by his colleagues. And the 1973 movie is a dramatic documentation of what Serpico went through trying to be an honest cop.

The movie gets a bit long in the badge by the final 30 minutes, but the suspense of seeing if/how Frank Serpico collars his peers keeps you interested.

The audio wizards have given Serpico a nice Dolby 5.1 make-over, and the picture quality has been enhanced as well. Interesting piece of history for one of those evenings that your queue is light on the new.

Slowed down because it is biographical.......2007-08-29

Serpico is a movie that is worth seeing for Al Pacino fans. He puts on a great performance. However, the movie struggles to hold my attention during its 130 minute run time. It is very slowly paced with many long shots. This movie strives to stay true to its biographical source, which means there are dozens of characters and events that unfold that don't seem to flow together. Most movies would have combined characters and cut down details to make it flow, but this did not. I'm glad I saw it and I would recommend it to Pacino fans.

A must-see.......2007-08-28

In the 1973 film SERPICO, directed by Sidney Lumet, Al Pacino gives a subtle, emotional performance as Frank Serpico, the scrupulous New York City cop who refuses to take part in the schemes of the crooked officers he works with. The story was based on the actual experiences of Officer Frank Serpico and adapted from the book by Peter Maas.

Pacino had just come from THE GODFATHER when he made SERPICO, and the differences between characters are vast. Unlike the calm, controlled Michael Corleone in his protected mafia family, Serpico is awkward, unkempt, floundering, and alone on the streets of New York. Seeing Pacino in so vulnerable a role gives the film an edge and provides the actor with new ways to display his talent.

Serpico's frustrations with the New York justice system eventually permeate every aspect of his being, and it is this view into his crumbling personal life that makes his character and his plight so endearing. He loses girlfriends, companions, and opportunities during his fight against crime inside and outside the police force.

And of course, Pacino is superb. He takes viewers to the depths of the character's distress with generally subdued acting. He uses his dark, intense eyes to speak volumes, especially since he spends much of the film under thick mop-top hair and a beard. When his rage does eventually come to the surface, it's riveting and effective.

Viewers should not come to SERPICO expecting non-stop action, because it is first and foremost a drama. Its focus is on the characters and their struggles, as presented against a stark, realistic view of 1970s New York. While some could find the movie's pacing slow and its story slightly dated, the value in the acting and realism should not be overlooked. SERPICO is a study of institutionalized corruption. It's a story about honesty and the one man who was brave enough to demonstrate it. The movie is must-see for fans of both Pacino and cop films.

The book with the same title is more exciting and gripping.......2007-06-18

The book with the same title is more exciting and gripping. This movie is not a showcase of Al Pacino's great acting either.
This film is worth renting not buying.

Monument of cinematic quality.......2007-05-21

Sidney Lument made a brilliant move choosing to direct Serpico. And executive producer Dino De Laurentiis made a brilliant move choosing him to direct it. This is the film that put Al Pacino on the map.

With realistic acting and realistic actors - no makeup and flashy costumes and shots- Serpico has a gritty realistic feel that makes the story stand out even more than it would have otherwise. Al Pacino showcases his acting technique in the portrayal of a beleaguered New York cop who just wants to do his job. When he finds himself amidst high levels of corruption and money payoffs, he sets out to make it right. Unfortunately, the higher up he goes, he only discovers that the corruption is higher up than he could have thought.

Time has been good to this film and it still shines over 30 years later as a superb police film and real-life dramatization. Frank Serpico is a hero in the true sense of the word: putting his own life on the line in order to stop corruption.

The DVD package is great, and includes several special features including a making of featurette where director Sidney Lument talks about his quick and dirty directing style (and the fact that Serpico went from filming to theatre in only five months). There's also a short about Serpico himself, and the book by Peter Maas, that the movie was based on, as well as a brief short with Lument detailing his favorite scenes from the film.

Don't miss this film if you want to see a monument of cinematic quality and Pacino establishing himself as a true star.

Average customer rating:

Pacino Fan
the mafia, from the grotty, nickle and dime perspective
very good
Donnie Brasco
Deep Inside the Mob

Donnie Brasco (Extended Cut)
Starring: Al Pacino , Johnny Depp , Michael Madsen , Bruno Kirby , and James Russo
Director: Mike Newell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000NHG7BG
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Amazon.com

Stills from Donnie Brasco (click for larger image)

Beyond Donnie Brasco on Amazon.com

DVDs starring Al Pacino
More Gangster Movies
The Memoir

Product Description

Posing as jewel broker Donnie Brasco, FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone (Johnny Depp) is granted entranceinto the violent mob family of aging hit man Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). When his personal and professional lives collide, Pistone jeopardizes his marriage, his job life and, ultimately, the gangstermentor he has come to respect and admire. From acclaimed director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), and featuring an extraordinary supporting cast including Michael Madsen, Anne Heche, BrunoKirby and James Russo.

Customer Reviews:

Pacino Fan.......2007-08-26

the mafia, from the grotty, nickle and dime perspective.......2007-08-21

very good.......2007-08-10

no problems with this DVD; this is a very good movie and I like the extra materia; in fact anything they still have and didn't add to the movie will make it better because it's so good

Donnie Brasco.......2007-07-29

It's a superb movie -- one of the best depicting the true picture and psyche of the mafia. Johnny Depp is oustanding and Al Pacino gives one of his best performances ever in this movie.

Deep Inside the Mob.......2007-07-22

Average customer rating:

Excellent Example of Kidman's Poor Acting Chops
Okay thriller
Utter Garbage
Sophisticated political thriller
So many names...

The Interpreter (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Yvan Attal , Earl Cameron , Jesper Christensen , Robert Clohessy , and Curtiss Cook
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B00005JNQA
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Product Description

Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn star in the action-packed thriller, The Interpreter. In one of the hidden corridors of power at United Nations headquarters, translator Silvia Broome (Kidman) overhears a potentially explosive secret about a planned assassination attempt. But when federal agent Tobin Keller (Penn) investigates her claim and digs deeper into Silvia s dangerous past, he begins to question whether she is a victim - or a suspect. From Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack comes the riveting, edge-of-your-seat story of international intrigue that Ebert & Roeper give Two thumbs up!

System Requirements:
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn
Directed By: Sydney Pollack
Running Time: 129 Min.
Copyright Universal Studios Home Entertainment 2005

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Director Sydney Pollack delivers megawatt star power, high gloss, and political passion to The Interpreter, his first thriller since The Firm. With Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn delivering smooth, understated performances, the film more closely recalls Pollack's 1975 Robert Redford/Faye Dunaway paranoid thriller Three Days of the Condor, trading conspiratorial politicians for potential assassination in the United Nations General Assembly (this being the first film ever granted permission to use actual U.N. locations). Kidman plays a U.N. interpreter who inadvertently overhears hints of a plot to kill the reviled, tyrannical leader of her (fictional) African homeland; Penn is the Secret Service agent assigned to protect her, or to determine her role (if any) in the assassination scenario. By distancing itself from real-life politics, The Interpreter softens its potential impact as a thriller about contemporary globalization and threats to international peace, but the Penn/Kidman personal drama (between two people who gain a deep appreciation for shared anguish, without being artificially forced into romance) adds a richly human dimension to Pollack's expert handling of the thriller elements of a complex yet easily-followed plot. Indie-film stalwart Catherine Keener shines in her supporting role as Penn's sarcastic by sympathetic Secret Service partner. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Example of Kidman's Poor Acting Chops.......2007-08-18

The over rated Kidman could not nail a proper accent so her accent is from a non-existent country, which is what directors have to do when they have hired a marginally talented performer. Sadly Kidman has very little to show us that has not been seen over and over again as Hollywood keeps selling her as a talented actor. If one focuses on Sean Penn trying to keep a straight face by pretending he actually cares about her character and if one buys into the ludicrous plot, one can be entertained by this movie while drunk.

Okay thriller.......2007-06-21

For 2 hours entertainment this wasn't too bad. However two points stood out for me that I thought I'd mention

1) There is a scene where a guy is playing chess (perhaps against himself?) Playing as Black he could clearly take the white Queen with his bishop, yet moves another piece! Idiocy. Also later as white his Queen could take the Black bishop, yet moves a pawn. Perhaps this is some incredibly deep metaphor for the relationship between whites and blacks in Africa but I personally think it was just a scene shot by someone who can't play chess very well.

2) In a close up scene when NIcole Kidman is crying a booger is clearly visible in her right nostril. Boogers are not sexy.

Utter Garbage.......2007-03-10

Most Hollywood products are designed to indoctrinate the audience in one way or another. The main propaganda punch line for this move is this: People who work for government agencies are intelligent, kind, ethical, emotionally mature, trustworthy and have your best interests at heart. The US is a beacon of light, goodness, equality and justice.

Sophisticated political thriller.......2007-03-05

The premise in this tightly wrought thriller directed by the very accomplished Sydney Pollack is that Zuwanie (Earl Cameron) the old dictator (once "freedom fighter") of an African nation called "Matobo" is coming to New York to make a speech in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman), an interpreter at the UN, overhears part of a conversation after-hours that leads her to believe that there will be an assassination attempt on the leader's life. She tells security. Federal agent Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) is called in to investigate and help prevent an assassination.

Keller quickly discovers that Silvia is from Matobo where her parents were murdered by some of Zuwanie's henchmen and where she was subsequently involved in some political/paramilitary activities. Two questions that Keller must answer are, does she have some sort of motive to lie and how is she involved?

The problem with the film (aside from some of the usual improbabilities and contortions found in Hollywood thrillers--and to be honest there weren't that many in this one) is the ending. Without giving anything away, the probability of Zumanie being left alone after what had happened is something like zero. But the real problem is what happens between Tobin and Silvia at the end. They are both very available and after they have had the opportunity to bond under very difficult circumstances, can you guess how their relationship is resolved? I understand there was an alternative ending. Maybe Pollack should have employed it.

Pollack's films going back several decades are characterized by diversity of subject matter, excellent scripts, and star power. Four of his best are They Shoot Horses Don't They? (1969) (depression ear dance marathon drama starring Jane Fonda); Tootsie (1982) (romantic comedy starring Dustin Hoffman); Out of Africa (1985) (adapted from the famous book by Karen Blixen under her pen name "Isak Dinesen," starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford); and Sabrina (1995) (splendid remake of the Audrey Hepburn film this time starring Julie Ormond and Harrison Ford). But he tends to like action/adventure as much as comedy or drama. He is one of filmdom's most versatile directors, and this film, while not his best, is very representative of his work.

But what carries the film is the charisma of the stars, Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman, especially Kidman who seems the very impersonation of what an interpreter at the UN might be. She manages to be delicate but tough, thoroughly professional and beautiful. I have seen her in seven or eight films and can say that she is as talented as any actress currently working. In her ability to concentrate and to completely immerse herself in a role she is comparable to Meryl Streep. Some early films of hers that display her youthful vitality and the natural sophistication and nuanced manner of her style are Dead Calm (1989), Flirting (1991), and To Die For (1995).

By the way, "Matobo" is not an actual nation but is the name of a national park in Zimbabwe and as far as I can tell "Ku" is not an actual language. (I have no idea what they were speaking.)

Bottom line: Can a film directed by Sydney Pollack starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn be anything but worth seeing?

So many names..........2007-02-20

Sean Penn, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack... they could've created stronger film especially the end of it.

Average customer rating:

Menace
"Now *that's* entertainment!"
"I'm giving very serious thought... to eating your wife"
WOAH
They Should Have Paid Us To Watch This

Hannibal (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Julianne Moore , Gary Oldman , Ray Liotta , and Frankie Faison
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00026L7O0
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Amazon.com

Yes, he's back, and he's still hungry. Ten years after The Silence of the Lambs, Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, reprising his Oscar-winning role) is living the good life in Italy, studying art and sipping espresso. FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore, replacing Jodie Foster), on the other hand, hasn't had it so good--an outsider from the start, she's now a quiet, moody loner who doesn't play bureaucratic games and suffers for it. A botched drug raid results in her demotion--and a request from Lecter's only living victim, Mason Verger (Gary Oldman, uncredited), for a little Q and A. Little does Clarice realize that the hideously deformed Verger--who, upon suggestion from Dr. Lecter, peeled off his own face--is using her as bait to lure Dr. Lecter out of hiding, quite certain he'll capture the good doctor.

Description

Anthony Hopkins is "perverse perfection" (Rolling Stone) in his return to the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the sophisticated killer who comes out of hiding to draw FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) into a high-stakes battle that will test her strength, cunning and loyalty.

Customer Reviews:

Menace.......2007-08-28

This was an unpleasant surprise - its a very good film.
It doesn't have the same gut level horror as Silence of the lambs, but there are nevertheless some nerve shredding moments.
The cast are all good and if Julianne Moore isn't quite as good as Jodie Foster, shes very close.
The other reason this film is a success is because of director Ridley Scott. The settings in Florence are stunning and the whole look of the film is great. Ridley Scott always had a great eye for visuals!
OK so the very end is a bit unlikely, but this film will keep you entertained, and holds up to repeated viewings. You should be able to pick this up cheap now, if so buy it!

"Now *that's* entertainment!".......2007-08-11

I was pleasantly surprised by Ridley Scott's "Hannibal" given that the movie is based on the horrible book which I more than dislike. I see a writer as a God - he creates by the power of his imagination the new worlds and populates them with his creatures. Once, he created the world, he should give his characters free will; they should act by the logic of their personalities not by their creator's sheer caprice. What Harris did in "Hannibal" is unspeakable - he just showed his fans how much he despised them. Actually, he did two things wrong - the ending and his attempt to explain Hannibal, to look behind the mask. The film comparing to the book has several redeeming values: visually, it is a stunning work of a great director. I am yet to see Florence, the celebrated City of Flowers as dark, dangerous, and anti-tourist as in "Hannibal". Second, the movie did not try to "explain" Hannibal, to get inside his head and understand him. Harris attempted in the book to give us the reasons why Hannibal was what he was - it was weak and laughable. If he chose to present Hannibal as some sort of supernatural creature with almost animals' instincts, he should've left him as an eternal mystery. The best description of Hannibal belongs to Clarice. When asked, "Is it true what they're sayin', he's some kinda vampire?" - she replied, "They don't have a name for what he is". And finally, the film avoided the literally vomit-inducing, absurd, irrational, obnoxious slap in face book's ending - for this alone I think "Hannibal" is a very decent movie and a lot of fun.

3.5/5

"I'm giving very serious thought... to eating your wife".......2007-08-10

I'm reviewing this movie as it stands on it's own rather than how it fits into the series.

In this installment, we meet Mason Verger, who is the sole survivor of the good Dr Lechter. Verger is a strange character with a strange story. His intentions are fairly clear from the outset, leaving the viewer only to watch how things unfold.

The movie remains fairly interesting throughout, as the escaped Lechter is identified and opposing forces close in on him. The table is set, however, about an hour in when we see Lechter dispatch his first would-be apprehender with a touch of "historical flair".

Lechter and Clarice are soon after back in touch again and the time finally comes where they meet and communicate without the glass between them. So we have Verger with retribution at heart, Clarice with justice in her interest and Lechter with his usual intentions: a tasty recipe indeed, with a main course as bizarre as you will come to expect.

This is a must-see for fans of the original and fans of the series in general.

WOAH.......2007-08-01

ok i don't want to oversell this but:
THIS IS THE BEST FILM EVER EVER
A TRUE MASTERPIECE
BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT

They Should Have Paid Us To Watch This.......2007-07-30

I expect sequels to be somewhat close in calibre to the movies they are following. Well, HA!!! With this one, that expectation didn't even come close. To me, all this movie accomplished was gore & digust. What a shame that such a spectacular actor (Hopkins) agreed to lower himself and the character to this level. In my opinion, people should have been offered top dollar to waste their time and view this thing.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Example of Kidman's Poor Acting Chops
Okay thriller
Utter Garbage
Sophisticated political thriller
So many names...

The Interpreter (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Yvan Attal , Earl Cameron , Jesper Christensen , Robert Clohessy , and Curtiss Cook
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009YKWAK
Release Date: 2005-10-04

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Customer Reviews:

Excellent Example of Kidman's Poor Acting Chops.......2007-08-18

Okay thriller.......2007-06-21

Utter Garbage.......2007-03-10

Sophisticated political thriller.......2007-03-05

So many names..........2007-02-20

Sean Penn, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack... they could've created stronger film especially the end of it.

Average customer rating:

Nice movie, hummor and love story.
This Movie is Fun
Very good movie with excellent performances
Starts Out With Promise But Quickly Fizzles
A must see

Earthly Possessions
Starring: Susan Sarandon , Stephen Dorff , Elisabeth Moss , Jay O. Sanders , and Alan Pottinger
Director: James Lapine
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305504032
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Amazon.com

Susan Sarandon is Charlotte Emory, a sexually frustrated unhappy homemaker who longs for her husband to stop taking her for granted. Stephen Dorff is Jake Simms, a bank robber with a vicious temper and the obligatory heart of gold. When Jake attempts a bank robbery, Charlotte becomes his hostage. Together, they go on the lam.

Thelma and Louise this isn't. This original HBO film, Earthly Possessions, based on the Anne Tyler novel, is a sentimental road movie that requires more than a little suspension of disbelief (that they're able to escape in the first place is a miracle). Yet Sarandon, even in the most disappointing of roles, is a phenomenal actress who will make us believe just about anything. And so she does here; even with the trademark two-dimensionality of Tyler's characters, Charlotte Emory is a woman you can't help but care about. Dorff, with his rough-and-tumble good looks, is fairly believable as the irresponsible hooligan, and despite the unlikelihood of a relationship developing between these two, you are sucked into the romance right with them. Throw in a couple of car chases and a pregnant girlfriend, and you've got an entertaining, lighthearted film. While the ending is a little disappointing, fans of Tyler's novels and her other books on film (Saint Maybe and Breathing Lessons) will surely be swept away. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Nice movie, hummor and love story........2007-02-26

See a woman that lives trapped in a life with no excitement until get involved with a younger guy that kidnaped and makes her explore a part of her she didn't know. Recomended to people who likes love story and comedy.

This Movie is Fun.......2007-01-08

I can't remember why I originally watched this film since neither Sarandon nor Dorff is a particular favorite of mine. Nonetheless, I did watch it and I liked it very much. The rather farfetched story of the semi-meek dissatisfied housewife and the considerably younger loser who kidnaps her in a botched bank robbery is actually one of the funniest movies I've seen and it has remained so after several viewings. This unlikely combo has a peculiarly funny and sweet chemistry that is very appealing and their brief, offbeat romance is also entertaining, however nutsy it may be. Both leads are excellent in their parts and the whole crazy saga of their attempts to avoid capture and the final resolution of both their stories is very funny and ultimately very satisfying. If you want a light, essentially upbeat movie to cheer you up for an hour or so, this is for you.

Very good movie with excellent performances.......2004-06-03

This is a good road movie, I really enjoyed it. What makes this movie good is without a doubt the great acting from its two stars. Susan Sarandon and Stephen Dorff are excellent in their roles as kidnapper and hostage. The movie is also funny at times and very serious at times which I really like. Stephen Dorff is a very good actor and if he keeps doing roles like this one he could very easily follow in the steps of Johnny Depp which is one of my favorite actors. Susan Sarandon is always good and this film is really worth the time again the acting is excellent and is the reason to see this movie.

Starts Out With Promise But Quickly Fizzles.......2003-10-09

I watched this film during my " obsession " with Stephen Dorff. I fell in love with him after I saw " Blade " and from that point made it my mission to see every film he'd ever been in or was going to be in. I saw this when it debuted on HBO and I was disappointed. I have nothing against Susan Sarandon and everyone knows she's a very nice person and a fine actress, but she wasn't truly Charlotte. Susan Sarandon comes off as too strong of a person to play such a meek lady. Whenever I looked at her I saw roles from " White Castle " and " Thelma and Louise ". I couldn't buy Susan as a woman who had to run from her husband no matter how many bad dresses they put her in.

The film was based on Anne Tyler's novel. I found the movie better than the novel but that isn't saying much. Alot of things were changed for the screen. I don't remember Charlotte and Jake being romantically involved in the book. Susan and Stephen had no chemistry. Why do filmmakers insist on making a romance when there doesn't need to be one? I appreciated the conversations when she seemed to look out for him like a mother would. But that was ruined when they threw in the lame sex in a cheap motel. This was not fair to the characters. Jake was too hyped up and alarmed about his baby to start having sex with a woman he didn't know. Charlotte was a church going woman who wouldn't have touched Jake with a ten-foot pole. The romance factor wasn't believable and turned the movie from sensible to fluff.

I wished they could have spent more time on the road because that was the most entertaining. Once they picked up Mindy, I was asleep. I tried to give this film a chance but seeing how the book was less than average, I sort of got what was coming to me. Stephen Dorff is always a terrific actor. No one can make a character become their own like him. He and Susan would have been a knock-out duo on another kind of movie. This one came up short. It's a nice little family movie and it has all the usual sappiness of many chick films. But THIS chick felt it could have been a lot better.

A must see.......2002-07-03

I loved this movie! Stephen Dorff does an all around great job in acting the part of jake simms. I am a big fan of his work and hope that he keeps on following up movies that are as great as this one.

Hannibal (Collector's Edition Steelbook)

Average customer rating:

Menace
"Now *that's* entertainment!"
"I'm giving very serious thought... to eating your wife"
WOAH
They Should Have Paid Us To Watch This

Hannibal (Collector's Edition Steelbook)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Julianne Moore , Gary Oldman , Ray Liotta , and Frankie Faison
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OPOAMA
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

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