The Wanderers

Description

Tully High School seniors Richie, Joey and Perry run with a gang called the Wanderers in the Bronx. The time is fall 1963 but their experiences are universal: falling in love, surviving in school and defending turf against rivals like the Fordham Baldies, the Del Bombers and the Ducky Boys.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie .......2007-05-12

Very good acting and writing. Cool story of the New York life ,back in the day.

The Wanderers.......2007-03-29

Bought this DVD for my husband. He had been searching and searching for it in stores, when I found it on Amazon I immediately bought it. Great price - Received DVD in good condition. Husband absolutely loved it.

A Masterpiece Drama.......2007-02-17

Set in the Bronx in 1963, The Wanderers focuses on the life of several young gang members coming of age. On it's surface The Wanderers may seem like nothing more than a sytlish little ditty. But watch closely and you'll find this movie is an existential masterpiece.

Ken Wahl plays Richie, the handsome and charismatic leader of The Wanderers gang. Ken juggles his friendships, loyalties, girlfriends, and struggles to maintain his Italian gang's position in the neighborhood. The Wanderers face threats from The Wongs (the Chinese gang), The Baldies (the greaser gang), an Irish gang and a black gang. But while all these gangs fight eachother, they fail to recognize the real threats to their ethnic enclave are the end of the decade and existential angst.

Always on the edge of this movie is the threat of the Duckie Boys gang. The movie never identifies the ethnic identity of the Duckie Boys. Instead the viewer experiences them as a silent and secret hoard of white men emerging from the fog with calm, placid and psychotic smiles on their faces. The Duckie Boys seem to number in the hundreds-a creepy mass of nameless individuals. In a pivitol scene, The Wanderers and the Blacks have gathered at a football field for a throwdown-they see the enemy in eachother. But on the edge of the field the Ducky Boys quietly gather, waiting to strike. Black, Italian and Chinese band together to fight this hoard of angry and psychotic white men which seem to represent urban America-the America that threatens to swallow them all, force them to assimilate and leave behind their ethnic identities.

The threat of the end of an era is cleverly disguised in Nina (Karen Allen), a hip and beautiful hippie chick. Richie is enthralled with her, but is bound to his Italian girlfriend. He feels Nina's pull and in a climatic scene they end up in the back of Richie's car and then are discovered. Ultimately Richie returns to his girlfriend and is forced to marry her. But Nina never really leaves his mind. We see Richie at his bachelor party and he glimpses Nina on the street. He follows her to a club where Bob Dylan (the real Bob Dylan according to the movie credits) is playing "The Times They Are A Changing". Richie doesn't go in to talk to her, returns to the bachelor party and is swallowed up by the Italians. Indications are he is going to be a "made man", married to the daughter of a mafioso but their way of life is ending. The 1970's are approaching. Nina will no doubt go on to be a hip east villager and Richie will settle into the role he is forced to play by life's circumstances, never entering modern society. We are left feeling like Richie's generation will be the last of it's kind.

This movie achieves violence without being violent. Viewers taste threat and never quite know where it is coming from. The characters and acting in this movie are superb. The plot is subtle and unique. It isn't your modern gang movie where drugs and guns and violence are the fireworks of an otherwise extremely dull movie.

My husbands favourite movie.......2007-01-18

I had searched for this movie...my husbands favourite as a teenager. I found it on Amazon, for a good price and easy purchase. Thank you for a quick Christmas delivery. He was THRILLED.

Karen Allen is indeed beautiful..........2006-12-13

in response to what another reviewer wrote about her beauty.
The film is excellent as well...

Average customer rating:

Very Insightful
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE DEPRESSION -- BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE TEEN HOBOS?
Riding the Rails
A real eye opener
Riding the Rails

Riding the Rails
Starring: James San Jule , Arvel 'Sunshine' Pearson , Rene Champion , Richard Thomas , and Peggy De Hart
Director: Michael Uys , and Lexy Lovell
Manufacturer: WGBH BOSTON
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008DDS1
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Amazon.com

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and perhaps no time in America's history has been so desperate as the Great Depression. Hundreds of thousands of young men and women left home seeking work and money wherever they could find it, and many of them took to hopping trains as a means of cheap, speedy (though by no means safe) travel. Riding the Rails lets survivors tell their stories of thrills, humiliation, and boredom from a distance of 60 years. You'll be amazed at the strength and determination of these folks to survive the difficult times, and find their reminiscences beautiful, sometimes angry, sometimes poetic. Contemporary newsreel footage and songs from such depression-era chroniclers as Woody Guthrie and Jimmie Rodgers make the 1930s come alive and evoke the vitality and suffering of a generation. --Rob Lightner

Description

Don't miss this ride! Riding the Rails tells the unforgettable story of the 250,000 teenagers who left their homes and hopped freight trains during the Great Depression. Featuring a foot-stomping soundtrack of such folk greats as Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, Riding the Rails vividly combines the clear-eyed memories of witnesses with archival footage of teens riding atop speeding trains and newsreel interviews with lean-bodied kids full of bravado. Striking in its detail and depth of emotion, Riding the Rails is that rare film that will inform, dazzle, and profoundly move its audience. This is not a ride you want to miss. Featuring music by Jimmie Rodgers, Doc Watson, Woodie Guthrie, Brownie McGhee, and Sonny Terry.

Special DVD features include: new video segment featuring an interview with the filmmakers; photo gallery featuring archival images from the National Archives and the Library of Congress; excerpt from the companion book; scene selection; English audiotrack; and closed captions.

On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Full screen

Customer Reviews:

Very Insightful.......2006-08-07

Centers upon teens force to leave home looking for work and adventure during the great drepression. Keeps your attention through the enitre film.

WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE DEPRESSION -- BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE TEEN HOBOS?.......2005-11-09

Sure, the Great Depression is a part of history that has been studied, examined, exposed and studied some more, but until now the story of 250,000 teen hobos who spent years "Riding the Rails" went largely untold.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

This DVD examines the lives of over a dozen Depression-era, freight-train stowaways who spent many of their teen years on the bum, traveling by rail throughout America looking for something better. But what and why? A very diverse group of former rail riders were interviewed including men and women, white and black, but all were teens at the time. This documentary delves into what motivated them and what it was like to be a teenager "riding the rails". In looking at this small group we do see a pattern and reasons which motivated this relatively large group of underaged runaways to choose such a difficult and risky lifestyle.

There are some photographs and archival photos and movietone-news-style film excerpts from the Depression era shown to give perspective. We also see an excerpt of a feature film "Riding The Rails - Teenagers On The Move" made to dissuade youngsters from taking up the lifestyle. Of course it only encouraged more rail runaways despite the tragic depictions of the film. It seems incomprehensible that so many children would take to riding the rails, but they did. This is their story.

All in all, this is a very worthwhile documentary about an almost forgotten piece of American history.

ABOUT THE DVD:

This DVD is part of the "AMERICAN EXPERIENCE" series produced by WGBH - BOSTON. An interview with the filmmakers is included as well as a "slide-show" featuring Depression-era photos. Web sites of interest are also included. It has the scene selection feature and closed captions available.

Riding the Rails.......2005-08-23

Featuring archival footage of the period and a folk song score from Woody Guthrie (and other balladeers of the time), the films' most memorable sequences are the interviews with the now elderly, respectable folks who eked out existences as young hoboes during the Depression, but still recall the sheer romance and adventure of hopping those freights. A heartwarming glimpse into a defining moment for our country, and how a hearty generation adapted.

A real eye opener.......2005-08-02

Words in the book, by the same name, don't create the same images as the DVD does. Here are the real stories of the real people who lived on the rails and survived to tell about it. Spell binding tales of leaving home and being asked to leave... because there was something better, someplace else... because the family could't afford to feed / support another child. Children setting out on their own to seek... who knows what. My teenage son 'got-it' when my Father and he sat down to watch it.

Riding the Rails.......2005-07-09

An outstanding film! The art direction and editing has produced a remarkable account of the plight of the young during the Great Depression. The stories told by my father and his brothers are brought to life in this visual prose.

Songs of the Wanderers / Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan

Average customer rating:

Heavenly!
ABSOLUTETLY AMAZING!!!
IMpressive dance performance
breathtaking DVD
Is this Dance or Pantomime?

Songs of the Wanderers / Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Starring: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005NG0Z
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Description

Since its 1995 premiere, Songs of the Wanderers has gripped the imaginations of audiences worldwide. It is the signature work of Lin Hwai-min's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Asia's leading contemporary dance company. The choreography blends Eastern and Western dance styles and demands absolute focus and control from the performers who, at times, appear to have been transformed from human beings into body sculptures, with startling imagery evoking a quest for spiritual enlightenment through experience and suffering.

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly!.......2004-09-30

I was absolutely delighted to see the performance of the Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan last November in Brazil and have lost track of how many times I have watched the DVD... It is a marvellous dance show that may raise deep questions about one's purpose in life. If you're a wanderer, you just can't miss it!

ABSOLUTETLY AMAZING!!!.......2004-03-24

This piece was breathtaking. The dancers were not of this world as they demonstrated divine strength and control. The piece had so much depth as it bridged themes between the East and West. I recommend it to those with an appreciation for dance, culture and the art of the physical.

IMpressive dance performance.......2003-11-30

Great dance performance merging elements from East and West, Georgian folk music with chinese Tai-Chi and meditative themes.
NOt for trigger ready remote control freaks or people who do not know the difference between rice and corn, or between Georgia and Romania.

breathtaking DVD.......2002-10-06

This video is one of the finest examples of pure beauty. I have never seen a video like this one before. And it's not only the dance itself, there's also excellent lighting and camerawork. All in a perfect harmony. The music is quite repetitive, but also in perfect harmony with the dance. Of course this is modern dance. People expecting to see classical dance won't get what they were thinking to pay for. But by modern dance standards, this is the best. Cloud Gate Dance Theatre has won lots of prices for their performances all over the world, if you'll see this video, you'll know why.

Is this Dance or Pantomime?.......2001-11-27

This "dance" video is more like pantomime. The dancers seem to be acting out a story of some kind, but it was too boring for me to want to try to interpret it. The entire video consists of one piece accompanied by 10 Romanian folk songs. The "dancers" move veeerrrrryyyyy sssslllloooowwwwllllyyyy most of the time, crawling around in a pile of what looks like dried corn. I suppose it's understandable that they move slowly because otherwise they would hurt their feet on the corn. At one point, a single male dancer writhes around in a pile of corn like a 3 year old for about 10 minutes. The only real drama it provided me was wondering if the one "dancer" who stood absolutely still for the entire time with corn falling on his head would ever flinch. He didn't. I bought this video because it is one of the few dance DVDs that provides performances as opposed to being a documentary about choreographers or dancers. Well, you pays your money and you takes your chances. The accompanying music is very boring also. Perhaps this would appeal to those who like contemplative, meditative dance. Others beware.

Average customer rating:

Rica 2: Lonely Wanderer
Starring: Rica 2-Lonely Wanderer
Manufacturer: Exploitation Digital
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000TZJC6Y
Release Date: 2007-10-30

Average customer rating:

Tumbleweeds
Three cheers for McTeer!! No cheers for Gavin O'Connor.
Wouldn't Work
Home is where the heart is
A memorable movie with Janet McTeer in a great lead performance

Tumbleweeds
Starring: Kimberly J. Brown , Ashley Buccille , Josh Carmichael , Sara Downing , and Dennis Ford
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004RFAK
Release Date: 2000-11-24

Amazon.com

So authentic is Janet McTeer's performance as a feisty Southern mother and faded party girl in Tumbleweeds that if you didn't know better, you'd say this wasn't the same Janet McTeer, British stage actress, who won a Tony as Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House on Broadway. McTeer's turn as modern-day Southern belle Mary Jo seems so genuine that you'd think this actress had grown up in the shade of magnolia trees sipping mint juleps. However, it's not just McTeer's flawless acting that makes Tumbleweeds so memorable. First-time director Gavin O'Connor, who cowrote the screenplay with Angela Shelton, has crafted a refreshing and unsentimental tale of a mother (McTeer) and daughter (Kimberly J. Brown) who wander the country like the titular rolling plants; whenever one of her badly chosen boyfriends threatens her or her daughter, Mary Jo packs up the car and heads for a new state. When daughter Ava persuades her to head for southern California, Mary Jo takes up with a genial if temperamental truck driver (director O'Connor) and starts the pattern all over again. However, as Ava approaches adolescence, she becomes less and less tolerant of her mother's behavior, and starts to find her own voice. Tumbleweeds is what would have been called a "little" film, long on character development and short on plot, but in a day and age when deeply etched characters are getting harder to come by, it qualifies as a definite landmark, especially in comparison with the similarly plotted but more sentimental Anywhere But Here. You won't find any crying jags, schmaltzy breakups, contrived meet-cutes, or patently fake movie moments in this film--instead, there's a mother-daughter relationship that remains complex, joyous, and heartfelt throughout. Brown matches McTeer scene for scene, and her Ava qualifies as one of filmdom's most realistic teens. These two women, along with O'Connor, create a quiet, perfectly rendered gem of a film. With superb supporting performances by Laurel Holliman as McTeer's newly found friend and Jay O. Sanders as a widower still not over the death of his wife. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Tumbleweeds.......2007-07-18

A familar mother-daughter tale receives refreshingly uncompromising treatment in "Tumbleweeds", buoyed by a stellar performance from McTeer, who was Oscar-nominated. Young Brown also shines as a daughter forced to grow up too soon. Director O'Connor knows his material, and does a fine turn himself as rugged trucker Jack, Sara Jo's latest love interest.

Three cheers for McTeer!! No cheers for Gavin O'Connor........2007-06-23

I have recently discovered director/actor/anyone commentary on DVDs. For the longest time, I would complain that they added no value to any film, and that as a critic I chose not to listen to them because I wanted to enjoy the film in its final version - audio commentaries are like being in the kitchen of a elaborate restaurant ... do you really want to know what goes in your food? Actually, and rather surprisingly, I have recently found the answer to be "yes", and have been devouring commentaries like minute candy. I have discovered many truths and errors of many directors or actors as they humorously and severely critique their bodies of work. One of my most recent adventures involved the film "Tumbleweeds", which garnished several awards (with great respect) for Janet McTeer, but made me realize one small facet of cinema that I don't think about when I watch movies directly - there is a reason the directors are behind the camera, and typically, not in front. In "Tumbleweeds", my case is built around Gavin O' Conner - the director, whom in my unprofessional opinion shouldn't be either in front of the camera or at least talking behind it. He is a decent director, but not one that should open his mouth or voice an opinion - harsh words? I don't think so. He completely destroyed the ambiance of this film.

Well, if I haven't completely disgusted the reader by this point, I have such pulled them in so that I have to explain myself and my comments about the above remark. As I watched "Tumbleweeds" for a second time, I realized that it was a wonderful film about a mother and daughter team that travels across the country avoiding the mother's mishaps with wrong men. It is a touching story that is helmed by one of the most unappreciated actresses of our time, Janet McTeer. Her performance, not only in this film, but also in a little independent feature called "Songcatcher", is breathtaking. She is captivating, intelligent, and completely steals every scene in which she performs. "Tumbleweeds" is worth the purchase, if anything, just for McTeer's performance. Not only is her singular performance attractive, but she is able to intermingle with her daughter, Ava (Kimberly Brown) with the greatest of ease, and even the despicable Jack Ranson (Gavin's mush-mouthed role) with sheer brilliance. I could dedicate this entire review, scene by scene, on how well McTeer controlled herself. It is a performance, as well as the one in "Songcatcher" that I believe others in the same profession should be forced to watch before getting into the game. This I believe - what can you say? But Gavin, oh Gavin, that is a completely different story.

For the first thirty-plus minutes of this film we are forced to build a bond between Janet and Ava, but then, Gavin - honestly kinda snobby - forces his way into the picture. Without the director commentary, it is merely by chance, but as you listen you realize that he tells us that nobody else could have played the role better than him. Arriving into California, I was a bit surprised that someone with an incredibly thick New York accent took the role of a manipulative trucker. Hey, he even gained weight for the role - but he didn't fit with the film. What bothered me the most is that he never quite saw that throughout his pandering of how great of a director he was. I envision Gavin as exactly the character of Jack Ranson. He is a decent guy to begin with, but when the stress begins to pour on, his temper begins to flair and his ego begins to rise. I just got that from this commentary, which in turn soured my experience a bit for this film.

There were other parts to the film that didn't fit either, but were excusable. There is a moment at the end where Ava and random man Dan Miller cry their eyes out in a RV, which doesn't make much sense in the grand scheme of the film - oddly, the entire Dan Miller addition (while greatly played by Jay O. Saunders) just didn't compute near the end. It was a chance to see that a good man was floating right below Janet's nose and she didn't even see it, but he just doesn't fit with the entire rest of the film. Kimberly Brown does a great job keeping up with McTeer and honestly playing her daughter very well - with the same sarcasm and spunk.

What can I say, outside of Gavin, I thought this was a very honest outing. I liked the lower budget which took chances, I liked the characters (for the most part), the drama seemed to equate well with the humor, and it was a true story - one couldn't ask for anything better. The mixture was perfect, and McTeer deserves every ounce of praise as she received for this film, but alas, I cannot say the same for Gavin. He is, as stated before, a decent director, but he forces himself too freely upon us. He is controlling, overbearing, and rude - and I haven't even met the man before. It is just the way he came across in the commentary.

I can suggest this film to everyone. I thought, beyond my dislike for Gavin, it was a powerful film with very strong characters. They were complex, yet utterly simple. It was translatable and powerful to see McTeer just gobble up her character. Outside of the small mishaps mentioned above, this was a great film.

Grade: *** out of *****

Wouldn't Work.......2007-01-12

This is an older version of the DVD, and I strongly advise anyone not to buy it if they have a newer DVD player. Instead, you should buy the newer version of the DVD offered by Amazon. This one would not play in my new DVD player, so I sent it back, and Amazon replaced it with an identical item. But that DVD would not play, either! I visited a friend over the holidays, and his older DVD player DID play the DVD, so it is just a question of incompatibility with newer players. So now I am stuck with a DVD that I can't watch. I wish that I had bought the newer version of the DVD, as I think the movie is excellent.

Home is where the heart is.......2006-04-13

I love it when I chance upon stuff and it turns out I struck gold. That is exactly what happened when I walked into the video store and rented this movie. It's the story of a mother and daughter; Mary-Jo and Ava Walker (Janet McTeer & Kimberly J. Brown), a pair of rolling stones who move from state to state when the mother's latest lover falls short of expectations (as they all seem to do). The emphasis of the story however is on the relationship between the pair, the unbreakable love bond they share. Mary-Jo adores Ava. Ava is the light of her life. Ava on the other hand, loves her mother and seems to be the strength of this tiny family. It is Ava, who at the end finds them a sort of redemption.
Janet McTeer turns in a perfectly flawless performance. It doesnt seem like she is acting. You can not imagine she is anyone other than Mary-Jo. I could not believe she was really an English woman. In my humble opinion, this was a superior performance which deserved an Oscar. Kimberly J. Brown matched her talent for talent. I can not resist comparing it to another movie; 'Anywhere but Here' which I saw afterwards. A movie which was pretentious and unbelievable.
Tumbleweeds is a rare gem.

A memorable movie with Janet McTeer in a great lead performance.......2005-10-25

I first saw Tumbleweeds in 1999 when it was first released in the cinemas and I'll always remember it as one of the best films of that year. British actress Janet McTeer went on to win a well-deserved best Actress Oscar nomination for her role as Mary Jo Walker a flaky South Carolinian, who runs backwards and forwards towards abusive men and searches for love in all the wrong places.

13-year-old Ava (Kimberly J. Brown) is still young enough that her mother, Mary Jo, seems like the center of the world. The film opens as Mary Jo is suffering domestic abuse at the hands of her drunken rage -fuelled husband, while Ava nervously cowers in her bedroom. Mary Jo is smart enough to realize that she can't expose her daughter or herself from this any longer, so they go on the road looking for a better future.

They settle in a southern California beach town of Starlight Beach where Mary Jo quickly gets involved with another guy, Jack Ranson (Gavin O'Connor). But things don't go as planned. It seems as though there's something about Mary Jo who thrives on hooking up with the bad guys. Soon, she continues a pattern familiar to the sarcastic, adaptable Ava: Mom moves in, meets the lout, shacks up, things go wrong, so mother and daughter move on again.

McTeer plays Mary Joe to the hilt, turning in an absolutely masterful performance. She radiates openness, optimism, and sensuality; she captures the casual, easy-going exterior but also the pain, insecurity and weariness underneath. It seems that Mary Jo, not so much gets into bad relationships, but that she just can't quite see alternatives. Despite having been locked in co-dependencies, she has survived with mostly indefatigable buoyancy, a wild and raunchy sense of humor, and a joy in life and living that sparkles.

It is the mother daughter relationship that really drives this story. On the surface, her relationship with Ava is more like girlfriends of similar age than mother and daughter, but for all her worldliness, Ava is still barely pubescent. Mary Jo is still a mother with a deep well of unconditional love and the mother-daughter bond is always conspicuous - she even gets a real kick out of teaching her daughter how to kiss boys.

Brown plays Ava as observant, perceptive, realistic; she's been around her mother's serial misadventures and they have made her wise beyond her years. She's clever enough to counter her mother's often-unrealistic expectations; Ava's seen it all before and it has hurt. She'll hold back where Mary Jo plunges in, often with disastrous results; it's as though Ava is constantly learning from her mother's mistakes.

First-time director and co writer Gavin O'Connor - who also plays Jack - is insightful and skilled at really bringing out the dynamics of the mother and daughter relationship. Every scene means something, no one gets caught acting, and there's almost no exposition.

Of course when Mary Jo finds that she's merely repeating the mistakes of the past, her first instinct is to flee, rather than face her, and it is Ava's insistence on staying that forces Mary Jo to stay put and find another way to live her life. Mother's usually teach their daughters, but the irony in this film is that daughter teaches mother.

Tumbleweeds is a lovingly pragmatic little film that is just brimming with warmth, realism and humanity. It's closely observed and honestly presented, and acts as a huge showcase for McTeer's talent as an actress. It's just a pity that, as yet she hasn't gone on to achieve the international fame that she so thoroughly deserves. Mike Leonard October 05.

El Hazard: The Wanderers - The DVD Collection

Average customer rating:

el Hazard
If you like the OVA's

El Hazard: The Wanderers - The DVD Collection
Starring: Wanderers-El Hazard
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009B8DG
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Amazon.com

The broadcast version of El Hazard (1996) repeats most of the characters and situations from the popular OVA series (1995). When Jinnai sabotages Makoto's science experiment, he inadvertently transports himself, Makoto, Nanami, and Mr. Fujisawa to the parallel world of El Hazard. Makoto and Fujisawa set off to find the powerful Priestesses of Water, Wind, and Fire, who may be able to help them return to Earth, while Jinnai makes himself virtual ruler of the Bugrom. Makoto inadvertently awakens the sappily naive demon Ifurita, who's described in legends as the Ultimate Weapon. In a plot to conquer El Hazard, Jinnai takes Ifurita to the Eye of God satellite, where she becomes part of that engine of world destruction. Makoto saves the day by redirecting the energy weapons into another dimension. The effort carries him back to Earth, but leaves Nanami, Jinnai, and Mr. Fujisawa stranded. Makoto inexplicably reappears with angel's wings in a saccharine, unsatisfying ending.

Wanderers is even sillier in tone than the earlier adventures, with Jinnai's egotism played for laughs and the Bugrom representing less of a threat. Many episodes are heavily padded with flashbacks, side adventures, and Jinnai's rants. Director Katsuhito Akiyama can't find a satisfactory balance between the comedy and the adventure, and the story lurches between the two with little sense of a sustained narrative. (Unrated: suitable for ages 13 and older: risqué humor, brief nudity, minor profanity, violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

Makoto always upstages Jinnai without trying, which exasperates the delusional rivalry that Jinnai has concocted within his own brain. However, when Jinnai attempts to sabotage Makoto's invention, the machine actually opens a dimensional rift throwing Makoto, Jinnai, and several others from their high school into a land of wonder and fantasy. Will they ever be able to find their way back home? Will they want to? Contains all 26 episodes collected in a "Bailey Box"

Customer Reviews:

el Hazard.......2007-09-05

I have watched all 3 box set series of el Hazard in both English and Japanese. They all have very good story lines. Now the OVA's are not the same as the TV series but are very simular to the other two boxed sets.

I highly recommend this anime if you like Arabian knights type story line. Since this is what it is modeled after.

People who just watch the OVA's and don't keep an open mind should not rate and anime series.

If you like the OVA's .......2007-02-02

I watched the original OVAs and loved them, so I thought a TV series would be
cool. This however, was not the case. The things that made the OVAs so magical were removed, and what I saw of it was a rehash. If you haven't seen the OVAs, you might like the TV series.

Average customer rating:

NOT Buena Vista...
Not what you expect . . .
Honest attempt to portray the reality...

Cuba Feliz
Starring: Miguel Del Morales , Pepín Vaillant , Mirta Gonzáles , Aníbal Ávila , and Alberto Pablo
Director: Karim Dridi
Manufacturer: KOCH LORBER FILMS
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000V478A
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Description

This is a joyful and uninhibited journey into Cuba's musical soul. The film follows Miguel del Morales, a 76 year-old troubadour known as El Gallo (The Rooster) as he wanders the country meeting people of all persuasions who share the passion of music that is central to the life and dreams of the Cuban People. Cuba Feliz was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival.

Customer Reviews:

NOT Buena Vista..........2006-03-08

In reference to that reviewer who kept comparing "Cuba Feliz" to Buena Vista, I got important news for you...THIS IS NOT BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB! Buena Vista this and Buena Vista that, frankly I'm pretty sick of hearing about them AND Celia all respect due onto them. There is COUNTLESS Cuban music, such as "El Gallo" Miguel Del Morales, who are lesser known or not known at all! That is why I give this excellant documentay 4 stars. Yes it is "sleepy" at times and has a few less than stellar performers. But I think that is part of it, to display the downtrodden, unknown "musicos cubanos" and focus on them, not Celia or Buena Vista or Desi Arnaz or ANY Cuban musician who has a million and one things done about them. This is a TRUE representation of Cuban music and it may not be polished and professional, but it's true to Cuba! I also expected some type of Buena Vista esque documentary and was VERY HAPPY it wasn't cuz as I mentioned, isn't there enough about them at this point in time? It's like renting a hip hop documentary and saying "Oh snap there is no 50 Cent here so it can't be genuine!!" What are you kidding me? Open you minds and your ears and your eyes, this is the real deal brode!

Not what you expect . . ........2005-09-16

Let me give it to you straight: if you're a fan of the Buena Vista Social Club, either the DVD or the consequent various CD's that spawned from it, you will be dissapointed with this DVD, Cuba Feliz; it's slow in most parts and has only occasional musical moments where the Cuban music really shines, most notably the street scenes where people gather to hear music, dance, improvise and relish in the deep-rooted traditions of Cuban songs passed down from generation to generation. However, these scences are not prevelent, but the exception in an otherwise sleepy documentary. I would have liked to have seen more performances reminiscent of the concert clips from Buena Vista Social Club. There is a certain nostalgia involved, however, if you've ever been or lived on the island and it is a crude reminder of the poor living conditions and poverty that most Cubans endure in everyday life. It's no wonder why music is so important to them, if only to escape the harsh realities they deal with. I found myself fast-forwarding over the parts I considered...quite frankly, not interesting, and looking for the next part of the DVD that higlighted the musical soul of an entire people. Some of the artists portrayed in this documentary were neither talented, nor engaging. Too bad there isn't a complete concert on DVD that has the old Buena Vista clan performing in Amsterdam or New York City at Carnegie Hall...now THAT would be a DVD to truly cherish.

Honest attempt to portray the reality..........2005-03-23

This documentary is for those in love with Cuban culture, since it brings a rush of nostalgia, that in a way is uncontrollable.
The film follows 76 year old Miguel Del Morales "El Gallo" a guitar playing troubadour across the the island, as he visits old friends, and meets new ones along the way. His journey starts out in Havana and makes his way east, meeting Candido Fabre(IMO one of the top 5 improvisers of all time) in Manzanillo, playing in a local baseball game. Fabre takes a break to pay tribute to El Gallo through his singing.
I feel the film shows how music is truly lived and felt in the island. Musicians playing old passed down instruments, yet making the sweetest melodies. A "bembe" happening at the corner, and the people gathering to dance. It also shows how the hardships are forgotten with every note played.
Other notable street musicians Morales plays with along the way are singer Mirta Gonzales, Anibal Avila trumpet player, Paisan Mallet also a trumpet player.
Lots of beatiful scenery, harmonious music, and interesting characters make this documentary very special.

The Wanderers - El Hazard TV Series - The Winds of War (Vol. 3)

Average customer rating:

The Wanderers - El Hazard TV Series - The Winds of War (Vol. 3)
Starring: Eddie Frierson , Michael Sorich , R. Martin Klein , Lia Sargent , and Melissa Fahn
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005QJI8
Release Date: 2002-02-05

Amazon.com

The plot falls by the wayside in the first three episodes, but things begin to pick up in the "Eye of God" episode. The hinted-at romance between Makoto and Rune starts to heat up as they discover Makoto possesses mystical powers traditionally held by members of the royal house of Roshtaria. Those powers enable him to activate ancient machinery that may be the key to inter-dimensional travel--and a way back to Earth. The idyll proves short-lived: Jinnai uses his Bugrom troops and the terminally dim Ifurita (who now describes herself as "the Devil") to kidnap Princess Rune--and Nanami. The inevitable sibling squabbles ensue, threatening to derail Jinnai's plot to conquer all of El Hazard. Of course, Makoto, Mr. Fujisawa, and the rest of the gang are already planning the rescue that will occur during the final episodes. Rated 13 Up: Violence, brief nudity, minor profanity, alcohol use. --Charles Solomon

Average customer rating:

Tumbleweeds
Three cheers for McTeer!! No cheers for Gavin O'Connor.
Wouldn't Work
Home is where the heart is
A memorable movie with Janet McTeer in a great lead performance

Tumbleweeds
Starring: Janet McTeer , Michael J. Pollard , Jay O. Sanders , Lois Smith , and Laurel Holloman
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Manufacturer: Genius Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000B5XP42
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

Description

After a failed relationship, a mother heads West with her daughter in search of greener pastures in this tale of an extraordinary mother daughter bond

Customer Reviews:

Tumbleweeds.......2007-07-18

Three cheers for McTeer!! No cheers for Gavin O'Connor........2007-06-23

Wouldn't Work.......2007-01-12

Home is where the heart is.......2006-04-13

A memorable movie with Janet McTeer in a great lead performance.......2005-10-25

Average customer rating:

Love it

Snakeskin
Starring: Boyd Kestner , Dean O'Gorman , Jodie Rimmer , Melanie Lynskey , and Oliver Driver
Director: Gillian Ashurst
Manufacturer: Terra Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0002X4OF2
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Customer Reviews:

Love it.......2005-01-15

Caught it on Showtime in 2003 at like 2am and was instantly hooked. Once it hit dvd I just had to pick it up; local stores might not carry it but it is available online almost everywhere.

DVD:

DVD

DVD