The Kingdom - Series One (Riget) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)I agree that this is a brilliant series filled with black humor, pathos, social satire and horror. Set in and actually filmed at Copenhagen's Rigshospitalet, it is essentially a ghost story, a haunting, but told in a quirky, refreshing way. One can see why it attracted Stephen King and inspired him to write his subsequent novel "Kingdom Hospital." It certainly deserves all the 5 stars it gets at this site.
However there is a problem with the DVD edition issued by Koch/Lorber. On Disc Two, Episode 3, during the scene where Helmer enters the Central Archive after Mogge, the picture suddenly skips (at just after 39mins) to a part of the movie that is actually from Episode 1 on Disc One (the scene where Helmer's nose is being patched up). This sequence from the previous Disc then goes on for about 2 minutes before you suddenly switch back to the current episode but several minutes later with Dr Mogge already out of the Central Archive and running for his life. You are left wondering what happened in between.
This is not a problem with an individual disc. Replacing the disc makes no difference because they all have the same flaw. It is a production issue. It probably occured during the video-editing or mastering process. How this could have been passed for release is beyond me. I know Fox Lorber's previous reputation for producing shoddy DVDs but after the name change and several fairly good early releases under the Koch/Lorber label, I actually believed they had reformed. Alas not. This kind of sloppiness is wholly unacceptable. Koch/Lorber goes into the same black book as its disgraceful predecessor. If it had any conscience, Koch/Lorber would order a recall and replacement. But with this company's reputation, it's hardly likely. Hopefully the rumors are right and Criterion will pick this up for release in the future as part of a Lars von Trier retrospective.

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Acclaimed director Lars von Trier (Dogville, Dancer in the Dark) delves into the world of the supernatural with the acclaimed series that inspired Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital. At The Kingdom, Denmark’s most technologically advanced hospital, a number of strange and otherworldly events begin to occur, much to the dismay of its doctors and patients. A ghostly ambulance appears and disappears, the voice of a little girl calls to a patient in an elevator shaft and a doctor’s fetus begins growing at an alarming rate.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Collection (25th Anniversary Collector's Edition) (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Secret of the Ooze / Turtles in Time / TMNT) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)**WARNING TMNT FANS**
--This set contains absolutely nothing new from the previous 2 releases of the live action films and the cgi movie is simply a port of the standalone disc with regards to special features and the transfer--
I'm not sure what all of the 5 star reviews are all about for this so called 25th anniversary boxset so far, but let me be the first to offer a counter to those "generous" scores with a dose of the reality of the situation.
This set offers nothing new from what is already available on the standalone dvds, safe for a few cheap gimmicks like 4 cloth masks and some temporary tattoos. The only thing new here is the package art and believe me it isn't worth $30, which is actually Amazon's price, the MSRP is actually more. There is no commentary on any of the movies except the most recent one which is simply ported over from the other single disc release. The transfers are the same that was used for the initial 1998 dvd releases of the 3 movies and the age really shows on the films, especially that of the live action ones. No deleted scenes or making of featurettes talking about Jim Henson's creature shop for the live action films. No Elias Koteas (Casey Jones) interview or anything. Nothing but the theatrical trailers.
Here's a fun fact for all of you turtles fans. The director of the 1st turtles movie (the best one) has come out publicly and stated that he has deleted and extended scenes in his possession that he would like to contribute to a special edition of the 1st movie along with contributing directors commentary if WB were interested. Apparently they are not. They would rather whore out this franchise and continue to kick loyal fans in the face. The only shellebration going on here is one of greed and laziness on behalf of WB Studio with there franchise. This franchise deserved much better for it's 25th anniversary than a cheaply slapped together rerelease. One can only hope that for the 30th anniversary and no doubt next "shellebration" that WB will decide to put together a real boxset as opposed to expecting fans to "shell" out more money for nothing new. I hope if anything that the 1st movie gets an eventual 2 disc special edition that it so richly deserves with a new hi def transfer and all the special features that the director has and wants to contribute because it is the only one that really holds up anyway today. Thanks for nothing WB.
1 out of 5 stars for the piss poor effort by WB for this storied franchise that deserves better. For those of you who already have 1 of the 2 prior releases of the live action movies, stick with your previous copies and don't contribute a dime to Warner Bros. Studio. They put no effort into this boxset. For those of you who don't own any of the movies yet, I urge you to go and pick up the standalone movies for dirt cheap. You can find them for $5 a piece on most retail sites and brick and morter stores and you'd be getting the exact same content on them that is on this boxset as well as the same transfer so you're not missing a thing and saving your money. Don't contribute to WB's lazy and cheap triple dip. Show them we expect more for this franchise and maybe they will listen for the next go round.

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES FILM COL - DVD Movie

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Fat Girl - Criterion Collection (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)It upsets me that reviewers have focused on the issues of weight and female competition and jealousy that do exist in this film, but completely ignore the major point of this film. Breillat gives us a brutally honest portrayal of female "baptism" into sexuality. It is not pretty, or romantic, or even sensual (as the socially astute "fat girl" realizes). The older sister, whose bed is surrounded by issues of Cosmo, appropriately enough) is hyper-feminized, and believes that she needs to look as if she stepped off the pages of Cosmo to get and keep and please a man--the most important tasks a woman is given by our culture. Her younger sister is less accepting of these--in fact she repeatedly says that she wants to lose her virginity to someone she doesn't love (a fact consistenly ignored by reviewers in their reviews, and vital to understanding the ending and the distinction between the two sisters). The shocking ending is so significant in this regard--Breillat dares us to question the nature of female adolescent sexual experiences, and to blur the line between consensual and nonconsensual sex in the context of female adolescent sexual awakening. I believe that the consistent overemphasis on weight, (note the strange translation of A Ma Soeur to Fat Girl???) which certainly is an important underpinning of all that transpires in the film, is to the detriment of fostering open discussion of the issue of sexuality; I can only assume that this stems from an inability on the part of the public to get past the reality that adolescent females are in fact sexually active, do not have adequate and reliable resources and information to deal with newfound feelings and cultural expectations and norms, and face often traumatic circumstances as a result.

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Twelve-year old Anaïs is fat. Her older sister, Eléna, is a teenage beauty. While on vacation with her parents, Anaïs tags along behind Eléna, exploring the dreary seaside town. Eléna meets Fernando, an Italian law student, who seduces her with promises of love, as the ever-watchful Anaïs bears witness to the corruption of her sister’s innocence. Precise and uncompromising, Fat Girl (À Ma soeur!) is a bold dissection of sibling rivalry and female adolescent sexuality from one of contemporary cinema’s most controversial directors.

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Midnight Express (1978) Review

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(More customer reviews)Many reviewers ridicule the method used to try and smuggle the drugs in this movie, but back in the early 1970's (when the film was based) these kind of methods actually took place. Yes, people are stupid for doing these things ... but it's hard not to have compassion for them when they are served lifetime sentences.
"Midnight Express" explores one man's time in a hellish Turkish prison. The tension of being caught and then beaten in prison are so well captured that you almost don't want to look. One scene that comes to mind is when Davis is hung upside down and beaten so bad, you can almost feel it.
Davis performance is exceptional, yet did not give him the career you'd expect. An excellent actor, who died at the age of 41.
The DVD itself is excellent too. An impressive widescreen transfer, plus a full screen option thrown in for people who dont know the value of widescreen (ie. a pointless inclusion in my opinion). The DVD also boasts a 1978 documentary of the film, and a trailer.
A must own! One of the best prison films to date, along with "Shawshank Redemption".

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With the Turkish government trying to crack down on drugs, terrorism and crime, Billy Hayes has the misfortune of being caught at the border with a hashish stash.At first sentenced to four years and two months for drug possession, his prison term grows to 30 years when the prosecution’s appeal finds him guilty of smuggling.Pleas from his parents, litigation from his lawyer and actions from the U.S. Embassy amount to nothing. Things get worse when Hayes is sent to a detention center for the mentally unstable after he bites off a warden’s tongue to prevent him from divulging his escape plans.Forced to struggle with daily violence, despair and abuse, he finally reaches his breaking point and is willing to do anything to escape.Knowing that he is on his own, Hayes has one risk left to take: riding his own Midnight Express.

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Augustus Review

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(More customer reviews)A wonderful and expansive recounting of the life and times of Rome's first emperor, Augustus Caesar. A conversation between Augustus and his daughter Julia provides the narration that covers the early years of his life through to his death.
The story begins with us finding Augustus, after many years on the throne, walking among the enthusiastic crowd in the Roman Forum. Their reaction seems authentically happy to be close to a popular leader who is now in the latter years of a long and successful career. From here we travel back with Augustus to Spain, Egypt, Greece, and of course Rome and spend time with Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, Marcus Agrippa, and his wife Livia. All these characters are given depth and you truly get a view into why they may have done the things they did.
The settings are generally good and the reproduction of the Forum, while not perfect, is among the best I've seen.
My only significant criticism is the unevenness of how some of the dialog is presented. It seems that many of the actors were not speaking English and their voices overdubbed in English. This sometimes breaks the flow of the dialog and makes it appear unnatural. Hence I believe it rates a 4 star rating rather than 5. Other than that, the acting is very good, especially that of Peter O'Tool who delivers a very convincing elder Augustus. Some critics have cited flaws in the history it portrays, especially around the character of Julia. True or not, this in no significant way takes away from the production.
It's tempting to compare this to the BBC's landmark production of "I Claudius" or the Hollywood production of "Cleopatra". Overall "I Claudius" is a better production but is sometimes too myopic; one gets the feeling from "I Claudius" that the emperors never ventured outside a few rooms in their palace. Compared to "Cleopatra", this production provides less Hollywood-type settings and more depth to the characters.
A must see for any enthusiast of Roman History or anyone who has a child who does not always follow your wishes.

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Gabriel Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this for a friend, she does not speak Spanish, but loves Chayanne. The information does not say it here, but there are english subtitles for this on the dvd's. When I saw there were subs, I decided to watch with my friend. I have been pleasantly surprised at the storyline and the quality of the sfx. The whole family is hooked. If you are a Chayanne fan, then get this or if you like neo vampire stories, with a lot of good looking people in it, then you will like this too.

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Gabriel is a poignant love story of reincarnation, revenge, and redemption set against today's neo-Gothic underworld of vampirism and the occult. Chayanne is modern-day vampire Gabriel, a tortured being whose only hope of salvation lies in reuniting with his reincarnated soulmate, Viviana (Mexican starlet Angélica Celaya). As the descendant of an Incan priestess --who eternally cursed Pizarro (renowned acting and recording star José Luis Rodríguez) for the destruction of her village--Vivana has been killed by him for generations in revenge. This generation, Gabriel is the closest to her soul he has ever been. And once again, Pizarro threatens to rob him of his long-lost love... Winner of six Suncoast Emmy awards.This 4-DVD set includes the complete first season and bonus features: Behind-the-scenes; 3 music videos; Bloopers; Exclusive scenes too hot for TV; English Subtitles

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A Room with a View (1986) Review

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(More customer reviews)...if you have the least interest in this film-BUY the new DVD. It's simply amazing. I've scanned these reviews here, and apparently there was an earlier DVD issue that wasn't up to par at ALL-but rest assured, this reasonably-priced "Special Edition" looks and sounds crisp, clean-and stunningly beautiful. Obviously I loved the film when it was originally released, and plenty of others did as well-see reviews below. But watching this new DVD the other night, I was struck at how amazing this movie really is: in the first place, it's rare(to put it mildly!)for a film nearly 20 years old to not look "dated" at ALL-this one doesn't. It could have been shot yesterday. I'd be willing to bet that in 15 years "Shakespeare in Love" *will* look somehow "late '90s"-it's the norm for period costume pieces to wind up reflecting the styles of the times they were made, even if we can't see it without the distance of years passing. What an achievement, then for James Ivory, Ismail Merchant, and the designers/cinematographer/costumer...and the actors-! Superb, all of them. The second audio track is, I'm afraid, a little superfluous(although it was enjoyable to hear the producers chatting away with Simon Callow-"the Rev. Beebe"-and the only actor to record commentary, alas)...but it doesn't matter a whit. Truly one of those things where everything came together perfectly. If you buy this, you'll have a great shot at converting a few jaded kids(assuming you've got some around the house)to the glories of another time and place, and *real* romance(and just about the sexiest kisses you could ask for). Enjoy!

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Nominated for eight Oscars in 1986, including Best Picture, and winner of three (Costumes, Art Direction and Adapted Screenplay), A Room With a View is the film that defined Merchant-Ivory as the masters of the romantic period piece. A brilliant adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel, A Room With a View tells the story of the coming of age of Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham-Carter). Longing to burst free from the repression of British upper class manners and mores, she must wrestle with her inner romantic longings to choose between the passionate George (Julian Sands) and the priggish but socially suitable Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis). Boasting a brilliant supporting cast, A Room With a View isone of the most romantic of romantic comedies ever filmed.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryFeaturetteOtherPhoto gallery

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Andersonville (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Andersonville" is an intense drama about a Civil War prison camp for captured Union soldiers. The camp is a huge stockade, built for 5,000 prisoners of war, but is filled to overcrowding with 8,000 Union POW's, and more arriving daily. The conditions are horrible beyond words, virtually no food, no sanitation, clothing in rags and tatters, no shelter from the rain, gangs rampaging through the camp, rampant disease, a hundred men dying a day - a literal hell on earth. Puported to be historical fact, the story centers on a brigade from Massachusetts and their struggle to survive, and what a horrendous struggle it is. Other reviewers have stated that the story is not entirely truthful. Due to the shortage of critical supplies in the south, I do not doubt that the deporable conditions existed exactly as depicted in the movie. I cannot comment on other issues as I have not read the book that the movie is based on. Truthful or not, the film is absolutely riveting! You will be shocked by the condition of the men, the violence in the camp, the slow agony of starvation, and the inevitable deline in the men, both physically and spiritually.
The film has no well-known "star" actors, but even so, the various actors perform marvelously. Their characterizations are as real as if they were really in the camp and suffering unto death.
This film was an eye-opener for me, for I never considered the fate of Civil War POW's. I will remember the conditions the men lived and died in for the rest of my life. I recommend it without reservation.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig

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They left the nightmare...and entered Hell. Captured Union soilders cope with life inside the Civil War's most notorious prisoner-of-war camp. A powerful, compeling tale of war and will, with Emmy Award-winning direction by John Frankenheimer and a cast including Frederic Forrest (Apocalypse Now) and William H. Macy (ER, Fargo) Year: 1996 Director: John Frankenheimer Starring: Jarrod Emick, Frederic Forrest, Ted Marcoux

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Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Review

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(More customer reviews)My husband doesn't even like musicals, but he likes this one!
What could be better than singing by Howard Keel and Jane Powell? The music is great, the colors bright and vivid, the choreography wonderful.
To our modern eyes, the story of this 1954 musical seems a little outdated--the attitudes towards women are somewhat distasteful. Howard Keel's character, Adam, needs someone to clean and cook for his household of 6 wild brothers, so he just goes into town and "acquires" a wife, poor Millie (Jane Powell) who has no idea what is in store for her.
When the boys decide they need wives, they just go into town, kidnap a batch of girls, beat the girls' boyfriends insensible, and spend the winter snowbound with the girls who miraculously fall in love with them. OK, well then...
But, the charm of this musical somehow allows us to overlook all of this, and Millie's sheer spunkiness in trying to tame these wild men redeems them somehow. So everyone learns his lesson and all ends well.
This musical is also interesting in that it showcases several young talents who became better known in later years: The character of Dorcas is played by Julie Newmeyer (a young Julie Newmar, Catwoman in the TV series Batman in later years), Russ Tamblyn (future star of West Side Story), and Ruta Kilmonis (later semi-celebrity Ruta Lee). Even in this very early outing, Julie Newmar's distinctive voice and looks make her stand out.
The director, Stanley Donen, directed some of the best musicals in the 50s, including Damn Yankees, Singing in the Rain, Kismet (uncredited), and Royal Wedding. Inexplicably, in his later career, he directed such bombs as Saturn 3 (1980).


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Howard Keel and Jane Powell are rapturous newlyweds who tame his six rowdy bachelor brothers in the wild Oregon backwoods in this Best Score Academy Award(R)-winning song-and-dance-filled comedy.

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Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series) (1944) Review

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(More customer reviews)Double Indemnity is obviously a classic film but this DVD transfer is appalling. Almost every scene is incredibly grainy, the source print is obviously not in very good conditon (perhaps needing to be refurbished), and to top it off, there are no deluxe features and the extra packaging is rather inadequate(with no information booklet or history of the movie).
This would be frustrating for any film but is downright shameful treatment of a cinema classic. We can only hope someone will spend the time and money necessary to restore the print for a new theater run, as has been done with other older films. Perhaps then, DVD buyers will get the version of this classic they deserve.

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DOUBLE INDEMNITY SPECIAL EDITION - DVD Movie

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Sergeant York (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1941) Review

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(More customer reviews)Gary Cooper was 40 years old when he made "Sergeant York," and his Southern accent is weak at best, but those things do not end up detracting all that much from his performance or this film. Directed in 1941 by Howard Hawks, "Sergeant York" has strong propagandistic elements. A whiskey-drinking hell-raiser, Alvin C. York undergoes a religious conversation when lighting strikes his gun and almost kills him. His goal in life becomes getting himself a piece of bottom land so he can propose to Gracie Williams (Joan Leslie). Things go against him, but Alvin holds his temper and does what the Good Book tell him to do. Then World War I breaks out and Alvin is drafted. Unable to get status as a conscientious objector because of his religious beliefs, Alvin has to come to terms with the obligations of citizenship versus the dictates of scripture. The film is surprisingly even handed in showing Alvin debating the matter with his superiors. In the end he comes to the only conclusion possible for men of conscience forced to go to war: killing is justified to save lives.
On the Argonne Forest battlefield Alvin, made a corporal because of his marksmanship, becomes a hero when his unit is trapped and he single-handedly kills 25 and captures 132 prisoners. Called the "greatest civilian solider of the war" by General Pershing, York received the Medal of Honor, France's Croix de Guerre, and basically every high medal the Allies could bestow upon him. But while the film does a first-rate job of showing York's heroic exploits, ultimately it is more about the man that the solider. Cooper's sense of dignity is well-suited to the role, which gives more weight to York's life in the hills of Tennessee than to the war in Europe. What he learned back home clearly stands Alvin in good stead on the battlefield.
The supporting cast of "Sergeant York" is truly outstanding, with George Tobias as "Pusher" Ross, Ward Bond as Ike Botkin and Robert Porterfield as Zeb Andrews. Both Walter Brennan as Pastor Rosier Pile and Margaret Wycherly as Mother York received well deserved Oscar nominations in the supporting category. Brennan marvelously underplays his role as Alvin's spiritual leader while Wycherly is simply the anchor for the entire film. Mother York says little and moves slowly, but everything comes out through her eyes. The scene where Alvin finally gets home from the war and sees his mother at the train station is especially touching: his face lights up completely and her "I'm right glad to see you, son" is the equivalent of other people crying and screaming for joy. In addition to Cooper winning his first Oscar as Best Actor, William Holmes receives one for Film Editing. This is one of those movies I never get tired of seeing and it remains the ideal film to watch on Memorial Day.

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Story of World War I hero who captured German position single-handedly. Film also portrays York's earlier life in the mountains of Tennessee.

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Braveheart (Sapphire Series) (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Braveheart" is quite simply, one of the best and most successful movies ever created and a huge part of that success comes from the efforts extended by Mel Gibson, as he wore three different hats for this masterpiece, those being producer, director and star. The one oddity about this movie for me was that I pretty much wore out my VHS copy of it and had, a couple years ago, purchased the DVD but only just recently took the opportunity to watch it again and no matter how many times you watch this movie, it is still a stunning, compelling and extraordinarily intriguing film that draws you in to the life of William Wallace despite already knowing how it's going to end.
The one thing that drives this movie is the spirit that Mel Gibson puts into his character of William Wallace and it is of no surprise that "Braveheart" won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1995 and Best Director for Mel Gibson. The only true surprise was that he wasn't among the top five nominated for or won the Best Actor award.
High praise also goes to the long list of supporting actors and actresses that starred in this superb film! Most notable was the performance by Sophie Marceau, one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Patrick McGoohan was absolutely incredible in the role of the villain Longshanks, King Edward I, delivering a memorable performance.
One of the most notable performances in this film, among the many, was the work done by James Horner who was responsible for the score. As is normally the case when his name appears in the credits, everything about the score, from the first reel to the last, is incredibly well blended into the movie and serves extremely well in enhancing the experience of the movie.
The Premise:
As the old saying goes, is it Hollywood or History? The truth is, of course it's a bit of history, put together Hollywood style to make one of the best films ever presented to an audience. The truth behind it is that we'll never know as recorded history from this era is circumspect as best. Where a huge portion of the credit for this film lays is in the hands of Randall Wallace, a descendant of William Wallace's.
As this historic film opens, we see a young William Wallace in Scotland as he's learning the harsh lessons of life in his era. After his family is killed in battle he's fortunate enough to have his Uncle Argyle (played brilliantly by Brian Cox) take him under his wing! Several years later he returns home to find that his countrymen are still suffering under the yoke of English oppression but he didn't come home for that, he came home for Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack), seeking her hand in marriage. Unfortunate events unfold from there and William loses the love of his life and goes on a rampage not only to avenge his love but to free his country...
What follows from there is not only one of the best films of the nineties but one of the best films of all times. I highly recommend "Braveheart" to any and all who are interested in seeing what true movie making is about! {ssintrepid}
Special Features:
-2 Theatrical Trailers
-Commentary by Director Mel Gibson
-A Filmmaker's Passion: The Making of Braveheart

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Winner of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture, the exhilarating epic Braveheart is one of the most anticipated films on Blu-ray and continues to be beloved by fans and critics alike. The film will be presented in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Among the more than two hours of new special features to be included on Braveheart are:

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A Woman Called Golda (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)What a wonderful video!!!!! It portrays the real life of Golde Meir through her own words as the elderly woman who returns to her grammar school in Wisconsin. Ingrid Bergman's last role is deffinitely one of her very best! She is very believeable as the Prime Minister of Israel. It is historically accurate and educational! I recommend it highly for students! It shows the young Nation's struggle through the eyes of this courageous woman! A tribute to Golde, Ingrid and Israel!!!!! Shalom!!!!!

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The story of the Russian-born, Wisconsin-raised woman who rose to become Israel's prime minister in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

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Gettysburg (Widescreen Edition) (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Gettysburg" is one of my all-time favorite war films! It re-creates the Civil War's battle of Gettysburg with superb acting, an excellent screenplay, a hauntingly beautiful musical score, and some of the most authentic and stirring battle scenes I've ever seen in a movie.
Based upon Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Killer Angels," this film follows the principal characters, and chronicles the main events, which occurred at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from July 1-3, 1863. The events depicted in the film are notable for their historical accuracy. Some of the most exciting battle scenes in the film are General John Buford's engagement with the Confederates on the high ground north of Gettysburg on July 1; the defense of Little Round Top by Colonel Joshua Chamberlain's 20th Maine on the following day; and, of course, Pickett's Charge on the final day of the battle. The battle scenes contain plenty of smoke and fire, but are also very tastefully done with a minimum of blood and gore.
The acting in "Gettysburg" is excellent throughout. Jeff Daniels , who portrays Chamberlain, probably gives the best overall performance, but Martin Sheen (Robert E. Lee), Tom Berenger (Gen. James Longstreet), Sam Eliot (Buford,) Stephen Lang (Gen. George Pickett), and Kevin Conway (Sergeant Kilrain) also give performances which are outstanding for their realism, grittiness, and historical accuracy. Special mention must also go to the late Richard Jordan, whose portrayal of Confederate General Louis Armistead was consistently eloquent and moving.
"Gettysburg" is a long movie; it runs to just over four hours. Still, it held me spellbound from start to finish, mainly due to its dramatic intensity and realistic battle scenes. I highly recommend this outstanding film not only to Civil War enthusiasts, but for anyone who loves a sumptuously produced and well acted war film.

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The fiercest battle fought on American soil commands the screen an epic film achievement painstakingly recreating the people and events of fateful days in july 1863. Special features: subtitles in English and French, cas/crew interview gallery, cast/director filmographies, and much more.

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The Princess and the Barrio Boy (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife rented this, but unlike some of her other choices, I actually watched to the end. The broad outlines of the story are a typical girl meets boy-from-wrong-side-of-the-tracks love story, but there are a few surprises and a few laughs along the way. Other than a few absurdly over-the-top performances (Sirena's friends, and Pauly Shore) the cast is competent and enjoyable to watch. So if you're thinking of renting, it's worth seeing once. Cute story.
If you're thinking of buying the DVD, though, note that it's probably overpriced. There's no main title screen. The DVD starts with ads for other films that you can fast forward through but can't skip entirely, and there's no main title screen at all; the movie just starts right in after the ads are done. In addition, while the movie is full-frame, fitting for a made-for-TV movie, there's an annoying line of artifacts at the top of the screen through the whole thing.
To sum up: A decent rent, but a terrible buy.

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PRINCESS AND THE BARRIO BOY - DVD Movie

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Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman - The Movies (The Movie aka Revelations / The Heart Within) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are a fan of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, then you probably wondered what happened at the end of the last series. What happened to the characters after the show ended? How did Katie grow up? Were Colleen and Andrew happily married? Do Sully and Dr. Quinn have any more children? What about Cloud Dancing and Dorothy, Robert E. and Grace?
I too, wondered those questions, until I discovered there were 2 Dr. Quinn movies that took place after the series had been cancelled. I quickly searched everywhere to get copies of them, only to find out they were being released on DVD a few months later.
The first Dr. Quinn movie, referred to here as "Dr. Quinn, the Movie" is also known as "Revolutions". The film begins by bringing us back to Colorado Springs. We see Sully as an important figure on the town council, Dr. Mike still working hard to cure people, and Katie, now a little girl watching her mom at work. The town looks just the same, as do the characters. Just like in the series, a huge event happens; Katie is kiddnapped! Dr. Mike and Sully have to follow her kiddnappers into Mexico, where most of the movie takes place. The settings are beautiful, (mainly filmed in Malibu Creek State Park and Paramount Ranch, in different locations than the series took place) Its riviting and the storyline is MUCH more complex than any stories that took place in the TV series. This was my favorite of the two films.
The second Dr. Quinn movie, "The Heart Within" follows up on Dr. Mike's family in Boston. Brian is a man now (he grew up beautifully, and sooo handsome!) and Colleen and her husband, Dr. Andrew Cook struggle to get Colleen's opinions accepted at Harvard Medical School. Like her mother, Colleen must also fight the prejudice of men as a woman doctor. She must also face Andrew Cook's father, a professor at Harvard. Dr. Quinn's mother is having heart troubles, and needs an experimental surgury to recover, but will it be worth it? Brian sets out to impress his family, and proove he is finally a man. This is a fabulous film, and really brings back what was so important in the TV series, morals, judgements and values, and teaching the difference between right and wrong. I thought that seeing Boston again was wonderful, the sets are amazing, as are the costumes. Dr Quinn has a BEAUTIFUL victorian bustled gown made up of GOLD satins and silks, and Sully is gorgeous in formalwear. Many people think this film was the better of the two, but I thought it left too many loose ends.
These movies are a must for any fan of the series. The characters are still just as memorable as they were through the series, and its a perfect wa to say goodbye to the end of the Dr. Quinn era. I never felt like the season 6 finale was enough, and the actors had no idea that the show was being cancelled; everyone anticipated comming back for a season 7. The two films satisfied my need to say goodbye to the characters, and answered some of my questions. I think these films were well done, for being made so long after the series had been cancelled. They are worth the money!

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"…this rollicking Western is fun for everyone." -TV Guide After six acclaimed seasons, DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN delighted fans by revisiting Colorado Springs and its beloved characters with two feature-length television movies. DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN: THE MOVIE finds Dr. Mike, Sully, and a posse of townsfolk traveling down to Mexico to rescue a kidnapped Katie. In DR. QUINN: THE HEART WITHIN, Mike and Sully travel to Boston to celebrate Colleen's graduation from Harvard Medical School--only to find Dr. Mike's mother terminally ill and Sully targeted for assassination by a corrupt government official. A pioneering television Western, DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN brought a fresh approach to America's westward expansion with a combination of historical authenticity and modern sensibilities. Now, travel back to the 19th century American frontier with more tales of courage, conviction, and romance DVD Features: Trivia Quiz; Production Stills Photo Gallery; Cast Biographies; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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The Up Series (Seven Up / 7 Plus Seven / 21 Up / 28 Up / 35 Up / 42 Up / 49 Up) Review

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(More customer reviews)Given one of the most sublime points of this series, that time is precious and fleeting, it's interesting to see that people ask why they should spend so much money on this series, rather than the more important question of why should they spend so much time.
I resisted seeing 42 UP in the theater because I knew that one day these films would be on DVD and I wanted the pure experience of watching them all. Well, here they are and I'm not disappointed.
While Apted is very skillful in using previous clips to make each work stand on it's own, it's far more valuable to see each new clip as it unspools in real-time. For one thing, Apted can't know the future when he makes each installment and so can't edit with an eye to the future (and he admits on the commentary track of 42 UP that the two times he tried, he got it completely wrong -- and in one of those cases lost a valuable participant). For another, much of the richness of each interview is necessarily lost when it's chopped down to a sentence or two in later editions. Some of the most telling and poignant moments are those when one of the subjects gives a look to the camera (or the loved one next to them) in silence. Even Apted comments that about 80% of a particular film is edited out when he makes the next one.
While it's true there is a bit of repetition if you watch all these movies back to back, the total sweep of the experience is awesome which more than makes up for it. Apted does an amazing job by not commenting at all on the subjects (except through editing), letting the individuals speak for themselves. Their statements are loaded in a way that only an outside observe can see.
There are a lot of sad moments here as innocent childhood perceptions get washed away by the realities of life and it's telling that at least one participant seems to have dropped out permanently. One of the lessons that you can see here is that regardless of place in society, not enough of us ever really consider, in a deep way, the values and dictates that our elders speak to us as children. Perhaps that's why Suzy, Neil, Bruce, and Nick stand out for me - each has obviously done deep soul searching even in these snippets of their life. (And what I wouldn't give for an interview with Charles who seems to have reconsidered his life once he didn't get into Oxford.) For all their stature and privilege, John and Andrew seem the least imaginative of the entire lot and have lived lives on the conveyor belt as Charles puts it. Wait for the mid-life crises to erupt in 49 UP.
Be sure to listen to Apted's commentary on the 42 UP program. He clearly explains why Symon was absent on 35 UP (the reason is one might guess after seeing him on 42 UP) and John and Paul are absent (probably forever). It's most telling to me that it is the upper class (privileged) people who have the most problems with the Up Series (apparently Suzy does it reluctantly, but as part of her duty).
Watching this set of DVDs is a totally valuable experience and excellent reminder that our time on this planet is finite, so enjoy them...and life!

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710 total minutes, color & b/w* Six Disc Collector's Edition Includes all Seven Films:Seven UP, 7 Plus Seven, 21 UP, 28 UP, 35 UP, 42 UP, 49 UPDVD Bonus Features:* Exclusive Interview: Roger Ebert talks with Michael Apted * Audio Commentary by Michael Apted (on 42 UP) * Photo Gallery for each film * Apted Biography "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man." Starting in 1964 with Seven Up, The UP Series has explored this Jesuit maxim. The original concept was to interview 14 children from diverse backgrounds from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Every seven years, renowned director Michael Apted, a researcher for Seven Up, has been back to talk to them, examining the progression of their lives. From cab driver Tony to schoolmates Jackie, Lynn and Susan and the heart-breaking Neil, as they turn 49 more life-changing decisions and surprising developments are revealed. An astonishing, unforgettable look at the structure of life in the 20th century, The UP Series is, according to critic Roger Ebert,

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