Amistad (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review refers to the Dreamworks Doby Digital Edition.....
Based on actual events, Steven Spielberg and Debbie Allen collaberate to bring us one of the many heartwrenching stories of the plight of Africans,during the illegal slave trade of the 1800's.
A group of African people who were brutally draggged from their villages are being transported for slave trade. Only knowing that they are chained and mistreated one man,breaks loose and leads a rebillion against the ship's crew. In order to ensure their own freedom they must take the lives of their captors. They are discovered in American waters, and a trial ensues as to the question of murder.
It becomes an international case. Everybody from the queen of Spain to the owners of the ship "Amistad" are claiming ownership of these men and women. Being pre-civil war, the abolishionists are also making a case for their freedom.This is a case that could lead America one step closer to Civil War.
One property lawyer who has never worked on a case of this proportion, takes on the task of trying to prove that these are not plantation slaves,but citizens of Africa taken by force and did what they needed to do to be free, as any American would do the same. His task is a difficult one,but as the tragic story of these people unfolds he is able to put on his defense. They also get some help from the ex-president John Quincy Adams,whose eloquence puts the Declaration of Indepence to the test.
This is a magnificent piece of cinema in all respects. Spielberg brings to our attention yet another important piece of history that was cruel and inhuman,one of American history that we were hardly aware of.It is an epic film that will wash over you with several different emotions, and you will want to watch it again and again.
No big introduction needed for most of the cast who seemed perfectly fitted to their roles. Matthew McConaughey outstanding as the lawyer, Sir Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as Adams, Morgan Freeman and Stellan Skarsgard are totaly believable as the abolishionists,and Pete Postlethwaite perfect as the lawyer for the prosecution. Also in a sterling performance is Djimon Housnsou as Cinque, the spokesperson for the Africans. His portrayal of the enslaved man who only wants his freedom will captivate you.I must also make mention of Nigel Hawthorn and David Paymer for their wonderful performances.The cinematography is breathtaking. The music scored by John Williams and especially the African music will stay with you long after the movie. You will also be impressed with the costume designs. The film was nominated for four Academy awards,including one for Best Supporting for Hopkins.
The DVD is top quality.The Widescreen(Anamorphic) gives us an incredible view of everything going on in the courtroom scenes and on the ocean voyages. The picture does justice to the great cinematography. It is clear and crisp, colors are vibrant. Nighttime scenes are vivid as well. The 5.1 Dolby Dig surround fills the room. It can also be viewed in the 2.0 stereo. The special features,including a behind the scenes featurette are informative as well as entertaining. There is closed captions if needed.
You will not be dissapointed with either the film or the DVD transfer, it is one that will be a great addition to your collection. Watch it again and again.......Laurie
also available in this Spielberg 2 pack:Saving Private Ryan/Amistad

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Freakazoid - The Complete First Season (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're a fan of the spontaneous humor of the Animaniacs, then you'll love this show. Dexter Douglas uses the power of cyberspace to become the superhero Freakazoid (this was in the early days of the internet, so it seemed like a mysterious thing at the time). Unfortunately, Freakazoid isn't your normal superhero. Yes, he has superpowers (the funniest being when he flies by stretching his arms out and making wind noises as he runs around). Yes, he has supervillains. But he's not Batman by any means! He's fun and frantic and full of humor.
Each episode usually had one skit running throughout the show, with tiny sketches built into it like little commercial breaks. One of the best was "Frenching with Freakazoid", in which he would teach a French phrase. Most of them wouldn't be something you'd use in a normal conversation however ("Who cut the cheese?"). The frenetic pace of the show keeps it from being boring, and I'm so glad to see it finally make it to disc.
Superman has Lex Luthor, Batman has the Joker, and Freakazoid has Mo-Ron (yep, just like it sounds). Like I said earlier, if you're a fan of Animaniacs and Pinky & The Brain, this show will be a perfect fit for you. Never boring!

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Cyber nerd Dexter Douglas surfs the web one fateful night, gets swept into a digital techno-electro smash-up that bites him in the gigabytes and – ZAP! - goes from geek to freak. To Freakazoid!, that is, a smart- mouthing, butt-kicking, mega-voltage superhero with things to do (unless there’s something really good on TV). It’s Freaka-Me, Freaka-You fun!

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Schindler's List (Widescreen Edition) (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)Meet Oskar Schindler. A German living in occupied Poland during World War II. A member in good standing of the Nazi party. A womanizer, a war profiteer...and ultimately a man of conscience. A man who became one of the great unsung heroes and humanitarians of the war.
"Schindler's List" chronicles Oskar Schindler's spiritual odyssey from war profiteer to humanitarian and hero. Winner of seven Academy Awards® in 1993, including Best Picture, this harrowing and heart-rending film is Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, and perhaps one of the finest and most important movies ever made. It depicts Schindler's ultimately successful attempt to rescue 1,100 Jews from Hitler's "Final Solution" by getting them to safety outside Poland.
Dynamic performances abound in this beautiful movie, Especially noteworthy are Liam Neeson as the suave Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as the monstrously depraved Nazi colonel, Amon Goeth, and Ben Kingsley as the dignified, principled Jewish prisoner Itzhak Stern.
"Schindler's List" is definitely not light entertainment! This beautiful movie allows viewers to feel like they're actually a part of one of the darkest, most horrific periods in history. (I'm sure this is the reason the film was shot in black-and-white, with only minor "colorized" bits included.) The story of the Holocaust needs to be told over and over again, in hopes that future generations can understand the horrors perpetrated on an entire race of people and prevent future occurrences. "Schindler's List" is perhaps one of the best and most effective vehicles for telling that story I've ever experienced.

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Schindler's List, a Steven Spielberg film, is a cinematic masterpiece that has become one of the most honored films of all time. Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, it also won every major Best Picture award and an exceptional number of additional honors. Among them were seven British Academy Awards; the Best Picture Awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Society of Film Critics, the National Board of Review, the Producers Guild, the Los Angeles Film Critics, the Chicago, Boston and Dallas Film Critics; a Christopher Award; and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Golden Globe Awards. Steven Spielberg was further honored with the Directors Guild of America Award. The film presents the indelible true story of the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party, womanizer, and war profiteer who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. It is the triumph of one man who made a difference, and the drama of those who survived one of the darkest chapters in human history because of what he did. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film, which also won Academy Awards for Screenplay, Cinematography, Music, Editing and Art Direction, stars an acclaimed cast headed by Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagalle and Embeth Davidtz.

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Freakazoid: Season 2 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the prizes of the Cartoon Network/ Warner Bros. late '90s merger was that some of the best cartoons from Warner Bros. found a new home and ready audience on Cartoon Network. That round-up brought in a roster of well-known 'toons that began with the masthead, "Steven Spielberg Presents" which, like the Looney Tunes logo, promised unbridled zaniness. The flagship series was Animaniacs, soon eclipsed by the smartest and subtlest segment, Pinky and the Brain. Mix the two and you might get Freakazoid!
The show only lasted two seasons on WB. Unlike these other Tom Ruegger shows, this one never really hit its stride, from the first peaking higher and crashing harder than most shows on the schedule. Season two might be more even, but that's also a misnomer. There are more stock characters to play off of from season one, the writers have carte blanche to do just about anything they can think of, pop culture references go whizzing by at dizzying speeds, while the shows themselves may seem to drag if you don't get the joke.
The show doesn't take itself seriously, but cartoon fans, movie buffs, and animation afficianados will have a field day pointing out parodies and tracking down tributes. One show starts with a parody of Bob Clampett's '60s series, Beany and Cecil. Another plays off the musical Hello Dolly. The show is constantly referential, as when Freakazoid, the Brain and Wacko all go see Spielberg to ask who has the best show. In the five minute bonus commentary, one of the writers remarks that the storylines are somewhat non-linear, revealing a gift for understatement. One could also say the episodes are metafictional, were one writing a thesis, or one could just enjoy the show.
Animation in general is an undervalued art form, so it may not be immediately apparent how amazing this show was when wedged into the schedule of normal linear and fictional cartoons. Animation buffs will appreciate the commentary, a bonus appearing more and more on cartoon DVD sets. Freakazoid! was also unusual in that like The Simpsons, each show was one long episode (rather than two or three). This well-packaged single case includes 11 episodes (shows) on two one-sided DVDs, along with bonus commentaries and a trailer for Saturday Morning Cartoons, the first two sets in a DVD series of SatAm Hanna-Barbera cartoons from Yogi to the Jetsons, as seen on CN's Boomerang channel. The first disc also starts with a preview that is almost a mini-documentary on the animated Green Lantern from DC Comics and Warner Bros.
Arguably, this sort of humor may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the audience for it has long been underserved. The arguments rage on as to which is the best show, but fans of Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain may find a third contender to target the funny bone in Freakazoid!


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Duel (Collector's Edition) (1971) Review

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(More customer reviews)DUEL is the film that made Steven Spielberg a household word in Hollywood--and for good reason. Though made in only three weeks on a budget of less than $500,000, this superlative made-for-TV movie helped to launch his career beyond the stars.
This is an extremely lean but effective psychological thriller with Dennis Weaver (of "Gunsmoke" fame) effectively portraying the first of Spielberg's favorite characters, the Everyman--in this case, an average auto motorist driving to a business appointment on a lonely California highway. He tries to pass a road-hogging diesel truck; but when he does, the truck goes after him for the rest of the way. Neither Weaver nor the viewer ever sees the truck driver, with the exception of a beefy hand and a pair of cowboy boots; but it's perfectly obvious that this man is a total psychopath.
Though suffering from some slight technical flaws, DUEL is brilliantly directed by Spielberg. The film's screenplay is by the always-excellent sci-fi/horror writer Richard Matheson, who based it on a short story he had published in the April '71 edition of Playboy magazine. Matheson, known for such novels as "I Am Legend" and scripts for "The Twilight Zone", is a master at this kind of mind-bending terror, and the combination of his and Spielberg's talents results in one of the most gut-wrenching and emotionally draining suspense films of all times. One can see its influence on later films like the underrated 1997 thriller BREAKDOWN, and as a chilling precursor to today's violent, real-life incidents of road rage. A must-see!

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