The Tarnished Angels (TCM Vault Collection) (1958) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Tarnished Angels" must have been a huge surprise to its 1957 audience, who were used to Douglas Sirk's lavish melodramas in brilliant Technicolor, especially since it followed the '56 "Written on the Wind" with the same three stars. Based on Faulkner's "Pylon", it is the desperate story of a WWI ace pilot, now barnstorming across the country, trying to scratch out a living for himself and his wife and young son, and the journalist who wants to write a story about them. It has a Depression Era feeling throughout, and also goes back to Sirk's European roots, and has much more in common with Fellini's "La Strada" than with Sirk's better known Hollywood work, and some believe "Tarnished Angels" to be one of his finest films.
Rock Hudson as Burke, the journalist who is looking for a story and falls for the pilot's wife, gives his best dramatic performance, in what would be his last of many films for Sirk (Hudson was Sirk's favorite star). Robert Stack is superb as Roger, the tormented pilot, whose only true love is his airplane, and Dorothy Malone is fabulous as LaVerne, Roger's devoted wife. She has a sensuality that makes the story line of having numerous men in lust or love with her understandable, and among these men is Jiggs, the mechanical whiz who works on Roger's airplanes, and is well played by Jack Carson.
Others in the cast include Christopher Olsen, effective as young Jack, Robert Middleton as the unsavory Matt Ord, William Schallert as Ted, and briefly in some early scenes as a pilot, one can see Troy Donahue, who was to become a bobbysoxer heartthrob a year later with "A Summer Place". The b&w cinematography by Irving Glassberg is excellent, and the Frank Skinner score adds to the atmosphere. This is an unusual '50s film, and a must for Hudson fans. Total running time is 91 minutes.


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Into the Wild (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I read Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild" approximately ten years ago, I was mesmerized by the tragic real-life tale of Christopher McCandless. But as much as I loved the book, I never even thought about a film adaptation. Maybe that was shortsighted of me. Recounting McCandless's life and reconstructing it with minimal data and much introspection, "Into the Wild" succeeded as a cautionary adventure of idealism gone awry. Much of McCandless's life was lived alone and much of his story was pieced together though brief encounters or recovered writings. So what was a thoughtful portrait on the page never really seemed like it would translate to the screen--certainly not with the same impact. Luckily, though, Sean Penn thought otherwise. Adapting and directing Krakauer's fine book, Penn has fashioned a sad, funny and exciting film with tremendous emotional resonance.
An affluent and likable young man, McCandless graduated with honors from Emory University and then set a course to redefine his life. Abandoning his family, friends, and material possessions--McCandless assumed the pseudonym of Alexander Supertramp and set off to explore the world in its most innocent form. Living off the land and experiencing nature, fellow travelers, and much adventure--McCandless was looking for a modern day utopia and sought to discover his real self as he cast away the corruptions of modern life. Touring the country for two years, McCandless's exploration was to culminate in an Alaskan sojourn--where he would commune with "the wild." His aspirations can be viewed as both admirable and delusional--but that is part of the complexity of McCandless's life. As much as you want him to succeed, you realize there can be no happy ending with the expectations he has in place.
Penn's "Into the Wild," thus, depends on evoking a McCandless that you will care about--either because you commend his pursuit or because you want him to come to his senses. And it really works in combination. In a dynamic performance, Emile Hirsch transcends his previous work and becomes a full-fledged leading man. Hitting all the right notes, Hirsch creates a character who evokes our sympathy, our frustration, and even our laughter. McCandless meets a lot of companions on the road, and Hirsch makes it easy to see why he was so accepted. A great role--Hirsch meets all the emotional challenges and also makes a physical transformation that is a both startling and powerful. His great work is matched by a roster of big names including Vince Vaughn, William Hurt, Jena Malone, and Marcia Gay Hardin (among many others). But Catherine Keener and Hal Holbrook are real stand-outs--their adoptive relationships with Hirsch both challenge him and make him understand (eventually) that life is not meant to be lived alone.
If there is any flaw in the film, it exists in the book as well. We can only know so much about McCandless from the resources available. He had a heightened sense of injustice particularly when it came to the "untruths" or perceived wrongs perpetuated by his family. Nothing presented, however, can explain how his relatively normal dysfunction blossomed into such an extreme world view. This secret is in McCandless's mind alone.
"Into the Wild" works as a character study and a gritty drama, but also as an adventure. The scenery and photography are breathtaking and the action sequences are well executed. There is much genuine warmth and humor in the film as well. It was a fully satisfying film experience, to me, and has many quiet moments that have stayed with me. Highly recommended for serious adult audiences. KGHarris, 11/07

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This is the true story of Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch). Freshly graduated from college with a promising future ahead, McCandless instead walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people -- a fearless risk-taker who wrestled with the precarious balance between man and nature.

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Diamond Alley (1977) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the Platinum release which was released in 2002, and was the first run of this movie on DVD. I have both the Platinum & the Brentwood versions of this DVD, and have noticed some differences in the two. First off, the Platinum release is packaged nicely. It comes in a clear jewel case, and the artwork is a little nicer than the Brentwood version. The Brentwood version is just in a regular keepcase. As far as picture quality goes, the Platinum version has a clear, more defined picture. Both the Platinum and the Brentwood versions have utilized the same master film, but the Platinum version is more defined and crisp. The picture on the Brentwood version is darker, and grainier looking. For the sound, there is no difference in the 2 versions. It's OK at the beginning, but by the 30 minute mark, the sound starts sounding muffled, and not very clear. Towards the end of the movie, there is a popping sound that occurs a few times. This is not a movie where you would crank the volume, or even listen to the soundtrack through a stereo system. The popping is quite loud, and may damage your speakers if the volume is turned high. Like many made-for-TV movies, the colour and film quality are not that great, but out of the 2 versions, the Platinum version is the one to get if you are a big fan of this movie.

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Pride & Prejudice (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, I am a rabid Frith and BBC fan of the miniseries, but I was very impressed with this adaption and found it refershing in it's grounded, youthful take on the story.
For starters, there is a very grounded nature to the presentation of the story. Some Austenites got their knickers into a twist because they thought it made the family and their circumstances too drab looking. But I loved it! The Meryton Assembly basically sets the stage for this grounded approach-the dancing looks a little heavy footed, the girls look sweaty, and you can't help but think that someone needs to open a window cause it looks awfully sweaty! But at the same time,it made the story come alive, like you were a fly on the wall, peeking in on Lizzy and Darcy and the rest of the gang.
Lastly, I loved the youthful take on the story. I LOVE Firth and Ehle as the '95 leads. They had this chemistry and sensual tension that was electric! But their take was definitely from a mature standpoint-like the way I'd act now as a 33 year old woman. Whereas Macfadyen and Knightley? Theirs is a more youthful, innocent, first love take that I just took to. Great chemistry, Lizzy's a little less cocksure, Darcy's a bit more unbalanced by this attraction, and it felt right in terms of age and stage of development with the actual characters in the book.
Great adaption, brisk storytelling, and a wonderfully irreverent tone by a fun director who knew it was a good idea to knock the pedestal off from under our Lizzy and Darcy, and let them be seen in a more grounded light. And ps-I thought Macfadyen, even though he doesn't have that big of a part, was a great Darcy!

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Academy Award® nominee* Keira Knightley stars in the greatest love story of all time. When Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry. But as their lives become intertwined, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Jane Austen's masterpiece novel comes to the screen in the film critics said "makes you believe in true love and happily-ever-after" (Stephen Holden, The New York Times).

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NBA Hardwood Classics: Michael Jordan - His Airness Review

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(More customer reviews)I have all Michael's videos, I have all Bulls videos..and I thought this one would be different. Maybe the last video we'll ever see about Michael and this dinasty, and the did it with all scences from past videos. Ive seen all before! , nothing new? scences from air time, playground, bulls videos, come fly with me, above and beyond..nothing new! I think that nobody showed anything about last championship run (I mean the locker room scences after the title, grant park, or something different) Im very dissapointed

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New to DVD! Update your NBA collection with this classic title with a new branded line look featuring one of the greatest athletes of all-time. From his days as a child in North Carolina to his retirement from the Chicago Bulls in 1999, His Airness takes you on a journey through Michael Jordan's career. Complete with spectacular highlights along with interviews from teammates, coaches and writers, plus Michael's own insight, this video captures the spirit, determination and championship drive of this global icon.

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Hostage High (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)This film is based on actual events at Lindhurst High School in Olivehurst, California, May 1, 1992. The local community strongly resisted and resented the making of this film, but they tuned in just the same, and those of us involved agreed that the film is a powerfully, even disturbingly, truthful presentation of the events of a shooting spree followed by an eight hour standoff and hostage negotiation.
I was a technical adviser for this film, and so had the priviledge of visiting the set to see some of the filming, and to meet the cast and crew. Everyone involved with the project invested themselves very heavily in this project, were happy to be working with the director Michael Watkins (a real talent), and showed genuine interest in portraying reality as closely as possible. Their dedication really shows in the final product. Obviously, liberties have to be taken to keep a desensitized television audience enrapt, but truth be known, the portrayals in this film are very close to the reality of the situation, at least from the perspectives of the character portrayed by Freddie Prinze Jr. Henry Winkler's character is based on the story of another technical advisor to the production, and I suspect that this is also very close to reality. In fact, much of the script is taken from transcripts of tapes the police made of the event with hidden microphones. Producer Steve Natt and his associates worked for nearly three years to get this movie off the ground and have it done right.
Ten years ago, I lost a beloved teacher and three beloved classmates to a gunman whose own life had spiralled down into hopelessness and dispair. His pain and anguish led him to cause inflict pain and anguish on others about which the local paper still runs articles. The top-notch performances by the writer, the actors, the director, and every member of the crew made this an extraordinarily watchable, yet true-to-life portrayal of a tragedy that torments many lives still today.
The truth is always worth telling, and this film does it.

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Rock & Roll High School Forever (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)Great rock and roll movie. shows how the spirit of rock and roll can make you do things you normally wouldn't do. great soundtrack of classic rock hits. very funny.

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Brooklyn Babylon (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, I have to admit, I bought the DVD only because Black Thought was on the cover. Being the huge Roots fan that I am, I felt obligated to give it a viewing. I was not greatly impressed with the script until I considered the source, Bonz Malone (he plays Scratch in the film.) The original script was only 10 or so pages long, meaning that a lot of the dialogue is improvised and it feels that way. Tariq does hold his own as does the female lead, to me, the "supporting" cast is where the film folds up shop. This is a great film that can be used in an educational setting perhaps in a Social Studies class. Reason being because it focusing in on tolerance and helps to bring to light some of the parallels that the two waring fractions have in common. This is best demonstrated during the dinner scene at Sara's house. At any rate, I guess I have to justify my rating of four stars. Two stars because of the soundtrack alone, which by the way is not available (what a pity). The other two stars are earned because of what it is trying to convey; despite the differences that society has being focused on for eons, we still have more things in common, one of which is the ability to love.
Just give it a viewing if you know someone who owns the movie and make your own decision. That is my two cents worth.

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Fast & The Furious (1954) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Fast and the Furious, 1954 film
The movie begins with a speeding truck that misses a turn and rolls over in a crash. Next we see sports cars racing along a country road. One car pulls into a café for a meal. The waitress complains about taxes. One customer pays and is questioned about a ride. There is action, and this driver falls to the floor. This stranger acts to drive the woman's sport car south. "Going someplace?" "He don't seem like the Jaguar type." The Nash police car arrives at that café, they get eyewitness identification. Frank Webster talks to his passenger. Frank will drive over the mountains to avoid the police. Frank knows how to start a car. Connie wants to be let alone. The car coasts down the hill. They pass the inspection on the road and proceed to the racing grounds.
Their car qualifies. The police are still searching for an unknown man. Can they find a house to hide in? Frank explains his past, and frame-up in that truck accident. They talk to the caretaker and leave. Some old cars race around the track. There is a Concours d'Elegance first. "You don't look like a sports car man." They go for a walk in the dark. "Exercise is good for your figure." Can Connie escape from that shed? [Burning down a locked shed is not a good escape method!] The race begins. Connie borrows another car. There is action from the car race. Frank stops to help Favor. He has made a new decision. [Or was it the Production Code?]
This is a low-budget production but not a bad story. It tells about the new motor sport of sports car racing in southern California. This is different from the other hot-rod movies of that era.

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Naked City - Set 2 (1958) Review

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(More customer reviews)As previous reviewers have noted, this is a remarkable drama series from an earlier, more idealistic time. It's a pity we don't have a bit more of such earnestness & idealism today, because I'm not sure that the edgy, dark "realism" of some contemporary entertainment will age as well as this show has, for all that it's clearly rooted in its time. But what a time! TV was still open to literate, questioning, even experimental drama; and even with the network restrictions then, it pushed for truly adult entertainment. Indeed, it's quite possible that those network restrictions made the writers more creative & inventive.
Each episode is almost a small movie, with a distinctive look & vivid characters. Strict realism is often eschewed for intense characterization, sometimes a little larger than life, in order to illuminate one facet of the human soul. We get symbolic drama, absurdist farce, whimsy, elegy, regret ... all depending on the story being told.
Just to pick a few of the episodes:
"Today the Man Who Kills the Ants is Coming" shows us a decent, hardworking man, driven by gnawing demons both within & without, crumbling before our eyes. It's an early depiction of the toll exacted by life, when even doing your best isn't enough. John Larch gives a performance that's almost too painful to watch in its naked honesty.
"The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish" is more in the whimsical vein, although with a serious point. Here we have a man living several lives at once, because he sees no reason why he shouldn't try & experience life on as many levels as possible. A paean to non-conformity, Herbert Konish puzzles & bemuses the police attempting to track him down, because he isn't actually committing any crimes. He isn't in it for the money or any scams, he simply wants to sample as many possibilities as he can.
"Idylls of a Running Back" is probably one of the earliest depictions of the deluded celebrity stalker, with Sandy Dennis chilling as a young woman living in her own fantasy world. It's telling that even when the truth is revealed, the life of the innocent football star she claimed as her lover is still tainted, and it's clear that things will never be the same for him again. Aldo Ray is excellent as the man who's physically capable of overcoming any obstacle, but helpless in the face of this very different threat.
"Daughter Am I in My Father's House" is a truly fascinating, sexually twisted tale of an overprotective father, whose attempts to maintain his daughter's honor are gradually revealed as his own warped drive for control, for sexual release through violence, and an almost incestuous compulsion.
"And by the Sweat of Thy Brow" is practically a fairytale with a twist. Richard Jordan portrays a scarred young man who lives by night, almost in another world. Barbara Barrie is the somewhat too prim & self-denying young woman whose life he saves. It's rather like Beauty & the Beast, except that the story goes even deeper, revealing Barbara Barrie's own inner scars, even as Richard Jordan is eased into the daylight by a sympathetic but firm Detective Flint.
And let me comment here on the overall fine performances of the cast regulars, who serve as our guides into this complex & compelling New York. Even when they seem to take a back seat to the week's guest stars, they all have revealing lines & quirks which flesh them out fully over the course of the series' run. And the commercials are an extra treat, a real time capsule!
All in all, an exemplar of superior television, most highly recommended!


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Naked City - Portrait of a Painter (1958) Review

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(More customer reviews)They sure don't make them like this anymore. NAKED CITY ran on television from 1958-1963, and it's unlike any cop show of the last ten years. Its continuing stars were Horace McMahon, Harry Bellaver and Paul Burke (Burke joined the series in 1960), detectives working out of the 65th Precinct in New York City.
It's difficult to judge a series on only four episodes, but if the shows on this disk are representative some conclusions are warranted. First, these are very well written. It's tough to fit a compelling story into the fifty minutes allowed an hour broadcast, but all the episodes on the disk are very strong. The NAKED CITY used veteran guest stars and focused as much on the guests as on the continuing stars. There aren't any of the currently popular sub-plots. The cops are there to track and book the bad guys, and not to distract us with a drinking problem or a messy divorce. Each episode is complete and self-contained. The forensic guys are buried deep in the background. McMahon's character, Lt. Mike Parker, might have something sent "to the boys in the lab," but that's about it. New York and environs are very much a part of the series; there are a number of location shots in each episode.
The first episode, "Portrait of a Painter," stars a pre-girdle-and-scalp-rug William Shatner as a painter who discovers his wife is dead and goes to his psychiatrist (Theodore Bikel) with a nagging dread that he may have murdered her. The young Shatner was already a-bursting with energy and his peculiar brand of Method Acting. The second episode, "Don't Knock It Til You've Tried It," stars Walter Matthau as a psychiatrist who is kidnapped by a Vegas chorus girl (Sally Gracie) and a girlfriend. This one is a quirky little morality tale about the relationships between men and women. Fun and a little strange. The third, "Alive and Still a Second Lieutenant," stars Robert Sterling as a WWII vet who, after accidentally killing a man, has to deal with moral cowardice and 'misplaced aggression.' It co-stars a very young Jon Voight, which is probably why it's included in the first place. Jack Klugman stars with Jan Sterling in the final offering, "The Tragic Success of Alfred Tiloff," about a chronic loser and his wife who hatches a nefarious scheme to bring them success and fortune.
There aren't any extras on this disk. Still, NAKED CITY: PORTRAIT OF A PAINTER was fun to watch and I certainly didn't feel cheated.


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Gone Baby Gone (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ben Affleck has written (with Aaron Stockard) a superb screenplay adaptation of Dennis Lahane's novel GONE BABY GONE and has proceeded to direct this tough tale with an ensemble cast of both well-known actors and unknown actors and walk-ons from the streets of the Boston area where they grisly story takes place. The result is a film so well tuned and realistic with a perfect sense of pacing and character development that it becomes a remarkable calling card for Ben Affleck's career as a director. That it is going unnoticed (with the exception of Amy Ryan's nomination for Best Supporting Actress) by the Oscars is a grave oversight !
The time is contemporary Dorchester, Massachusetts and Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and his girlfriend/partner Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), become aware of a missing child Amanda (Madeline O'Brien) in their own neighborhood. The child's aunt Bea (Amy Madigan) and uncle Lionel (Titus Welliver), unable to cope with Amanda's drugged out mother Helene (Amy Ryan), knock on Patrick and Angie's door, pleading with them to help find Amanda: Patrick and Angie are private detectives who just happen to be an integral part of the neighborhood. Reluctant at first to become involved in the now 3-day police hunt for the child, a hunt headed by the respected Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) who his lost his own daughter in similar circumstances and detectives Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton) and who as a triad feel they are competent to handle the case without the 'immature experience' of the young couple. But Patrick and Angie do become involved, uncover leads within the neighborhood that lead to the clues behind the missing child incident and in doing so, unravel a lot of corruption within the police force, and also discover differences between themselves that threaten their otherwise close relationship. To say more would remove the incredible tension this story maintains all the way to the fadeout credits.
The cast is uniformly excellent, from the smallest roles to the most major ones. It is difficult to single out any performer for praise as this is truly an ensemble piece. The flavor of the film is honest, unflinching, and refuses to ignore the grotesque incidents that must be shown for the movie to maintain its impact. Writer Dennis Lahane ('Mystic River', 'Shutter Island') is a master of detailing the spectrum of responses that ugly matters induce: even the most noble of intentions have their shadowy side. Affleck finds all of this in this excellent film, a film so strong that it easily bears repeated viewings. Highly recommended...but not for the squeamish. Grady Harp, February 08

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Gone Baby Gone is Ben Affleck s directorial debut, adapted by Affleck from the novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River).It is an intense look inside an ongoing investigation about the mysterious disappearance of a little girl. As two young private detectives (Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan) hired to take the case get closer to finding her, they discover that nothing is as it seems and more dangerous than they ever thought possible. Also starring Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) and Ed Harris (Pollack).

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Creature (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have never seen a rip-off movie try so hard to be original. Director William Malone sure tries hard, in both his directing and his script, but still fails to show any originality. Everything fromt he female lead to the actual design of the creature itself is a direct steal from Alien. With that said I have to say that Creature is actually one of the better Alien rip-offs that I have seen, and believe me there are plenty of Alien rip-offs out there. Most are very poor (Star Crystal and Dead Space come to mind), and though Creature itself isn't a great film, it actually comes out as one of the better of the bunch. Most of the cast actually try to pull this film off, especially the Stan Ivar and Wendy Schaal, but a few of the cast members come off looking really bad in the acting department. And what about Klaus Kinski? THat man was considered a great actor in his time, so what is he doing in Creature? Whatever the reason, I was still glad to see him and his short but memorable presence brings the film up in quality level. So is Creature a good film? No. Is it cheesy? Yes, though it tries hard not to be. Is it entertaining? You bet. A great midnight film that deserves a proper DVD release. Diamond Entertaiment gives us a nicely priced disc but the picture quality is only slightly better than the original VHS release from Media Home Video. Though the image isn't the best, it is far from unwatchable, and it can make a great entry into any sci-fi fans DVD library.
TRIVIA: THe film ahd a budget of $4 million and was titled The Titan Find in other parts of the world. The special effects crew went on to do the special effects for Aliens a year after working on creature. (I guess Creature was good practice for them)

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The Blues Brothers (Full Screen 25th Anniversary Edition) (1980) Review

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(More customer reviews)What a let down! The promise of "never before seen footage" turns out to be the same "never before seen footage" from the last DVD. The bonus materials on this disc are a joke (and not in a funny "ha ha" way). The special "Introduction to the film by Dan Aykroyd" is 23 seconds long. The "Day on the Blues Brothers Tour" is nothing more than a lame performance by the current Blues Brothers at the House of Blues. But the real insult is the featurette called "Remembering John: An ultimate portrait of John Belushi." It clocks in at 9 minutes long (including credits). Ultimate?? This is John Belushi, not Garrett Morris!
You might be reading this wondering, "So what was this guy expecting?" Well, how about an audio commentary? Perhaps some outtakes? Bloopers? Maybe concert footage of the REAL Blues Brothers on tour with Steve Martin? Why not include Blues Brothers performance footage from SNL? How about revisiting the locations made famous in the movie (the abandoned mall is still standing and still abandoned)? Instead, they chose to include John performing as the Killer Bee on SNL. Instead of a track listing booklet inside the case, they'd rather you have an ad for other "great" DVD titles available from Universal. Instead of never before seen footage, you get the same documentary, the same production notes/pictures, and the same interviews that were included in the previous release.
It's obvious that this was thrown together with little thought or effort. The Chicago Sun Times did a better tribute piece to the anniversary of the Blues Brothers than Aykroyd did for his own film.
Oh well...only five more years until the 30th Anniversary Edition comes out.

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BLUES BROTHERS 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITI - DVD Movie

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Dead Heat (2001) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)It's unfortunate to see film maker Mark Malone who's previously shown real talent (Bulletproof Heart) descend to this level. There are more than a few problems plaguing this film, not the least of which are overly formulaic situations and characters.
There's the mob boss played by Daniel Benzali, a fine actor who is here wasted on a script that gives him very little to do other than spew out the tired cliches that all mob bosses do in films like this. There's the ex wife, played by Radha Mitchell, who comes back to her husband, who is, when all is said and done, in love with him after all. Not exactly what could be called original. There's the beleaguered hero, Pally, an ex-cop, played by Kiefer Sutherland, who, at 35, suffers from heart trouble but smokes and drinks anyway. Why? Because he's beleaguered, of course. That seems to be the only reason.
And there's the faithful sidekick, Pally's step-brother, played by Anthony LaPaglia, who offers the only fresh voice in the entire film because he's given the best lines--occasionally--some of which are very funny. But there's nowhere near enough of those funny lines to compensate for a very tired film. Dead tired.
The title refers to a horse racing scheme that LaPaglia's character has dreamed up to net them some cash, but it could just as easily mean the lack of warmth, excitement, and interest that this film generates. There's also a jockey, Tony LaRoche, who has an accent that is completely unfathomable. French? Italian? Eastern European? No one knows. Does it matter? Not really.
Pally gets kicked off the force because he can't handle the pressures of a cop's life thanks to his bum ticker. He holds a gun to his head. But we know he's not gonna pull the trigger. The only reason we know that is because up to that point he's the only character who's been presented, so how could there be a movie without him in it?
Enter his step-brother with the racing scheme. Enter the ex-wife with their, you know, confused relationship. Like, maybe they're still in love and maybe they're not. Does it matter? Nope.
A good film to avoid.

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Donnie Darko (Widescreen Edition) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)First I would like to say that this review is more targeted at the Blu-Ray transfer of this movie. When I first found out this movie was available on Blu-Ray I had to have it since it's one of my favorite movies. I already owned the DVD, and was happy with the quality of the video on my up-converting DVD player. I figured the Blu-Ray would have to look better since it advertised as HD 1080p. Unfortunately that was not the case; in fact the DVD looks better up-converted than the Blu-Ray does. How does that happen? It appears the studio did very little to prepare this film for Blu-Ray. If anything they made it worse by trying to doctor it up rather than spend the money to re-master it properly. The movie has a lot of dark scenes which are almost all grainy and not very detailed. The light scenes are not as noticeable but you can still see it unless you're sitting a good distance from your TV. I guess the point I'm trying to make would be to hang on to your DVD until they fix the Blu-Ray transfer. At the new price it's worth buying if you don't already have the DVD, but don't "up grade" to this from your DVD.

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In the tradition of Urban Legends and Final Destination, Donnie Darko is an edgy, psychological thriller about a suburban teen coming face-to-face wit his dark destiny.Jake Gyllenhaal leads a star-filled cast (including Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze and Mary McDonnell) as a delusional high-school student visited by a demonic rabbit with eerie visions of the past - and deadly predictions for the future. This "excitingly original" (Entertainment Weekly) nail-biter will keep you on the edge of your seat until the mind-bending climax.

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The Big Sleep (Snap case) (1946) Review

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(More customer reviews)THE BIG SLEEP has a reputation for being a film that gets lost in its own complexity and which fails to clearly identify all the perpetrators of all the murders that litter its scenes. There is a certain truth to this: like the Raymond Chandler novel on which it is based, the plot is extremely complicated, and it requires the viewer to mentally track an unexpected number of characters--including two characters that never appear on screen, a pivotal character who doesn't actually have any lines, and a character who is frequently mentioned but doesn't appear until near the film's conclusion. There is not, however, as much truth to the accusation that the film never exposes all the killers: only one killer is not specifically identified, but even so his identity is very clearly implied.
All this having been said, THE BIG SLEEP is one helluva movie. In general, the story concerns the wealthy Sternwood family, which consists of an aging father and two "pretty and pretty wild" daughters--one of whom, Carmen, is being victimized by a blackmailer. P.I. Philip Marlowe is hired to get rid of the blackmailer, but an unexpected murder complicates matters... and touches off a series of killings by a number of parties who have covert interests in the Sternwood family. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the film is that you don't actually have to pick apart the complicated story in order to enjoy it. The script is famous for its witty lines and sleek sexual innuendo--much of it lifted directly from Chandler's novel--and the cast is a dream come true. Philip Marlowe would be played by a great many actors, but none of them ever bested Humphrey Bogart, who splendidly captures the feel of Chandler's original creation; with the role of Vivien Sternwood Lauren Bacall gives what might be the finest performance of her screen career; and the chemistry between the two is everything you've ever heard. The supporting cast is superlative, all the way from Martha Vickers' neurotic turn as Carmen Sternwood to Bob Steele's purring hitman Canino. There's simply not a false note to be found anywhere. Although the film really pre-dates the film noir movement the entire look of THE BIG SLEEP anticipates noir to a remarkable degree--it would be tremendously influential--and director Hawks gives everything a sharp edge from start to finish.
Two versions of THE BIG SLEEP are included on the DVD: the film as it was originally shot and the film as it was released to theatres in 1946. The actual differences between the two are fairly slight, but they prove significant. Although the original version is somewhat easier to follow in terms of story, it lacks the flash that makes the theatrical version such a memorable experience; it is easy to see why Hawks elected to rescript and reshoot several key scenes as well as add new ones, and both newcomers and old fans will have fun comparing the two. The DVD also includes an enjoyable documentary on the differences between the films and the motivations behind them. I don't usually comment on picture quality unless there is a glaring issue, but several reviewers have noted portions of this print have a flicker or seem a bit washed out. I noticed these problems, but I can't say that they in any way distracted from my enjoyment of the film, and they certainly don't prevent me from recommending it--be it on video or this DVD. And I recommend it very, very strongly indeed.

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L.A. private eye Philip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, pornographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more.Humphrey Bogart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawks serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic.

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