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| 1. Calendar Girls Director: Nigel Cole | |
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Reviews (48)
The cast is well-suited to their roles. The characters are all appealing. But "Calendar Girls" takes too much time to get off the ground and moves very slowly once it does. This "dramedy" isn't nearly as funny as it should be. It's just bland. The story of the WI calendar is really more interesting than this film. As for "Calendar Girls" accuracy, this really is a fictionalized account. The characters do not represent real people specifically, except for Chris and Annie, who are based loosely on real women. Any strife between characters in the film is dramatic license. The calendar's photographer was not a stranger, but one of the ladies' husbands. The calendar was indeed intended to raise money for a local hospital's cancer ward on behalf of Angela Baker's husband, John Baker, to whose memory "Calendar Girls" is dedicated. And a similar 2004 calendar featuring the actresses in this film has been released as a further fund-raiser for charity. The DVD: Bonus features include two mini-documentaries and four deleted scenes. "The Naked Truth" is a 15-minute documentary about the real story behind the infamous calendar. It features interviews with the women who organized and graced the pages of the calendar and its photographer, following the calendar's story from its genesis to this film's premiere. "Creating the Calendar" is a 6-minute short about filming the nude scenes and photographing the calendar for the movie. Captions are available in English, subtitles in Spanish. And dubbing is available in French.
It is a story rich dramatically and still just plain funny. The nudity is tasteful, and not all that revealing. Think Dianne Keaton's SOMETHINGS GOT TO GIVE flash, and you get the idea. And Helen Mirren and a STRONG cast give it all a dignified English air that plays well. I really loved this movie. It made me smile widely! And hammered home the message that beauty is in ALL forms. Everybody has a shine to them, and the 50 MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE are the ones with the courage to make fun of themselves and smile all the while. No body doubles here either! Yea for them! Brave women with "bigger buns!". The DVD is a special treat. You get a documentary on the real life CALENDAR GIRLS who look a lot like their film counterparts. You also get to see the movie cast MAKING the calendar! Okay, maybe just TALKING about making it. Also you get some deleted scenes, and assorted trailers. I'm getting sunflowers for my house just to remind me of people that always reach for the sun! Very nice image. We need more movies like this -- celebrating wisdom and friendship. And hey - it's just simple fun.
Save your money. Frankly, I think the positive reviews on this are the true comedy.
The risk for any "feel good" comedy is that it will become cloying, coy or cutesy. Luckily, "Calendar Girls" boasts an enormously witty screenplay and first-rate performances by its highly gifted cast. Each of the "girls" is given her own unique personality so that we see them not just as a group, united in this inspiring endeavor, but as individuals working through their own personal demons on the rode to the project's completion. The women face the expected roadblocks and snafus in the form of "shocked," disapproving voices in the community, but their belief in the rightness of their cause brushes all such problems aside. This charming film provides more genuine, out-and-out laughs than almost any comedy of recent times. "Calendar Girls" is heartwarming, touching and inspiring - and what more could one ask from a "feel-good" film than that? ... Read more | |
| 2. Bridget Jones - The Edge of Reason Director: Beeban Kidron | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (101)
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| 3. Bridget Jones's Diary Director: Sharon Maguire | |
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Description Reviews (425)
Ever since "Jerry MaGuire" made her a star, Zellweger was dazzled in on screen roles like "Nurse Betty" and "One True Thing." This is an actress who is able to fully expose her character - warts and all. Where other actresses might shy away from brash, bold characters, Zellweger embraces them, and in the process, the audience falls in love. She has the sort of face that tells stories with small, seemingly unimportant facial expressions. A raised eyebrow here, a pursed lip there, she's able to convey layers of emotional context and depth that very few of her contemporaries can ever hope to achieve. Her spellbinding work opposite Meryl Streep in "One True Thing" is proof positive this star is here to stay - and deserves attention as quite possibly the best actress of today;s generation. Very few actresses could ever hope to shine opposite the legendary Streep, but Zellweger does that and more. In that film, and this one, she delivers a fully realized character, infusing Bridget with wit, charm, charisma, and more than anything - REALNESS. Ultimately, that's the best thing about this movie - the multiple levels Zellweger manages to pull off will allow even men to see parts of themselves through Bridget's eyes. Warm, lighthearted, but filled with detail and myriad emotions, "Bridget Jones' Diary" is a winner! Let's hope Zellweger finally cops an Oscar nomination (which she's deserved for other roles in "McGuire", "One True Thing" and "Betty"). At least her fellow actors know a brilliant performer when they see one - as she's been nominated for a Best Actress SAG Award (over Nicole Kidman who was thought of as a shoo in for "Moulin Rouge.") In a nutshell, this is a fun, entertaining movie, with great music, endearing moments of comedy, and another SHINING performance by Zellweger!
I didn't have to identify with Bridget's (Renee Zellweger) biological clock to get the squirmy wormies during her multiple awkward situations or to feel triumphant when she overcame in spite of her embarrassment. Hugh Grant plays the lovable rogue and the object of Bridget's heart. Even though the role of the scoundrel is a departure for Grant he plays it much as he does when he's the victim of love. If anything his good guy history adds to the allure of twists in the movie. I am a Renee Z fan anyway but her portrayal of an undesirable, overweight, out of the game English spinster was amazing. None of these terms come to mind when I think of Ms Zellweger yet she was completely believable. Oh yeah, I forgot the most important thing; I laughed out loud a lot. This is a very funny movie. The story is great. The cast is great. Buy the movie.
But before Bridget even allows herself to admit that the proud and reserved Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) is not as bad as she thought, she's first swept away by her boss, Daniel Cleaver, played in a delightfully rakish way by Hugh Grant. And not only does she have to sort out her feelings for Darcy and Cleaver, she also has a host of other difficulties to deal with - her parents' troubled marriage, her fondness for fatty foods, her love of drink, and her tendency to speak without thinking. Highlights of the movie include Bridget dressing up as a Playboy Bunny for what she thought was a tarts and vicars party. Another funny scene is her in the kitchen, ineptly making blue soup and swampy-looking gravy for her birthday dinner. Sometimes the movie did go too over the top, as in the fight scene between Cleaver and Darcy. Also, in the DVD outtakes, I didn't see any additional scenes with Colin Firth (a pity, because he's so well-suited for such a role and so easy on the eyes...). But on the whole, the movie was delightful, fun and full of warmth.
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| 4. A Midwinter's Tale Director: Kenneth Branagh | |
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Description Writer/director Kenneth Branagh serves up Hamlet on wry with this salute to dyed-in-the-wool and other woolly-brained thespians.Michael Maloney (Truly Madly Deeply) portrays Joe, maxing out credit cards and his wits to realize his dream.Does he succeed?Well, with Richard Briers (Branagh's Hamlet), Joan Collins (Dynasty), Nicholas Farrell (Chariots of Fire), Absolutely Fabulous alumna Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawatha and more joining Maloney, one thing's certain.The show must go on! Reviews (24)
The script is excellent, the acting is wonderful, and--a rare treat in films--you will care about every character. They all go through changes and become better people as a result of their time together. Michael Maloney is fine in the lead role of the director (playing Hamlet himself, of course; the comparisons to Branagh are unmistakable), and the rest of the cast give it their all. A standout is John Sessions as the drag queen playing Gertrude. He has the most heartbreaking scene in the film. All in all, an inspired concept rendered beautifully. A movie with a heart as well as a funny bone. A Side Note: The original title was "In the Bleak Midwinter," suggesting the Christmas aspect, but I prefer the alternate "A Midwinter's Tale" as it is more Shakespearean.
Now: picture this as a comedy. Can't do it? That's okay, because Kenneth Branagh already did it for you. A Midwinter's Tale (originally titled In the Bleak Midwinter for its British release) takes that concept and weaves comic gold out of it, presenting the viewer with a film that is by turns clever, slapstick, hilarious, and heart-wrenching. After Henry V it's probably Branagh's best film, and funnier by far than his other two comedies, the uber-schmaltzy Big Chill ripoff Peter's Friends, or the intelligently done (though occasionally miscast) Much Ado About Nothing. A Midwinter's Tale surpasses them both with a tightly written script, able and artful direction that owes a debt to both Woody Allen and Frank Capra, and a truly great ensemble cast. Casting is an integral part of any film, of course, but when one is adapting Shakespeare (or, in this case, doing a film about adapting Shakespeare), good casting is essential. Branagh has been hit-or-miss with this over the years-most notably in the case of Keanu Reeves, hopelessly out of his depth in Much Ado-but in this particular film it's spot-on. From Branagh regulars like Michael Maloney and Richard Briers, to semiregulars like Gerard Horan, Celia Imrie, and John Sessions, to newcomers Julia Sawalha and Joan Collins (yeah, that Joan Collins), everyone does a tremendous job, and each actor approaches his or her role with a verve and a dedication that is extremely fun to watch. Sawalha in particular is a delight as the incredibly nearsighted Nina, Joe's love interest; she brings a vulnerable humanity to her role that not only heightens the humor in her more slapstick scenes, but deepens the drama of the more solemn moments as well. Likewise Sessions (probably most familiar to Americans from his appearances on the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?) is given the seemingly one-dimensional/stereotypical role of the female-impersonating homosexual, Terry . . . which would seem unrewarding. But he turns in a three-dimensional characterization that is screamingly funny throughout the film-until his role takes a gutwrenching turn for the dramatic in one of the film's best scenes. And so it goes for each of the characters; they all have something to do in this film, and they all do it superbly, hilariously, and when it is called for, tenderly. Branagh's script is another key element to this movie's excellence. It's impeccably written, using both Shakespeare and its unique bunch of characters to tremendous advantage. One of the keys to this is that Branagh never makes fun of these people, even when they are at their worst, their silliest, their most pompous, or venal. Branagh has an obvious fondness for these people (presumably based on actors he knew during his own struggles to make it in the business), and he treats them like people, rather than as fall guys or as the means to get to a lame punchline. Every line the characters speak, every scene they're in, shows their humanity, and shows it lovingly. A lot of the humor in the script grows out of character, and that really makes this film shine. It builds the laughter naturally, rather than forcing it through meanness and being shocking or crude, as in the case of many so-called "comedy" writer/directors today. As I said above, Branagh's direction borrows a page or two from other comedy directors before him, mainly Woody Allen and Frank Capra. The Allen influence shows through the strongest, especially through the dialogue and the first half of the film, which bears a lot of similarities to both Manhattan and Stardust Memories. The opening credits are strongly reminiscent of Allen's classic "middle period pictures; Joe directly addresses the camera, as a lot of Woody's characters do, and this is juxtaposed with music-Noel Coward's delightful "Why Must the Show Go On?", a sardonic look at the gung-ho attitude actors have. The song becomes a leitmotiv throughout the film, with the action echoing Coward's cynical lyrics . . . until the turning point in the film, when the troupe unwittingly comes up with the answer to Coward's question, and demonstrates precisely why the show must go on. From here on in the Capra influence takes over-and I can't say too much about that without giving the ending away, unfortunately. What I will say is that like Capra at his best, A Midwinter's Tale favors sentimentalism over cynicism-something a lot of modern critics find distasteful for some reason. I can't imagine why, especially when the sentiments expressed here-in particular, the value of loyalty and family-are so genuine and loving, especially when contrasted with the phoniness and cruelty that passes for humor these days in far too many films. Branagh is more intelligent than that-and willing to take the risk that the audience is, too. A Midwinter's Tale is like a breath of fresh air compared to the stale stench of most modern comedies; take a chance on it. I guarantee you'll be happy you did.
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| 5. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Director: Kenneth Branagh | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (90)
Just a word about the creation scene, which is somewhat different to the 'thunder and lightning' scenario we have become used to. The monster floats in a tank full of amniotic fluid, which Frankenstein moves about the laboratory by means of chains and pulleys. The spark of life is provided by power generated from electric eels. Frankenstein, stripped to the waist, slips and slides on the fluid that has now poured onto the floor, and strikes the monster on the back, in the manner of a doctor slapping a new-born baby. It certainly gives a novel slant to a familiar situation. Branagh directs and also plays the part of Frankenstein with energy and gusto. Robert DeNiro makes a formidable monster, but also manages to elicit our sympathy for his plight, which is just how it should be. The supporting performances from a host of well known British actors are generally good, perhaps the most interesting being John Cleese. He does well in a straight role as Dr. Waldemann, who takes Frankenstein under his wing at medical school. The comic relief is provided by Tom Hulce as Frankenstein's friend, Henry Clerval. This is a good and entertaining version of Frankenstein, and well worth a look.
I am wondering why De Niro was talking like an englishman Maybe I missing something; should'nt the people so german?
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| 6. The Return of the Native Director: Jack Gold | |
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Reviews (11)
Fans who have followed Zeta-Jones' high-profile career in movies such as 'Entrapment', 'Traffic' & 'Chicago' will be interested to see her here, long before Michael Douglas and Oscar came calling, in her debut role outside of her native UK. She displays all the beauty and cool self-possession of the star she would later become. She's had her teeth capped since, and been otherwise glammed up, Hollywood-style, but all the fundamentals are there. The setting is breathtaking (shot on location in Northern England), and the simple yet vivid costumes Eustacia wears add to her characterization. Eustacia/Catherine is dressed simply but vividly in tones of scarlet, yellow and turquoise blue, setting her in sharp relief to the browns and grays of the landscape, and the dull clothes worn by the other characters. The entire cast does a superb job, but this is really Zeta-Jones' show. Whether you're a Zeta fan, or a student of Thomas Hardy, this production should be on your shelf.
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| 7. The Gathering Storm Director: Richard Loncraine | |
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Reviews (18)
Finney here joins other over 50, overweight actors (think Kathy Bates and Jack Nicholson)who bare their all for art. This movie won three Emmys, which were richly deserved.
It is another "boring" English movie but it's worth watching it and I highly recommend it to all. There's so much to be learned from it!
The movie is set before the war, while England slept (to borrow a phrase from JFK), when Churchill was trying to sound the alarm about the growing threat from a rearming Germany. It was fascinating, in that sense, to watch this movie as we await al Qaeda's next horrific move. Leading up to World War II and Churchill's return to power, the movie's structure is a bit off-putting, in that the coming of war becomes a personal triumph, in dramatic terms, for Churchill. But then we watch with the full knowledge the Churchill's role in the war was one of the great personal and historic triumphs. Finney is a great Churchill impersonator and calibrates his performance well, capturing the man's crankiness and depression and not just making him a show-off orator. The rest of the cast is spot on and the interiors are rich and lovely. A good historical piece, personal dynamics piece and appealing Anglophile nostalgia piece. ... Read more | |
| 8. A Dark Adapted Eye Director: Tim Fywell | |
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Description Reviews (4)
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| 9. The Borrowers Director: Peter Hewitt | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (21)
The miniaturization effects didn't seem particularly advanced - I wasn't wowed by any technical advances I saw. But I would say that they were very imaginably used, making for some cute scenes that were refreshing. They were also carefully done, minimizing the "fakey" feel and letting you concentrate on the story. The DVD version has a cool "making of The Borrowers" featurette that shows how the special effects were done, which is fun to watch after you've seen the movie.
The movie is based upon a series of books by Mary Norton about a race of small people who live in the cracks and walls of the world and are known for borrowing things from humans (or beings). The story centers around one borrower family who are the last of their kind in an old house. Their existence is threatened when the evil Mr. Potter sees to kicking out the being inhabitants in order to knock the house down. There then follows a series of adventures as borrowers and beings alike try to save the house from destruction. The weak points in the movie concern anachronisms. For the most part the movie is set decades ago as in the books. But annoying anachronisms pop up such as a cellular phone and an in-door ice maker. Considering the vintage of the vehicles on the street these items really stand out. But despite the anachronisms the movie remains entertaining with some very good performances from Goodman and the rest of the cast.
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| 10. Gormenghast Director: Andy Wilson (IV) | |
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Amazon.com It is always tricky to film a book dear to the hearts of its admirers.Wilson and his design team achieve a look rather more pre-Raphaelitethan Peake's own illustrations--shabby velvets, garish sunlight, anddank, stone passages. The score by Richard Rodney Bennett is full ofattractive surprises--fanfares and waltzes and apotheoses--and JohnTavener's choral additions are plausibly parts of the immemorial ritualof Gormenghast. --Roz Kaveney Reviews (79)
Such a grand story cannot ever be done justice in a TV version, but the BBC surpassed my expectations. Jonathon Rhys Meyers was eminently hatable, and Christopher Lee dominated his scenes. Old hands such as Warren Mitchell, Stephen Fry, Ian McKellen and Zoe Wannamaker brought their characters to life very much as I expected. The production design was breathtaking, and I particularly appreciated the way the producers played with time and place to leave you unsure in the end exactly when Gormenghast was set. Some reviewers appear to have objected to the film as presented in this version. I recommend buying the full anamorphic widescreen version available direct from the BBC. This DVD won an award for best use of DVD technology, and is fabulous. Great sound, proper structure of the story, and interesting special features. The BBC version is worth 5 stars.
The cast did an excellent job and I was thrilled by the performance of the actors. Steerpike, the Countess and Prunesqualler all shine in their depiction of the characters. The immensity of Gormenghast is wonderfully portrayed through the use of special effects. Read the books first, and this movie will compliment them well.
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| 11. Revelation Director: Stuart Urban | |
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Reviews (16)
The film is in the vein of the literary thriller, like the Ninth Gate, or the recent book The Da Vinci Code, and combines the conspiracies of the Knights Templars (the Illuminati in this movie), Second Coming, and the Jesus & Mary Magdaline marriage. Our heroes are the ex-con son of Terence Stamp's character and an alchemist that Stamp brings in to study an artifact with other experts. They slowly unveil the possible meanings of the artifact, which in turn leads to many deaths. Throughout we are taken on a whirlwind tour of Europe's lesser known religious shrines in the quest to rediscover the artifact and learn of the conspiracy surrounding it. The movie culiminates in the birth of the Antichrist and the beginning of the End Days. All in all, I found this movie to be interesting, but it was very flawed. The editing was shoddy, but the story and most of the acting was solid. If you're into conspiracies, alternative religion, alchemy, weird science, and intrigue, you may also like it.
In terms of actual production value, cinematography, direction, acting and real locations from England, France and the Greek islands, one couldn't hope for anything better. It is apparent that a good deal of money, work and time went into the making of this film, and it more than shows in the final product. This film, surprisingly, did not receive the fanfare that most films of this calibre do. Whether it is the film's subject matter that might well offend the more religiously orthodox movie-goer or simply the distributors didn't see it as a winner at the time of its release, your guess is as good as mine. Whatever the reason, Revelation is a good film, suspenseful, intriguing and realistic. If you're that type of person who enjoys religious conspiracy theories and the occult, combined with a tight story line that intrigues as well as entertains, this is the movie to see. Three and a half stars.
TV director Stuart Urban comes up with his second feature film. Generally mindless stuff, but topical and easily watchable enough to kill two hours with. Magnus Martel (Terence Stamp) is a very rich man in possession of a very rare, in fact one of a kind, item; a holy relic called the Loculus. No one knows, exactly, what the Loculus is used for, but in the course of the opening scenes, we find out many people have died for it over this years, and that it came eventually to rest in the hands of the Knights Templar, led by a mysterious grand master played by Udo Kier (Suspiria, Shadow of the Vampire). In order to try and figure out what it's sued for, Martel calls in his estranged son Jake (James D'Arcy, recently seen in Master and Commander), a cryptographer, along with a team of other professionals. Except that somewhere along the way, it seems Magnus crossed the (still-alive after three hundred years) grand master, who's out to reclaim the Loculus. The bulk of the film details Jake's attempts to find out where Magnus has hidden it, aided by Mira (Natasha Wightman of Gosford Park fame), another member of the team, and his old warrior-turned-priest friend Ray (Liam Cunningham, who showed up in the most recent Prime Suspect). All along the way, they have to dodge invisible Templars, the military, various packs of mad animals, and the like. Typical adventure fare, but with the religious twist recently popularized by books like The DaVinci Code. Will probably be forgotten in a few years, and deservedly; none of the ast here gives an outstanding performance, the writing is middle-of-the-road, etc. But as I said, if you've got a couple of hours to kill, there are worse ways to spend it. ** ½
Viewers familiar with "The Da Vinci Code", DNA(er)Dan Brown's best-selling rehash of Magdalene Myth-as(incarnated & impregnated)Holy Grail will find end of this chase between forces of Black and White Magic(there's no Christianity here, folks)bogus.Director Stuart Urban has mounted a handsome-looking film with good FX; accessible plot pacing;and occasionally terrifying "grimness"(there are persecution/torture scenes DEMONstrating Udonic Mason's do mean business). But pay-off REVELATION is more ridiculous than Loculus thing-a-ma-jig they're hunting. If you're into the real stuff, Nikos Kazantzakis,THE LAST TEMPTATION at least plays by gnostic(heretical)rules. If you're not familiar with this kind of mythology, the movie's "hip" references to CIA; P-2; Michele Sidona and Vatican Bank scandal conspiracies, is confusion for sake of confusion. The movie...it has an hour of Extra DVD Features dealing with Knights Templar schemes for World Domination; Alchemy; and "sacred" geometry...takes itself very seriously. Don't you. Watch it unseriously (like an OMEGA CODE III).Then, this gnostic nonsense is PM monster-mash fun. ... Read more | |
| 12. Highlander - Director's Cut Director: Russell Mulcahy | |
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In terms of the acting, contrary to what other people claim here, Christopher Lambert's performance is first rate, and I think it a shame that he has subsequently appeared mostly in bad 1 1/2 star flicks and hasn't since had a real breakthrough in movies. Sean Connery adds real style to the movie with his acting, but it's a shame that he's in there for such a short time. Clancy Brown is as sinister as ever as Kurgan. The visuals and effects are great by any standard and the swordfighting scenes are excellent And WHO could possibly diss the rocking musical score by Queen? With such a strong opening theme ("Princes of the Universe") a truly emotional ballad ("Who Wants to Live Forever") and their smash hit single ("A Kind of Magic") just to name a few, you can't go wrong. If you learned about this movie just by being a Queen fan, and first watched the movie out of interest in their score (my situation), you're in for a real treat. To fans of this movie who were disappointed by the latest transfer, My only suggestion is to wait a while for the Highlander Immortal Edition which will be released April 16, 2002. It promises better sound and picture quality, the uncensored Director's Cut, Commentary, and plenty of Queen material including music videos to their songs from this movie which are musical and visual masterpieces (I've seen them). Plus it's in anamorphic widescreen format, and anamorphic seems like a good way to go especially for a movie like this. In any case, this movie is a winner and magic in it's strongest form. There can be only one.
The Immortal Edition will be packaged in a limited edition tin box, a feature Anchor Bay Entertainment is known for. With a second disc full of extras, this edition is a release no Highlander fan should miss. "There can be only one", and it seems this is THE ONE!!
The story centers on a young Scotsman named Connor MacLeod who resides in New York City under a different name. Connor is actually one of the few men on Earth who have the special gift of immortality. These immortals can be killed if beheaded by another immortal and throughout the ages these elect men have been hunting each other down in the hopes of becoming the last immortal on Earth, which would give him a gift of high enlightenment, a gift that can be dangerous if in the wrong hands. Connor is on the run from an immortal goon, the Kurgan, who has been after him since the 1500's. It eventually comes down to Connor and the Kurgan as to who will be the one that receives the special gift. Something that certainly doesn't work in favor of "Highlander"(and helps make it B-grade) is the fact that the movie has not aged very well. Compared to the action movies of today, this flick looks corny. The special effects are pretty cheesy and the whole production design feels outdated. The acting was, for the most part, not too memorable. Christopher Lambert doesn't do a good enough job of making his character of Connor MacLeod engaging. He makes for rather uninteresting hero. There were only two noteable performances I saw here. One was Sean Connery, who makes a nice little impression playing Ramirez, the man who first tutors Connor when he discovers that he's an immortal. But Connery only gets about 20 minutes of screen time and this hinders him from making a bigger impact. The other standout I saw was Clancy Brown, who plays the Kurgan. Brown makes his character the perfect bad guy giving him the "qualities" of vile, mean, and creepy. In short, he's a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I have to say that "Highlander" has quite an interesting concept. The idea of immortals hunting each other down to gain an ultimate power is nifty (if somewhat hokey) and director Russel Mulcahy executes it just well enough to make things entertaining, with the swordfights between the immortals becoming the highlight points. Overall, I really can't say "Highlander" is a great film but at the same time, I can't dissuade you from seeing it either. Who knows? You, like many others, may have that "kind of magic" that will turn you on to this cult classic. The only way to know is to check it out and see what happens.
For me, however, Clancy Brown's Kurgan steals the film. His physical features and bug-eyed grin are dead perfect! And his way over-the-top performance, at times, makes you a little afraid of his character, but he makes you laugh, as well. The confrontation between Kurgan and Conner in a church is a great balance of wit and tension. The battles in Scotland, at the beginning of the film, and the mayhem in the streets of New York City at the end are priceless. My favorite moment: Kurgan steals a car and takes Conner's love interest for a ride. As he careens through the potholes and traffic, he quietly sings "New York, New York". Now I know where all our cabdrivers take their lessons from. HIGHLANDER is a great piece of quality mind candy that actually tackles some deep issues.
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| 13. Death on the Nile Director: John Guillermin | |
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Reviews (36)
The performances of the many actors are great. Simon MacCorkindale's portrayal of Simon Doyle is wonderful, and Angela Lansbury as Salome Otterbourne is very entertaining. Maggie Smith and Bette Davis as Miss Bowers and Miss Van Schuyler, respectively, have some wonderful scenes together and have great chemistry. David Niven as Colonel Johnny Race is great and makes for a good Watson to Poirot. Jack Warden as Dr. Bessner and Jon Finch as Jim Ferguson, while don't have a ton of screentime, still portray their characters perfectly, and of course Peter Ustinov as the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is great. The scenery is beautiful. The scene where Simon and Linnet Doyle are climbing the pyramid is simply breathtaking. The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The 24-minute featurette "The Making of Death On The Nile" is interesting, and the interviews (both in French with subtitles) with Peter Ustinov and Jane Birkin (who plays Louise Bourget), while not extremely interesting, are still a nice addition. There are a few flaws in the movie. The largest one is the fact that they cut out Tim and Mrs. Allerton. For those of you who have read the book, you'll know that cutting out Tim Allerton changes a few important things. Cornelia Robson is also cut out, as well as James Fanthorp and Signor Richetti (which again changes a few things). While I did like these characters a lot in the book, during the movie, these characters were hardly missed. The movie runs approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, and despite the PG rating, has some slightly graphic violence in it. I would highly reccomend buying this DVD, however, I would suggest reading the book first.
I watched this 1978 movie of 140 minutes without first reading the 1937 Dame Agatha Christie novel (of the same name) that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was. As a brief synopsis, the movie begins with "Jacquline ('Jackie') De Bellafort" (Mia Farrow) telling her very wealthy friend "Linnet Ridgeway" (Lois Chiles) about the man "Simon Doyle" (Simon MacCorkindale) she has fallen in love with. Linnet falls for Simon and they eventually marry. Their honeymoon is on a riverboat (technically called a 'paddle steamer') called the "S.S. Karnak" that takes then down the Nile River in Egypt. Aboard the boat, besides the three mentioned above, are "Hercule Poirot" (Sir Peter Ustinov) and his good friend "Colonel Johnny Race" (David Niven). There are other passengers on board who all dislike Linnet. Linnet is murdered. Eventually two other passengers are also murdered. Poirot has to solve who the killer is. For both Poirot and the viewer, it's obvious that the killer is either male or female or, as Poirot might say, either a "beau" or a "belle." It's also obvious that the killer is no "Simple Simon." Who are these passengers? Besides the five mentioned above, they are as follows: (1) Louise Bourget, Linnet's Maid (Jane Birkin) Of the fourteen actors mentioned above, Ustinov's performance stands out. This was his debut performance as Poirot and I feel he does a stellar job being both serious and comical at the same time. Other performances to look for are Mia Farrow as the ex-fiance and Angela Lansbury as the perpetually drunk novelist. The cinematography of this movie is visually stunning. We especially get to see the Sphinx, the Pyramids, and the ancient ruins of Egypt. The costume design is elegant. The main background music adds to this movie as well. Listen for gags that run throughout this movie. For example, Poirot is Belgian but is always confused as being French. One of my favorite pieces of dialogue is where a passenger gets angry at the great sleuth: Van Schayler: You perfectly foul French upstart! As Poirot attempts to solve the crime, we are shown what might have happened. Unfortunately, there is some unintended humor as Linnet continually gets shot (in the head) as Poirot goes through each possible scenario. I found this somewhat distracting. Finally, the DVD (which has the movie in widescreen format) has five extras. I found that the only one that was interesting was about the making of this movie. It lasts about 25 minutes. In conclusion, this is a fun movie, even if you have read the book. For those who haven't read the novel, I have left clues in the above review as to the possible identity of the killer. If you think you know who it is, then watch this movie to find out if you're right! <=====>
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| 14. Into the Blue Director: Jack Gold | |
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Reviews (3)
Harry, the main character (and caretaker)finds himself in as the main suspect in a murder. He knows that he is innocent and goes about trying to prove it. Come with him as he stumbles over bodies, is tailed, and is almost killed. These bizarre experiences leave him even more determined to unlock the mystery of a woman's death. I felt the movie was patched together with different elements which made it hard to follow. As murder mysteries would go I would rate this as average.
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| 15. Highlander - 10th Anniversary Edition Director: Russell Mulcahy | |
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Reviews (249)
In terms of the acting, contrary to what other people claim here, Christopher Lambert's performance is first rate, and I think it a shame that he has subsequently appeared mostly in bad 1 1/2 star flicks and hasn't since had a real breakthrough in movies. Sean Connery adds real style to the movie with his acting, but it's a shame that he's in there for such a short time. Clancy Brown is as sinister as ever as Kurgan. The visuals and effects are great by any standard and the swordfighting scenes are excellent And WHO could possibly diss the rocking musical score by Queen? With such a strong opening theme ("Princes of the Universe") a truly emotional ballad ("Who Wants to Live Forever") and their smash hit single ("A Kind of Magic") just to name a few, you can't go wrong. If you learned about this movie just by being a Queen fan, and first watched the movie out of interest in their score (my situation), you're in for a real treat. To fans of this movie who were disappointed by the latest transfer, My only suggestion is to wait a while for the Highlander Immortal Edition which will be released April 16, 2002. It promises better sound and picture quality, the uncensored Director's Cut, Commentary, and plenty of Queen material including music videos to their songs from this movie which are musical and visual masterpieces (I've seen them). Plus it's in anamorphic widescreen format, and anamorphic seems like a good way to go especially for a movie like this. In any case, this movie is a winner and magic in it's strongest form. There can be only one.
The Immortal Edition will be packaged in a limited edition tin box, a feature Anchor Bay Entertainment is known for. With a second disc full of extras, this edition is a release no Highlander fan should miss. "There can be only one", and it seems this is THE ONE!!
The story centers on a young Scotsman named Connor MacLeod who resides in New York City under a different name. Connor is actually one of the few men on Earth who have the special gift of immortality. These immortals can be killed if beheaded by another immortal and throughout the ages these elect men have been hunting each other down in the hopes of becoming the last immortal on Earth, which would give him a gift of high enlightenment, a gift that can be dangerous if in the wrong hands. Connor is on the run from an immortal goon, the Kurgan, who has been after him since the 1500's. It eventually comes down to Connor and the Kurgan as to who will be the one that receives the special gift. Something that certainly doesn't work in favor of "Highlander"(and helps make it B-grade) is the fact that the movie has not aged very well. Compared to the action movies of today, this flick looks corny. The special effects are pretty cheesy and the whole production design feels outdated. The acting was, for the most part, not too memorable. Christopher Lambert doesn't do a good enough job of making his character of Connor MacLeod engaging. He makes for rather uninteresting hero. There were only two noteable performances I saw here. One was Sean Connery, who makes a nice little impression playing Ramirez, the man who first tutors Connor when he discovers that he's an immortal. But Connery only gets about 20 minutes of screen time and this hinders him from making a bigger impact. The other standout I saw was Clancy Brown, who plays the Kurgan. Brown makes his character the perfect bad guy giving him the "qualities" of vile, mean, and creepy. In short, he's a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I have to say that "Highlander" has quite an interesting concept. The idea of immortals hunting each other down to gain an ultimate power is nifty (if somewhat hokey) and director Russel Mulcahy executes it just well enough to make things entertaining, with the swordfights between the immortals becoming the highlight points. Overall, I really can't say "Highlander" is a great film but at the same time, I can't dissuade you from seeing it either. Who knows? You, like many others, may have that "kind of magic" that will turn you on to this cult classic. The only way to know is to check it out and see what happens.
For me, however, Clancy Brown's Kurgan steals the film. His physical features and bug-eyed grin are dead perfect! And his way over-the-top performance, at times, makes you a little afraid of his character, but he makes you laugh, as well. The confrontation between Kurgan and Conner in a church is a great balance of wit and tension. The battles in Scotland, at the beginning of the film, and the mayhem in the streets of New York City at the end are priceless. My favorite moment: Kurgan steals a car and takes Conner's love interest for a ride. As he careens through the potholes and traffic, he quietly sings "New York, New York". Now I know where all our cabdrivers take their lessons from. HIGHLANDER is a great piece of quality mind candy that actually tackles some deep issues.
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| 16. A Christmas Carol Director: David Hugh Jones | |
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Amazon.com But, as good as the technology is, the performances are what really power this 93-minute TNT interpretation. Patrick Stewart brings a depth to Scrooge that allows the character to go beyond the cartoonish qualities that have made him a Christmas mainstay. That doesn't mean he's any less heartless with his hapless employee Bob Cratchit (Richard E. Grant) or any less dismissive of his well-meaning nephew. A frail-looking Joel Grey makes an excellent ghost of Christmas past, and a superb British cast ably fill the remaining roles. Director David Jones, shooting on location in England and at London's Ealing Studios, has achieved a balance of science and sentiment that will help this version hold up for many years to come. --Kimberly Heinrichs Reviews (78)
Stewart as Scrooge shows no real emotional change at all before or after the ghostly visitations. His lines change and he starts to say nicer things to people, but there is no real sense of personality change. The weird (and I mean WEIRD) way that he chokes out a laugh after waking up on Christmas morning is one of the most amateur acting displays I have ever seen on film. Before (and after) the "change", I keep expecting him to tell Cratchit to do something followed by "engage" or "make it so". I hate to be negative here, but really, if you think this is good, what else do you watch? At the end of the movie, Stewart is sitting by the fire drinking what looks like a cup of Earl Grey, and looking very much like Jean-Luc. It would have been a bit more fun to have Troi play his sister Fan, Crusher his old flame, Riker play ghost of the present, Data play Cratchit (he would show as much emotion as the guy who did play Cratchit), Worf play ghost of the future, Geordi play ghost of the past, Q play Marley (that would have been a hoot), and Wesley Crusher play Tiny Tim. I'd pay real money to see all that!
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| 17. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Director: Beeban Kidron | |
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Amazon.com When Jess's mother begins to suspect the girls of "unnatural passions" she tries to destroy their relationship with the help of Pastor Finch (Kenneth Cranham) and his congregation. But their efforts--including a terrifying attempt at exorcism--only push Jess further away. Jess eventually understands that the only way to survive is to escape, and she sets her sights on a place at Oxford. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is both a broad comedy and a moving coming-of-age story. Charlotte Coleman is perfect as the teenageJess, attempting to reconcile her religious devotion and her adolescent passion, but the film belongs to Geraldine McEwan as Jess's mother.McEwan obviously relishes Winterson's script, and she creates a character who is monstrous, ridiculous, and surprisingly sympathetic. It's a difficult role to carry off, but McEwan succeeds. Her performance is the high point of this award-winning, provocative film. --Simon Leake Reviews (6)
OK, we got one extended full-on teeny bopper little girl on little girl nudity scene here, and although the blonde is a bit gangly, it actually helps with the underage perv feel. It's doesn't necessarily make me schwing, but you have to give sleaze credit where it's due. Two solid stars.
Jess, the protagonist, is everyone's hero. She is in fact an ur-hero. She speaks not only to lesbians and gay men who have faced rejection, but to ALL people who have had to find the courage to be who they are and do what they want to do despite the immediate people and circumstances that prevent, forbid, oppress or threaten them from doing so. The cast displays stellar performances: Geraldine McEwan is unmatched in her portrayal of the zealous Bible-thunping mother. She stabs naked fear and loathing into your heart from the very first scene in which she towers over the 5-year-old Jess and grills her with biblical questions, followed by a smack on the head. Yet somehow you come to respect and admire the fervent tenacity to which she clings to her system of beliefs. Melanie, Jess' first love, is the type of girl you would expect to find in a fairy tale: dripping with innocence and sweet as honey, the perfect poison apple to set up a broken heart. The preacher who leads this flock to which Jess and her mom belong is incredible as a despicable British version of Jimmy Swaggart. The most striking aspect of the film for me is how the director has woven such teasing, subtle and yet insanely hilarious (British!) humor into a movie that has scenes so painful that it hurts to watch them. Every time I see this movie, I get a little more humor out of it than the previous time, and it makes me love the film all the more, even though it's intent as a whole is certainly not to amuse- that is purely incidental. Yet on second thought, maybe it isn't. Maybe the humor makes us appreciate the somber theme of the movie all the more each time we see it. And we admire Jess all the more, and the ending all the more because of it. It just gets better and better!
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| 18. Wimbledon Director: Richard Loncraine | |
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| 19. The Borrowers Director: Peter Hewitt | |
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Reviews (21)
The miniaturization effects didn't seem particularly advanced - I wasn't wowed by any technical advances I saw. But I would say that they were very imaginably used, making for some cute scenes that were refreshing. They were also carefully done, minimizing the "fakey" feel and letting you concentrate on the story. The DVD version has a cool "making of The Borrowers" featurette that shows how the special effects were done, which is fun to watch after you've seen the movie.
The movie is based upon a series of books by Mary Norton about a race of small people who live in the cracks and walls of the world and are known for borrowing things from humans (or beings). The story centers around one borrower family who are the last of their kind in an old house. Their existence is threatened when the evil Mr. Potter sees to kicking out the being inhabitants in order to knock the house down. There then follows a series of adventures as borrowers and beings alike try to save the house from destruction. The weak points in the movie concern anachronisms. For the most part the movie is set decades ago as in the books. But annoying anachronisms pop up such as a cellular phone and an in-door ice maker. Considering the vintage of the vehicles on the street these items really stand out. But despite the anachronisms the movie remains entertaining with some very good performances from Goodman and the rest of the cast.
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| 20. Death on the Nile Director: John Guillermin | |
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Reviews (36)
The performances of the many actors are great. Simon MacCorkindale's portrayal of Simon Doyle is wonderful, and Angela Lansbury as Salome Otterbourne is very entertaining. Maggie Smith and Bette Davis as Miss Bowers and Miss Van Schuyler, respectively, have some wonderful scenes together and have great chemistry. David Niven as Colonel Johnny Race is great and makes for a good Watson to Poirot. Jack Warden as Dr. Bessner and Jon Finch as Jim Ferguson, while don't have a ton of screentime, still portray their characters perfectly, and of course Peter Ustinov as the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is great. The scenery is beautiful. The scene where Simon and Linnet Doyle are climbing the pyramid is simply breathtaking. The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The 24-minute featurette "The Making of Death On The Nile" is interesting, and the interviews (both in French with subtitles) with Peter Ustinov and Jane Birkin (who plays Louise Bourget), while not extremely interesting, are still a nice addition. There are a few flaws in the movie. The largest one is the fact that they cut out Tim and Mrs. Allerton. For those of you who have read the book, you'll know that cutting out Tim Allerton changes a few important things. Cornelia Robson is also cut out, as well as James Fanthorp and Signor Richetti (which again changes a few things). While I did like these characters a lot in the book, during the movie, these characters were hardly missed. The movie runs approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, and despite the PG rating, has some slightly graphic violence in it. I would highly reccomend buying this DVD, however, I would suggest reading the book first.
I watched this 1978 movie of 140 minutes without first reading the 1937 Dame Agatha Christie novel (of the same name) that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was. As a brief synopsis, the movie begins with "Jacquline ('Jackie') De Bellafort" (Mia Farrow) telling her very wealthy friend "Linnet Ridgeway" (Lois Chiles) about the man "Simon Doyle" (Simon MacCorkindale) she has fallen in love with. Linnet falls for Simon and they eventually marry. Their honeymoon is on a riverboat (technically called a 'paddle steamer') called the "S.S. Karnak" that takes then down the Nile River in Egypt. Aboard the boat, besides the three mentioned above, are "Hercule Poirot" (Sir Peter Ustinov) and his good friend "Colonel Johnny Race" (David Niven). There are other passengers on board who all dislike Linnet. Linnet is murdered. Eventually two other passengers are also murdered. Poirot has to solve who the killer is. For both Poirot and the viewer, it's obvious that the killer is either male or female or, as Poirot might say, either a "beau" or a "belle." It's also obvious that the killer is no "Simple Simon." Who are these passengers? Besides the five mentioned above, they are as follows: (1) Louise Bourget, Linnet's Maid (Jane Birkin) Of the fourteen actors mentioned above, Ustinov's performance stands out. This was his debut performance as Poirot and I feel he does a stellar job being both serious and comical at the same time. Other performances to look for are Mia Farrow as the ex-fiance and Angela Lansbury as the perpetually drunk novelist. The cinematography of this movie is visually stunning. We especially get to see the Sphinx, the Pyramids, and the ancient ruins of Egypt. The costume design is elegant. The main background music adds to this movie as well. Listen for gags that run throughout this movie. For example, Poirot is Belgian but is always confused as being French. One of my favorite pieces of dialogue is where a passenger gets angry at the great sleuth: Van Schayler: You perfectly foul French upstart! As Poirot attempts to solve the crime, we are shown what might have happened. Unfortunately, there is some unintended humor as Linnet continually gets shot (in the head) as Poirot goes through each possible scenario. I found this somewhat distracting. Finally, the DVD (which has the movie in widescreen format) has five extras. I found that the only one that was interesting was about the making of this movie. It lasts about 25 minutes. In conclusion, this is a fun movie, even if you have read the book. For those who haven't read the novel, I have left clues in the above review as to the possible identity of the killer. If you think you know who it is, then watch this movie to find out if you're right! <=====>
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