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This is a 6 VHS Tapes. Discover God's Rich and Remarkable Insights Found in The Book of Ephesians. ... Read more

Description

From the director of Apocalypse Now and The Godfather comes a different kind of love story...

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola shines his spotlight on a Las Vegas couple (Teri Garr, Frederic Forrest) whose break-up on the 4th of July leads them both to a night on the strip in pursuit of their romantic fantasies (Raul Julia, Nastassia Kinski). But in this town of gamblers and dreamers, should they bet it all on dreams, or give true love another roll of the dice? Featuring breathtaking design, show-stopping set pieces, the stunning photography of Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Last Emperor) and accompanied by the wonderful Oscar® nominated music of the one and only Tom Waits, this neon explosion of color, sound and innovation is a cinematic valentine for all movie lovers.

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

THANK YOU ZOETROPE!
I know, the DVD isn't out yet, but my husband and I have loved this film since the mid-1980s, when we first saw it on video. I thought it would never be released on DVD, and now, not only is one coming, they're treating it with the respect that it deserves, with all those great extras! We're in heaven, and the anticipation of finally getting to see this in the theater for the first time, and then owning this DVD, is driving us batty.

Who will like this movie? Well, although plot and music-wise it's nothing like Moulin Rouge, if you have the mindset to enjoy an off-kilter, gorgeously-filmed, nutty, romantic, bizarre, funny, sweet movie like that, you have what it takes to enjoy this. It takes an open mind, a willingness to give yourself over to the film from the very beginning, when the red curtains part (yes, Baz got that from OFTH), and an open heart, to ride along with these characters, forgive their faults and foibles, and be there for them at the end of the film. I've seen this film so many times that I understand the characters better than I did the first time I saw it. It not only holds up on subsequent viewings, it gets better and better. Besides getting to know the characters better, you notice so many more little details in the gorgeous production design.

There's so much to say about this film, I wish I were more articulate. It's one of the most BEAUTIFUL films you'll ever see. The soundtrack is wonderful too. Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle sound sublime together, and I've always considered them as playing characters too.

It's my most fervent wish that the upcoming theatrical re-release, and this DVD release, will garner this movie the audience it deserves. It was so roundly and unfairly trashed upon the original release that it never even had a chance to gain a cult audience. There are people out there who will love this film. I hope they discover it.

I Believe in Francis C.
"One from the Heart" is a typical story of two lovers breaking up, running around and ultimately coming back together, but the simplicity allows for experimentation. The stylized, studio-bound film's complexities are revealed by Tom Waits' light jazz score and Vittorio Storaro's very theatrical lighting. Both are well-served by a gorgeous, eye-popping re-mastered transfer and 5.1 mix (an isolated score is also available). Modern day stylized films like "Moulin Rouge" owe a lot to this movie.

Director Francis Ford Coppola's highly engaging commentary on disc 1 goes into detail of his aspirations for "live cinema" - a product that combines the beauty of film with aspects of live television and theatre. He stands by his film despite its failure; it's easy to see how this unconventional film flopped, but you can't help but get swept up in Coppola's vision. Casual viewers may find "One from the Heart" pretty boring, but it should be required viewing for budding filmmakers.

Disc 2 features a sheer wealth of documentaries, both old and new, on almost every aspect of "One from the Heart"'s creation, as well as a special one on the history of Zoetrope Studios, which was bankrupted by the project. You can find out more about Coppola's shooting technique of 'electronic cinema,' Tom Waits' score, the stop-motion effects, and even the massive rehearsals for the picture. A selection of deleted and alternate scenes, alternate takes of Waits' score, trailers and other ephemera round out this excellent DVD package.

Poor editing and transfer of this masterpiece
Let me say I loved this movie. I saw it when it was first out (yes someone did go to see it in the theater)and bought the video some years ago.
The video (VHS) was true to the theatrical release, unlike the DVD, but the saturated colors (especially the reds) really caused the quality to suffer on tape.
What's with cutting the opening sequence? And then again changing the sequencing and cutting of some of the dance scenes?
As far as the re-master, there was one sequence where there was a hair on the film? (lower left corner). What's up with that?
This is a beautiful movie, ahead of its time. Its a shame they have not done it justice. Those who did not see the original are really missing out.

Movie: 2 stars; DVD: 4 stars
After his disastrous experiences filming "Apocalypse Now" in the Philippines during the '70s, director Francis Ford Coppola decided to play it safe with his 1982 follow-up, "One From the Heart," a modest musical comedy he filmed entirely on the stages of his own Zoetrope Studios.

But the excesses that plagued "Apocalypse" carried over onto "Heart" and Coppola eventually built huge indoor re-creations of the Vegas strip, imported real passenger planes for an airport scene and commissioned detailed, 75-footlong models of the city. The budget ballooned. Upon its release, the film tanked and Coppola's little studio went bankrupt.

Since then, "Heart" has remained discussed but largely unseen, leading curious film fans to wonder, "Could it really be that bad?"

Now it's out on DVD and the answer is available: "Yes, it's really that bad."

"Heart" follows two estranged lovers (Teri Garr and Frederick Forrest) through a charmless musical fantasy. The story and characters are slim and feel slimmer in the midst of the huge, flashy sets. Tom Waits wrote all the songs, but they don't approach his best work. And, ironically in light of the film's title, an air of artificiality hangs over the picture; much like the black ceiling that can clearly be seen above the nighttime streets of Coppola's Las Vegas, the movie's sugary ideas about love and romance feel hopelessly fake.

As an experiment, though, the film is interesting; it borrows the look and feel of classic musicals yet remains a unique attempt, and it's arguably a forerunner of "Moulin Rouge" and "Chicago," but that's not enough to redeem "Heart." As a DVD, though, it's worth checking out for the second disk's exhaustive extra features, particularly the documentaries that explore the ups and downs of Zoetrope Studios, the processes behind Waits' compositions and the debacle surrounding this odd, frustrating movie.

More Like A Knife In Your Heart
I had heard a lot about this Francis Ford Coppola film. None of it was good. I heard rumors such as Coppola had to file for bankruptcy after this. Whether any of this is true I don't know, these are only rumors I heard. But, now after this this film, I can understand why this movie would flop at the box-office. This is honestly one of the worst films I have ever seen.

I think highly of Coppola. No one can doubt the man has directed several American masterpieces. "The Godfather" films, "Apocalypse Now", and "The Conversation". But there's something those films have in common, and to me, this it where Coppola's strenght lies.

All of those films deal with people. They are character studies of sorts. When Coppola is dealing with people, rather than special effects, or plot formula driven films he succeeds.

Make no mistake about it Coppola has limitations. Every director has limitations. Coppola has proven he can not direct comedies (Jack), horror fillms (Bram Stoker's Dracula), and jazz bio's where effects came before characters (The Cotton Club). But look at the films that deal with characters first. "The Godfather" series, "Apocalypse Now", "The Conversation", "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "The Rain Maker". Here is where Coppola shines.

A lot of people as I understand it, had problem with Coppola directing a romantic film. I wasn't bothered by that, because as I thought about it there were elements in "The Conversation" that possessed as certain romanticism. At least I thought so.

"One from the Heart" fails on so many levels it's hard to fins a place to start. The movie lags. The pacing of the film is off. This is what I like to call "coma inducing". "Coma inducing" works are works that can put you to sleep for a very long time. Or they at least have the ability to do so. "One from the Heart" has the ability to do so.

The characters are not believeable. I understand this was suppose to be a lighthearted fantasy, but I found nothing romantic about the film. The situations and the characters are flat. You can't relate to them or the situations they are put it. If you found that you do relate to them, you must have tried really hard.

The acting is here dreadful. Fredic Forrest stars as Hank, a man pining after his ex-girlfriend, of many times, Frannie (Teri Garr). The problem is they have no chemistry. And Forrest is not a leading man type. There is nothing about him that makes you want to watch him for the duration of the film. In fact no one look good in this film. People such as Harry Dean Stanton, who plays Hank's friend, seems to disappear after a while. I'm not entirely sure what purpose he served to the story. The same goes for Natassja Kinski who's role is pretty much a joke and Lainie Kazan. There is no depth given to any of these characters. And to be honest, after a while, I really didn't care to know anything about them. All I wanted to know was when would the movie end.

Another problem I had with the film was the music. It is also thought this film is a musical, but a number of songs sang by Tom Waits I felt did not fit. I also thought in the beginning moments of the film too much music was being used. Though Waits was nominated for an Oscar. I'm still trying to figure that one out. But, the Academy is always doing something wrong.

But, this is not to say I am not able to find anything positive about this film. I did enjoy Vittorio Storaro's cinematography. He is my absolute favorite. Though, I have to be critical here again, because Storaro's work doesn't quite build up to some of the other films he's done such as "The Last Emperor" and "Goya in Bordeaux".

Overall though what he have here is a bad movie from a good director. In other words, I wish I never saw this film.

Bottom-line: Not just one of Francis Ford Coppola's worst, but one of the worst films I've ever seen. A boring, slow moving, unsympathetic, style over substance film. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

A Powerful Film By Master Of Disaster Emmerich
Roland Emmerich directed the 1996 blockbuster hitIndependece Day which many still consider his best work. Later, he directed Godzilla, which according to some was not well-crafted. But 2004's "Day After Tomorrow" is quite powerful and moving and Roland Emmerich brings back the magic and dynamics of his old masterpiece Independence Day. This time the threat is not alien, it's our own earth. Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and erratic weather to errupt. Hail begins to attack Tokyo, Japan and it snows in the usually hot New Delhi, India. Star Dennis Quaid gets a hold of the fatal news that the world is going to end as it experiences a new Ice Age. His son Sam (Jake Gallynhaal) is away in New York City on an Academic Decathelon which he joined to be with the girl he loves. Sela Ward plays Sam's mother and Dennis Quaid's wife, a doctor who is caring for a cancer-struck little boy. The President of the U.S. and the Vice President (who looks a bit like Dick Chaney)completely ignore the warnings and it's not long before Los Angeles is destroyed by a tornado. The Hollywood sign gets blown away. New York City is flooded. The special effects are top-notch and the characters and plot stunningly engaging. Only a small group who has listened to Sam, who in turn was going by his father's directions, remain in the New York City Public Library even after it freezes entirely. Dennis Quaid searches for his son in the extreme weather. This is a movie about survival, as is expected about humans when confronted with great disaster. It is about courage and human compassion. To contrast the epic disaster with its serious drama is touches of humor such as the bum and his dog who survive the disaster and the fac that the tables are turned and it is desperate survivor Americans who are crossing the border illegally into Mexico, which was not effected by the disaster. All the performances are credible and though one can easily criticize for its typical disaster movie routine, it does'nt matter. The success of this film proves that we love to see this kind of genre. Humankind surviving all sort of disasters and the will to live. Five stars. An incredibl experience at the movies and hopefully it will make a wonderful DVD loaded with interesting features.

Disaster movie
We don't need to get too intellectual on this movie, nor make any pretense of why you should see it - there is one reason and one reason only to view The Day After Tomorrow, the special effects. We all know this. So I really don't want to spend a page writing about the dialog that is worse than a soap opera, the science that made Lord of the Rings look reality based, or the believability factor that made Cliffhanger look like CNN. C'mon, you kind of expect that from a movie like this don't you?

All of that nonsense aside, there are several scenes which are truly spectacular, some of the best special effects that I've seen. True, a great deal of those scenes were shown in the previews, but there are still many staggering effects that are saved for the film.

Yes it's melodramatic. Yes it's preachy (Al Gore and Al Franken actually used this movie to promote their environment agenda). But if you would enjoy seeing LA destroyed by what would be the largest tornado in recorded history, or New York getting swallowed by a wall of water, it's worth the price of the movie ticket. And here's another idea - go with some friends and keep notes of the best (i.e. worst) lines, and then afterwards you can argue about which was the worst line of dialogue. Mine was probably, "Jake...tell her how you feel," with "I think I will go close my eyes for a while," coming in at a close second.

One final note to the dude at Amazon who filters these reviews: Here's a little inside tip - *stop posting reviews written by people who haven't even seen the film - and even ADMIT this in their reviews!* And certainly don't make them the spotlight review. Maybe you could have a special "trailer review forum" for these idiots and stop wasting our time.

Best new movie
The Day after Tomorrow is a outstanding movie. The special effects are awesome. I was not sure about the movie at first but after I rented it from blockbuster and viewed it, I definitely will buy it on dvd fullscreen. There have been a few movies made involving natural diasters but this one is the best. If you have not seen it yet, definitely watch it. The director did a fantastic job, the cast members put a outstanding job. It's one of those movies you'll want to watch again and again.

Great Thrill Ride Movie
When you watch this movie it will feel like you are in the movie. Trust me I have seen it 4 times in the theaters. You will have to watch it again and again and each time you will find something new. Enjoy the movie.

"Independence Day" minus the aliens, plus eco-propaganda.
If you've seen the 1997 sci-fi hit "Independence Day", then for all practical purposes you've seen this movie too. The only real difference is that instead of a bunch of ticked-off aliens, the threat of human extinction comes from a ticked-off "Mother Nature". In the former, however, it was all about "us versus them" and the triumph of the human will to survive. In "Day After Tomorrow", the message is: "We have met the enemy, and they are the Republicans."

Yeah, the movie is about the epic struggle to survive in the face of an overwhelming natural catastrophe, but it's pretty obvious that the producers were less interested in telling a story and more concerned about sending an election-year political message. From the early scenes of the movie, the "hero" character (a very forgettable paleoclimatologist played by Dennis Quaid) serves as the "voice crying in the wilderness" against the environmentally unsound excesses of corporate America. He warns of the doomsday scenario which does in fact unfold throughout the movie, but the heavily stereotyped conservative politicians (who are, no doubt, in the pockets of the polluters) shrug off his warnings. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the "vice president" character looked uncannily like Dick Cheney. Coincidence? I don't think so, but feel free to decide for yourself.

The main story is about a dysfunctional family whose members find themselves separated by the unpredictable (yet somehow predicted) chain of natural events. Of course, the events aren't really natural -- they're caused by foolish and greedy men who fail to pay attention to the needs of Mother Earth. Somehow, against incredible odds, the family manages to reunite, save the human race, and resolve their own domestic issues all at the same time. And of course, the tale is duly concluded with the humiliation of America and its (implied Republican) leaders, as well as some cheap jabs at American immigration policy.

In short, this is enviro-hysteria at its cheesy best, but election year political propaganda at its worst. There isn't even a mild attempt to veil the message -- it's right there in your face. If you're a Bush-hater, you'll cheer. If you're a little more honest with yourself, you'll see this film for the cheap trash that it is. The ONLY reason I gave it a second star was because it was chock full of stunning visual effects from beginning to end. Beyond that, your enjoyment of this movie will stand in direct relation to your political affiliation. That's no way to make a movie. ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not a universal hit, but pleasing adventure
This is not one of Arnold's megahits, but the story of espionage and duplicity is good, the villains smarmy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays the duped wife, is marvelous going from frump to sexpot. The two scenes I loved, Arnold's tango, and the arrival of Curtis as a hooker to call on (unbeknownst to her) her own husband are priceless. As always, good entertainment from Schwarzenegger. ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (595)

T2 eXtreme:Nice case,nice extras,AMAZING image/sound quality
This is a truly wonderful dvd. If you own a home theatre system or seek the highest quality in dvd image and sound, this is the dvd for you. The high defenition version of the film is only playable with a high-end PC, but the special edition and theatrical versions on the tv are a big improvement on the 'ultimate edition dvd'. This is due to the brand new high quality transfer. The extras aren't amazing, but their pretty good. There is a documentary on T2's effect on the film industry and an 8 minute featurette on 'Life on the Set'. There is some great new DVD-ROM content though. There's a great little morphing program which takes a while to master seeing as there are few instructions. There is also a fun T-800 'FX Studio' in which you shoot at your imported digital photos to reveal your friend's or granny's endoskull. There is also a 'Skynet Combat Chassis Designer'. I haven't a clue what this is as I haven't used it yet, but I think it's some kind of online game. I have read several reviews with complaints about the metal outer case, but I had no problem whatsoever. The only advise I can give is to push in the front and back of the sleeve when taking the inner case out. It comes out no-problemo. If I had to choose betweem the 'Ultimate Edition' and the 'Extreme edition', I'd stick with Extreme. If however, I didn't have a dolby sound system and/or a widescreen tv, I'd take the 'Ultimate' (Way more Extras) - Oh, and by the way, the movie itself is probably one of the best films ever made.

The Ultimate And The Extreme
I was upset when Artisan announced yet another version of T2 (I think this makes 3 reissues but I lost count). Why? For those of us out there, who consider ourselves DVD-Philles, most of us already own the "Ultimate Edition"of T2, which is pretty dang cool in its right. I made up my mind. I wasn't going to fall into that trap. I was burned by The Mummy and American Pie and learned the hard way-not again

Having said that...Once I heard that writer/director James Cameron and co writer William Wisher had recorded a new audio commentary for the film. I have to hand it to Artisan..this was a shrewd move. One of the minor quibbles I had with the previous release of T2, was its audio commentary. As good as it was to have a lot of contributors, the last time out, I could tell that the track was just "pieced together" from different parts of the disc. Most of the info on the track was just "lifted" This was the only downer on the "ultimate edition" The "new" is very good and worth a listen. As for the film, the 2 disc "extreme edition", has both the special extended cut, and as an "Easter Egg", the theatrical cut as well. I have to admit, the look of the T-1000 (Robert Patrick) and his morphing looks pristine, as does the original Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger). But I would also caution that the High Definition Digital transfer will only look like a real improvment if you have the equipment to handle the technology. Luckily, for me, I have a friend with an updated system, but it's still not the top of the line

As for the other extras in the set, they are just ok. There are 2 new retrospective documentaries. One one the film's ground breaking effects; The other, is a "life on the set" montage, while the film was still in production. You can also build your own Terminator and track its progress online, and rounding out the set's extras is a graphic fact track about all things Terminator.

With this edition, be warned, you lose many of the extras found on the previous edition. But the Cameron/Wisher audio commentary is still quite a draw. Mega fans of T2 should have both, while others should think carefully, Ultimate wins for its extra content, while Extreme gets points for a great commentary--I have both for now...I still don't like multple special edition DVD's of the same film

one of the if not the best sequel ever!
in this sequel to the awesome original,arnold is a good guy sent back to protect john conner.another newer model of terminater comes after them.this t-1000 is made from quasi-liquid metal.it can be solid or liquid as needed.johns mom sarah decides to go and waste the dude who found the original terminaters hand and was largely responsible for the eventual takeover by the machines.this is a bit much for smaller kids.the action is incredible in this one.the first part was a indt film.this one cost 80 million dollars and made 78 million in its first weekend.it is the best of the 3 id say.if you are squeamish,you might want to go see bambi instead.belive it or not,its even emotional in a spot or 2.sara isnt a tenny bopper in this one but a dykey rambo bitch.her shrink isnt around long,but while he is,he is very obnoxious.of course he lived.it seems the guy in any movie who really needs killed,never gets it.sara deserved an award for this one.she did an awesome job playing a psycho with a lot on her mind.the message is no fate but what we make.in part 3 youll see that just isnt true,but i alredy knew that.intensity galore!sara plays a very intense character.all the action,the nukes,it freakin rocks!this is arnolds best!the special effects kick ass too.they made a 3rd.im hoping for a 4th also.but since it takes 10 years for another sequel,id better not hold my breath.and,by the way,who cares if arnolds to old.cant they find another musclehead to play some sort of new terminater?its do-able.we know it.hollywood knows it.so get off your lazy asses and make it already.i belive its about time for the big showdown between machine and man.

The Epitome of Action Films
We are all too familiar with the story of this movie, so I will spare you the details. "The Terminator" was a sleeper sci-fi hit that was a rarity in its genre. Movie-goers were beginning to see sci-fi films that rose above others in the genre and even other genres. "Alien", "Blade Runner", "Star Wars", and, the film that started the revolution, "2001: A Space Odyessy". What made "Terminator" so different was not just another bleak view of the future, but a tense, edgy thriller with some damn fine writing. But while it took an effort to make films like those, it took a greater one to make a sequel. "Aliens", "The Empire Strikes Back", and very few others accomplished this task successfully. As for "T2", unless you've been living under a rock, we all know how well it did. This is definitely the best of the series (in my opinion at least) and definitely one of the best action movies to grace the face of our planet. This is the movie that also started the trend of making action movies with ridiculously huge budgets and paying action stars ridiculously huge salaries. But T2 delivers, with a great story, stunning visuals, and Schwarzenegger in his prime. Plus who can forget Brad Fiedel's synthetic score which has been parodied numerous times?
Why another DVD though? This film has been put on DVD almost as many times as "Independence Day". Special features are somewhat reserved here, so what justifies another release? DVD producer Van Ling answers the question in a quaint little insert about how new technology has developed since the last T2 transfer. They can now present T2 the way it should be, digitally mastered from a 1080p, 24sf digital telecline transfer for "superior video and audio quality". This release of T2 is aimed toward the home theater crowd. All that confusing talk means that the picture is presented with more clarity.
And the sound is just awesome. The DTS track has been dropped from the "Ultimate Edition" in exchange for a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX track and a Dolby headphone track. If you have the technology, try to watch a DVD with a DTS track whenever possible. In the case of this DVD, there's only the Dolby 5.1 EX track. But the track on this "Extreme DVD" defies both the Dolby and DTS tracks from the "Ultimate Edition". It takes full advantage of a dimensional sound field.
The goodies here are minimal; a SFX documentary, a behind the scenes montage, and a few DVD-ROM goodies that I didn't bother to try. But there is the original version of the film available to Windows Media Player 9 users on the second disc. You can watch it on the first disc as well, it's disguised as an easter egg. On the main menu of Disc 1, hit the right button five times while highlighting "Play Extended Version". There's also an enhanced mode with behind the scnes and there's a spankin new commentary by James Cameron himself.
But the question remains; is this DVD worth buying? It really boils down to what your reasons are for buying this new DVD. If you don't own the film, yes. If you're troubled by the mediocre video quality of either of the first two releases, then yes. If you want Cameron's commentary and other new supplements, yes. And if you want to playback T2 in HD on your PC (and even if you find that your computer equipment is currently insufficient for HD playback), yes. But if you want extensive behind the scenes, you might want to stick with your "Ultimate Edition". This "Extreme Edition" delivers though, despite falling short in the behind the scenes section.

awesome
okay. I just saw this movie and its the best movie ever made and james cameron is the best director ever.Now lately I keep reading all this comotion between the extreme version and the ultimate version. Well i'd pick the extreme. The reason I didnt pick the ultimate is because even though it has great quality its probley nothing close to the picture and sound on the extreme version. I also didnt pick it because its to hard to find. I picked extreme for many reasons. Lets start with the picture and sound its awesome nothing else to say. It also has an also metal case that I heard ruins the dvd inside it but still its awesome. Now as a previous reviewer said extreme dosent have the special extended edition well I dont really care {no offence to the previous reviewer who wrote that} because it only has 2 minutes of more footage {litterly} I think the scene of the t-1000 searching johns room is cool and I wouldent mind that in the movie but the special extended edition ruins the ending with a new "happy ending". Be warned its ruins the ending to the best movie ever. Even though the origian ending on the special edition is good enough. People say that the new happy ending stops a sequel. But see I dont really want to see t3 because it should have ended with t2. and finally yes i'll admit ultimate has more bonus footage extreme has a very godd amount of features as well and extreme is for the great price (...). I have nothing else to say. ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (496)

Top shelf superhero movie
The defining characteristic of "X2: X-Men United" is the approval bestowed upon it by fans of the origin comic books; whereas the original "X-Men" movie was seen as truncated and flat in parts, the sequel delivers the goods fans craved: a full half-hour more action, and a dazzling opening sequence that features a mutant attack on the U.S. President. The mutant is a newcomer: Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) a German circus runaway with blue skin that can bounce off objects and teleport at alarming speeds. Director Bryan Singer watched his first "X-Men" effort start with the slow burn of introducing the setup and characters; "X2" had the "geeks" bouncing out of their seats.

What follows is a superhero movie on par with "Spider-Man" and the best parts of the "Superman" and "Batman" series. "X2" is a too busy and farfetched, but it keeps twisting, and it features a great villain in Col. Styker (Brian Cox) a military scientist bent on erasing the mutants from the Earth. In theme and approach, "X2" is similar to the second and best installment of the "Star Trek" series, "Wrath of Khan" -- "X2" features a large sacrifice from a major character, and serves as a launching pad for future installments. Just about anything could happen in "X3," and that's a testament to how well this movie is structured. Every important mutant is still on the playing field. ...

There aren't as many action sequences as you'd expect -- the canvas is so big, a good part of the movie is spent just leaving from and arriving to -- and none match the opening Nightcrawler attack, but there is enough for a fight junkie to appreciate. And though there's a bit of social commentary mixed into the movie's fabric, "X2" is nothing less than a fantasy. There's a climax, so to speak, beyond the climax, and then another climax beyond that, which is annoying, but it sets the table for a major transformation of Jean's character. Singer obviously has his options wide open for the third installment, which will presumably pit good and bad mutants against one another again. "X2" ends with Magneto having gained a precious new weapon for this round three.

For what it does, "X2" does it very well. Singer is clearly serious about not letting the franchise descend into camp as "Batman" and "Superman" eventually did -- there are dumb moments, but they're quickly forgotten. It improves on the original and improves the chances of the series at the same time.

I've Lost Count of the Mutants, But It's A Lot of Fun.
An attack on the President of United States by a mysterious Mutant heightens the tensions between Mutants and Humans and prompts the authorization of an assault on Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The President gives a secretive former military man named William Stryker (Brian Cox) unprecedented power in detaining and questioning Mutants. Unbeknownst to the President, Stryker has acquired vital information from the imprisoned Magneto (Ian McKellan) regarding Cerebro, which Stryker plans to use to carry out his own agenda against all Mutants. Storm (Halle Berry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackson), Cyclops (James Marsden), Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), Rogue (Anna Paquin), and the students find themselves on the same side as Magneto and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) as they race to foil Stryker's plan.

"X2: X-Men United" is the second film based on the "X-Men" Marvel Comic. Whereas the first film spent a lot of time introducing the characters, this one introduces only three new characters: Pyro (Aaron Stanford), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Nightcrawler, and those introductions are well-integrated in the plot. The first film's coherence suffered considerably from all the backstories. But "X2: X-Men United" is able to concentrate its energies on plot with improved results. The story makes more sense and is much more satisfying than the first film. Both films suffer from having too many characters, which sometimes seem to be like so many gadgets, each with its own gimmick. But I think we're stuck with that problem. Director Bryan Singer has done a good job. "X2" is a lot of fun. It may not be as socio-politically complex as the comic books, but it does manage to raise issues of abuse of power, constitutional protections, minority rights, and the politics of fear, if only briefly. The public is told by their leaders and by the media to fear Mutants, and so the public is inclined to look the other way when their rights are violated and they are flagrantly persecuted. Entertaining and recommended, but if the cast gets any bigger, they will need to wear name tags.

Some technical problems, but overall a great movie!
Ok... first of all, I have loved X-men for as long as I can remember... from the comic book to the movies to the t.v. shows ever since my dad introduced me I was hooked! So you can imagine how excited I was when the X-men movies came out. I only had one problem with them: where did Gambit and Beast go? I mean Gambit's like ya know... Gambit, and Beast is the founder of the cure to the legacy virus (well technically that was somebody else but she died so...)! And there was also only a brief mention of Colosuss in the second movie... and where were the people like Cable, Shadowcat (she was barely in the in 2nd movie), Moira, Physlocke, the Neo, and Archangel? But don't get me wrong, I LOVE this movie it's just like... Where did everybody go? I hope they will add more characters with their own actual character development in the next movie... But if you like the X-men or have heard of them this is definetely a movie that you will enjoy!

A lot better than the first X-Men
I loved all the special effects and the storyline with Bobby (Iceman) and Rogue. I thought they were so cute together. Nightcrawler's a great edition to the X-Men team but I felt bad for Scott (Cyclops) and Logan (Wolverine) when Jean turned into the Phoenix. I can't wait until X-Men 3.

X-Men vs Spider-Man
Despite the fact that they both come from Marvel, both the X-Men and Spider-Man have been trying to top the other for years in so far as comics go. It's now spilled over to the movies. X2 tries to set up the stage that this is a mutant universe only (just as it is with the comics now). If so then it's a very uninterestin univese where as Spider-Man and all the other non-mutant heroes live in the mainstream Marvel Universe (the one that Stan Lee and Jack kirby created). In this battle, I side with Spider-Man. ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (306)

cute kid's show
While Ice Age does have adult themes running through it (and a few adult jokes), it doesn't have the broad appeal that you find with Shrek, Toy Story, or Monsters, Inc. But it is a good movie to sit down with the whole family to watch. There's little violence and no sexual content. The animation is a little cartoony--but the animators aren't shooting for realistic here, they are looking for more of a 'Shrek' type look. It has its charm. It does have a strong cast. I'd never have pictured Ray Romano as a mammoth, but his dead pan delivery does fit well with the personality of a gigantic mammoth. Dennis Leary plays the saber-tooth tiger, but holding Leary back to a PG rating takes away from his appeal. Still, he does a fairly good job with what he has, and the funniest moments in the movie come from his interaction with John Leguizamo, who is brilliant as the sloth. Cedric the Entertainer, Jack Black, and Gorin Visjnic (casting him as the leader of the tigers was a stroke of genius, I wish there had been more scenes featuring him) have small supporting roles. The dvd contains all kinds of extras, but it is the short animation 'Bunny' that really makes this dvd worth buying (and the cave painting scene in the movie). You can see the animators genius there. This isn't a dvd you want to rush out to buy, but one you might want to put on your list of dvds to get.

Slow Start, But Turns Around Halfway Through
The Story: Manfred the mastodon (Ray Romano), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) are getting ready to migrate, separately, when fate brings them together and puts a human infant in their care. They travel through the brutal but starkly beautiful landscapes of 20,000 years ago, seeking the child's father, who is migrating with his tribe. Of course, the prey-predator factor complicates things, as man hunts everything, saber-toothed tigers hunt everything, sloths are usually prey, and mastodons are prize prey that are usually passed up because of their size. Oh, and along the way, a squirrel (?) tries to gather acorns for the (extremely long and harsh) winter.

Story Commentary: This is a computer-animated remake of "The Three Godfathers" but the first half seemed a LOT like "Shrek" meets "Monsters, Inc." transposed into the distant past. Then, something happens, and the movie became wondrous for me. The things that created this transformation were: the turmoil and complexity of Diego's emerging character as he discovers a different way of being; the whole scene in the ice cavern, and especially the wall-drawing of the mastodon that Manfred sees (and then imagines into a microcosmic summary of Ice Age life); the growing sense of duty, stewardship, and surrogate fatherhood. The ice cavern scene is the start, and is an unforgettable movie moment for me. The interspersed vignettes of the squirrel (coati mundi?) provided great comic relief, plus an ending to make one chuckle.

Technical Commentary: This film looks very different than did "Shrek" and "Monsters, Inc." but is on a par, technically, with them. The stark beauty of an Ice Age winter, turned into an icy playground with lethal traps and pitfalls, was a work of minimalist art.

At the halfway point, I would have given the film two to three stars, and complained that it lacked originality times three. The last half gets five stars.

Profound AND Funny
I got indignant when one of my favorite reviewers panned this film and decided to rise to its defense. Not only does this film work brilliantly as an allegory about bridging ethnic and cultural divides, but it is by turns hilarious and deeply touching. The story follows a group of migrating prehistoric mammals (a saber-toothed tiger which is a predator; and a sloth and woolly mammoth, which are prey species) who find a lost human infant and ultimately make the difficult and dangerous decision to reunite it with its human tribe. The personalities of all three are well developed, and their nonstop bickering is a riot. Naturally, there are many internal divisions, and the saber-toothed tiger is secretly plotting to ambush the group, but in the end the shared experience of bonding with the infant unites them. There is a highly entertaining scene where the group travels through an ice cave in which is embedded hilarious references to other life forms including extraterrestrials. There is a very touching scene in which the mammoth contemplates human pictographs of hunters killing a family of mammoths with spears, only to be comforted by the human infant in his care. The animation, especially the facial expressions for the animals, and of course the ill-fated squirrel whose attempts to gather and store nuts form a cruelly funny sub-theme, is incredibly clever. The film is just brimming with sly humor, tenderness, and witty sight-gags; I've probably seen it five times and haven't gotten bored yet.

Cold Laughs
This is a great movie. The characters and situations are just so funny. I really couldn't stop laughing. I highly recommend it.

very cute, and the squirrel is a riot!
A film by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha

The first hint I had of what "Ice Age" would be was a preview long before the movie ever came out. The preview featured a squirrel trying to bury an acorn in the snow, but nothing was working and in the attempt to bury the acorn, the poor little squirrel inadvertently caused an avalanche. It was funny, and it was the one of the best previews that I had seen. Fortunately, this squirrel makes several appearances throughout "Ice Age" and steals every scene that he appears in (which is saying something for a piece of animation). However, the main story of the film has nothing to do with the squirrel.

A pack of saber tooth tigers are seeking to attack a human settlement in revenge for some of their own being killed by human hunters. The plan is to take the human baby of the lead hunter. The tigers attack, but the baby's mother manages to escape and dives into the river. With her last breath the mother places the baby at the feet of a mastodon who is standing by the riverbank.

This much is still set up for the primary story being told, and that is the story of Manfred the mastodon (Ray Romano) and Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo). Since the world is in the middle of an ice age, the animals are migrating south to get out of the cold. Manfred is initially going north to get away from everyone else when he comes upon Sid. Sid was left behind and he also needs protection. He's a sloth, but rather than being exceptionally slow, he appears to be more clumsy than anything else. The two animals end up traveling together (over the objections of the mastodon), and it is then that they come across the human baby. Manfred is ready to leave the baby behind, but Sid insists on keeping the child until they can find another human settlement. Enter Diego (Denis Leary). Diego is a saber tooth tiger who has been sent by his pack to reclaim the human baby as revenge for the pack. Even a tiger fears to go up against a mastodon, so Diego pretends to have the best interests of the baby at heart and now we have the rather strange group of Manfred, Sid, and Diego all trying to return the baby (except for Diego, who is only pretending).

"Ice Age" is a very cute movie, suitable for children of all ages. It is funny at times (any time the squirrel gets to make an appearance is a highlight for me), and it should be enjoyable for children and adults. Excellent animation and excellent voice acting. "Ice Age" is a good movie that should not be overlooked (even though it was overlooked in the theatre because of Pixar's "Monsters Inc"). ... Read more

Reviews (93)

"You Just Keep Thinking, Butch...!"
This film truly deserves the description of being a "Classic." Paul Newman and Robert Redford (in the company of Director George Roy Hill and a particularly appealing Katharine Ross), take the history of the bloodthirsty "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang," and turn it into an affectionate cinematic portrayal of male bonding and cultural change.

Taking place at the end of the 19th century, Butch and Sundance are, as veteran actor Jeff Corey, playing a sympathetic sheriff and accidental existentialist, snarls, "two-bit outlaws on the dodge!" They spend much of the movie dodging a posse hired to hunt them down and kill them in the wake of a series of amusing train robberies. The location shooting of their escape is breathtakingly beautiful.

Ultimately, they have to flee the closing frontier, and end up in Bolivia, which is portrayed as a kind of low-rent version of the Old West. Their trip to South America is an intermezzo, done in sepia tint, focusing on their stay in New York, which, with its (relatively) modern conveniences, underscores how anachronistic their lifestyle has become.

Their inability to rob banks in Bolivia without using Spanish-language crib sheets is both hilarious and touching, a kind of paradigm of cultural and technological dislocation.

In keeping with its 1969 release date, the film has a strong antiestablishment cant to it: Authority is faceless, unyielding, and, mostly, inept. It is telling that Butch and Sundance kill no one until they "go straight" as payroll guards. Their criminal lifestyle is romanticized as a kind of "On The Road" on horseback. That this doesn't offend the audience is a measure of how fine this movie is. The warmth and humor overcome both the moral relativity of the characters and their sad ending.

Newman and Redford are wonderful together as the affable outlaws. Newman's Butch is a charming, flaky visionary who is trying desperately to cling to the past. When confronted with the new alarms and teller's cages at a favorite bank, he dismisses the guard's explanation of, "People kept robbing us" with a wistful, "It's a small price to pay for beauty."

As Butch says: "The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles!" In a sense: the Western Outlaw was succeeded by "Public Enemy Number One" when cars succeeded horses, and train and bank robberies became Federal crimes. "Your times is over!," Jeff Corey insists, and he's right.

Redford plays Sundance as the stylish straight man, never quite falling prey to Butch's dreams, but never able to dismiss them utterly: "You just keep thinking, Butch, that's what you're best at!" The onscreen chemistry between Newman and Redford is so palpable that although they only made two films together ("The Sting" in 1973 is a modernized version of "Butch & Sundance"), they can easily be considered one of the finest comedy duos ever, anywhere. The dialogue between them is banter between two very good, very old, very comfortable, friends. Maybe there was a script involved, too.

"Butch and Sundance" may be short on facts, but it speaks a kind of truth for which facts are not needed.

Newman & Redford's First Film Together
Paul Newman and Robert Redford are two of the biggest movie stars of all time. They are also the best of friends and that friendship shines through on their first film together, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid. The film is set in the old west, but it has a definite 60's feel to it. Butch and Sundance are anti-heroes who defy the "establishment" by robbing trains. Finally the train company gets fed up and sends an elite team of bounty hunters to track them down. This inspires the film's classic catchphrase, "who are those guys" as Butch & Sundance can't shake their pursuers. The film has a light comical side to it as Mr. Newman is at his charming best as Butch and Mr. Redford elicits laughs as the uptight Sundance. Katherine Ross provides a pretty diversion as Sundance's beautiful schoolteacher girlfriend, Etta Place. Mr. Newman & Mr. Redford are instantly likable in the lead roles and you can feel their real affinity for one another come through in the film. The movie was a major box office hit and won and William Goldman won an Oscar for his crisp and witty script and But Bacarach and Hal David won an Oscar for the film's theme song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" which B.J. Thomas took to number one in late 1969.

Style and Substance
I remember seeing this movie at the cinema as a kid (many years ago)and being knocked out by how COOL Redford and Sundance were. You know the scene in Blues Brothers, the doorway of the transient mens refuge and the rocket launcher, and they just get up, brush themsleves off, music resumes and go on as if nothing happened. That cool. And so when they get to the stage of being concerned "who ARE those guys" we have substance for the actions they take afterwards. Now watching this movie on DVD with my kids, they didn't get enraptured as I did at their age. As you might guess, not enough action for their generation - and yet, when there is action, it plays with as much emotion as the best of hollywood today. A tremendous cast delivering a tremendous performance, this will always be one of my favorite movies.

Sticks pretty well to historical fact
For one when Butch and sundance are being chased up the mountain by the posse Butch mentions Joe LaFors (sp?). I checked a while ago. LaFors really existed as a lawman at the time. But Etta Place (Kathryn Ross)though she really existed was actually not a school teacher. More likely she was a prostitute.

Butch & the Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the best movies (if not the best!!!) I have ever seen. The action, the interplay and the chemistry between the 2 leading stars (Newman, Redford) is like "poetry in motion". The action is non-stop, as well as the comedy, especially of Newman. Even though there is quite a bit of violence throughout the movie, I would recommend that everyone buy the video!!! ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (755)

In True Comic Book Fashion
Finally, a movie based on a comic book that actually remains faithful to the original book and characters. Of course if you're talking about the X-Men, you're talking subject matter that is more mature on many levels than most comics books. The story line goes head on into the racism and fear of mutants, people born with genetic differences that don't surface until they hit puberty and give them never seen before gifts that allow them to do pretty amazing things, some incredibly beautiful, others intensely frightening. Professor Charles Xavier (perfectly cast and portrayed by Patrick Stewart) is their unsung savior as a wealthy father figure who takes in these young people to try to mold them into something positive. On the other end of the spectrum is a jaded and bitter Magneto, also portrayed well by Ian McKellen, who believes that normal humans have had their chance and now something has to be done to show them that mutants are superior. Xavier's Senior students, Cyclops, Jean Gray and Storm help new found mutants Rogue and Wolverine discover who they are and what may lie in the future. The actions scenes are unique and original. All the actors give solid performances, especially Jackman, and Halle Berry impressed me with her Kenyan accent. I hope she speaks more in the sequel. The DVD is excellent for true fans because it's obvious that Director Brian Singer wanted so much more for this movie but just wasn't allowed to have it. Time, budget and a last minute search for someone to play Wolverine caused serious constraints. Considering the obstacles and the bad luck of past comic-book-to-movie adaptations, this one scores high and pleases fans and normal folks alike. It stands for something more than just heroes and villians, and it gives us a story about people, no matter who they are or what they can do. Buy this, if you have not already.

In a not-too-distant future...
The long-awaited comic book-to-film translation of X Men left some fans satisfied and some wanting more. There are some terrific action scenes and great characters. Veterans Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier) and Ian McKellen (Magneto) are terrific, as are Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Tyler Mane as Sabertooth. The Special Effects in the film are inventive and amazing. My favourite SFX moment: Where Magneto is walking across a pathway created by moving metallic planks across a chasm, the pinnacle of cool. Director Brian Singer has loaded the film with eye-popping visuals and some great one-liners. Michael Kamen's futuristic score (one of his best) adds to the mysterious tone. After watching the film several times through, there are a few little quibbles. Wolverine is a great character, but a bit more exposition on the other characters would be good, and the rather stringent running time leaves the film a bit short on great set-pieces. Still, that's what sequels are for!

The DVD extras are great, with trailers, some interesting deleted scenes, "The Mutant Watch" featurette, a Bryan Singer interview, Hugh Jackman's screen test, still photo gallery and TV spots. To quote Darth Vader: "Impressive. Most impressive."

An informative political allegory
X Men, the youthful animation that divides love and evil, is a good film, incorporating great special effects, not to mention the childish violence. But X Men really is a grave political allegiry, highlighting how the governments of the world sometimes thing they are making changes for the best, whilst the silent minority, in this case the mutants, think otherwise. Taking it on one level, this film is an entertaining, action-packed thriller, but one should really consider how the undertone of this animation reflects on a democracy whereby everyone should be considered, and not just the elite. Three stars; that really is all I'm giving.

Great movie--Absolutely Stunning Sound and Picture!
I watched this movie for the first time without ever having read any of the X-Men comic books-in fact, I don't like comic books at all. So, needless to say, I was given the opportunity to watch this film from a purely objective standpoint: I had no expectations of what this movie should or should not entail. And, to my surprise, I was extremely delighted with this DVD for a few specific reasons.

First and foremost, the Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks are remarkable. Anybody who has a decent surround sound system-set up correctly!!!-will marvel at the amazing acoustical environments created by the sound team of X-Men; I suspect that THX played a large part in the success of mixing a soundtrack in which every sound effect is mixed with such careful attention to detail that one wonders how such perfection can be possible-I wish every movie's soundtrack would be so immaculate.

As if the sound wasn't enough to sell me on X-Men, the picture quality is outstanding as well-far exceeding that of a typical DVD. Again, I'm sure THX played an important role in the video transfer process.

And, technical aspects aside, the movie was written and executed very well. I think the X-Men team did an excellent job of taking a highly unrealistic story line and turning it into a movie in which the plot and characters evolve without the sense of corniness often associated with films of this nature.

So, all in all, I appreciated X-Men and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well made movie-if not for the sound quality, alone (granted, this will not contribute to a viewer's satisfaction at all, if not played through a quality surround sound system). But there are few movies that I enjoy watching more than once, and this is definitely one of them. Enough said.

Where is Chris Claremont
I can't beleive this was at all based on the comic. Where do I even begin? This movie has taken all of the good elements out of the comic and replaced it with utter crap.
As far as the casting goes Wolverine probably got the best treatment. Jean and Cyclops were also good though they did not get the screen time they deserved. Who in the world came up with Halle Berry as Storm? She can't act her way out of a paper bag. Not to mention the bad accent. If she could not keep it all the way through she should not have done it. Anna Paquin was also a horrible idea. What happened to the southern accent that Rouge was famous for?
A lot of this can be blamed on the writing. Rouge has no history with Mystique and Wolverine has no history with Sabertooth. Even worse than that is the relationship with Rouge and Iceman. Iceman and Rouge were not even at the mansion at the same time. But all of these gripes aside this movie still sucked. I have to wonder if Chris Claremont had any say. ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more

Reviews (528)

Typical Big-Budget Fun Ride
Director Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow & The Patriot) became a popular name in big-budget summer movies with the successful 1996 blockbuster "Independence Day". Massive alien spaceships mysteriously enter the Earth's atmosphere and unleash a devastating assault on the world's major cities. Now, a small human resistance organizes a final stand against the powerful invaders. "Independence Day" is a 153 minutes of pure movie fun. Its simple plot and stereotypical characters are rather predictable but still quite enjoyable. Its amusing humor, intense battle sequences and outstanding special effects are this Sci-Fi film's true highlights. The all-star cast features Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Vivica A. Fox and Robert Loggia.

"Independence Day" Limited Edition is a worthy bargain DVD. Both theatrical and extended cuts are presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains an amazing picture quality with rich color detail and great resolution. The clear 5.1 Dolby Digital sound delivers some well balanced surrounds and awesome bass, but a DTS audio track should have been included in this new release. Among special features, it contains two audio commentaries by filmmakers and FX crew, and a sneak peak at Emmerich's FX epic "The Day After Tomorrow". Despite the lack of supplements, "Independence Day" receives a pleasant "B-".

There's always something...
This fulfills all of the expectations of a summer blockbuster;
things flying around, stuff blowing up, flag waving, etc etc

and yes it is escapist and all good fun

all good stuff (although a little over done, as others have
pointed out, with the flag waving bits -- but then given the
title, i think people must have known that before going in)

but it does fall foul of the usual fault of having one
supremely bad plot element. i'm referring to the odd idea that
the alien shields can be taken down by injecting a computer
virus (oh so easily). in this case, it is a cop out -- a cheap
way for the screenwriter to get from point A to point C without
bothering with B

a wise man once said never let the facts get in the way of a
good story. and a writer once said he never checks the technical
aspects of a screenplay (for the same reason)

the problem with this (and many films suffer a similar problem)
is that it pulls me right out of the film. the suspension of

disbelief of an action rah-rah film can take you to a certain
point, but it is easy to step over that line. the virus did it
for me in this one

any film that uses classic dialogue such as "this is real
life -- not a film" is almost guarenteed to suffer this sort
of problem

You didn't like this film? What are you anyway, a commie?
Normally I don't use reviews as a forum for sniping at other reviewers, but it would appear that Thomas B. Clark came as close as he could to calling me un-American because I didn't care for the jingoism that saturates this film. Well by golly, I guess it is now clear that this film must be a litmus test of the patriotism of all Americans. If you hate it, you must be some sort of com-symp pinko --- it's off to the Russkies with ya.

Incidentally --- I would have refrained from socio-political commentary if only you had also --- I would gently remind you that the Indian Air Force is reported to have done very well against the USAF in exercises conducted in February this year, so maybe the USA really isn't the only one who can get the job done. I'd be willing to bet that the Israeli Air Force, to name just one, might be able to hold its own as well. Of course, maybe I am just whining again.

The argument also seems to be that critics (in addition to being part of the 5th Column) cannot endure a film that engages in make-believe. You can't be serious. Just because a film requires the viewer to suspend belief doesn't necessarily mean it has to suck. I enjoyed "Hellboy," "Men in Black," and "Alien," for example. None of these is remotely believable, but they are well-crafted films with decent performances from their respective casts. Likewise, films packed with explosions & mayhem can also have compelling storylines & characters --- "Master & Commander," for example. I guess I am guilty of expecting the makers of a movie --- even one that is "just fun," should give us more for our money than some paint-by-numbers hack job.

And that is exactly what this movie is, Thomas B. Clark. Contrary to what you claim, I hardly did any nit-picking on all the plot holes in the story, although other reviewers have gone over this movie's silly inconsistencies with a fine-toothed comb. My main complaint was that with the disengaged acting, the cardboard-cutout characters, and the painfully predictable storyline, all the movie really could rely on is lots of special effects & nifty explosions, which really on works on the big screen. The commercial success of this turkey has only encouraged Hollywood to even greater FX excess, to the point that filmmakers seem to think that if they throw enough CGI and special effects at you, they are not responsible for also giving you a decently-crafted movie with a plot & characters and stuff like that.

Hey, it's your money. I spent $1.50 at the budget theatre watching this and I guess I broke even. I pity the people who blew 7 or 8 dollars for this, but again, spend it on what you want. I learned my lesson sooner rather than later. Being the anti-American creep that I am, I just purchased a nice bottle of the 2000 Canon-la-Gaffeliere, which is the equivalent of about 10 viewings of "ID4"-type films, and I think I got the better end of the deal.

AWESOME!!!!
I absolutely love this movie because it's so much action packed fun where vicious aliens from outer space unleash destruction upon the earth's human population and now they must fight back and destroy the aliens before they destroy humanity. This is just so much fun. The special effects are top notch and the acting is great! I really loved the way the spaceships looked like as opposed to looking like flying dinner plates. Go and buy this movie 2day!

Aliens Ate Our Brains!
What else would explain the hit this banal tripe was? ... Read more

Description

Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players. ... Read more