Reviews (4)

pretty nice
this isn't a bad movie the fight choreography is very 70's style but with a heavyness to it, its still a good movie

Best of the BRUCEPLOITATION movies
I saw this movie first time round back in 1983 and it was the first and best bruce lee imatation movie.As I come from the United Kingdom the version I saw came under the title THE TIGER STRIKES AGAIN(a.k.a. THE LAST STRIKE),and when it was re-released seven years later it was heavily cut (i.e. the nunchacku scenes,due to the stupid censorship laws in the uk,which are now more lenient,we were forbidden to see this amazing weapon in action.) so I decided buy it from amazon and boy was I glad I did so.It is really a simple plot involving freindship,love,betrayal,rape,murder and revenge but if you look beyond the awful dubbing and not so brilliant acting then you really can be pulled into it mainly because of of it's top notch martial arts coreography,which has to be li's finest hour.Okay I know he's no bruce Lee,and there will never be another Bruce Lee,but when it comes to seeing other imatations like Bruce Le,Dragon Lee,Bronson Lee and Bruce Liang he outshines them all and was a good martial arts performer in his own right.If your a hardcore kung fu fan and looking for a good leealike movie then your search has ended because this is the best of the BRUCEPLOITATION movies ever.You wont be disapointed.

Fantastic
After a long show, there is nothing I like better than watching this tale of betrayal,romance etc. A film of historic importance.

ND

Not as good as I remember
Bruce Li was one of the better Bruce Lee imitators and this was one of his better efforts. However, even 20 yrs later, I could tell the current video version has scenes cut, and more incoherent editing under guise of "alternate ending." I'm glad I only rented it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

No records were kept, but historians believe more than 100,000 slaves tried to escape their bondage before the Emancipation Proclamation.Most of those who made it to the relative safety of the north--or the wilderness, when slavery still reigned in the north--had help in the form of the Underground Railroad.Whites, free blacks, and Native Americans offered aid and shelter, though the notion of the Railroad as a kind of conspiracy of freedom, organized from north to south, is deeply flawed.Alfre Woodard links together interviews with historians, contemporary photographs, drawings, and dramatic reenactments to show the terrors of slavery and the travails of escape, exploding many of our myths along the way. The economic and political motivations behind many white abolitionists' feelings are explored, and while ultimately it didn't matter to a slave reaching out for liberty why it was offered, we are forced to reevaluate the selfless image of many "conductors." Still, freedom is freedom, and the History Channel's Underground Railroad tells its story well, inspiring respect for the generations of men and women who fought silently for it. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Could be better
The underground railroad could have been portrayed better, not that this was bad, but there was some shoddy acting, aside from alfre woodard who I think is a solid actress, but a movie is not complete if the supporting actors aren't putting forth their best efforts. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This British television documentary covers a lot of familiar ground inthe life and times of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. But the old story isnonetheless compelling as told by numerous eyewitnesses to history. Organized chronologically, Through the Eyes of the World introduces a stream of bit players from Ali's Louisville childhood, his early training in the ring, further adventures at the Olympics, professional triumphs, prison, Africa, and not least his place in the hearts and imaginations of the American people.There are some oddball, but not uninteresting, choices for talking heads (Rod Steiger, Billy Connelly, Richard Harris). But nothing really detracts from the film's strong case for Ali's extraordinary evolution from magnificent clown to citizen of the world. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Thriller Boom in my Living Room
What an outstanding DVD (4.75 stars) -

I was really skeptical at first because the price was so low and I just thought this was going to be one of those cheap and poorly put together Muhammad Ali pieces. I put it on my Holiday Wish List and I figured 10 bucks is pretty cheap for a family member and it's a DVD I want to check out...Maaaan did I get lucky!

Lots of great, fun and rare footage. Some great interviews and thoughts and memories from some pretty interesting people and a hilarious story from Billy Crystal in the Special Features section (the only good thing about that section otherwise it's pretty lame)

Great for any Muhammad Ali fan! - The price for this DVD is absolutely outstanding!

Comprehensive documentary on The Greatest
Muhammad Ali was recently named the "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated magazine. "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World," which comes out on January 29th, tells the amazing story of this great athlete, political figure, and celebrity and you can easily see why Ali might have been chosen for this great honor. After all, he always knew he was "The Greatest" - something he claimed about himself from his earliest days of boxing.

"Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a documentary without a narrator. It basically is hundreds of short clips of interviews of everyone from childhood neighbors, former trainers, boxing opponents, friends, family, celebrities, etc. All of these are held together and made cohesive with clips from various sports and boxing historians. The number of voices making up the documentary, though, is really stunning! About the only one they didn't get a current interview from was Ali himself, but given that he suffers from Parkinson's disease now, that would probably have been fairly difficult.

As most people born before 1985 know, Ali was born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. His start in boxing came from his bicycle being stolen. He told his father that he was going to "woop" whoever it was when he found out who had stolen his bike. His father asked if he knew how to fight and Ali said no, so his father took him to the local boxing ring and thus was born one of the greatest if not THE greatest boxer ever. What he did in the ring was revolutionary for a heavyweight, as he danced around with the agility of a Barishnikov ducking and bobbing and getting in a punch here and there till he finally bested his opponents either by out and out knockout or by TKO. At least this was the case in his early days. This documentary covers all of his fights, and although there was only an average of 10 or 15 seconds of footage of each fight (save for his fight with Spinx where there is only a still image), at least there was footage of each and lots of commentary about each fight from various people.

Ali was great not only for what he did in the ring, of course, but for his behavior in the public eye. He was a showboater and braggadocio, of course, but he backed this up and was a gracious looser the few times this happened. Nevertheless, more importantly he was outspoken about his own political and moral beliefs. Most people know that he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and subscribed to many of the stances of that organization, at least initially. But what many don't know is that Ali was outspoken even before this. For example after coming back from winning the gold metal for boxing in the 1960 Olympics, he through his metal into the Ohio River to protest the racism that was still blatantly prevalent in his home town.

The documentary does not shy away from the controversial aspects of some of what made Ali a complex individual, although it definitely puts his flaws in a positive light, as if to make excuses for them. For example, although a wonderfully supportive father, Ali had 4 wives, and apparently quite a few affairs on top of this. While he divorced one wife apparently because she did not want to cover herself in the way that the Nation of Islam would have proposed (as well wanting to dance, smoke, etc.), Ali was seen escorting new girlfriends on trips while still married. The only family members actually interviewed were one his former wives and one of his daughters. Both are very favorable towards Ali, and his daughter actually says she's glad he was so prolific with relationships or she and all her brothers and sisters would not be around.

The documentary is almost two hours long, so has quite a bit of great footage. Universal presents it in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), and transfer is wonderful - at least as far as the modern interview clips go. Of course earlier footage of fights, interviews, etc. from the '60's and 70's are flawed, but there's not much that could have been done about these. The audio is almost primarily dialogue and so the 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundtrack really doesn't get a chance to show off, but the dialogue is crisp and clean for what its worth. One would not expect to see extras on a documentary, but Universal has provided a decent array of bonus material, although each one is fairly small in length. I actually preferred this after watching the 114-minute documentary! Included is a music video, stills of the artwork of Leroy Nieman who did live work during Ali's fights, additional interview outtakes, and a very short "featurette" which could have been simply inserted into the documentary itself without seeming out of place. Also there is an Ali Center Promo: The Ali Center is being built in downtown Louisville and will promote learning and striving for excellence in all areas for youth based on Ali's own life experiences. Finally, there is "Through the Eyes of the World" which has short clips from the "man-on-the-street" but also some boxing professionals on what Ali means to them. I would have liked somewhat longer clips for these as they were only about 10-20 seconds each, but there are so many (10 countries are represented), that having clips that were much more than a couple of minutes per country would probably have gotten a bit tiresome, especially after the fairly long documentary. All these extras and the documentary itself make a really good value for even the list price..., let alone for discounted copies!

Overall, "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a very comprehensive documentary. It tells a complete story of a great figure, both within sports and outside, from so many different perspectives, with so much old and newer footage, and with so many voices, that you can't help to come away from it feeling like you've really learned a great deal about Ali, and why he himself as well as so many other still consider him to be "The Greatest."

Loved it
This is the greatest Ali movie ever made. Period ... Read more

Reviews (8)

WHY GOD WHY???!
This isn't even interesting enough to be offensive. If this is the "male agenda" I keep hearing about in the media, maybe it's a good idea to perpetuate the cruel stereotypes of men so prevelant in the past 20 years or so. I can honestly say that as a male, my point of view is nothing like these guys'. When will words like "decency" or "dignity" or principles like "self-respect" begin to mean something to people again? In this age of fatherless/motherless children, AIDS, and other sex-related dangers it's hard to believe that anyone would worry him/herself with a contest to see how many people one can have sexual intercourse with; but then I guess some will never learn. Too bad for them, and for the rest of us who have to watch this garbage. Millions of dollars to make a movie, and this is what they come up with. The mind boggles. (...)

If you want to screw a lot of chicks, watch this movie.
After seeing this movie I put into action a lot of what the hero did. I got to sleep with 27 woman over the next 5 months, not incredible but still a lot of fun.

A disgrace.
I can't believe that someone actually made a movie about how many women a guy could sleep with and get away with it. This movie is absolutley awful, and it should be thrown off all of the video shelves. There is so much cussing that anyone should be embarassed to watch it. There is zero substance to this movie.

I loved the movie. It was very funny, and very exciting..
The movie "How to Be a Player is one of the funnies movies I have ever seen. I really enjoyed watching this movie. It was extremly funny. I laughed throughout the entire movie. If you have not seen this movie, you must!

hilarious
obviously most of the above reviews were from women...this great light hearted comedy cracked me up, Bill Bellamy was great - a well worth watch (when no women are around!) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mira Nair, the Indian director, scored an international art-house hit with her feature debut, Salaam Bombay!, a tale of life in the streets of seething urban India. Her next film was a surprising turnabout: Mississippi Masala is a cultural study and a love story set in the rural American south. The love story comes courtesy of Denzel Washington, as a rug cleaner, and Sarita Choudhury (from Nair's Kama Sutra), as the daughter of Indian immigrants running a small-time motel; both give fresh, charming performances. But Nair is equally interested in capturing the feelings of an exile's life, and Roshan Seth, the fine actor who played Nehru in Gandhi, superbly catches the hope and sorrow of dislocation. Although the issues are serious, Nair maintains a breezy, naturalistic approach, and the various ingredients of this masala blend into a rich, flavorful stew. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (3)

BT
I saw this movie and it was horrible, but the spell of the plot kept you watching no matter how much you wanted to turn. they have picked a perfect title for this movie because one glimpse of this flick, you are hooked. The movie, itself is only two stars,but the way they keep you in the movie gives it a five.

So horrible it's funny
I saw this movie late at night at a friend's house. Imagine every single stereotype about drugs you've ever heard wrapped up into a low-budget flick. This is that movie. It's so bad it's hillarious. The lingo is great, too. This movie has great kitsch value, and would be a great thing to watch while you're sitting around with your friends, smoking a blunt or drinking. It's definitely entertaining, but only because it's so bad.

So bad I can't stop watching.
Have you ever seen a movie so sorry that you actually get a kick out of watching it over and over? Well that's what you get with this one. There was no real plot and many of the sequences were so stupid they were almost unreal. How can the police buy drugs from a crack house, letting them know what's going on, yet they can't bust in until the exchange is made with the supplier? Ahhhh Hollywood. Dialogue? Forget it. Take away the F word and half the script is gone. Feminists would have a field day with the misogyny in this film, with scenes like Annie being raped, Melissa being pushed into a scalding shower naked and when BT takes advantage of a drug dazed Melissa. In spite of it I find myself watching it again and again for kicks, like video junk food. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A brilliant counter-history
Julien seeks to mine the archive of the Harlem Renaissance for what has been lost or forgotten, namely the role of gay black men--writers, visual artists, and singers--in official history. More than this, however, this film moves backward and forward in time, an homage to black gay men today and the dangers they face and have faced in U.S. history. The final coup of the film is that it is not about Langston Hughes but rather uses Hughes as an icon for the ineffability of identity itself--was Hughes gay or straight? Julien refuses to answer the question, refuses spectacle and surveillance as means of "spotting" identity. Julien's filmic language is also beautiful and subversive and he alters written texts, such as Bruce Nugent's Smoke, Lilies, and Jade (Nugent is now known as the first "out" African American writer) to fit his own political project. I have written an article on this film, 35 pages, forthcoming from VU University Press, Amsterdam, 2002, copyrighted, and think most reviews of the film are idiotic or simply do not understand the beauty and complexity of this very alternative film.

Looking For Langston? Look Elsewhere
This pretentious film reveals little about Langston Hughes, one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century. Instead the filmmaker seems more interested in parading around a cadre of gay men on screen for no apparent reason. The film doesn't even explore with any depth the alleged sexual proclivities of Mr. Hughes. However, hat's off to the cinematographer and the production designer -- the film looks great. They should get plenty of work by placing the film on their respective demo reels. Unfortunately, as a fully realized work, the material is woefully lacking. At least the gay-themed "Tongues Untied" by the late Marlon Riggs, was at times insightful and funny. If after reading this review, you still decide to purchase this video, you will not only still be looking for Langston, but you will also be looking for your money back.

ISAAC JULIEN SHINES THROUGH IN SUPERB FILMAKING
THIS FILM IS NOT A PORTRAYL OF LANGSTON HUGHES, IT REACHES TO ACHEIVE A COMMUNICATION BEYOND A SOUL INDIVIDUAL. IT CELEBRATES THE HARDSHIPS OF BEING BLACK, AND HOMOSEXUAL AS WELL. THIS FILM TRUELY ILLUSTRATES ONE MAN'S JOURNEY, BUT ALSO CONNECTS INTO THE LIVES OF OTHER GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS. THIS FILMS CELEBRATES THE JOYFUL LIFESTYLE WHICH COMES ONLY WHEN ONE TRUELY FINDS THEMSELVES AND IS COMFORTABLE EXPRESSING A TRUE MEANING OF LOVE. ISAAC IS A WONDERFUL AND WARM ARTIST. THANKS FOR THE GREAT TIIME AT ArtPace! HOPE THINGS ARE WELL. JK-23YRS OLD

Looking for and at Langston
Simply an excellent documentary. Whether one likes Langston's poetry or is interested in the Harlem Renaissance, this is a film well worth screening. Eqxuisititely shot and well-scripted, even if the Langston Estate did not approve, and with an elegantly postmodern twist to it, as the closing scene makes more than clear. Certainly, it is up to anyone's taste to decide if the visuals match the text, but surely the poetry chosen is unarguable and at least I found the narrative both informative and well done, especially given the limits of time and format, for - obviously - this is a documentary with definite artistic ambitions as well. But, in short, for anyone who likes Langston, this is a thing not a go without. A little black-and-white gem!

Erotic Creativity
The movie Looking for Langston by Issac Julien discusses the issue of homosexuality in an artistic light. It's artistic because it represents deviations from the norm;it shows gay men as confident in their sexuality through poems. It represents men as being objectified rather than women in conventional Hollywood film. It made the audience think like a gay male, that men are beautiful. It showed the gay male's club scene. How each night, a man goes out and admires other men's beauty. Even though much of the film was hard to understand because of the complex language and rhyme scheme, I got the basic idea. Apparently there is a paucity of monogamous gay males. This film portrays the Harlem Renisance of the 1920's, it is only when a techo song comes on that the film changes from black and white to color. The mood of the film changes as well from thoughtful/poetic to fun/real. As the film ends the club is being raided by the police, this shows how in society today, a homosexual male has to keep his sexuality hidden. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Mama Flora's Family
I have viewed many movies, Mama Flora's Family is truly one of the best I've seen in a long time. The movie displayed emotions that seem to have been forgotten in most families. Flora had a mission and set out to put her family where they needed to be no matter the cost. The Writer had to have been deeply inspired to write sure a epic movie. Thank You for presenting such a classic for good CLEAN Family Viewing.

A Great Movie
This Movie Has Queen Latifah and Cecily Tyson! Two Really Great Actress! This movie is about how Younger people don't know anything about there Family History! It made me cry! Right after I watched this I asked my Grandfather about His past and Experiences!

Excellent!!
The best drama of black American history ever!! It is about a black woman named Flora and about her troubled relationship with her family from 1895-1970. Flora and her family face life in the Jim Crow South, WWII, Civil Rights, Vietnam, and Black Panther eras. I personally was interested with Flora's mixed relationship with the white family who employs her. Mama Flora's Family promotes the important values of family and personal responsibility, which anyone can learn from. A must see!!

REMARKABLE!
I experienced this movie for the first time just today and I found it to be remarkable. A depiction of a true and tried black family at its finest and darkest hours. A MASTERPIECE!

Best Movie Of All time
First time I saw this film it made my cry, and still when I tune in to Hallmark and this movie is on, I cry even more, it has a facinating story and great actors as well, I think many people can see themselves in this situation. So thats why im highly recommending this movie to you guyes. I Just bought the movie, and im very anxious to getting it:D ... Read more

Reviews (3)

HORRID
Even as a fan of blaxploitation, this movie is about the worst that I have ever seen...period. Bernie Casey's performance is not bad, but you may have problems getting past his creepy appearance. Only for hard core camp fans only.

Good plot but could have been better
It's definatly worth watching but dont look for the greatest acting or special effects.

An excellent adaptation of the Jekyll and Hyde story
Bernie Casey gives a terroriffic performance as the Henry Pride/Mr. Hyde character. I saw this film a long time ago on a creature feature episode and was pleasantly surprised to find an excellent take on the famous horror story. I now own this film and highly recommend it. It is definitley one of the better blaxploitation horror films. ... Read more

Description

The story, sound, and soul of a nation come together in the most American of art forms: Jazz.Ken Burns, who riveted the nation with The Civil War and Baseball, celebrates the music's soaring achievements, from its origins in blues and ragtime through swing, bebop, and fusion.Six years in the making, this "soundbreaking" series blends 75 interviews, more than 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still photographs, and over 2,000 rare and archival film clips.The 10-part musical journey spotlights many of America's most original, creative--and tragic--figures, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. ... Read more

Reviews (118)

The Best Series on Jazz, Despite Its Flaws
I am a jazz musician, son of a jazz musician, am conservatory trained, and this series stands toe to toe with the best lectures by the best music historians and music theory experts I have studied with. If Ken Burns chose to follow a the pillars of jazz in depth rather than give ten minutes to every musician to come along in the past hundred years, we are better for it. If you want ten minutes on each musician, read liner notes. Mr. Burns series will be remembered precisely because it does go into such depth. Bird, Duke, Pops and Dizzie do not come clear to you without much study. We should be grateful for the fact that this series is anything but shallow. It is true to the art. If this series, because of such depth, asks more of viewers than they want to give, then let such viewers only seeking entertainment seek that. Americans, everything is not entertainment.

Jazz itself, from its outset and to this very day, asks more of you than any other music. A series about it should do no less.

This series is not perfect. Jazz is also imperfect. As Thelonius Monk said, there are no wrong notes. So are there no bad jazz documentaries, as long as they are unflinching, whole, and about the forces that shaped the music. This one is. It's only real flaw is that it is too in love with its own story and the music. That is entirely forgiveable.

If you have any interest in jazz, buy or rent this series and watch each one like a student, and learn in wonder at the extraordinary music brought to us by African Americans. It is one of the glories of American culture, and of the world, and we should join Ken Burns, his historians, critics and musicians in joyously celebrating the collective creation of the geniuses that graced our land in the past 100 years.

"History," "Documentary," "Theory of" are not in the title.
The negative reviews of this series assume that Burns is compiling a documentary, writing a historical survey, or undertaking some theoretical analysis of jazz. Burns is above all a biographer. His primary interest is in the life of a particular artist, solider, athlete, explorer, etc.: the overall trajectory of their lives--the choices they make, the risks they are or aren't willing to take, their sufferings in the face of prejudice, misunderstanding, and failure--and how the individual life fits within the larger social context. Hence his emphasis on annecdote, personal letter and photograph, character analysis, and why he has baseball players and actors and club owners as well as scholars and musicians commenting on these people. And why he traces the entire career of someone like Louis Armstrong or Billy Holiday, rather than devoting more time to contemporary muscians whose story it is still too young to be told. Everything else is secondary to this main concern, and to miss this focus is to miss the point of all Ken Burns' documentaries. To grasp it is to experience life within a wider, wiser, almost epic, context. The so-called jazz expert who is miffed over some apparent omission, or overemphasis, or seeming bias, is like the librarian who has all the books catalogued and all the facts at their fingertips but can't see that they might refer to something outside the four walls of their narrow expertise.

Provides a very useful orientation
Jazz is a relatively recent interest for me--maybe half a dozen years. I'd learned about scattered fragments of jazz, but never developed a systematic understanding, a clear orientation--though a couple of times I'd tried: I bought Gary Giddons' "Visions of Jazz," for instance, which is very good but just didn't capture my imagination.

Ken Burns' "Jazz" gave me what I've been wanting for years--a clear, evocative, comprehensive way into the genre as a whole.

Okay, it may not be the last word on the history of jazz. Yeah, some things really irritated me--like the slighting, mentioned by many, of Bill Evans, and the excessive excision of many white musicians to make the generally accurate point that jazz springs more from the experience of Black Americans. (Hint to Burns: You make your argument stronger by showing how apparently contrary data fit, not by leaving them out.) But over all, I found this a very helpful overview. And I enjoyed getting to know the biographies of, and the personal relations among, the players.

You won't likely get such an orientation from buying a few of the original CDs *instead* of the "Jazz" series. Few of us have the ears or training to discern what's taught in this series. You'd be highly unlikely to realize that, for instance, what was new with Be-Bop is improvising on the underlying chord changes rather than the melody. You'd really have to be perceptive and paying attention to notice what distinguishes Kansas City jazz from New Orleans jazz from New York jazz from West Coast jazz. And *no* album can place *itself* in history. For instance, you cannot learn from listening to an album featuring Coleman Hawkins-or Charlie Christian or Kenny Clarke--that *before* that album people played very differently. In short, you'd have to be far better trained musically and far more observant than most of us are, and listen to dozens (if not hundreds) of albums, to learn what this series teaches.

As I watched over a period of a couple of weeks, I bought several of the CDs that Burns produced to survey the music, and I found them very instructive. No, as listening experiences, they're not as good as some of the various albums on which the cuts originated. But that's not the point: They are very good ways to get an overview, to get oriented, to know where to go next.

After seeing this series and studying the accompanying CDs, when I go into the music store and start perusing the jazz disks, I find that I recognize a whole lot more and can surmise a whole lot better what's what and what would interest me. For instance, tonight I saw "From Spirituals to Swing," a three CD set of Carnegie Hall jazz concerts in 1938 and 1939. A month ago, the list of personnel would have meant near-nothing to me--I probably wouldn't have even known what I was looking at, and I doubt I would have looked at the thing for more than thirty seconds. Now, though, I studied and comprehended the personnel and got all excited--"This I gotta hear." So I bought it, and it's great.

Now, isn't that reason enough to recommend this series?

That the overall interpretive framework of the series may need correction is not a trenchant criticism, in my opinion. To get a comprehensive understanding of anything, you have to start with *some* systematic framework, which you can then modify, maybe even refute, as you encounter further data. Logically, the first such framework you acquire has to come from someone else, unless you are a genius of extremely wide learning.

No, Ken Burns' "Jazz" isn't the only guide to jazz you'll ever need--as others have noted, some of the omissions are glaring. But it's fine place to start.

If you really want to get a sense of jazz, this is an excellent investment, in my opinion. Yeah, it's pricey--but cheaper than, say, an adult education course on jazz appreciation at your local community college (if you include texts and other supporting material). And if you don't want to spend the money--well, you can hint real hard to your significant other that you'd like it for your birthday or Valentine or some such thing.

Postscript: I almost didn't buy this because of the characterization of Wynton Marsalis's role by several other reviewers here. I'd never much liked his music--it always seemed too cerebral, almost architectural, for my tastes--chilly, not very visceral. (That's just my personal taste--I also find most of Ella Fitzgerald--except her duo wok with Armstrong--a bit emotionally distant, unlike Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday or Carmen McRae or many others.)

I was skeptical about any documentary that made Marsalis the central story teller.

Well, two things: (1) He just isn't the central story teller here. He does not have anything approaching the majority of commentator air time. It is certainly true that he plays a role analogous to Shelby Foote's in "The Civil War"--he is a unifying presence, especially in the early going and toward the end. This is just good film making--to establish "characters" whose presence throughout helps give unity to the piece. (2) I really liked Wynton in this documentary. He came off as much earthier, more laid back, mischievous, funnier and more fun, than I ever would have imagined. And he is really quite illuminating, especially when he explains various musical concepts--like the "Big 4." (I went back and listened to "Thick in the South," thinking maybe I'd like his music more now. Nope. Still feels too thought-out, too chilly, to me. Oh, well.)

Could have been so much better
I guess it says something that I have gone back and watched Burns' "Civil War" documentary more than a dozen times since I first saw it, and have only watch "Jazz" once since the first time. The Civil War documentary certainly is rife with factual inaccuracies but by & large gets the essential story of the conflict right. "Jazz," on the other hand, treats its subject as though the last 40-50 years never happened. It is as though the Civil War documentary would have lingered over the years 1861-1863 incessantly, then sped through the last two years ("Oh yeah, there were a couple of battles, Atlanta burned, Lee surrendered, the war was over. The end." Something like that) as though they didn't matter.

As I found the documentary going into its umpteenth hour and we STILL weren't out of the 1930's yet, I had a bad feeling about where this was going. You would have thought that Louis Armstrong had been annointed as the Jazz Pope and he ruled over the world of jazz for 40 years. In his proper context, Armstrong is very important, but Burns seems positively fixated on him. He dwells on every facet of Armstrong's upbringing & early career. Unless he planned on making a 60-hour documentary, there was no way Burns could hope to do justice to the more recent history of the genre, and sure enough he basically hits the fast forward button once the be-bop era is coming to a close.

Personally, I cannot stand fushion jazz, but nonetheless some mention needs to made of a style that was dominant in jazz for almost as long as the swing style, for crying out loud. Also, relying almost exculsively on Wynton Marsalis (doing his best impression of a crochety old man on his front porch, railing at a world that has passed him by) really was not a good idea & imbues the entire documentary with a hopelessly retrograde flavor.

I watched it once, and came away disappointed. I watched it a second time, hoping that I could find more to appreciate, but only found that it continued to disappoint. I don't know if it merits any future viewings, and that is indeed a shame, because it is a subject that deserves better treatment than this.

Excellent for what it is
It's surprizing how vociferously some "snobs" condemn "Jazz" simply because it's not as comprehensive as they seem to think it should be. From reading these reviews you would think Ken Burns is a half-step above a holocaust-denier for not including Roland Kirk or Eric Dolphy. "Jazz" is a wonderful, inspiring and, yes, traditional look at the art form. Newcomers shouldn't be dissuaded because it's not as complete as it should be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Comedian Chris Rock is the leader of a middle-class rap act that wins fame and fortune after donning a prison persona. The title stands for Cell Block 4. Naturally, they are mistaken for the real thing by everyone but the incarcerated gangstas, who are none too happy at the theft of their identities. One of the better efforts from Saturday Night Live alumni, this "rapumentary" is a hip-hop hit. However, it is not up to the cutting humor of that granddaddy of all spoofs, This Is Spinal Tap?, as misogyny and meanness get in the way. It has an anything-goes mentality, so expect outrageously filthy lyrics and plenty of tasteless humor. Of note: Director Tamra Davis was also behind that wild 1992 road movie, Guncrazy. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (11)

MC Gusto Rules!
While on a hiatus from his long stint on Saturday Night Live, comedian Chris Rock took time to write and star in this film spoofing the world of gangster rap and hip hop. Directed by Tamra Davis ("Billy Madison"; "Half Baked"), "CB4" stars Chris Rock as Albert Brown, a young African-American guy living in Locash, California who dreams of making it big as a major rap star. With his friends, Euripides (Allen Payne of "Jason's Lyric") and Stabmaster Arson (Deezer D), Albert sets his sights on landing a contract with mega produced Trustus Jones.

However, trouble comes along when Gusto (played by Eddie Murphy's brother, Charlie Murphy), the owner of the most popular club is arrested in a drug transaction that Albert witnessed (Gusto believes he was an informer). With Gusto out for revenge on Albert, Albert decides to take advantage of Gusto's name and personality and create the biggest, baddest rap group of all time-- CB4 (short for Cell Block 4).

Throughout the film, the band faces challenges to their freedom of speech, problems in their love lives, band disunity, and a reconnection with their African roots. With a variety of jokes primarily targeted for urban minorities, CB4 will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

Also starring in the film is the late Phil Hartman who plays a California conservative politician bent on destroying CB4. Khandi Alexander (television's "Talk Radio," which also had Hartman as a cast member) is hysterical as the hip hop groupie Sissy who is a "businesswoman" due to her get rich scheme of capturing rap stars in embarrassing Polaroid shots and blackmailing them.

Chris Rock has sure come a long way from his days on Saturday Night Live. "CB4" was his first starring role, and after watching this film you'll see why he is one of the funniest comics alive today. "CB4" is to rap music as "This is Spinal Tap" was to rock. It's funny to the last minute.

M.C. Gusto Rules!
While on a hiatus from his long stint on Saturday Night Live, comedian Chris Rock took time to write and star in this film spoofing the world of gangster rap and hip hop. Directed by Tamra Davis ("Billy Madison"; "Half Baked"), "CB4" stars Chris Rock as Albert Brown, a young African-American guy living in Locash, California who dreams of making it big as a major rap star. With his friends, Euripides (Allen Payne of "Jason's Lyric") and Stabmaster Arson (Deezer D), Albert sets his sights on landing a contract with mega produced Trustus Jones.

However, trouble comes along when Gusto (played by Eddie Murphy's brother, Charlie Murphy), the owner of the most popular club is arrested in a drug transaction that Albert witnessed (Gusto believes he was an informer). With Gusto out for revenge on Albert, Albert decides to take advantage of Gusto's name and personality and create the biggest, baddest rap group of all time-- CB4 (short for Cell Block 4).

Throughout the film, the band faces challenges to their freedom of speech, problems in their love lives, band disunity, and a reconnection with their African roots. With a variety of jokes primarily targeted for urban minorities, CB4 will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

Also starring in the film is the late Phil Hartman who plays a California conservative politician bent on destroying CB4. Khandi Alexander (television's "Talk Radio," which also had Hartman as a cast member) is hysterical as the hip hop groupie Sissy who is a "businesswoman" due to her get rich scheme of capturing rap stars in embarrassing Polaroid shots and blackmailing them.

Chris Rock has sure come a long way from his days on Saturday Night Live. "CB4" was his first starring role, and after watching this film you'll see why he is one of the funniest comics alive today. "CB4" is to rap music as "This is Spinal Tap" was to rock. It's funny to the last minute.

Funny......
I'm usually not a big fan of most SNL comedians movies, this one kept me laughing. A few middle-class black young men who dreams of making it big. Pulls off becoming famous as portraying thugs turned rappers. Good movie!

one of the funniest spoofs
OMG this movie is soooooo dammmmmm funny, If you wanna see something that will make you roll on the floor, then this is a must. One of Chris Rocks best performances, plus the sound track is funny. Another movie to check out is FEAR OF A BLACK HAT.

Fine Spoof of a deserving target
The crudity and ignorance of so-called "gangsta rap" is such a self-caricature that it would almost seem redundant to spoof the genre, but Chris Rock and co. effectvely manage to do this with success. The "LoCash Crew's" foolishness and stupidity could easily be mistaken for a real rap documentary. However, I really liked the scene here Chris Rock's father lays down the law about this mockery of ghetto life, which really is not funny at all. I wish some real rappers (some who appeared in this film) would have gotten the point!! The late Eazy (Eric Wright) E, who deserves the blame for inventing this garbage-filled genre and whom this film is largely based on, appears in a cameo. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Surprisingly Good Action Film From the Chef in "South Park"
Issac Hayes carrying the whole weight of an action film alone? A film starring HIM??? At first I thought it's ridiculous. Well, he is a great singer, but .... Then I watched this film, and twice, and am convinced. He should do that more!! Yes, I acknowledge he cannot act like DeNiro or Pacino, and the story of his love interest is as convincing as love between Josh, Ben, and Kate in "Pearl Harbor." But given a right material like this, his towering physical presence makes up for anything single-handedly.

Truck Turner is an ex-football player, and now a bounty-hunter. With his partner Jerry, nothing can stop them. Nothing. If you are disliked by him, pray it ends soon -- because his huge fists are flying to you right in the face! But one day his botched job getting a guy named Gator leads to his being THE most wanted man for the gangsters. They attack him, his office, and his room even, but now it's Turner's turn to pay back!!!

Frankly, the film is too violent, and one scene made me cry "Oh, PLEASE! DON'T HANG THAT!" But Hayes is well-cast and credible as a no-nonsense bounty-hunter, and actions are good. But the most memorable is Nichelle Nichols's "madam," whose foul-mouthed acting completely shatters the good old memory of "Star Trek" fans. (Where did our Uhula go? Or, is this what she really wanted to do?) Another impressive point is director Jonathan Kaplan, who sometimes gives strong emphasis to darker nuance of his direction (maybe overdirection, some say) later seen in his Jodie Foster film "The Accused." The fate of Yaphet Kotto is captured in a very bleak way, which reminds us of Christopher Walken in a very violent noir "The King of New York."

Though I don't share the enthsiastic praise of other reviewers, "Truck Turner" is a great action film, which is raised higher one notch above than average blaxploitaion films. If there should be a sub-genre like "bounty-hunter movies," this comes to the top alongside with more comical "Midnight Run."

If you don't know the details of bounty-hunting and bailbonding, you may not enjoy the film fully. In that case, you might as well see Trantino's "Jackie Brown," in which another icon Pam Grier showcases her great talent as the title heroine.

One of the best action movies ever made
Here's a screenplay that should be studied in film school. Seriously. It starts out with a bang and holds your interest for a slammin' first act. Then, just when you're sayin' to yourself, "OK, this is fun, but where the hell is it going?" the movie makes a 180-degree turn at the 30-minute mark and totally peels out into something you've never seen before. One of the few instances where 3 writers on an action movie is actually a GOOD thing (especially since one of them is Michael Allin, who wrote ENTER THE DRAGON, and another is Oscar Williams, who gave us THE FINAL COMEDOWN and BLACK BELT JONES). Brilliantly directed by Jonathan Kaplan. Solid supporting performances from Alan Weeks, Nichelle Nichols, Dick Miller, Stan Shaw, Stymie Beard from the Little Rascals, and especially Sam Laws, who always turns up as a character named "Dinwiddie" in Kaplan's early films (see also THE STUDENT TEACHERS, THE SLAMS, and WHITE LINE FEVER). Special mention should also go to Yaphet Kotto, who one year earlier had claimed that his role in LIVE AND LET DIE was racist, but apparently thought nothing of collecting a paycheck here by playing a murderous pimp (or, even worse, two years later in DRUM, where he portrayed a slave who is stripped nude, hung upside down, and asswhipped to a bloody pulp). Also, you gotta love any movie featuring an Italian hitman named "Joe Dante" (Kaplan and future GREMLINS director Joe Dante were both working for Roger Corman at the time this movie was produced. I think WHITE LINE FEVER also features a character named Joe Dante). Last but not least, the score by Isaac Hayes is amazing. If you can find the double-CD (paired with his equally great THREE TOUGH GUYS soundtrack), grab it! I play it all the time, and it's always being sampled by hip hop performers. Definitely check this sucker out.

Very Happening Film
Isaac Hayes is Bad in this Film.it's not alot of Musical Artists that can Play&Act but Isaac Hayes pulls it off.alot of Action,Drama&Laughs in this Film.I Got it about a Year ago.The Music is Slamming as well.A Double Winner here.

"Truck" Turns em' out, Dig it!
Isaac Hayes plays an ex football star turned bounty hunter named Mac "Truck" Turner. After he and his partner kill a violent pimp named "Gator", all the pimps get together and a contract is put out on Truck by none other than Gator's woman (Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols). When all the little fish fail to kill Truck, the biggest pimp of them all, Harvard Blue (Homicide's Yaphet Kotto) makes an offer to have it done but for a big price. Does he succeed? What do you think?

Truck Turner is a great part of the blaxploitation genre and of action films in general. Isaac Hayes makes a great action hero and I wish he had made more films like this. Isaac also provides for one of the funkiest soundtracks ever, maybe better than Shaft. The film is exciting from beginning to end and Truck finds time to romance his lady and to make some jokes in between. One of the funny scenes include when Truck and his partner go to pick up a prisoner from a military base and they have to break through the check point. When the security guards start shooting at Trucks car, he hopes they shoot his left tire out because he needs a new one real bad. Guess what, not only do they shoot the left tire out but they have to put the new one on for him! The rest of the time you will be laughing when you hear all the words that Nichelle Nichols has learned since Star Trek!

IKE BRINGS THE THUNDER IN THIS FLICK!!
Truck Turner caught me off guard, I thought I was in for just another Shaft/Super Fly type of movie but man was I mistaken! Good action, seasoned actors and a good plot along with Isaac's commanding performance makes this an awesome flick! I highly recommend the sound track also, can u dig it? ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Kultur, this time you missed it!
If you are interested in the (ever fashionable) approach to Jazz, via the contemporary interpretation of the social environment in which the Jazz artists created, then there is a good chance you may like this DVD.

However, if real footage is what you are after, this DVD may well disappoint you too. In this latter case I strongly suggest you spend your money on "The Ladies Sing the Blues" DVD.

Being interested in a combination of real footage and adept commentary I got disappointed on both ends. In the whole DVD, there are at most three incomplete songs where Lady Day actually sings, yet there are a few too many (poor taste) instances when her voiced dubs some disconnected Jazz players/dancers. As well, in addition to some general socio-historical vignettes, I found the commentary to be just a suite of encomiums with no critical side to it.

SO INFLUENTIAL!!!!
This Billie Holiday album was like a ray of light to me when I first listened to it! It's so inspiring! You can see why so many artists of today are influenced by it! The music really took me to the borderline. I thank my lucky star that this album came along.

If Your A Fan......
Billie Holiday is a figure of her time and this movie just about justifies that statment. Although the footage isent anything out of the ordinary...including 'Strange Fruit', the infamous 'Fine annd Mellow' and a personal favorite 'Please Don't Talk About me When I'm gone'. She shows no real emotion during these short performances, but you can tell what she is thinking and feeling, during them.

Excellent quality of the footages.....the conersations with the , also late great, Carmen McRae are fun to watch too. I WOULD DEFINATLEY get this DVD/VIDEO if I were you. Im only 15, I LOVE THIS MUSIC---and this women. Enjoy! Highly Recommended. (Now there are movies on Lady Day and Ella Fitzgerald....WHERE'S THE VIDEO ON DINAH WASHINGTON????) =)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
As an avid Billie Holiday fan, I can honestly say that this video is WONDERFUL! I was very happy to see the rare footage throughout her career. It really brought tears to my eyes watching her living out all the emotions she was going through in her songs. She was an incredibly talented woman who was very much ahead of her time. I recommend this video to her fans because this is a real treat, it is just too good for words.

Lady Day Revealed
I had bought this video a few years back, and I must say that I was so glad that FINALLY they revealed this wonderful performer.

To see this video brings Billie Holiday to life -- her brassiness, her vulnerability, her talents and her tragedy. It was a loss to the jazz world.

I highly recommend adding this video to you collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

John Singleton, at the age of 23, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his debut film, Boyz N the Hood. The film stars Laurence Fishburne, Angela Basset, Ice Cube, and Academy Award-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. in his first starring role in a feature film. Gooding plays Tre Styles, a teenager growing up in South Central Los Angeles. His father, Furious (Fishburne), is divorced and living away from Tre and his mother (Basset), but he's still involved in Tre's upbringing, teaching him the values of right and wrong and responsibility. Meanwhile, Tre's childhood buddies Ricky (Morris Chestnut) and Doughboy (Ice Cube) are living their lives in terms of the epidemic of violence and poverty that has plagued their neighborhood. Ricky, a talented football player, strives to get a full athletic scholarship to college. If only his SAT scores were higher. Doughboy lives a life full of crime but still remains true to his friends. The obstacles that these three young men come across result in dire consequences, devastatingly avoidable and inevitable at the same time. Boyz N the Hood is a landmark film beyond its commercial success, presenting a portrait of South Central in the late '80s and early '90s as painted by Singleton (who grew up in that neighborhood), achieving accuracy and dramatic resonance in this story of at-risk youth. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wow.
Another movie in which Calvin Lockhart is momentarily shirt-less. A hundred, thousand, million stars!

Cotton Comes to Harlem
a little slow in delived but an excellent movie.

I thought it was a funny movie!
I am a huge fan of blaxploitation movies of the 1970s. I thought it was really funny, especially in the beginning of the movie. This is the kind of movie that you can't take very seriously because a lot of it is cliche. Calvin Lockhart's character (Rev. Deke O'Malley) is conniving, but irresistable. You will enjoy this DVD!

Two Words: Judy Pace!
Seeing Judy Pace in this movie is worth the price of admission alone! The movie itself has an interesting storyline and it does bounce around a little but is definately entertaining. This movie isn't as cliche as many of the other films in this genre. There are some good chase scenes and it was interesting to see Redd Foxx pre 'Sanford and Son'. I would consider this one of the most important movies of the blaxploitation genre.

One of the Best Films of the Day, That Set the 70s STYLE
"Cotton Comes to Harlem" is a solid, funny, and most of all, cool movie which was, besides "Shaft" and "Coffy," to set the trend of the black movies of the 70s. Look how Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques walk and talk, and you'll know the meaning of "style."

Based on Chester Himes's novel, the film follows the two super-cool cops who suspect that Rev. O'Malley's "Back to Africa" campaign (minimun entry 100 dallors needed) is a fraud to steal money from people living in Harlem. But things get complicated when, during the rally, the organization is attacked by masked gangsters who took the money of $87,000, and that was done under the nose of the very cops. Determined to nail the criminal, and possibly the preacher himself, the detective Gravediffer & Coffin start their investigation, and do it in their own fashion.

The film keeps the fast pace with a tightly knit web of characters including Reverend's beautiful wife Iris. But most charming part of the film remains the same today: its being funny and smart. In fact, you will see among violent actions suddenly unexpected humor. The best thing of the film is, in my book, the car chase scene that include "the cemetary chase" and "a flying guy." The film also ends with a showdown in the Apollo Theater (though I don't know whether the inside scene of it was really shot there) And the real Harlem locale of the 70s, which helps to create the authentic atomospher, would be someday a precious record of the New York City.

In short, this is a film Quentin Tarantino with his known flair for characters and story might have shot 30 years ago. Some part of the film look, I admit, dated today when you see women's parts are little better than secondary, just catering obligatory sex scenes. Still, those scenes have been given slight touch of humor, that might almost compensate for the lack of the screen goddess like Pam Grier. Buy this one, along with "Coffy" and "Shaft" and perhaps "Across the 110th Street." That makes a quick course of learning what the blaxploitation films are all about.

Those two main charaters are to reappear in "Come Back Charlston Blues," which is, unfortunately, not as good as this one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best Michael Jordan videos out there
If you're a Michael Jordan fan, this is definitely one video you can't miss. It covers everything from Jordan's journey to winning his first three championships all the way to when he made his comeback to the game of basketball. The best thing about "Above & Beyond" is that it also has everything in between. It tells of all the struggles and triumphs he had after winning his third championship such as when his father died and the good things that happened while he was playing minor league baseball.

Finally, if you're like me and you like basketball highlights the best, it has more than enough of them. The video has highlights from Jordan's all-star games, championships, slam dunk contests, and much more. All the while, Jordan is narrating most of the video and some of the other best known players from the NBA such as Charles Barkley also give their insights about Michael Jordan. Bottom line is if you're a Michael Jordan fan, this is one of the best, if not the best, overall videos that your money could buy. However, it's good for a lot more than highlights. If you've ever wondered why Michael Jordan quit basketball in the first place, what he thought of Magic Johnson's short comeback, or how he liked playing baseball, Jordan himself will tell you about it.

Well worth it !
Watched it over 6 times already! It documents his first 3-peat, his father's death followed by his baseball period. Most importantly, it shows what it took for Jordan to regain is prominence in the game again - sheer hard work and practice. Truly a lesson in life for anyone - the video's worth it.

My Review on the video, Michael Jordan above and beyond.
The video was good and action packed. The music was good at times. Good highlights. The video good have been longer but was only 50 minutes. The video covers mostly 1991-1995. Shows some clips from 1988-1990. Covers M.J's Father's death. It is a good movie.

This video summarizes the retirement and comeback of Jordan
Excellent coverage! This video covers the years leading up to, including, and after the retirement of the World's greatest basketball player, Michael Jordan. Behind-the-scenes footage never before seen, and tremendous highlight reels. A must for a Michael Jordan fan! ... Read more

Description

From Mahalia Jackson to Aretha Franklin to Shirley Caesar, these performances offer a fascinating look into the origins of gospel music. Vintage recordings and modern performances highlight this song-filled history of an American art form. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful History of Gospel Music
This wonderful collaborative of the history and song of gospel music was exhilirating. The slaves wrote so much of this music to find their hope and their relationship with God. From Thomas Dorsey to Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin and so many other wonderful gospel singers, you will feel yourself wanting more and more of this video. I was dissapointed when it ended! You won't be sorry to have this in your collection as it is a video you can watch over and over. I borrowed it from my local library and now I plan on purchasing it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid 70's Action Flick
Big, brawny Jim Brown makes a convincing hero in this two-fisted, jive-talking blaxploitation thriller. The story moves with great speed and plenty of tough action as Brown hunts for the slayers of his parents and encounters a nest of racist gangsters.
Everything about this flick is a notch above the average blaxploitation flick of its era. The direction is tight, the cinematography inventive and slick, and the performances are hammy without going too far. A very young and very weaselly Rip Torn does a fine job as the pinched, hateful villain who really gets what he deserves. Indeed, all the villains go down hard in this movie, which builds to a climactic conflict with a body count like a Spaghetti Western's.
Mention must be made of Stella Stevens, who has a number of short, but memorable, nude scenes. Not to mince words- she's so fine that virtually any man watching will likely gape at the screen in awe.
Superior entertainment for blaxploitation fans and anyone who likes a rip-snorting action movie.

Fairly Good Action & Answer to Shaft; Jim Brown Is Slaughter
So, MGM hit the goldmine with Richard Roundtree's "Shaft," so why not other companies? Samuel Arkoff's AIP (American Internationa Picture), known for many exploitation films (a kind of films you might have seen at local drive-in theaters back in the 50s and 60s), gave an answer to John Shaft. Yes, it's Slaughter, ex-Green Beret who takes the law in his hand for revenge. And Jim Brown, former American football player, and previously seen in films like "The Dirty Dozen" was chosen. Very Good casting, as it turns out.

Plus Brown (later seen in Tim Burton's "Mars Attack!"), we have a good supporting cast, namely Rip Torn and Stella Stevens. It was too good, I guess. Anyway, with the presence of them, "Slaughter" is barely raised above from other average blaxploitation films, some people say...

Interesting thing is, the film's supporting cast almost all consists of white actors. As a result, the atomosphere of the film is different from that of other blaxploitation films like "Coffy" and "Shaft," and you may be disappointed because of that. However, the good pace of the film (thanks to the director Jack Starret's deft hand) will keep you interested. In my book, "Slaughter" is a better-than-average action film. Oh, and there are nudity, which is No. 1 rule of this genre, including that of Stella Stevens (original "The Nutty Professor" and others). Is this misjudge on her side when choosing projects? Probably. (She again shows up in blaxploitation film, the sequel of Warner Brother's "Cleopatra Jones.") But I am happy with her appearance, I confess.

On top of her participation, there is a rousing title song by Billy Preston, whose electoric keyboard with his trademark howling sound can be heard. Probably "Slaughter" should be rated as an average three-star movie. Well, his song, however, is another virtue of the film, and with this and Ms. Stevens, one notch up. Yeah, I like this film. ... Read more