Manual Movie Reviews

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Family movie reviews for "Manual" sorted by average review score:
Flight of the Innocent
Released in DVD by M G M, Inc (01 July, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Carlo Carlei
An unusual mix of lyrical filmmaking in golden hues and gauzy images with shocking, brutal violence, Flight of the Innocent gives a kid's-eye view of a war among crime families in Southern Italy. Resourceful schoolboy Vito (Manuel Colao), the youngest son in a mob family of kidnappers, is the sole survivor of a massacre that lays waste to his entire rural household. He flees to Rome to find his cousin, while a vicious scar-faced killer (Federico Pacifici) is on his trail, haunted by the face of his family's latest victim, a boy no older than he. Though clever and patient, Vito remains a boy whose innocence is threatened by the corruption around him, his world shattered by murder, fear, and the guilt over his family's crimes, which he attempts to atone for in a personal act of penitence. It's a startlingly beautiful film filled with poetic images and a sense of wonder constantly shattered by violence, a beautiful visual irony that tends to overwhelm the more difficult conflicts of the narrative and may ultimately splinter the film's potential audience. The lyrical delicacy of the film hardly fits the he-man attitude of most action cinema, and the explosive, brutal violence will likely turn away much of its art-house audience. --Sean Axmaker
Average review score:

Mediocre
Little boy witnesses his entire family gunned down in a small Italian village. He must flee from pursuers and police to save his life, and any chance of creating a family of his own. This film attempts to blend foreign sensitivity with American, "Peckinpah" violence. Although the pacing of this film is enthralling, it fails to create enough tension to keep the viewer interested. Although it may be recognized as an achievement in Europe, it fails to deliver the potent suspenseful moments promised.

Moving, lyrical film
This is the rarest of films -- action and violence are present, certainly -- yet, due to the vulnerability of the protagonist, a young boy, the viewer is "brought into" the film in a way that is impossible with the macho, untouchable action heroes that frequently litter such films. The tension and suspense is offset by a lyricism also not present in most "action" films. Ultimately, this is a beautiful, life-affirming film wrapped up in the guise of an action film. A unique film -- don't miss it.

An auspicious debut!
This film has suspense, beautiful cinematography, a haunting score and a real sense of style on the part of it's first time director. Well worth taking a look at!

Down from the Mountain / Buena Vista Social Club
Released in DVD by Artisan (Fox Video) (22 October, 2002)
MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Director: Wim Wenders
Starring: Ibrahim Ferrer and Rubén González (VII)
Down from the Mountain
If you love the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, and Nick Doob's exhilarating concert film Down from the Mountain will be sheer heaven. And if you're new to bluegrass and "old-time mountain-style" music, the performances will be a revelation. John Hartford, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, the Cox family, the venerable Ralph Stanley, and other traditional and alt-country artists who contributed the music to the Coen brothers' spaced odyssey gathered onstage in May 2000 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame. Interviews and rehearsal footage set the stage for this stupendous concert, highlights of which include "(Didn't Leave) Nobody but the Baby" by the sirens Harris, Welch, and Krauss; the Coxes' "(Will There Be) Any Stars in My Crown"; and Stanley's haunting "O Death." As one performer recommends, "Just ease in, sit down, and listen." It could be your salvation. --Donald Liebenson

Buena Vista Social Club
In 1996, composer, producer, and guitar legend Ry Cooder entered Egrem Studios in Havana with the forgotten greats of Cuban music, many of them in their 60s and 70s, some of them long since retired. The resulting album, Buena Vista Social Club, became a Grammy-winning international bestseller. When Cooder returned to Havana in 1998 to record a solo album by 72-year-old vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer, filmmaker Wim Wenders was on hand to document the occasion. Wenders splits the film between portraits of the performers, who tell their stories directly to the camera as they wander the streets and neighborhoods of Havana, and a celebration of the music heard in performance scenes in the studio, in their first concert in Amsterdam, and in their second and final concert at Carnegie Hall. The songs are too often cut short in this fashion, but Buena Vista Social Club is not a concert film. Wenders weaves the artist biographies with a glimpse of modern Cuba remembering its past, capturing a lost culture in music that is suddenly, unexpectedly revived for audiences in Havana and around the world. It's a loving portrait of a master class in Cuban music, with a vital cast of aging performers whose energy and passion belie their years. --Sean Axmaker

Average review score:

Poor Camera and Audio work Diminishes Documentary
Unfortunately, the filmmakers failed to follow a few cardinal rules: #1- Don't move the camera incessantly unless absolutely necessary. #2- Don't zoom in and out on a subject. #3- Audio is what often keeps people watching a film; therefore, audio quality is very very important.

I love the CD, I am a big fan of the music and even play it, yet the over-use of the StediCam (a camera mounting device that allows for smooth, steady camera operation of a hand-held camera) is at times dizzying.

Lastly, at times they pay little attention to the music. Some of the scenes (such as the piano player with the ballet class) are contrived. One can only imagine what it was like to be interviewed as the camera person circled you endlessly.

I am so disappointed by this DVD that all I can say is buy the CD and forget this film was ever made. The only reason I don't give it a "1" is because that's unfair. My criticisms are stylistic; however, they do render the film difficult to near impossible to watch.

lo mejor de lo mejor
es una fina muestra de la incomparable musica cubana, a la que la mayoria de nosotros no tenemos acceso. este es una obra maetra de la musica universal, contemporaneadelicada y deliciosa. musicalmente tiene ritmo, cadencia, cuerpo y melodia. si te gusta la buena musica, este dvd es un deber.

Dr. Orloff's Monster
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (15 January, 2002)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Jesus Franco
Average review score:

Flesh and the Robot
I saw this originally in a Spanish-language version called "The Mistresses of Dr. Jekyll" and was not very impressed. But the longer, French-language version presented by Image is definitely an improvement.

The introductory material here helps to better explain the relationships between Jekyll, his wife, and his brother. The Spanish version deletes most of the female nudity, but since the murder victims are usually nude or near-nude when the robot killer strikes, that makes the murder scenes pretty hard to follow. Fortunately, that is not a problem with the French edition.

"Dr. Orloff's Monster" is not a great classic of the horror genre, but it is an entertaining excursion in the European Gothic mode, and worth a look. The print used by Image for the DVD is quite good.

Dr. Orloff's Monster
The story to this Franco film is interesting, but at the same time weak. Just why is Dr. Jekyll/Fisherman killing these women? Revenge against female kind? Visually the movie is great with atmospheric b&w photography. Nice bit parts abound in the film: the rude police inspector, the boxer/pimp, Franco as the pianist, the Spanish nightclub singer. But Dr. Jekyll is just too self pitying to generate fear. The print has a some scratches here and there but overall looks fine. The sound has crackles and a little hiss, but this doesn't make anything inaudible. Two trailers and some "deleted/alternate" footage is included. The "alternate/deleted" footage being unused takes of the first two murders. It points out how economical Franco is with what he shoots, no goofs, mistakes, every take is almost identical. Another great edition to your Franco collection!

Nadie Conoce a Nadie
Released in DVD by Venevision Intl (19 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Mateo Gil
Average review score:

Good Spanish Thriller, Marred by Lackluster DVD
The superhandsome Eduardo Noriega, who improbably looks like a combination of Peter Gallagher and Benicio Del Toro, stars as a crossword-puzzle writer for a newspaper in Sevill, Spain, depressed over his own perceived mediocrity as a novelist. One day he receives a cryptic message in his answering machine that the next crossword puzzle he is supposed to run in the paper must include the word gadversario.h Meanwhile, Sevill preparing for a citywide parade for the Holy Week is struck by a series of bizarre murders of the clergy, which eventually escalate into full-blown terrorism.

I sort of hoped that it would be a cerebral whodunit, maybe a little like MEMENTO, but it rather disappointingly turned into a Hitchcockian gwrongly accusedh thriller, with showy special effects thrown in. It is slickly made, for sure, and is never boring, but it somewhat falls short of the level of artistry displayed by Alejandro Amanebar or Guillermo Del Toro. Still, it will be a pleasant diversion to those looking for a good thriller with exotic locales and beautiful women.

And I am sure we will see the North American cult of Eduardo Noriega develop soon. This guy's got charisma! FYI, he also stars in Guillermo Del Toro's DEVIL'S BACKBONE and Alejandro Amanebar's ABRE LOS OJOS (OPEN YOUR EYES, badly remade as VANILLA SKY) and TESIS, all available in Region 1 DVDs.

I think I would have enjoyed the film more if DVD presentation was a little better. At least on my players, the transfer looked rather dupy, as if cribbed from an old VHS. The colors were seriously muted, details were fuzzy. The audio was even worse, full of cracks and hiss.

Lost a star due to being entertainment, not art
But what entertainment!!!

"Hollywood" apparently finds it hard even to just make pure entertainment like the studios used to be able to. Spain is making the best thrillers these days. These are films that don't insult the intelligence. So maybe they don't all have the depth of an Abre los Ojos. They're fun. Nadie Conoce a Nadie is fun.

The American studios (or most "independent" film makers for that matter) seem to be unable to release films that don't make you cringe in embarrasment sitting there.

You could do a lot worse than devoting a little time to this entertaining thriller.

The scenery is spectacular; the acting is good, if not Royal Shakespeare Company level. Eduardo Noreiga could easily be another pretty boy actor, getting by on his looks. In comparison with the average in Spain, maybe he IS another pretty boy actor getting by on his looks. The bar is just set higher. Compare Noriega's performance in Abre los Ojos with Tom Cruise' in the remake Vanilla Sky.

Or don't. This isn't life or death.

The Old Man and the Sea
Released in DVD by Wellspring Media, In (22 October, 2002)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Jud Taylor
It takes courage for any actor to fill shoes previously worn by Spencer Tracy, but no one could accuse fellow two-time Oscar® winner Anthony Quinn of cowardice. It was, in fact, a longtime goal of the Mexican-born actor to take on the role of Ernest Hemingway's luckless fisherman Santiago. It would be churlish to suggest that he bests Tracy (who received an Oscar nod for his performance), but there's little doubt that Quinn, in his 70s at the time (Tracy was in his 50s in 1958), looks and sounds more right for the part. This 1990 telefilm is also a family affair as Quinn's daughter, Valentina, portrays Santiago's concerned daughter and his son, Francesco, portrays the Cuban as a scrappy young man. Gary Cole and Patricia Clarkson provide strong support as an American couple who take inspiration from Santiago's quest to catch just one fish after an 84-day dry spell. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Average review score:

The film is better, really!
In my opinion, the film perhaps of its release date in 1963 is not at least standard for what I expect from a movie, but if you've read the book from Ernest Hemmingway it's pretty interesting watching the shark attacks, the big fish, the man and the boy and other events or protagonists of the whole story.

The visualisation makes the boring story a bit more exciting and the new elements that are implemented like the author Hemmingway itself and other persons not mentioned so directly in the novella surprise everybody who read the book at first in a positive way.

Once one said to me that a film as a visualisation of a novella could never as good as the written form. "The Old Man and the Sea" proves the contrary opinion because this movie simply is better than the original book.

Nevertheless also a good visual form cannot hide a weak story. For whose who have read the novella with pleasure or do like the great actor Anthony Quinn I can recommend the movie version.

Everyone else who don't like calm stories with philosophical background should take another video tape or DVD like "A Land Before Time" or "Predator"!

Great Remake!!
This film is a great remake of the former Spencer Tracey Film.Anthony Quinn Rules!!

The Old Man and the Sea
Released in DVD by Media Blasters (29 January, 2002)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Jud Taylor
It takes courage for any actor to fill shoes previously worn by Spencer Tracy, but no one could accuse fellow two-time Oscar® winner Anthony Quinn of cowardice. It was, in fact, a longtime goal of the Mexican-born actor to take on the role of Ernest Hemingway's luckless fisherman Santiago. It would be churlish to suggest that he bests Tracy (who received an Oscar nod for his performance), but there's little doubt that Quinn, in his 70s at the time (Tracy was in his 50s in 1958), looks and sounds more right for the part. This 1990 telefilm is also a family affair as Quinn's daughter, Valentina, portrays Santiago's concerned daughter and his son, Francesco, portrays the Cuban as a scrappy young man. Gary Cole and Patricia Clarkson provide strong support as an American couple who take inspiration from Santiago's quest to catch just one fish after an 84-day dry spell. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Average review score:

The film is better, really!
In my opinion, the film perhaps of its release date in 1963 is not at least standard for what I expect from a movie, but if you've read the book from Ernest Hemmingway it's pretty interesting watching the shark attacks, the big fish, the man and the boy and other events or protagonists of the whole story.

The visualisation makes the boring story a bit more exciting and the new elements that are implemented like the author Hemmingway itself and other persons not mentioned so directly in the novella surprise everybody who read the book at first in a positive way.

Once one said to me that a film as a visualisation of a novella could never as good as the written form. "The Old Man and the Sea" proves the contrary opinion because this movie simply is better than the original book.

Nevertheless also a good visual form cannot hide a weak story. For whose who have read the novella with pleasure or do like the great actor Anthony Quinn I can recommend the movie version.

Everyone else who don't like calm stories with philosophical background should take another video tape or DVD like "A Land Before Time" or "Predator"!

Great Remake!!
This film is a great remake of the former Spencer Tracey Film.Anthony Quinn Rules!!

Testamento
Released in DVD by Fox Lorber (12 June, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Francisco Manso
Average review score:

Beautiful scenery is where it ends
O Testamento is a beautifully shot movie that shows the amazing geography of Cabo Verde but that is the movie's only redeamig quality. The extremely sexist script is slow to the point of being almost painfull to watch at times. I recommend just getting a travel video for Cape Verde and skipping this disappointing attempt at Cape Verdean filmaking.

beautiful and human
This movie has more than its beautiful scenery - the Cape Verdan islands. Featuring a great acting cast and a 3-minute performance of world music star Cesaria Evora, the film tells the story of a local business man who disinherits his nephew and leaves his money and estate to his daughter, he never officially recognized. His life story is told by himself on tapes he left her and through her questions to everybody, he knew. It is a romantic story, describing the main character with gentle humour. The few (discrete)love scenes remotely reminded me of some french movies.
The slow pace of the film is common to outstanding European and African directors - yes African (Cape Verde is close to Senegal) - think of Ousmane Sembene and Wim Wenders, add a few humorous touches and enjoy the human side of cinema. 8 out of 10!

The Woman with Red Boots
Released in DVD by Pathfinder Home Ente (08 April, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Juan Luis Buñuel
Average review score:

Generic surrealism
Let's face it, Juan Bunuel is not the master that his dad is. The plot of this most dangerous game variation lurches rather than flows, and the various reality defying tricks added along the way seem abrupt, giving the impression of gimmick rather than a sense of the supernatural. And not to be a spoilsport for all my fellow letches out there, but when you slow down the DVD frame by frame, you discover that Catherine Deneuve is not quite naked in that brief, early shot, but is wearing a semi-sheer body suit. Personally, I can't wait for the Hunger's release.

CULT ITEM FOR CATHERINE'S FANS
This 1974 release was a box office failure.CATHERINE's die hard fans will remember that at that time she was the CHANEL no 5 woman on television commercials.This supernatural story directed by JUAN BUNUEL is interesting in parts,but not satisfying as a whole.Such supernatural films were rare in FRENCH cinema at that time.However, those who admire CATHERINE DENEUVE's stunning figure(a lot of us guys belong in this group)will be in heaven watching this.CATHERINE's legendary blonde hair is much on display throughout,and there's a famous unexpected nude scene.Girls ,if your boyfriend or husband's fantasy is DENEUVE in her prime,buy him this and let him enjoy while you do the shopping with his money.He'll forget about the change.

Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health
Released in DVD by Vanguard Films (26 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Manuel Gómez Pereira
Average review score:

A Film that Touches Upon Life With Wit and Picardia
I enjoyed this film over the holidays. It stars an the Spanish actress Penelope Cruz who manages to steal my breath away with her refreshing non-hollywoodish beauty. In the beginning, there was the Beatles and there is scene where she almost touches them- a real image of the beatles is used (i'm assuming from the 1965 era)...she steals into John Lennon's suite and plans to give herself to him but ends up hiding under a bed with the bellboy who she will casually encounter over the rest of her life; even as she loses that refreshing charm to become increasingly borgoueis and very much likea hollywood has been...the film captures the change and then returns to that refreshing beauty once more for a brief surprise towards the end...the film is charming, ful of wit and picardia; and should provide refreshing viewing from those tired of thetypical blockbuster rental...

THE WAY WE WERE
Written and directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira in 1996, LOVE CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH is a spanish comedy presented by Vanguard in its original widescreen version with english subtitles. Only a trailer as bonus feature.

Santi and Diana first met under John Lennon's bed in Madrid while the Beatles were giving a press conference in a 5 star hotel. Over the years, the couple will meet again a number of times but their life together will not exceed a full week in a 30 years period. Santi and Diana are madly in love but who knows whether their love would have lasted so long if they had the opportunity to live together.

Four actors playing two characters, a couple of eccentric secondary parts and a few really hilarious scenes could persuade you to buy or rent this DVD. I've liked very much the first part of the movie that gives to Penélope Cruz the opportunity to create the character of a young hysterical Beatles fan. The director perfectly recreates the 60's with tricks that could have appeared in Robert Zemeckis' FORREST GUMP or Woody Allen's ZELIG.

The second part of the movie lacks of the energy distillated by Penélope and Gabino Diego. In my opinion, with 30 minutes less, the movie would have been a perfect romantic comedy. But LOVE CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH still is a very good surprise for the curious movie lover lost in the wide choice of the available DVD's.

A DVD zone Penélope reserved shelf.

Cute and Romantic...........
Ésta es una apariencia divertida en la infidelidad. Penelope Cruz (Diana) es bella, como siempre. El director recrea unas pocas escenas de viejas películas románticas para ayudar a hacer esta historia. Tú podrías comenzar a pensar en amores que tú tuviste en el pasado. La película es un poco largo. La banda sonora de música acrecienta el romanticismo. Me gusta el uso de los Beatles en la historia - te ayude a entender la referencia de tiempo de la película. Ve la película con tu cariño. Tú no puedes remover los subtítulos de la película, desafortunadamente.

Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health
Released in DVD by Vanguard Cinema (26 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Manuel Gómez Pereira
Average review score:

A Film that Touches Upon Life With Wit and Picardia
I enjoyed this film over the holidays. It stars an the Spanish actress Penelope Cruz who manages to steal my breath away with her refreshing non-hollywoodish beauty. In the beginning, there was the Beatles and there is scene where she almost touches them- a real image of the beatles is used (i'm assuming from the 1965 era)...she steals into John Lennon's suite and plans to give herself to him but ends up hiding under a bed with the bellboy who she will casually encounter over the rest of her life; even as she loses that refreshing charm to become increasingly borgoueis and very much likea hollywood has been...the film captures the change and then returns to that refreshing beauty once more for a brief surprise towards the end...the film is charming, ful of wit and picardia; and should provide refreshing viewing from those tired of thetypical blockbuster rental...

THE WAY WE WERE
Written and directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira in 1996, LOVE CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH is a spanish comedy presented by Vanguard in its original widescreen version with english subtitles. Only a trailer as bonus feature.

Santi and Diana first met under John Lennon's bed in Madrid while the Beatles were giving a press conference in a 5 star hotel. Over the years, the couple will meet again a number of times but their life together will not exceed a full week in a 30 years period. Santi and Diana are madly in love but who knows whether their love would have lasted so long if they had the opportunity to live together.

Four actors playing two characters, a couple of eccentric secondary parts and a few really hilarious scenes could persuade you to buy or rent this DVD. I've liked very much the first part of the movie that gives to Penélope Cruz the opportunity to create the character of a young hysterical Beatles fan. The director perfectly recreates the 60's with tricks that could have appeared in Robert Zemeckis' FORREST GUMP or Woody Allen's ZELIG.

The second part of the movie lacks of the energy distillated by Penélope and Gabino Diego. In my opinion, with 30 minutes less, the movie would have been a perfect romantic comedy. But LOVE CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH still is a very good surprise for the curious movie lover lost in the wide choice of the available DVD's.

A DVD zone Penélope reserved shelf.

Cute and Romantic...........
Ésta es una apariencia divertida en la infidelidad. Penelope Cruz (Diana) es bella, como siempre. El director recrea unas pocas escenas de viejas películas románticas para ayudar a hacer esta historia. Tú podrías comenzar a pensar en amores que tú tuviste en el pasado. La película es un poco largo. La banda sonora de música acrecienta el romanticismo. Me gusta el uso de los Beatles en la historia - te ayude a entender la referencia de tiempo de la película. Ve la película con tu cariño. Tú no puedes remover los subtítulos de la película, desafortunadamente.

Related Subjects: Business Pallets Racks_and_Shelving Winches
More Pages: Manual Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16