Collecting Movie Reviews

These movies are what I grew up on! If you enjoy movies with more acting from the actors and less special effects, these will not disappoint!! Great for a Saturday night home alone with a full moon on the rise.... :-)

This is better than 12 hours of classic monster movies! But it is costly. If you are a fan of the classic monster movies, you want to add this to your collection. You want to know whether or not this boxed set is worth the money, yes? YES!!! A resounding YES. If you're a fan of classic monster movies, or know someone who is, you must have this collection!

Yes, it's pricey. But worth every last penny!

This collection is great. I had such a wonderful time viewing these movies. After so many years, it was like seeing them again for the first time. I am so happy that I made this purchase. The extras on the DVDs are real interesting and the picture quality is great. I intend to spend many more hours viewing these wonderful old timeless films.

. I had long been curious about "Brief Encounter" because on the old M*A*S*H* TV show, LTC Henry Blake made a reference to it. He was afraid that his wife, Lorraine, back home in Bloomington, Illinois was having an affair! Does anyone remember that episode? "BA" is the story of two VERY respectable English folks, who are married to other people. A chance meeting on a train turns into a harmless, though touching affair. The woman, Celia Johnson is the first to realize it can't last. Henry Blake would have approved! (She was nominated for a Best Actress Award.) The male lead, Trevor Howard, eventually does too. The story, and resolution, is predictable given the setting in the prim and proper mid-40s in England. The staging is first rate. Much action takes place in a commuter train station with the whoosh of steam engines, the shrill conductors' whistles, the dashing up and down passenger ramps, the terse announcements and the ratter and clatter/clickity clack of the passing trains. "Mind the Gap", indeed! The scenes in the snack bar, with the tart tongued bartenderess are sharp and poignant. The supporting cast, all of whom hang in the bar are wonderful in that British "old movie" way. Americans never did scenes like these as well. "BE" won no Academy Awards in 1946. "The Best Years of Our Lives" was too much competition. Those that watched Mr. Howard in the classic The Third Man", are due for a surprise. The stiff- necked British Army officer is gone. In "BE" he plays a sensible, sensitive and caring Doctor obviously in painful love with a woman he can never have. This reviewer would easily give 5 stars to the overall production, the secondary cast, the settings and that black and white filming. It is quite obvious that a very talented Director was at the helm of this one. Still, more suspense and/or angst is required for a 5 star rating. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl has been done so often before and since. One star must be deducted for the foreseeable ending. "BE" is yet one more example of why certain old movies should never be colorized.

This is a wonderful movie - love having it on DVD - again shows how much more effective many of the older films are over the newer ones. All low key - no violence or overt sex - all done by a look, a brief touch, a few words. Wonderful actors - brought the entire range of emotions to this "never to be completed" very brief love affair. The ending was a real heart breaker.

This is one of my favorite films; I never get tired of seeing it. It contains all the elements of a great, yet doomed, romance. I have such sympathy for Celia Johnson's character; I would have fallen in love with Alec, also. He's my kind of man! Great movie!!!

Great movie, inspired casting, subtle direction.

"Down By Law" also perfectly crystalizes the lower echelon life experience in New Orleans, which is pleasantly surprising given that it's so elusive, and, that none of the principals are natives. Although Tom Waits did spend a lot of time here - I saw him and Rickie Lee Jones perform together while they were living here in the 9th Ward, so maybe that counts for something in terms of him getting into character.

BTW, just as an aside, I saw this film again with Italian friends in Italy in a cinema last year and the Italians LOVE this movie. Not just because of Benigni (like any big star in his home country, there are mixed feelings about him) but because the film is so wonderful.

Three Stooges meet "Waiting for Godot." Lurie, Waits and Benigni turn in great performances. They've been locked up in a Lousiana penitentiary for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jarmusch gives you each of their sordid lives in turn before throwing them together in a jail cell. Benigni plays wonderfully off Lurie and Waits, culminating in a hilarious version of "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice scream." Eventually, they find the light at the end of a tunnel, only to have to escape through a swamp. Jarmusch gives his characters plenty of room, making for many amusing interchanges. Jarmusch provides deft camera work and his usual wonderful eye for detail to make this his most memorable film.

This movie is a classic. The criterion collection DVD's are, in general and in this case, worth the little extra money. While DVD's may not be forever, they are certainly longer-lived than VHS tapes and Criterion's treatment of the films is worthy of such a lifespan.
Bonus: If you are a fan of any of the three main actors, this film is a gem.

Man, this movie didn't really move me at all. Although I heard this was highly praised, I found this film to be a chore, took me 23 days to get over with this film. It was slow, tedious, and dragging. All I can sum up about the film is bunch of sissies who sing and fool around while making an escape. I found many of the scenes being too over-dramatized. None of them moved me at all. I was bothered by the lack of some subtitles, little grainy and sometimes fuzzy picture, and the darkness in the movie. The ending was not any powerful at all. I found the point of the film by the time the French officer gets shot at. But 30 to 45 minutes continuation after it, man...that was too long. I did not really like this film, and if I had to choose anti-war films over this, they would be ON THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI or APOCALYPSE NOW. For entertainment value, THE GREAT ESCAPE replaces this slow and often unentertaining film.

I was expecting something like one of my favorite comic dramas, "The Great Escape." If prisoners of war in a German camp in World War II could dramatically tunnel out, as they had in that film in my childhood, I was sure that World War I would last long enough for the new prisoners in their first camp to dig their way out. Perhaps I thought the prisoners were joking every time the end of the war was mentioned, as rumors about having the boys home in time for Christmas were rampant unsubstantiated speculation that usually turned out to be untrue for a longer conflict later in the 20th century. The plot of this movie is so much more complicated than "The Great Escape" that it isn't surprising the WWII setting became the TV-sitcom with comic ridicule of the prison command structure, while Jean Renoir's "Grand Illusion" is still just a black and white movie from 1938. But it is a great movie, and transfer to DVD was made in 1999.

There is no American point of view in "Grand Illusion." There are Russian prisoners, upset when a big shipment from the czarina turned out to be books instead of vodka. In the opening scene, a German aristocrat is a pilot who shot down a French aristocrat, the first prisoner to appear in the movie. At the prison camp, a rich banker is the source of whatever bounty the prisoners are able to receive, and even the guards respect the right of those with money to have what they are unable to obtain. The tragic element of the movie is the decline of whatever superiority the aristocracy had before World War One, in either France or Germany. The values which were shared between the aristocrats in the film had become piffle, of no value whatever by 1937, when this movie was made, and the discussions between the characters in this movie trace the loss of such distinctions in the greater cataclysm of war on such a large scale. This is a fine film.

I watched La Grande Illusion several times, mostly on video. When I got the DVD I was amazed at how good the images were! Watch the restoration clips just to see how all the scratches that we have become accustomed to have been removed!

As to the movie I think this is one of the greatest ever made. Watch how the subjects of honor, camaraderie, and humanity are treated. Watch how they all get together around meals. Nobody likes the war, and enemies understand each other: they all want it to come to an end. After that, go read the poetry of Wilfred Owen. Judging from the wars we let happen, we have certainly not learned.

this movie is plain bad. yes good gun fight but where's the kung fu. Theirs plenty of american made film that are way better in terms of action sequence. Man even the gun fight in Face off was much better then the killer or hard boiled. Maybe im not into old fashion gun fight like in these two movie, i would rather watch a movie like ballistic kiss, great gun fight, some kungfu and a little special effect. I don't care if the killer or hard boil was made 10 or 20 years ago. It's just didn't live up to my potential. This is the 21st century, i need some special effect. I don't understand why some of you people keep living in the past. trust me their are way better mivie then these two and were made in the 70 and 80. Take for example the God Father 1 and 2, much better movie then these two, go and recomend this movie for the customer not some lame movie like killer and hard boil. As for chow yun fat check out my review for Hidden dragon crouching tiger.

I love both movies here, but why not release them individually,DVD 2-packs are a pet peeve of mine. Somtimes you just want each film treated with individual respect, and sometimes you may just want 1 movie and not both!

HARD BOILED IS A VERY GOOD MOVIE, THE LOVE STORY IS REALLY A NICE ONE, AND THE HOSPITAL SCENE IS REALLY RIVITING! THE KILLER IS MY VERY FAVORITE. I BOUGHT THESE TOGETHER AND WATCHED THEM OVER AND OVER. ANY CHOW YUN FAT FAN WILL LOVE THEM BOTH.

I am partial to this movie, because Lompoc is my home. However, I must say that I enjoyed every moment of this flick and W.C. was in top form. I was particually impressed at the fact that they misspronounce the town Lompoc as if it had an a after the L. Anyone from there knows this. You can't go wrong buying this movie.

The Bank Dick is pure Fields and the best of his feature films (with My Little Chickadee a close second). The comedy is timeless; most of the jokes, although written 60 years ago , are relevant today. Supporting cast is brilliant. A must have for all classic comedy fans.

I've always been a big fan of W.C. Fields and I've always been disappointed in the quality (and quantity) of his work that is available. With the 6 short films, Criterion is doing a great job of preserving W.C. Fields for future generations.

I wouldn't argue that some of his other films (such as "Never give a sucker...") are better than "The Bank Dick", but they're not available on DVD (let alone after being restored as this film has been).

I won't rehash the plot, except to say that the notion of a petty criminal always keeping one step ahead from being found out is continually repeated and nobody did it better than Fields. A big part of the enjoyment of watching Field's movies is to find out how he lands on his feet. Field's survives in his world like a cat; with grace and only barely acknowledging what has been going on around him.

The English voices were cast appropriately for the characters, however the English voice acting for the most part is just plain *horrid* and the translation is often weak. You'll most certainly want to hear the original Japanese actors and watch the English subtitles where the translation is clear.

The DVD video and audio quality is itself very good, but as others have pointed out there are issues with the transfer. The video was not de-interlaced properly, so unbraided image scan-lines become briefly but painfully obvious during high action sequences, especially during freeze-frame, and the credits just disintegrate. I did not notice these interlace problems in the Japanese VCDs of these four episodes. It's disappointing but livable; there are few other visual artifacts but they are hardly noticeable.

Otherwise I agree with the reviews given by "confuse_a_cat" and Josh Leman.

This is my first DVD purchase from the EVA series and I plan to buy others. I already own a few NTSC tapes and have watched many of the episodes in VCD format.

Now that we have met Shinji Ikari, the second child, it is only fair that we follow his encounters with the other children, Rei Ayanami, the first child, and Asuka Langley Sohryu, who is the third. All of these fourteen year olds are destined (perhaps doomed) to save the world of the Second Impact from the attack of Angels - bioengineered creatures determined to destroy the human population.

We know from some idle conversation that Rei has no memories of a time before her training to merge with one of the gigantic Evangelion built to stop the angels. Badly injured in the testing of the prototype unit, it is only in episode 5 that she finally takes an active role. Rei is withdrawn and unemotional, so it is only because of a wildly embarrassing incident that Shinji penetrates her exterior. Then Ramiel, Angel 5, attacks NERV headquarters and Rei and Shinji must work together to face the threat. Then later (episode 7), Shinji and Misato confront a berserk robot created as competition for NERV's EVAs.

In episode 8 we finally meet Asuka, who is the exact opposite of Rei. Loud, egotistical, and intensely competitive, she is the pilot of EVA 02, the first 'production EVA. Shinji and Misato fly out to meet with the fleet that is transporting the new EVA from Germany to Japan. Asuka is only distracted from making Shinji miserable by the arrival of Gaghiel, the horrific sea angel. As Gaghiel starts tearing the fleet apart Shinji and Asuka must pilot the untested EVA 02 while Misato tries to come up with a scheme to stop the angel and keep the two young pilots alive.

One of the things that is notable about this series is that the pilots, Shinji, Rei, and Asuka, are all too human. Shinji's underlying cowardice, Rei's distance from her emotions, and Asuka total lack of distance from some inner source of anger grant this story a sense of reality that something like 'Power Rangers' is totally lacking. I also have to commend the acting of the English voice cast for the color and accuracy of their readings.

I'm in love with Neon Genesis Evangelion, and this one is the best! I've watched it over and over again. This dvd is funny and really develops Misatos character. I love the music in this series. It makes the best anime ever even better than it is. I think the reason I like it so much is because of the characters. They are really developed and each has their own personality. I think I want to go watch it again right now... Sorry I have to stop writing this.

Any review of this DVD before that time is not worth evaluating. They may refer to the older DVD but they have nothing to do with the new Criterion. The Criterion is a far superior release in every way. The transfer is very nice, with warm colors and vibrant tones, albeit a tad soft at times. Audio is DD mono but serves it's purpose well. Extras include a 1973 film by the Director a new interview with him, a short essay by Kurt Vonnegut and the original trailer. Adults may want to screen this movie before letting their children view it as there are scenes with nudity and a few sexual situations. Then again if your kids watch foreign films then they are probably more mature than most! The only drawback I found was that about 45 minutes into the movie the subtitles start to lag behind the Swedish dialogue. This only lasts about two minutes but it can take you out of the story momentarily (hence 4 stars instead of 5). With that as the only caveat, there is no reason not to buy this wonderful new release of one of the very best childhood films ever made. Strongly recommended.

I was deeply touched by My Life as a Dog. It's a movie that tells an everyday story with courage and not a lot of sentiment, and it's all the more real for that. A boy loses both his mother and his beloved dog, and although he's adopted by his uncle, he can't forget what he's left behind. I found the story very unHollywood, and for that reason, quite refreshing. This movie tells a good story, and it does it superbly. The mention of Laika, the little Russian Space dog was also poignant.

I caught My Life as a Dog on PBS many years ago. To those who have not seen this film, it's a bittersweet tear jerker told from a boy's point of view (somewhat similar to Christmas Story), filled with many super funny scenes, dramas, and surprises.

Directory Lasse Hallström has gone to make a number of popular films in Hollywood (Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Shipping News, What's Eating Gilbert Grape), but I think this Swedish precursor is his superior work. His signature beautiful images (by cinematographer Jörgen Persson), filled with quirky yet fully defined supporting characters, and filled with heartwarming scenes.

Criterion's DVD is superior to all previous video presentations, remastered in high definition and presented in widescreen anamorphic video and original mono Swedish sound with faithful English subtitle. The images look a bit grainy, but I think very faithful to director's intention (who has supervised and approved the transfer) and completely satisfying.

The DVD is short of special features (just interview with Hallström, his early short TV feature "Shall With Go to My or Your Place or Each Go Home Alne", and trailer). Highly recommended.

As the other reviewers have said, Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy is a fantastic example of the genre. These films trace the development (both physical and moral) of a headstrong young Samurai-to-be. However, the transfers on these discs are rather bad. All three of the discs feature pitting and scratching, as well as bothersome color shifts and faded prints. A strange glitch early in this first film is a digital "wave" of some sort which runs through a scene of two men sitting in a tree.

These films are excellent and I highly recommend them to samurai film fans and film fans in general. They probably won't be reissued at any time soon, either. Be warned, however, that the prints are quite bad (although they are certainly watchable).

This extraordinary 1955 movie tells the tale of a young man named Takezo. Living in Miyamoto village, Takezo is despised by the other villagers because he is a hothead and quite wild. To escape this village he joins the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son versus the mighty Tokugawa Ieyasu. At the battle of Sekigahara, Toyotomi's forces fall, but Takezo and his friend Matahachi cut on through. They somehow survive their lost cause and make there way to a small hut inhabited by a woman and her teenaged daughter. the daughter comes on to Takezo, but he fends her off. Later after bandits attack, Takezo fights them off with a wooden sword. The mother then comes on to him, but he runs off. The woman then shacks up with Matahachi and the three leave the cabin, so Takezo returns to an empty home. He feels an obligation to go to Miyamoto Village and tell Matahachi's mother and fiance that Matahachi is still alive, but he runs through a guard post so he is hunted down, but not without a fight! This is a great film, that shows the roughness of true samurai, not the polished beings of the Tokugawa period. An extraordinary film, and Priest Takuan is wonderful.

Going into this I was slightly apprhensive since I read the book by Eiji Yoshikaw, I didn't think it would be able to live up to the incredible story of Musashi. I was wrong. If you are expecting to find a perfect book-to-film in this (or any other for that matter) then, you are looking for something that dosen't exist. It's not possible to take a book and make a movie that has the same level of detail. You just can't do it. That aside, this is a truly geat movie. For the 50's, the visual quality of the the film is amazing. Mifune and the entire supporting cast do a superb job in portraing the characters brought to life by Yoshikawa. I must say though, if you buy one film then you have to get the next 2 and watch them in succession in order to be able to truly appreciate the story.

I kept thinking "hitchcock ripoff" the entire time. It's not really that scary, but if you're into these "non scary" types of horror films, then check it out. Not bad but not good either.

When I first saw this film several years ago, I thought "Wow, what a great film! Very Hitchcock-like, and well paced...."

I just saw it again last week and thought, "What was I thinking?" The pacing is slow and dreary, and the acting isn't even all that great. The plot, while interesting, is not well executed and dragged like crazy.

Without giving too much away, we're asked to suspend WAY too much reality in order to buy the multiple twists at the end. I wish I could highlight the one big twist that I have trouble with, but I can't without giving it away. Tell you what, when you're done with the movie, ask yourself "Why did you wait so long???"

A decent movie, but nothing terribly special.

Based on the Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac novel CELLE QUI N'ETAIT PLUS, Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1955 DIABOLIQUE is easily among the most influential films of world cinema, leaving its mark on everything from Alfred Hitchcock's VERTIGO and PSYCHO to William Castle's THE TINGLER--but even so, and while Hitchcock's masterpieces can be said to at least equal the Clouzot original, few if any of the films spawned by DIABOLIQUE ever bested it.

Variously known as DIABOLIQUE, LES DIABOLIQUES, and THE DEVILS, the film presents a complex story. Christina Delasalle (Vera Clouzot, wife of director Henri-Georges Clouzot), is a remarkably beautiful and considerably wealthy woman who has the misfortune to suffer from delicate health, personal timidity, and brutish husband Michel (Paul Meurisse.) The two operate a boys' school that Christina owns, and among the teachers is hard-nosed Nicole Horner (Simone Signoret), who has become Michel's mistress but who finds Michel every bit as unpleasant as wife Christina. An unlikely alliance springs up between the two women, and together they conspire to murder Michel and thereafter run the school for themselves. But although the murder seems to go as planned, the body goes missing, and the two women suddenly find themselves taunted by mysterious notes and strange happenings. Has Michel survived the attempt on his life? Or has the murder been discovered and the stage is being set for blackmail?

In the wake of DIABOLIQUE's international success, the story has been told in so many variations that many may consider the original has lost some of the shock value it possessed when it first debuted, but even so the film has much to offer. This is particularly true in terms of style of performances. Director Clouzot endows the film with a sense of visual decay and a near-documentary tone that merge to create one of the most chilling atmospheres ever captured on screen. While Signoret's performance of the angry mistress is the more widely celebrated, she is equaled by Vera Clouzot, who has the more complex role and whose performance must carry the weight of the film's most disturbing moments; together they create a truly remarkable synergy of the most lethal kind.

I have seen DIABOLIQUE in several different releases, and while the Criterion DVD is somewhat glitchy it is easily the best version available; one should avoid all other releases, particularly the truly atrocious release by Madacy. Strongly recommended, particularly to fans of internation cinema and classic suspense.