Collecting Movie Reviews

Related Subjects: Recreation Ancient Autographs Beer Books Buttons Candy_Wrappers Cereal China_and_Pottery Christmas_Ornaments Computers Figurines Frauds_and_Scams Fruit_and_Vegetable Glassware Insulators Liquor_and_Wine M&M Medals_and_Tokens Militaria Models Numismatic_Literature Nutcrackers Organizations_and_Shows Pens Phonecards Pins Postcards Razors Shells Snacks Soda Spoons Sports Stamps Sugar Themes Tins Tobacco Toys United_States
More Pages: Collecting Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
Family movie reviews for "Collecting" sorted by average review score:
Bad Boys (Superbit Collection)
Released in DVD by Columbia Tristar Hom (13 May, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Martin Lawrence and Will Smith
Slick to a fault, this glossy action flick takes place in sunny Florida, where Martin Lawrence and Will Smith play two cops--one married with kids, the other a swinging bachelor. The two are forced to trade places to foil criminal mastermind Fouchet (Tchéky Karyo) who has stolen $100 million worth of heroin from a police lockup. Violent, illogical, and filled with wall-to-wall profanity, Bad Boys was the last film produced by the hit-making team of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer before Simpson's untimely death, and marked the directorial debut of Michael Bay who followed up with The Rock. Bad Boys will be of interest to action buffs and fans of Téa Leoni, who makes one of her early screen appearances in the central supporting role. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Nothing original about this movie
Sad, tired, cliched, boring. A black hole of humor. You can literally feel your want of laughter being destroyed.

When are black actors going to realize that attitude alone is not funny? It gets old fast!

watcha gonna do
i loved this movie. it's wills best movie. you should watch it if you havent.

Bad Boys Rule
In this move Will smith is at his best. With him and Marten Lawrence togather this film not only has comdey. But lots of Action and Adventure. I thought the special effects were good. Especial when in the begining with the hotel scene. That had the ladeys with one of the bad guys and the good looking one getting killed. I would refur one to this move who likes lots of action and comdey in a move.

My Man Godfrey - Criterion Collection
Released in DVD by Criterion Collection (31 July, 2001)
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Director: Gregory La Cava
Starring: William Powell and Carole Lombard
Director Gregory La Cava deftly balances satire, romance, and social comment in this 1936 classic, which echoes Frank Capra in its Depression-era subtext. The Bullocks are a well-heeled, harebrained Manhattan family genetically engineered for screwball collisions: father Alexander (Eugene Pallette, of the foghorn voice and thick-knit eyebrows) is the breadwinner at wit's end, thanks to his spoiled daughters, the sultry Cornelia (Gail Patrick) and the sweet but scatterbrained Irene (a luminous Carole Lombard), his dizzy and doting wife, Angelica (Alice Brady), and her "protégé," Italian freeloader Carlo (Mischa Auer). When Irene wins a society scavenger hunt (and atypically trumps her scheming sister) by producing a "lost man," a seeming tramp named Godfrey (William Powell), all their lives are transformed. With the always suave, effortlessly funny Powell in the title role, this mystery man provides the film's conscience and its model of decency; the giddy, passionate Lombard holds out its model for triumphant love. In a movie riddled with memorable comic highlights, the real miracle is the unapologetic romanticism that prevails. --Sam Sutherland
Average review score:

Why so expensive?
I rate the film a solid 5, but the average-quality restoration and high price bring the score down to 3 for the Criterion DVD. Yes, it is better than the previous VHS and bargain-basement DVD versions. However, when compared to other companies (e.g., Warners, Paramount, MGM, Fox, and Universal) that have recently produced many DVDs with superior restorations and better bonus features at roughly half Criterion's prices, Criterion no longer seems justified in charging so much money.

Its worth the extra dollars!
I admit I was a bit reluctant to spend the money for this version of the classic movie, being perfectly content (I thought) with the cheaper versions. But having once purchased it, I can assure you it is worth the extra dollars. The picture is crystal clear and the sound (always a problem on some of the other versions) is wonderfully restored. Powell and Lombard never looked or sounded better, even in 1936. The brief missing scene (mentioned in the other review) included here is a nice

addition, adding even more... tension between Godrey and Irene. Godrey is appalled that Irene would enter his private domain and Irene, as ever, is oblivious to all disapproval, having only eyes for Godrey. The radio play is an interesting extra, reuniting the two stars, plus Gail Russell is back as the conniving Cornelia. Also, a young David Niven is in the radio play, as Godfrey's friend Tommy Gray. The commentary is interesting, sometimes more for film students than fans, but still a good addition. Outtakes from any film made in the 1930's are rare, so these, although brief, are a bonus.
All in all, the digital transfer itself is worth the money, the rest of these extras are just gravy for the collector. I highly recommend this disc, for those who cherish the immortal screwball comedy films and the discerning fans of William Powell and Carole Lombard.

Excellent Restoration Job
The plot is a classic love story with an interesting twist and is well worth watching if you can get past the fact that this is a restored Black & White masterpiece.

I am extremely impressed with the attention to detail that Criterion put into restoring this movie. The audio in particular is a vast improvement from the VHS version, which I also own.

Contrary to another reviewer who complained about the price, I thought the extra money was WELL WORTH IT.

My only complaint is that I can't buy more quality (Criterion) DVD classics from this era - especially the William Powell & Myrna Loy collaborations.

You get what you pay for, in this case a premium price gets you a premium restored product.

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Collection 0-8
Released in DVD by A.D. Vision (26 June, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Hideaki Anno
The final episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion have been the subject of widespread and often heated debate since the series debuted in Japan in 1995. Shinji is no surer of himself at the end of the 26th episode than he was at the beginning of the 1st; his victories as an Eva pilot have only intensified his doubts and fears. As he broods on his lonely fate, he meets the mysterious Fifth Child, Kaoru Nagisa, the only character who treats him with genuine kindness. The battle with the 17th and final Angel assures the continued existence of humanity but devastates Shinji. As he attempts to grasp what has occurred, his identity shatters. Everyone he has known appears to question and torment him in long sequences of animated schizophrenia. The collapse of Shinji's ego recalls the chilling conclusion of Yukio Mishima's "Sea of Fertility" tetralogy, when the main character realizes he can no longer be certain of his own existence. Buddhist theology, Western existentialism, and apocalyptic Christianity fuse into a bleak vision of a universe in which there are no answers, in this life or any other. Anno created the series after four years of deep depression, and his logical yet frustrating conclusion to Shinji's odyssey gives Evangelion a fascination that has made it a landmark in the history of Japanese animation. Not rated; suitable for ages 14 and up: brief nudity, violence, sexual humor, and complex adult themes. --Charles Solomon
Average review score:

Congraulations!.... yeah right
Not that this is bad in any way. I must say that this ending is not what I was hoping for in the slightest, however. Episode 24 (the true strong point of this finale) could have been the ending had they, for instance, explained the birth of NERV in further detail (more than one episode). But it would have been a happy ending, and that is not what a true otaku to this series wants. Then again, what's "The End Of Evangelion" there for? To bring you an ultra-violent gore fest, not some rubbish-filled psychological trip through our idiot heroes mind. The final 2 episodes were certainly well-done, but ended happily, which just isn't right. Shinji finally realises that he is worth living here, and so everyone gives him a round of applause and congratulates him. Great episodes, rubbish ending. Get the movie instead.

A Blue Moon
I seem to have developed a belief over the last few years. This belief has something of a basis of it takes a great filmmaker to listen to his fans and give them what they want, but it takes un unparalled creative mind to give them something even better. I have watched many a series through to its end but not a single one of them compare to what Eva held in store.

It's probally important to keep in mind that this ending isn't going to please everyone, not surprising really: there isn't a market for this sort of stuff anywhere, it was totally unprecedented. Eva is many things, I cannot deny that, but all of them were ultimately secondary to the focus of 25 and 26. The catch is this, it handles most of its aspects so well that it could have survived on any single one of them alone and still held a considerable audience, heck it probally did anyway. It's all about perception though, about character, interaction and personal belief.

It's not that hard to understand, really, if you let it grab you for what it is. Certainly, most people will be holding their breath in hope for it to 'return to normal' throughout most of the duration, I know I fell into this catogry. The ending isn't that hard to understand, perhaps it's just hard to actually grasp, I'm not sure, but for the themes that Eva is dealing in and the depth to which it goes they coundn't have made it much easier. I know a lot of people prefer to just sit back and let the action roll by without having to think to seriously from the plot, removed from the film after the aftertaste has worn off, and it's quite a valid preferance. It's also possible to watch a good chunk of Eva in such a manner without even noticing everything else that is building up, but these things are there and will become more prominant. I can only reccommend that if you are ever going to put a significant effort into understanding a story that you choose Eva, things do get left open, but perhaps because there is no deffinate answer for many of them. The important things (themes) do get more closure of sorts however, and if you do take it in then Eva, and this disc in particular, will become something that will likely stay with you in some form forever.

The series ended with confusion and class
Neon Genesis Evangellion is for the record not the best in the field of Anime. In fact I strongly have to believe that the only reason it recived such praise is the fact that it became incredibly bizzare towards the end. Very few talk about the battles, but more on how twisted the story got. However despite all the talk on how the series really is it's time to talk about how the series ended and why the movies kill the series.

In the final set of episodes (aka this DVD) there are a lot of problems going on with NErv and all of them. It starts off shortly after Shinji was forced to slay his best friend Karu, who turned out to be the final Angel. At this point Shinji is in a horrific state of depression and anger, while the ohter Characters are in their own problems. Rei is starting to realize just what she truely is, Auska is still pretty much comatose, and Nerv in General is facing not only complete shutdown, but total annihalation. But the final two episodes focus on the central character, shinji.

In the final two episodes Shinji is going through some very very deep soul searching. He is trying to understand why he was forced to kill Karu, why he is introverted, why he hates his father, and basically his sexuality as well. He is in some cases lectured by mental images of Auska, Rei, Misato, and the rest of the cast as he sits in a chair in what appears to be a school auditorium. During his soul searching he even enters an alternate reality where the 2nd impact never occured. He and Auska have been friends since they were children, his mother is still alive, his father is kind and loving man, and they encounter a new student, a very open minded Rei. The way this sequence (all 10 minutes of it) plays out it reminds viewers (or at least me) a lot of the way the series started when they all met for the first time (or at least when Auska first showed up). In the end of these two episodes I got the impression that he in some small manner found what he was looking for all along. He finally started to understand who he was and as a result he was ready to take the next step in life, and start to grow up and become a man, or at least an active teenager.

Overall the series had it's rough spots. There were moments that were just mind boggiling dumb or vague, and when it really turned weird is where you started to see where the creator had his mental breakdown. However despite all of that the series did end in class, and this is the ending that should be stuck with, not that piece of Garbage End of Envangellion. Watch this one and ignore the trash.

Sid & Nancy - Criterion Collection
Released in DVD by Home Vision Entertainment (20 October, 1998)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Alex Cox
Starring: Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb
After the cultish success of Repo Man, maverick director Alex Cox made the film that remains his masterpiece--a loud, brash, abrasive, painful, funny, and utterly brilliant screen biography of British punk rocker Sid Vicious and his American girlfriend Nancy Spungen. As played to perfection by Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb, Sid and Nancy are made for each other, serving their mutual strengths and weaknesses and rising with the punk-rock fame of Sid's group, the Sex Pistols, while falling into the ultimately lethal pit of drug abuse. Cox doesn't pull any punches or compromise the unsavory aspects of this passionate love story, so the film presents a harsh mix of emotional and physical anguish tempered by the very poignant and genuine love shared by its tormented central characters. Through it all, the film emerges as an intimate and yet oddly epic chronicle of punk's glory days of anarchic sex, drugs and rock & roll. It's as dynamic and confidently directed as any screen biography before or since, no less fascinating for its unpleasant aspects as for the touching emotions at its very human core. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

This movie blows
Writing as a Sex Pistols fan, I really can't stand this film. The actress playing Nancy is more annoying and ugly than the woman herself. If this was how Nancy really was someone would have killed her long before Sid. None of the Sex Pistols have endorsed this movie, citing that the majority of it is complete fiction. The plot, if you can call it that, really meanders. Gary Oldman is likable as always, one good thing the film has going for it.

The chemistry between Sid and Nancy--captured on film.
Alex Cox's film "Sid and Nancy" is the story of the relationship between Punk Rocker Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) from the Sex Pistols and girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Sid was the notorious bass player for the Sex Pistols when he met Nancy at the flat of a mutual friend. When singer Johnny Rotten brushes off Nancy's attempts to attach herself, she moves onto Sid. From that moment on, the two clung together. Sid, who was already an avid drug user, quickly joined Nancy in her heroin use.

The film focuses on the relationship between Sid and Nancy, and Sid's life as a Sex Pistol serves as a backdrop. For example, the infamous Thames trip and the debacle of the American tour are included here. Fans will also recognize scenes from the documentary "The Filth and the Fury" as well as the film "The Great Rock and Roll Swindle." Malcolm McLaren is shown enjoying the antics of the Pistols with almost malicious delight, and his attempts to control the mayhem prove futile as the band moves towards inevitable entropy. As the band falls apart, so do Sid and Nancy, and the film follows the steady, glorious disintegration of Sid and Nancy as their drug use spirals out of control.

There are several 'versions' of some of the events that took place within both Sex Pistols and also in Sid's life with Nancy. This film is an attempt to portray the events, and Cox uses touches of surrealism at crucial moments. Visually, the film is stunning--not beautiful--but a record of disintegration and physical and mental decay. My favourite film scene EVER is the scene in which Sid and Nancy kiss as rubbish falls around them in slow motion. Perhaps Sid and Nancy were the original co-dependents, but they really did seem to have a bond that went beyond drugs.

Gary Oldman has proved himself to be a fine character actor, and in "Sid and Nancy" he plays Sid with all the sides to his character that we are told Sid possessed. Sid, according to some was a brutal menace, but to others, he was tender and vunerable. Oldman, under Cox's direction gives us all the facets of Sid's personality--including manic surges of energy and depleted zombie behaviour following drug binges. Chloe Webb as Nancy Spungen is great as the troubled, pleading, empty soul who latches onto Sid and won't let go. The film also has a terrific soundtrack, "Love Kills." "Sid and Nancy" is on my top ten film list, and it remains my favourite non-foreign film. For further reading, I can recommend "And I Don't Want to Live This Life," by Nancy's mother, Deborah Spungen, and "Sid Vicious"--a truly inspired biography by Malcolm Butt--displacedhuman

Life and death.....London and New York - Sid and Nancy
Alex Cox is responsible for at least two films in my collection - Repo Man and Sid and Nancy.This disc tells the story of Sid Vicious and Nacy Spungen and is indeed a tragedy,no one gets out alive.This film is as powerful an experience as you can have....I still to this day don`t watch it too often - it drains me and makes me very sad.In other words it is a great film.Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb play the doomed lovers caught in the web of drug addiction,making their last stand at the infamous Chelsea Hotel.
With a keen eye for detail of Sid and Nancy,the Sex Pistols and the late 70`s punk scene,Alex Cox explores the depths that love can take you to....and the ultimate price that these people paid.You can say you don`t want to care for these people but Mr.Cox forces you to look at them as human beings - turn out the lights and check this film out.By the end you will be drained...and thats not such a bad thing.You can always fill back up with a Disney movie !!!

Kindred the Embraced - The Complete Vampire Collection
Released in DVD by Republic Studios (21 August, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Directors: John Harrison, Peter Medak, James L. Conway, Kenneth Fink, and Ralph Hemecker
Average review score:

GREAT show!!! too bad it leaves us hanging.
I bought the DVD box set, because the series was recommended to me by my husband's family, who were big fans of the show when it originally aired on television. I was weary, because Amazon has so many bad reviews for this show by other customers. Their beef with the show generally tended to be something about how it didn't follow every single point of the book, and I guess there's some kind of game that it's not exactly true to. Well, here's what I thought about it, taking it as ONLY a television series, and nothing else...
The characters were all very well written, the plots were interesting, and I'm really disappointed that there only ended up being 8 episodes. Tragically, the actor who portrayed Jullian (Mark Frankel) died in a car accident, so I don't think the show can ever be continued. As much as I'd like to see what happens next, I'm not sure I'd want to see another actor filling in as Jullian. My only criticisms -- some of the fight scenes could have been better, and I would have liked to see some special features on the DVD. All in all, the show was VERY good ....

Fantastic, Mystical, Breathtaking!
I LOVE this series! I have just discovered it through the DVD Release. I did not watch it when it was on FOX years ago. However, it is beautifully shot, the story is suspenseful and draws the viewer in emotionally. Mark Frankel is mesmerizing as Julian Luna--his premature death, in real life, is a tragedy. I am completely engrossed in this story, and wish we could see more. It is a sad commentary on the viewing public that this series didn't make it when so many other empty, vacuous pieces of television did. This one should have been continued.

Excellent
Unusual take on vampires. It was a tough series to make, especially given the depth of the material that it came from. I have played the games myself, but find that, I think, the fans themselves were too harsh on this series. It had only just started, and it had to reach to a television audience as well as its "loyal fanboys/girls" -- if they had hit everyone with the full range of clans, it might have been overwhelming. Should every story contain everything just because it's neat? Establish yourself without overwhelming the audience (who did not have the fan's background), then add the detail. Let's get back to storytelling.

Perhaps that's somewhat harsh, but I feel that the fans might have raised their expectations too high, or expected something entirely different to happen. When it didn't, they backlashed instead. Yet, this was a landmark series in several ways--it should have gotten more support.

Part of the achievement of this series is that, in its short time, it did make fans of several friends, and even random strangers. One started playing, but most didn't--they enjoyed the take on vampires this series used. They enjoyed the background and political interrelations. And yes, the love story.

It took a complex, rich world and started to bring it to screen. I say "started" here because it was never allowed to finish. And, with storytelling--don't alienate your audience. Immerse them as reasonable and as effectively as you can. Do there really need to be werewolves, mages, all the vampire clans, and faeries...just because there can be, for a story to work? Or for the story to begin to develop?

Overall, I really have to applaud the work that went into this. It's a good story, and it was good to see something like this make it to television.

Kindred the Embraced - The Complete Vampire Collection
Released in DVD by Republic Entertainme (21 August, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Directors: John Harrison, Peter Medak, James L. Conway, Kenneth Fink, and Ralph Hemecker
Average review score:

GREAT show!!! too bad it leaves us hanging.
I bought the DVD box set, because the series was recommended to me by my husband's family, who were big fans of the show when it originally aired on television. I was weary, because Amazon has so many bad reviews for this show by other customers. Their beef with the show generally tended to be something about how it didn't follow every single point of the book, and I guess there's some kind of game that it's not exactly true to. Well, here's what I thought about it, taking it as ONLY a television series, and nothing else...
The characters were all very well written, the plots were interesting, and I'm really disappointed that there only ended up being 8 episodes. Tragically, the actor who portrayed Jullian (Mark Frankel) died in a car accident, so I don't think the show can ever be continued. As much as I'd like to see what happens next, I'm not sure I'd want to see another actor filling in as Jullian. My only criticisms -- some of the fight scenes could have been better, and I would have liked to see some special features on the DVD. All in all, the show was VERY good ....

Fantastic, Mystical, Breathtaking!
I LOVE this series! I have just discovered it through the DVD Release. I did not watch it when it was on FOX years ago. However, it is beautifully shot, the story is suspenseful and draws the viewer in emotionally. Mark Frankel is mesmerizing as Julian Luna--his premature death, in real life, is a tragedy. I am completely engrossed in this story, and wish we could see more. It is a sad commentary on the viewing public that this series didn't make it when so many other empty, vacuous pieces of television did. This one should have been continued.

Excellent
Unusual take on vampires. It was a tough series to make, especially given the depth of the material that it came from. I have played the games myself, but find that, I think, the fans themselves were too harsh on this series. It had only just started, and it had to reach to a television audience as well as its "loyal fanboys/girls" -- if they had hit everyone with the full range of clans, it might have been overwhelming. Should every story contain everything just because it's neat? Establish yourself without overwhelming the audience (who did not have the fan's background), then add the detail. Let's get back to storytelling.

Perhaps that's somewhat harsh, but I feel that the fans might have raised their expectations too high, or expected something entirely different to happen. When it didn't, they backlashed instead. Yet, this was a landmark series in several ways--it should have gotten more support.

Part of the achievement of this series is that, in its short time, it did make fans of several friends, and even random strangers. One started playing, but most didn't--they enjoyed the take on vampires this series used. They enjoyed the background and political interrelations. And yes, the love story.

It took a complex, rich world and started to bring it to screen. I say "started" here because it was never allowed to finish. And, with storytelling--don't alienate your audience. Immerse them as reasonable and as effectively as you can. Do there really need to be werewolves, mages, all the vampire clans, and faeries...just because there can be, for a story to work? Or for the story to begin to develop?

Overall, I really have to applaud the work that went into this. It's a good story, and it was good to see something like this make it to television.

Desperado (Superbit Collection)
Released in DVD by Columbia/Tristar Studios (09 October, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek
It's Sergio Leone meets Sam Peckinpah meets Quentin Tarantino in this ultraviolent, mythological shoot-'em-up by auteur Robert Rodriguez. In Desperado, Rodriguez creates larger-than-life, genre-tweaking stock characters and puts them through their paces. As they stride bravely through an Old West lightly dusted with camp humor, they're periodically called upon to nimbly dodge bullets and fireballs through outrageously choreographed displays of Hollywood pyrotechnics. In this bigger-budget semi-remake/semi-sequel to Rodriguez's indie sensation, El Mariachi (made, famously, for $7,000), Antonio Banderas is the darkly charismatic El Mariachi, the Mysterious Stranger in town; Steve Buscemi is perfectly cast as his weasely, motor-mouth Comic Sidekick, laying the groundwork for El Mariachi's entrance by spinning saloon stories to build up his legend; Cheech Marin is a standout as the Bartender, who really knows how to handle a toothpick; and gorgeous Salma Hayek is, well, the Girl--treated to the kind of full-blown, slow-mo introduction the movies traditionally lavish on beautiful new stars. It doesn't add up to much, but it's a kick. Be careful not to blow out your speakers with the DVD's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. --Jim Emerson
Average review score:

3.5 out of 5
In 1995, with a much larger budget and a top-notch cast and crew, writer/director Robert Rodriguez set out to remake his low-budget film festival hit, EL MARIACHI. The end result, titled DESPERADO, is a very violent and entertaining actioner that combines Sergio Leone's gritty westerns with Quentin Tarantino's no-holds-barred violent actioners. Antonio Banderas stars as a gunslinging "mariachi" who enlists the aid of a small-town bookstore owner (Salma Hayek, in her breakthrough role) in his attempt to take down a local drug lord (Joaquim de Almeida). There is plenty of violence and enough sex to any true Tarantino/Rogriguez/action fan won't be disappointed; there's also a very good soundtrack by Los Lobos. The action is very well directed, if not extremely bloody (this helped to get that "R" rating), and flows through the entire film. There's also occasional comedy moments, primarily at the end. Banderas is great as El Mariachi; Salma Hayek gets her first nude scene (this also helped with the "R" rating). Action and western fans will love Rodriguez's own brand of "West Side Story", followed by ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO.

blazing action with a little bit of love
the movies highlight and best scene is the gun blazing, action filled shootout in the bar and Banderas just slides his guns out from under his sleeves as the man opens his guitar case and finds the guns and just opens a can of whoop ass on the guys. Quentin Tarintino, Steve Buscemi, Salma Hayek, Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin join Banderas in this totally great action flick from Rodriguez, oh and theres a love scene involving Hayeks haha's

one of the coolest movies ever
this is just flat out a cool movie. the writing is great and the actin is even better. quentin tarantino has a great cameo and antonio banderas is awesome. not to mention selma hayek is real real hot. cant wait till once upon a time in mexico cuz wit johnny depp the sequel will b even better. i have not seen el mariachi but i will. i dont care what the movie is no matter how bad or good it is steve buscemi is the man. he makes everything better, hes real funny and a great actor.

Rush Chronicles - The DVD Collection
Released in DVD by Uni/Mercury (25 September, 2001)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Prog-rock's dominant power trio gets a worthy showcase in this DVD compilation, repeating the 1990 VHS release with minor variations and some pleasant surprises. Chronicles is aptly titled, as the videos follow Rush's 30-year evolution in fashion, performance, and visual representation. Loyalists may wish for a lengthier selection, but with remastered Dolby 2-channel stereo, this 63-minute disc clearly improves upon the VHS release. The in-studio performance of "Tom Sawyer" is new (previous versions were from the Exit, Stage Left concert video), and although hidden bonus videos of "The Enemy Within" and "Afterimage" are inaccurately listed as "previously unreleased" (they appeared on the 1985 compilation Through the Camera Eye), their inclusion here is welcome (and accessible by selecting the "Rush Chronicles" logo on the DVD's "Play Videos" menu). Also, Aimee Mann makes a playful appearance on "Time Stand Still." Recommended to Rush purists only, but on those terms, this is essential viewing. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Great for Nostalgia Purposes, But Sound Quality is Subpar
I have debated purchasing the Rush "Chronicles" DVD for some time, but when I purchased their recent DVD release "Rush in Rio" and found it to be terrific, I decided to take the plunge on this one.

It is fun to watch the videos that I used to watch on MTV and haven't seen in 15+ years. The early videos ("Tom Sawyer", "Limelight") were mostly studio shoots while they really started getting into high-end production with the albums "Signals, "Grace Under Pressure" and "Power Windows". The graphics for "The Big Money" look cheap today, but if I remember correctly, they were cutting edge in 1986. It's very interesting to see the different styles of Lee, Lifeson and Peart over the period encompassed by the DVD.

As others have said, the sound on the DVD leaves much to be desired. There are noticeable cutouts in sound on numerous songs, especially some of the earlier tunes ("Closer to the Heart", "The Trees"). I played the disc in my home entertainment center (with 6 speakers) and in a DVD player merely hooked up to a TV and found the same issues with both. I thought it was just me, but other reviews here seem to illustrate the same issue.

My suggestion would be to buy "Rush in Rio" instead and wait to see if the band will issue a complete video collection with remastered sound in the future.

Could stand for a remix
My only beefs with this dvd:
1. Why not mix it for better sound?
2. Why not dump more videos than the tape with 2 extras? It's a dvd, for crying out loud! Gimme more!!

Great DVD
I like anything by Rush. This is no different. Great to see the old videos on DVD.

Riverdance - Live from New York City (Superbit Collection)
Released in DVD by Columbia Tristar Hom (07 October, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: John McColgan
The Irish hard-shoe sensation Riverdance underwent its second incarnation with Live from New York City, a 1996 performance filmed at Radio City Music Hall. The dazzling choreography and energetic score remain, but Michael Flatley was replaced by less-flamboyant Colin Dunne, a superb technician who works well with Flatley's former co-lead, Jean Butler.

About a half-hour longer than the 1995 original, Live from New York City expands upon the second act's theme of the Irish leaving their homeland for other parts of the world. In the most engaging new number, "Trading Taps," a trio of Irish dancers faces off against two urban American tappers. While much of this show will be familiar, it's different enough to be enjoyed on its own terms. It's also more stylishly shot, but that's also its biggest drawback--frenetic editing that allows only brief glimpses of the dancers and leaves the viewer dizzy. --David Horiuchi

Average review score:

Concert, not a Music Video
This is riverdance, it's a phenomenom - serious marketing, lots of touring companies, good music, Eileen Ivers, Micheal Flattery, etc. You'd think with all this money and talent they'd have a clue how to make a DVD of it!

First off - the music and dancing is pretty good; I personally think it's overproduced and overdramatized, but my wife and son just LOVED it.

With that out of the way - I don't think it would be possible to make a more jumpy production - they didn't keep the same camera angle for more that 10 seconds thruout the whole thing. And half the time they showed just the top half of the irish dancers. Well, THAT part doesn't move! at LEAST show the feet!

I can kinda see it for a VHS tape, but this is a DVD - ever hear of multiple viewpoints? I'm sure they just dumped the VHS off to DVD without doing much to it - make some extra money and all that, but if they'd taken some care they could have had a WONDERFUL product and I wouldn't feel quite so seasick!

OK, if you made it this far - if you saw and loved Riverdance, well, until they make a REAL DVD production, ya might as well buy this one! The production seems to match what Riverdance is all about, lots of flash! If you haven't seen it - your best bet would be go SEE riverdance first so you can appreciate it, THEN buy this DVD!

Very interesting
Now that the phenomenon has faded, I decided to give Riverdance a look and see what all the fuss was about. This is Broadway entertainment, sometimes overly flamboyant, even hammy, but there is undeniably some good music and extraordinary dancing to be found here. I did not realize how much the dancing is offset by musical numbers, but it works out nicely, and gives those beleaguered dancers a chance to rest before their metabolism eats the last remnants of flesh off their bones. Now I feel adequately prepared to judge 'Lord of the Dance' and 'Feet of Flames.' We'll see how it goes.

A Wierd Similarity
I am a huge fan of Riverdance. I remember the first time i saw it on PBS. Afterwards we ordered the video. I noticed something in the final dance before the credits when everyone came out to dance. On Maria Pages right, there were three African Americans. In the new version there is a dance that features African Americans. The dance must have been cut out of the video. Anyways, the new Riverdance is just as good if not even better then the original!! It's a great buy!

Seven Years in Tibet (Superbit Collection)
Released in DVD by Columbia Tristar Hom (04 March, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Starring: Brad Pitt and David Thewlis
If it hadn't been for Brad Pitt signing on to play the lead role of obsessive Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer, there's a good chance this lavish $70 million film would not have been made. It was one of two films from 1997 (the other being Martin Scorsese's exquisite Kundun) to view the turmoil between China and Tibet through the eyes of the young Dalai Lama. But with Pitt onboard, this adaptation of Harrer's acclaimed book focuses more on Harrer, a Nazi party member whose life was changed by his experiences in Tibet with the Dalai Lama. Having survived a treacherous climb on the challenging peak of Nanga Parbat and a stint in a British POW camp, Harrer and climbing guide Peter Aufschnaiter (nicely played by David Thewlis) arrive at the Tibetan city of Lhasa, where the 14-year-old Dalai Lama lives as ruler of Tibet. Their stay is longer than either could have expected (the "seven years" of the title), and their lives are forever transformed by their proximity to the Tibetan leader and the peaceful ways of the Buddhist people. China looms over the land as a constant invasive threat, but Seven Years in Tibet is more concerned with viewing Tibetan history through the eyes of a visitor. The film is filled with stunning images and delightful moments of discovery and soothing, lighthearted spirituality, and although he is somewhat miscast, Pitt brings the requisite integrity to his central role. What's missing here is a greater understanding of the young Dalai Lama and the culture of Tibet. Whereas Kundun tells its story purely from the Dalai Lama's point of view, Seven Years in Tibet is essentially an outsider's tale. The result is the feeling that only part of the story's been told here--or maybe just the wrong story. But Harrer's memoir is moving and heartfelt, and director Jean-Jacques Annaud has effectively captured both sincerity and splendor in this flawed but worthwhile film. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

An absolute snore-fest
Yes, the photography of the movie is beautiful. However, watching the story was horribly slow. It was just boring to see how the relationship between Harrer and the Dalai Lama unfolds so slowly. No emotional strings were strummed. I sat there watching the movies like I spent seven years in Tibet. And when there is action, it is unfairly depicted. The movie makes the Chinese army into a mob of dehumanized villains. I feel that this is the most uncomfortable, high-production movie I have sat through in a very long time. If you want good drama, watch something like The Shawshank Redemption. If you want good cinematography, watch One Hour Photo. If you want a DVD coaster, use your Seven Years in Tibet DVD. Avoid this piece of junk unless you want to fall asleep.

its not in english
I recieved the dvd 4 days after i ordered it and it was not in a standard dvd case its was in a normal music cd case and it was all in some asian language not even the title was in english. im looking for the senders e mail so i can maybe return it for the english version.

New respect for Brad Pitt
I watched this movie for the first time when it was released in the theaters -- at that time I thought it was good, but not great. Since then, I've had a chance to attend an event in which the Dalai Lama spoke, and have come to see this movie in a new light. The story of the personal transformation of Harrar is uplifting and inspiring. I was moved by the tenderness between the young Dalai Lama and Heinreich Harrar. I used to be one of those that thought Brad Pitt was more suited to roles in "teen movies," but seeing "Seven Years in Tibet" proved me wrong. He has a depth in his acting that I didn't realize before. He portrayed Harrar with sophistication and complexity. He showed the arrogant, selfish side of his character with equal believability as his portrayal of the tenderness and grief Harrar must have felt in his growing love for his friends in Tibet.

Related Subjects: Recreation Ancient Autographs Beer Books Buttons Candy_Wrappers Cereal China_and_Pottery Christmas_Ornaments Computers Figurines Frauds_and_Scams Fruit_and_Vegetable Glassware Insulators Liquor_and_Wine M&M Medals_and_Tokens Militaria Models Numismatic_Literature Nutcrackers Organizations_and_Shows Pens Phonecards Pins Postcards Razors Shells Snacks Soda Spoons Sports Stamps Sugar Themes Tins Tobacco Toys United_States
More Pages: Collecting Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85